davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
The World. Greatest Cave.

Every one has heard of the Nam
moth Caveeof Kentucky, but few prob
ably are aware that Its discovery was
due to the search for suitable earth
for the manufacture Of saltpetre. The
anxiety to find saltpetre earth was
due to the Embargo bill passed by
Congress in 1907, which forbade Amer
lean vessels to sail for Europe and for.
eign vessels to land cargoes In Ameri-
ca.
The Americans needed gunpowder,
and to make 1t they required saltpetre.
They had geen getting 1t from Spain
and Italy, but the Embargo bill stop.
ped that, and there was no American
supply of the substance. A rowing
chemist. named Samuel Brown. had
shown how saltpetre, or potassium nit
rate. could be obtained from cave
earth. And so the quest for caves
was begun. and asslduously continued.
When the Mammoth Cave was
found, every part of the great cavern
was searched for cave earth. From
pit, byways. and avenues slaves car
ried out the heavy loads of petre
earth. Many thousands of tons were
treated, and the rude chemistry of the
day produced something like a hun
dred thousand pounds of saltpetre
within two years.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
a EHoaarthian linn SIGN.

One of the most humorous inn signs
is 1.-THE Man Loaded With Mischief"
which is found about mile from
Cambride, on the Madingley road. The
original Mischief was designed by
Hogarth for a public house in Ok
ford street.
1t is needless to say that the sign
board and even the name have long
ago disappeared from the busy Lon
don thoroughfare, but the quaint de-
vice must have been extensively cop
led by country sign painters. There
is mischief" at Wallingford and
load of Mischief" at Norwich. The
inn on the Madingley road exhibits
the sign in its original form. Though
the colors are much faded from ex-
posure to the weather, traces Of Hog.
sarthian humor can be detected. A man
is staggering under the weight of q
woman, who is on his back. She is
holding a glass of gin in her hand
chain and paddock are around the
mans neck. labelled "Wedlock." On
the right-hand side Is the shop OF IS
Grippe, Pawnbroker," and carpenter
is Just going in to pledge his tools
Strand Magazine.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

OCo and s3ooooOo0o the exact amount being dependent
on what may properly be included in the term Wall
street district" Within the most reasonable boundaries
for this district must be included property worth at
least the figure; and he assumed that the
real selling value is at least 90 cent in excess OF
that assessed against the owners.
1t is ultraconservative to assert that onethird OF
this capitalization is employed in catering to specu-
latve enterprises and employments This constitutes
item of $75,000,00O for New York City alone and
the nation will swell this to s10O0O0,000 and more
We have taken account Of the cost of the fixtures
in the thousands of offices in these buildings; neither
has mention been made of many other items which
properly belong in this calculation The total amount
of fixed capital invested in the speculative in the
United States is approximately indicated in the follow
ing table:
Invested in exchange buildings .........$ 100000
Value Of membership tickets ........... 100,000,000
Invested in office buildings ............... 100000
Fixtures and ncidentals OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 25,000000
Total .s26o.ooo.ooo
-Everybodys Magazine.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
UNUSUALLY NrEREsrING PHASE MODERN IFE

not immune ourselves from his anger he has simply
Jumped with the English the dominant race among
the visitors there.
The desert of the Sphinx, he tells u.s. is threat
ened on every side by modernism, and Is becoming
meeting place for the idlers of the whole world. He
1T Is rue that far nobody has dared pro.
fame the Sphinx by building In Immediate proximity to
its grandeur. the fixed disdain which may still be
potent. Yet scarcely half league away is the ter.
minus of road where cabs and tramways gather and
where motor of expensive makes emit duck
like quacks; and yonder behind the Pyramid of Cheops
looms Vast hotel swarmng with fashionables feath-
cred as insanely redskins for the scalp dance"
TO the "fashionabes" NJ. Lott appears only as man
out of tune with the times and his walls of protest
only increase the growing popularity of tourist
ridden Egypt" winter resort
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
Small Talk.

A young fellow in Bloomington, ILL.,.
who has been devoting himself for
some years to a young woman of that
town. recently found himself in a most
embarrassing situation just as he had
taken his courage in both hands and
was "going to ask the girl" sa.t
Harriet" said he, as he shifted his
feet uneasily and swallowed the lump
in his throat, I'm anxious to have
you''-
"Yes, Mr.. Hummer" gently inter
posed the young woman, by way Of
encouragement.
"Well-er-Harriet,' he began, with
increasing nervousness. Pm anxious
to have yop"--
Just then both parents Of the young
lady entered the room where the low
ers sat.
."oh, Mt. Hummer said the des
perate girl, what was it you wera
just telling me?"-Harpers Weekly.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
The First scapero.t.

The word "scapegoat'' originated in
an ancient Hebrew custom practiced
at the feast of the Passover. Placing
young goat upon the altar, the
priests would pray over it, asking that
all the sins Of the people be visited
upon the goat. Then, after each mem
Der Of the tribe had transferred his
guilt to the victim by laying on his
hands, the animal was turned loose in
the forests to be devoured by wild
beasts.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
HI. Day of Reckoninx.

AS the stout man whose appetite
had excited the envy of the other
boarders turned to leave the parlor.
he looked down at his waistcoat. II
declare. I've lost two buttons OF nv
vest" he said, ruefully.
He was new boarder. but his land.
lady saw no reason for further delay
in showing her banner. "Watchfulness:
and Economy for ALL" She gave him
the benefit of the chill gaze SO familiar
to her older boarders.
II think without doubt you will find
them both in the dining ROOM" she
announced. clearly.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
A COLONIAL CITY.

wish you could all come to Kings
ton and see the fine old things here
1t is called the Colonial City because
it was settled in the old Colonial
days, way back in 1861, but 1t was
called Wiltwyck then; so you can see
it is very old. There are many oil!
houses here. The Oldest one is call
ed the Senate House.
When the British burned our city
in the Revolutionary War all the
houses were burned except the Sen.
ate House. Let me tell you something
about this house. It built III
1876, and George Washington had his
headquarters here once. It was also
the first capitol of New York state.
1t is two stories high and is made Of
old stone. 1t is in good condition, and
many people visit 1t to view the old
relics kept there. The last time
went there saw spinning wheel,
some of George Washington's clothes,
old-fashioned kitchen utensils and
many other things. There was a
cracker over two hundred years old.
Samuel H. Gross, in the New York
Tribune.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
NEVER WORKED.

One of the Few Gentlemen of Leisure
United States Has Produced.
AS is pretty we'll known, Foxhall
Keene is one of the few gentlemen Of
leisure the United States has had time
to turn out. He is son Of James R..
Keene, the Wall street Spectator. Al
ways supplied with money by his faith
er. he has devoted his whole life to
sport. He is we'll known as gentle.
man rider and has played polo with
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

birds iourneyed out from the city in
order to observe them. A lark was
soaring and singing in the sky above
him. An old Irishman came along and
suddenly stopped as if transfixed to
the spot. A look of mingled delight
and incredulity came into his face.
Was he indeed hearing the bird OF
his youth? He took off his hat and
turned his face skyward. and with
moving lips and streaming eyes stood
long time regarding the bird.
"Ah," thought the student of nature.
"if could only hear the bird as he
hears that song with his ears!% To-
the man of science it was only bird
song to be critically compared to a
score of others, but to the other 1t
brought back his youth and all these
long-gone days on his native hills!-
Christian Register.
OUR POLLY.
The first pet my sister and ever
had was parrot, which friend OF
our mother, brought to us from Cuba.
He was young bird and coull
speak no English at all, though he
had picked up several Spanish words
from the crew on the voyage here.
However, 1t did not take Polly long
to acquire a very fluent vocabulary,
and he chartered SO necessarily that
he drove every one in the house
nearly crazy. He was so tame that
we let him go ont Of doors. He al
ways stayed near the house, coming
in in the evening to. be fed and put
to bed. His favorite trick was to climb
high up in the wistaria vine that
covered the front of our house, and
from there he would call "Hellon' to
every one who passed the house. 1t
was so funny to see people turn
around to see who it was who had call.
ed. Polly was almost the color Of
the vine, so he could not be easily
seen, and anyway no one thought OF
its being a parrot OF all things he
hated his bath. and would call loudly
for help during the whole process.
though he never offered to bite the
person bathing him.-Grace Horney,
in the New York Tribune.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

er-wfn be appalled, by the facts about to cite and
the unanswerable proof am about to submit.
1t is not alleged that what is known as the Wall
street district entirely devoted to the purposes of
speculation. 1t includes hundreds, and possibly thou
sands of firms which have no direct concern with the
various exchanges; but 1t is possible to arrive
sonably close approximation to the total paid by those
who defray the cost of the Wall street game
The tax books of New York City show that the Wall
street district is assessed at figure between sOO0oO
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

When photographs of Mother. as she
appeared when young, are shown the
children, they begin to regard her
wrinkles and gray hairs as proof OF
Fathers mean treatment, instead Of
the work of time. sE
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
All in Half an Hour
5 ooeooeoeoeeeeeeee

"Half-past eight, Gordon" said Mrs.
MacLean, "and I want you to leave
two notes on your way to kindergar-
ten. This in your right hand is for
Aunt Margaret and the ons in your
left hand is for the grocer. Don't give
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

Until the day of aquariums it was
a somewhat difficult matter to observe
a live herring. 1t is fish that dies
instantly. on being taken from It's ma
tive element. Among fishermen first
arose the expression, Dead as her.
ring"
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
"a Mis-. a. Good a. a Mile.n


We have all used the saying, "a
miss Is as good as a mile," yet 1t is
doubtful II many know the origin of
this proverb. Before the days of the
great Charlemagne, when King Pepin
ruled the Frankish Empire, there
dwelt two friends. Amis and Amile.
According to the story of Turpin,
these men were SO strongly attached
to each other that Amile risked his
life to save the life and fortune Of
Amis. and later. when Amile was suf-
fering from leprosy, Amis sacrificed
his own children in order that his
friend might be bathed in their blood
and cured. Thus, came that peculiar
" true proverb which will no doubt
remain with us until the end Of time.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
SATISFACTION.


he never climbed the mountain heights;
He never has attained success;
His name has never yet appeared
Within the columns of the press.
And yet he proudly goes his way,
Content in borrowed light to dwell;
OF one who wins he'll always say:
Il know man who knows him we'll"
Great things himself he never does,
And I am sure he never tries;
His greatest joy is to attract
A crowd that he can patronize.
And then, in superior way,
To them he'll condescend to tell
How close he Is to So and So,
He knows a friend who knows him
well.
The proudest man on earth is-not
The one who is on top and knows it;
Nor he who has succeeded well
And feels above us all and shows IT.;
But he who, when some great mans name
Is mentioned, lets his Uranium swell!
Oh. spare us from this bore of bores,
Who knows friend who knows him
we'll.
Detroit Free Press.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
a.. :, :. :. =. -,
s%;sGRRg2yYZy|
9e3eHB

Where Has The Little Girl Gone?
The SHOWS of yesteryear are gone
Their like will come again;
The blooms of yester June are fled,
But more will gladden. men.
We ask for what has gone for good
Amid the dizzy whirl
And for the sign by which we knew
The old-time little girl.
Now from the cradle to the grave
Throughout their length of years
TIC fold their hats upon their heads
They bristle thick with spears.
And so we ask: Where has she gone,
The girl before the pin,
Who wore to moor her hat on tight
Elastic meath her chin?
-McLandburgh Wilson.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
CASH CAPITAL OF STOCK GAMBLING.
BY Frederick U. Adams.

take 1t that no effective denial can be en-
tered against the assertion that many of the
superb buildings which are massed in the
Wall street district Of New York are largely
devoted to housing concerns which draw their
revenue from the speculative public. This
same public partially paid for their erection.
1t continues to contribute the funds which
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

1t is nice in the books to have a
masterful man for hero. but such q
man is called downright bossy by the
neighbors In real life.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
wpo THE CLEVER.

IN France there was once little
dog whose name was Fido. He be-
longed to poor woman who did not
always have enough food to give him.
Fido must have thought 1t over to
himself this way: My mistress loves
me, but she is so poor that often she
does not have enough food for her
own dinner. How then can she afford
to give me mine? am strong dog
and "a wise dog, too. so must get my
dinner without troubling my good mis-
tress."
Not far from the place where the
dog lived there was a convent which
was the home OF some good nuns. and
one day as Fido sat near by in the
sun he saw beggar ring the bell
of the convent door. Soon woman
came and brought a bowl OF soup and
meat, which she gave to the beggar.
Fido trotted up and looked into the
beggar's face as much as to say,
Cant you spare me one of those
bones?' But the beggar did not see
things in the light that Fido did. go
away, you cur" said the beggar. So
Fido trotted back to his place in the
sun and lay down.
But he was very hungry. He did
not have anything to eat for whole
day. The beggar over the way as
soon as he had eaten his food put the
bowl in the hole in the door and then
walked off.
Those must be good women to give
food to beggars,' thought Fido. ~
wonder If they wouldn't give me q
bowl of soup. There's nothing like
trying"
So Fido trotted across the street.
and, putting up his paw. rang the bell.
'Ding, ding, ding" What a noise he
made.
There's another beggar after
food" said the good nun to herself;
and out she came with plate of boil
ed meat, and looked around There's
nobody here after ALL" she said, and
shut the door.
"She calls me nobody" thought
poor Fido. II must try again." So
he jumped up and rang the bell once
more. "Ding, ding. dong" 1t made
much louder noise than before.
But nobody came. The woman stood
at a back window, watching to. see
who was ringing the bell. Fido wait
ed awhile and then jumped up again
and ooua tho ha1l q oood null
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
READY FOR THE DOLLAR.

Marjorie, aged nine, had not been
having very satisfactory reports from
school. Her father finally said, Mar
jorie, for the first hundred you get
I'll give you a dollar Time went
on, the reward could not be claimed.
One day the child was taken violently
Ill. Her mother sent for the doctor.
When he had gone. Marjorie said,
Mama, am very ill?"
mo, dear, your temperature is a
little over hundred, but the doctor
thinks you will be all right in day
or so."
Smiles broke through Marjorle's
tears.
Now. mama, i can have my dollar.
Papa said he would give 1t to me "
could get hundred in anything. !"
Bee Hive.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

Every man has some particular sort
of genius. II the time in which he
lives makes market for his genius.
he becomes great.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

distinction on both sides of the Allan
tic. For time he ran in motor cup
races. but his great interest has al
ways been In the horse. This snap
shot was made when he was officiating
as Judge at the Rackaway Hunt Club
race meet at Cedarhurst.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

Duties paid on Manila imports OF
opium fortunately decreased from
s294,3S1 in 1905 to s64,S91 in 1908,
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

which work could be done and things could be laid.
Nowadays we have dminutive flats with reception
that just receive totterng little table and moth
ing else. We dine at table which accommodates
baby cruet almost under protest The beds in
our little bedrooms have Sides but middle. There
fine pictures only quantity of photographs
periously edged against Stat Of wood.
And ofaA there is not decent table at which
person sit with books and work at it. drawing
room may pretter the abolition from 1t OF oil
sensible tables. But 1t is much less habtabe. 1t s
small wonder that people nowadays try continually to
curta tine time after dinner. 1t s because there is
nothing one do in drawing room. At best some
body plays the VIOLIN Sings at worst the pianoa Is
going The poet who wished for IAN hour Of crowd
cd life" should try living On the of crowd
ctness. If not of life. he would be well content.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02


sion Of red cheeks and brown eyes
flashed in and out of the dining room,
leaving note on the table. The wind
had given Gordon chass for his cap
on the way there and at one stage in
the skirmish both notes had found
themselves clutched in one hand, but
Gordon knew perfectly well that the
right-hand note had been on top all
the time.
whats this?" said Aunt Margaret,
picking up the note. Already Gordon
was trotting down the road. PLEASE
send Immediately one dozen eggs, one
bottle vanilla, one pound This was
meant for the grocer. I'll telephone It
down to Jeffrey's for her."
Mrs. Jeffrey, who happened that
morning to be filling the place of a
suddenly departed cashier In her hus.
bands store, had hardly finished TAX
ing telephone order to be sent to
Mrs. MacLeans when Gordon Mac
Lean, breathless from running, bound
ed into the store.
ooh! Isn't Mr.. jeffrey here?" he
asked. tightening his hold on the note
Mother told me not to give this to
anyone but Mr.. Jeffrey"
But I'm Mrs. jeffrey, dear. It's just
the same If you give 1t to me-"
This was perfectly true when she
said it. Two minutes later there was
no truth in 1t.
Mrs. jeffrey. standing behind the
high desk. opened the note and read,
instead of an order for groceries, this
message:
Dear: I'm afraid 1 should not ask
you to come again after your being
here yesterday, but could you? shall
be alone all the morning. "A word to
the wise. Don't come this afternoon.
I'll explain why later. DOLLY"
Mrs. Jeffrey's unbelieving eyes went
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

KAIETEUR FALL
nearly Niagara
The width
season. and the depth of passing
M to twenty feet of
hyfve feet about the
fall Of sandstone with Gaping harder suggested
that the falls be
chief fall alone would horse
News - 1890
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
YoU,sE DRESSED UP.

YOU'SE DRESSED UP.
Grandma's guest was elegantly but
simply dressed in black chiffon wolfe
handsomely trimmed with silk over
lace. Little Birdie, aged four. climb
ed on her lap and patted the many
gray hairs and smoothed the soft
lace and silk. then peered lovingly
into her face and said:
"You'se dressed up good enough to
be killed, amt you?"-Bee Hive.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02
"wHERE ARE THE HOUSES OF YEsTERDAY7" =
BY Margaret Bafeson.

Three.quarters of century ago 1t was the
ambition of every prosperous citizen to build
himself house. These houses really held
things. There were immense pictures. And
then, what splendid tables there were in these
houses! There was not only that great table
with the many leaves dedicated to eating;
but in all the sitting rooms there would be
ever so many fine, spacious, solid tables on,
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

back to the top of the page and read
the words again. The foundations of
her world were slipping.
Suddenly she remembered one thing
clearly. 1t was her husbands voice
saying, Must be mighty lonesome for
Al MacLean's little widow, up there In
the old place. She was saying when
she was in the store yesterday that she
hardly knows soul in town yet. She
just came out here to the suburbs be-
cause she wanted to be near her aunt
Mrs. Crane, and because she likes to
be in the place where Al grew up"
That had been three months ago
Mrs. Jeffrey had meant to call, but 9TH
er things had interfered. Tom had
spoken of her going several times. but
not lately. A bright spot had begun to
burn in each of her cheeks as she read
the note once more. She had never
dreamed. when hearing about mems
growing tired of their wives
She snatched sheet Of paper and
dashed off these words:
This note from Mrs. MacLean to
you will explain why Teddy and 1 are
taking the 10 o'clock train for Chicago.
I'm going to mothers"
Having Enclosed the two messages in
an envelope. which she sealed and adj
dressed, leaving 1t on the desk for her
husband, Mrs. jeffrey told the boy in
the rear room that he would have to
come and stay in the; store until Mr..
jeffrey returned. Then she walked
swiftly down the street to her home.
the moss-green house at the foot of
the hill. There, upon her own porch,
she found herself face to face with
Mrs. MacLean!
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-02

that-how dare you come to my
homer
Mrs. MacLean, shocked and white,
was leaning against a pillar for sup.
port. Then her eyes fell on the note
and the color flooded back to her face.
THAT was for my Aunt Margaret"
she cried. did Gordon leave it at
the store? And you thought-Oh!"
/ She dropped on the porch settee and
buried her face In her hands.
Jeffrey shifted his feet and cleared
his throat.
Mrs. Jeffrey stood rooted to the floor,
unable to keep pace with the develop
ments.
The little widow sosbed and sobbed.
At last, however. she lifted her face
and looked at Mrs. Jeffrey 81 under
stand 1t now," she said, land the
strangest part Is that 1t all happened
because wanted you for my friend
From the first minute l saw you in
church wanted to know you, but 1t
was the beautiful way your husband
spoke about you the other day that
made me dare, this morning, when
was SO lonely, to ask" Her voice
broke.
Mrs. Jeffrey, with lump in her
throat, took one step and sat down on
the porch settee.
"Tom." she said, as. she put both
arms around the little widow. go back
to the store"
And the clock struck s.Achlcago
Daily News.