davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
BETZVHIE TALES
Artabanus Biffle and, the Ghost
@sBy Ellis pdnker Bt1Hef0
E@ A,dhor Of Pigs is Pigs. Etc. W.
ILLUSTRATED By PETER NEWELL

Uncle Ashdod that If he was going to
get rid of q ghost he wouldn't go
about it in that way. Then he snig-
gered.
That sort of discouraged Artabanus.
but 1t set Uncle Ashdod thinking, and
he saw he had gone at the matter in
the wrong way. 1t stood to reason
that II you could expand a ghost you
could also contract it, and that If ex-
panding would not do the job. con
tracing ought to. So he had Artar,
banus send to the city for Tripler
Liquid Air machine. If you freeze air
sufficiently 1t win turn into a liquid
~ times as cold as ice. So when the
machine arrived they set it going,
and after it was running well and pro-
ducing a temperature of about 1000
degrees below zero. Great-grandfather
Bifae. came nosing around to see what
was up. and they suddenly pushed
him into the machine. In an instant
he was liquid ghost. He condensed
into q dull gray liquid of about the
consistency of castor 0il-about half
teaspoonful. -Artabanus immediate
" ran and got an empty whisky bot
tie and poured Great-grandfather BIZ
fle into 1t, and c0rked him up, and Ia
beled it Poison. Great-grandfather
Biffle." The next week he moved in
to town, and for two years the bot
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

As cut leather II one Of the popu-
lar crafts of the season. we are CIV
ing a table mat design. The work Is
not difficult and the results are arts
tic and pleasing.
The first step is to make q whole
pattern on manila paper. One-quarter
of the pattern is given. The easiest
way to do this is to blacken the back
of the pattern cut from the page,
using a very soft pe1cil. Lay the pat
tern on the manila paper and 90 over
all the lines of the design very care
fully. Be sure to keep the sweep Of
the black leaves all going in one d.
rection, that is. one following the 9TH
er right around on each quarter.
Next lay a piece Of carbon paper.
black side down, on the right side Of
the leather and the design on top.
Fasten down with thumb tacks. being
careful to place them outside the cir
Gle. Otherwise there would be q hole
in the mat.
They should be placed on q hard
board. With a sharp pencil 60 over
all lines. Remove the paper and 60
over the design again in pencil, so
that all parts may be perfectly dis
tinct for cutting.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
BIRDS NEED MUCH CARE
Pet 70 to BE Kept in
Proper Health.

She had just bought q canary. and
the dealer was telling her what atten-
tons were necessary for the birds
welfare. He mentioned the proper
feeding. the daily bath. the cutie
bone for sharpening the bill. and fin
ally mentioned the fact that the little
singer must have a regular pedicure.
"Pedicure!" exclaimed the buyer.
How In the world win have to give
that?"
That's easy enough when you once
get used to it, the dealer told her.
In the first place, the feet have to be
kept scrupul0usly clean. II they are
not the bird will not live long. And
then the nails have to be kept clipped.
II they are allowed to grow too long.
the bird will not be able to get a good
grasp on anything II he is let hy
about the room. The nails have to be-
cut almost as often as those of q per.
son, and 1t Is equally important. I
know lots of people who have ca,
lnaries never think Of clipping their
nails, but the birds are much more
comfortable II this IL done. and il
should be done fairly often"
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29


The first special day chronicled fol
the glad new years month Il
Twelfth Night" which comes on the
sixth. In olden days the celebration
Of Christmas lasted until this date, or,
as it was called. "old Christmas,
when the Lord of Misrule," whose
reign began on Christmas eve. ended
with the burning of all the Christmas
green's. This was done to propitiate
the evil spirits. who might otherwise
modest the household. This will give
the alert hostess the keynote for an
impromptu party.
What an opportunity for an oyster
supper after the bonfire. with piping
hot cheese sandwiches made in q
chafing dish! There must be q 'mys-
terry" cake. too. According to tradi.
ton. It should contain two beans. The
ones getting these symbols of favor
are to be crowned king and queen and
for the remainder Of the evening
their word Ia law.
The hostess has an. ideal chance in
this to plan q series Of delightful sur
prises to be carried out for the will
ing subjects. One good stunt IL to
command certain couples (congenial.
Of course, that goes without saying)
to discuss great and weighty subjects.
such as, Should q Woman Propose?"
How Much Pin Money Should .
Wife Have?" IAN Ideal Way to Spend
q Honeymoon" etc. In 10 minutes q
report is to be made to the royal pair.
who in the interim from affairs of
state will manage to have an enjoy
able tete-a-tete themselves. II a bon
fire in the open is not practical. let US
hope there will at least be a CRATE
available for the burning of the
green's. A rule is that each person
makes a wish while his or her armful
is being consumed. This gives an ex-
cellent opportunity for a stunt party,
each one being requested to do some
thing-sing song, tell story or in
some way contribute. q part of the
evenings fun. Nowadays the accept
able guest is the person with some
specially. and just at present the art
of telling stories wen is an accom-
plishment worthy. of cultivation.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

who II backward and slow Of compre
hensi0n may be placed, and the teach.
er may give him individual help. Not
only would this be IN excellent thine
for the child, but real assistance to
those other children now associated
with him who are not backward and
yet are naturally held back by his
slowness. The clubwomen Of this city
are much interested in educational
work. and ~ most Of them are moth
ers they feel that they can do more
real good In this way than by efforts
on civic lines.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
An OldLFashioned Tea.

For a dozen elderly women this
charming tea was given. The house
was lighted with candles and for each
guest the hostess had a nosegay built
around stick with a frill of lacey pa
per. These were presented when re.
freshments were served. There was
a program Of old-time songs. and the
guests brought their fancy work. The
menu consisted of tea, pressed
chicken, tiny, hot, buttered biscuit,
jelly and pound cake. The invitations
were written on paper, folded and
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
NEWG0TAAMP PRISON
Police headquarters Moved from
900 Mulberry Street. j
Up-to-0ate Structure costinQ $250,o00
Takes Place Of Famous Home Of !:
Gotham's Guardians Of the !
Peace.

New YOrk.-The police headquar-
tiers OF the greatest city in the United
States are now located in q new build
ing which cost $25O.0O0. When Com
missioner Baker moved with his army
of assistants to the new structure. No.
500 Mulberry street became q thing Of
the past SO far as the city's guardians
OF the peace are concerned.
1t was at 300 Mulberry street that
Byrnes. Devery. Bingham and other
famous heads of the Gotham police de-
partment held forth.
The new building occupies the tri-i
angle bounded by Grand. Centre, and
Broome streets and Centre Market
The building Is Of granite. trimmed
with marble. and 1t Is designed to bel
ample enough to serve the department;
for many years. On the ground floor,
are the reception and consulting ROOM
for detectives. the Italian bureau, the
chief detectives ONCE. the "stand-up''l
room for suspects. the homicide bu-i
reau. the chief inspectors once. the
boiler squad and the bureau of infor-,
nation.
The commissioner and the deputies
occupy rooms ON the second floor
where the license bureau. the bureau
of supplies and repairs. the complaint
clerks Office. and the fling room for
records are quartered. On the third
floor are the chief clerks ONCE. the;
library. four record rooms, the. PEN
sion bureau. and the waiting and trial
room. The school for recruits,
photograph st0rerooms
chauffeurs' waiting room. a room for
policemen ON reserve. the chief sur!
geon's room, the drill room, and q
track are on the fourth floor.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
c,ubwomen Help Backward Students.

clubtwomen Help Backward students.
The clubwomen Of st. Paul and this
district are much interested In some
NJ the recent recommendation q Su-
perintendent Heeter. and the one
which they propose to work for Il to
establish ungraded rooms for back
ward children in the schools. This
is q step toward individualism In edu-
cational work. which Is the IDEAL TO-
ward which all the best educators are
tending. It il hoped ultimately to e.
tablish these rooms In all the public
schools Of this city. where . child
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

of Artabanus' grandfather would 60
over in the corner and Singer.
Probably there was never such a
disagreeable old ghost in this county
and when Artabanus made up his
mind to sell the place and move into
town he saw he would have to get rid
Of great-grandfather, and do it quick.
Nobody would buy the house with the
old codger ghosting around. from eel
lar to attic, and Mrs. Bifle said she
would not move at all II she had to
take the old skeesicks with her. So
Artabanus was puzzled. You can't put
a charge of giant powder under q
ghost and blow it up. for a ghost
won't stay in one place long enough.
1t will float gracefully of elsewhere.
and ii 1t did happen to sit down on
the powder just as 1t went of. the
ghost would consider that merely o
mild form of exercise.
Artabanus though 1t over for about
week and could not see head nor
tail to the difficulty. and then he con-
suited Uncle Ashdod Clute, and Uncle
Ashdod sat down on the horseback
In front of Aunt Rhinorlura Betz'
house and thought deeply for three
days, and then said he had the an
swer. He said the thing to do was to
boil the ghost of Great-grandfather
Biffle. He explained that the reason
the ghost could float around through
the air was because the ghost was
Just a little less dense than the air,
and that it resembled steam in that.
So If the ghost was boiled well it
would expand and become less dense,
and when the lid was taken of the
boiler, great-grandfather would float
up into the upper atmosphere and
strike a crOss-current Of air. Uncle
Ashdod said he did not know what
would become of him then. Maybe he
would blow around for ages. and may
be he would strike a cold current and
condense, and fall in the form Of hail
or snow. Anyway Artabanus Billie
would be rid of him. So they tried Il.
Great-grandfather Bime expanded
well enough. When they got him in
to the wash boiler and tied the lid
ON and started the fire under it, he
swelled and swelled. and at $3.50 p. m.
the boiler exploded with roar. for
it could not contain the ghost any
longer. The ghost poured out Of the
boiler FOR hours, like steam. Great
clouds of him poured out. and when
he was all out he was ten times big
ger than the house, but although his
head and shoulders waved In the up
per air. his feet were firmly planted
in Artabanus Bifne's property. And
the first thing the ghost did was to
lean down and tell Artabanus and
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

A prominent Indianapolis lawyer
tells a story of letter he dictated to
q new stenographer to q client in Gin.
cinnati. The client. a new one, had
asked his opinion az to certain bust.
ness relations here. He dictated like
this:
Dear Sirs: Yours of the sixth inst.
at hand. My first blush opinion as to
the matter" etc.
F.; The new stenographer wrote tho
letter and submitted II to the lawyer.
Since she was neg stenographer he
read the letter with care-to his ever.
lasting relief. She had written it:
; Dear Sirs: Yours Of the sixth inst.
at hand. My first gush Of opinion al
to the matter" etc.-Indianapolis Star.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29


The photograph gallery is on the
fifth. or top floor. with the rogues' gal
lery an the bertillon room. The
switchboard. one of the most complete
in the world, is also on this floor. The
cellar will be used as q target range
and for dynamos, pumps. furnaces and
coal. In the basement will be the
property clerk. storing room for the
telegraph bureau, sitting room for de-
tectives and baths for prisoners. The
cells are also in the basement. The
cells of the new headquarters are de-
clared to be unique in their modern
improvements over the Old cells of the
former building.
Commissioner Baker, it is said, will
probably retire at the end of the year.
when it Is expected a new commits
si0ner will be appointed by the incom-
ing mayor.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
4 Postcard Party.

~ p00tCo6o poTSy.
At church social the guests were
asked to bring q postcard Of interest.
which they were to talk about for
three minutes: the invitations were
issued on postcards bearing picture
of the church. Judges awarded post
card album inscribed with the lines
below to the one who told the most
interesting story. As the descriptions
were related the cards were laid on q
table where all could see them.
From round the world these cards have
come.
ThrO' every sort Of weather:
But here they find q quiet homo
And spend their days together.
Could we but hear with mortal ear
The tales they tell each other.
What joys Of travel we might have.
Without q bit Of bother!
MADAME MERRI.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

sealed without an envelope. A copy
follows:
My Dear Madam: Ye distinguished
Honor Of your Presence is requested
Thursday, ye Second of October, from
Three Of ye Clock until We early Can
delight, at Four Hundred and Seven.
Sheridan Road. ye City of -, ye
State of -. to meet Mistress Abigail
Hastings Conner and Mistress Mary
Smith Brown, ye Honorable Mother
and ye Aunt Of your most Obedient
and humble Servant. Mistress Pen
dennis.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
Woman Coed School ofBesr.

DIR. Gertrude HALEY, a graduate Of
the medical department Of the Mel
bourne university, has been reap.
pointed medical 0mcer Of the public
schools In Tasmania. DR.. HALEY Is the
first woman to occupy such an office.
and il reported to have given such
satisfaction that a movement has
been started to appoint women to al
such onices to the exclusion Of men.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

tie sat on a shelf of Artabanus' med
icine closet as calm and cool as Gu
cumber. and all was we'll.
But last Wednesday, at about four
in the morning. Artabanus awoke
with q severe collie, and he made a
dash for the medicine closet to take
a swig Of whisky. and in the dark he
got a-hold of the bottle of Great
grandfather Billie, and pulled out the
cork and swallowed the contents be-
fore he knew his mistake. 1t only
shows that people cannot be too care
full about swallowing the ghosts of
their great-grandfathers, for Arta-
banus Immediately fell on the floor.
yelling with pain. AS soon as the
liquid ghost went down 1t began to
expand. and by the time Mrs. Bifne
reached her husband he was so full
of expanded great-grandfather that he
looked more like a balloon than a
human being. Mrs. Biffle ran scream
ing fc: a doctor, and that was what
saved her life, for just as she reached
the corner Artabanus exploded and
blew the whole front of the house
out. After hunting for three days.
not enough of him has been found to
decide whether he is dead or not, but
the general opinion is that he is as
dead as a dOOrnail.
The odd thing is that the ghost Of
Great-grandfather Bifile also disap-
peared. The supp0sition is that after
being in such ! cold state for SO long
the old rascal is at length willing to
60 to that hot place where he be-
longs. to warm up little.
copyright. 1909. by W. G. Chapman)
Woman's Nay.
mo, Algern0n!"
Those were the words she had
spoken-gently. yet firmly. Had he
been older, had he been more ex-
perienced in the ways of the gentler
sex, he might have known that the an
swer was finaEirrevocable.
But he was young-very young
and he was vain enough to think that
she would not have the power to re-
sist his pleading. He entreated her to
reconsider her cruel decision. But
she would not listen.
Yet she was kind. It was for his
own good, she said, and some day he
would thank her for 1t. Her calm
manner angered him, and forgetting
the Difference due to the fair sex he
threatened violence.
Then, turtured by grief and anger.
he burst into unmanly tears.
mo, Algernon," she repeated. you
cannot have another piece OF cake:
and IL you do not stop that noise this
very moment l shall spank you %
verely!"
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29
Very Definite.

what are your views about elastic
currency"
We'll, I would like my income to
stretch q little further.
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

Unquestioned experiments show
hat there is Is to 20 per cent. more
value in grain fed . hog on good pas
ture than fed in q pen or yard. The
pax viN do very well ON clover pas
fuFe alone. but little grain will give
euoueh better pig to pay for the ad-
Aif3onal cost several times. A good
supply of milk with very little grain
- alfalfa pasture makes excellen!
cnrk and makes it at the lowest cost.
Hnfh DIGS and hogs viii do better, be
ereer from disease when in sunshiny
charters than they will in dark. damp
Nuarters-
The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-12-29

There are all sorts Of arguments
brought forward to prove that inbreed-
ing is sane breeding. Some point to
wild fowl: others to the Jersey breed
of cattle at home: others quote their
own experience covering q few years.
but the majority Of level-headed poul-
trymen agree that incestuous inbreed-
ing will. II continued. result in lack
Of stamina and diminished size Of
fowls. Where q fAncier who has
studied birds can. from the appearance
of his birds. Judge somewhat - 70
which are 1T to use for inbreed1ng. the
common breeder who pays little 1t
tention to his lock would b az at
SEA"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03
TODAY'S AGE-HERALD

1-br. Cooks story is accepted.
 England awaits convincing news. Taft will be political evangelist. Horror at Monterey not modified. Taft will go to Alaska.
 Lusitania makes new records
 Glenn Curtiss will go to Brescia 9Busy session of Ensley council. Cocaine freely sold to victims. Formulation of census schedule. 3-Second attempt to wreck Bessemer
 car.
 Mallory will speak at Anniston. Alexander City is prosperous. 4EEditorial comment 5-Ex-Confederates fail to get pensions University men honor Somervilie More furnaces going in blast fe Petition for Sunday enforcement. 6-Seeking laws to help children Runaway girls held by police. Big yearly drain on forests. J. Lee Long says amendment will
 lose. 7LBirmingham social news.
 Dolly Dalrymple's column. s-Soil survey of Autauya county. e--Hobson and Davis meet
 Great victory for Df. Cook holds first rally. 11-Stock market dull G.ld lower Cotton advances on crop report Wheat goes up on weather reports. n General aporting news
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03
DICKINSON MAY
 REOPEN THE CASE

Washington. September 2.-The state ment from Nashville today to the effect that Secretary of War Dickinson had intmated that the case of Cadet J. H. Booker, Jr., of Georgia, one of seven cadets from the military academy dis missed for hazing Cadet Sutton. might be reopened was received with some doubt by the army officers in Washing ton
 The act of congress- approved March 3. 1901. provides in effect that any cadet found guilty of hazing another cadet shall be summarlly expelled and that he shall not be eligible for re-instate- ment until two years after the class to which he belonged shall have graduated It is pointed out. nevertheless, that if the secretary is convinced that mate rial error was made by the board of inquiry in it's findings, and that in all probability the cadet was not guilty of hazing the secretary may direct an- other investigation and that in this event if the second board finds the cadet in- nocent of the charges, the secretary may re-appoint the cadet, and also des- ienated the class to which the cadet shall be assigned.
 Department officials here are of the opinion that the secretary has no author ity under the law to reinstate cadets ex- pelled for hazing. Nothing on the sub feet has been heard from Secretary Dickinson.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03
Constitution Follows FIao.

New York, September 2.-That the flag planted by Dr. Cook on the new Arctic continent will be defended by the United States was the opinion expressed tonight by Attorney General Wickersham in an interview at Lawrence Beach, L. l., his low the flag, if the new land discovered by Cook proves to be of any value" said MT. Wickersham. However, before taking any position in the matter, I pre- fer to wait for information of a little more definite character in regard to the exact meaning and scope of Dr. Cooks discovery"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03

President 7aff Plans
 To Pay Visit To Alaska

Beverly, Mass, September 2.-President Taft in bidding goodby today to Walter Ely Clark. who Is to be inaugurated at Juneau as governor of Alaska October 1. announced that he probably would visit the far northwestern territory next sum mer.
 It is announced that if the President should visit Alaska ueN summer he may extend his trip N the Hawaiian Islands.
 Neither the President HOT Secretary Knox would discuss the reported dis covery of the north pole. When the sec retary was asked as to etiquette of what the state department ought to do with the pole under the circumstances, he laughingly replied:
 Annex it, of course!'
 President Taft had a little touch of sciatica today which may keep him off the golf links for the remainder of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03

week. He first felt it when he rose this morning.
 During the afternoon he said he no long CT felt the twinges of pain and went for the usual late afternoon automobile ride. Tomorrow morning the President will wit ness the sonder lxlasse races off Marble head from the deck of the yacht Sylph,
 Representative Tawney of Minnesota, chairman of the House committee on ap- propriations, supported the President in. his fight for tariff reyisieH throughout and even went so far as to vote against the remainder of the delegation from his, state In favor of free lumber. During the trip west the President will stop all of one evening at MT. Tawneys home town of Winona and 1t has been stated that he would take occasion to commend MT. Tawney, although there has been no con- firmation of this intention
 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas K. Laughlin of Pittsburg, the latter sister of Mrs. Taft, arrived today, to be guests for some time of the presidential college.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03
GLENN CURTlSS WILL GO
 TO BRESCIA FOR FLIGHT

other guests included Cortlandt F. Bish- op, president of the Aero Club of Amer lea, and Mrs. Bishop; Ambassador Rock hill and Mrs. Rookhill and Miss Can non.
 Mr. Curtiss was most delighted with his balloon trip, which was his first ex- perience in that type of craft and he took the opportunity of studying the air currents by dropping pieces of paper and watching the way they were affected.
 MT. Bishop points out that the Gordon Bennett trophy Is a challenge cup for which entries do not have to be made before March, 1910, and that 1t Is, there- fore, premature to say what are the prospects for next year. He understands, however, that at present, the French aviators are not inclined to make the long and expensive trip to the United States and that 1t is doubtful If there will be any races in 1910.