davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
SfrQlu Hats and Autos

you might scarcely think" said Mr. Mac
Blink, that there was anything in common be
tween straw hats and automobiles but by thai
way of thinking you'd be surely forgettins
their cost OF upkeep in which respect they are
strikingly alike.
They say it costs more to keep an automo
bile than it does to buy one; precisely the
same is true of the straw hat You take nv
own experience for an Illustration
Early in the season bought straw hat
for which paid So. know place where Won
can get very good straw hat for that money
and II 1t hadn't rained all summer shouId
nave been on the straw hat account under no
additional expense.
But 1t always does rain more mr. 1es.
Just as 1t has done this summer and as Is very
wen known II drop of rain gets on a straw
nat 1t is all up. Raindrops on a straw hat
Will accumulate dust, and then Won have to
nave the nat cleaned, and that costs money: in
some places rs cents; in some Is
i find by reference to nv books tb.t
nave paid out this summer in straw hat az.
count 1or upkeep only $3.50, which is a good
oeai. while the automobile man has been
spending his money for gasoline and thinoa
nave been blowing mine for hat cleanino ond
II mas cost me more to keep that hat eo;no
than it cost me originally eo
But in this find some sliob+ s.+,e..
IN TINS respect at least l find myself nm tho
same footing with the man who at tho haai,
nlng or the season bought instead If /. e...
hat automobile" i""
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

crushed the creatures and so creased the rails
that progress was impossible for some time.
The passengers said that they could have
stood the situation more philosophically If the
blockaders had been frogs. for then the ques-
ton OF the food supply would have been
settled for a lot of hungry people. Frogs legs
make good eating.
1t Is not generally known, perhaps, to the
layman that toads, like frogs. lay their eggs
in the water. Countless millions of eggs will
be deposited in some morass. They hatch out
the young get big enough. and migrate in
body to the dry land sometimes going long
distances as an entity. These, it is said. are
the marching armies of toads which astonish
people and accounts of which are spread
broadcast over the earth
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

gu1ls appeared-birds never before seen in that
locality within the memory of man. They came
IN tremendous f1ocks and devoured without
stopping the hosts Of the enemy, and they
completely saved the crops from destruction
NOW the guls follow the plains like chickens,
and In Utah at least, it is said that no one
mas any desire to raise his hand against them
What the gull was to Salt Lake region the
toad was to one section of northwest Texas
county, some time ago. There was but COM
paratively small area of the county under cul.
t1vat1on, but the growing things were threat
ened with destruction by a horde Of Rocky
Mountain locusts; then there appeared to the
astonished gaze of the resident Texans an
army OF toads, before which in numbers the
great army Of Xerxes was but as score
These dismal-looking, warty-backed Hop-o'-my-
thumbs came along business bent. They
said nothing and they ate grasshoppers. They
cleaned up utterly one entire flight of the crea-
lures. And they quietly sat under the cab
bage leaves and beet tops to wait for more.
They didn't come. The toads had saved the
crops, and it may be judged that if one wants
to be certain to get in quarrel he can get it
If he will go that section of Texas and ma
lgn toad.
Should anyone be inclined to doubt the in
secteating capabilities of a common everyday
American toad, let him listen to the evidence
OF an experimenter, who is at once scientist
and clergyman, the one fact establishing his
accuracy and the other his veracity. This
theologue naturalist, the record shows,
found toad In his garden and proceeded to
make a pet OF 1t. He went to call on master
toad one morning about ten o'clock and with
out knowing how many insects already had
fallen before the toad's darting tongue, pro-
ceeded to feed him on plant pests. The toad
ate readily and greedily twenty three large
squash bugs which were offered him, and then
looked up inquiringly for more
The squash bug arder was depleted, so the
clergyman turned his attention to caterpillars
OF these hairy. repusive creatures the toad
ate ninety-four, SO the story record goes, and
then he shut down to hop heavily off to
shady corner to take that rest which it is
said aids animal digestion.
Now this same experimenter tells tales of
toads which might appear bit overdrawn.
were not the gentleman's cloth what it is. He
took in his experiments with one toad some
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
Capital Boys Are to Be Suppress.

should be done for the better pl
ton of children's morals.
Death and accident have
caused by street cars and othsF
cles," the superintendent Of +
says. "On the other hand. H.
playing on the streets have q;
destruction to property.
Ball playing on the streets
continued, has resulted In COM
on account of noises and brokel /
dows. The same hue and q
raised when vacant lots are. usA
baseball and other games. Al -
In certain localities. large and
gatherings are attracted"
Maj. Sylvester wants the ms1a
Of his command to deal geniy il
boys who cause trouble. Wh&
wants the youngsters to get eaas
joyment they can, he does ndt
ever, want them to violate the "
Street corner gatherings arr
broken up, the superintendeai
Indulgence In profanity and cta~ \
language is to mean punishmsH
Offenders who are caught viii %
ecuted. The police think thai
Ing boys off the streets at night
much good
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

| VYYASHINGTON-T indications be.
w ing that the census will show the
population of the United States to be
over 9O,000,000, 1t seems assured that
the republic contains more than half
of the inhabitants of the New World.
It Is quite probable that all of the re-
naming countries of this hemisphere
have fewer than 100000 inhabi-
tants
That point can never be settled def
nitely until conditions change radi-
cally in many extensive regions of
Latin America. Now most of the
states south of Mexico and north of
the Argentine either make farce of
their census taking or else do not At
tempt 1t at any time
Recent estimates, partly based upon
census records, which have been
made In South America and Central
America, indicate that there are about
100000 people living between the
Rio Grande and Cape Horn, including
the West Indies. Canada has per-
haps 100000, allowing for rapid
growth since the census of 1901. and
Newfoundland adds less than 100000.
Unless the estimates, which seem
most fntelligently made, are very wide
of the mark in several countries
where there are no authentic and ex-
act statistics of population, the total
for the New World, outside of the
United States, cannot exceed so ,OO0,-
900.
Brazil, much the largest country of
South America, is the most populous |
IN the Western Hemisphere, except |
the United States 1t Is probable that
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

Windham who did not thoroughly accept the IN
depreciation were Colonies Dyer and Elderkin. In
few minutes the light of the torches showed an
immense concourse of toads frogs whichever
they were, bearing down the main street of the
town, croaking and "glucking' like a myriad OF
night demons. 1t suddenly struck the people that
If Judgment day at hand notwithstanding
the fact that Colonies Dyer and Elderkin seemed
to have been singled out by the visitors, the day
of accounting according to the Bible was an all
embracing affair, and thereat all the Windham
people started trembling violently.
There living today good many persons
who are direct descendants of the Colonel Elder
kin whom the batrachians called to judgment that
night. In Chicago until recently there lived
Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Norris direct descend
ant of Colonel Elderkin. Mrs. Norris had heard
the story of the invasion of the village score of
times from the lips of her grandmother, who as
a child taken time after time to the place
from which the night disturbers To the
days of their deaths Colonels Dyer and Elderkin
called Frog Dyer and Frog Ederkin, and
If local Connecticut authorities to be believed
there has not been seen from that day to this
either toad frog in the meadow and pond
from which started that midnight migration.
To get away, for moment, from frogs and
toads, and in order to lead back to them again,
let it be said that out in Utah the gull is care
fully protected bird. Olive Thorne Miller speaks
of them as great beautiful, snowy creatures who
look strangely out of place far from the sea-
shore" l have been told that these gulls are
sacredly protected by the law and the people Of
the western state, and have also been told that
the early settlers the Mormons, believed that the
Lord has sent the birds to his chosen people
1t is no wonder that it was believed the gulls
were specially sent. Clouds Of grasshoppers had
destroyed the crops in that early day in MANY
of the western territories. They attacked Utah
by the million millions. Then it that the
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
Government. Has No Hall of Recor|

break out in a non-hreproof bHiA'
The loss of government prcp'N
this fire is thought to be leg
$1,000, but in the library over y
was a unique collection OF geei1.l
literature containing more than 4
volumes. $4,000 pamphlets and I
maps. the most complete collecAsl
geological works and maps =
country if not in the world
What the United States upll
ment needs is a magnificent haa
records. where all the valuable
ives of the government mle~
stored in absolutely tireproof W
Some day after few hundred m'A
dollars worth of these valuanis
ords have been destroyed copsI
will give us hall OF records.
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

A 5 the country has been told about
"A once a day for the last 20 years
the United States Government has no
nail OF records, no place where it can
keep the valuable documents which
from time to time it is necessary To
clear out of the departments and mt
some place for safe keeping. This he.
ing the case when fire broke ont tba
otner day under the Offices of tbe
geological survey there was wild ev
cltement. In the basement of ~
store that got on fire are the records
and archives of the geological survar
lnese are invaluable and if destroroa
couid never be replaced. bnt tho
united States Government is oh,ieas
10 mouse its different Departments ~
rented buildings all over Wasbineton
ana the constant danger threatens w. ~
destruction Of valuable archives wh Tue
ever nre breaks out, and tbera n
Io' any reason why fire should nos
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

trim trained nurse in spotless white
may be seen leading small boy by
the hand up and down the shady ave-
nues near the Fitch mansion. The
boy In turn leads the decrepit terrier
by a chain. and the pretty nurse
watches over both child and dog with
tender solicitude. The child is Mrs.
Fftch's little grandson, and the terrier
is the aged pet of the Fitch house
hold. Tim Connors was born over
the sea twenty-five years ago. He
came to the Fitch family when he was
two years old. and has been beloved
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

REGULATIONS to protect children
~ from danger of injury and to have
them looked after for violations of the
regulations are to be enforced by the
Washington police.
1.-THE danger to children who make
Fairgrounds of the Streets" says Mai
Sylvester, has been long since estab-
hshed. Now that there are public
Fairgrounds in different sections of
the city the children should use them
rather than risk their lives"
Complaints against children playing
on the streets sometimes cause a peck
OF trouble to the police.
Children jump upon moving street
cars. Others stand upon the streets.
Others are loud and boisterous.
In past years Maj. Sylvester has ia
Vored the enactment of a limited cur
few law. He still thinks something
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

large "tangle-legged' grasshoppers. Master
toad took kindly to this species OF food, but
owing to to the nature of the insects legs and
their extreme length he found difficulty in
swallowing. In order to aid In the process as
soon as he would get firm grip on the grass,
hopper he would look for stick or stone by
means of pushing against which he could force
his prey down his throat. Now in order to see
what the toad would do If no stone or stick
were at hand, all of those articles were re-
moved from his vicinity, and then he was fed
another big grasshopper with great knotted
legs.
Now 1t must be remembered that the pres
ent writer is not vouching for this toad story;
he is simply setting it down as it has been
told by an observer and If 1t is a nature
fake the blame must go elsewhere. The toad,
finding he could not swallow the big grasshop-
per, looked about usual for stone and
finding none he attempted to use the ground
as pusher He unable to get the right
angle to secure sufficient force and SO as
last and perfectly effective means he stood on
his head and without the least difficulty forced
his food down his throat.
This toad unquestionably was a wonder
One day, we are told he happened to find an
angleworm of great length. He took hold of
one end and succeeded in swallowing about
an inch and half of the worm, which then
realizing its danger apparently, wound the rest
OF us DOdy Doa-i1ke around the neck of the
toad. This gave the worm leverage enough
to enable it to tug away at that part which the
toad already had swallowed The result was
that although by mighty effort the toad
could swallow about half an inch, the worm,
when the relaxation came, succeeded in with
drawing three-quarters of an inch. The toad
saw his breakfast slipping away from him. but
his infinite wit came to his rescue. It is said
that he sat up like squirrel took one mighty
Cu-o 11orY
in its withdrawing work. he pressed his fore
feet against his throat and held the swallowed
part OF the breakfast in place; then, so the
story goes by series of quick successive
swallowing and throat squeezing. the toad soon
had the worm in the dark interior where he
was needed for breakfast
Toad migrations are not extraordinarily I'M
common events. They have taken place in
many parts of the country, and once the toads
in travelling succeeded in stalling a railroad
train on the Canadian Pacific line. The story
of this runs to the effect that the wheels
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

intention SO to do, they have fnaueurated vor;
table reigns of terror
Years ago, In the little Puritan settlement
Oh "lnonam' Conn, out of which sprang as
many notable American families, perhaps, as
have come from any other colonial hamlet a
migration Of toads led the people to believe
that the tocsin Of the last day had been sound
ed. and they were all summoned. sinners and
sinless, to answer at the bar of Judgment Ira
dition says that the migration which brought
this fear upon the people was one of the frogs
Scientists of today lean rather to the toad
theory, but 1t made little difference to the
frightened populace which species of batra-
chan brother it was that brought horror into
their midst.
Now it happened that there lived in Wind
ham two colonial colonies, big men and digni-
fed by names Dyer and Elderkin. 1t may do
no harm at this late day to say that both these
military titled gentlemen were more fond of
good living, SO the story goes, than was per-
haps exactly consistent with the strctest Pur-
itan thoughts Some of the elders Of the place.
1t is said, looked bit askance at some of the
views of Colonies Dyer and Elderkin. There
were slaves in that day in Connecticut and
Windham held its share.
One peaceful night in May the Windham
families retired at their usual hour, not long
after candle light" At midnight they were
wrapped in the profoundest slumber, but
sleep however sound could withstand the roar
that broke upon that peaceful hamlet in the
watches of the night. There were blended the
noises of a million Threats. 1t cultural,
harsh and horrible and 1t came out of the
lefty blackness of midnight The people of
Windham jumped from their beds panic strick
en-, threw on what clothes they could, and
rushed outdoors, many bearing pine torches
which ate little light holes In the inky black
ness.
The slaves were Frustrated with fear and
chung to the knees of their masters The noise
ceased not for instant but on the contrary
increased with every moment, and then to
the added horror of all, the noise found shape
in words which one quick-eared, imaginative
woman interpreted into this. all but two of
the people accepting the Interpretation read
fly: Judgment day; Judgment day; Colonel
Dyer and Elderkin too, and catch niger too"
1t is perhaps needless to say that the only
two people among the white inhabitants OF
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

member of it ever since. He has ia
ken part in many bench shows. and
has had many blue ribbon tied to
his collar by admiring judges.
Though gray, deaf and half blind, he
still displays all the good points of
his breed, and is Just as full of fight
as ever. At the approach Of strange
cur his hair bristles, his feeble old
body stiffens, low growls issue from
his throat, and only the restraining
leash prevents battle.
Tim never Is forgotten when the
Christmas presents are bought, and
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
Gives No Money for Road Build

experiments in the use OF msls
are conducted by the special
this bureau. Here the goYers
stops, for the reason that don.
view in congress has been thaI
| properly delimits the govern
function.
Representative Anthony Of 4.
introduced bill in the house aaI
ter for the construction Of NH
highway between Fort LeaysasI
and Fort Riley, 100 miles, By csss
in the two federal penitentIaas
Fort Leavenworth. The bill wnI
after a debate that developed q
general discussion of the good
movement.
The measure had the indorssm
President Taft, the chief Of I'D
the army and the quartermasteF|
eral. General j. Franklin Bell
chief of staff, stated In D lstfsf TO
resentative Anthony that the props
road would unquestiouably hs]
great military value and convent
Farmers of many townships hi
which the proposed ros.i wo@
offered to supply all 5aSesss rosl
other material to be used u ~ !
struction.
Like others of its kind. shis u
ure was wrecked upon consuni
rocks. The opponents OF the hllI
tended that General Bell did not Y
The road to be a military nesaz
and that, IL not done for this pufrs
he government could not build I
,ause the constitution authoriss
construction of only such roads =
'equired to meet military nesesz
Ind post roads.
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
Agtll[lA ll|| 46 4 4 :li751Ha
81 ~ 4za4kbk| 80 y y AH|E||l'5,I<T
We Have Over Half of the New W

a full and careful enuu ~
n aaa would show aha. a J.
900 of them. @'Vd u
Mexico, only about Is =.
the size of Brazil in suu, ~ =
safely established in ,h,,.
among all the nations y aug = ]
World, as far as numbers - y !,
respects the Argentine su, ~ = /
lco' and SO does Canada. IN. r.
trial output ia greater and - !.
eign commerce is larger N 49, 80
Argentina and Canada a,s w y !
IN growing so fast and WITS, aas
surance of continued sw,t, !. .'.'|
that they may overtake ana
leo. Their chief cities alresa -
the largest civic centers n ~
try which Diaz makes he y y.
But now neither Is within 4 ~ ~. !
the Mexican total.
From these rivals, 80 min. !.
things, but so similar IN tbsI !.
hopes and their rapid dsvsl,, 81.
down through countries nss
Columbia, Venezuela and Rol,s,.
experts guess their way q Il. Y !!
small states which maintain : Y
ate existence in Latin Ameries u
RIGA is probably the least y ss.sl
in numbers, counting but ,;saas u
dents. Cuba is fairly wei sass
ranking in density Of populs.Ia. Il
several of the Southern States
AS a rule, with comparstlyslr
exceptions. Latin America b I'll
Unsettled country. A very larps !.
If the vast expanse OF land sa.,s
he Mexican frontier, all he NJ
he southern end of South Ams5
les open to settlement.
Some Jay such wealth In upus.s +
ural resources must cause 81
,rowth, but that is a matter ot "a
Iefinite future. For the presss II
ertain that the United stata n
old its lead over the other cora
f the New World, counting n
h am togethar
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
Terriers Life a Long One

when her master retired from the
service. Topsy Walker, pug dog of
Tarrytown, died recently at the ripe
old age of seventeen, while another
pug is still living in the same town,
aged nineteen, though it is stone blind
and has only three legs.
Tim Connors is an Irish terrier, be-
longing to Mrs. Fitch, the widow of a
New York millionaire, with country
seat near Irvington. On sunny days
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

there is always a dainty bowl for his
porrldge, new collar. a blanket :.
set OF combs and brushes or soma
other dog luxury for him on Christmas
morning. Every year he is taken tn
the Adirondacks, where Mrs. FITCH
has a summer camp, and regains
some OF the friskiness of his lost
youth chasing rabbits in the primeval
woods
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
"Tim connors" Seemingly Without
Doubt Is the Oldest Dog Living
in America.

If there is any older dog in Amer
lea than Tim Connors it has not yet
been discovered. The oldest dog on
record in the United States was a
black spaniel which sailed the seas
as a navy pet for twentyfour years.
md was still as lively as rurEy
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

NCLE SANS scientists have had
more than one good word to say
for the toad Several govern
ment publications have been Is
sued. am told, telling about the
toad and its good work There
is no department in nature which
Is overlooked by the scientists of
Secretary of Agriculture James
Wilson's department. II it is be-
liaund hu tho axnartc thot anu
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08

Why are you so indignant oes','
people talk about matters that ~
concern them? You do it.-A'e1'1
Globe.
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08
On Leaving Eden

Eve-"Shall we take the snsAs
us ?" Adam-'Well. ! guess
people will think we are sosns
vaudeville.
The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-10-08


benefit may come to the people of the United
States by the study of the habits of particu-
lar animal, that animal is studied forthwith
and studied carefully.
In folk lore history and in the history of To-
calities which hardly can be classed as folk
.ore the frog and the toad frequently have
been confused; sometimes stories have been
told of frog visitatons and it has turned out
that the invading army composed of toads.
The reverse of the statement also has been
found to be true on several occasions
Some years ago army of track-hopping
tramp toads took possession of the gravel road
bed of the Sioux City and Pacific railway, and
In unbroken column miles In length, as the
local story had it, the toads marched past the
town of Blencoe, Iowa. 1t is stated that there
were SO many millions in this mighty army
That nothing like an accurate estimate of the
toads could be made. The ground was said
to be brown with the color of it's visitants.
IL there was such an army of the batra-
chians as 1t is said there was it would be no
wonder ii the residents of the infested district
might have feared that the toads would divert
their course from the railroad into the towns
TO repeat Pharaohs plague of the frogs, when
the rivers brought forth frogs abundantly,
which went up into the houses, and into the
bed chambers, and even upon the beds, and
upon the people, and even into the ovens and
into the kneadng troughs"
Now the toad is not nearly so handsome