davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
The LIGHT Of the starr.

Various endeavors have been made
to estimate the light Of the stars. In
the northern hemisphere Argelander
has registered $4,000 stars down to
the nine and a half magnitude, and
with the aid Of the best photometric
data Agnes NJ. Clerks System Of the
Stars" gives the sum Of the light Of
these northern stars as equivalent to
144O Of full moonlight. while the total
light of all stars similarly enumerated
in both h~emispheres. to the number of
about 100000, is roughly placed at
1-1SO of the lunar brightness. The
scattered light Of still fainter celestial
bodies is difficult to compute. By a
Photographic method Sir William Alb
hey rated the total starlight Of both
hemispheres at 100 Of full moonlight.
and Professor Newcomb from visual
observations Of all stars at just 723
times that of Capella. or 1-S9 Of the
light of the full moon.
1t is not certain, however, that the
sky would be totally dark If all stars
were blotted out. Certain processes
make the upper atmosphere strongly
luminous at times. and we cannot be
ure that this light would be totally
absent.-Harper's Weekly.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Wild Doos of Asia,

The whole tribe of wild dogs, which
In closely allied forms are to be found
in the widest jungles and woods Of
Asia, from the Himalayas to Ceylon
and from China to the Taurus-unless
the golden wolves" of the Roman en-
pire are now extinct in the forests of
Asia Minor-show an individual and
corporate courage which entities them
to a high place among the most dar-
ing Of wild creatures. The red dogs"
to give them their most characteristic
name, are neither large in size nor do
they assemble in large packs. Those
which have been from time to time
measured and described seem to aver
age some three feet in length from the
nose to the root of the tail. The pack
seldom numbers more than nine or
ten, yet there is sufficient evidence that
they are willing and able to destroy
any creature that inhabits the jungle,
except the adult elephant and perhaps
the rhinoceros, creatures whose great
size and leathery hide make them al
most invulnerable to such enemies as
dogs.-LOndOn Spectator.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
With q Grain of Salt.

The earliest record Of the saying
"with a grain of salt" dates back to the
year GO B. c., when the great Pompey
entered the palace of Mithridates and
discovered among his private papers
the description of IN antidote against
poisons Of all sorts, which was COM
posed Of pounded herbs. These, ac-
cording to the recipe, were to be taken
with a grain Of salt. Whether this
was meant seriously or as a warning
sarcasm is not known. but thenceforth
it became the custom to say that
doubtful preparations should be taken
with a grain of salt. From this tho
meaning got transferred to sayings Of
doubtful truth. attic salt" was a
Greek synonym for wit or penetration.
and the Latin word 'sal" had some
what Of the same meaning. 1t is thus
easy to see how the saying "cum
grano sails" could have come to mean
the necessity of accepting doubtful or
suspicious statements with a grain Of
so1t"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
An Odd Nugget Of Gold.

There have been many large and
oddly shaped gold nuggets found In
the United States and elsewhere, but
the oldest Of them all was that dis
covered at the Midhas mine, on Sulky
gully, near Melbourne, Australia, In
1887. The nugget was fat and almost
the exact counterpart in contour, Of 9
colossal human hand held open, with
the exception Of the thumb and fore
finger, which were closed together In
a so as to make it appear that
the thumb was holding the finger in
place. Its greatest length was twelve
and a half inches and its greatest
breadth eight inches. 1t was Of the
very purest gold. with but a little Of
foreign substances adhering. mostly
between the fingers" and weighed
GIT ounces. 1t vas found in the north
west main drive of the Midhas mine,
12O feet below the surface of the earth
and at u spot only fifty feet from
where the famous Lady Brassey mug
get was discovered the year before. 1t
weighed 1fty-one pounds Of pure gold.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
salzac and Black Coffee.

Balzac was addicted to the use Of
strong black coffee and depended upon
it as a nervous st;mulant during the
hours which he devoted to compost
ton. Its effect he has himself de-
scribed in these words:
1.-THE coffee falls into your stomach.
Immediately everything starts into ac-
ton. Your ideas begin to move like
Grand Army b~attalions on the battle
field, and the battle opens. Memories
arrive at a run, standards flying; the
light cavalry Of comparisons breaks
into a magnificent gallop; the artillery
of logic dashes up and unlimbers;
thoughts come rushing up as sharp
shooters; characters spring up on all
sides; the paper becomes covered with
ink, for the struggle has begun and
ends in torrents of black water like
the battle in. black powder"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
CRIMINAL NEWS.

After a plea of guilty to an indict-
ment charging the larceny of $104,000
from the South Bridge (Mass.) Saw
ings bank and a subsequent recital
of his disposal by gifts to charity
and to relatives and by bad invest
ments of a sum of money which he
estimated at $4,000, John A. Hall.
defaulting treasurer of the bank, was
sentenced to serve not less than
twelve nor more than fifteen years in
state prison.
DR.. B. G. Hyde was found guilty at
Kansas City of. numbering Colonel
Thomas H. Swope. His punishment
wal fixed at life Imprisonment. The
verdict came Unexpectedly. Every at
torney in the case had given up hope
that the jury, which had been out
e%ighty-four hours, would reach an
agreement. r.
Three packages of money contain
ing $32.O24.24 were stolen from the
Pennsylvania station at Oil City, Pa,
while the station agent was loading
baggage o a Buffalo bound train. The
money was being shipped by the Ad-'
ans Express company to Philadelphia.
After celebrating over eighteen
hours the jury in the case of DR.. F. G.
Blessing, president Of the common
council Of Pittsburg, returned a verdict
Of guilty of conspiracy and bribery.
Theverdict asks for extreme %leniency.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
When You "ass Stars

The man who when struck violently
on the head says he saw stars" - NOT
far from telling the truth. The fact
is that there is u phospborescent pow
er in the eye which does not attracta @
PERSONS attention under ordinary con.
ditions. but which is distributed and;
reveals itself whenever the head gets
q sudden shock and sometimes even
in the act of sneezing. A blow onrthe
head results in a pressure Of the blood,
vessels upon the retina. causing either
total darkness or a faint blue light!
which floats before the eyes. and It 81;
in this faint blue light the imagination
discerns the thousands Of fantastic.
forms and figures that by general ac-3
ceptance are termed stars; hence!
while the astronomical display so IRE
quently mentioned may be said to be
entirely a creature of the Imagination
there is at least some foundation for
the idea. The true nature Of the SEN
sation is never very apparent even to
the victim. for the simple reason that
it is invariably experienced under. cir
cumstances which render a searching
retrospective investigation out Of the
question.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
THE DEATH RECORD.

John a. Ryerson. a prominent Chi
cago business man, jumped from the
thirteenth floor of the Chamber Of
Commerce building in that city and
was Instantly killed. The only motive
advanced by the relatives Of the sui
eide ~ that Of supposed financial diff
.culties.
John Rooney. railroad builder. is
ldeadsat New York, aged seventyone.
Among the many enterprises with
which his name was connected are
the Southern Minnesota railroad, the
tIoMas Eastern railroad; the Erie and
the Great Western.
John Kasson. former United
States minister to Austria and Ger.
many is dead at Washington. Mr..
Kasson had been prominent In many
wsllklgsl of life since the days Of the
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
LOSING Game.

"By having a record kept at the
cashiers desk Of pay checks which
patrons fail to turf in l sometimes
make up my losses" said the proprie-
tor Of a large restaurant. To-day a
man got a check for 65 cents. 10 the
cashier be presented one for 25 cents.
The latter, glancing at his missing
check card. discovered that it was one
Of the listed ones. OBTAINING the man,
he notified me. After being confront
ed with the waiter the beat wanted to
pay both checks. l ordered a police
man summoned. The mans pleading
led me to show him the list of missing
checks, which amounted to something
like $50. saying that 1 didn't know but
that he was the aus Of them all. He
offered to pay the lot If the matter
would be dropped. and this proposition
I accepted."-New York Sun. u
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
MoIokai and the lepers.

The general idea Of the leper settle
ment on the island Of Molokai Is
wrong, says a writer in Harpers
Weekly. Instead of the entire island
being used for the leper colony the set
Element comprises only eight square
miles out Of a total area of 2G1 square
miles. 1t occupies a tongue of land. on
the northern side of Molokai. The
north, east and west shores Of this
tiny spit are washed by the Pacific.
while on the south side rise precipitous
cliffs Of from $500 to 1000 feet. which
make the isolation seem even more
hopeless than the beautiful deep blue
waters of the sea eve could. The
most difficult and dangerous trail, con-
stantly manned by government guards.
foils escape. il it were ever contem-
plated, by the land side.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
London's Big Ben.

Why is the large bell in the tower
Of the house of parliament in London
called Big Ben? The average London
err himself seems to have no idea how
it got it's name. When the building
was designed Sir Benjamin Hall had a
great deal to do with carrying out the
plans of the architects, being high
commissioner of public works, and his
coworkers appreciated the fact that to
him the city of London was largely in
debted. So when the question came
up in parliament as to the name Of the
enormous bell that was to be hung in
the tower a member shouted, "Why
not call it Big Benz This suggestion
was received with much applause as
we'll as with roars of laughter, for Sir
Benjamin was an enormous man. both
in height and girth, and had often been
called Big Ben. From that day on
the bell whose peal every Londoner
knows has been known only as Big
Ben.-Harper's Weekly.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
The Great Eastern.

The dimensions of the one time world
famous Great Eastern were as fol-
lows: Length. G92 feet; width, SO feet;
depth, GO feet; tonnage, $4,000 tons;
draft when unloaded. 20 feet; when
loaded, 30 feet. She had paddle
wheels ffty-six feet in diameter and
was also provided with a four bladed
screw propeller Of twenty-four feet
diameter. She had accommodations
for 800 first class, 1900 second class
and 1000 third class passengers, 1000
in all. Her speed was about eighteen
miles an hour. The Great Eastern was
finally broken up for old iron in the
year 1889 after q checkered career of
some thirty-one years.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Mm.. Reiane at RehearsaI.

Nine. Rejane at one of her rehearsals
was endeavoring to impress upon a
young actor the necessity of q tragic
expression.
Put yourself in his place." she said.
But 1 have never been through such
an experience" the other pleaded. 4
"Well, then" retorted the actress,
'imagine you have lost 300 or 400
louis at baccarat and that you have
been dismissed from the company"
His face fell. s
"There you have it, said she. Keep
that expression and you will win"
For q young woman who could not
weep to order she tried a heroic cure.
VERY well. l will take the part
away from you. You are not pretty
enough" 4
This had the desired effect. and the
%1oodgates opened.
"Weep like that and you will be the
hit of the piece" exclaimed Rejane
Observation-Disclosures NJ. A. p.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Tho Old Time English School.

Until comparatively recent times
public school boys in England had
many hardships to endure. AS late as
1884 a writer who spoke from expert
ence said that "the inmates of a work
house or a jail were better fed and
lodged than the scholars Of Eton."
Boys whose parents could not pay for
a private room underwent privations
that might have broken down a cabin
boy and would be thought inhuman if
inflicted on a galley slave.
'sThey rose al 5. winter and sum-
mer, and breakfasted four hours later,
the interval being devoted to study.
after they had swept their rooms and
made their beds. The only washing
accommodation was a pump. The diet
consisted of an endless round Of NUT
ton. potatoes and beer, zone Of them
too plentiful or too good.
ITO be starved" says this writer,
"frozen and dogged-such was the dali
~ life Of the scions of England's no.
blest families"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Miahty In Titles.

The ruler of Turkey, in addition to
the titles sultan and kha-khan (high
prince and lord of lords), also claims
sovereignty over most districts. towns,
cities and states in the orient, specify
ing each by name and setting out In
each of his various titles "all the forts,
citadels. purlieus and n~eighborhood
thereof in regular legal form. His Of
fetal designation ends, Sovereign also
Of diverse nations, states. peoples and
races on the face Of the EARTH" All
this is in addition to his high position
as "head of the faithful" and "su-
preme lord of all the followers Of the
prophet" ''direct and only lieutenant
on earth of Mohammed."
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
NEWS OF WORLD
important Events Of the Week
In Condensed Form
FOREIGN NEWS.

The body Of Edward VII, late king
OF England. foremost among the rulers
of the earth. has ben laid to rest in St.
Georges chapel, Windsor, where sever
other British kings are buried. 1t was
the most imposing funeral the world
has ever seen and, literally speaking,
the world did see, for nine ruling mon
archs, the official representatives of
other great powers and a host of lesser
royalty, including the heirs apparent
to many of the worlds thrones, took
part in the obsequies. London's mil
lions filled the streets and open places
as they have never before filled them,
either at a funeral or at a festival.
Simple ceremonies marked the re-
moval of the body of Edward VII.
from Buckingham palace to Westmin-
ster hall, but more impressive than
the presence of kings and the gor-
geous uniforms of state officials and
officials of the army and navy was the
silent grief displayed by the British
people, who, massed behind double
lines of soldiers, watched with
strained eyes and bowed heads the
passing of the gun carriage that bore
the coffin of the monarch.
Two almost simultaneous explosions
of dynamite, supposed to aggregate
5000 pounds, completely demolished
the rural guard barracks in the city
of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. About thirty
five persons were killed and twice that
number injured. Most of the dead
were rural guards, but the entire fam
lilies of several of the officers of the
rural guard were killed also, as we'll
as several employees of the public
works department and residents of the
city.
Another uprising at Changsha,
China, is very much feared. The
commander of the United States gun
boat Helena has telegraphed the state
department from Hankow to the effect
that the conditions at Changsha were
most serious and that all foreigners
were notified officially to seek refuge
on the ships that were available.
The United States gunboats Dubu-
que and Paducah landed 100 blue
Jackets at Bluefields, Nicaragua, to
protect American interests and to pre-
vent fighting within the town limits.
The American force is prepared for
any emergency, having taken ashore
several field guns and rapid firers.
The rebellious parts of Bulgaria are
described as smoking wi~ldernesses"
in recent dispatches from the scenes
Of fighting between the rebels and
Turkish troops. The troops are now
in complete control and are wreaking
terrible vengeance upon the Albanians.
A sharp earthquake was felt at
Georgetown, the capital of British
Guiana. There also were two slight
shocks on the island of Trinidad and a
mild disturbance on the island of
Granada.
King George has commenced his
reign with an act of clemency, grant
ing remission of short sentences and
reduction of others throughout the
kingdom, these including the army and
navy.
Count Jacques de Lesseps, the
French aviator, made a successful
fight across the English channel from
Calais, France, to Dover, Eng.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
STUPID Husband Of a Noted SINGER.

Catalani's husband, q handsome
Frenchman. was even more unintel-
lectual than his wife-he was stupid.
Once. having found the pitch Of the
piano too high, she said after the re-
hearsal to her husband: 1.-THE piano IS
too high. Will you see that it is made
lower before the concerto" When the
evening came Catalani was annoyed
to find that the piano had not been
altered. Her husband sent for the car
penter, who declared that he had saw
ed of two inches from each leg, as
he had been ordered to do. "Sureiy it
can't be too high now, my DEAR" said
the stupid husband soothingly.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
THROUGH the Cracks.

When the celebrated divine Edward
Irving was on a preaching tour in
Scotland two Dumfries men Of decld-
ed opinions went to hear him. When
they left the hall one said to the other:
"Well. Willie, what do you think?'
"Oh," said the other CONTEMPORARY.
1.-THE mans cracked"
The first speaker laid q quiet hand
on his shoulder.
"Will," said he. you'll often e =
light peeping through a crack"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Burns as 4 Tax Collector.

In the olden days candles were taxed
articles, and it was the duty of Robert
Burns as an excise officer to see that
the tax was not evaded. He generally
looked the other way, however, as
when passing through the kitchen one
night at William Lorimer's of Kenni-
shall, where the gudewife was busy
making candles. he merely remarked.
"Faith, madam. ye're thrang the
nicht," and passed into the parlor.-st.
James Gazette.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Couldn't Forget II.

Couldn't Forget Il.
saturday night some miscreant lug
ged off a whole cord Of my wood. and
somehow 1 can't forget about it." de-
clared Silas.
"Have you tried to forget it," In
quired his friend.
Eyes. Sunday morning l., went to
church. hoping l could get it of my
mind, and before l had been there five
minutes the choir started in singing
The Lost Chord SO i got OUT
Judge.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
DOG DERAlLs MOTOR CAR
Rive officials Of Louisville and Nash.
vile Injured,

E%dwardsville, Ill, May 25.-Five Off
cials OF the Louisville and Nashville
railroad were injured when the gaso-
line motor car in which they were
speeding towards Edwardsville was
derailed by. a dog nea the Cahokia
creek crossing. The car left the track,
tore along the ties for more than a
hundred feet and then plunged into
the creek. Those injured we're c. E.
Bickel, chief dispatcher; George G..
Bandy, superintendent Of bridges; AL
Smith, Charles Smith and Thomas
Taylor, bridge inspectors.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
IN Paradox.

Little Will!e-say. pa what is q par
.adox? Pa-Well. my son, ascoal stove
Is one kind Of paradox 1t won't burn,
until It is put up; then It won't burn.
until 1t IS shaken down. IS Chicago
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
The Mountains Bother Thorn.

The British have had heaps Of trou-
BILE in Siam to make the natives under
stand that the world is round instead
Of fat. Indeed, the native teachers
keep on teaching the children that It
Is fiat. and when argued with they re-
ply. "If It isn't fiat why do the noun
tains stand up as they do instead Of
rolling downhill?"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Pre,bytery Accused 81 Heresy.

Atlantic City. N. j., May 25.--The.
decision to try the New York presby-
terry on charges Of 5heresy because Of
the granting to Messfs. Black, Steen
and Finch preaching orders after the
young ne had refused to accept in:
fulisthes beliefs Of the church was sers
no,,unced by the judicial COMMITTEES 81
the Presbyterian assembly.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
o,ttina Down to Business.

Gottina Down 70 Business. &
Mistress ito new ervant)-There are
two things. Mary, about which l am
very particular. They are ~truthfulness
and obedience. Mary-Yes'm, and
when yon tell me to say you're not in
when a person calls that you don't
wish to see which is Tito be. mum.
truthfulness or o6ediencef
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
A Finaneier's Observation.

A F%inancier's Observation.
HE spends money like a prince"
said the man who makes trite compar-
isOns.
"Perhaps." replied Mr.. Dustin stax,
''only most members Of royal families
I have met in my banking experience
are more anxious to borrow money
than to disburse it."-Washington Star.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Reckless Gambling.

"I'm afraid my husband is develop
ing the gambling instinct" sobbed the
bride. 4
whats the matter. dear? Has he
been playing poker?"
mo. but yesterday he offered to
match pennies with Brother Frank to
determine which one should pay the
a fare."-Detroit Free Press.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Defined.

Precocioosus lChild-Papa, tell me what
is humbug? Parent with q deep
drawn sigh,-lt IL. my dear. when.
your mamma pretends to be very fond
Of me and puts no buttons pn my
shirt. ssa'
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-05-27
Fair. but Stormy.

A gentleman boarded the Karori a
at Kelburne avenue. Recognizing a
friend on one Of the seats, he nodded
pleasantly aud then said. well, what
do you think of the weather."
"Oh, horrible!" was the reply.
"And how is your wife today"
"She's just about the same. thank
you!-New Zealand Free Lance.