davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
FIGHTING FISH.
In the Rage of Battle They Turn From
Dull to Brilliant Coiors.

In the Rage of Battle They Turn From
Dull to Brilliant Coiors.
In the gardens of Singapore it is the
custom to stock the ponds with all
manner of queer fishes. many of them
of the fighting variety so dear to the
heart of the orientals. This species of
fish is so combative that it is only nee
essary to place two of them near each
other. like fighting cocks, and perhaps
to irritate them a little to bring on a
lively conflict.
They at once charge each other with
fins erect, at the same time changing
color In their excitement from the dull
est of gray green's to brilliant reds and
blues. Indeed, confinement in close
quarters is not needed to arouse their
combative propensitieS.
Place two glass jars close together.
with one of these fighting fish in each
and they will at once swim round and
endeavor to charge each other through
the interposed glass.
Even a single fish seeing himself re-
fected in a mirror will dart at his
own image and. irritated all the more
by his failure to reach his supposed
enemy, will assume the most brilliant
hues. Seeing his reflected antagonist
do the same. he will redouble his eff
forts to reach him.-EXchange.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Ancient Greeks Had Trades.

In the days OF their greatest pros
perity the Greeks probably excelled all
other nations in the variety and excel
fence of their manufactures. Their
sons were often the great scientists of
their age. for Thales of Miletus, one
of the "seven wise men of antiquity"
was an oil merchant; Socrates was a
stone mason, who. like Hugh Miller
left the quarry and bench to become
the teacher of mobiles; Aristotle COM
pounded drugs while trying to solve
his problems" apparently proposed
by other tradesmen. artists. musicians.
architects and engineers; Plato and
Scion had callings as we'll as studies
and political activities. So. too. all
were soldiers. and few men in Athens
failed to take their places in the pha-
lanx or galley when Athens called on
her sons to battle. Charles WinslOw
Hall in National Magazine.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
OLD SAMOAN MATS.
Precious Heirlooms That Are Treas
ured by the Natives.

Precious HeirIooms That Are Treas
ured by the Natives.
Among the curious customs of the
SamOans is that of making heirlooms
of mats. By some simple process OF
reasoning the mat has come to be iden-
titled with the family, as the hearth
stone is additionally sacred among the
Saxon race.
The Samoan mats are really fine
specimens of art. The people esteem
them much more highly than any ar
ticle of European manufacture, and
the older they are the more they are
regarded. Some of them have names
known all over the Samoan group.
The oldest is called Moe-e Fulfill, or
"The man that slept among the creep
ers." 1t got this title by reason of the
fact that it had been hidden away for
years among the creeping convolvulus
that grows wild along the seashOre. 1t
is known to be 200 years old, as the
names of its owners during that pc
Rod can be traced.
The possession of one of these old
mats gives the owner great power-in
fact, it is q title deed to rank and prop
erty. from the Samoan standpoint. says
Harpers Weekly. 1t is no matter If
the mats are tattered and worn out.
Their antiquity is their value. and for
some of the most cherished of them
large sums of money would be refused.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
A Curious Locomotive.

The Darjeeling- Himalayas railway is
one of the most curious in the world.
1t is of two foot gauge and on ac-
count of the steepness is full of loops.
curves and spirais. many of the curves
having only seventy feet radius. Some
Of the gradients are as high as one
foot in twenty-eight. 4 special type Of
locomotive. the CARAT. had to be
made for it at Manchester. This loco
motive was required by the specifica-
tons to be able to travel on reverse
curves not exceeding sixty feet radi-
us, with only twenty feet of length of
tangent between the curves. The en-
CINE consists Of frame supported at
each end by four wheeled bogies. each
of which is described as a miniature
locomotive without boiler. The boiler
is carried on the frame between the
bogies.-Youth's Companion.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
THE BRAIN IN SLEEP.
Changes In the Volume of Blood Cir.
cuIation When We Dream.

Changes In the Volume of Blood Cir
cuIation When We Dream.
Dreams are due to an increase of
sensation and circulation over that
which exists in profound sleep. Obser-
vations made upon patients with era
NAL defects show that when we are
dreaming the brain is greater in. vol
ume than in deep sleep and less than
when we are awake Thus this inter-
mediate volume Of blood would indi-
cate that dreams are an intermediate
stage between Inconsistencies and
wakefulness. and their incomplete and
irregular intelligence would indicate
the same thing. This increased circu-
lation is usually due to sensory stimu-
lation affecting the vasomotOr center
and causing a return of blood to the
head. with resultant increased con-
seriousness.
Contrary to popular belief, dreams in
themselves do not contribute to light
or broken sleep in which they are
present. Such condition is due to
the ever present stimuli. which accord
ing to their strength or the degree of
irritability of the cells. maintain even
in sleep a varying degree of conscious
ness of which the dreams are merely
a manifestation. Therefore the fatigu-
ing effect often also attributed to
dreams is not due to them. but to the
lighter degree of sleep and less COM
plete cell restoration which they ac-
company and which are due to some
irritation. -Atlantic.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Hired Crowns.

To economical minds there must be a
certain waste implied in the making
of new crown for every queen. Yet
this has been the rule. Queen AleXan-
dra and Queen Victoria both had
crowns made for them. and it was
Queen Adelaide who was the first to
rebel against a hired crown. Il will
not wear a hired crown" she said to
the minister who was discussing the
matter with her. do you think it
right | should?'' Madam, the late
king George IVJ wore one" We'll, |
will not. / do not like it. l have
jewels enough to make one for my
self" in that case" interposed the
king. they will have to pay for the
setting" mo. no." replied Adelaide.
Il will pay for it all myself And
this was the course adopted.-LondOn
Chronicle.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
THE DEATH DICE.
History Of an Odd Gift of the Emperor
of Germany.

History Of an Odd Gift of the Emperor
of Germany.
There is shown in the Hohenz0llern
museum a gift of the emperor of Ger
many. the death dice" with which
one of his ancestors decided difficult
case in the seventeenth century. Their
history is On interesting one.
A young girl had been murdered.
Suspicion fell upon two soldiers, Ralph
and Alfred, who were suitors for her
hand. Both the accused men denied
their guilt, and even torture failed to
extract confession from either of
them. Then Elector Frederick William
decided to cut the knot by means of
the dice box. The two soldiers should
throw for their lives and the loser
should be executed as the murderer.
The event was celebrated with great
pomp and solemnity.
Ralph had the first chance and
threw skies. the highest possible num-
Der. The dice bOx-was then given to
Alfred. He fell on his knees and
prayed aloud: Almighty God. thou
knoweSt am innocent. Protect me, l
beseech thee."
Then he arose to his feet and threw
the dice with such force that one Of
them broke The whole one showed
six. the broken one also gave six on
the larger portion. and the fragment
split off showed one. This was
total of thirteen. one beyond Ralph's
throw. The audience held it's breath
in amaZement.
God has spoken" cried the prince
Ralph, appalled, by what he regarded
as sign from heaven. confessed his
guilt and was sentenced to death.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
FOUR IN OLD PERU.
The Mystic Number About Which Gen.
tered All Their Beliefs.


tered All Their Beliefs.
The Peruvians cared nothing for any
of the supposed mystic properties of
either three. five or seven. To them
the four was sacred. and around it
they intwiied the main features of
all their religious ceremonies and
queer beliefs. They believed the earth
to be a square divided into four parts
and suspended from the heavens by
four cords, one at each of the four
corners. All of their cities were quar-
tered by four principal streets running
from square in the center. They
held four annual feasts in honor of
the moon, the SILVER sister of the
sun"
TO them eternity was to be divided
into four periods of time. each CON-
posed of four times 1000 years. and at
the end of each of these cycles the sun
was 80 be blotted out of existence. They
prayed to the four winds. or to I'VE
gods that dwell at the four corners of
the earth" To them the rains came
from four enormous heavenly turtles
that vomited dampness, and the four
winds from the lungs of the four gil
gantic caryatids which stand at the
four cardinal points Of paradise. The
above are but small portion of the
tours alluded to in the legends of the
IncaS
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
The president Voted.

The President got to vote after
all. A lot of red tape was nee
essary, but the president was
persistent, and on November 7th
he cast his ballot in old Cincin-
natl. And, thereby hangs a tale.
Six years ago Mr.. Taft made
at Akron, o. in which he de-
nounced the notorious Cox mac
hinein CincinnatiHe said he could
take great pleasure in voting
against it He declared this foul
republican machine was stencil
in the nostrills of all good citizens
The people OF Ohio, realized
that William H. Taft was telling
the truth, and they applauded
him vigorously and with the
utmost sincerity.
On Tuesday Mr.. Taft voted for
the Cox machiue, which is still
the disgraceful alliance of polite
corrupt business and the brothels
that is was in 1905 The Presi-
dent also Endorsed the can
date of the Cox machine on the
ground that conditions had
substantially changed.
whatever the President was al
lueding to. it was not the Cox
machine. for it had remained as
foul as ever. The only change
vsiable to observers is that,
whereas six years ago Mr.. Taft
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
A Painful Mistake.

Bitter experience is wonderful
teacher. No doubt the young lady of
whom London Ideas tells had often
been told that she ought to wear
glasses, but had neglected or refused
to do so.
There was a most determined look
in her eye. however. as she marched
into the opticians shop.
81 want pair of glasses immediate
ly," she said, good. strong ones. l
won't be without them for another
day."
"Good, strong ones:''
Eyes. please. was out in the cOun-
try yesterday. and | made a very
painful blunder. which have no wish
to repeat"
Indeed. Mistook an entire stranger
for an old friend, perhaps?"
mo, nothing of the sort. l mistoOk
a bumblebee for a blackberry"
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Life In Persian Gases.

DR.. Sven Hedin, describing his over
land journey to India across the Per
sian desert, gives a graphic account of
the GASES where his party occasionally
camped under palm trees. There the
singing birds which twitter during the
day are silent at night, but the ''song
of the desert" is continued during the
hours of darkness by the melancholy
serenade of the jackals. These GASES
are infested by three objectionable and
dangerous inhabitants-a deadly snake.
black and white scorpions and a poi
sonous tarantula spider. which. al
though it lives out in the desert. is at
tracted to the GASES by the light of
the campfires.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
AN ALBATROSS IN FLIGHT.
The Camera Caught Motion the Eye
Could Not Discern.

Could Not Discern.
An interesting application of phOtog-
raphy to settle a disputed point in
natural history was made by patu-
ralist on voyage from British Column
bia to San Francisco.
A large albatross had been follow
ing the steamer and keeping pace with
if for several hours, and the wonder
grew among the watchers on board
the ship as to how the bird was able
to fly so swiftly while apparently
keeping its wings extended without
tapping them. AS this is common
method of fight with the albatross, the
expIa ia ton used to be offered that the
bird took advantage of slight winds
and air currents and was so able to
glide upon what might be called at
mUspheric slopes.
As the albatross sailed alongside the
ship. about fifteen feet away. the nat
uralist snapped his camera at it and
obtained photograph that astonished
him and his fellow passengers.
The photograph revealed. what no
eye had caught. the wings of the alba
tross, each some five feet long, raised
high above its back. in the act Of max
ing a downward stroke. The explana-
ton naturally suggested was that
more or less frequently the bird must
have made a stroke of this kind with
its wings. although the eye could not
detect the motion. and that the camera
CHANGED to be snapped at just the right
moment.-BostOn Globe
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
WEIGHED THE ELEPHANT.
a Problem Which a Hindu Prince Was
Able to Solve.

Able to Solve.
There is story often told in India
OF Shajee, a Hindu prince. who on a
certain occasion showed himself al
most as clever as Archimedes.
A high official had made a VOW that
he would distribute to the poor the
weight of his own elephant in silver
money. But the great difficulty that
at first presented itself was the mode
of ascertaining what this weight real
ly was. All the learned and clever
men of the court seemed to have en-
deavored in vain to construct ma
chine of sufficient power to weigh the
elephant.
At length Shajee came forward and
suggested a plan which was simple
and yet ingenious in the highest de-
gree. He caused the unwieldy animal
to be conducted along a stage special
ly made for the purpose by the water
side into a fat bottomed boat. Then.
having marked on the boat the height
to which the water reached after the
elephant had weighed it down. the
latter was taken out and stones sub
stituted in sufficient quantity to hold
the boat to the same line. The stones
were then taken to the scales, and
thus. to the amazement of the court.
was ascertained the true weight Of
the MISUNDERSTANDING.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29

Ways of the Wives When a Bororo in
dian Dies.


dian Dies.
On the death of a Bororo Indian the
wife tears out handfuls of her hair
and throws it on his corpse. says a
writer In the July Wide World Maya
zine At intervals during the first day
after his death she shakes him, as
though wishing to bring him back to
life. and kisses his cold brow. Her
efforts beng in vain, she retires and
the Barre approaches He prOclaims
that the man has died for the sins he
committed during his life. Then the
relatives paint his body with ''urucu."
an ointment made out of the root
of a wild tropical plant. Gorgeous
feathers Of the most varied hues
are then surewn over him, and the
corpse is wrapped up in mating of
straw. The moment before the burial
the wives approach one after the other
and cover his feet with the blood drop
ping from the wounds and gashes they
have inflicted on their backs and arms.
This ceremony is followed by an
other. Three Indians appear dressed
in the clothes-if the few rags they
wear can be called thus-of the dead
man and begin singing and dancing.
In the meantime the corpse is carried
to the "Bahyto." huge mound in the
center of the colony, and should the
dancing and singing Indians become
tired before it is reached three others
take their places. The body lies on the
mound three days. Then the Barre
goes to the mound and. seating him.
self at the foot of the dead man. is
supposed to receive his soul in keeping.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Both Wronu,

Sandy and his master drove up to
the small station as the train approach
ed. Heres yer train. SIR said San
dy. THAT is not my train" replied the
master. who had his own ideas about
correct speech. But it's the train
am going by" But it happened to- be
a special train and didn't stop at the
station, whereupon Sandy exclaimed,
We're bath wrang. for it's neither
your train nor the ane ye're gaun by.
but it's the ane that's game by you"
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
One Cell Animals.

Only one cell animals which have no
differentiation are immortal and new
err grow old. Physical immortality.
deathless youth. is possible. but you
must be an infusorian or yeast plant
to attain it. and one wouldn't even be
clam or jellyfish for the price.
The process has no limits any more
than it has beginnings. Life is just
that. one-third dying that two-thirds
may live. whether it be the single cell
pr the body. Dr. Woods Hutchinson in
Hamptdn's
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
was not a candidate for Office. he
is today.
Works Both WAYS

President Taft was angered be
cause Congressman Littleton of
New York, spoke in condemna-
ton of the Sherman law at the
same banquet board at which ne
was to speak in its defense. If
the President had himself pro-
,tected the dignity of his office, by
refraining from talking politics
on his trip through the west. his
displeasure at Mr.. Littleton's
action might have been in better
taste. But he had just travelled
15,270 miles; been seen by near
five million people, and made 306
speeches, to an aggregate au-
dience of approximately, 300, 900
people. Apparently the Pres
ident disired that only his side
of public questions should be
heard. If the President chooses to
go on the stump, he must not ex-
pect that he can do all the
talking himself. The concensus of
opinion is that if the dignity of
the office of President was not in
jured by Mr.. Taft in making a
political speech, while a guest at
a banquet, it was not injured by
MIR. Littleton on the same sub
ject discussed by the President.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Liberty and Independence.

When the presidential struggle be-
tween Clay and Jackson was at its
height it is related that band of
emigrants from Kentucky and the then
other western states commenced TO
settle on the north side of the Missouri
river and called their county Clay and
the county seat Liberty.
At the same time another lot of emf
grants from Virginia and other south
ern states pitched their tents on the
south side Of the Big Muddy and called
their county Jackson and the capital
Independence And so it remains to
this day. Clay stood for liberty and
Jackson for independence.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Her Self Sacrifice.

she's awfully self sacrificing"
"How do you make that OUT"
well, she stayed at home from
church Sunday to sit up with a sick
woman"
Huh. She isn't regular church
goer l don't see anything self sacri-
ficing in that"
You don't? But, my dear, she had
a new gown and new hat that had
just arrived Saturday night."-Cleve-
land Plain Dealer.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Betrayed.

Say. mamma. can Anna see In the
dark. like a catT'
"Why. child. what makes you ask
such question:"
''Oh. last night when Cousin Carl
was here l heard Anna say in the
dark room. You must really shave
oftener, Carl Exchange.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
The Cautious Tailor.

Now. look here. Snipperton." plead
ed Hackley. why can't you be patient
with his old bill Of yours? I'm going
TO be married shortly to girl who's
worth her weight in gold.'
That's all right. Mr.. .Hackley," re-
turned Snipperton. but is she going
10 be worth my wait in gold? How
much does she weigh?'-Judge:
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Real lnuratitude.

Republics are ungrateful." said the
ready made philosopher.
Perhaps" replied MIR. Chuggins.
but if you want taste of real in
gratitude take a party of friends out
for an automobile ride and listen to
their sarcastic remarks if you happen
to break down. Washington Star.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Touch Luck,

Tough Luck.
Tough luck Jipson had"
What happened:"
IN order to keep his cook he told
her she might have the use of his
touring car two afternoons a week
"Well:"-
Yesterday she eloped with the
chauffeur Birmingham Age-Heraid.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
In the Good Old Oavs.

OF course the old fashioned belle
may have walked barefoot halfway
to church to keep from spelling her
Sunday shoes. but she didn't put her
coiffure In the bureau drawer when
she went to bed-Galveston News
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29

"Maria. what was done at the meet
ing Of your literary club last night?"
I'VE fined Mrs. Chillicon- Kearney s.
for accusing Mrs. Highmus Of cheat
ne 1t bridge" Chicago Tribune.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
TAKING Him Up.

Policeman You've been begging
Now. you just accompany me. Organ
Grinder With pleasure. sir. What
song would you like?-P ele Mele
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29

An act Of yours Is not simply the
thing y0u do, but it is also the way you
LOO ft..-Wendell Phillips.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Another Discovery.

Shakespeare was one Of the ablest
Of brokers'
How do you make that out?"
by the number of stock quotations
he furnished. New York Times
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29
Better.

your wife never sings any more.
Did she lose her voice."
mo: she found her senses."-Toledo
Blade.
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29

Salhipdulgence deprives a man OF ev-
hat might make him great
The Adair County news., 1911-11-29

call that man idle who might pe
better employed. Socrates
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-02-09
SYNOPSIS.

Lawrence Blakeley, lawyer, goes to
Pittsburg with the forged notes in the
Bronson case to get the deposition of
John Gilmore. millionaire In the lat te s
young girl, whom the millionaire explains
e his granddaughter. A lady requests q sts
gives her lower eleven and retains lower
ten. He finds a. drunken man in lower
ten and retires in lower nine. He AVA
kens in lower seven and finds his clothes
and bag missing. The man in lower ten
is found murdered. Circumstantial evil
dence points to both Blakeley and the
unknown man who had exchanged clothes
with him. Blakeley becomes interested
In a girl in blue. The train is wrecked.
Blakeley Is rescued from the burning. car
by the girl in blue His arm is broken.
They go to the Carter place for break
fast. The girl proves to be Alison West,
his partners sweetheart. Her peculiar
actions mystify the lawyer. She drops
her gold bag and Blakeley puts it in his
pocket. Blakeley returns home He finds
that he is under surveillance. Moving
pictures of the train taken just before the
wreck reveal to Blakeley a man leaping
from the train with his stolen grip.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-02-09
tTo BE coNTINUED.)
Russian Wheat Production.

An enormous crop of wheat haa
been grown in Russia this year, plac-
ing that land for the first time at the
head of wheat-growing countries. Its
harvest of 7S3,OOO,OOO bushels exceeds
that Of the United States by 26.O00.000
bushels, and is greater than its own
previous record by about 100,000,000
bushels. The development of wheat
growing has been most rapid along
the line of the Trans Siberian railway
AS the home consumption is small in
proportion to population, this has
made Russia one of the great sources
of supply for tho rest of the world
France consumes much of the wheat
that it grows. The present price oil
wheat in the United States, when
placed against the surplus product OF
Russia, makes it more difficult for thii
country to hold its place as an er
porter of that cereal.