davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
FEAR OF LIGHTNING.
u 10 Hardly Justified by tho Number
of Deaths Il Causes

k 10 Hardly Justified by tho Number
of Deaths u Causes.
Why are so many people. brave un.
der all other circumstances. so deathly
afraid OF thunder and lightning?
1t Is not because lightning Is so dan.
gerous. for 1t isn't half so dangerous
as going out of the house on an lev
morning. walking down the cellar
stairs or a hundred other things we
90 every day without a thought of
personal harm. More people are killed
each year by falling building material
more die from fright, than are killed
by lightning. The census bureau shows
only 169 people killed by lightning in
this entire country during a given
year. and only thirty Of these people
were killed IN the cities. Heat and
the sun killed 763 during the same
year. 2OS died from cold and freezing
and 1895 were drowned.
But you will find 1t quite q waste OF
ume during a thunderstorm to try to
ease the fears of a person who f.
AFRAID by telling him or her that the
chances OF being killed by lightning
are less than two in a million; they
VIII remain just as frightened for all
this mortuary knowledge. And after
the storm has passed and nerves are
steadied the woman who was so
frightened a few minutes before will
start getting supper on the gas stove
smiling through her tears that the
danger has all passed and only laugh
Ing II you venture the remark that
twice as many people are killed by gas
stoves as by lightning.-Country Life
In America.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
CATCHING COLD.
Duo to Infection and Not at All 20
Changes In the Weather.

Have you ever noticed In church
Immediately after a prayer or O ser
mon Is finished some one starts a
cough and then whole battery of
coughs explode: The modern pnvsi.
clan will tell you by way Of ex.n;...i.
ton that microbe emanations from he
breath OF the cOughers find their Nay
into the respiratory tract of others.
who thereupon cough too. Not alone
1n church. but in theaters and her
indoor places where people gather i'm
large numbers. is this coughing habit
noticeable.
In an article dealing with this sub
ject published In the independent 1t Is
explained that colds are slight infec-
dous fevers which spread particularly
among the population Of cities and
which are due to contagion and not at
all to changes in the weather These
may predispose by lowering resistive
vitality and by disturbing the circuIa-
ton In mucous membranes. but 1t is
the presence Of an infectious germ
that gives rise to the symptoms of the
cold. When one Of these bothersome
affections gets into household usual.
ly more than one person suffers from
1t. and II spreads In Offices and schools
and the like. 1t is much more fire.
Quently caught I'm a crowd than any.
where else.
The people who have a succession Of
colds during the winter time and
those who have to work where many
people come and go during the day
are particularly susceptible to them.
Vt Is not to some sudden change In the
W leather that the physician looks for
thN origin Of cold. but to some rath.
er intimate contact with other suffer
ers froAp similar affection.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
a Stenoqrapher's Stumble

A Judge in one Of our middle west
states advertised for stenographer
with experience In legal work. Anum.
Der or applicants called at his Office
Tor the purpose Of making application
Tor the position. Each applicant was
given trial to test her speed. accu-
racy, etc. Among the applicants was
young lady whose anxiety 70 make
good showing evidently unnerved
'her. The Judge dictated to her few
sentences In legal language. one of
which was. THAT would give him
time to complete the devastation of the
assets" The sentence as transcribed
by the young lady on the typewriter
read as follows: THAT would give him
time to complete the devils station
with a hatchet" Although much
amused at her ludicrous blunder. the
judge permitted her to 60 away with.
out telling her of her mistake.-Case
and Comment
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Theory and Practjce

Here is good story from the collec
ton OF German school inspector
The pupils were being examined on the
subject OF personal hygiene. A boy
was asked. what have you to do In
order to keep your teeth sound and
white" "Clean them." was the prompt
reply. when ought you to clean
themr' Morning. noon and night"
What are they to oe cleaned with?"
with a toothbrush" "Very good
Have you a toothbrush? mo, SIR"
HAS your father toothbrushf" "No.
sir. HAS your mother a toothbrush?"
mo. sir" But how do you know
about the use of tootbbrushes2" I'VE
sell them. SIR"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Beginning Of the Draina.

The theater IL the only sense that
Is worth considering was born in
Athens. Both tragedy and comedy
spring from feasts in honor Of Bac-
chus, and as the JESUS and frolics were
found to be out of place when intro
duced into graver scenes a separate
sprovince-the true drama-was formed
and comedy arose. The father of the
Greek comedy was Aristophanes. who
had lots of fun lampooning the public
men Of Athens. The creator OF Greek
tragedy was Aeschylus, born B. G.
525. In sublimity Aeschylus has new
er been surpassed. He is to the drama
what Phidias and Michelangelo are
to art-New York American
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
How Music Affected Boswell.

Boswell had good deal more feel.
ing for music than DR.. johnson and
suffered at his masters hands. Once
IN moment Of expansiveness he told
Johnson that music affected him" to
such degree as to agitate his nerves
most painfully, producing alternative
sensations Of pathetic detection. so
that he was ready to shed tears. and
or daring resolution. so that he was
inclined to rush into the thickest of
the battle.
Sir replied Johnson. Il should
never hear it at ali If it made me such
q fool"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Madrid,s Fearful Climate

Madrid is afflicted with the most
changeable climate of any European
capital. The temperature varies from
as much as 107 degrees in the summer
to as little as 16 degrees In the win
ter, and at all seasons Of the year it
1ndulges In violent fluctuations. 1t is
by no means uncommon In December
to wake up with the thermometer reg.
lstering about 20 degrees and to find
IL mount 70 more than GO degrees by
the afternoon. Some years ago an
oscillation Of 81 degrees was registered
In one day. No wonder, therefore,
that lung troubles are far more preva-
lent In Madrid than in st. Petersburg.
London Chronicle.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
FOX HUNTING IN ENGLAND.
II 10 More Than q Sport, II Is q Sort
Of Relation.

Il 10 More Than a Sport, Il 10 q Sort
Of Religion.
In England sport is not only reli.
gion; 1t Is the religion. If man is a
good sportsman he need not be any.
thing else. 1t may seem hyperbolical
to describe fox hunting as a religion
and the fox as deity. but it is a bare
bald exacttude. The true fox hunt.
Ing sportsman exhibits all the attri.
butes OF the devotee, the fanatic. the
martyr. He is ready to die for his
ra1th. l am sure he would cheerfully
allow himself to be burned alive rath.
er than hunt bag Of aniseed. His
friends would cut him dead If thew
suspected him Of treason to the pure
ideal OF fox hunting. His clubs would
refrigerate him. He would be q mark
ed man. He would be, n pariah. an
outcast. a bOunder, an outsider.
The power of the caste of fox hunt.
ers Is as formidable as the power OF
the various Indian castles. It Is
mightier engine than the law, for 1t is
driven by public opinion. The county
would ostracize the wretch caught in
the act Of violating the fox hunting
code. His career would be ended.
Never more could he hold up his head.
he would be leper. The taint of
aniseed would hang about him for
ever. - James Douglass in London
Leader.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Tho Music Soothed Him,

In his book My LIES Pilgrimage"
nomas Calling gives an interesting
impse Of Gladstone In the Midlo-
'lian campaign Of 1880:
happened to meet an organist
rom Edinburgh. who told me that In
ne throes Of that electoral fight Mr..
Maidstone soothed and steadied him.
|ielf with music. Having arranged a
dime for the organ practice. he was
provided with q key. by means of
which he could enter the church quite
privately. Silently and alone he would
sit In one Of the pews with his fore
head resting on his hands while the
|prganist played over a number of IA
|miliar and impressive hymn tunes.
The listener neither looked up nor
spoke until the hour compelled him to
move. Then. with THANK you," he
passed out to throw himself again into
the bustling political contest.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
His EquivocaI Answer.

The blushing girl buttonholed her
flushed fiance
well, Egbert," she murmured, did
papa give his consent?"
Egbert drew himself up stifiy.
He did not commit himself either
way" he responded.
Then are we or aren't we engaged.
Egby?"
II do not know" answered Egby.
still stifly.
"But what happened?"
This" said Egby more stifny than
ever. Il went In and said: Sir, wish
to marry your daughter. Have / your
consentT He turned and looked at me
a minute. then he grew red In the
face, then ne grabbed me, then he lift
ed me up. then he threw me over the
banisters. But whether he is I'm favor
Of our engagement or not, Ethelbrite,
he did not say"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Learned Hia Own Nalus

A husband and wife combination IN
vaudeville. with the husband as the
FEEDER and the wife as the real at.
traction. worked for Lew Fields in
one OF his summer shows. The two
were very popular and got much news.
paper space; also they had $1,000 a
week. One day the husband, pufred
up by what the newspapers said about
the singing Of his wife. went In to see
Fields.
Mr.. Fields" he said. ut is 81, 200 a
week from now on for us or we ouit
right here"
Twelve hundred. ehT' Fields asked
with interest
"Yes. sir. $1,000 a week or we Quit
and go out on the big time I'm the
Morris circuit"
well. sonny" said Field. "I think
an awful lot Of your wife's work, but
don't think she Is worth S1,175 O
week to me."-saturday Evening Post.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
WHITE DEER SKINS.
They Passed About as Banknctes AZ
Ono Time In China.

They Passed About as Banknctes AZ
Ono Time In China.
In China. the first country in the
world credited with using banknotes,
certain skins were so valuable that
they were accepted as cash and passed
from hand to hand in the same way
as banknotes are at the present day.
The negodability of these skins arose
thus
The Emperor Gu II. being In want
OF money. gave his treasurer to under
stand that such state OF affairs
must not continue At that time IL
was customary for princes and court.
lers on entering the royal presence to
cover their faces with piece of skin.
Taxing advantage Of this custom. the
treasurer ordered decree to be issued
IorDldding the use Of any other skins
1or this purpose except those of a Ger.
tain white deer in the royal parks.
Immediately there was demand for
pieces Of these skins. which, being a
monopoly. were sold at high price
and the royal Golfers reflled. The
steady value Of the skins thus secured
made them readily pass and acceptable
as an equivalent of coin Of the realm.
In the Russian seal fisheries of Alas
ka the workmen were formerly paid in
the currency stamped on squares of
walrus hide.-LOndon Tit-Bits.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
WASP WAIST CONTESTS.
Curious Course OF Training In Cid
Time Girls Schools.

70 NSiOOlSs
A letter recently unearthed from q
trunk shows that in the sixties of the
last century principals Of girls schools
thought they were fitting the girls for
society by urging them to retain small
waists. Accordingly they offered
prizes to the girls having the smallest
waists. The girls were put through n
course of training for reducing their
waist measure The conditions OF the
contest were that the corset should
not be removed on retiring at night
and that each pupil must be inspected
every morning to make sure she had
not loosened ber corset. One of the
persons who engaged in the contest
afterward wrote of it:
Some OF US tried hard to be Der
m1tted to retire. from the contest. but
we were rebuk Jed for stultifying our.
selves and accu sed of making fools of
our prlnclpals3 On the following
morning the undergoverness. with her
maid, came as usual to superintend
the toilets. and after satisfying her.
SELF that each lace was drawn in to
the utmost she faste.aed 1t In a knot
at the top and. passing the ends
through Q piece of caro- placed hei
own seal on them. so that any attempt
TO loosen the corset during \the night
might be ipfallibly detected in the
morning."-Detroit Free Press. =,
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Artificial Eves

The earliest notice of artificial ewes
occurs In very rare work by the
French surgeon Ambrose Pare. en-
titled LA MethOde Curative des
Playes ct Fractures de la Teste Hu-
maine" Paris. 1861. Pare gives a de-
scr1ption and figures of artificial eyes
to be worn in cases where the eyeball
has given way and all the humors
have escaped. They are to be seq.
ments of hollow sphere. made Of
gold. coated with enamel painted In
natural coors. With the exception Of
the gold they are exactly like the eyes
In use at the present time. which are
made wholly Of glass.-London Notes
and Queries.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29


the Prophets. The General very
promptly and gladly assented and gave
more than was requested. But God
through the Prophet punished the per.
ndy OF Gehazi. He took Naaman's
presents. He got also Naaman's len.
rosy.
many have enormously assumed. I'm
connection with this lesson. that Nan.
man was saved To heaven and GehnzI
lost. Both conclusions are unscrlp.
tural Naaman was saved To health
and Gehazi lost his health. But the
eternal interests OF neither were settled
Not until Cornelius day. three ana
half years after the Cross. did any
GENTLE come into any kind OF rcln-
uonship with God. Previous to thnt.
irom the time of Moses. only the Jcw-
lsh nation had recognition. "You only
nave l known 0f all the families OF
the earth amos So And Gods
ravor 70 Israel was merely nm carthlv
ana preparatory one. No one gained
eternal life prior 10 the Rcdccmor's
sacrifice. Thus the Scriptures declare
that Christ drought life ana mm,r-
tality to light through the Gosprr:
again. $50 great salvation which bo.
. 10 be declared by our Lord"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
CARE FREE cONVIcTS.
Jail Life In Montenegro a Cheerful
Sort Of Existence.

SoTI CT G$lStence.
Cettinje, the capital of Montenegro
possesses the most remarkable prison
system In the world. The iail pre-
sents little TO indicate that It is q
place of confinement. There are no
outer prison walls. and in the cells the
men-about ten in each-are as con-
tentedly and comfortably housed as
their own personal domestic belong.
ings can make them. Moreover. they
are generously fed. and cigarettes
without stint, wine occasionally and
no work at all combine to check auy
desire TO escape more effectualIy than
would strong walls, iron bars and an
army Of warders. When w. J. Still
man was in that country In the seven.
ties all the free men were away fight.
Ing. and he observed how when a mes.
senger was wanted the official took a
man out Of the prison and sent him
OF. having no fear that be would not
return. One such messenger was sent
to Cattaro, in Austrian territory, with
5000 forms for the bank and duly
came back. Another asked q Russian
at Cattaro to intercede with Prince
Nicholas for his release from prison.
"But you are not In prison." said the
Russian.
"Oh," said the man, 81 have only
come down for load Of skins for So
and-so. but l must 60 into prison
again when get back to Cettinje."
One guard watched all the prisonersi
when they summed themselves out Of
doors. and II he were called away a
prisoner would take his rife and do
duty for the time-London Mail.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
HAD A HARD SKULL.
Inc Baseball Catcher Who Was tho
Original Bonehead.

Ed Ashenback, for many wears n
manager Of minor league teams. in
his book. "Humor Among the Minors, -
claims to be the originator of the ex.
preston "bonehead." which Is now.
with Its synonymous terms of solid
IVORY mahogany beam" concrete
dome" and cement skull" SO common
In baseball.
Ashenback says that when he was
managing the Shreveport team of the
Southern league some years ago he
mad q catcher who could hit some
bnt who had the very serious weak
ness or not being able to gauge a foul
ball no matter how easy It was.
One day batter raised a high foul
directly over the plate. and the catch.
er, misjudging it, was hit suuarely on
top OF the head by the descending
sphere. which knocked of his mask
and bounded away some thirty feet
That night Ashenback finished bis
supper early and was passing out of
the dining room when he happened to
walk behind this catcher. who was de-
vouring his evening meal with pusto
and enthusiasm. Stopping at the IA.
BILE. Ed passed his hands over the
backstop's head. feeling for the bump
which he thought would surely be
there on account of the contact with
the ball that afternoon. But there
was no lump to be felt. "No wonder"
said Ash. How could there be a
bump? Your head is solid bone"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
GRISTLE BREAD.
A Favorite In Norway and In Parts Of
GERMANY.

A Favorite In Norway and In Parts Of
Germany.
what is gristle bread2 Why, that"
said baker, ''is kind Of bread that
is peculiar to Norway and to some
parts of Germany. In Norway 1t has
been made for many years, and here
there are bakeries In which it is made
for Norwegian patrons who still pre-
Ter 1t wherever they may be.
I'm making gristle bread the loaves
when first formed up from the dough
are laid on boards and put through an
extra heated oven In which there is
baked on them an outer crust or skin.
the gristle. Then the loaves are turn,
ed over and put through the oven
again, so that the gristle may be baked
all over them. This quick oven makes
only that outer crust on the loaves,
which are then placed In another oven
for their final complete baking.
"Originally in Norway gristle bread
was made Of rye -four only. In this
country there was demand for a,
handsomer and larger loaf, and wheat
flour was mixed with the rye, as has
now to some extent come to be the Gus.
tom In Norway also. Here the pro-
portions now used are about half and
half, the result being a bigger loaf of
the same weight as one of all rye.
"Gristle bread costs more than or
dinary bread because Of the greater
time and labor required I'm making If"
New York Sun.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
THE CUCUMBER.
One Way TO Dress II and q ROYAL Wsv
to Grow H.

One Way TO Dress II and a ROYAL Wsv
to Grow II.
II ever an anthology of the foods OF
the earth comes to be written quite an
entertaining chapter could be made ou,
or the cucumber. And some Of the ey
tracts would provide material for much
mental exercise to decide whether they
are humorous or serious. For exam.
pie, what did the Greek poet mean
when he said of certain woman:
She was to me
more tender than a cucumber?
only one meaning would have been
taken from that equivocal statement
py that famous doctor who used to de
clare that the only way to dress a GU
cumber Is to cut II into very thin
slices. sprinkle 1t with the finest of oil,
pepper 1t plentifully. cover 1t with vim.
egar-and then throw II out of the
window! On the other hand. Thack.
cray tells how he had delicate cucum
bers stuffed with forcemeat," while
Dickens refers to salmon, lamb, peas
innocent young potatoes, a cool salad.
sliced cucumber. a tender duckling-
all therew Both novelists were evi
IDENTITY men after the heart of the EN-
peror Tiberius. who was never with.
out cucumbers and had frames made
upon wheels. by means Of which the
growing cucumbers could be moved
about and exposed to the full heat OF
the sun. while in winter they were
Withdrawn and placed under the pro-
tection OF frames glazed with mirror
stone.
Yet two or three centuries ago the
vegetable was looked at suspiciously
as cold and Observation-Disclosures
Standard.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Spartaous.

Spartacus was Thracian of noble
birth. While serving as an officer In
an auxiliary corps Of the Roman army
ne deserted. and. being apprehended.
ne was reduced to slavery and made q
gladiator. Escaping, he collected a
body of slaves and gladiators. 73 B. c..
ana ravaged all southern Italy. de-
Ieating several Roman forces that
were sent against him. He was de-
1eated and slain by Crassus, II B. G.
Ills revolt at one time threatened the
very existence of the republic.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Forestalled.

"Widows." said the observing man.
'are very attractive, but about q Wild
'wer there is always something un-
eanny, something almost clammy-I
lean. Of course, from the matrimonial
)int Of view
~ know a widower who is thinking
marrying again. He thought he'd
roach the matter delicately the other
lorning to his little daughter. so he
aid:
"'Ah. my dear. how did love your
kmotherv
But the little girl gave him a sus-
,picious look and snapped:
Say do" not did" papa ~
Washington Star.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
Character In handuritinn

showed a professor Of caligraphy a
letter | had received. He took q very
unfayorable view of the handwriting
1t was the handwriting. he told me. of
a man without learning. without gen
ius. without fcc"ng. And, now, sir"
said, will you look at the signs
tureT The letter was written by Lord
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. "Three Cornered
ESSAYS"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
RAJ NAAMAN's LEpRosy
CURED

20 the King Of
Israel and pre-
sented him self
to the latter. re-
questing healing
by Israel's great
y roph ct, of
whom he had
heard. The King
was astonished.
He knew leprosy
30 be incurable.
Apparently he
knew little about
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29
The Similarity

The doctor told little Mary she was
anaemic because she was so white. A
few days after she exclaimed
"Oh. mamma, come here and look az
this anaemic horse! He's just as white
rs be can be!"-Judge.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-29

lot was out or
sight he basten-
ed and hailed II
and told the Gen
eral that although
his mester would
take nothing OF
the Chings offer
ed for himself.
he would willing
ly accept some OF
the garments for
the young III en-
= - "a