davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Water For New Britain Voted
 By The House
Special from United Press.)

Hartford, May 26-The House yes- terday, by a unanimous vote concur red with the Senate in authorizing the town of New Britain to increase it's water supply from Burlington Brook and Pennington River, and further authorized the Water Commissioners to issue S3o0,O00 bonds to pay for the improvements.
 An amendment offered by Represen- tative Taft, of Pennington, brought on long debate, but was defeated. The amendment provided that the town of New Britain should not di- vert water from Burlington Brook to the point where the natural flow of the brook or the Pennington River would be affected to the injury of farmers and mill owners along the streams Representative Miner, of New Britain, discussing the original bill, said that New Britain was in greater need of an increased water supply than any city in the State. If big fire came, he said, it is quite probable that there would not be enough water to fight the flames ef fective1y.
 Representative Taft, of Pennington, said that this lack of water supply was appreciated. His only interest in the bill, he said, was to prevent the drying of the Burlington Brook and II
 Representative Tower, of New Brit ain, spoke on the rapid growth of the city and said that there were s20O0, 900 improvements in the process of going up, today. These improvements, along with the rest of the city, need ed fire protection the city could not give at the present time.
 Representative Dunn, Wilhmantic, favored the bill He caused a laugh when he said that if the people of New Britain. did not get an increased water supply they would have to re- sort to the hotel license bill just pass ed by the Senate, increasing the sale of liquor.
 Representatives Stevens of Berlin, Fenn of Wethersfield, Webster of liar winton, and Phillips of Stamford. urg- ed the passage of the bill as reported.
 Representative Monegan, of Water bury, made vigorous speech and said that the citizens of New Britain should be protected even if it did take some water away from the mill own CTS on the Pennington River.
 A motion to reconsider the bill was lost. The bill is a law. On motion of Representative Peck. of Stratford, it was immediately sent to the en- crossing clerk.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
The First Telegraph Line.

After the formal opening of the first telegraph line built for commercial purposes between Washington and Baltimore Professor Morse and his as sOciates offered to sell the invention to the United States government for s1o0. .00O, but the price was considered 100 high. The government had aDpro priated S3o. 600 toward the reconstruction of the Baltimore line. but liter a short period of operation the postmaster general. to whom President Polk had referred the matter, wrote.
 Although the invention is an agent vastly superior to any other devised by he genius of man. yet the operation between Washington and Baltimore nas not satisfied me that under any rate of postage that can be adopted its revenues can be made to cover its ex- penditures.'
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Punishment In Persia.

Among the Persians the usual mode of punishment is the bastinado. from which men of the highest rank are not exempt. It is inflicted with very great severity. frequently so as to render the sufferer almost cripple for life. The victim is thrown upon his face, and each foot is passed through a loop of strong cord attached to a pole. which is raised horizontally by men, who, twisting 1t round. tighten the ropes and render the feet immovable- Two executioners then strike the sole alter nately with switches of the pomegra- nate tree well steeped in water to rep- der them supple. A store of these switches is generally ready for use in the pond which adjoins the courtyards of the houses of the great. The pun ishment frequently lasts for an hour or until the unfortunate victim faints from pain
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
CIeanIiness In Paraia.

The Persian spends hours inr the "hammams" (Turkish baths). which are very handsome buildings decorated with tiles and embellished with nu- merous exhertations as to the value of cleanliness. The smallest village in Persia has its Ina mmam." and bathing is almost a religious function. When the hot room and massage are finished the Persian is shaved. and the whole top of his head is likewise shaved, though the hair over the ears is left and allowed to grow down to the neck. This strange coiffure has a religious meaning. for the two locks on each side of the head are meant for the an- gel of death to hold when he carries the believer to paradise. All Persians dye their hair with a mixture of henna and vesmeh. and the hair dyeing is the last part of the bath. but tea and smoking are indulged fn afterward. and the frequenters of the ''ha mmams" find them very pleasant lounging places.-Chicago Journal.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Is tho Universe Running Dowr9


 It is absolutely certain that the ma- chinery of the solar system is running down. The earth, with its mass of three thousand trillion tons. moving through space thousand times faster than the express train goes. is being retarded by the friction of the atmos- phere and tides to the extent that it loses about an hour in 16,0O0 years. a very slow process. it would seem. but one that will Inevitably bring the earth to standstill ultimately. And what is true of the earth is true of all the worlds and suns. Sir Isaac New ton maintained that the motions of all bodies in space suffer retardat1on and that their velocity is steadily becom- ing less and will finally cease. Solar systems. like everything else. have their time to be born and their time to die.-New York American.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
The Nerdict

The lecture was over. and the gen teman who did the talking strained his ears as he followed the audience out of the hall to gather in. so far as he could. what sort of an impression he had made. As he drew near to the doorway two old gentlemen who were making their way out just ahead of him rendered a verdict
 Well, Bankside." said one of them, what did you think of it."
 i've heard worse," said Bankside.
 Did you think it was at all illumi- nating?" asked the other.
 ''In an old fashioned way. yes." re- piled the venerable Rantsise.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
How Scott aore Adversity.

Once when I was staying with MT. Ruskin he took delight in showing me his Scott manuscripts. He took down "Woodstock" from the shelf. and. turn ing the leaves over slowly and loving ly, he said: T think this is the most precious of them all. Scott was writ ing this book when the news of his ruin came upon him. He was about here, where have opened it. Do you see the beautiful handwriting? Now look as I turn over the pages toward the end. Is the writing one jot less beautiful? Are there more erasures than before? That assuredly shows how a man can and should bear ad- versity."-London Graphic.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
The Onion,

The onion has been so long in culti- vation that it's original form is not def initely knewn. There are so called wild onions that grow in the woods Nobody ever tastes them but once. and there is about the taste DO suggestion that cultivation or anything else could ever make them grateful to the human palate. In all probability the onion is a native of western Asia and adjacent parts of Africa, since it is mentioned in old Egyptian writings and the Pen tateuch
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
A Whales Breathinu.

An eminent naturalist says concern ing the breathing apparatus of the whale: ''The windpipe does not com municate with the mouth. A hole is. as it were. bored right through the back of the head. Engineers would
 do well to copy the action of the valve of the whales blowhoie- A more per feet piece of structure it is impossible to imagine. Day and night. asleep or awake, the whale works it's breathing apparatus in such a manner that not a drop of water ever gets down into the lungs. Again. the whale must of necessity stay a much longer period under water than seals. This alone might possibly drown him. as the lungs cannot have access to fresh air.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
SAD DEATH OF
 PUNCH, DOG MASCOT

Punch house dog at No. engine company is no more. Punch" had been at the fire house for five years coming there as a pup, the gift to the fremen of MT. and Mrs. Frank J. Mulcahy. He was a Japanese spaniel and quite valuable. On Tuesday Punch was run over by a piece of the apparatus as the wagon was an- swering an afternoon alarm. He was a knowing canine, and a constant companion of the f1remen. It had been his habit to follow the appara- tus to fires. until two years ago when a coach dog also the property of the firemen was killed. Since then he never answered an alarm, never go- ing further away from the house than the front walk. Members Of the Norman street company were so overcome at his death, that some Of them. wept The fire fighters in re- spect to the animal have buried him on the home grounds in a marked grave.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Wire Mileage in the United States

The annual report of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company for the last year says that 100000 miles of wire were added to the lines, mak- ing total mileage of 12,0O0,OOO.
 Some idea of what this total means may be grasped when we calculate that this length of wire could be wrapped around the earth 500 times and that it would make fifty separa te lines from the earth to the moon, kNt there would not be half enough wire to reach from the earth to our nearest planetary neighbor, Venus Scientific American.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
An Easv Cure.

A correspondent for local paper writes that his sister sent him four fun lines which are guaranteed tO cure any case of streDuosity in The family. The lines are to be repeated .hree times heartily in the face of any domestic difficulty. Here they are. The dog is in the pantry.
 The cat is in the lake.
 The COW Is in the ha mmocK. What difference does If make?
 -Nautifus.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Tart Repartee.

Of Sir William Harcourt, Disraeh once said in his affectedly cynical way. "He has the three essential qualified tions of success in politics-a fine per son, loud voice and no principles"
 To this when it was repeated to him Harcourt rejoined. Leaving out the first two qualifications. it might al most be applied to Dizzy himself"
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Only Two Days More,

tomorrow and Monday. of the great anniversary sale of E. H. Dillon & O., 1105 Main street Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to secure the greatest bargains in seasonable mill Iinery goods. shirt waists. marabout feather boas petticoats, long serge coats. long linen and pongee coats, all at the lowest prices ever known
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Failed to Catch the Tune.

A professor in an old Pennsylvania collage was conducting review i'll Latin. Of sleepy looking youth be asked the question. What construc- ton is that at the top of page 12?
 T don't know" was the prompt re- ply.
 .Why not?' thundered the professor 'T have been harping on that construc- ton all term"
 II know you have. professor" was the soft reply. but l haven't caught the tune yet"
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
An Autobiourap phy,

Mrs. Chugwater-Josiah. what is an autobiography? Mir. Chugwater-It's the story of mans life written as he thinks it ought to be- Couldn't you tell that from the word itself?-Chica- go Tribune
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
A Success.

Byker-I attended successful sleight of hand performance last night Pyker-Really. Byker-Yes. l lent conjurer counterfeit half dollar, and he gave me back a good one.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
More Interesting.

Were you interested in that &C., count of the Washington mau who suddenly disappeared
 Well. I'd have been more Interested in an account of man who gradually disappeared
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Embarrassina Question.

Police Justice-Have you any way of making a living? Vagrant-1 hev' VT honor kin make brooms. Police Justice = You can? Where did you learn that trade? vagfant-I decline to answer. your honor.-Home Herald.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26

This being called me. whatever it is. consists of little flesh. little breath and the part which governs.-Marcus Aurelius.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Two Sidns.

'To snuff a candle out accidentally is a sign of marriage
 "Yes. and to turn down a lamp ir- tentionalIy is a sign of courtship."
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26
Orders All the Time.

Orders All the Time.
 First Commentaries. l am inst back from a three months trip on the road. Second Commercial-Get many orders, old man? First Commercial You bet, ! took my wife with ne.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26

anticipated and obviated by peculiar reservoir in the venous system, which reservoir is situated at the back of the Iungs"
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26

One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26

l 0UL >I....< ...>l, JUut punt, Sdlu the questioner.
 Why, it was illuminating, but it struck me as having more gas than electricity about it." explained the critic.-Judge.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-26

Make each day critic on the last Pope.
New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
Some New Lincoln Stories

I Some one told Lincoln that a distin-
guished and aristocratic Southern states
man had referred to him in a speech as
rail splitter"
We'll" said Mr. Lincoln, musingly. Il
suppose there is a difference in men.
Some are rail splitters and some are ma
tion spiltters think 1 prefer TO split
rails
/ Although Lincoln's accomplishment In
the Black Hawk War was hardly Napo-
leonic. he was no coward. Some one said
TO him as he was departing for the front:
You are not afraid OF Black Hawk, are
your"
We'll. I guess not" replied the youth
ful captain. proudly. I'm no chicken
Literally he was not, but in years he
wasn't much more than a broiler.
When the Civil War was practically
over Mr. Lincoln responded at once by
an improvement in health and spirits,
but he did not want 10 go 10 the theatre
on that fatal night. and not from any
presentiment OF evil. The play was Our
American Cousin" and he had seen II
once. IL was funny enough, ana MI
Lincoln loved funny things. but not
twice in the same place. even for COM
pany's sake, He tried 10 get out OF
going, but Mrs. Lincoln would not per-
nit 1t. She had had troubles OF her own
with that theatre party from outside
General and Mrs. Grant having been
called away at the last minute-and she
did not propose to have her own hus-
band desert her. She insisted on his
going
/ "All right" he said in his meek. SUBJ
missive way. when he found resistance
was useless. IAN right. Mary. I'll go.
but If | don't go down to history as the
martyr President ! miss my guess"
He didn't miss his guess but his little
/ Joke became a world tragedy
w. J. LAMNrON.
New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
Continued from fourth page.

peoples business is a great deal more than
e. Invitation % respectful silence. 1t helps
70 keep people out Of the clutches Of the
cheap lawyers who are likely TO over
charge them II they don't cheat them out
rgh,
One very small change has undoubtedly
seded 10 the dignity OF the courts. When
NE court IS about 20 open. an attendant
sh'ers and says, as IN the higher courts
arise. the judge The persons who are
waiting on the benches outside the grill
s~yers. com1lainants. witnesses and Wis
Nofs. rise. The magistrate enters. wearing
his back robe and when he has taken his
pace behind the rail the attendant says
he seated. and the business of the court
goes on.
That was not a part Of the scheme OF
'soFganizat.on. One Of the magistrates
uleo Il one DAY and It seemed such a nat
1'al and effective thing 20 do that the
"hers adopted 10. II does impress those
present with the dignity Of the court ana
y appeals especially 70 the foreign DORM
" whom there are so many who come De-
'V'e these courts, who are used 10 that SORT
" Thing al home. And remember that the
.iN thing the Judge does when he taxes
- seat is 90 announce 20 the court ROOM
there are any persons present whose
'"nplaints have not been taken by the
teIK. II they come forward they VIII De
Nsard' There's certainly nothing undemo-
cratic about that
by no means the least Of the improve
'1sh's was the separation OF men and
.yhen prisoners both In trial and IN de-
.anon pens. Formerly the cells, most OF
s'h OF open irOnwork. were placed 80
.ael any sound would carry from one end
" ne place 20 the other from the furthest
VI the mems cells 20 the fUrthest Of the
Nomen's
you were never in one Of the old pens
" see and hear for yourself / cannot give
~ any idea of the loathsomeness OF IT..
imagine some crowded night, perhaps in
'1s'nner. when the scum OF a great sec
s0n OF the city had been skinned up and
'u' Up In one place drunkards and thugs
U' tsd women and ali the rest, where
I one OF them could bawl out 10 all the
~ AND in the morning they were all
leo up together. promiscuously. as they
eePpei4ed 10 come. 70 wait their turn for
hearing
me new law provided for three addi-
- ~''9r courts-a Night Court for Men. "A
vsN' Court for Women and the Domestic
aNoas Court. II was deemed advisable
;, INC night court TO separate the sexes.
!, "uer the !aw ! appointed three judges for
night Court for Women, so that they
New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
SNOW TELESCOPE, CARNEGIE SOLAR OBSERVATORY

: department OF botanical research. with
laboratories in California and Arizona. and
department of marine biology. with .
laboratory at Dry Tortugas. Fla
None Of the great workshops maintained
by the institution is more interesting than
the laboratory OF experimental evolution at
/ Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Here
men and animals are being studied for the
purpose Of discovering the laws OF evoiu'
ton and heredity And when these laws
are known. man can control the process
different creatures being modified to meet
our requirements of beauty. food. materials
and power.
The carnation can be made not only
crimson, but white yellow and blue says
Professor c. B. Davenport, the director
of this laboratory. 1T can be made as
large as a chrysanthemum, or dwarfed-
So the bantam fowl can be made OF req
color, or black or white. with run or
without, with a long tail or with no tal
The egg yield Of the hen may be raised
frcm $50 20 over 2l0 year. The strength
of the horse can be inc eased as that or
the Percheron exceeds that of the Nor
weglsn pony"
He has invented 10 order such new species
as goats with wattles. cats and guinea pigs
with extra toes, ewes with extra nipples
ETC., in order 10 test various theories as %
the laws Of heredty, and determine also
whether new species develop by gradual
changes and the equal blending OF crossed
breeds. CT by sudden steps and Jumps.
Extending these studies 10 man. he has
lately discovered. with other things:
"The skin color OF children is not darker
than that OF their darker parent. Conse-
ouently. two blond parents have only blond
offspring. but a blond ard brunette NAV
have either blond or brunette children.
and that in crosses between negroes and
Caucasians the same rule holds; the mulat-
tos produce white children. but Cproo-
ably) rarely black"
Thus is being fulfilled the dream OF Ba-
con, who saw IN the rev Atlantis gardens
devoted to the improvement Of animals and
plants
! Copyright. 1911 py John Elfreth watsinD
New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
Continued from first page.

fooled all of the time. all Of the people
can't be fooled all of the time.
In his youth Lincoln ran a ferry on the
Ohio River at the mouth of Anderson
Creek The only passenger for a whole
dav was being ferried over, and to en-
liven the Journey he told the story or
Washington throwing a silver dollar
across the RappahannOck at Frederlcks-
burg.
well" remarked young Abraham,
SADLY "he couldn't throw one across the
Ohio at the mouth of Anderson unless
he was doing more business than l am
or unless he stole it,"
Some question has arisen as TO Mr..
Lincoln's religious opinions. but this
story may put 10 rest all doubts about
his position. \ Southern woman who
had come to gee Lincoln about her hus-
band, who was confined in a Northern
prison because Of his "perniciCus poll
tics" mentioned the fact that the pris-
oner was a religious man.
I'm glad to hear. that said Mr.. Lin
coin. cheerfully. and the lady smiled
hopefully in response. Then he went on:
Because any man who wants 70 dis
rupt this Union needs all the religion in
sight TO save him"
Mr.. Lincolns love for the soldiers was
well known. and he was a frequent Wis
itor at the hospitals in Washington. \
Young doctor was showing him around
one afternoon 10 let him speak TO the
men. The guide took him past the en-
trance 10 a large room, saying that he
didn't suppose the President wanted 20
go in there. as ,hey were only rebels"
But | do want 10 go In there" said
Lincoln. "and don't you call them 'reb-
els: call them 'Johnnies IL sounds
friendlier. Would you want to be called
'Yank and neglected because you did
/ the best YOU knew?"
/ A New Yorker at the White Hous.
said 10 the President that IL seemed
strange that the President OF the United
States and the President OF the Con-
fcderate States should have been borr
In the same state.
."Oh. don't know about that" LAUGHED
Mr. Lincoln Those Kentucky peopl,
will tell you that they can raise mos
anything in their state. and reckon
they're mighty near right"
New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
MAGISTRATES Courts Lose Rust of Centuries

'If the LEGISLATURE thinks IL would be
better TO put these courts into politics and
take away from the judges the indepen-
dence that they now have, why this bill Is
the way TO do it. 1t will reproduce the
miserable state OF affairs that went be-
fore 1874
''The whole question is up TO the citizens
Of New York. Their magistrates last year
dealt out Justice 10 225, 600 men and women
who were arrested and brought into these
courts Do the citizens want these magis-
trates to be selected by a responsible head,
such as the Mayor OF New York. or by ire
sponsible men In a secret caucus and for
purely personal reasons?
"The reform which has taken place in
these courtrooms has evidently hurt some
body. No one questions the high character
and ability OF the men chosen by the
Mayor. Who objects to them. and for
what reason? The magistrate has an al
most rlimitable opportunity for good ana
equally great power for evil. In America
he is the first aid 10 the injured in their
rights, and he is a primary teacher to the
lcgions of aliens in the ways OF American
government and civilization.
THE Board Of Magistrates is in a posi-
ton now 10 uphold its own purity and its
own dignity. Not long ago We found that
one of the court attendants was guilty OF
bringing a lawyer to man In the deten-
ton pens The attendant was brought TO
trial He falsiied In his statements and
was dismissed from his post We have
had no more trouble Of that sort
.'The court IS we'll under way al last.
The engine is on the track. all we need
is 70 keep IL going. Whatever improve
ments are made in the immediate future
will probably be natural developments, a
healthy growth. But 10 wreck the whole
nroceeding by such a law as has been pro-
nosed is almost unthjnkable.
"Tbe highest enccmium on the new sys-
tenn Is the opposition Of those who thrive
hv the old abuses. It's enemies are its
highest commendation. Strict and Impair
jal Justice and not pull and personal
favor. is now the rule. the protection OF
the law without price a personal obliga-
ton"