davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Sailing NEW BORN BABIES

An old superstititno is that II q
newborn baby Is carefully and
abundantly sailed he will be strong
and hardy when he grows up, and
that moreover evil spirits will never
be able to pursue him. And this GUS
tom Is still chung to in various parts
Of the world, though the method of
procedure is different with different
peoples.
In certain parts Of Russia, especial
ly among some of the Armenian set
Elements. the sailing Of an infant Is
an occasion Of great celebration, an
event in the life of the youngster
which is going to influence the whole
Of his life.
The baby Is rubbed we'll with fine
salt, which is left on for about five
hours, and during that time songs
are sung, food and drinks partaken
Of and all the relatives and friends
Join in the celebration. II this cere.
mony is neglected bad luck is certain
to follow the child even to the last
years Of his life.
Mountain tribes of Asia Minor In
dulge in the same belief, though with
them the baby is generally left from
thirty to >~thirty.five hours in the salt.
The longer the duration of time the
better chances for good fortune has
the infant.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
A Question.

When Grover Cleveland was elect
ed president the first time a little
girl became inquisitive and asked her
mother who would be the first lady
Of the land now.
Her small brother, standing by.
heard the question. and before the
mother could reply, he said:
you dummy. the statue of liberty,
of CONSIDERATIONS Monthly.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
STRONG TEST OF vERAclTY
Any Man Who viii Return Borrowed
Wheeibarrow at Time Promised
10 to Be Believed.

They were having q controversy on
the car about Cook and Peary, when
a old man hitched along toward the
d~isputants and said:
Gentlemen. I don't want to butt in.
but l know DIR. Cook personally"
"0h, you dot" replied one.
Il do. l lived right beside him on
Bushwick avenue. Brooklyn. for two
years."
And what do you know about
him."
"A lot, but l base my belief in his
truthfulness on just n instance.
Yes. sir, just one instance"
well. let's have it."
He came to my house n day and
asked me II I had a wheelbarrow. !
said I had. He asked me II l would
lend It to him.
Il will, DOCTOR" ! said. IF you will
bring It back by two o'clock. as 1
shall want to use it then"
And he borrowed it,"
He did"
And he brought 1t back by two
o'clock"
He did. Yes, sir. he was there
with it He was there to the minute,
and want to tell you that a man who
will bring your wheelbarrow back
when he promises to can't be a liar
about anything elso on the face of
this earth"
And after giving the assertion due
consideration the others fully agreed
with him.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
FARMER WALKS ON HANDS

Monroe county, Missouri, has a leg
less prodigy In Earl Craft, who. de-
spite his infirmity, gets about almost
as well as those who have legs. and
does his part Of the actual work on a
farm Of 240 acres. Craft, who is
twenty-five years old, might pass in
good looks, and genral de-
meanor for Sir Richard Calmandy,
the legless hero of Lucas Malet's
novel of that name. When twelve
years old Earl became incapacitated
with necrosis of the bone. for which
there Is no specific, and both his legs
were amputated at the hips. He lay
in bed six weeks and then he began
the laborious task of learning to walk
by Of his hands. In less than
three weeks he was doing farm work.
and today he can hook or unlock a
team, ride a horse, drive a gang pillow,
cultivator, or binder, and do almost
any other farm work except gather
corn. Recently he built and rooted a
henhouse without assistance.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

The largest log ever landed in
northern California" came into Chico
the other day. It was clear sugar
pine and 1t was more than six feet
through at the top and eight feet at
the butt. With two other logs from
the same tree 1t totaled 1882 feet Of
lumber. 1t sold for something over
1900. One does not have to be a IA
natical conservationist to deem this
sum absolutely inadequate to repay
the world for the loss It suffered in
the cutting of so splendid a pine.
Money can never be an equivalent for
beauty and romance. anyway.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
MISSOURI
HAPPINESS OF NATURE.

Some Of us have lived SO long In
the narrow and pretty circles Of self
interest, and have moved along o
course OF life so shut away from Ma
lures secrets and her suggestions.
that we have lost all power to be
stirred by the pictures and sounds OF
her rebuilding. II the. processes
abroad In the world at this season OF
the year do not move US to high sym
pathy and profound hope we are in q
pretty bad way. A journey into the
countryside and owe the hills. even
AT this early period in natures re-
juvenation Of the earth. is a panacea
for the restlessness and the cynicism
that u constant attention TO the
i~mperfections of common humanity
entails. There is no bitterness, no
malice. no jealousy, no vile suspicion
and tainted friendship in the work
shop Of the earth during the busy,
preparatory springtime. Every living
thing is bent on making the most OF
the opportunity that Nature calls IL
TO. Long ago little tufts Of grass,
hidden away in the sheltered places.
began to shed their coats Of dead
brown and to put on the delicate
green garb Of spring. The past week
Of warm sunshine has started a veri-
table whirlwind Of housecleaning out
in the woods and over the pasture
fields. says the Pittsburgh Gazette
Times. The farmer and the country
folk are the royal guests Of the earth
these days. They have us city folks
at . serious disadvantage. We can
only make little temporary runs out
into the edge Of Natures busy work
shop. but the farmer folk can claim
all the sweetest secrets Of the earth's
rebuilding.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
HE SLEPT IN SOFT CEMENT

Tony Rodowski Of Rochester, Pa.
may never have his memory %perpetrat.
ed in enduring bronze. but he has a
very vivid idea Of how 1t feels to be
incased in slowly hardening cement.
Tony, after a ~convivial evening.
started for home. He became fatigued
frequently, and on his final stop seat
ed himself IN a neighbor's newly made
cement steps. The bed was soft and
Tony stretched out for a nap. During
his SAUNDERS, an arm and a leg be-
came imprisoned as the cement hard
ened. Neighbors. aroused by Tony's
cries, came to his assistance. BY the
use Of picks and chisels, he was at
length released. The new steps were
ruined.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
LOCKING UP LONDON "

Strange to say, very few people are
aware of an ancient custom still kept
up at the Tower Of London. just be-
fore midnight a b~eef.eater and the
chief yeoman porter secure the keys
from the governors house to lock
up" Having received the keys. they
proceed to the guard room.
Escort for the keys!" calls out the
porter, and a sergeant and six pri-
Yates turn out.
The procession then marches of,
and the sentries they pass issue the
usual challenge of who goes there!"
to which the answer Is Keys"
Arriving at the entrance to the
Tower grounds, the Lions Gate. the
porter locks the gates. and the party
returns to the guard room. the CEN
try challenging as before and receiv-
ing the same nswer However, on
arrival at the guard room again, the
sentry stationed there stamps his
foot, at the same time giving the
usual challenge.
Keys" replies the porter.
Whose keys?7 the sentry asks.
King Georges keys"
Advance King Georges keys, and
all's we'll"
The porter then says: God bless
King George" and all present respond
with amen" The keys are then sa-
luted and returned to the governors
house. where they remain until the
next nights ceremony.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Plans to Live as Savage.

To prove that the people Of the
twentieth century need not be slaves
to civilized convention, Joseph
Knowles, a Boston painter Of outdoor
life, plans to plunge into the wilder
ness Of northern Maine this month
without clothing, food, matches, fire.
arms or ammunition.
He promises to stay there until DC.
tober /, to subsist on fish, game, ber-
ries and wild vegetables and to come
out fully clothed. He will live so or
60 miles away from any settlement.
and will accept no help from the out
side world.
Knowles will make his own fire by
friction; will build a log cabin from
material he finds in the woods, and
will make traps out Of what he dis
covers in the practically unexplored
northern part of the Pine Tree state.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Recipe for Making Jokes.

There is nothing any easier than
writing jokes. Simply jot down your
ideas for the jokes, say two or three
hundred, oil a slip Of paper; then seat
yourself before a typewriter. Feed
blank paper into the typewriter and
inject the ideas through your finger
tips into the keys. Continue to do
this until all Of the ideas on the slip
r exhausted, then gather up the
jokes. which have piled themselves
into a heap or the opposite side Of the
typewriter, send them to editors and
receive your checks. A couple Of
hours n day spent in this manner
should bring you in evenu enough
to support a wife and nine children.
run a six-cylinder touring car and buy
bonbons for a soul-mate. Try 1t.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
CUBS FOOD
They Thrive on Grape.Nuts.

Healthy babies don't cry and the
well-nourished baby that Is fed on
Grape-Nuts Ia never q crying baby.
Many babies who cannot take any
other food relish the perfect food
Grape-Nuts, and get well.
my baby was given up by three
doctors who said that the condensed
milk on which I had fed her had
ruined the child's stomach. One OF
the doctors told me that the only
thing to do would be to try Grape
Nuts, so l got some and prepared 1t as
follows: I soaked IN tablespoonful
in one pint of cold water for half an
hour, then l strained of the liquid and
mixed IL teaspoonfuls Of this strained
Grape.Nuts juice with six teaspoonfuls
OF rich milk, put In q pinch Of salt and
a little sugar, warmed 1t and gave 1t
to baby every two hours.
"In this simple. easy way saved
baby's life and have built her up to a
strong, healthy child, rosy and laugh
ing. The food must certainly be per
feet to have such q wonderful effect
as this. / can tr%uthfully say think
It ID the best food in the world to
raise delicate babies on and 10 also a
delicious healthful food for grown-ups
as we have discovered in our family"
Grape-Nuts Is equally valuable to the
strong, healthy man or woman. 1t
stands for the true theory Of health.
There's a reason" and y Is explained
in the little book, The Road to Well
ville," in pkgs.
Ever read the above letter. A new
one appears from time TO time. They
are genuine, true n full Of hun-an
interest.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

One often hears this advice to the
fat man. Work harder. even to per.
forming violent manual labor and
your fat will melt away" However.
to come to the aid Of the fat man,
we would say that the suggested plan
lie not at all feasible for the very rea'
son that the more strenuously a fat
RAJ works. the more his appetite
grows and in the a~ppeasing thereof.
his fatty sections maintain absolute
equilibrium
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

The sledging flag which DR.. Wilson.
one Of Ctptain SCOTS ill-fated party.
took with him to the south pole, has
been presented by his widow to Glou.
cester cathedral, and the dean decided
to hang It in the Lady Chapel, among
the flags Of the Gloucester regiment.
It was found wrapped up beside DR..
Wilson's body along with a flag Of
Gaius college, Cambridge. It measures
three feet by one foot. and has St.
Georges cross at n end and DR.. vii.
sons crest in the middle, with the
motto Res non verba."
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

Motor trucks are said to be displac-
ing the army mule. They may CON
tinue to do 80 II the enemy kindly
confines his operations to smooth.
hard roads. But when q pestiferous
antagonist carries the scene of war
into mountainous country, and roads
alternating from hillside to mud hole.
the army mule will be found to be
one of those things that no wellsup.
piled army can do without.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Useful Liza Jane.

Evidently Liza Jane was a very
useful person. She and the old won.
an came into a London shop and the
old woman began examining some
pieces Of cheap calico. She pulled at
n piece. first this way. then that,
wetting it and rubbing 1t with her
fingers to try II the colors were fast.
But she seemed not entirely satisfied.
At last she cut OF a piece with a pair
Of scissors and handed It to Liza
Jane.
Here. Liza Jane" she said, you
chew that and see II it runs"
And Liza Jane raised 1t to her
mouth and solemnly went to work.
Youths Companion.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
FISH LIVED WITHOUT MOUTH

: It seems strange that a fish can live
and thrive without a mouth. J. W.
Fehlmann describes this apparent
simplihcation Of life on the part of
a carp four years of age. Its mouth
was absolutely shut. Yet there were
mayAy larvae. c%rustaceans,
pieces Of plants and the like In the
food canal. The animal must have not
only breathed but fed through its gill
clefts.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

Another girl who married a man to
reform" him has reason to regret
her act. Prospective grooms should
reform thoroughly before marriage. as
It takes q long time to acquire the
habit.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
ADAM BEDE IN REAL LIFE

A modern Adam Bede lives at Ter.
West Norfolk. He is a car
named Harnigold. On a re-
cent night he dreamed that on the fol-
day he would have to make q
coffin for his father. The next morn.
ing the father was found dead in bed
from a heart seizure, and later In the
day the son made the coffin.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

Some women are possessed Of a
superabundance Of impotence. We
draw this conclusion from reading in
the papers Of several aviators' wives
who are suing for divorces. instead Of
waiting Just a little while to become
regular widows.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

Ko-Be-Na-Gwe-Wes, otherwise and
more easily known as John Smith, is
124 years old and lives on the Chippe-
wa reservation in Minnesota. He IL
still active and al keep step to the
't'om.tom." He still likes his pipe, and
has no aversion to fire water when the
occasion serves.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
CHILD'S BONES IN NEST

A party OF hunters have captured
two royal eagles with their young on
the Alps. near the Ledro valley. In
the eagles nest were found the bones
Of a child. al well rs the bones OF
two hundred ducks. forty hares. a
channels, q fox and innumerable birds.
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
She

Now, Gretchen, you know when
to get the dinner, I suppose" said
the lady.
"Oh. yes, ma'am," replied the new
girl.
You a tell by the clock, you
know"
Yes, ma'am. When de cuckoo say
cuckoo / begin to cook. too"
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Their ADVANTAGE.

1.-THE seashore appears more demo-
cratic than the mountain resort"
well. naturally. the latter appeals
more to aristocratic visitors. since
while the seashore has the rand,
every mountain has a crest"
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24

A South Bethlehem motorist a
rowly escaped being hit by a meteor.
Does he wish to convey the impress
sion that he was going 30 fast the
meteor couldn't catch up?
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Morse and Worse.

Bill-This paper says that one per
cent. Of the water Of the oceans would
cover all the land to a depth Of 290
feet.
Jill-Gee! hope they won't let 'em
do It. It's bad enough TO have SO
much Of the land covered by mort
cages as Il L..
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Coming to II.

Cruch-I see Los Angeles now has
six clergymen enrolled as special po-
lice officers.
Gotham-How would you feel to get
a tap on the soles Of your shoes when
YOU fall asleep on a church seat?
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
After His Exercise.

Mrs. Benson-I want your wife to
20 out with me. Do you know II she
IL tied up for today7
Mr.. Hurst (perspiring)-I don't
know II she's tied up for today, but I
know bloomin' well she's hooked up
for the day. all right
Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-24
Speeding.

Redd--lve been in @ number of
places since ] got my automobile ]
never dreamed Of going in before.
Greene-Why, how many times have
o been taken to court?
The Washburn leader., 1913-03-28
Tovvn Boom PhiIosoph

II you are II kicker and see the shad-
ows Of failure in everything that II
proposed to help the town. Tor heavens
sake go int, some secluded cunyon and
kick your own shadow on the clay
bank and give the men who are work
ing to build up the town q chance. One
long faced, hollow eyed. whining. carp
ing chronic kicker can do more to keep
away business and cnpitai from town
than MI the drafts. short crops, chinch
bugs. cyclones and blixzards combined.
White Hall Qll.l Register.
The Washburn leader., 1913-03-28

property got their heads together and
decided that they would place this
vacant space in the hands Of two or
three or five of their number as trus-
tees for a period Of five years. each
contributing alike to the cost, and that
fences be torn down. rubbish cleared
up and the plot turned into minia-
ture park and playground-in short,
that the rear Of these houses become
the front What would happen? Count
ing the number Of rooms facing the
back yard as about the same as those
facing the street and that there is q
difference in the rental income Of
about 90 per cent. 1t would be safe to
assume that by making such change
the income of the rear rooms facing
our imagined miniature park would
bring in an additional income of 20
per cent in excess Of their usual rental
value. which on the entire property
would show an increase Of possibly
from s to 10 per cent.
Not taking into consideration the
increased income, would not such prop
critics always find occupants in prefer
ence to others that could not offer this
attractive feature? Would we, not be
providing an ideal playground for the
children, taking them from the streets
with its dangers? Would not such re-
treats afford comfort. afternoons and
evenings, to the occupants Of the room
men and women who must pass the
greater part Of their summers In the
scity3 3 .5s
The average summer population In
the seventy houses does not fall far
short Of 1000 persons. By renting a
portion Of the space for the privilege
Of serving ice cream and soda fountain
drinks there would he sufficient In
come from the privilege to more than
pay for the upkeep Of the plot.
Any step that will help make city
life more attractive will help to main
tain values. Does not this suggestion
ofker 4 remedy for one Of the. causes
Of decreasing income from roomins
properties n certain cities7
The Washburn leader., 1913-03-28

the average profit to a family amounts
to about $50. Some have less than
this. but others have 500 and even
more at the close Of the season. A few
can supply their own tables with vege-
tables and still be $50 to the good.
One man ut least has supported
family Of five OH his little patch. and
when he first took charge Of the gar
den he didn't know thing about the
work. He is Charles Bilger. old and
one armed. of Philadelphia. His gar
den is at Wynnetield.
Bilger succeeded through persever-
ance. Every morning between April
and September he could be found at
his miniature farm about o'clock in
the morning, and he kept toiling contin-
ually until s o'clock in the afternoon.
He has little shanty on the grounds.
and here he prepared his food and
stored his vegetables.
There is hardly anything that Is in
season in the vegetable line that could
not be found on Bilger.s patch. and he
is Justly proud Of his crops. Last sum-
mer he had potatoes. tomatoes. corn.
string beans, lima beans. lettuce, pump
kins and cabbage. During the harvest
season he needed the assistance of two
mel to handle his crops. It was IA
miliar sight at that time to see Bilger
going along Georges hill pushing with
his one hand his wheelbarr0w piled
high with eatables. Several times the
produce was hauled away by horse
and wagon. Bilger is already known
for the fine vegetables he produces and
has no trouble In getting customers.
/. Farming was mystery to Bilger six
years ago. He lost his arm In rail-
road accident and had difficulty in se-
curing employment. Then the garden
was offered to him. This helped to
keep himself, bis wife, his widowed
daughter and her children. The grand
children assist in supporting the fam
fly now. "a.
Many other men have found their ex-
perience on these gardens to be help
full. Several have obtained positions in
the forestry reserve. while others have
secured farms of their own.
THIS outdoor work has also proved of
great benefit to the numerous mothers
and children who have been engaged
In It. for. besides providing fresh vege
tables for the table they have received
plenty of good exercise. which means
good health.
The Washburn leader., 1913-03-28

. Is vacant lot gardening profitable?
Practical experience has shown with
out doubt that this is Il real charity.
Helping others to help themselves ia
one Of the best movements ever in
augurated in this country. For fifteen
seasons men and women. aged. III nr
out Of work. have kept the wolf from
the door by nothing more than little
plot Of ground that would otherwise
have gone to waste.
Figures speak for themselves. The
fact that ground allotted by the Phila-
delphia Vacant Lots Cultivation as
sociation netted about $22.1OO to 442
families during the past season shows
that the work is worth while Accord
ing to james 81. Dix. the superintend.
ent. and Charles Horn. bis assistant.
The Washburn leader., 1913-03-28
ABOLISH THE
old BACK yard
Make Al the eround Around
Your Home Attractive.
NO RUBBISH, NO DISEASE.
Cooperation Between Owners and
Tenants Would Do Great Deal To-
ward Changing Present Conditions.
Il Would Also Increase Values.

Why was the back yard ever invent
ed? Why need there be a rear. and a
front to a house? And why have most
homes two rears and no front? The
rear of house was originally designed
as place where coal was delivered.
where waste was removed and where
deliveries from tradesmen were made.
But in city homes the garbage and the
ashes go out the front door, and deliv.
cries are made there. In fact, 1t by
necessity has become the back door.
And what is the back yard? Usually a
place for weeds to grow. place for
rubbish to accumulate, place to hang
out the wash. breeding place for mos
quitoes and flies and an eyesore to
about half the population Of tenants,
who day by day, month after month.
have to look out upon 1t. So states
the Title Insurance News. .-
If ever any one pays the penalty for
a sin 1t is the owner Of real estate. res
idential property. who is carrying the
burden Of the back yard. How does the
owner Of such property pay the pen.
atty, and can he escape It? Rear rooms
bring less income than street rooms be.
cause of existing conditions. Yet why
not make rear rooms front rooms and
correspondingly increase the income
from residential property? .....
Take, for example. Il block of houses
running from one avenue to another.
Backing up to each other there arc
about thirty-four houses. twenty feet in
width. There is stretch of open land
between the two rows of houses about
700 feet long and approximately 100
feet wide
Let us imagine, If we can. that the
owners Of these seventy pieces of