davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
LINEN 5000 YEARS OLD

In one of the apartments at Univer-
sity college, London, Prof. Flinders Pc
trie has placed on exhibition some re-
markably interesting antiques unearth-
ed at Tarkhan, Heliopolis and Mem
phis under the auspices of the British
School of Archaeology in Egypt.
The great cemetery Of Tarkhan,
which occupied mile of desert 40
miles south OF Cairo and which dates
from the earliest historic age until the
day OF the pyramid builders, has
proved to be exceedingly prolific in
antiquities. What has struck Prof.
Petrie is the extraordinary preserva-
ton Of the woodwork and clothing un-
earthed from these places Of inter-
ment Of long ago.
great sheet of linen, which is
placed on exhibition is as fresh and
as firm as when cut from the original
length-and it is some 5000 years old.
So, likewise, with the woodwork, which
in but few instances shows signs Of de-
cay. Here are boxes that served their
purposes as funeral caskets, built of
planks ef ncacia and shittim wood, and
as firm and secure as when lowered
into the bosom Of the earth in dim an.
tiquity.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
BILL NYE NOT APPRECIATED
TOO Many in This Generation Neglect
the Works Of the Really Great
Humorlst.

There are too few of this generation
who appreciate the humor of Bill"
Nye. The fame of Mark Twain out
rlvaled his. The two were entirely
apart in their methods. Nye con-
vulsed you in the twinkling OF an
eye. Twain draws your sense OF hui.
more with the elaboration of one
preparing you for treat. Nye was
closer to the west than Twain. and
ne was later. Twain went west with
the gold seekers. Nye followed the
railroads. Twain followed the news
paper business with uneven success in
Virginia City, New, and became dis.
couraged with his own possibilities as
writer.
1t was one of his early ebullitions
OF humor that lost Nye his place on
one Laramie (Wyo.) paper, and in
duced his friends to launch the
boomerang. Some of these same
friends helped defeat his ambitions
as a lawyer. They thought Nye's &C.
cession to the prosecuting attorney.
ship would makes joke of the Office.
1t Is as likely that the responsible
ties of the office and the prospect of
a legal career would have turned
Nyes talents into serious channels.
But. fortunately or unfortunately,
Nyes propensity for humor burgeon.
ed early in his western career.
When he was justice of the peace
IN Laramie his Office was over a liv-
cry stable. At the foot of the stair
way Nye nailed this placard
twist the tail of the gray mule
and take the elevator
If his humor was spontaneous, his
sense of justice was just as keen. Phil
osophy there was in his work. Humor
is, In fact, largely philosophy.
Men will fight wlote Nye, until
II IS educated out of them. Most
wars are arranged by people who stay
at nome and sell groceries to the Wild
ows and orphans and old maids at 100
per cent. advance "-Collier's Weekly.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
OLDEST OF MEDICAL WORKS

The most ancient medical work, now
existing Is the Ebers papyrus, secured
In 1873 by Prof. George Ebers from
native Of Luxor, in Upper Egypt. 1t is
generally assumed that it was written
about 1850 B. c., but refers in some
sections to methods and medicines
prescribed as far back as 300 B. c.,
5.612 years ago. Among the 101 Sec
tons or chapters of this papyrus, chap
ter 103 begins:
"Beginning Of the book about the
uxedu In all the members of a per
son, such as was found in writing
under the feet Of the god Anubis, in
the city of Letopolis: it was brought
to his majesty, Usaphais, king Of Up
per and Lower Egypt Usaphais is
said to have been the fifth king of the
first dynasty, reigMng about 300 B. c.,
and it is hard to say how long previ-
Gus to this finding the sage had lived
who first compiled the chapter or used
the cures recorded
Page Y contains three dental pre-
scriptions against throbbing Of the
bennut blisters in the teeth" and ito
strengthen the flesh" (gums), and is
supposed to refer to the small alb
scesses known as gumboils The first.
poultice, consists of equal parts of
"sept-grains" dough, honey, and oil:
parts Of fennel-seed, dough- anest-
plant, honey, incense and water; and
third, also to be chewed, has no
less than IL equal parts of Triumphant,
anest-plant, incense ,ama-a-plant, man.
plant. saffron, aloe wood, annex plant,
cyperus, onion and water"
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Women Should Keen Place,

At meeting of woman suffrage
organization in Kansas City, Kan. it
was suggested that the members talk
to their servants and other women
workers with view to forming an es-
innate as to the suffrage sentiment in
that particular locality. One member,
who has employed the same washer
woman for the last six years, reported
that she put the question to this
worthy lady:
Are you in favor of votes for wom-
en?' the suffrage woman asked.
Il don't pay any attention to poll
TICS the washerwoman replied. Il
leave all that to my husband"
We'll. how does your husband stand
on woman suffrage?"
He doesn't stand at all. He be-
lleves in women staying at home and
minding their own business"
How many families do you wash
for?"
Six"
And what does your husband do,
Nary"
He amt doing anything right now
unless he found something this
morning. Kansas City Star.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Got to Man hinher LIN

Coming across Siberia on the rail-
road about the only diversion Is play
Ing cards. said traveller. -Four of
US were having game of whist when
we stopped at a station. A big beard
ed man In uniform entered and came
up to US. He said there was a tax OF
% kopeks on playing cards in that
town. and we would have to shell out;
We did. At the next station the per-
Torrance was repeated, and then at
the next and SO on, the tax varyingI
according to the size of the place,
from ten kopeks to two rubles After
two days 1t began to get tiresome.;
Finally one of the party said there
ought to be some way to provide
against this systematic holdup and;
we approached the conductor of the
train and presented him with three
rubles and pointed at the cards.
Thereafter at no matter what station
we stopped we were never molested
by one of the local officials looking
for 'hisn'"
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
GREECE TO BUILD RAILROADS
Country Has Awakened to the Nesdd
Of Modern Methods Of Interior !
Communication.

The kingdom of Greece has an area
of about $4,000 square miles, a popula,
ton of 100000, and is bordered by
the sea on all sides except along it's
northern frontier. Its coasts are 80
indented by deep CULTS that some 40
years ago Mr.. Manitakis, the minister
OF public works, said that Greece was
so well provided with natural water
ways that she had no need Of any
others.
AS a matter of fact, railway devel-
opment in Greece has been exceed.
ingly slow. Except for the plain
of Thessaly, the country is rolling and
mountainous. The arabic land Is
scarcely Is per cent. of the total.
Greece does not raise enough wheat to
meet their consumption. The other
products are raisins (near Corinth,C
olives and oil, tobacco and wine. There
is little grazing for sheep and goats.
The minee produce lead and zinc.
Finally, near Athens, there are
some important marble quarries. The
principal industries are silk weaving
in Thessaly, tanneries and boat build.
ing. While the methods of land com.
munication are not we'll developed, the
commercial marine has a registration
of 100000 tons. and is Of some i'm.
portance. The exports from Greece
amount to about $5o,00o,000 a year.
nearly all to European countries ga
per cent to England). With the OK.
ception of Trikala and Larissa, near.
ly all Of the cities of Greece are stu,
ated either on the coast or near it.
1t has only been within the last few
years that the Improvement In the
financial situation of Greece has made
1t possible for her to take up the
matter of inland communication and
engage actively in railway construc.
ton. The railways in operation com.
prise about $50 miles.-Railway Age
Gazette.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
WATER TURKEY OF FLORIDA

In the Indian river region of Florida
are to be seen islands green with man.
grove bushes down to the waters edge.
The scene is animated by the presence
OF many water foWls-pelicans, GALL
mules, water turkeys, cormorants and
hsh crows-feeding on the island, to.
gether with smaller numbers of gulls,
terms, vultures, ospreys and man-o'-var
hawks, swooping. skimming and sail
ing In the air above. In all this array
OF bird life there is no more curious
and interesting creature than tk. wa
ter turkey, which is sometimes called
the snake bird
AS the stranger gazes upon this
scene he is sometimes apt to think he
sees queer snake wriggling out Of
the water several feet into the air.
II he grabs his gun and fires it is
probable that part of the supposed
snake will drop upon the water, vale
the other part takes wing aud .:iaa
away.
The stranger wonder whether ita
snake dropped the bird or the bird the
snake. The explanation is quite si,a-
pie. A snake bird, or water turkey
(Piotua anhinga), swimming with its
long neck only out Of the water, had
the snake in it's bill and the snake
was dropped when the gun was fired
The water turkey has been called
the most preposterous bird within the
range of OrnithOlOgy. He is not a
bird" says one authority, he is a
neck, with such subordinate rights.
members, appurtenances and heredita
lneDts thereunto appertaining as seem
necessary to that end. He has just
enough stomach to arrange nourish-
ment for his neck, just enough wings
to fly painfully along with his neck
and just enough legs to keep his neck
from dragging on the ground; and his
neck is light colored, while the rest OF
him is black"
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Almost the Limit.

Professor George Lyman Kittredge
of Harvard's English department is
known not only as a student of the
drama, but as q satirical critic Of ali
local performances. At a recent per:
Torrance DR.. Kittredge appeared even
more disgruntled than usual. At one
point the lights went out and the de
lay added to his annoyance. At the
close of the performance he sought
a late supper with number of his
club friends and was asked: How
was the play tonight, DR.. Kttredge"
"Disgusting," replied the critic. Even
the lights went out at the end of the
second act"
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
The Stutterinu Child,

For many years the school authori.
ties of certain European countries
have conducted special schools for the
benefit of Sufferers, says Harper's
Weekly. These are of several types,
some conducted during the summer,
others utilizing an after-school hour,
and still others taking complete
charge Of the pupil until he is cured.
All Of these are wonderfully success
full. AS rule recovery is complete
within four or Ave months, and only
rarely does case prove entirely in
tractable. When relapse occurs, as
sometimes happens, the child is given
a second course of treatment, or even
Z third If necessary
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Oranoe Optimist.

J. Willis Westlake, the noted Flor
ida pomologist, said in a recent ad-
dress at Lake Helen:
The orange grower must be an op-
timist to succeed. He can't expect
10000 oranges from every tree at the
start. He should show the spirit of
John Blanc,
"Blanc's first orange crop, when he
settled in Florida, wasn't much to
boast Of. The man, however, kept up
heart.
"'How did your oranges do?' a
friend asked him at the seasons end,
"'Oh. we had few he replied.
"'Good ones?'
"'Fine!' said Blanc MY wife uses
them in place Of lemons. 1t makes
quite saving"
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Seeking Artificial Rubber.

The use of rubber in the useful arte
in so many new ways has raised the
demand far above the supply, so that
the commodity is now extremely dear
and likely to be more So This has
stimulated inventors to experiments,
the purpose of which would be to find;
a substitute for the rubber. Foremost
among those experimenting is Prof..
William Henry Perkin, professor of Or
ganic chemistry in Owens college.
Manchester, Eng, where he has held
his seat for the last twenty years. His
experiments have already cost $780,
900, and he is under contract for nine
teen years at an annual salary Of So
900. When he is not busy with his
experiments or writing books carrying
great authority on chemistry he seeks
relaxation in music, cricket and gar
dening.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Something Reasonably New,

For those who say there is nothing
new under the sun, it may be stated
that society has woman cigarette
maker. She is Mrs. Frederick Cou-
dert Brennig, daughter of Charles Cou-
dert, lawyer. and widow OF Baron
Frederick Brennig. who lett her with
half dozen small Brennings and lit
tie money. She did not keep her IT,
tie, not wanting it any more than
she wanted help from her wealthy
relatives. At first she had two rooms
in which she rolled cigarettes marked
with gold monograms Of society wom-
en- who smoked. She had no trouble
marketing her wares. Orders came In
so fast that she had to open a larger
factory. She now employs several ex-
pert rollers and two or three girls as
packers
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
HORSE KICKS UP 148 COINS

A horse kicked a remarkable treas
ure trove into view on John McEwen's
farm on the Canadian side of the st.
Lawrence river. near Ogdensburg, N.
Y. Six pieces Of silver flow from the
horses hoof when the animal was be-
ing driven across field. The driver
jumped into the horses tracks and,
digging with his hands, turned up 148
coins-three Spanish pieces. one Brit
ish, one flve-franc piece, and 143
United States half dollars.
BY English law treasure trove goes
to the crown, so the coins have been
turned over to the police. They date
from 1906 to 1928 and they were found
buried In straight rows standing on
edge, only three inches under ground.
Workmen who built the R3deau ca
nal were paid In American l;ivs1, It
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
SECRET OF OASIS REVEALED

The opening of railway communica,
ton from a point near Luxor into the
Libyan desert has rendered easy of
access the celebrated oasis of Khar~
geh, long regarded as a typical exam
pie Of these isolated centers of life
For some time past certain scien-
lists have, while actually residing
there. been studying the phenomena Of
springs, moving sands, wells, and so
forth. 1t appears from their investiga-
tons that the Libyan GASES are deep
depressions in a lofty plateau that
has a maximum elevation of nearly
1000 feet. but that the bottom of the
GASES are only from one hundred to
three hundred feet above sea level.
They are underlaid by beds of Of sand
stone, which are the sources Of the
water supply.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
SPEAKS OF OLD SOUTH.
RELIC OF OLD DAYS LOOMS IN
DEPARTED GRANDEUR.
Ftrest Hotel "1efore the War" Now a
Pile Of Crumbiing Ruins, With
Only Memories to People Its
Desertion.

On the crumbling black and white
marble floorings the water, indeed,
was trickling into pools. And down
In the halls there came to us wander
-strangest thing that ever stray
ed through deserted GRANDEUR
brown, broken horse, lean, with a
sore flank and a head of tremendous
age. 1t stopped and gazed at us as
though we might be going to give 1t
things to eat, then passed on, stumb-
ling over the ruined marbles, writes
John Gainsworth in Scribner's.
For a moment we had thought him
a ghost-one of the many. But he
was not- since his hoofs sounded. That
scrambling clatter had died out into
silence before we came to the dark
cryptlike chamber whose marble col
umns were ringed in iron. veritable
pillars Of foundation. And then we
saw that our old guides hands were
full OF newspaper. She struck a
match; they caught fire and blazed.
Holding high that torch, she said.
See! Up there's his name, above
where he stood The auctioneer. Oh.
yes, indeed! Here's where they sold
t:em!"
Below that name, decaying on the
wall, We had the slow, uncanny feel
ing that some one was standing there
In The CLEAN and flicker Of that paper
torch. For a moment the whole
shadrNy room seemed full OF forms
and faces. Then the torch died out
and our old guide. pointing through
an archway with the blackened
stump of 1t said:
Twas here they kept them-in-
deed, yes!"
We saw before us sort OF vault,
stone built, and low and long. The
light there was too dim for US to
make out anything but balls, and
heaps of rusting scrap iron cast out
there and moldering down. But try
ing to pierce that darkness we be-
came conscious of innumerable eyes
gazing, not at US. but through the
archway where we stood; innumer-
able white eyeballs cleaning out OF
blackness. From behind us came a
little laugh 1t foated past through
the archway toward those eyes. Who
was 1t laughed in there? The old
south itself-that incredible, fine. lost
soul! That "old time" thing of old
ideals, blindfolded by it's own his
tory! That queer, proud blend Of
simple chivalry and tyranny of piety
and the abhorrent thing! Who was
1t laughed out of that old slave mar
ket, at these white eyeballs glazing
from out OF the blackness of this dark
cattle pen? What poor departed
soul in this house of melancholy ?
But there was no ghost when we
turned to look-only our old guide
with her sweet smile.
Eyes. sub. Here they all came
twas the finest hotel-before the war
time; old southern families-bought
their property. Yes, ma'am, very in
teresting! This way: And here were
the bells to all the rooms Broken,
you see-all broken!"
And rather quickly we passed away
out of that "old time place." where
something had laughed, and the drip,
drip, drip of water down the walls
was as the sound of spirit grieving.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
PekIno's Public Library.

There is one public library in Pc
king. 1t is the library Of the Kuo TIE
Chen, or School for the Sons of the
Empire" an ancient university that ex-
listed a thousand years before the
Christian era This library is Of stone
On 1872 tablets of stone composing it
are carved all of the Thirteen Class
ics," the summary and essence of all
Chinese culture. This stone library
itself is not of the age of the School
If the Sons of the Empire. but prob
ably dates from some time in the Mo-
gul or early in the Ming dynasty,
,bous ~ years sgo.-Ths Argo1aut
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
KING OF THE LOBSTERs

The largest lobster sent to Funefs
market, New York city, in many yea:a
was received in the fsh stall of jobs
Dias. Weighing 81 pounds and meat
uring "a inches in all, with claws II
inches in length, this titan crustacear
one of a family Of three-was, in
deed, sight worth seeiEg. His mate
weighing 20 pounds and measufeing
IS inches, carried off second honors,
while the offspring weighed II pounds
and was Is inches In length.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Flying Over the Desert.

Flying over the desert is quite sim.
liar to flying over the sea, according
to the experience of the Italian ayia-
tors; but, while at height of 1000
feet a fine view is obtained, If the
aviator ascends 800 feet farther even,
the earth is generally concealed by a
blanket Of fog. 1t is, therefore, diff
ticulty to reconnoiter at safe eleva.
ton. In experiments made to DEM
onstrate the value of bombs thrown
from aerial machines, it was found
that generally the operator was unable
to determine the amount of damage
resulting from the bomb dropped and,
therefore, it was regarded as advisable
to have another machine to follow the
first for the purpose of noting the con-
ditions after the passage of the first.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Sure It Was Wednesday,

The lawyer was determined to dis
credit the witness.
You are positive this happened on
Wednesday," he demanded.
Il am
Sure it was Wednesday,"
Yes"
Cant be mistaken"
NO"
Why couldn't 1t have been Thurs
day or Tuesday? How is that you
can fix this day so positive In your
mind?"
Because" answered the witness
with some spirit, I'VE had chicken that
day. Chicken day is Wednesday
where l board louisville Courier.
Journal
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Famous Russian Cathedrals.

St. Petersburg, as we'll as Moscow
has some cathedrals which are mar
wells of ecclesiastical architecture. St
lsaac's cathedral, for instance, in the
center of the city, cost 24,00o,0o(
rubles, or s12,000,0O0. Scores ant
scores of immense marble pillars
adorn it's four equal sides, while sew
eral of the beautiful green malachitt
columns within are worth a kings
ransom. It is said that in the COLDER
domes of St. Isaac's and the Jewels
within Russia has a "war chest" tina
would defend her from her enemie:
for many a month H she should nee<
the gold.-Christian Herald
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Dog Valuable Firemen's Assistant.

The New York fire brigade is justly
proud Of Happy, the Dalmatian dog
belonging to one of it's members. Hap
Ply possesses the rare accomplishment
Of being able to climb ladders, and
this feat and the dogs great sagacity
were instrumental In saving three
lives. During a serious fire in Third
avenue the dogs master and two Of
his comrades were overcome by
smoke and in peril Of suffocation,
when Happy ran up the fire ladder
and called attention to the danger
by barking furiously at the window Of
the room in which the three men
were.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
t'Se's Eullness.

Every day ought to have the
thought of large things in 1.-THE DOW.
or of wide horizons. But every day
must have the routine of small things
in it. To harmonic the two is often
hard and discourastng. Yet only In
lives that combine steadfast duty with
wide vision is the fullness of life real.
ized.-Phillips Brooks.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
NOVEL HORSE CAR RAIL WAY

At Langeoog, one Of the string OF
East Tristan islands in the North sea
off the coast of Germany there is a
decidedly novel tramway. AS visitors
can only reach this island from the
mainland by boats at high water q
horse tramway service has been es.
tablished by means Of which tourists
are conveyed the intervening distance
Of about four miles when the tide Is
low as shown in the view.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
TOMBSTONE is A BAROMETER

Upton, Near Peterborough. one of
the smallest parishes in England, num-
bering only fourteen houses. possess
es a tombstone Of black marble, which
becomes damp in patches whenever
rain is about to fall. II is regarded
in the village as an irf2.;ible barcme-
ter. This tombstone is, presumably,
the English equivalent to the weep
ing cherub at Amiens cathedral.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-14
Bridges Repaired by Cement.

At Hamburg there are two bridges
the masonry of which was threaten.
ing to fall IN ruins, being traversed
by innumerable cracks of VARYING
size. A remarkable process has Just
been made use of to rejuyenate these
bridges. A number of holes were
bored throughout the structure 80 "A
to give access to the interior and
cement was injected by pumps unde,
pressure. Reports on the present
condition Of the two bridges aro II
vorable.