davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
LOOKING AFTER GOOD ROADS
SplItIog Drag Can Be Employed to
Good AdVantage-Prompt, lnteIII-
gent Action Needed.

Every farmer should spend some
time looking after the roads. The
splitlog drag can be used to good ad
vantage. Road dragging at the proper
time will insure good dirt roads the
greater part of the year. All it needs
is prompt, intelligent action. 1t must,
however, be done at the right time
to get the best results.
Yes! 1t is true in many places that
the road dragging should be done by
the county, but every farmer should
take enough interest in the community
welfare to see that the road in front
Of his farm is gone over with a split
log drag.
There is no other one thing that
would add to our advancement, both
commercial and social as much as
would good roads. Spend few hours
at this season of the year, when the
frost is coming out of the ground and
the wet from rain and snow is drying
up, with splitlog drag and it will
result in better roads, a good adver-
tisement for your farm and its owner.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

moseys over from Plainfield, N. j.,
where she lives with Herman, and
proceeds to sew lot Of pillow slips
and things for Aunt Martha.
One morning while Peaches and
were at breakfast, Elsie meandered in.
bearing in her hand a wedding invita-
ton which Herman had forwarded to
her from Plainheld.
Being, as l say. privileged charac-
ter she does pretty much as she likes
around the bungalooza.
Elsie read the invitation: "Mr. and
Mrs. Rudolph Ganderkurds request
der honor of your presence at der
marriage of deir daughter, Verbena.
to Galahad Schalzenberger. at der
home of der brides parents, Plainfield.
N. ]. March Sixteenth. r. 8. v. p"
Veil" said Elsie, II know der Gan
derlurds und / know deir daughter.
Verbena, und know Galahad Schmal.
Kenberger; he's floorwalker in Bauer
haupt's grocery store, but doan'd
know vot it is dot R. S, V. P. YETI"
gently kicked Peaches on the in
step under the table, and said to Elsie
well, that is new one on me. Are
you sure it isn't B. & o. or C. r. r.
Of N. j.? I've heard of those two rail-
roads in New Jersey, but l never heard
of the r. s. V. p"
For the first time in her life since
she's been able to grab a sentence
between her teeth and shake the pro-
nouns out of it Elsie was faxed.
She kept looking at the invitation
and saying to herself, "R. S. v. P.I
VOt is it? know der honor Of your
presence; know der brides parents,
but don't know R. S. v. p"
All that day Elsie wandered through
the house muttering to herself: "R. s.
v. P.l Vot is it7 Is 1t some secret
between the bride and groom? R. S.
v. P.l It ain'd my initials, because
they begin NIT e. s. Vot is dot R. S.
v. p? Vot is It? vot is it?"
That evening we were all at dinner
when Elsie rushed in with cry Of
Joy. 81 got IT," she said. Il haf un-
tied der meaning Of dot r. S. v. p.
1t means Real Silver Wedding Pres.
ents!"
was Just about to drink glass of
water, SO l changed my mind and
nearly choked to death.
Peaches tried to say something
which resulted in a gurgle in her
throat, while Uncle Peter fell OF his
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

chair and landed on a cat which had
never done him any harm.
Elsie's Interpretation of that we'd
ding invitation is going to set Herman
Schulz back several dollars, or I'm
not foot high.
And maybe they don't have their
troubles at Troolyrooral with the serv-
ant problem.
It's one hard problem that-and no.
body seems to get the right answer.
One morning later on Peaches and 1
were out on the top porch drinking in
the glorious air and chatting with
Hep Hardy, who had come out to
spend Sunday with US, when Aunt
Martha came bustling out, followed by
Uncle Peter. who. in turn, was fol
lowed by Lizzie Joyce, their latest
cook.
Lizze wore new lid, trimmed with
prairie grass and field daisies, hang
ing like shade over the left lamp;
she had a grouchy looking grip in one
hand and green umbrella with black
freckles in the other
She was made up to catch the first
train that shifted into the station.
Aunt Martha whispered to us plain
lively: Lizzie has been here only
two days, and this makes the seventh
time she has started for town"
But Lizzie took the center of the
stage and scowled at her audience.
I'm takin' the next train for town,
meml" she announced with consider
able bitterness.
Uncle Peter made a brave effort to
scowl back at her, but she flashed
her lanterns at him and he fell back
two PAGES to the rear.
What is it this time, Lizzie?" in
quired Aunt Martha.
Lizzie put the grouchy grip down,
folded her arms, and said: "Oh, l have
me grievances!"
Uncle Peter. sidled up to Aunt
Martha and said in hoarse whisper:
My dear, this shows a lack of firm
ness on your part. Now leave every
thing to me and let me settle this OBJ
streperous servant once and for ALL"
Uncle Peter crossed over and got
in the limelight with Lizzie.
1T occurs to me-" he began in pol
iched accents, that this is an occa-
sion upon which l should publicly
point out to you the error of your
ways, and send you back to your hum
BILE station with a better knowledge
of'your status in this household"
Scat" said Lizzie, and Uncle Pc
ter began to fish for his next line.
Il want you to understand" he went
on, that l pay you your wages!"
Sure, If you didn't" was Lizzie's
comeback, "Id land on you good and
hard, that l would. What else are
you here for, you fathead?"
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

"Fathead!"echoed Uncle Peter in
astonishment.
Peter, leave her to me-" pleaded
Aunt Martha.
Bpt Uncle Peter rushed blindly
on to destruction. elizabeth" he
said sternly, lin view of your most un-
refined and unladylike language, it be-
hooVes me to reprimand you severely.
l will therefore"
Then Lizzie and the green umbrella
struck Casey-at-the-bat pose, and cut
in: "Gwan away from me with your
dime novel talk or I'll place the back
OF me unladylike hand on your jowls!"
"Peter!" warningly exclaimed the
perturbed Aunt Martha.
Yes, Martha, you're right" the old
gentleman said, turning hastily. "I
must hurry and finish my correspond
ence before the morning mail goes. 4"
And he faded away.
1T isn't an easy matter to get serv-
ants out here" Aunt Martha whis-
pered to US. Il must humor her.
Now, Lizzie, what's wrong?"
You told me, mem, that 1 should
have a room with a southern expos-
ure,' said the Queen Of the Bunga-
low.
And isn't the room as described ?''
asked Aunt Martha.
The room is all right, but don't
care for the exposure" said the Prin-
cess of Porkchops.
We'll, what's wrong?" insisted our
patient auntie.
Sure" said the Baroness Of Bread
Pudding, the room is so exposed,
mem, that every breeze from the North
Pole just nachully hikes in there and
keeps me settin' up in bed all night
shiverin' like was shakin' dice for
the drinks. When l want that kind
OF exercise I'll hire out as chamber
maid in a cold storage. I'm a cook,
mem. it's true, but I'm no relation to
Doctor Cook, and amt eager to
sleep in a room where even a Polar
bear would be growlin' for a fur
coat"
Very well, Lizie," said Aunt Mar.
tina, soothingly. TN have storm win
dows put on at once and extra quilts
sent to the room. and gas stove If
you wish"
AN right, men," said the Countess
OF Cornbeef, removing the lid. "rll
stay, but keep that husband of yours
with the WOODY lingo out of the dtch-
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
az MRS. A. ]. w1LpER.l

Nby MttS. A. J. WII4DER.)
In. order to make as great profit as
possible we should use economy in
the production as we'll as good tudg-
ment in the marketing of eggs and
poultry.
The farmer has a great advantage
here over the poultryman who has all
the feed to buy and we must not for
get to make the best use possible of
this advantage.
Grit and charcoal can be found and
made on the farm and the expense Of
buying these necessary things can be
saved. If there is creek bed near,
haul gravel from that and place near
the henhouses where the poultry can
find it. Charcoal can be made by TAX
ing the live Goals from the stove and
pouring water over them. They will
Immediately turn to charcoal and can
be ground or broken up into the right
size for the chickens to swallow. Bet
ter do this work out of doors as steam
and ashes will fly from the Goals when
the water is poured on them.
In these ways we can greatly reduce
the cost Of keeping our poultry and
1t will pay us to give time and thought
to our work as the profit in the poul-
try business, as in any other, lies be-
tween the cost of production and the
amount received for the marketed
products.
Besides comfortable quarters, the
chick, to thrive, must have exercise,
water, grit, variety of grain food,
green or succulent food, and casein
or meat foods.
Exercise is as essential as food, and
lack of it indicates wrong methods of
rearing. The natural way for a chick
to take its food is to scratch for it, TAX
ing little at time If small chick
ems are put into a box with bare
floor and fed from trough, they will
become weak. Many will become
clogged behind with the excrements
accumulating on the down, and 1t is
generally concluded that something
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
The original Incubator. \

has been fed to cause bowel trouble.
AS a matter of fact they are weak
from lack of exercise, and the appear
ance of diarrhea is only the inability
OF the chick to properly expel its ex-
crements.
II chicks cannot be out OF doors
their feeding floor should be covered
with sand, and over this should be
thrown some litter, such as chaff from
the straw stack or leaves from an
alfalfa loft. Place the feed in this
litter. If small quantities are thus
given, and given often, the question
of exercise is solved. Brooder chicks
need more care in this way than do
chicks with hens, but even in the lat
ter case it is worth while to make
them scratch for their food when they
are raised indoors.
The notion is prevalent that a chick
should begin his diet on boiled eggs,
bread and milk, or some other soft
food. This notion has probably arisen
from the knowledge that most young
animals cannot digest hard foods. But
when we consider the fact that the
natural food of the young mammal is
milk, we see why this principle does
not apply to chickens.
Little chicks should be first fed
when seventy-two to ninety-six hours
old Feed small quantities and as
often as is convenient. If the feed
is buried in deep litter they must
work longer getting it out The idea
is to have them always hungry enough
to hunt for food, and always a little
food for them to find. IF the chicks
are at liberty, feeding Jften is not SO
important-three times a day would
be sufficient; while if they roam far
in the fields, finding much food, morn
ing and evening feeding is all that is
necessary. 1t is not a matter Of
great Importance just what grain a
chicken is first fed. The important
thing is that they be supplied with a
variety of grain as with casein or
meat, grit and green food.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

cessful duck breeders will not aver
age losing two in one hundred. Many
people ask: why do my ducks get
diarrhea, why act dizzy, why drop
dead?" If duck gets diarrhea you
are not feeding right; If dizzy, you
are neglecting something that should
be in its feed-not enough grass, meat,
water, or sand. II it drops dead you
have let it get worms somewhere, eat
ing throat worms, or stuffed on too
dry cornmeal, or let it get sunstruck
A duck cannot live under a burning
sun; 1t must have shade and water
After the ducklings have dried OF
in the incubator, and are from twenty.
four to thirty-six hours old, they are
placed in the brooder and may be
given their first meal, which is the
same as the regular rations they are
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
KEEP The HENS SCRATCHING
softsheIIed Eggs Usually Caused by
Fowl Being Too Fat-Make Them
Hustle for Thor Feed.

The usual cause of soft-shelled eggs
Is that the bird is too fat. The mus
cular movement of the oviduct is him
dered by layers of fat, and instead
Of the egg being controlled by firm
muscles. it merely slips through a
flabby mass without getting its shell
on.
The difhculty will vanish II the birds
are made to scratch hard in a clean.
dry straw litter for all their grain,
and the ration fed is not over-fatteq.
ing.
Sprouted oats will be valuable fond,
as they are less fattening than either
wheat or corn.
In some cases it might be advisable
for a few days to omit all mashes, es-
pecially moist mashes, from the ration.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
The Powar of = Doe.

Signor dAnnunzio, Italy's poet-idol
ana political leader. comes nearest of
all men to justify the dictum of
Fletcher of Saltoun regarding the
power of the poet as a lawmaker.
For dAnnunzio has sung Italy into
war by his own ballads. In order that
Fletcher may not suffer from the us-
ual misquotation, his actual words
may be here set down, They are
tn taken from an Imaginary Conversa-
tion' I knew" he says, "a very
wise man so much of Sir Christopher's
sentiment that he believed If a man
were permitted to make all the bal
laos ne need not care who should
make the laws Of nation. london
Chronicle. ~
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

to receive afterwards. This consists
of a bran mash made Of two-thirds
bran or coarse middlings, and one
third cornmeal by weight, mixed with
cold water or skim milk.
After the first four days the feed
consists of cornmeal and bran or
coarse middlings of equal parts, and
one pound in twenty of beef scraps.
The amount of beef scraps is in
creased until at eight weeks old they
get about one-eighth. A little sharp
sand or chick git is also mixed with
the mash.
Ducks intended for market at ten
weeks of age are not given green
stuff, but are fed five or six times
day all the mash they will eat clean
in 15 minutes. Then the feeding
boards are removed and cleaned for
another meal.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

en-, because I'm a nervous woman-t
am that" And then the Duchess of
Deviled Kidneys got a strangle hold
on her green umbrella and ducked for
the grub foundry.
Aunt Martha sighed and went in the
house.
Hep" said; this scene with Her
Highness of Clamchowder ought to be
an awful warning to you. No man
should get married these days unless
he's sure his wife can juggle the fry
ing pan and take fall out of an egg
beater. They've had eight cooks in
eight days. and every time a new face
comes in the kitchen the coalscuttle
screams with fright.
You can see where they've worn
new trail across the lawn on the re-
treat to the depot.
It's an awful thing, Hep Our
palates are weak from sampling diff
ferent styles of mashed potatoes.
we had one last week who an
swered roll call when you yelled Phyl-
lis.
Isn't that a peach of a handle for
kitchen queen with a map like
.he Borough of Bronx on dark night?
She came here well recommended
by herself. She said she knew how
to cook backward.
We believed her after the first
meal, because that's how she cooked.
Phyllis was very inventive girl.
She could cook anything on earth
or in the waters underneath the
earth, and she proved it by trying to
mix teppenny nails with the baked
beans.
When Phyllis found there was no
shredded oats in the house for break
fast she changed the cover of the
washtub into sawdust and sprinkled it
with the whisk broom, chopped fine.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
POULTRY RETURNS ARE LARGE
Two Hundred Chicks Should Bring
From 500 to $3.50, While Calf
Will Clear About $50.

Poultry will return greater profit
than all other live stock on the farm.
You will feed calf couple of years,
and over the feed put into it will
clear, it,may be, $40. Turn 200 chicks
out on range with a little grain ra-
ton morning and night and in six
months the 200 chicks ought to bring
from 800 to $3.50 If sold on a city
market at Is cents a pound; less. Of
course, If sold to the country trade.
But see the difference? 1t isn't raise
more beef; it is raise more chick
ems.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

1T wasn't half bad breakfast food
OF the homemade kind, but every time
took drink of water the sawdust
used to float up in my throat and
tickle me.
THE first and only day she was
with us Phyllis squandered two dol
lars worth of eggs to make a lemon
meringue potpie.
She tried to be artistic with this.
but one Of the eggs was old and ner.
vous and 1t slipped.
Uncle Peter asked Phyllis If she
could cook some Hungarian goulash.
and Phyllis screamed: No; my par.
ents have been Swedes all their lives!'
Then she ran him across the lawn
with the carving knife.
Aunt Martha went in the kitchen
to ask what was for dinner, and Phyl.
lis got back at her: I'm a woman, It
is true, but l will show you that |
can keep a secret!"
When the meal came on the table
we were compelled to keep the secret
WIN ner.
1T looked like Irish stew, tasted
like clam chowder, and behaved like a
bad boy.
"on the second day it suddenly oc-
Cured to Phyllis that she was work
ing, so she handed in her resignation,
handed Hank, the gardener, a jolt in
his cafe department, handed out a lot
of unnecessary talk, and left us fiat.
The next rebate we got in the
kitchen was a colored man named
James Buchanan Pendergrast.
james was all there is and carry
four. He was one of the most care
full cooks that ever made faces at
roast beef.
The evening he arrived we intend
ed to have shad roe for dinner and
James informed us that that was
where he lived.
Eight o'clock came, and no dinner.
Then Aunt Martha went in the kitch-
en- to convince him that we were hu-
man beings with appetites.
She found Careful James counting
the roe to see if the fish dealer had
sent the right number.
He was up to 2,196,493, and still
had half pound to go.
James left that night, followed by
shouts of approval from all present,
I'm telling you all this, Hep, Just
to prove that fate is kind while IT
delays your wedding until some genius
invents an automatic cook made of
aluminium and electricity"
Hep laughed and shook his head.
This servant problem won't de-
lay my wedding" he chortled; IF
there wasn't cook left in the world
we wouldn't care; we're going to be
vegetarians because we're going to
live in the Garden of Eden"
"Tush!" snickered.
''Tush, yourself!" said Hen.
"oh, tush. both Of you." said
Peaches. John said that very thing
to me three weeks before we were
married.
Sure I did," l went back. "and
we're still in the Garden, aren't we?
OF course If you want to sublet part
OF 1t and have Hep and his bride
roaming moonstruck through your
strawberry beds. that's up to you!"
Well" said friend wife, abeing
alone in the Garden of Eden is all
right, but after you've been there
three or four years there's a mild ex.
citement in hearing a strange voice,
even If 1t is that of serpent"
Close the door, Della, / feel a draft,
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
FOOD. FOR LITTLE CHICKENS
skim Milk ls Especially Valuable for
Young Fowls During Hot Weather
Tests at Purdue.

About ten or twelve years ago the
Purdue university station made an
experiment of two lots of chicks, the
food, care and treatment of the two
lots being identical except that lot
two received in addition to the food
given lot one all the skim milk they
would drink.
In the beginning Of the test the
combined weight of lot one was 121
ounces. In two months lot one
weighed 2975: lot two 476.5 ounces.
The average gain per chick in that
time was: Lot one. 2.75; lot two, 3,95
ounces.
This showed that If skim milk be
added to the ration fed to young chick
ems it win increase the consumption
Of the other foods given. The great
increase In average gain was coinci-
dent with the period when the great
est amount Of skim milk was con.
Sumed.
Skim milk is especially valuable as
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
NEW YoRK'S IMPROVED ROADS
State Spending One Hundred Million
Dollars on Hish-cIass Thorough
fares-Money Well Spent.

The state of New York is spending
one hundred millions of dollars in
building good roads. That seems like
an enormous sum of money, but there
was demand for good roads, and the
results SO far secured are worth all
the effort.
Over fifty million dollars have al
ready been spent and about as much
more is now available, and in a few
years almost every portion of the state
will be reached by high-class finished
roads They are like boulevards, we'll
constructed, well cared for and ought
to be very permanent.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Beyond cunnIno - eo,.

Chemists will tell whv the rose :.
oee' o,,a .ne violet blue, and so through.
OUT the chromatic scale, giving rea-
sons OF nutrition and absorption Of
certain pigments. offensive in such
coid diagnosis; but all the cunning Of
s~Glence ~ can't give the ghost of an ex.
pianation of the individual perfumes
al al movers What care we, so we have
tne color and the perfume. and a smat.
serlng ''zo OF knowledge of the beautiful
process of creation? "
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

way that 1t can be raised or lowered
by controlling levers, placed in con.
venient reach of the operators seat.
This scraper is drawn by horses, and
as the operator rides he can dig into
the ground, or deposit earth as re-
quired, simply by manipulating the
levers. The trailing rollers not only
smooth down tho earth, but make the
pulling easier for the horses.-popu-
lar Mechanics.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
MAKING MONEY WITH DUCKS
Fowl Cannot Live Under Burning Sun
1t Must Have Shade and Water
What to Feed Them.

There is money in ducks, and you
can hatch them in an incubator and
every one will hatch. but few people
know how to raise or hatch them
properly. Too many begin and then
give up before they learn how. Sue
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Enterprlsino youtb

coming In on the train the other
uay was little nervous mother and
a mock Of children. AS the train
neared Boston the mother began to
StIa Suestlon II everything was all right.
lave lave you got all the umbrellas.
sonnnyT 4 should say had had
lour when started. and now pve eot
1x-Boston Transcript.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Waste Product for Roads.

1t is reported that an experiment is
being made with a material that here
tofore has been a waste product of
glass factories for roadmaking. This
is a thick, sirupy liquid that hardens
when exposed 70 the atmosphere, form
ing a substance that somewhat resem-
bles glass.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
PrunInn Bush Ernits-

In pruning the raspberry and the
blackberry, cut of the long sle;. der
laterals, forming an even, well
rounded bush. Remove all small weak
canes from the hill Severe pruning
of laterals will not only improve size
and quality Of fruit, but greatly in
crease the yield.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Useless InouIrv

Whats the plural of omnibus?r
Il don't know" replied the man
who had been standing on the cor
ner ''The word doesn't need any
plural. It's hard enough to see as
many as one of EN-"
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Very LIkeIv.

Patience-our clearinghouse lady
told me she has a family coat-of-
arms.
Patrice-I can imagine figuring In
It is a prune couchant.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
SCRAPER BOARD ON ROLLERS
Device Is Controlled by Levers and
Can Be Made to Dig Into Ground
or to Deposit Earth.

A roller scraper recently brought
out in California has wooden scraper
board mounted on rollers in such a
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Remedy for Roun.

For roup in chickens a teaspoonful
of tincture of chloride of iron given in
each quart of water will effect cure.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Keen Hopper Full.

Keep the hopper full of dry mash
all of the time. This gives the chick
ems an opportunity to balance the
grain rations fed.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14

food for young chickens during the
hot weather and becomes of less i'm
portance as the chickens grow older
and the weather becomes cooler.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Patience ReauIred.

It takes a real Christian to drive
two miles through the mud holes, and
arrive at the church in an exalted
frame of mind.
Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
Soil for Annaranun-

There is no danger of an overrich
soil for asparagus. In fact, this crop
can only be grown proftably on very
rich land.