davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Worlds Oldest Industry.

The pearl fisheries of Ceylon are said
to be the oldest industry In the world,
For over 5000 years the pearl oyster
harvest has been gathered by the ma
tives, who, skilled in diving, have hand.
ed down the industry from one genera
ton to the next Pearl fishing in Cey-
Ion today is somewhat of speculation.
The greatest care is taken lest when
the shells Of the bivalves are opened
any Of the precious gems be lost or
stolen. A very strict watch is kept
over the natives who are employed I'm
this kind Of work, but in spite Of the
greatest precautions some of the small
er stones are frequently concealed. The
refuse from the shells Is very carefully
examined subsequent to this first ex-
animation. Even the dried dust Of the
oyster is carefully sifted.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
An Artists StruqqIes.

Professor Won Herkomer, the famous
painter. had such struggle to gain
a living In his early days that had 1t
not been for his inexhaustible stock of
patience and self confidence he would
probably have abandoned art entirely.
He sold his first picture for 2 guineas
and later on earned for a short time
a couple of pounds weekly for q wood
cut which he supplied to n comic paper.
This modest salary coming to stop,
he was at his wits end to know what
to do. He applied to a troupe of min
strels for an engagement as either
player, but I'm vain. and then took to
designing carpets. For some years he
battled with poverty, achieving no sue
cess until he obtained employment on
a weekly Illustrated journal.-London
Globe
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
The Horned Lark.

Looks Ike Satan. the horned lark
does, with his two black horns of feath-
ers sticking out on top of his head.
He wears a suit of a grayish brown
touched with pink. A black curve over
his eyes and another black crescent
under his chin help give him a wicked
aspect His satanic topknot, the two
tiny tufts of black feathers on the
back of his head. gives him the name.
He's the horned lark
But really he's not so bad as he
looks. You know that the minute you
see his brown eyes and hear him sing
The farmer knows he isn't such q
wicked bird too. The horned lark eats
all kinds of wild seeds. beetles, weevils
and bugs. If he gets tired of his diet
he will start in and clean up the grass
hopper and cutworm crop.
Sometimes lie will visit an oat field,
but he doesn't cause enough damage to
get his picture in the rOgues' gallery
as a dangerous thief. - Philadelphia
North American.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Homino Inssine. of Grabs.

Who would believe that among crea-
lures having well developed domestic
instincts we must include the humble
crabs, the spiders Of the sea-" as Vic
tor Hugo calls them? Once under wa
ter, we might expect one part Of the
sea to be as homelike as another. but
that only shows how little the average
human being understands a crabs
point Of view. Some one. however,
suspected them of the homing instinct
and so tried the experiment Of catch
ing q pair Of them on the Yorkshire
coast, In England. and, after marking
them. carrying them south fifty miles
or more. returning first one AM then
the other to the water at different
points on the shore. Then the York
shire crabbers carefully searched their
traps as they made each haul, on the
lookout for the possible return OF the
wanderers. Strange to relate. one day
not one, but both of the crabs were
caught q second time, having made
their way back across the intervening
miles Of sea bottom to their Yorkshire
honest. Nicholas.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Simple Enough.

A manufacturer of some patent COM
pound came into the laboratory Of an
analytical chemist one day with a bot
tie containing an unwholesome looking
mixture.
II would give f20." he said to know
what would make the water and oil
in this mixture separate"
The chemist looked at the bottle.
Every WELL" he said; write out your
check"
Check? the other echoed.
Yes, your check for EGO. You say
you are willing to give that, and for
that price l am willing to tell you
what will make the water and oil sepa-
rate"
The visitor hesitated a moment and
then wrote a check for the sum NAM
ed. The chemist carefully deposited 1t
in his pocketbook, and then quietly
dropped into the liquid pinch Of COM
mon salt. Instantly the water and oil
separated. and whether the client was
satisfied or not, he had got what he
wanted, and he had paid his own price
for it.-London Tit-Bits.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Waterspouts.

The waterspout at sea and the tor
nado on land are manifestations of
great instability of the atmosphere In
q vertical direction, caused either by
an abnormally warm surface layer of
air or an abnOrmally cold layer at the
cloud level. says Nature. The former
cause IS common in summer; the lat
ter occurs both In summer and winter
and Is usually associated with Line
squall" or V shaped barometric de-
preston. The waterspout shows the
track along which surface air passes
spirally upward to restore equilibrium.
The commOtiOn of the sea is due to
the exceedingly violent character Of
the phenomenon. The funnel itself Is
probably composed partly of moisture
condensed out of air by the sudden
diminution of pressure which occurs
and partly Of sea water In the form Of
spray. Sometimes the middle portion
Of the visible funnel Is absent, but
there must in that case be a CORE
spending complete funnel Of rotating
air from the surface of the cloud.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Curious Street Names.

The list of curious street names is
inexhaustible. Bermondsey possesses
a Pickle Herring street Near Gray's
inn there is TO be found q Cold Bath
square. Most of the Nightingale lanes
and Love lanes are hidden ironically
enough in the slums of the east end.
But for really bizarre street names
one should go to Brussels. The Short
Street Of the Long Chariot, the Street
Of the Red Haired Woman and the
Street of Sorrows are remarkable
enough to catch the least observant
eye. The Street of the One Person is,
as one might guess. considerably mar
rover than whitehall But the cream
OF Brussels street names surely belongs
to the Street of the Uncracked Silver
Cocoanut. This in the original appears
as one ponderous thirty-six letter word.
London Chronicle.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
PAGE TWO
WhatIs a Camper7

The world now knows the answer to
the mornentous question, What Is q
camper? The United States public
health service gives the information In
these few simple words: Campers are
persons who, of their own volltion or
through the enticement of others. re-
vert to primeval modes Of existence
and ostensibly obtain enjoyment there
from. Both place and persons then ia
vor the development of irregularities,
encourage more or less responsibility
and lead to immediate wildness. In this
there is no harm and often much good
However, one thing should not be for
gotten-the arrangements. Allow the
animals to break loose once more for
the seasonal enjoyment, but by all
means have the camp sanitary. so that
in, their wildness they will do no
harnf." Add to this the ability to bal
at1ce a dough god on the left knee, hold
a cup Of coffee in the right hand and
brush a black fly off the right ear with
the left hand, and you have the COM
plete camper.-Outing.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
An Economical Wife.

"A friend OF mine" says a clever
needlewoman, "had occasion to open
my shirtwaist box the other day. She
came to me, saying. My, but you are
extrayagant, You have eleven pretty
silk waists in that one box How did
you happen to buy SO much wash silk
My answer surprised her. My husband
works In bank and must wear clean
linen. He Is partial to silk shirts, but
as soon as there is the least break near
the collar they are thrown away.
Shortly afterward l appear in a new
silk waist, for the rest of the shirt is
perfectly good. He is large man, and
there is not the least trouble in getting
the waist from the shirt Sometimes
vary them by putting on plain collar
and cuffs.
You will find that when using this
idea you do not mind at all how many
new shirts the man Of the house
chooses to buy. You will even suggest
at times that certain shirt In the win
dow would look well on him-and, in
cidentally, on you."-Pittsburgh Dis
patch.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
NURSING a Crouch.

What a dissatisfied bunch Of mortals
we are! Three hundred and sixty five
days of the year we grumble about the
weather. It's either too hot or too cold,
too wet or too dry. You meet friend
who says, Its a fine day todayr' You
answer, "DelightfulT' The next one
you meet says, Amt this beastly
weather. You answer. 1.-The foulest
ever You're always ready to agree
with and join the knOcker. Even the
poor, innocent weather cannot escape
your hammer Everything In this
world was made wrong-except your
self, / mean. You are the quintessence
Of perfection in your own mind. When
you're invited to party you are mad
because you are invited. and If you are
ignored you're mad again just because
that condition fits your disposition.
Why don't you, for change. look at
the bright side OF things and maybe
your "disgustion" will improve.-Car.
toons Magazine.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
The Fame of Newburyport.

asked the old negro porter at the
ian at Newburyport what the town
was principally noted for, and he an
severed its purity and the landing here
OF the Siamese twins. He added that
they were both dead, and 1 do not
know whether he referred to the two
attractions. purity and the Siamese,
or simply TO the twins.
was shocked that he did not speak
of Washington and Lafayette, who had
slept in a neighboring mansion, but
notables who were not freakish by ma
lure he held in small esteem. Even
the hotel clerk was rather blase about
these distinguished guests, opining that
the two gentlemen. If one could judge
by tablets all over the county, slept
more than any other men In history
Louise Closer Hale in Century Maya
zine.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
TonsiIs and rheumatism.

Rheumatism In its many forms Is,
according to DR.. Seymour Taylor, the
famous British specialist, the most
dangerous disease with which physi-
clans have to deal. more dangerous
than even tuberculosis. cancer or blood
disease. He notes that IS per cent Of
young patients who are the victims Of
acute rheumatism also suffer from dis
eased tonsils and asserts that "rheu-
matism affecting young children or
adolescents leaves mitral stenosis (con-
traction Of the mitral valve Of the
hearth as its most frequent and Grip
ping valvular affection. New York
World.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
A Queer FLOATING Island,

There is a floating island in Derwent-
water. England, not far from Lodore
falls. Its travels are restricted to al
formations between the bottom of the
lake and the surface. When moved to
retirement it sinks and remains in wa
terry seclusiOn' for periods which vary
from. few months to as long as seven
or eight years. Its existence above or
below water appears to he determined
by the presence within the island Of
gases whose quantity governs its buoy
ancy. Esthwaite lake. In the same
neighborhood, boasts n not less puz-
zling but more amenable island. This
has served ,as ferryboat to conduct
as many as fifteen persons at a time
across the bosom Of the water upon
which 1t rides. .-'''
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
The Machete,

Because it is as useful in peace as In
war the Spanish American machete has
a distinction of Its own as a weapon.
1t is a sword. spade, hedging bill, ak,
Ratchet and pruning knife. 1t is first
cousin to the United States cavalry
saber. and almost every male In Span
ish American countries above the age
Of childhood carries one. The laborer
carries it to cut sugar cane, prepare
flrewOod and trench ground for his
crop. The horseman wears 1t to cut
his way through woodlands during
journeys over rough country. The hi
dalgo wears 1t with silvered hilt and
tasseled scabbard. His humber neigh
Dor is content to carry it bare and hilt-
ed with horn. wood or leather. The
machete is made in about thirty differ
ent forms, and the blade varies In
length from ten to twenty inches. 1t
may be blunt, pointed. curved or
straight broad or narrow. The favor
lite with the labOrer Is Of medium
length, with unornamented handle and
broad, straight blade.-Boston Herald.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Malannhnlia-

Melancholia does not mean depres-
sion Of spirits. A man may be as de-
pressed as it Is possible to be and still
not have melancholia. Melancholia is
dependency on account of painful de-
lusions. One Of the two typical delu-
sions Of melancholia is that the unpar-
donable sin has been committed, that
God has been offended beyond redemp-
ton and that hell is to be the ultimate
goal; the other Is that Of impending
poverty. Everything is lost or is about
to be. The patient and his family are
going to end up in the poorhouse. Lis
acts alone have brought about this ter
rible calamity from which there is no
escape. 1t can be readily seen that a
person having decisions of this type
must be necessarily depressed. There
Is probably no form of insanity In
which the anguish of the patient equals
that Of the melancholiac. Life is one
continuous MISUNDERSTANDING.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
cartsens of Truaney.

Certain cartoonists." says a writer
IN Cartoons Magazine. have been TAX
en- to task for picturing with too al
Turing pencil the joys OF going bare
foot In summer, of hunting Indians,
Of climbing apple trees, when they
should have been in school studying
Their work Is an invitation to the
small boy to play truant, especially
when the birds are singing and the
sun is shining and a dog companion
clamors for an excursion over hill and
dale. Enter the plea 'Guiltyr
"Who would care to be the owner of
a small boy who when the red gods
called wouldn't follow. who wouldn't
occasionally steal away from school
and come back bramble scratched and
sunburned? Any boy whose name Is
Johnnie and not Archibald or Ferdi-
nand will need no invitation to run
after the pied piper of happiness and
seek relief from the eternal three RS
under the willows or in forbidden ap-
pie orchards. Given a golden day, the
smell of summer in the air, a south
wind. a schoolroom, no more than iron
bars, can prison make. Nobody but
an old fashioned schoolmaster would
expect Teller to be proper-always."
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Storks.


We have no true stork In this coun-
try, but we have the ibis, which be-
longs to the stork family. This bird.
which breeds in the far southern states,
often goes as far north as Indiana,
for it is bird Of long and easy fight.
standing thirty or thirty-one inches In
its length of body. Its plumage Is
white, but wings and tail are black.
1t Is considered a bird of gentleness
and good nature. associating with
ducks, geese and other water fowl on
pleasant terms.
The white stork of Europe migrates
to Africa In winter. 1t comes and goes
in great f1ocks, returning year after
year to Denmark, Germany and other
parts of central Europe, where the
birds are welcomed and protected on
account of their value as scavengers.
The common name for the stork in
Holland means 1.-The bringer Of good"
and in that country, as we'll as in Den
mark. the people believe that good
luck will attend the house on which
the stork has built its nest.-Savannah
News.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Not What He Expected.

This story is told by an English
naval officer who witnessed the oc-
currcnce at Manila: "As l was cross
ing one of the numerous bridges across
the Pasig river saw a native Fill
pino spit in the face of Spanish Of
ficer and then run for protection to
the American sentinel. who was pac-
ing the bridge. 1t was some time be-
fore the Filipino could make himself
understood. When the sentry compre-
hendcd his action he was very prompt
indeed. He handed his gun to the
Spanish officer. caught the native by
the nape of his neck and the seat
of his trousers and pitched him off the
bridge into the Pasig river. Then he
calmly took his gun from the officer
and began pacing his beat as if moth
ing had happened"
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Pan-America,

The combined area of pan-America,
exclusive of Canada. is 100000
square miles. of which the Latin
American countries occupy approx
mately 9.0O0.OOO and the United States
100000 This physical extent of pan
America is better realized when 1t
is compared with that Of Europe,
which has 3.T5O.GOO square miles, with
Africa, which has 11.5O0,OOO. and with
Asia, which has 100000.
Pan-America's real greatness, sig
nif1cance and power in world relation
ship are emphasized by appreciation of
its present population and the future
possibilities for vast increase. Its
twenty-one nations can now boast Of
a population of 1SOOOO.OOO. of which
100000 are living in United States
territory and 100000 in Latin Amer
ica.-John Barrett in North American
Review.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Not Guilty.


Marcus Pickney had been arrested
through the activities Of his 200 pound
Scotch wife. and the pair were facing
the Judge.
IT, seemed that Pickney was a shift
less, ne'er-do-well, lazy man, with a
strong Discrimination to honest toll.
Moreover, he was in the habit Of COM
ing home "corned" and beating his
thrifty better half. 1t was on the oc-
casion of the last Of these episodes that
she had brought about his arrest.
After patiently hearing testimony the
Judge said:
Mrs. Pickney, it seems to me that
this is case where prosecution is pos
sible for .nonsupport."
"Oh,, your honor" walled the excited
woman. they can't bring that up ag'in
me! I've took in washin' and Civ him
what you might say was fine Twin
ever since we was marrit. No; he can't
accuse Inc of that. judge."-Case and
Comment.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Tropical Snake Killer.

Among the rare reptiles in the Bronx
zoo, in New York, is the mussarama,
or snake killer. 1t is nonpoisonous It
self, but attacks, cOnquers and kills
such deadly reptiles as the tropical
viper and the fer-de-lance. To their
poison it is altogether immune. The
snake kills by coiling about its victim
and squeezing it to death. Against
the coral snakes poison. however, the
snake killer has no protection and
quickly sUccumbs to the paralyzing ef-
fects Of coral snake bite.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
DEFINING an Art Patron.

as your husband so very fond OF
artT
"Art. He doesn't know a Raphael
from q hair cut"
why, / understood him to say that
he was an art patron"
Patron! That man wouldn't trade
a club sandwich for a Bouguereau
What does he mean by calling himself
an art patron?"
"Why, he says It costs him ten
thousand year to pay for the bogus
masters the smooth dealers coax you
to buy-and that makes him an art
patron. Plain Dealer.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Smokeless Powder,

Smokeless powder dates back some
fifty years, but it was not until about
1886 that it attained its real efficiency
and sprang into general use. 1t must
be understood that even the best OF
this powder is not absolutely smoke
less. 1t Is not smoky enough, how
ever, to do any HARM" and as COM
pared with the old powder may well
be called ''smokeless.",-N York
American.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Temperament In Folly.

The fool in his heart saith a num-
Der of things. Suppose he happens to
be phlegmatic fool with a fondness
for luxury.
81 do not care" saith he. In that
case, ito go out into the damp. chill
woods and mistake a toadstool for a
mushroom. | much prefer to get up In
the night. in my comfortable fat. and
drink out of the wrong bottle. "-Bos-
ton Journal.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Some Kinds of Talking Women

The woman who tells you all about
something in such way as to leave
you in complete ignorance of the essen
tial things which yon wanted to know
about.
The woman who fatters you about
yourself as a screen to give herself the
opportunity to talk about herself
The woman who is silent when she
has nothing to say. This woman talks
necessarily.
The woman who asks you what you
think about something and then heads
you of from telling by keeping on talk
ing herself.
The woman you marry.-Life.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Courtesy.

Shall courtesy be done only to the
rich. and only by the rich?
In, good breeding, which differs, If
at all. from high breeding only as 1t
gracefully remembers the rights of
others rather than gracefully insists
on its own rights. ! discern no special
connection with wealth or birth, but
rather that it lies in human nature it.
self, and is due from all men toward
all men.-Carlyie.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Beyond Him,

II cawn't comprehend" said Cholly
Tanspatts. ''how it-aw-can be that
the moon. dOncherknow. makes the
aw-tides rise and fall-aw-when
they rise and fall just the same when
we-aw7have no moon. doncherknow,
deah boyT'-Browning's Magazine.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Good Prospects,

What, you want TO marry my daugh-
ter? Why. you haven't a cent in the
world. How do you expect to support
herr
THAT will be easy enough. As soon
as I'm known to be your son-in-law
can get all the credit / want"-Pitts-
burgh Press.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Vain Conceit.

'The only fault l have to find with
Kippers is that be has an exaggerated
idea of his own Importance"
81 hadn't noticed It."
"But it's fact. Why. he thinks
he's the only main on earth who could
have married Mrs. Kippers." Biz
mingham Age Herald.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
His Misfortune.

$50 you were driven out Of the the
atrical profession by the movies"
asked the sympathetic old lady. How
did that happen?"
"You see, ma'am." replied the truth
full tramp. there amt much Of q de-
mand for stage hands these days.
Buffalo Express.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
The DiEerence.

Mrs. Dash-The iuea of Mrs. Rash
having society aspirations! Why, her
father was peddler! Mr.. Dash-Yes,
she's entirely too forward. She ought
to hang back until people have forgot.
ten It Now. In your case. my dear.
1t was your grandfather who was q
peddler.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
The Doctrine Of, Chance.

He-Was your father very angry
when you told him Of cur engagement?
She-Not particularly. He said be had
been rather fortunate In the stock mar
ket Of late and figured It was about
time for his luck to turn.-Richmond
Times-Dispatch.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Charles Reade's Mistake.

ut was Charles Reade. wasn't II,
who wrote. Nothing is SO terrible as q
foolT"
"Yes, but he was wrong. live next
door to a newly married couple. II
Charles could see them he would at
once admit that two fools are even
more terrible. "-Chicago Herald.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Alaska.

Alaska has an area Of 100000 square
miles, one-fifth the size Of the United
States. which means that It will make
fourteen New Yorks and nearly 500
Rhode Islands.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
A One Sided Rule.

Once when p. T. Barnum was tax
ing tickets at the entrance Of his cir
Gus a man asked him If he could go
in without paying.
"You can pay without going in," said
Barnum, "but you can't go in without
paying. The rule doesn't work botn
WAYS"
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Obeyino Directions.

"Good heavens. John. what made
you pick out such an ugly woman to
send home? She scared the baby al.
most into fits"
"Just did what you told me, Maria.
You said you wanted plain cook, and
I got the plainest one to be had."-BaL
ttmore American.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Hydrohuoric Acid.

Hydrofuoric acid Is the best agent
to use for removing sand from cast
ings, particularly those Of iron and
steel. as 1t attacks the sand and dis.
solves 1t, while other acids attack the
metal and only loosen the sand so that
Il falls OF.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
Exclaimed.

Proud Father-That is a sunset my
daughter painted. She studied paint
Ing abroad. you know. Friend-Ah
that explains It. never saw a sunset
like that in this country.-Puck.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
A Possible Retraction-

Il hear you are having a take It
back campaign in this town."
"Yes," admitted the Plunkville citi-
zen. Have you borrowed something
that you have failed to return?"
ooh, no. | want to see q man who
called me a liar about three years ago"
Pittsburgh Post.
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
The Skeptics.

Harvey's theory Of the circulation Of
the blood was considered so ridicu-
lous at the time OF the discovery that
for ten years not single patient con-
suited him
The broad ax., 1915-11-06
A Strenuous SINGER.

1t Is possible for singer to be too
strenuous. All students of musical his
tory know that the famous tenor, Ru-
bini, actually fractured his collarbone
while singing double forte on B fat.