davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
TRAINED FOR THE GAME.
He Played His Part Well and Won
When tiis Chance Came.

Senator Harry Lane. who is also an
NJ. D., was once superintendent OF the
Oregon State Insane asylum. One
day he was telling 4 group Of his col
leagues some of his experiences while
there. He said when he took the job
he ordered the walls around the insti-
tuition torn down. arguing that il any
real lUnaticS escaped they would be
detected and returned, but that if any
escaped who could not be detected
they did not belong there anyway.
a patient came along one day" nc
said, and began n performance that
was new TO all of rs. The inmates Of
the asylum We're turned out on tho his
lawn each morning FOR exercise. Wei.
the man | was talking about immedi-
ately began TO run on dog trot from
one end Of the building 70 the other
The patients having specialties Of their
own didn't notice him.
Back and forth he went not only
on the first morning, but on every
morning for months and months. He
wore a path along the side of the asy
lum. We couldn't help but admire
his perseverance He certainly stuck
TO his job. But one day Mr.. Man, the
moment he was let out, wriggled away
from the crowd and started across the
fields. Guards followed in pursuit.
Trained for months, aud that had been
bis game all along. he rapidly made
monkeys of the guards. He'd let them
get almost within reaching distance
and then De would sprint. 50 he van
ished. and we never heard Of him
against. Louis Post Dispatch.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Mars and Its Moisture.

Science now seems TO bold that the
moisture in the atmosphere Of Mars is
not uniformly distributed. which we
had right to expect, but also that, IN
like the earth. whose tropical air IS
laden with moisture, but whose temper
ate and polar regions are comparatively
dry, Mars has little moisture at the
equator, while the water vapor in
creases very largely near the borders
OF the snow cap. Ii is therefore the
evaporation of moisture from the melt
ing snow which replenishcs toe dry
air of Mars with its aqueous yapor.
The poles are the storehouses of tie
water supply on Mars. There are no
equatorial oceans and therefore no
source Of supply by evaporation under
a tropical sun. To the polar SHOWS
Mars must look for its water.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Rioht TO the Point.

One OF the shortest cummings up on
record is believed TO be that delivered
by the late Commissioner Kerr ut the
Old Bailey in q case where q man was
charged with being in the unlawful
possession of a gold watch and chain.
The appearance of the prisoner GER
tainly did not correspond with the le-
climate possession of such costly orna-
ments, but he asserted his innocence of
the charge and declared that be had
found the watch and chain on the
pavement. The judge looked at the
man in the dock and then at the men
in the box. Gentlemen of the jury,
he said. II have walked over the pave
ments OF London during the last forty
years. and I've never found a gold
watch and chain there yet. Consider
your verdictr'
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Fish and Fungus.

Every one knows that fishes OF al
most every sort are. when fresh
caught, slippery and hard to hold.
This slipperiness is due to a sort OF
mucus exuded through the scales and
is of the greatest importance to all
Shiny creatures. One of the important
functions of the fish's Shiny coating is
to protect it from the attacks of fun
gus, a form OF plant life found in all
waters. If the fish is so injured that
some spot becomes uncovered by the
slime, a barely visible fungus will be
likely to lodge there, and when il Is
once lodged the process of reproduc-
ton is very rapid. It soon extends
over the gills and kills the fish The
primary cause of the slime of the
f1sh is to reduce its friction when in
motion through the water and there
by increase its rate of speed. It also
serves as a cushion to the scales.
which 1t protects from injury.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

in reducing the cost of living in many
families during large part of the
year. With still water the broad cx-
panse freezes smoothly in the winter
and Brattleboro, Hinsdale, Vernon and
other towns offer opportunities for
skating which are equallcd in but, few
places. Yesterday from the windows
of The Reformer Office the river pre-,
scented the appearance of carnival
Hundreds of skaters of all ages and
both sexes were gliding up and down
the smooth surface and two motor-pro-
PEELED ice boats and one sail boat were
IN use, while along the shores few
hardy anglers were trying their luck in
fishing through holes cut: in ice more
than foot in thickness. Brattleboro
is fortunate in lake facilities, and it is
pleasing to see the people enjoying the
wholesome recreation which the lake
affords.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
That Brattleboro Mix,up.
{ Worcester Evening Post. J

Senator O'Goilnan s holdup, temper
arily at least, of the nomination Of
Maj. L. w. Childs for the postmaster
ship of Brattleboro, Vt, may draw the
line interestingly on such questions.
.O'GOrman IS objection to the appoint
ment is that it violates the general
rule and alleged promise of Postmas-
ter-General Burleson to- accept recon-
mendations for such Office from demo
cratic state committees i'll states that
have no democratic congressman. The
Vermont committee, after convassing
the different candidates, decided, II to
then made it unanimous-i1i favor
of Michael j. Moran, Brattleboro
merchant and a. capable and highly
esteemed citizen.
But, the people of Brattleboro, it is
claimed by a very. large majority of
| both democrats and republicans, petit
| tened for the appointment of Childs
and that is said to have been what de
cided the president, as it should do if
| the petitions represent the real wishes
of the people. That they do, is strongly
| indicated by earlier events. ChildS has
| had l. years, service as postmaster
| through beth the Cleveland administra
tious and also the intervening one Of
Harrison, being practically the only
| democrat i'll the country to be reap
| pointed to such position during thai
| regime His service had been sucl
that strong majority OF republican:
not only pctitioned for his reappoint
nent, but when the party leaders, IL
order to prevent it, demanded that the
/ matter be submitted to a caucus of re
pubIicans exclusively. Childs carried
that also by 200 majority. =
The argument against him, in addi
ton to the merits of his opponent, is
of course, that he has" had it enough
but that is a question on which tn,
people to be served have right t.
their say. aud if any question remain
the fair thing Is TO let them say b.
ballot of the whole people, not those o
any one party as in the Harrison time
Indeed the democratic leaders of tina
ipart of the state adopted this method
Icalled the Windham County Plan, ,
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Eidure IL Out.

Here Is an aritbmetical puzzle that
~ might amuse some one to '6gger
nut before looking at the answer be-
low:
poor woman carrying a basket OF
apples was met by three boys. the first
of whom bought half of what she had
and then gave her back ten; the second
boy bought third of what remained
and gave her back two. and the third
bought half of what she now had left
and returned her one, after which she
found that she had twelve apples re-
naming. What number had she at
first?
The answer is simple enough. From
the twelve apples remaining deduct
one, and eleven is the number she sold
the last boy. which was half OF all she
had; her number at that time, there
fore, was twenty-five. From twenty
two deduct two. and the remaining
twenty was two-thirds of her prior
stock, which was therefore thirty
From thirty deduct ten. and the re
mainder of twenty is half Of her orig
inal stock; consequently she had a.
first forty apples. See?-St Louis Re
public.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
A Canadian View of Bryan
V aneouver SUM-

The full text of the United States
protest to Great Britain in regard to
the seizure of contraband and the
holding up of American ships carrying
legitimate cargoes has been published,
and the press of Great Britain is
unanimous in finding it friendly but
vague. The German newspapers, OH
the other hand, are gloating over the
protest and declare that the United
States has taken step from which
there can be no withdrawal. The
latter view is amusing, but there
is always one danger which cannot be
taken too seriously. The qualities of
the secretary of state, Mr.. William
Jennings Bryan, can hardly bc deemed
suitable to diplomatic finesse. As 4
speaker on the Chautaukua circuit he
may have great ability, but as a dip
lomat he has been found wanting on
various occasions. There are probably
few men in the United States who can
deal in generalities with more success
than Mr.. Bryan. That is his business.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
The French Foreiqn Legion.

No other regiment IN any existing
army undergoes such Spartan training
as the French Foreign legion. When
at their headquarters, Sidi-bel-Abbes.
the DICTIONARIES are marched off for oc-
casional training trips OF 800 miles or
more. in continuous daily stages OF
twenty four miles. with only FIVE min
utes' malt every six miles. General de
Negrier. who commanded them in
Madagascar. said, Some soldiers eau
fight: the DICTIONARIES can die" Their
record shows how they fall in action.
In the Crimea, in Mexico lighting for
Macmillan and in Spain their losses
were enormously heavy. OF 1000 le-
gionaries sent to aid Queen Christina,
in 1866. against the Carlists, only 500
returned to Algeria.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
WEST BRATTLEBORO

G. French of Orange, Mass, came
Saturday to visit at John JilIson s.
The Twentieth Century club will
meet with Mrs. J. s. Morse Wednes-
day afternoon.
Octavus Plant, who had been visiting
relatives in town a week, returned Sat
urday to his. home in Canada.
George G. Harris IS suffering, from
neuralgia and is not able to be at his
work at J. l.. Stockwell s store
William Chase closed his barber
shop Saturday and began work today
for the ". r. Richardson Co, as book
keeper.
Dcnslow Stockwcll who visited rela.
lives here and in the east village went
Saturday to his home in South HadIey
Falls, Mass
Waldo Kendall of Manchester (Vt.1
! was in town Saturday to receive treat
ment for fractured arm at the Mel
rose hospital.
Mrs. +. L. Fisher, who has been i'll
three weeks in Lynn, Mass. ut the
home of her daughter, Mrs. Hiram Mil
Ter, is improving slowly.
Miss Lillian Stoddard. who has been
| i'll in the Melrose hospital four weeks
following an operation for appendicitis
went today to her home on Flat street
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Worth the Money.
(Rutla nd Herald. J

The state laboratory of hygiene made !
13,400 examinations last year, presuma- |
bly, the majority pertaining to pure
food regulations. This would Indicate
that this bureau of the state govern
ment has been busy during the lei
months just closed and, to this actiyi-
ty, it is fair to asGribe Vermont s
escape from any very serious epidem
les, barring the dreaded pohomyelitis
which has baff1ed the medical fraternity
for number of years. The range of
work done by the chemists, pathalog-
lists and physicians connected with the
state laboratory includes about every
conceivable matter from making an
analysis of fertilizers to conducting au-
topsies.
While the thinking voter is extreme
ly critical in analyzing the expenses
of various state departments be it
said, to the credit Of the state board
of health and to the men comprising
the laboratory staff, that no complaint
has been raised that Vermont has not
| got its money s worth in the service
rendered by this administrative branch
| of our government.
| If there is one department of our
|
/ Il pure democracy it is the state board
of health. To be sure Jealous law
Yer in addressing meeting of law
makers at Montpelier during the win
ter of 1928 referred to "the all
powerful board of health 1t is all
powerful and it should continue to be
1t is also democratic. The humblest
citizen of the state is entitled to and
gets the benefit of a blood analysis il
his physician suspects typhus or a cul
tuTe is taken from the throat of the
babe of a pauper and rushed to the
state laboratory if the doctor fears
diphtheria. The state laboratory is
without the pale of politics. No in
Hucuce is needed to avail of the ser
vices Of the laboratory's experts. -.
Within decade the board of cdu
cation in more than one town has
learned to respect the mandates of thu
state board of health. Jailors have
been shown that their institution;
must be conducted with regard to tbs
principles of sanitation and hygiene
municipalities have been warned t,
: safeguard their water supply. The stat,
/ board of health has been firm and per
sistent. Disregard of the board s, or
aers has cost individuals and town
money. The lesson has been learned
however, that Vermont needs an az
i gressive board of health.
s Since the first activities of Dir. Henri,
! D.. Holton of Brattleboro toward tn
establishment of our public healtl
board, dating back over a quarter of
century, the state has consistently aid
ed the efforts of those engaged in 'thi
, work by paying the bills. These bill
: have not been excessive. In fact Vel
> mont has no complaint to make tina
it has maintained an expensive burea
4 in its state health board. t....
c When the general assembly is Gale
k upon, if it shall be, to further the wor
!. of the board and the state laborator
- by appropriating money, let it be n
. membered that the board has establish
" ed a reputation for delivering I'll
l. goods, at a reasonable price and Q
3 time. These. factors entitle the boar
a. to receive the utmost consideration.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

The building of the big dam across
the Connecticut between Vernon and
Hinsdale not only brought cheap pow
er to Brattleboro and many other
towns but it developed a recreation
spot for both summer and winter With
rapids and shoals the river was of but
little use for boating and fishing was a
pastime seldom INDUCED in for the
reason that fish were caught only at in
frequent and uncertain intervals. Now
with u lake % miles long dozens of
motor boats and other crafts are in use
more than half the year, and the fish
IN the lake have multiplied amazingly,
SO that good sport is offered and guam
titles of bass, pike, perch, pickerel and
horn pouts are caught. In. fact the fish
supply from the lake is no small factor
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

"'What 5 the matter with Kansas ,
is no longer asked. Not many years
ago it was known as a state of impov-
erished farmers struggling to clear off
and Il section where the
Populistic demagogues with their freak
theories of legislation had large fol
lowing. Abundant crops and high prices
have wrought a magic change. Now
Kansas is prosperous and contented
The recent report of the public utilities
commission show that there is telc
phone in practically every home, an au
tomobile in every seventh home and {
per capita wealth above the $1,000
mark.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

In considering any measure for tho
and improvement of our sys-
tenn of school medical inspection mem
bers of the legislature should guard
against any provision that would make
II possible for physicians only to act as
inspectors. The present law does not
make this specification, and consequent
~ the committee of the Brattleboro
school district have been able to employ
in this work a competent nurse. The
advantages of having the, inspection
made by a person who is not a physician
are numerous, one of the most obvious
being the prevention of professional
jealousy that is apt to creep in other
wise. Nine out of every ten persons
familiar with the excellent results at
tanned locally from medical inspection
in the schools are without doubt con
WINGED that the benefits would be less
ened by placing the inspection in the
hands of doctor.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
AMUSEMENT NOTES.
STRIPS OFF VEIL OF SECRECY.
Damaged Goods, in Auditorium Tomor
row, Treats of Vital Sex Problem.

Inability to train the future genera
ton to the social evils continually be
setting him induced Eugene Brieux, the
eminent French ;.uthor. to write the re-
markable treatise he constructed in the
play, Damaged Goods, which Richard
Bennett s co-workers viii present at
the Auditorium tomorrow night
No one can doubt the wonderful in
tiuenee this play has exerted upon the
public, the endorsements it received be-
ing proof of its wonderful success.
Familiarity with the teaching of the
story of the play has dispelled the illu-
sion that it is indecent and immoral.
Widespread endorsement of men and
women high in civic, social and national
life has secured for this play the neces-
sary enlightened audience everywhere
who have rallied to the standard of the
author in his great work.
Damaged Goods is strong and it pre-
SCENTS truths which, although not always
welcome, cannot be denied. 1t strips the
veil of secrecy from the most vital ser
problems of the day.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
BENJAMIN Bunk.

At one time in England a Benjamin
Bunk meant q deserter from the army.
Forty-probably fifty-years ago there
was a red nosed comedian. one Teddy
Mosedale, who, dressed Up in bur
lesque uniform of the Tommy OF the
day, set the patrons of the old MOgul
(now the New Middlesex and an opera
house, into fits OF laughter with the
refrain:
I'm Benjamin Bunk. I'm Benjamin Bunk,
And the battle did alarm me.
I'm Benjamin Bunk. who got in q funk.
So they kicked me out or the army
London Standard
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

Why shouldn { the pitiful tragedy of
the Somerville, Mass, schoolboy who
committed suicide after repeatedly ask
ing to be allowed to go to work be CON
sidered by Vermonters as an illustration
of the cruelty of an education system
which has no consideration fnr the vary
ing tastes and abilities of the youth
which it undertakes to instruct Such
a system is the one now in vogue in this
state but which, it is to be hoped, viii
be altered at this session of the legis-
laturc.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Riding Through Wood.

\ college graduate applied for work
IN a lumber camp. lie was told to
get busy on one end Of cross.cut
saw, the other end being in charge of
an old and experienced lumberman. At
first all went well, but by the second
day the young man S strength proved
ilcklc. Suddenly the old man stopped
the saw
sonny he said, not unkindly,
don t mind yer ridin on this saw,
but, If 1t jest the same to YOU, wish
YOU keep Yer feet off the ground. -
National Monthly.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
FRlGATE BIRDS IN FLIGHT.
Their Amazing Power and Perfect Com
mand of the Air.

The haunt of that remarkable crca-
ture. the frigatc bird. is the southern
oceans. where il makes itS nest GA
some lonely coast or remote island. For
that purpose it selects the Crozets. AS-
cension or kerSuelen. along with
BOBBY gannets. wide awake" terms.
the beautiful boatswain birds or the
queer kelp pigeon. lt tears from the
trees as it flies a few sticks and fabri-
Gates rude platform Oh top Of some
bush or tree. or even upon q ledge &c
rock, and lays and broods over a sin
gle egg-all that it needs TO produce ia
4 situation solsafe and so fiercely pro
tected.
The frigate bird is large. its slender
but powerful wings spreading at least
four feet from tip TO tin. while the
body is no less than forty inches from
the hook of the great beak TO tile tin
of the long forked tail. The color is
blacklist, with purple and green gloss
ings; the feet are black, the bin blush
and the pouch. which is peculiar TO th,.
male and is inflated i'm fight, is scarlet.
as also is a ring about the eye The
DpuIh iihiIdAeS llG NitlSt ERtailUnEhlt
of these birds to the pelicans. but their
habits are more like birds of prey. and
one good name for the race is man-of-
war hawks.
On TIE wing they show perfect COM
mand of the air. Their fight is swift.
bold and full of grace. They are ap-
parently untiring. keeping away from
land for weeks at a time. soaring 70
enormous heights and descending with
amazing speed. They can ride out a
hurricane, scudding low and taking a
reef in their wings. 50 as to expos.
only the largest quilts 10 the gale
They are able TO support themselvea
for long hours without apparent no
ton, and it is . beautiful sight t. watch
one Of them floating overhead against
the deep blue sky. the long forced tai
alternately opening and shuttin: like i
pair of scissors aud the head swinging
slowly from side to side, as il search
ing the horizon. Frigate birds feed OF
surface swimming fish, sguids. crab.
and young turtles.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

in the second Cleveland administration,
and 1t was wonderful how it disposed
of all the uglinesses such contests usu-
ally develop. In three eases, where such
ugliness had brought boycotts of coun-
try postofiices during the first CleYc-
land reelection. the ballotings result
cd in favor CT the supposedly hated
postmaster, again candidate, i'll each
case.
The American habit of being salts
fed with a fair test Of the wishes of
the majority was strikingly exempt
fed. as it can always be depended on
to be. And it is the real democratic
method which ought to be rcsorted to
oftener than it is
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
Wet" North, Dry" South.
(Philalelphia Record.l

1t skaters the popular conception
of Kentucky to learn that of the 1870
counties of that state no less than
400 have abolished saloons and that a
determined effort is to be made to
bring the other 20 into line. This is
remarkable in view OF Ken
tucky's enormous interests as a pro-
ducer Of whiskey and of the we'll
known weakness of its mountaineers
for home distilled liquor. Another Gu
rious feature is that the Prohibition
wave seems to be advancing northward
from the South-a decided contrast
to the usual course of popular reforms.
A strong probability of the near fu-
turc seems to be "wct" North and
a dry South.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
The Polite Bull.

An 1rishman was going along the
road when an angry bull rushed at him
and tossed him over the fence.
The lrishman, recovering from his
fall, upon looking up saw the bull
paving and tearing up the ground as
ms the custom of the animal when irri-
tated, whereupon he smiled happily
and said:
Faith and if it WASH t for your
bowling and scraping and humble apol-
ogies ID think you had thrown ME
Iover that fence on purpose. '-Nation-
nj Monthly
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11

Those who are disturbed by Presi-
dent Wilson s efforts to jam" meas
ures through Congress should bear in
mind that he did not originate the
practice but is following some very
illustrious presidents. The executive,
legislative and judicial branches of the
government each attended to its own
business in the old days, but unless an
executive dominates today he is con-
sidercd spiucless.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-11
A Suicide Machine.

1t is said there formerly existed in
India a machine for the use of the
would be suicides whereby they could
cut of their heads. 1t was half moon
shaped, with sharp edge, was fasten-
ed at the back of the neck, chains be-
ing attached to the ends. The man
who donned this instrument of death
put his feet in the chains. gave sharp
jerk downward and severed his head
from the body