davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
THE rERCENrENARY OF WHIST

: It is probable that the year now drawing to a close marks the tercen- tenary of the popular card game of whist According to one. authority, whist or as it was then called, 'whisk,' was first generally played during the. Christmas holidays of 1616 Then and for many years lat CT the game, under the vulgar appel lations of "whisk'' and "swobbers, ,' vas played only by servants and others of the number classes, and it was not until more than a, century had passed that it reached the draw ing rooms of the wealthy and the mo- bility. Whist's offspring, bridge whist, had been played only about a half a century, but within the last decade it has become the most pop ular of card games. While. bridge has attained the height of it's popu- larity in America, Great Britain and France, it is played in many other countries. In Turkey and Egypt it is known as "khedive' while in Russia bridge whist is known as yeralash. It was toward the close of the last cen tury that bridge began to be a pas sion among society people. The de- votiOn to the game reached such heights that In l90S the clubs of Paris and London had to pass laws limiting the losses to be sustained by any member within a month, several members having ruined themselves at play.
 The first mention of whist in litera ture was written by Taylor, the Water Poet in 1921. He refers to< it as 'whisk', the name having probably been derived from the practice of whisking the tricks from the table as soon as played. Some authorities say that the name was derived from whist" as synonym for hush" be- cause of the silence required to play it attentively. This doesn't seem probable. because the game was play ed for nearly half century as 'whisk' before the present spelling came into use. The word was spell ed both ways in the references to it between 1863 and 172S. Even later, in 1734, Seymour in "The Court Gamester," referred to it as whist, vulgarly called whisk.''
 The now popular and fashionable game was restricted to the servants halls and the novels and cottages of
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
ENTITLED TO A TRIAL

T UDGE MOTT of York proved himself strong the
 negative yesterday when he refused to approve noe the indictment against Charles Colgate Wood formerly pub lie of New York; who charged ceving brbe.
 The judge very properly says that the defendant pulp lie officer charged with serious crime entitled acquitta if he is innocent and that he ought pun ished if he is guilty. a8s
 It would much the better way that such should be brought to trial would be better the prosecuting officer little less pronounced in his trial declarations of the future of the
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
THE NEW EXCITEMENT

f1 ORdERIY PERSONS who desired to suffer bodily injury
 at the instance of the New Haven and it's subsidiaries took passage of their vehicles passage their goods Or perhaps they attempted to space contem poraneously with a trolley on the streets
 Trolleys routed right into the homes, and a and his entire family be comfortably killed in their
 sitting This desirable goal has not been fully attained but beginning has been made Last night trolley swept R into dwelling at East Main street and Sratford Today suit pending because of the damage done another that entered place Peuonnock street The enjoy these extra exciting trips should pay extra
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
NEW BLOOD NEEDED

@ HE TRUSTEES of the Connecticut Co.,, primarily repre- IL senatives of the public talk gibly about conserving trolley property and not at all about trolley property serving the public The purpose of the trusteesp was to consm mate the sale of the properties them sold and get rid the trustees Trolley service Bridgeport was bad enough before.
 Bridgeport with standing and means want to go into trolley business here They want to build nes It would be better they owned those already built we'll What can be done to separate trolley service in this city from it's living tomb?
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
Cbe DmRead co
 Established .l85Z
The Clearance of Goats, Tailored Suits and Dresses continues

In the Coat, Suit and Dress Department stout women can be satisfactorily fitted.
 The Read Apparel Shops for women have engaged the attention of those manufacturing specialists who make study of stout figures, and the results have been satisfactory.
 It is happy relief to any large woman to know that she may come to Reads and make selection from good stock, planned especially for her.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
UNNECESSARY DEATHS

D ROF IRVING FISHER right in logic and wrong
 giage when he says that AZ per cent of all deaths unnecessary He means that too people die sooner than they need to they took of themselves Death be necessary and always arrives Whether to the fant the centenaan is the question When deaths due to nemperance and to eating eliminated they might be by little educaion will live much longer little fresh air. little less exercise for and for others and longevity is achieved
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
FARM LOAN BANKS

NICE HARTFORD could not obtain the loan bank - the New York and New England District Connecticut glad choice falls Springfield which is almost Connec cut city These banks will be ready the days to they will be appreciated the beginning of important change Wide results certain follow There actual preparedness the farm in most of the military arrangements that have been pop ular lately.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
SWEDISH VESSEL SUNK

London. Dec. 2s.-Lloyd's shipping agency announced that the Swedish steamer Friga is believed to have been sunk.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
,ment. It accepts it for what

Farmer doesn't vouch for this statement accepts for what 1t is worth
 When the people voted against the city pan were they filled with the spirit events Did they have pre- who they get city manager if they had one? The question for adept in the occult It too much for plain newspaper
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28

Jeremiah Jackson, negro, of MarysviHe, Cal. lis in a hospital as a result of being kicked in the head by a mule. The mules leg was broken and it had to be shot.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
A LIVELY COMPETITION

A WELL INFORMED contemporary asserts that Connec
 ticut may be deprived of the serevices of Clifford Wilson governor i9i8 is the purpose King Wilson city manager about that time The
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
Seasonable Flannels

A new shipment of Beacon Robe Flannel is just in The patterns are particularly attractive, light and dark effects conventional, floral and Indian.
 45, cts yard Vyella Scotch Flannel, new striped designs.
 75 cts yard
 Robe Flannel, in wide assortment.
 i 35 cts yard
 Embroidered Flannel, scalloped and hemstitched, suitable for chdrens wear, in variety of qualities 50 75 cts, $1 00 and $1.25 yard '
 Main hoor north aisle. Warm garments for cold weather Outing Flannel Gowns, white and colored,
 $1.00, $1.25, $150 Outing Flannel Short Skirts, white and colored 50, 69 cts Knitted Short Skirts, 75 cts x
 white, $1OO colored, 75 cts Y l oWels Turkish Towels, extra large size, with wide stripes of pink or blue a S9 cts F Same design, small sizes, 39 and 59 cts Turkish Towels, pink, blue or gold borders, V @s sk 4 \. RaFa % and 35rcts Ribbed Towels, corduroy effects, blue and gold, or pink and gold, 65 cts Jacquard" Towels, pink, blue or so gold dz fancy Large Ribbed Towels, fancy border designs, $l59 "Turknit Gift Box, s'Turknit'' Baby Set 7pcs. $125 pcs. $125 j All Toys in the basement
 are at half~price gltsl It is impossible to make lists, and to avoid disap- pontment no prices mentioned. There remain a few Drums, some Lead Soldiers Dolls Trunks and Doll House Furniture. Good bargains. 3@
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28

Want Ads. One Cent a Word
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Ironing the IahIeclnth-

A tablecloth should be pulled into
shape before being ironed. After it is
pulled into shape, fold it together
lengthwise through the middle, so that
the wrong side will be outside; then
turn back the edges at each side so that
the cloth is in four long folds, each fold
Of the same width. The outer folds
will now be right side out. Iron these
two outer folds. then turn them inside
and iron the two inner folds that are
now outside and are the right side of
the tablecloth. When the four folds
are thus finished the long length can
be doubled back and forward the de
sired width, but The crosswise folds
should not be ironed in. Papers can be
placed where the tablecloth hangs over
on the floor from the ironing board. A
little practice will soon make you per-
feet. The old fashioned way was to
first iron a tablecloth on the wrong
side, but the tablecloths coming under
my observation that look the best are
ironed in the manner above described
Eunice Haskins in Independent Farmer.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Fish Exhibit Emotions.

We are accustomed to think that
only we humans become pallid with
fear or agitated with JOY, but some ex-
periments with perch in the artificial
pond show that when their repose Is
suddenly disturbed by tapping on the
glass the fish visibly tremble, and the
bars which are characteristic Of this
species actually disappear for the time
being, only to reappear when the dis
turbance is removed and the equanim-
ity of the fish is restored.
Sometimes pike that is rapidly ad-
vancing on his prey becomes suspicious
about the latter's character. The pur-
suer will suddenly stop in an attitude
Of doubt, his back will arch, and he
will remain suspended as though
studying the cause of his suspicious.
Only when he is thoroughly treasured
does he become rigid, to advance to the
final attack: if his suspicion is not al
layed he drops to the bottom Of the
pond or swims off in disappointment
Popular Science Monthly.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
An Ancient Guild.

The Cutters company had probably
existed long before the grant of the
first charter by Henry V. Early in the
previous century a fierce quarrel is re-
corded between the Cutters and the
Sheathers. who were accused Of hav-
ing discredited the Cutters by supply
ing them with understandable sheaths
for knives. daggers and swords, to
which the Sheathers cruelty retorted
that the Cutters disgraced the sheaths
by selling inferior foreign blades for
English.-London Spectator.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Biz Guns Not New.

Modern howitZers and siege guns are
giants of destructiveness. yet. making
allowance for time and experience,
we must still admire the good old
burghers of Client. who 500 years and
more ago turned out an iron "bom-
barde" that weighed thirteen tons.
This prototype, of the up to date siege
gun had bore twenty-five inches in
diameter. Out of it was projected a
granite ball that weighed 700 pounds.
Bronze guns as big were cast half a
century later at ConstantinOple. And
when only little over 100 years since
I'm earlier British fleet was fighting its
way into the Dardanelles these big
guns crippled six of the English men
Of-war and killed or wounded 126 Of
those on board. One gun of this type
weighed eighteen and three-quarter
tons. had a twenty-five inch bore and
fired 6T2 pound stone shot.-New
York World.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Success.

zone night at Lady Jeune's house
Joseph Chamberlain said to me that
he believed any man of even moderate
endowment could attain any given aim
which he set before him with unre-
hitting effort and enduring to the
end To my question, why, then, do
so many men fall short of their ambi-
tionsT he answered: They come to the
place where they turn back. They
may have killed the dragon, at the first
bridge and at the second, perhaps even
at the third. But the dragons are al
ways more formidable the farther we
go. Many turn back disheartened, and
very few will meet the monsters to
the end Almost none is willing to
have a try with the demon at the last
bridge. but if he does he has won for
ever Princes Lazarovich in Cen
turV
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
How Chalk Is Formed.

Deposits of chalk are found on some
shores Of the sea. A piece Of chalk,
such as the teacher uses to illustrate
something on the blackboard at school,
consists of the remains Of thousands Of
tiny creatures that at one time lived in
the sea. All of their bodies, excepting
the chalk-called carbonate Of lime in
scientific language-has disappeared
and the chalk that was left was piled
up where it fell at the bottom Of the
ocean, each particle pressing over it all
until it became almost solid. 1t took
thousands of years to make these chalk
deposits Of the thickness in which
they are found. Later on, through
changes in the earth's surface, the
mountain of chalk was raised until it
stood out of the water and thus be-
came accessible to man and school
teachers.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
To Calculate CONGRESSES.

To determine the years covered by q
given congress double the number Of
the congress and add the product to
iIS9. The result will be the year In
which the congress closed. Take, for
example. the Thirty-fift congress.
doubling it gives us seventy; add 1850
and we have 1859, the year in which.
on March 4, the Thirty fifth congress
closed. To find the number of a con-
gress sitting in any year subtract 1889
from the year. If the result is an even
number half that number will give the
Congress of which the year In question
saw the close. If the result is an odd
number add one. and half the result
Will give the congress in which the
year In question was the first year.
Take, again, the congress sitting in
1858 Subtract 1889 from 1858 and the
result is sixty-nine. Add one, making
seventy, and divide by two, showing
that the Thirty-first congress was hold
Ing Its first regular session in that
year. The year 1IS9 is the basic num-
Der, because that was the year in
which the First congress under the
constitution convened. - PHILADELPHIA
Press.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Music In shakespears,s Time.

Shakespeare's time was an age OF
music. Catches" were sung by gen.
ties as well as by weavers and tinkers.
Lutte, cithern or virginals were in ev-
cry BARRIERS shop for the diversion OF
customers. Thomas Morley may
be using the blessed argument Of a
music teacher when he tells US that a
gentleman was counted but a boor If
he could not play the lutte or sing a
part in a madrigal, but there is no get
ting over the craggy fact that over
eighty collections Of madrigals, ayres
and songs were printed and published
between 1857 and 1880, in addition to
which vast collections Of early music
still remain in manuscript. With an
aristocracy fond Of music and accus-
toned to play and listen to music and
song, music in the theater was almost
as inevitable in England as in Italy,
says the London Musical Record 1t
was considered a manly accomplish
ment to play the hunting horn. Every
gentleman who kept hounds could wind
it. A punctilious etiquette fixed the
correct set Of notes for each operation
Of the chase. Usually a play had at
least one song.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
A Birds Barbed Wire Fences.

There Is In Central America brown
wren about the size Of a canary which
builds a curious nest. 1t selects q
small tree with horizontal branches
growing close together. Across two of
the branches it lays sticks fastened to-
gether with tough fiber until a plat
form about six feet long by two feet
wide has been constructed. On the
end of this platform nearest the tree
trunk it then builds q huge dome
shaped nest a foot or so high with
thick sides Of interviewer thorns. A
covered passageway Is then made from
the nest to the end Of the platform In
as crooked a manner as possible.
Across the outer end as well as at
short intervals along the inside Of this
tunnel are placed cunning little fences
of thorns with just space enough for
the owners to pass through. On going
out this opening Is closed by the own
er by placing thorns across the gate
way, and thus the safety Of the eggs
or young is assured.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Oriuin of the Gypsies,

When the gypsies first appeared in
England in the fifteenth century the
name gypsy was given to them by the
English people. who believed them to
have come from Egypt. The French,
by similar mistake, called them Bo-
hemians. But. careful study of this
race. and especially of their language.
shows that they came originally from
India. The gypsy language is derived
from the Sanskrit, as are the other Ar
yam languages of India. A similar error
was made by the English when they
called distinctively American bird a
turkey. under the impression that 1t
was an importation from the Ottoman
empire. and by the French when they
called the same bird cog dInde, be-
Iieving that it came from India
Christian Herald.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19

.ypnus. wnIcn under the name OF
prison fever was once rampant in
England. held no terrors for John
Howard, the prison refOrmer. While
in Il cell he would hold to his nose a
vial of aromatic vinegar and on going
home would wash and change his
clothes, though even these precautions
he later abandoned. People thought
his powers bordered on the magical.
pressed him for his secret and refused
to believe his explanations that his
immunity was due to fearlessness.
cleanliness and temperance. He ate
no flesh and very little of anything; he
drank neither wine nor spirits and
went to bed early and rose early. And
his asceticism enabled him to let light
into the most noisome dungeons and to
live to the age of sixty
Graphic.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Be PREPARED.

Daniel Webster once told a friend
that his great speech in reply to
Hayne. which il the high water mark
of modern ciuqUrncr. but which at the
time was supposed IT, have been deliv-
cred without preparation. had been
substantially prepared long before.
When called upon suddenly to reply
to the fiery CarOlinian's attacks, which
so alarmed the New Englanders at the
capital. he was entirely at ease and
ready for the fray, for. as he said, he
had "Only to turn to his notes tucked
away in a pi@eOnhOle" and refresh
his recollection. IF Hayne," he said,
had tried to make Il speech to fit my
notes he could not have hit them bet
ter. No man is inspired by the occa-
sion. I never was"
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Hamadan In History.

Hamadan seems to be certainly the
Ekbatana, the summer residence of the
ancient Persian kings. where Alexan-
der the Great stored his enormous loot
from Persia, estimated at over f41 ,000-
600. But there is typographical diff
Guilty about identifying it with the ear
lier and still more interesting Ekbata-
ma described. By IerOdOtus. the city
where the first MCGian king, Deioces,
realized the ideal Of royal isolation by
shutting himself up in palace on top
Of a hill, surrounded by seven fortified
circles of different colOrs descending
the slopes in order and allowing the in
habitants of these to communicate
with him only by writing. Either this
story is a myth or the Ekbatana Of
Herodotus is to be found on a hill be-
tween Hamadan and Tabriz.-London
Chronicle.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Deal In Trousers.

The village innkeeper had been per-
suaded to lend a customer a pair Of
black trousers for funeral solemnities.
The sad occasion was long gone, weeks
had passed away, and still Mr.. ]. look
ed in vain for the return Of his gar
ments. They became urgently neces-
sary, and he sent a messenger to de-
mand them back again.
Said the messenger to the wrongful
detainer of the goods: 'Mr. ]. must
have 'em. He's going to a funeral"
'They won't do for a funeral" was
the reply. I've been workin' at the
quarry in EN-"
what will Mr.. ]. do. thenY' asked
the messenger.
"Why. borrow a pair" replied the
other. same as what I did" London
Bits.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
81 Love You,n

Very interesting are the phrases used
by the various people of the world to
express 81 love you" Wherever there
are human beings declarations of love
are made. and there are a thousand
languages in which the tender passion
may be expressed. The Chinese say
"Uo ugai nj" the Armenian expresses
his love with "Se siren as hez," the
Arab is content with the short NE
habbek." while the Turk murmurs
"Sidi seveiorum." In India "Main
syne ka pisar KARIN" is the declara-
ton. But the Greenlander holds the
palm for the word love. When he does
not stammer it has fifteen syllables and
has been recorded phonetically thus:
observation-disclosures
ujakp
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Iarcest hydraulic Lift Lock.

The largest hydraulic lift lock in the
world is at Peterborough, Canada. 1t
consists of two great steel boxes or
pOntOOns. moving up and down be-
tween guiding towers. When a boat
moves into one of the two pontoons the
lock gates are closed behind it, and
water is pumped into the other pom
toOn until it becomes heavier than that
containing the boat, which then, being
Overweighted, rises bodily into the air
until it reaches the level of the upper
canal. The boats are lifted total dis
lance of siXty-five feet, the gates and
capstans being operated entirely by
hydraulic power. The time of lOckage
for boats is about twelve minutes, the
actual time of the vertical lift being
one and One-half minutes.-St NichO-
las
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
An Ideal Island.

The island of Ascension, in the At
lantic, belonging to Great Britain, is
unique in many respects. There is no
private property in land. no rents, no
taxes and no use for money. The
fiocks and herds are public property,
and the meat is issued as rations. So
are the vegetables grown on the farms.
When an island fisherman makes a
catch he brings it to the guardroom,
whence it is issued by the sergeant ma
jor. Practically the entire population
are sailors, and they work at most Of
the common trades. The climate is al
most perfect. The island is s by 6
miles in size and has a population Of
about $50. 1t is 80 miles northward
Of st. Helena and is governed by a
captain appointed from the British
navy.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-02-19
Not Afraid of Cold Steel.

In her younger days Eugene, when
empress of the French nation, was
noted for her great courage. as the fol
lowing incident proves.
At brilliant dinner party a some
what tactleSs general told her majesty
that women should not NEEDLE in poll
tics.
You know, madame" he said, "that
politics lead to war. and if the worse
came to the worst you would not have
the nerve TO face cold STEEL
Wouldn't 2" cried the empress. "Tll
show your And, snatching a large
knife from the table. she inflicted a
deep stab on her arm.
After that the general never breach
ed the subject Of woman's lack of
nerves again.