davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
When Gypsy Places Charm about Girls Neck She
Manv Centuries Ago.

among savages, but even In civilized
countries the world over. Most oil
the uneducated, many Of the half
educated, and not few Of those sup
posed to have finished their educa'
tion,' employ them. What is univer'
sal must be adapted to very simple
conditions Of existence. These be-
liefs therefore, are aiental wants
and proclivties that are probably
primitive; and what conditions can
be more simple rmoreprmitive than
ignorance of our fate andeagernesst to
clutch at anything that will give us
confidence?
1.-THE idea Of the amulet or the
talisman is found in fetiches, beads,
praying-wheels and equally in a long
mimetic dance or passion play,
whose central purpose always is to
avert some evil, or to secure some
good. The spell is involved In all
rites so far as verbal formulate are
used in them, and in all curses or
prayers, SO far as their efficacy de.
ponds upon sound form Of words.
1.-The persistence of magical beliefs
among civilized people is. in some
measure, due to tradition. So much
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

dertaking because the facts are lost
If magic was practised In the Aurig
nacian culture, say 10000 years ago
how can we get to the back OF 1t? But
speculation is not mere giesswork
If we always keep in View such facta
as we have. @
I'VE may reasonably assume that
the simplest magical beliefs and
practices are of the earliest types
and nothing can be simpler than the
belief in charms rites and spells.
MANY kinds Of obstacles stop an
arrow or dart; carrion collects vul'
lures; a patterned comb in ones hair
stops the demon Of disease, or GER
tain song brings the monkeys down
from the tree,tops. A spell assumes
merely that certain objects or ami
mails will comply with a wish ex
pressed in words, just as another hui
man being often does. If any form
Of words ever seems to have been
successful. it must be repeated, be
cause to have the same effect the
action must be the SAME
1.-THE earliest types of magic
charms, rites and spells are the mos,
prevalent, being found not only
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

The pus, more and more of 1t, Is
continually being produced. as the
germs so on feeding. If 1t escaped
into the mouth. then 1t would be
swallowed, would pass into the stom'
ach. and might do little OF no harm.
Having no such outlet, it is alb
sorbed by the blood. taken into the
circulation and carried with the
blood-stream through all parts of the
body.
Unfortunately. this pus is heavily
loaded with germs~partlcularly BAG
terra of the abominable breeds that
cause inAammations. assesses and
other kinds Of poisoning. Some
of them are likely to find lodgment
in the joints, where they get TO work
and multiply, the first evidence OF
their activities being afforded by
swelling and pain.
Rheumatism" says the everyday
doctor. "Take this medicine three
times a day. Rnb with this liniment
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

A MoNG many strange foods
n which the inhabitants of this
4 y world partake of and consider
delicacies, perhaps the strangest OF
all is earth. Yet there are tribes, the
Lasiians of Siam, who actually eat
and enjoy earth. 1t has never been
discovered where these peculiar peo'
pie contracted this habit, though 1t
is generally believed that it probably
came about in the time Of a famine
when there was nothing else to be
had.
However. the habit has now got
such a hold upon them that, old and
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
Crossing the Fingers in a Dice
Game Is a Survival Of Print
tive Mans Belief in the Power
to Battle by a Sign.

Of ones early life Is always forgot
ten that no one can be sure he was
not inoculated with such notions In
childhood, especially when We consid-
er that religious practices, taught be-
fore they can be well understood,
must often wear a magical habit To
child, and that medicines, whose
operations nobody used 10 under.
stand, were on the same footing with
magic.
When 6 or Z years old was told
by nursemaid the most appalling
ghost stories. and these stories, ex-
citing no doubt an ancient disposi-
ton, and reinforced by a visualizing
faculty that nightly peopled the
darkness with innumerable spectres,
entirely overpowered the teachings
Of those whom there was better rea-
son to trust that ghosts were a SUI
perstition from which true religion
had forever set us free. The effects
lasted into middle age. Andrew Lang
said of ghosts that he did not be.
lleve. but he trembled,' which pre-
cisely describes my own state of mind
for several years.
THE first time that 1 can remem.
Der practising rites was when I was
between 10 and II years old, living
at boarding school. To keep off a
dreaded event l used 10 go every
morning to the pump. fill my mouth
with water and squirt it out in a vio-
lent stream-three times. This went
on for some weeks. To the best OF
my recollection. the impulse was
spontaneous, and l cannot remember
why the particular rite was adopted.
AT present a day rarely passes
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
Why Many Strange BODY PAINS, Including "RELMA1SM Are
Very Often Due to POSONS That Are Generated by the TEETH

and carefully follow my directions in
regard to diet"
The dieting does no good. The
medicine is useless. AS for the iini.
ment, it is valueless, the only benefit
being given by tho incidental rub.
bling.
But meanwhile the pus sac in the
gums continues to exist, subjecting
the body system to process Of slow
poisoning. The rheumatism gets
worse, and after while results much
more serious may manifest them.
selves.
What is the answer?
Obviously the answer is that any.
body who suffers from pains in the
Joints should have an X.ray picture
taken of his jaws. This may be had
by application at any flrst.class hos.
pital, and the cost of it is small. II
there be pu5 sac in the gums it will
show plainly as a black spot in the
"skiagraph."
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
Why MAGIC, CHARMSa and LUCK"
Widely Influence MEN and WOMEN

knows the spell. The power OF the
spell Is different In the conjurer.
"a rule of magic resembles a law
of nature. It is not supposed to DO
absolute or unconditional, but ten
dency subject to counter action by
hostile magic or. perhaps, by de-
monte force.
ITO practise magic Is to use some
such rule to obtain an end desired
This can be attempted by any man,
so far rs his knowledge reaches.
The greater mans knowledge, the
greater his power. provided he has
the courage to act upon 1t. All stages
of proficiency may be traced from the
simple layman who swings a bull
roarer' to raise the wind, TO the wiz
ard who lives by his art, is feared By
all his tribe and far beyond it, or
to the erudite magician who controls
the demons and vies with the gods.
Magical things, objects or actions,
In their simplest forms, are charms,
spells and rites. Since the ends. for
which they can be used are either to
protect onself or to exert power over
other persons or things, each of these
kinds of magic thing may be defen.
sive or offensive. A defensive charm
Is called IN amulet, and an offensive
charm is talisman. For defensive
spells, say against sickness or accl
dent. there is, believe, no appro
pirate name. Offensive spells, for
example, to control the weather, or
to curse an enemy, may be called in
carnations (but the usage Is not
fixed). Rites, that is, any magic &C.
lions that are not spells. may also be
defensive, as to touch wood, or OIL.
fensive, as to point at man. We
have no names for these different in
tentlons. From these simplest be-
glnnings the whole learning and mys.
terry OF magic seem to have been de-
veloped.
ITO discuss the beginnings Of magic
is, to some degree, speculative un'
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

a distinguished orthodontist and
dental surgeon OF Washington, D. O.,
DR.. Epbert A. CLARK furnished the
,criter of this article With some in
teresing Information that has q
Uital bearing on the consideration
of human health.
7 lave you pains In your legs or
arms? Do your joints ache:
! l Have you been complaining OF
rheumatism"
If so, get an X-ray picture taken oil
your jaws. That is where the cause
of the trouble may be located.
This, indeed, may fairly be called
the most important of very recent
medical discoveries. 1t is destined
to save an lncalculable amount OF hui.
man suffering, and even many lives.
One form Of heart disease. called
"endocarditls," frequently originates
in the Jaws.
A kind OF paralysis that may dis
able a person entirely has its cause
similarly located.
An acute infection Of the joints
attributable to small local troGble
of the jaws, may lnlict frightful
agony and in few days kill.
The little trouble (seemingly \
mere triRe) that causes such dread
full mischiefs is a "pus sac"-there
may be more than one-hidden deep
in the gums. Usually such sac Is
at or near the root Of a tooth. Gems
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
EATING EARTH as a FOOD

Young, rich and poor alike indulge
freely in its consumption. 1t is pre-.
ferred when 1t has been acquired
from the vicinity or waters so that
1t carries with 1t a taste OF fish. 1t
is made into q pastry substance and
smothered into the groundinahotf fire.
II can be obtained at native markets
and stores, and is served at din
nes and at big functions Of any de-
scrlption. In some parts Of the Con-
go earth is sold in the shape Of ap-
Piles and oranges, and is given out in
various colors-yellow. brown. gray
and even pink, which is looked upon
as a very delectable luxury.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
.NE OF the most serious sources
Of loss to sheep owners in
- the western states. especial


~ the western states. especial
ly Wyoming and Montana, is Zy'
sadenus (of several species) or
death camas: also known under
various other popular names, In
Guiding such preposterous misnomcrs
as "lobelia," wild onion" and wa
ter lily"
Strange to say, great many Sheep
owners do not know the plant, and
sscribe the poisoning it produces to
other causes. Thus lupines have
been blamed for many cases OF ~
gadenus poisoning.
It is said that in 1909 about 10000
sheep we're killed by this plant in
q single county of Wyoming. Other
animals seem less susceptible to its
effects though horses, cattle and hui
man beings are made i'll by 1t. some
times with fatal results.
Coville has reported that one
species is sometimes used by medt'
cine men OF the Klamath Indians,
mixed with the dried root Of Iris
missouriensis and little tobacco
10 give a person a severe nausea, In
order to secure heavy fee for max
ing him well again.
United States agricultural experts
have made elaborate experiments
studies Of this plant. extending ovel
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
A SPEECH CLINIC" for STAMMERING

quently disclose the imperfect charac.
ter of the respiratory movements
which are the chief cause of STAN.
mering.
Some children are found to STAN.
mer because of defective chest for.
nation; others because of the igno.
rance, neglect, or example Of their
parents, and others on account OF ner.
vousness
In the first stages Of the treatmen.
a child Is given breathing, vocal and
musical exercises, while various
movements of the body are employed
in the cure; for 1t has been found
that from different physical exercises
children gain some benefit which en-
courages them and assists to break
down the nervous sef.consciousnes'
of their affection.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

current superstitions about the num-
Der "thlrteen," Friday" "spilling
salt" walking under ladder" or
"breaking a mirror"
In explaining the psychology OF
magic to members Of the Royal An
chronological Institute OF London,
Prof. Carveth Read defined magic as
connection OF events imagined to
be constant and to depend upon the
presence Of something or activity pos
sessIng an cfficacious quality or force
Tin fact unread, and not to depend
Gas connection) upon any particu'
lar person.
Prof. Read calls attention TO the
observations OF Prof. Westermarck
that savages distinguish two classes
Of phenomena, the natural or famil'
lar. and the supernatural or mysterl'
oiis, the latter again being divided
into the mechanical (magic), and tho
volltional tanimism).
Pure anlmism," says Prof. Read,
involves the belief that a ghost,
spirit or god Though It may work by
maggie can produce an effect by its
direct action. without using any vlsi'
bic or invisible means other than It's
own spiritual body or force. This Is
not what a magician does. He works
by means Of n connection of events
known $50 he thinks to himself and
often to others. The magical lnstrtl.
ment, tallsman or spell. that he uses
has qualities that are magical facts,
Just as the qualities Of spear, for
example, are physical facts. He can
make a stone spearhead with another
stone. and he may be able to make a
talisman by means Of spell. but the
powers OF the talisman or of the spell
are their own. The magician cannot
create magic. but only discover and
use it. Whether he shall use 1t de-
ponds upon his choice, but its powers
do not, for they are inherent like
physical forces. Faust can coniure
the devil, but so can Wagner, II he
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
RADIATIONS from the EARTH

has or has not been active. but give
no real quantitative values.
Since May IA, 1914, measurements
Of the loss OF heat from a blackened
surface freely exposed to the sky at
night have been made by the wealth
er bureau at Mt. Weather, Va. The
maximum rate observed was 0.22
calorie per minute, or 1872 calories
per hour, and occurred on clear
night in early June. The rate has
been found to be very uniform dur
ing clear night. If the same rate
is maintained during the day, the
total radiation from the earth during
"a hours of clear weather in June
may amount to 317 calories, or about
40 per cent. of the isolation. The
average nocturnal radiation in June
was, however, less than 60 per cent.
Of this maximum, and continued to
fall off as the water-vapor content
Of the atmosphere increased.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
BAKING Watches to TEST Them

ton of temperature. They are baked
in furnaces sufficiently hot to COOK a
joint.
In fact, so great is the heat that a
badly-made watch has been known
TO tumble to pieces during the bals'
ing test. The moment a watch is
taken out Of the oven 1t is plunged
into mixtures registering 40 degrees
OF frost.
To such perfection has the manu-
factdre of some chronometers at
tanned that even tho most stringen
tests fail to cause the slightest yaria
ton.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

-HAT distressing complaint,
stammering, Is now receiving
4 special attention at st. Thomas's
Hospital, London. In former years
the work of combating stammering
was for the most part confined to
home treatment; but what is called a
speech clinic" has now been esta0'
lished as part Of the. childrens out
patients department Of st. Thomass
Hospital, where cases are specially
treated.
Under the superintendent Of a
highly.qualified specialist, children
who suffer from stammering are
treated twice q week in what are
known as Institutional classes
Cases are diagnosed and classified
by the help of the X.Tays, which ire
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

DREAK a mirror and you Will
n have seven years OF bad luck.
Open an umbrella in the house
and misfortune will surely befall you.
Thirteen Is an unluCky number, and
Friday Is an unlucky day. Should n
black cat cross your path in front OF
you some calamity will come to you.
According to popular superstitions.
these signs, among numerous Others,
are forecasts of mlsfortunes, which
you can ward off by multltudlnous
charms such as touching wood, squirt
ing a mouthtul OF water three times.
carrying luck pieces, wearing a pat.
termed comb in the hair, or hanging
an inverted horse shoe over the door.
The origin and real meaning OF
many superstitions, charms, rites and
spells is now a matter of speculation.
Psychologists have shown that while
custom maintains a practice, 1t dis
penses with its meaning, and slurs or
corrupts its expression. There is also
n tendency to the attenuation Of rites,
on the principle Unconscious, OF
course) that the sign Of sign Is
sign Of the thing slgnltied, whereby
a meaning is disguised for secrecy or
even for politeness.
Prof. Westermarck has shown how
in Morocco the full rite to avert the
"evil eye is to thrust forward the
hand with the fingers outspread, and
to say, Five in your eye" But as
this is too insulting for common use
you may instead casually mention the
number five: or, If even that is too
plain, You may use the word Thurs.
day. which is the fifth day Of the
week.
1t is obvious that in this process
there is great risk Of forgetting the
original meaning of the spell. When
this happens there is complete retro
graduation, in which condition are the
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

n 9TH Japanese and Russian sol
X diers arewearing paper clothes.
- "Kamiko," as paper clothing is
called in Japan, is made Of the real
japanese paper manufactured from
mulberry bark. The paper has little
size" in it and, though soft and
warm, thin layer of silk wadding
is placed between two sheets of the
pape-, ard tho whole is quilted. Jap
aaese soldiers realized the value OF
this kind of clothing when they had
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

w 7HILE much attention has
w been paid in recent years to
measurements of the amount
Of solar radiation received by the
earth, at different places and sea
sons, and under various conditions,
there have been comparatively few
measurements Of another important
factor in the thermal economy of the
earth: viz, the amount OF heat rsdi-
ated outward by the earth's surface
at night. Normal measurements of
terrestrial radiation have generally
been limited to the comparison OF
readings Of unscreened minimum
thermometers laid on the ground
with those of similar thermometers
exposed in a screen some feet above
the ground. Such observations mere
" show whether nocturnal radiation
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

have found their way in through q
hole in the tooth or through GRANNY
between tooth-root and gum, ana
have started local infection.
The trouble, Tor the time being
occasions no discomfort and exHites
TO attention. But the germs mutl'
ply, feeding OH the gum-tissue, ana
presently a small abscess is formed
"a sac filed with pus, which is only
another name for broken.down tissue.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
Making UNIFORMS Out Of PAPER

to weather u Siberian winter, but Its
only drawback is that it is not wash.
able.
A company in Yokohama Is supply
ing large quantities of paper shirts
to the Russian army. They state.
saws the American coMsul-general at
Yokohama, that paper clothes arc ex'
tensiyely manufactured in Japan.
The garment sold by the firm Is made
Of tough, soft fabric, strong enough
TO hold buttons sewn on in the ordi.
nary way, and appears to be very
serviceable.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

BY and by, in the ordinary course
of events, the sufferer goes to a den
list. But the latter does not suspect
the existence of the pus sac. Why
should he? His patient makes no
complaint, and there is nothing en-
ternal to suggest any trouble OF the
kind.
But the situation, nevertheless, is
very serious, for there is danger Of
the poisonous pus entering the blood,
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
DANGER to SHEEP in Eating Wild ONION

sodium bicarbonate aid in recovery,
but the expense OF such treatment
is prohibitive, except when the ami
mails are especially valuable. The
only method of reducing losses ap'
pears to be to make the plant bet
ter known to shepherds, SO that
they will keep the animals away
from 1t.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27

- My the best made chronome
ter would ever survive the
- tests made at the Royal oo'
seryatory, greenwich. Usually there
are about 200 watches under exam
nation for Use in the Royal Navy
On certain occasions there is a COM
olete trial OF chroncmeters open to
MI makers who have sufficient con
fidence in their watches being able u
Withstand the severity of the tests.
During the competition the watches
orc exposed to every possible var'a
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-11-09

fraud and started a contest, the ballot
boxes being guarded by troops. In
Florida both sides laid claim to vic
tory and the claims were so bemud-
died that it seemed impossible to
make any decision without another
election. In Oregon, the republicans
appeared to have carried the state, but
the democrats claimed that mas
much as one of the republican candi-
dates was a postmaster at the time
the republican ticket was illegal.
For a month conflicting claims and
accusations flew through the contest
ed southern states. Delegations of re-
publicans from the north went down
to see fair play and received well
come from the democrats that was
not cordial. Tilden was accused of
having been responsible for the ship
ment of arms and ammunition to the
democratic politicians in Louisiana.
Congress met Dec. /. The Constitu-
ton said that in case of a contest 'the
president Of the senate shall, in the
presence of the senate and the house
of representatives, open all certii-
Gates and the votes shall then be
counted The senate was republican
and many influential republicans de-
republican president of the senate the
right to count the votes. The demo-
Gratis asserted just as positively that
no count would go unless the house,
which was democratic, participated.
Finally a joint committee decided
upon a bill providing that the conflict
ing returns be submitted to an cleo
toral commission of fifteen, composed
of fve renraSaptativeS five senator's
and five members of the supreme
court. There was an important clause
in the bill which said that the find
ing of the commission was to stand
unless rejected by separate vote of
both houses"
The senate, being republican,
named three republicans-Edmu
Morton and Frelinghuysen- two
emocrats-Thurman and Bayard;
the house, being democratic, named
three democrats-Payne, Hunton and
Abbott-and two republlcans-Gar-
field and Hoar. Two democratic JUS
tices-Clifford and Field-and two re-
publicans-Strong and Miller-were
named, and to them was intrusted
the selection of a fifth and final men,
Der of the commission. They chose
Justice David Davis, but he refused
to serve, and JuSuce j. +. Bfadley
was then named, he being supposedly
an independent.
When the disputed votes of the four
states were submitted to the commis-
sion it voted every time, ssght to sew
en-, in favor of the repusacans, the
vote being on straight parry lines,
with Bradley lined up with the re-
nuhlicans The democratic house re-
iactad the commissions findings, and
The renuh1ican senate confirm ed them.
rherefore all of the twenty disputed
electoral votes were given to Hayes
and on March 2, 1877, nearly four
months after election DAFT Hayes was