davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Queer Use For Cordite.

Some years ago Lord Haldane star
tied the house of commons when re-
plying to a remark made by another
member as to the danger attached to
the use of cordite by saying that he
himself possessed a walking stick
made of cOrdite which he sometimes
brought down TO the house and left In
the cloakroom. An uneasy look stole
over the faces of the members present,
but in ascientific and highly technical
speech his lordship explained that
cordite was perfectly innocent sub
stance until brought into contact with
dangerous allies. and without certain
ingredients necessary TO convert it into
an explosive it might he handled with
impunity. At the same time 1T was
noticed that Lord Haldane's stick was
given a wide berth when it was seen in
the cloakroom.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
an optimist's ESSAY.

pessiInist is a son Of the man who
didn't believe there was any such thing
as electricity.
He is an offspring Of the man. who
u.s sure that the horseless carriage
voulI never come. and a nephew of
the man who was willing to bet money
that men would never fly.
pesSimist is direct descendant of
tbe man who was sure that wireless
tpIegraphy was a fools dream and a
submarine merely the creation of a &c.
+ion writer's brain.
The pessimists ancestory scoffed at
the telephone, the typesetting machine.
the twenty story building, anaesthetics
and every forward step the optimists
have taken for the betterment Of hu-
man life.
If the pessimists Of the past had
been right men would still be living
in caves and trying to get their meals
with clubs and flint arrows. And evil
IDENTITY they died without publicly con-
Tossing their mistakes, for their pessi-
mistic children continue to prophesy
disnlaiIy that everything that is surely
goinG to be cannot possibly come to
pass. They seem to be born with the
habit and cannot get over it.-Detroit
Free Press.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
The Number Nine.

There were nine earths, according to
medieval cosmogony, nine heavens,
nine rivers Of hell and nine orders of
angels. The number being perfection
since 1t represented divinity was Of
ten used to signify a great quantity.
as in the phrases, "a nine days won
der" "a cat has nine lives" and mine
tailors make a man." In Scotland a
distempered cow was cured by wash
ing her in nine surfs. To see nine
magpies was considered extremely
lucky. Nine knots made in q black
wooden thread served as a charm In
the case of a sprain. 1t was also be-
ieved and is still by some that II a
servant girl finds nine green peas In
one pod and lays them on the window
sill the first man that enters will be
her beau. Nine grains Of wheat laid
on a four leayed clover enable one,
it is said, to see the fairies.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
CAMPING Courtesy.

Good camping grounds should be the
special property of sportsmen and low
ers Of the woods, and 1t is pity that
they should so often be desecrated by
the unappreciative. This is the season
when the forest floor will be strewn
with tin cans and cracker boxes, when
the clean woods will be marred with
all sorts OF ugly rubbish, and when
the pleasure Of late campers will be
half destroyed by the vandalism of
their predecessors. Great tracts Of for
est will be blackened by flames set
from little campfires. The growth Of
young timber will be checked. And
all the trouble could be banished II
only people would observe the few
simple rules Of the woodsl The forest
is the last refuge of solitude amid
beauty; therefore do not make its Sc
Guided glades into vulgar picnic
grounds. Noblesse oblige there as else
where, and though the after conner
may not know you he will know what
sort of person you are by the condi-
ton of the camping grounds you leave
Countryside Magazine
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
The Gold Dust Was There.

North America has counted as a gold
producing continent only since the late
forties. But it might well have done
so for about 200 years. According to
the London Chronicle. in the voyage
round the world which began In 1719
the privateer Captain Shelvocke found
in certain California valleys "a rich
black mold which. as you turn it fresh
up to the SIM, appears as if intermin-
gled with gold dust. Though we were
a little prejudiced," he adds. against
the thought that it could be possible
that this metal should be so promiscu-
ously and universally mingled with
common earth, yet we endeavored to
cleanse and wash the earth from some
Of it, and the more we did the more it
appeared like gold In order to be fur
Their satisfied brought away some Of
it, which we lost in our confusion In
China"
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
EoiIino a Eakir.

A story used to be told at Cairo of
Sir Richard Owen during one of his
sojourns in Egypt. The great natural
list was seated in the shade on the We
randa at Sheppeard's hotel when the
inevitable snake charmer came to him
and produced from his bag a lively
specimen Of the horned asp-the dead
ly cerastes. The professor gazed and,
nothing daunted, stopped and plucked
the horns from the head of the reptile
wriggling at his feet, remarking to a
bystander that the man would prob
ably think twice before trying to palm
OF upon any one else harmless snake
as a cerastes by the aid Of a couple Of
fish bones. With anybody else the
charmer would probably have succeed
ed He had tried it on the wrong man.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Devil Worship In Tibit.

The religion inculcated by Buddha
had certain cardinal points-the en-
enlargement of the ascetic life. the
maintenance of virtue. the exhortation
to persons of all castles and both sexes
to aim at deliverance from the evils of
existence and. lastly. the attainment of
Nirvana.
But in Tibet Buddhism has been
grated on to the earlier devil worship
Of the people. and religion has been
evolved better expressed as Lamaism.
or modified devil worship. so that In
addition to the Buddhas and BOdisats
there have also come to be tutelary
and guardian deitfes of a terrifying
and malignant aspect. whose duty it is
to defend the faith and the faithful
people from external attack. These
deities are depicted in grotesque and
terrible forms in all the monasteries,
generally in violently colored frescc
paintings at the entrance. - National
Geographic Magazine.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
How the Trouble BEGAN.

1t was a bright, sunny Tuesday
morning and Mrs. Brown was on the
roof preparing to hang out her wash.
when Mrs. Jones appeared on the scene
carrying basket of clothes.
What are you dom here?" demand
ed Mrs. Jones. Monday is your day
Tor hangin' out clothes"
Il know it is" replied Mrs. Brown,
removing the clothespins from her
mouth so she could articulate more
clearly, ''but it rained yesterday, an
I'm hangin' 'em out today instead.
Tuesday belongs to the fourth floor
back, an that's vacant, so guess I've
got as good right here as anybody
else. What is it to you, anyhow?
Wednesday is your day"
Wednesday is my day, all right, /"
admitted Mrs. Jones. but the paper
says it's goin' to rain tomorrow. an /
amt takin' any chances. You take
them rags Of yours downstairs again.
or I'll throw 'em off the rOOfr'
And that's how the trouble began
St Louis Post-Dispatch.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Lock Canals.

The Egyptians had canals before the
days of St Paul. but the lock canal
which made it possible to cross noun
tains in a boat came only a few years
before Columbus discovered America.
To be told that Raphael in his spare
moments when not painting a Raphael
was constructing a locomotive would
scarcely surprise you more than to be
told that Leonardo da Vinci was a
pioneer canal lock builder.
But the hand that put upon the walls
Of that historic church in Milan 1.-The
Last Supper" also designed the locks
for Milan's canal.
That was just five years before an
other Italian from the nearby town of
Genoa sailing a Spanish ship came to
anchor at San Salvador. Before the
lock system was born canals had to be
on level ground. although in China
they had them on slight inclines.-
Philadelphia Ledger.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Fsats of Endurance.

What is the limit of human endur.
ancei
A bomb thrower has hurled bombs
continuously for forty-one hours.
There are numerous striking and
more peaceful record breaking feats.
A club swinging champion once swung
his clubs, for forty-six hours without a
moments rest.
A young Brixton athlete once swung
q blacksmith's hammer for twelve
hours on end. Then this same modern
Samson belabored a punching bag con-
ttnuously for fifteen hours at the aver
age rate Of 145 punches a minutes.
A few years ago two Frenchmen
walked round and round a billiard ia
BILE, playing game after game and COW
ering sixty miles for twenty-four con-
secutive hours.
A band Of change ringers once rang
the bells of st. Martins, Birmingham.
for eight hours without pausing.
A certain Polish lady danced, with
only momentary rests, for thirty-four
hours, while an Italian dancer danced
for fourteen hours at the rate of eight
cen waltzes an hour.-London Stray
Stories.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Houses In Bagdad.

A Bagdad house In the summer IL q
fiery furnace, and no one. unless his
name be Shadrach or Meshach or
Abednego, could live within its four
walls with comfort, and yet the natives
have made a brave attempt to over
come the difficulties of their situation.
Deep in the ground they have built Gel
lars, or serdabs, and these serve as
cooling chambers. The cellars are
kept pretty dark. The light enters"
says one who has lived there. through
small windows. or openings, where, In
stead Of glass, is placed a lattice Of
palm filed with a prickly camers
thorn. Several times day the occu-
pants sprinkle water on these thorns,
and the moisture cools the hot wind as
1t passes through the rooms and gives
a comparatively refreshing breeze.
But toward night these cellars become
unbearably close. and then the entire
city mounts to the fat roofs, where 1t
dimes and sleeps. Boston Transcript
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Cuitivating Amusements.

Don't provide inducements to, get q
child to love amusements. 1t may en-
courage a habit that will sadly inter
fere with sincere and useful life.
Don't make a boy feel that he cannot
waste too much time in having fun
and catering to his senses. Life is
real and earnest. and amusement is ad-
miSsible at times, but should not be
the rule. The manly youth is for fun,
but he is not always engaged in striv-
ing for his own pleasure. He should
not be educated into that idea of life.
He should not be furnished with in
clinatiOns away from what is true and
real in life. 1t is a serious matter
tempering with a youths nobler aspir-
alton. Providing amusement is apt to
prove an unnatural adjunct in educa-
tiOn.-Columbus Journal
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Jananese foundations.

A writer in a Tokyo journal reports
the struggles of japanese writers to
translate English idioms into their own
tongue We cite several of these
howlers. I'VE put our heads together
eve collided). He could not find it for
the life of him" Gle could not discover
1t till his DEATH. HE is a great loss
to his country" Gle is great calamity
to his country. HE hung his head
for shame (He committed suicide by
strangulationI. He takes things cas-
lily" HE is def thief. 'She sat over
a cup of tea" (She sat upon a teacup).
81 shudder at the bare idea" q shud-
der to think that the man is naked.
THE bare idea" is evidently translated
into 1.-The idea Of baroness" Spare
me five minutes" (Spare my life-only
for five minutes).
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Speed of Bullets,

The rate of fall of the bullet from
the line of projection is fixed by the
lave of gravity. hence the more rap
idly the bullet is made to pass from
the rifle to the target the f1atter will
be this curve or trajectory" the less
accurate the estimation of distance re-
quired and the less the chances of
error through an inaccurate estimate
of distance.
The normal velocities of our sport
ing rifles, in black powder days, were
about 1900 feet per second. The first
Of the small bore. high power, smoke
less variety raised this to 1900 f. s.
for bullets of military length and 2,2OO
for shorter sporting bullets. Now it
has gone up to 300 f. s. The burn
ing questions asked again and again
by the rifieman are. Where will we
stop" will the 1000 f. s. bullet
come next?'
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Theft In Ancient Wales.

In some ways which might nowadays
be called sentimental" the laws of an
cient Wales were in advance OF those
Of today. ]. E. Lloyd in his His
tory of Wales" mentions that in some
of the codes (Which were. as a rule,
very severe on theft a remarkable
provision exempted from punishment
''the starving man who, after begging
for three days and receiving nothing,
helped himself TO the food which he
needed in order to keep him alive.
That every man had the right to live
was a principle of the law, and the
sentiment of the country demanded
that every person of substance should
keep open house not only for ordinary
travellers, but also for the destitute and
the friendless."
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Green Flash of Sunset.

One of the most rarely witnessed of
natural phenomena. but one that has
often been discussed at scientific meet
fngs and that always awakens wonder
when seen, is the SO called green
fash occasionally visible ut the mo-
ment of the disappearance of the sun
behind clear horizon. The observers
eye must be fixed upon the rim of the
sun as it disappears in order to catch
the phenomenon. One authority tells
US that he has seen the green flash,
although rarely, at the instant of the
setting Of a bright star. Among the
explanations offered Is one based upon
the optical principle Of complementary
colors. If one looks at the sun and
then closes the eyes a green disk will
be perceived. A sensitive eye might
be similarly affected by a brilliant
star.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Who the Let's Are,

The Let's are branch of the Lithu-
anian nation. a Slavonic division, and
dwellers In the Baltic provinces Of
Russia. Lthuania was at one time a
great kingdom, later a part of the Po-
hsh nation and now embodied in Rus
STA and Prussia. The Let's, a subdi-
vision of the Lithuanian lpeople. at
present number more than 100000.
They are of average height, well built
but seldom very tall. The finely cut
features, fair hair. blue eyes and deli
cate skins are characteristics that dis
tinguish a Lett from a Pole or a Rus
sian.-Philadelphia Press.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Too Costly.

At one Of the Boston theaters recent
ly there was shown on the screen a
picture Of stock exchange. The bro
kers were hurrying about, pushing,
waving their arms, gesticulating and to
the uninitiated acting like a lot Of in
sane men. Two young ladies in the
balcony watched them with breathless
interest for some time. then one asked:
"Why in the world don't they sit
down and rest once in awhile?"
"My dear" was the enliShtening an
swer, don't you know that seat in
the Stock Exchange costs thousands Of
dollars |-Harper'S Magazine.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Horses In the Time of Homer.

The horses used in Homer's time
were war horses. The warriors were
drawn in chariOts. The art of riding
was known. but it is alluded to as
something unusual Ulysses at the
time of his shipwreck "bestrode a
plank. like hOrseman on a big steed."
There are reasons for believing that
the practice of riding was much later
than that of driving, and the myth Of
the centaur, where. according to Shake
speare, man is incOrpSed and demina-
tured with the beast" probably origi-
mated at an early period when the ap-
pearance of a man on horseback was a
novel sight.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Altar of Roses.

Altar Of roses, by common consent,
ranks at the head of the list Of per
fumes. Other preparations from roses,
too, hold a high place and have long
been esteemed. Rosewater is historic.
When Saladin entered Jerusalem In
the twelfth century he had the walls
Of the mosque Of Omar washed with
1t. But altar of oil of roses is by far
the most precious and the most priced
Of all. An eastern prince will present
to an honored guest rich jewels, rubies
and diamonds and then add. as the
rarest of all. crystal bottle filled with
this essence.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Sawse Savage.

Here Is the old King Richard II.
way Of making sausage: "Pyggs In
sawse savage" or pigs with sage
sauce. ''Take pyggs yskaldid (scald-
ed and quarter them and seeth them
In water and salt; take them and let
them kele (cooD; take parsel parsley.
savage (sage) and grynde it with brede
and yolkes of ayren (eggs) harde ysode
boile0; temper it with vinegar some
what thick. and lay the pyggs in a
vessel and sewe onoward 0he sauce
over them, and serve it forth" take
pyggs" is pretty good. Size or number
seems Of no consequence.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Paste This on the Family Tool Chest

The idea OF this cabinet is to furnish
amusement to the family when they
have scratched up all the furniture and
done all the damage elsewhere they
can think of: therefore
Do not replace or put back anything
that you take out of these drawers.
Try, if possible, to select and remove
from this cabinet some article or tool
that is absolutely indispensable, leav-
ing it preferably out in the back yard
If you have anything hanging about
your room that is of no earthly use
you might store it In one of these
drawers.
Remember that the main idea of hav-
ing this cabinet on the premises Is
gradually to fill it with utterly useless
things.
And remove from it at the same time
all the useful things.
PatienceI Keep at it and you are
bound to succeed.-Lfe.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
African Grosbecks.

The social grosbecks of South Africa
live In large societies. They select a
tree Of considerable size and literally
cover 1t with grass roof. under which
their common dwelling is constructed.
The roof serves the double purpose Of
keeping off the heat and the rain, and
400 or 500 pairs of birds are known to
have the same shelter. The nests in
this aerial dwelling are built in regu-
lar streets and closely resemble rows
of tenement houses.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Hate All Around.

The famous English chief justice
Holt and his wife hated each other to
the limit, and when she fell danger
Ously i'll he was so delighted that he
became digracefully tipsy. But his
wife was equal to the emergency and
sent for the great DR.. Radcliffe, who
hated Holt, and therefore out of spite
when the case was presented to him
came with great prOmptneSs and saw
ed her life-WeStminSter Gazette.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
PRACTICAL HEALTH HINT.
PricklN Heat.

o Never use soap on a child suf-
fering from prickly heat. Wash
o its sensitive skin with starch
o water, using a half teacupful Of
starch to a small baby tub Of
o water. Keep the skin busted
o with talcum powder. Morning
o and evening the child should be
o sponged from head to foot with
o q solution of bicarbOnate' Of soda
o "a teaspOOnful dissolved In a
o pint Of hot water. Use when
o lukewarm. The soda water re-
o heves the burning sensation and
o itching. Unless one has suffered
o from this affection she cannot
o imagine the misery of the little
o child who Is covered all over its
o body or in parts with fine red
o rash that stingS. burns and
o pricks like needles. 1t is some
o times necessary to call In a ply
o sician to treat the baby when
o the condition causes great rest
o lessness and nervousness and
o loss Of sleep
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Sure Bait.

How did you manage to sell that
piece of goods that's all out of date to
Mrs. Hif1i?'
Clerk told her it was a great bar
gain. but / thought Mrs. Richcoin had
had 1t laid aside for one of her daugh-
tiers. Then she took it~right of.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Water For the Baby.

Infants suffer from not hav- c
ing enough water to drink. Ba- c
hicS are thirsty and frequently c
crv from the discomfort due to c
thirst
In proportion to its weight an {
' average infant during the first c
year of life requires a little more c
than six times as much water c
as an adult. During the time c
when the child is upon an entire c
IN fluid diet the addition of much c
water other than that supplied {
by the food il unnecessary. The {
food breast milk Of all young {
mammals consists of from so to {
' 30 per cent Of water. This is {
needed for the solution Of GER
tain parts Of the food. such as {
\ the sugar and some Of the pro- c
, teids. and for the suspension Of {
, the other proteids and the emul- {
, Sified fat. All the food is thus {
} dissolved and infinitely divided c
, so as to be the more readily act {
, ed upon by the feeble digestive
} organs OF the infant. {
When the feeding becomes less {
, frequent water TO drink (frOm {
} bottle with nipple on IT. should {
, be given to drink between the
, feelings. In summer time espe- {
} cially babies suffer a great deal {
} from thirst.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Two Kinds of Joy,

The joys as well as the burdens Of
life are pretty evenly divided between
the sexes after all, and probably little
girl derives as much innocent pleasure
from being Il flower girl at wedding
as little boy does from going to school
with Il live garter snake i'm his trousers
pocket.-Ohio State Journal.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Not NECESSARILY.

zone wife too manyr' exclaimed Mrs.
Wederly as she glanced at the head
lines Of her husbands paper. 81 sup
pose that is an account of the doings
OF some bigamistT
mot necessarily, my DEAR" replied
her husband without daring to look
up.-Buffalo Courier.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Hiqh Tide.

The feminine naivete that is so anus
ing to the nautical man has a good H.
luStration in this question asked by a
young woman who saw a monitor lying
at anchor in Boston harbor. She turn
cd to her escort and said: "What makes
that boat lie so low in the water? Is it
high tide ?"-SailOrs' Magazine.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Salary of the President.

In the second sessions Of the Sixtieth
congress the presidents salary was
fixed at $4,000 a year, and in addition
he is allowed $4,000 for travelling ex-
penses, which is practically extra sal
airy, as he does not have to return any
Of It not used for travelling expenses.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
Of Course She Doesn't.

George is such a nice chap" said
the girl in pink. Il always enjoy hav-
ing him call on me-"
81 don't" snapped the other.
"Of course you don't, dear. You'd
rather have him call on you."-St
Louis Post Dispatch.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
CompuIsion.

IF that bad boy insists on carrying
chip on his shoulder you shouldn't no
tice him."
81 didn't" replied the square jawed
youngster, 80 long as lie kept it on his
shoulder, but when he took it off and
hit me in the eye with it l had to do
something" -Washington Star.
The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-08-05
a Tartar Proverb,

A Turco-Tartar prOverb throws
strong light on the question Of the
amount of veracity to be looked for in
official documents by Orientak. The
proverb runs as follows: HE who
speaks the truth will be expelled from
nine villages