davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
MOST VENOMOUs OF SNAKES
India Believed TO Contain the Creature
That Is Dreaded by Every Other
Living Thing.

The most venomous of snakes is held
to be the echis carinata of India. 1t
is about Is inches long and of a gray
color. The creature is death itself. and
carries in its head the secret of de-
stroying life with the concentrated ag-
ony of all the pOisons.
The snake is tolerably common in In
dia. being found In nearly every part
OF the peninsula.
Fortunately, however, for man. it is
not, like the cobra, a hOusefreQuenting
snake; for its aggressive habits would
make it infinitely more fatal to life
than it's dreaded relative.
The king of the asps does not turn
to escape from man as the cobra will,
or flash into concealment like the kori-
at, but keeps its path against its hu-
man assailant, and, pitting its Is inches
of length against its enemy'S bulk,
challenges and provokes conflict
A stroke with whip will cut it in
two, or clod of earth disable it +; but
such is its malignity that it Will invite
attack by every device at its command,
stalking its own life on the mere chance
of it's adversary coming within the lit
tie circle of its power. At most, the
radius of this circle is II inches. With
in it, at any event, lies certain-death,
and, on the bare hope of hand or foot
trespassing within its reach, the echis
throws its body into fgure-of-eig ht
coil. Then it attracts attention by
rubbing its loops together, which, from
the rOugllness Of the scales, makes a
ruStling, kissing sound, erects it's head
in the center, and awaits attack.
1t is said that no one, having once
encountered this terrible reptile, can
ever forget its horrifying aspect when
thus aroused, it's eagerly aggressive
air, its restless coils, which, in constant
motion one over the other and rustling
ominOusly all the while, stealthily but
surely brings it nearer and nearer TO
the object of its fury.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Vast Wealth Wasted

The extent Of the waste which has at
tended the lumber industry of this
country is just being appreciated and
efforts are being made to correct the
matter. Proprietors Of many of the
largest SaWmills are installing special
apparatus to save material which was
formerly wasted or sent to the burner.
The price of paper has risen so greatly
since the outbreak of the European
war that paper pulp manufacturers are
becoming more and more interested In
the utilization of wood waste When
it is realized that more wood is wasted
than actually utilized in our great lum-
Der industry, which uses 100000, 900
board feet year, it is seen that there
are great opportunities to save this
waste. Over 100000 cords of slabs.
sawdust, edgings and other mill waste
were used for making paper pulp last
year
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
"By Royal Appointment"

Once a year, in the New Years Ga
zette, appears long list of tradesmen
who are holders of royal warrants.
This list at the present time exceeds
1000 names. Since the death of Queen
Victoria considerably over three hun
dred names have been added.
1t is a privilege greatly coveted and
much envied-thiS of the royal war
rant, for it is not one lightly bestowed
upon every tradesman who has sup
piled goods to his majestys household.
1t is distinctly mark of royal favor,
and to some extent q testimonial to the
excellence of the purveyor's goods.
It's principal outward sign is the use
of the royal arms over the shop-frOnt
and upon the writing paper of the war
rant-hOlder, and it is an offense against
the law for any person not being a
Warrant-hOlder to use the arms. Ap-
parently, however, it's misuse is a COM
mon occurrence, for during recent
years hundreds Of cases of improper
use have been dealt with by the Royal
Warrant-HOlders' association.-Londo
Tit-Bits.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
"Casket" Factory.

The fact was revealed at the Rhond-
da tribunal recently that at TreOrchy
cOlliery village in Rhondda valley
one of the largest coffin industries in
the kingdom is carried on.
1t was stated that these works,
which contain 25 machines, can turn
out 80 to 100 collins in six hours. In
America collins are now called caskets.
Before the war collins were exported to
all parts of the world, but naturally lit
tie business is done in this direction
nowadays. Nevertheless, between POO
and 300 collins are turned out weekly
Practically all the collins necessitat-
ed by Dig disasters are provided by
this firm, and requisites for use at Gre
matoriums are manufactured.-LOnd
Mail.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10

however, and no attention was paid
to the crash or damage. Involuntar-
lily Nina moved through a gateway
and approached the building. A pass
ing, lad on keen run from some
companions at a distance, made a
shield with his hand at his lips to
emphasize the warning he uttered
shrilly:
Lookout, miss-that house is
haunted ~
Nina halted with a little thrill. She
glanced a trifle f1utteringly and then
curiously at the grim-looking place
and recalled its recent history. 1t
had been vacant for a year, but few
months previous had gained a ten
ant in certain Victor Russell. an
artist. She had met the gentleman
several times, had been introduced to
him, but to her, as to all others, he
was reseryed-rather sad and de-
pressed, she fancied, and it was not
easy to approach him with more than
formal courtesy.
Nina had heard that the stranger
had some secret care or grief that
clouded his life More than that, he
shut himself up absolutely in his home
and admitted no visitors. There had
been reported mysterious visits @.
strangers from some other towns-tS7o
ladies, a gentleman who suggested
physician. At times for several days a
woman was said to have been fitting
about the upper rooms, but never in
the ground outside.
Then one night a village lad pass
ing the place arrived at his home, pale
and breathless. with queer story to
relate He had seen a white-robed
| figure appear on an outer balcony OF
| the house singing a wierd, curdling
strain and accompanying the same
with wild. frantic gestures to the
rising full moon. A man had ap-
| peared. forcibly bearing her into the
| house amid her ringing screams
There was a local art society and
several times Mr.. Russell had lee
tured on studio work at the request OF
its director. 1t was at the rooms OF
the society that Nina had met him
and his statuesque face. classic and
clean-cut. had attracted her. He had
returned her greeting when he met her
on the street, but nothing more.
Nina conquered a natural innate
| dread and went nearer to the house
and right up to the broken window
| She ventured to glance in and through
the window to see if any further dam
age was done.
"Oh, dear,'' palpitated Nina and hel
| brow wrinkled in pretty dismay.
The SNOWFALL had landed against g
| chandelier after bursting through the
pane. The impact had shattered it
! so solid was the well-packed sphere
| OutSpreaG upon a drawing board Oil
| rectly under the chandelier was {
sheet of paper, near to it drawing
| utensils and water color plaques
| There was heat in the house, it was
| evident, for Nina could see where the
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Everybody DOING Il.

''It surely does beat all -
The thin carpenter knew when the
fat plumber made the above exclama-
tion that it invited an inquiry, so he
asked:
What beats ALP
Il went to theater the other night
and heard nutty monologue."
"Yes?"
And then went into another place
and heard a campaign orator shoot
ing off his gab.'
"Uh huh"
"And in the next place, which was
n moving-picture theater, blamed if I
didn't run up against the arena scene
from Quo Vadis.'"
Il must say l can't just get the drift
of your talk"
Cant you see? Everywhere I went
I found somebody throwing the bull"
youngstown Telegram
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
SCENES LINGER YET
EVENTS ONE RECALLS FROM OLD
VOLUMES.
BY No Means Always the Most lmpor-
tant Things Recorded That Remain
in the Memory After a
Lapse of Time.

There is q peculiar pleasure In Striv-
Ing TO remember something of books
enjoyed years ago and never read
again. 1t happened with us, and may
with most people, that in many in
stances one or two scenes, one or two
gestures, starting out of a sort of fog,
stand for the whole book. There are
| numerous fogs and each one has it's
own quality.
All that is left to us of Rob Roy"
Don Marquis writes in the New York
Sun. its a woman with a broadSword in
her hand who stands upon a rocky way
that OverhangS a lake and screams
forth q vehement command Someone,
we believe, is about to be cast over the
precipice at this furious lady's order.
| The earth round about is reddish
brown and overhead the clouds are
moving rapidly.
BLEAK House" is woman who clingS
| to an iron gate and peers through its
bars. And we have also some faint rec
objection of an echo that was like the
| fOOtStep of a sentinel ghost. The fog
| from which energies the WON'T 4 at the
| iron gate is more than fog; it is a black
vapor-inky black.
We cannot see the heroine of Lorna
| DOone" at all, but we still know how
| John Ridd felt when he all but
| drowned in a swirling, icy pool; we can
| still see him as he bends over and tries
| to catch little fish with his fingers in
| the cold brook just before he falls into
| the pool. The pale glitter of a faint
| sun upon shaken drops of water and n
sense Of much snow and rain generally
are our only other impressions of the
| book.
TON Sawyer" is boy cropping and
| fearing in a cave; of Toms humorous
| pranks we remember nothing. "Huckle-
| berry Finn" we almost know by heart,
| times
In '"Toilers of the Sea-" where the
man is seized by the devilfish as he
| himself is hunting crabs to eat, Hugo
| deliberately builds up a scene which is
the epitome of the whole tremendous
nal struggle between man and nature
| (animate and inanimate) which the
| book dramatiZes. And yet, for all HUI
| COS craft and power that scene thrills
us less-speaks less stirringly to our
blood and nerves-than one incident
| of far less significance in the same vol
| ume.
This incident, which stirs us more,
deals merely with the murder of a
guard on the edge of cliff that over
looks the sea. 1t is thing that in no
wise touches the moral bones of the
story; it is not essential to the struc-
ture of the tale as q tale; another de-
vice might have been used if Hugo had
not evidently fancied this one for his
| own sake. But it gets itself remem-
bered. The devilfish scene informed
though it is of the essential spirit of
the book expressed in the terms of ply
steal conflict, will have left us long be-
fore we forget the cOastguardsman's
murder.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Recovering Used Rubber.

In n French method of rubber recov-
cry, that of c. de Villers, pneumatic
tire covers or other rubber fabrics are
placed in closed vessel containing
tetrachlorethane, and this is heated by
steam or otherwise. To remove uncom-
oined sulphur, the heating continues
only until the sulphur is dissolved, the
solvent being poured off before the
rubber is attacked. Fresh solvent IS
kept at the boiling point Of the liquid
about an hour, when the rubber in turn
becomes dissolved. The solution Is
separated by filter press, when the SOL
vent may be separated and recovered
by distillation.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
"a Stray
Snowfall
- ~
By
Florence l.. Henderson
Copyright. 1916, by W. G. Chapman

Copyright. 1916, by W. G. Chapman
Here, miss-glve him as good as
he sent and well join in.'
A SNOWFALL, hard as rock and spot
ted and lined with frozen dirt and
gravel, was pressed into Nina Lay
tons daintily gloved hand.
The lad who had provided her with
this ammunition, together with his
comrades, sent fuSilade after the
scampish urchin who had missed his
mark and landed snowy sphere
across the neck of the passing young
lady. The effect was discontinue, for
shs loose snow fluttered inside her fur
collar. She laughed merrily, however,
fer that was her sunny way. Then
she directed the hard sphere pressed
into her hand after the scudding refu-
gee.
"Awh don't you know a girl can't
throw?" yelled a derisive voice.
Indeed, l CAM" disputed Nina, and
then-'oh, dear! how clumsy
She stood rooted in dismay. Her
Mai lIdu DSSH SetuIy 1T
She had flung with vim, but her aim
had been erratic and
CRASH Past the flying fugitive
the SNOWFALL had sped. 1t cleared a
high picket fence and, headed for a
habitation it inclosed struck win
dow pane, burst through it and disap-
peared, leaving the discomposed cul-
prit dumbed and abaShed.
The group of urchins, spying a
farmers bob coming down the street,
dispersed in it's direction. Nina stood
rooted, expecting each moment to see
someone come out of the house seek
ing to learn the cause Of the destruc-
tive bOmbardment
There was not the least sign Of in
terest or occupancy about the house,
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10

bones with shreds of meat, cooked
meats meal worms. cut-up apples, bird
seed. buckwheat, crackers, crumbs, CO.
conut meat, cracked corn, broken dog
biscuits or other bread hemp seed, mil
let, nut meats of all kinds Especially
peanuts), whole or rolled oats, pep
pers, popcorn, pumpkin or squash
seeds raw or boiled rice, sunflower
seed and wheat.
The methods of making these sup
plies available to birds are as varied
as the dietary itself. A device very
commonly used is the food tray or
shelf Gig. ID. This may be put on a
tree or pole by window or at some
other point about q building, or strung
upon wire or other support on
which it may be run back and forth.
The last device is useful In accustom-
ing birds to feed nearer and nearer
comfortable observation point. A
fault with food shelves is that wind
and rain may sweep them clean and
SNOW may cover the food. These de-
fects may be obviated in part by add
ing raised edge about the margin
or by placing the shelf in the shelter
of wall or shielding 1t with evergreen
branches on one or more sides.
Feeding devices not affected by the
weather are preferable. An excellent
one is a coconut with hole bored
In one end Gig. y. The cavity is
filled with chopped suet and nuts or
other food mixture. and the nut is
suspended by wire from a limb. The
Size of the hole regulates the charac-
ter of the guests; if small. large birds
cannot gobble the supply. The coco
nut meat as well as the Stuffing is eat
en- Cans with small openings may be
substituted for coconutS. Food 6as-
kets of any desired size made of wire
netting or metal grating may be
hung up or fastened to the trunk of a
tree Food mixtures in melted fat
may be poured into holes made in q
branch or stick Gig. 81 or in cracks
of bark or over evergreen branches
Ali of these devices minimize or obvi.
are the disturbing effects OF stormy
weather.
More elaborate apparatus for the
same purpose comprises various forms
of food hoppers and food houses The
food hoppers in common use for do
nestle fowls are adapted to the feed
Ing of birds, and some special forms
are now manufactured for wild birds
The food house is permanent
structure. with solid roof. and glass
on one or more sides to permit obser
vations Gig. A.. The food trays i
contains are entirely sheltered from
the weather. In one style this result
is obtained by mounting the house Oh
pivot and furnishing it with vane
Gig. 81 which keep the open side al
ways away from the wind.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10

Game birds and sparrows may be
provided with feeding places by erect
ing low hutches or making wigwam-
like shocks of corn or grain SheaveS
under which food may be scattered.
The opening should be to the south.
Those who desire to have birds
about their homes should not feel that
their power to attract them is gone
when winter is over. Winter feeding
easily passes into summer feeding,
and experience proves that some
birds gladly avail themselves through
out the year of this easy mode of get
ting a living.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
His Thanks.

a farmland saved a train from be-
ing wrecked and at q splendid banquet
was presented by the railway com
pany with a gold watch in a red mo-
rocco case. The company's chairman,
at the end of an eloquent speech
handed the watch to the heroic farm
hand and waited expectantly to hear
the yOkers grateful thanks. The farm
hand opened the morocco case, took
the watch from it's rich satin bed,
turned it over and over, and then
looked up and asked, 'And where's the
chainT'
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Why Watches Lose Time.

The reason for variations in the
housekeeping qualities of a well-regu-
lated watch have been the subject of
investigation by scientists recently.
The popular theories that animal
magnetism and bodily temperature are
causes are denied by the investigators.
Rather. different rhythms of move
ment as well. as thu angle II which a
watch hangs. are given as real Cause
for neutrality-suspicious. Advertis-
er-Journal
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Takes Casts of Records.

Joseph Sanders of Washington has
just patented a method Of making
monograph records. He makes disk
of material that becomes plastic under
heat; heats only that part which is to
bear the record, sprinkles powder
over this part and impresses record
upon the heated surface under high
pressure Thus he takes a cast of any
record on his disk and forces the cen
trail part that is to bear the label out
of the plane of annular margin, or rec
ord part
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10

small bottle of olives. Have you some
nice lettuce? Well send me fifteen
cents worth, and 1 want fifteen cents
worth of tomatoes, and will you pick
out nice ones, please? The last to-
matoes you sent me weren't very good.
1 believe that is ALL No, I want q
pound of walnuts, the smallest bottle
of cherries you have, a package of
gelatin and bottle Of double cream
But if different kind Of kinfolks
are coming, she says to the grocery
man: "Send me loaf of bread and a
can of hominy." You see, she already
has some Spuds in the house.-Fort
Worth Star-Telegram.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Turnino on the Liohts

The regulations by which lights were
ordered extinguished or dimmed and
the Port Of st. Johns, Newfoundland,
closed few weeks ago as 'precau-
tionary measures taken against the
lncurSiOns of hostile ships of war;"
have been suspended by Governor Da-
wilson. The notice gives no indica-
ton of the developments responsible
for the change. Lighthouses were out
Of commission, shops were closed early
or conducted behind shattered win
dows, automobiles showed only faint
sidelights and streets were kept dark.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
In Receptive Mood.

"Our graduating class comprises 35
young ladies'"
'How many of them have planned
careers|'
''None that / know of Most of them
are waiting for some movie company
to snap them p."-Pittsburgh Dis
patch.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Yes. Very Dry.

yes" said Gap Johnson of Rumpus
Ridge, Ark, 'it's pretty tollable dry
out my way. It's got so, in fact, that
about half of the time three or four
of my smallest children get practically
covered up while playing in the road
and can't be found till their NAV yells
for 'em to come to dinner or an au-
tomobile comes ripping along and
knocks 'em out of the dust"
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
A Proud Moment.

"How was the musicale at Mrs.
Gadder's house?"
"a great success from Mrs. Cad
der's point of view."
"YesT'
Everyone who attended professed
artists who took part
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Fixjnu for kinfoIks.

When one kind of kinfOlks are com
ing out to dinner, wife calls up the
grocery man and says:
"Have you some nice friers? Well,
send me two Of the smallest ones you
have. If your celery is real nice yOd
may send me bunch of it. The last
l got was so old that l had to throw
it away. And, let me see, | want Z
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Knowledge UnreNeaied.

"How is your boy Josh gettin' On
with his studies?' Il Dunno" replied
Farmer Corntossel. 81 guess Josh is
trainin' himself to be one o these dip
lomatS. If he. has succeeded in learn
in anything worth talkin' about he
cret"
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
True HAPPINESS.

True happiness rests on content
ment and is q state of mind rather
than a condition of the body. Blessed
slim purse and a ragged coat. But
gosh all hemlock, there amt no such
animal.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Easily ChanQed.

rs your portable garage satisfac-
tory?''
''Oh, yes. replied the suburban
dweller: 'it- suits me very we'll and
I'm glad for my wife's sake that I
bought the portable kind"
'sWhy SOP
'She's had it moved half a dozen
times because she didn't think it
looked we'll from the street. "-Birm-
ingham Age-Herald.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
GATHERED oUIPS

Ants preach frugality by deeds and
not by word.
New friends and old enemies are
not above suspicion.
Candidates who "also ran" acquire
lot of experience.
It's better to have poor opinion
than to have none at all.
Where there's will there's q lot OF
disappointed relations.
The charitable man never has to
wait long for chance TO get busy.
guilty conscience needs no ac-
cuser, but it nearly always has one.
When man talks to himself he's
apt TO be more eloquent than inter
esting
But you can't always tell by mans
N>AoiiS "hSluSi hS - d AooA va " SNh'NS-
With the man who always knows
what others should do, there is but lit
tie doing.
The world is slow TO recognize n
genius because it has been gold bricked
so often in that line.
Money makes the mare go, a bar
gain advertisement makes the woman
go, and a green picked muskmelon
makes the mango.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Industry.

"Bliggins says he got on by burning
the midnight oil"
swell, keeping late hours did help
him some He danced all night three
or four times week till finally he
met a rich girl and married her.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
With a Torch on His Nose.

OF all the luminous varieties of fish
the torchtish is one of the most unique.
Upon its nose and erect upon a short
stem, it has a small organ which is
phosphorescent. This the fish has the
power to make glow at will.
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Quite Natural, Too,

rs your wife interested in the Eu-
rOpean campaign?"
Not much" replied Mr. Twobble
ashes more interested in the social
campaign of the Flitterbys, who live
around the corner"
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Ea Sy Marks.

'This world would be a pleasanter
In it,
Eyes; but it would be more difficult
to make living"
The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-10
Cultivate COURTESY,

How sweet and gracious even in
common speech is that sense which we
call courtesy. 1t Iransmutes aliens
into trusting friends. and gives its
owner passport round the world
James 7. Field.