davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-27

The new charter for Bridgeport
 creating a new office of city manager
 is now before the people. The elect ion is just a month off. What will
Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-27
CLEANED FROM FOREIGN EXCHANGES

If the Boy Scouts have their own calendar they must mark this day July 12th) in red 1etters-the cen rerary of the birth of Thoreau. As a cultured wild man of the woods he | had all the arts and wiles which are mysteries to townsmen, but second na- lure to Red Indians and B. P-'s wood rangers. Some of the feats he achieved were not So strange as they seemed 10 Emerson and R. L. s. Any fish poacher can tickle trout; and squirrels used to play lea apfrog on Darwin s hack. ard. before the fire, come un- invited 70 the study of Sir Edward Grey's beautiful old home, immediately he returned from town.
 But Thoreau's interpretation of na- ture was wonderful. He seemed to preserve a faculty of detection and deduction which was congenita1 moth CT wit in our arboreal ancestors, but now lost to all but an occasional Thoreau. He arrived intuitively at the explanation of phenomena to winch Darwin would have worried through. No one doubts which was the greater or more loveable man. But Thoreau was teacher. He might not have fought in this war. but in his writ ings are a thousand golden guides to right which would have prevented the war from taking place.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-27

Sir F Elliott, the British Minister at Athens, was received by the For eign Secretary at the Foreign Ohce.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-27

From the scraps of the Army mess es. at home 1.250 tons of glycerine a year are being extracted. That pro- vides the means Of firing 19 million 1S-pounder shells at the Germans said Lieut. Col. T. Leigh Wood at the Economy Exhibition on Saturday.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
RODAYA LOWEST OF Castles
Those Who Survive Are to Be Found
Today In Handy, the OId-Time Cap
itai Of Ceylon.

The old-time capital of Ceylon Is
city rich with the usual picturesque
ness of the East, and having two or
three unusual points about it as well.
In Randy you will find the Rodaya
caste, one of the few Buddhist castles
whose origin is matter of history.
Randy, too, contains the most sacred
object in the Orient. no less a relic
than tooth Of Buddha. These two
features are Kandy's principal claims
to fame and interest.
1t is written that the Rodaya had
their origin in the sentence pronounced
by an old-time king who charged that
they served his table with the flesh OF
pigs instead of the flesh Of deer. For
this crime he made them the lowest
of all castles. and their lot has not
been happy one. There are perhaps
500 of them left today: they may be
seen daily around the outskirts OF
Randy. They nre not allowed TO live
In houses. but inha5it miserable lean
tos. They have no recourse to native
courts of Justice. although under the
English law they are not Disseminated
against. They may not use a bridge,
but have to swim all streams. They
must kneel when addressing the higher
castles. When the shadow of one OF
them falls upon food, the food cannot
be eaten.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
KEEP UP ANCIENT CUSTOMS
widely Separated Communities, Ven-
Ice and Cork, Maintain Curious
! Ceremony Of Throwing Dart.

In widely differing communities
Venice and Cork-there obtains Gu
rious ceremony, that of throwing the
dart. In the first case this Is an an
cient custom signifying the marriage
of the Adrlatic. Every year since 117I,
on Ascension day, Venice has been
made the bride of the sea, and the
throwing of the dart is picturesque
feature of picturesque ceremony.
Equally interesting are the, circum-
stances attaching to the simltr rune
ton on the first Thursday of Septem-
ber in Cork harbor, Ireland.
BY virtue of clause In the city
charter the mayor of Cork Is consti-
tuted admiral of the port. Every three
years he must evidence his jurisdic-
ton by throwing a dart into the sea.
At two o'clock in the afternoon the
mayor, the town council, all the civic
officers, and the band of the Cork civil
artillery embark on vessel and pro-
ceed to point between Poor Head
and Cork Head, which IS held to be
the maritime boundary of the borough.
The mayor dons his official robes,
and, attended by the mace and sword
bearer, the city treasurer and the town
clerk, likewise wearing their official
robes, goes to the Prov of the vessel
;and launches into the sea dart made
of mahogany tipped and winged with
bronze, in this way asserting his au-
thority as lord high admiral of the
port,
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
SEEMS TO FIND LITTLE JOY
Possibly Premonition of Its Fate
Makes the Turkey Such Con-
firmed Pessimist.

The turkey is a serious bird. The
expression written on his bill, as he
looks mournfully out over the world
or walks solemnly, his long neck sway
ing here and there in search of the
passing grasshopper, is that of set
tied melancholy due to the certainty
of fate and to the hereditary loss Of
his illusions.
For, ever since the days Of the Pill
grim Fathers, the lives of countless
generations Of the turkey family have
been cut short in their prime by sud-
den and bloody tragedy. What would
be the effect upon the minds and
hearts of human family if every
member of it for 300 years back had
met a violent and bloody end just upon
reaching maturity? A pail would hang
over the annals of the house. Despair
fixed and settled, would be written
into the very constitutions of its MEM
bers, and life would become IL burden,
a curse almost too great to be borne.
1t must have been that one of the
Pilgrim Fathers, viewing the end Of
the turkey as symbolic of that of
man, wrote that cheerful dirty which
our ancestors were accustomed to
sing in their gathering for divine wor-
ship:
Thy years are one eternal day,
And must thy children die so soon?
Minneapolis Journal.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
A Saurian Survival.

The dingonck, says ]. A. Jordan in
the Wide World, is a huge, unclassited
aquatic monster. 1t resembles, in
many of its characteristics, the extinct
dinOsaur, huge reptile of the MeSo-
Zoic period, fossils of which have been
discovered by paleontologists in the
sandstone strata both of the African
and American continents.
1t lives in Lake Victoria Nyanza
and its numerous tributaries, and
There is no record Of the monster hav-
ing been seen in any other part of the
world. Whether ii is Il descendant Of
one of the huge prehistoric saurians
that has by Il process of adaptation
living as it does in impcnetrable re-
gions far away from the encratch-
ments of civilized man-continucd
with but slight notifications through
prodigiouS ages to the present time, or
whether it is an uncaSsiticd reptile
or amphiban, it is equally impossible
to say, as no specimen exists either
of its bones or of its skin. That this
monster does exist however, there can
be no particle of doubt, as the tcSti-
mony of authoritative eye-witnesses
cannot be reasonably diScrcdited.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
MAKES NEW TYPE OF GUN
English Manufacturer Produces
Weapon With One Barrel Above
Other instead of Side by Side.

A prominent gun manufacturer IN
England has recently produced dou-
lble-barreled shotgun having one barrel
above the other instead of the two be-
ing side by side, says Popular Me-
chanicS Magazine. This arrangement,
it is claimed. offers considerable advan-
.tage in aiming, for the hunter is not
confused by Il barrel either side the
line of aim. The breadth of the dOu-
Bile barrel.is reduced by more than one
half, thus permitting the game to be
seen up to the moment of firing.
The fore end of the stock is so fash
ioned that it fills the left hand and
allows firm grip to be obtained, while
the arrangement of the barrels brings
that hand we'll below the line of vision
when aiming. The gun Is equipped
with a single trigger and a special
lock which make possible light pull
off, If desired.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
American Pin Globe Irotter.

The American pm goes the wide
world around, and our exports are
pretty equally divided between the or
dinary pin and the safety pin. Mis-
sionaries from Africa and Asia say
that the American safety pin Is SO
highly valued that ii takes the place
Of currency. Manila is said to be
taking 100000 gross annually, and Italy
bought last year 2,I60,0O0 safety pins
The reason for this is the shortage of
supplies from European countries
England, France and Italy need the
metals for military purposes, and Ger
many and Austria will not make pins
even If they could get them out of the
country, because they need the metal
too badly for guns and shells. The
American pin made by machinery is
Of superior quality. and the machines
are so developed that they can be fur
nished even more cheaply than by the
cheap labor in Europe.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
Joy in Thanksqivinq.

1t is a pity that so few pious peo-
pie have learned how to participate
In the deep happiness that is con-
tanned in thanksgiving to God for
events that bring joy or for happy
days. If some joyous event comes
quite unexpectedly or long desired
into our life, if father or son returns
from the war, If convalescence comes
at last, if victory is won, how warm
and generous then rises the impulse
from the souls depths. to seek a
Spirit whom one can thank for 1t
all Happy he who knows then the
way to the throne of God! Then the
vibrations of the soul ring out a JOY
Gus Thanksgiving to God. This
thanksgiving to him to whom in faith
we attribute the event gives 1t it's
significance, gives it place in vast
er, holy process, that Is above all 9TH
er things.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
.HE Greek islands,, many OF
which have taken a prominent
part in the VeneZelist move
= f..ll 1.f s.,ta To tho

"HE Greek islands,. many OF
which have taken prominent
part in the VeneZeist move
Il ment, are full of interest to the
student of classical mythology, the
artist, and the geologist. The follow
ing >,count in the Sphere describes
visit to one particular group-the Cy-
clades We were warned that we must
know Greek and that Athens would
interest us very much, but the Cy-
clades not at all! / was not, however
to be put off we started one evening
from Piraeus--two ladies alone-and
after two nights and day anchored
In the pretty little harbOr of Santorin;
and there 900 feet above US, perched
on the top of the cliff, lies the modern
town of Thera, or Phera.
A collection of boys with their dom
keys were waiting to take up the pas
sengers and their luggage, as there are
no carriages, and 20 minutes ride
along a zigzag path brought us to the
summit. The less said about the ho-
tells the better, but with the assistance
of some kind friends, charming ride
was arranged for the following day.
We went to the top of Mount Elias,
the highest point Of the island, and
down below at our feet was Messa-
vouna, the ancient town Of Thera, full
of interesting old remains. In Greek
legend, the island of Thera was corr
nected with the story of the Argo-
nauts, and was represented rs sprung
from a cod of earth which was pre-
scented to those heroes by Triton. After
the fourth Crusade it received the
name of Santorn, |. e., st. Irene, the
patron saint of the place.
Standing on Volcano.
From earliest times it has been
center of volcanic agency; we were
reminded of this on the Kaumene
islands, where the heat of the water,
the smell of the sulphur, and the
smoke that oozed out under our feet
made IL very evident that we were
standing on the crater, and / was
thankful when we got safely off to the
harbor where we had to wait for our
boat, which was to take us to NaXos.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
SeIhshness.

We are practical beings, each Of us
with limited functions and duties to
perform. Each is bound to feel in
tensely the Importance of his own
duties and the significance of the situ-
ations that call these forth But this
feeling is in each of us vital secret,
for sympathy with which we vainly
look to others The others are too
much absorbed in their own vital Sc
crets to take an interest in ours. Hence
the stupidity and injustice of our opin-
ions, as far as they deal with the sig
nificance of alien lives. Hence the
falsity of our judgments, so far as
they presume to decide in an absolute
way on the value of other persons con-
ditions or ideas.-William James.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
WILL NEED METRIC SYSTEM
United States Will Find Adoption Of
| New Measurements More lmpor-
tant After War. Is Claim.

When the war is ended we shall
have greater need than ever before
of an international standard of
weights and measures says the Amer
lean Penman. The continent of Eu-
rope and South America use the meter,
the gram and the liter. 1t is absurd
for us to use the metric system for our
money and yet cling to the archaic
"yard," pound" and gallon" These
terms are Anglo-SaXon traditions,
childish in these days.
The growth of our large cities has
almost destroyed the old-time exact
appreciation of weights and measures
by our people. The latest generation
in the cities does not know what a
"bushel," peck or quart actually Is,
nor do they know correctly what a
gallon" quart" or "pint" is. Per-
haps only automobilists can visualize
"gallon." "Pint" in a big city means
queer, varying quantity of liquid
held in a bottle or pail. This quantity
is rarely an exact pint.
The city population buys it's vege.
tables and fruit supplies mostly by
'baSket" or bag" without any regard
to the old "dry measure of the arith.
mctics. One Of the queerest habits
that has grown up in cities is the buy
ing of such things as sugar and flour
in packages of "31s pounds each.
We have clung to the pound" with
some intelligence-becaus it is vital
necessity in the absence of the more
scientific "gram," and the "mile"-in
sheer necessity because we have not
yet the international "kilOmeter.'
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29

There we sat on terrace listening to
the soothing sound of the water
against the fishing boats and watching
the approaching night coming on,
family lit up by beautiful new moon.
About nine o'clock our Greek steamer
appeared through the darkness, bril-
liantly lit up, and slowly glided into
the harbor; 1t was like scene In
fairyland.
Early next morning we reached
Naxos the town stretches picturesque
ly up the slopes of a rock hill rising
from the sandy beach and dominated
by the ruined castle Of the Frankish
dukes.
Two nights were all we could spend
here as we were anxious to get on to
Delos. On inquiry we heard that no
steamers went there; that two Eng.
liShmen had once crossed in little
open boat, but that it was dangerous
undertaking. Being fine day, l de-
termined to risk it and to start at
once. A little sailing boat, the Evan
gelista, was got ready, and at 2 o'clock
we were under way, with our crew
of four Greek sailors, and myself at
the helm.
What pleasure was that sail across
the Egean sea, "spell-bound within
the clustering Cyclades"! A feeling
of mystery and awe came over US as
the night began to fall and we entered
the sacred harbor of Delos.
Sacred Isle Of DeIos.
There are no hotels on this island
in fact, it is absolutely without per-
manent inhabitant- but we had met
the director of the french excavations
fru1ted in the conservatory or In the
open ground, where there Is three
months warm summer weather, there
has been great demand for the
quick-bearing varieties by people anx-
ious to grow fresh figs. These vari-
eties begin to fruit by the time the
young shoots are inches long and
form a fig at every leaf. Unlike ap-
pies, peaches and other fruits Of the
kind, the fig Is more like the raspberry
or blackberry in the respect that the
fruit does not ripen all at one time.
Figs continue to develop and ripen
fruit until checked by cold weather.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29

The sun was setting in Il blaze Of
glory and the man and woman We're
playing the chief parts in life's eternal
drama. The evening before the man
had claimed the woman as his own,
and the world was new and beautiful
to them. A whole day had passed
since they had seen one another, and
now that they had met again the woln'
an could have swooned for joy.
1T has been the longest day of the
year today" said the man softly, in an
unemployed interval.
She thrilled ut the words. He had
missed her, then. 1t had been long
day for her, too.
dearest" she murmured coyly,
longing to hear from his dear lips
why the day had dragged, "why has
the day been long?"
son, you surely know, my own,' he
whispered. ITS the DIST of June!"
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
Island of Santorin.

in Piraeus, and he had very kindly of
fered to put us up. However, as the
wire we had sent never reached him,
our arrival caused him no little sur
prise; he had seen our boat, and
thought we were Greeks carrying con-
traband goods.
Delos is the smallest but the most
famous of the Cyclades, and the birth
place of Diana and Apollo, to whom it
has been forever sacred. In 426
B. c., to ensure the sanctity of the
island, the Athenians passed law
that anyone whose condition seemed
to threaten it's pollution by either
birth or death should be at once re-
moved and finally they expelled all
secular Inhabitants.
The following morning Monsieur
Replat took us all" over the ruins,
which are very extensive; he had
good deal to do with the excavations
at Delphi, and considers these even
more interesting. We saw the site of
the ancient city where, under the
Roman empire, thousand slaves were
often put up for sale in single day.
Further on was the pOrtico erected by
Philip of MacedOn, and the base of the
colossal statue dedicated to the Delian
Apollo by the people of Naxos.
Climbing to the rocky peak of Mount
Cynthus, we came upon theater OF
beautiful Parian marble, and little
further on the remains of very early
temple of Isis. But our time was near
ly up; below in the harbor we could
see the Evangelista with our crew
ready, impatient to start, and after
q hurried lunch we took leave of our
kind host and sailed for Syra, and so
TO the PiraeuS.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29

or pot culture the fig requires about
the same treatment as rubber plant,
and if supplied with plenty of water
the fruit will ripen. Vigorous plants
will have fruit in all stages of devel-
opment, from the smallest green fruit
to the ripe figs ready for picking and
eating.
Celeste bears rather small fruit of
high quality, but is not very produc-
tive. Ischa has a green exterior, the
inside of the fruit being blood red.
Hirtu Japan is an abundant bearer and
Magnolia bears large pear-shaped
fruit.
One fig enthusiast writes that his
figs stood zero weather last year,
though when first set out freezing
weather would kill them. AS they be-
come acclimatcd the plants stand cold
er weather. A gardener in Pennsyl-
vania says her tig tree has withstood
90 winters with protection. The tree
is bent over to the ground in winter
and covered with straw and earth.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29

:
Self confidence il gedi!y based nri
mariy upon ones "1nsciousnoSs of his
own powers or of his deficiencies. A
clear understanding of this fact will
help to simplify the. problem. 1t Is
perfectly clear, for instance, that the
man who is poorly educated, who has
neglected his opportunities, who is un'
disciplined who lacks self-restraint
who is truly incompetent in practically
all directions, and who is at the same
time conscious of his deficiencies, can
not expect to enjoy any degree of self
confidence.-Physica Culture.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
Woman School Director In Pekinu,

Peking has its first woman school
director in the person of Mrs. Chu
Ping-hsia, who has just been appointed
director Of the Peking Girls Normal
school by the minister of education.
Mrs. Chu is young Wellesley gradu-
ate, who left brilliant record behind
her in America. Since her return to
China she has been editor in chief Of
the Women's Magazine. published in
Shanghai,
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
The cIeanIy Eel.

Fresh water eels are very clean feed
ers; they are sometimes seen cropping
the leaves of watercresses and other
aquatic plants as they float about in
the water; but they are immense de-
vourers of spawn of all kinds of fish.
There are certain well-known spawn
ing grounds in the Norfolk Broads
where the roach and Dream collect In
vast numbers to spawn in the spring,
To those grounds the eels follow In
hundreds.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
Busjness Came First.

Some time ago two Chinese generals
had planned battle in the Chengtu
plain writes Owen Williams in the
Christian Herald. 1t was within few
days of the rice harvest. The people
petitioned the generals to call off their
battle until the rice was harvested,
and they did so. Then they went on
with the fighting. But the days of such
common sense are passing. Militarism
is coming to demand more re-
spect than that.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
proLr>ts cf Genius.

There is net bit of routine, how:
ever cheap our unthinking mind may
count it, that was not started by
genius. The Fundamental facilities of
life, the thin@s we use as carelessly
as we tread the pa>ement--the very
fire we light. The tools we handle at
our work, the food we eat-each rep
resents some early triumph of mans
spirit-EXchange
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
Campaianlnq for Safety.

A safety first campaign to minimize
accidents in navy yards, arsenals and
other government establishments has
been launched by the federal EN-.
Dloyees' compensation. commission,
working in cooperation with the ma
tonal safety council Of engineers.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
No Exceptions.

He (scornfully)-A woman can't
keep secret
She (bitterly)-Not with the mean
military census taker making her tell
her real age.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
Full Measure.

Pat-I hear Kelly lost foot In that
railroad accident.
Mike-He lost yard-one of his
own feet and two of his wife's Flown
Topics.
Catoctin clarion., 1917-11-29
GROW FIGS IN FLOWER POTS
Fruit Will Ripen II Given the Same
Treatment That Is Accorded the
Rubber Plant.

The fig is one of the Oldest fruits
known, and since it has become known
that figs can be grown in pots and