davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
Harvesting ShelIac.

Shellac is resinOus substance, de-
posted on the twigs of various trees
in India and southern Asia by the lac
insects. At the proper time the twigs
are broken off by the native collec-
tors and exposed to the sun to kill the
insects and to dry the lac. These
twigs with the attached resin, in
closed insects and ova constitute the
stick lac. Seed lac is obtained from
stick lac by removing the resinous con-
cretions from the twigs and triturat-
ing with water. The greater part Of
the coloring matter is dissolved and
the granular portion, which remains
after drying, is the seed lac. Shell
lac, or shellac, Is obtained by melting
the seed lac in cotton cloth bags, strain
ing and allowing it to drop on to sticks
or leaves. In this way the resin
spreads into thin plates, in which state
it is found in commerce.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
SIKH BOY SCOUTS IN CHINA.

China has q new division of boy
scouts, whose investure recently made
quite a stir In Shanghai. They are
the new order of Sikh boy scouts, and
they wear the conventional khaki with
pride, but it Is their green and white
neck cloths and their red and white
turbans that give them their Indian
picturesqueness.
Many interested spectators watched
the ceremonies attending their organ
ization. The boy scout troops of Shang-
hal, the Wolf Cubs (or junior scouts)
and the Sikh troop formed into three
sides Of hollow square on the lawn
of the Sikh Gurdwara, and the young
Sikhs stood at attention in the center
while Sir Everard Fraser, K. G. M. G.,
British consul general and chief scout,
conducted the ceremonies.
The Sikh branch Of the boy scout
brotherhood is but another indication
OF the way this movement is gaining
in popularity throughout China. Re-
ports come from all parts of the coun-
try of the interest and enthusiasm
with which it is being taken up.
One of the most pretentious displays
occurred In Peking recently, when over
a hundred Of the Using Hua college
boys conducted boy scout exhibition
with much credit to themselves and
pleasure to the spectators.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
hioh Cost of Courtlnu.

All the world may love a lover, but
the trainers Of the new war tax bill
adopted a roundabout way Of showing
their affection, asserts T. F. Logan in
Leslie's. The congressional measure
to raise additional revenue makes
particularly affectionate assault
on the bankroll of the young man
who wishes to demonstrate his
devotion to a maid. If the object of
the youths passion lives reasonably
near him, he may escape the new
tax on kilograms and telephone mes
sages that cost less than Is cents.
Every love letter he writes will cost
him an additional penny, however,
even if he incloses only single burn
ing poem. If a trip to the theater
Is planned, committing lovers who live
more than 80 miles from the play
house must give financial assistance
to the war on the Hohenzollerns. .Ac-
tual admission to the theater demands
an additional ten per cent on the cost
of the tickets. Naturally, the dear
girl will wish to make herself par
ticularly alluring to her ardent swain.
To do so, she must pay two per cent
tax on the perfume essence, toilet wa
ter, lip rouge or face powder that to
her seems the most effective device.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
PLIGHT OF TROUSERLEsS MAN
Wind Blowing Door Shut Leaves Him
In Predicament, Causing Hasty Re-
treat to Garage In Rear.

A certain North side man, the In
dianapolis News had a patriotic gar
den and it was his habit to get up with
the sun, don khaki trousers, drink
cupful of coffee and work until his
wife called him to breakfast, about
two hours later.
He rose about five o'clock one morn
ing and dressed completely-all but
the khaki trousers, which he kept in
the basement. He descended the stairs
and was on the way to the basement
when he saw outside bottle Of cream
left by the milkman. Thinking of the
effect of sunlight on cream and of his
down the street, opened the door,
stepped out grabbed the bottle hurried
ly. Just as he turned to 60 in he heard
a slam-the wind had blown the door
shut. He found himself out on the
front porch, fully dressed, with the ex-
ception of pair of trousers. The door
was locked. He looked wildly up and
down the street, vaulted the low ce-
ment railing and made a bee-line for
the garage, the only available place of
refuge and seclusion. He remained in
the garage until his wife learned Of
his predicament, about two hours la
ter, and came to his rescue.
The story would have remained a
dark secret had rot a neighbor-a
woman, too-seen the whole affair and
witnessed, the mad scramble for the
garage.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
WOMEN AS GREAT ORGANIZERS
Matrons Conduct Large National
Gatherings With Zest and Order,
and Not q Man Is to Be Seen.

In the last 20 or % years particu-
larly the women Of this country have
become past masters in developing
nationwide organizations. The groups
which they have formed sometimes
number as many as a million women.
They take great delight in the perfec-
ton Of their machinery. Much of the
social awakening among women, the
desire to improve their surroundings,
comes from the stimulus and the edu-
cation they get from their organiza-
tiOns.
But these organizations, it should be
noted, are voluntary, writes Ida M.
Tarbell in Harper's Magazine. They
are directed to some purpose which
appeals particularly to the group.
Each stands on its own feet-that is,
they are not cooperative organiza-
tions; and again, they have nothing to
do with men. Go to one of their
national gatherings. You will see
meetings conducted with zest, an or
der, a directness which throws in the
shade almost any mems convention 1
ever saw, and not man to be seen
anywhere.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
STUFF HEROES ARE MADE OF
ness and Family Of Four Young
sters to Join the Army.

The Charlotte Observer is in receipt
of letter from a gentleman in South
Dakota, inclosing check and asking
that the Observer be mailed to him as
long as the South Dakota troops are
at Camp Greene, as he has a son in
the One Hundred and Forty-seventh
field artillery. The father wrote:
81 have son in the One Hundred
and FOrty-seventh field artillery, For
ty-first division, Camp Greene. You
will also see his name on the heading
of this letter. I miss him very much,
as / depended very much on him in
the business and expected in my de-
clining years to turn the whole busi-
ness over to him. But his country
called him. He was West Pointer,
but had resigned to help me. He has
wife and four little ones at home.
Look him up and give him my love.
Give us all the Camp Greene news
you can of his regiment or battery"
He has q wife and four little ones,
but his country called him and he
heard and needed. 1t is of such stuff
that heroes are made.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
WAR PROPHECY COMES TRUE
Russian Bankers Prediction Seven
Years Ago Provided for Famine
and the Bankruptcy Of Nations.

Only seven years ago M. Bloch, the
great Russian banker, wrote: THAT
Is the future of war-not fighting, but
famine; not the Staying of men, but
the bankruptcy of nations, and the
breaking up of the whole social or
ganizatiOn of the nations"
The future of war, as written about
by M. Bloch seven years ago, is the
present of war today, observes Ver-
non Kellogg in the Atlantic. Not that
fighting and the Staying of men are
lessened. Only the Napoleonic and
the Thirty Years wars approach to-
days war in the terrible losses of hui
man life; and too great a drain on
the human life of any one or several
Of the nations engaged may be the de-
Gliding factor in the wars conclusion.
But on the whole and as matters stand
today, that part of M. Bloch's prophecy
referring to the predominant influence
Of the food problem in modern war
Is thoroughly borne out by the facts.
Despite the fearful and fatal strug-
Cling of an incredible number of men,
consuming incOnceivable quantities of
munitions, and using such amazing
methods of fighting as are beyond even
the fantastic imaginings of the ro-
mancers of a decade ago, the national
and international phases of the food
and general economic problem are the
predominant features of the war sit
uation today.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
"MEATV CRY BELGIAN WAITS
Hungry Children March Through
Streets Shouting for Food-Fed
by the Red Cross.

The desperate condition of the CIV
ilian population of Belgium and north
ern France, who are being repatriated,
and the work of the Red Cross in re-
storing them to normal health Is
graphically described in report to
Red Cross headquarters from Evain,
where repatriates are received. These
destitute people are returning to their
land at the rate of 1000 week, 80
per cent of them children. Their hard
ships have been so acute that OF the
adults who return 80 per cent die the
first month from exhaustion.
"There arrived recently" says the
report, "a train loaded with Belgian
children, $50 of them, thin, sickly,
alone, all between ages of four and
twelve, children Of men who refused
to work for the Germans and of meth
ers who let their children go rather
than let them starye. They poured
off the train.
'They had come all the long way
alone. The children poured out the
station, marched along the street,
shouting, "Meat, meat, we are going
to have meat = to the Casino, where
they were given square meal. the
first in many months"
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
Gold Hidden Amonu Pork.

The customs authorities at one Of
the ports of Texas keep an eagle eye
upon the incoming and outgoing ships
of that part, and their vigilance has
been rewarded by happy find Of gold,
hidden away among a cargo of pork,
in the hold Of vessel chartered for
Barcelona, Spain, but strongly sus-
pected as intended for Berlin.
An investigation conducted by the
district attorney resulted In the arrest
Of three members of the crew, charged
with violating the presidents procla-
nation of September z.
While officials declined to make de-
tails public, it is understood that a
draft on a Havana bank for the full
amount was presented by the ships
cook and was cashed by local bank.
The sacks Of gold were taken on board
by the cook, the ships storekeeper, and
one of the stewards, all three Of whom
were put in Jail.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
IIIiteracy Before the War.

It is difficult to make comparisons
of illiteracy In France, England,
Spain and Portugal. Austria
and Scotland before the war, because
different methods of taking the count
are used In the various countries. In
giving the percentage Of illiteracy in
the countries below, there is indicated
in the parenthesis the basis on which
the computation was matte, notes an
investigator: Austria, 1877 (popula-
ton over eleven years, 1910); Eng
land and Wales, 1.8 (marriages, 1901
1910 France, 14.1 population over
ten years, 1905 or Al, marriages 1901
191OO Hungary, 1873 population over
six years, based on number unable to
read and write, 1910); Portugal, $50
population over ten years, 1911, based
on inability to ready; Scotland, 1.6
marriages 19O1-1910); Spain, 5S.7
population over ten years.. Except
in the cases mentioned, the term IL
literacy Is used to mean all persons
unable to write their own language.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
Speeding Up Lumber Business.

From log to lumber is rapid trans
formation after the log is fished from
the pond, hauled up the log slip and
thrown on the skid, off which it rolls
on to the carriage, where it is turn
ed into correct position by the
"steam nigger," fastened on the car
riage, and cut into shape and form for
use by the big saws, of which there
are three kinds. band, circular and
gang, a process which requires but a
few minutes. Half an hour later the
lumber is in the dry kiln, or, If timbers
have been cut, they are waiting on the
timber docks, ready for loading on
freight cars.
Reports received at the offices of the
Southern Pine association show that
a majority Of mills are now handling
the governments war business on q
six-day schedule. This is, within a
week from the time a government Or
der is received, the trees have been
cut from the forest, hauled to the mill,
manufactured, kiln-dried if neces-
sary, placed on freight cars and de-
livered to points of destination.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
H6I3OI&
S(UJT S
Conducted by National Council Of the Boy
Scouts of America)
ENDING "BOY PROBLEM"

G. f. Wycoff, head Of the boy scout
movement in Terre Haute, recently
told the students of the Indiana State
Normal school that he spent last sum-
mer at the Chicago school for boy
scouts, working with 125 scouts who
had been taken from all parts of the
city, and that he did not hear a single
word from those boys that was in any
way vulgar, which tends to show what
may be accomplished In the lives of
the American boys through the carry
Ing out of the purposes of the scout
plan.
1.-THE scout plan has proved an excel
lent means Of directing the boys into
the ways that will prove interesting
and at the same time instructive to
him." said he. Through it the boys
learn preparedness, responsibility, the
value Of giving square deal and fair
play to do things together. 1t Is an
education for character by doing.
There are many boys who may
never be reached by the influence of
the school, church or home, but they
may be brought under the influence Of
the scout program and their energies
turned into useful channels.
1.-THE scout method puts on the one
side all the things that the boy Is sup
posed to be and on the other the things
that he wants to be and the two are
linked together in the plan as en-
bodied in the scout oath. The boy Is
thus led into some place In which he
will fit later In life"
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
M'ADoo DEcoRATEs BOY SCOUTS,

"This is not the cross Of q tyrant.
It is not an iron cross. It is token
of merit which would be credit upon
any soldiers uniform"
So said Secretary w. G. McAdoo Of
the United States treasury to four boy
scouts in Colorado Springs who had
performed distinguished services in the
first Liberty bond sale, as he pinned
upon each a bronze medal.
"The boy scouts of this country have
performed their work like real soldiers
In aiding the government in the sale
Of these Liberty bonds" continued Mr..
McAdoo. "In my travels over the coun-
try have been forcibly impressed with
the spirit and enthusiasm Of the boy
scouts"
AS each boy approached Mr.. McAdoo
he gave the prescribed scout salute.
There was not trace Of embarrass-
ment-the scout training eliminates
that-but each lad received his decora-
ton, saluted and returned to his seat
amid veritable thunder Of applause.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
How a Woman Got a Pumpkin.

She is dainty little madam, relates
the Indianapolis News, and does not
look as if she could lift more than
ten or fifteen pounds. When she ac-
companied her husband to the country
recently and saw a field dotted with
pumpkins she said:
Lets stop here and buy pumpkin
for pies"
Pumpkins seemed to be drug with
the farmer, and he told the little
madam:
eff you climb that fence" pointing
to the field, "you can have the biggest
pumpkin you can carry
'Ill accept that offer," she replied
with alacrity, with visions of Thanks
giving pies galore.
Ten minutes later she returned with
a pumpkin that weighed 35 pounds and
put it down triumphantly in front Of
the farmer.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
Her Expensive Hat,

A woman in London entered a car
rather out of breath and presented a
singular appearance, for instead of
hat she was balancing huge basket
on her head with as much grace and
ease as if it had been her Sunday
bonnet. She could just manage to get
through the doorway, but she sat down
with the basket gracefully poised on
her head.
''All fares, please" said the conduc-
tor. "And l shall want twopence for
that there basket, num-"
"Get away with YER" she said. Dye
charge anything for ladies' hats?''
mo, num-"
'sThin get on with yer work. This
'er basket is a-going to be my hat"
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
SPOKANE SCOUTS ARE PRAISED.

Lieut.. Col. G. 81. Connor of the medi-
cal corps in the United States army
has written to w. Edgar Wylie, scout
executive of the boy scouts Of Spo-
kane, Wash, to congratulate them on
the work done by the first-aid troop
on the night when an accident oc-
Cured at the Great Northern depot as
the Spokane quota Of the draft army
was entraining.
"The efficiency of these scouts" said
Mr.. Wylie, 'fs all owing to the train
ing they received last summer. DR..
w. N. Lipscomb for six weeks had
them under supervision and training
at Camp Dee Light and at the con-
clusion of that period they won the
United States Red Cross medal in a
test the same $ that given to any de-
partment of the organization. They
lost only four points out of possible
400"
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
How the "Goatn Got Even.

A Southerner recently approached
the attendant of Y. M. G. A. No. 81.
81 should likes to borrow some
dies" he announced.
"Some what?"
"Some dies"
81 don't understand"
"You know, dies, things you shoot
craps with"
"Oh, dice! Sorry, but we haven't
any Of those. Dice are one Of the
few things that we don't supply"
''The boys sent me up after them, "
protested the rookie
II guess that was a joke"
"Say, let me take some boxing
gloves for a few minutes. I'll bring
them right back"
And thus armed, the goat" with
fire in his eye, walked off in the di-
rection of his barracks.-Boston
Globe.
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
BATON ROUGE GIRL
By MICHAEL LANE.

"Mr. Charless,' she said, changing
suddenly her lively expression for one
that was serious but kind, 81 am sor-
~, very, very sorry for you-but l
cannot marry you"
He wilted within. He felt his very
existence crumbling away. He was
silent for space. Then he said:
"Why?"
"Well, to tell you the truth, I do not
love you, and surely you would not
want to marry woman who did not
love you? Come now, would you'll A
loyeless marriagel"
He took heart
''But this would not be loveless. By
no means. You know l love you.
have told you so a thousand times,
have attested it with my tears-and
/ am not given to weeping-have
proved it to you dear Katherine.
would die for you. 1 would lie down
and let you walk upon me. 1 would
tear out my heart and give it to
you"
"Oh, please do not say things like
these" she softly interrupted. "They
only pain me- / know you love me,
but I do not love you. If I did"
And she sighed.
"But you could learn, you know.
You might In time"
NO" she answered languidly, ut Is
useless" Then, frightening, "YOu will
recover from this. It's hard, / know,
but you'll recover. You'll live to laugh
at 1t yet. Cheer upl Cheer up, my
merry men, nor fear, nor wind, nor
wave as Columbus said to his marin
ers."
She beamed on him, radiant like an
angel. He could not resist her and
he, too, smiled In turn.
There I" she exulted, "you are bet
ter already. Didn't / tell you? And
then, you know, this is only your first
experience. You've never loved any
body but me, have your
The question hit him hard, and he
changed instantly. He turned his face
away from her.
"Yes," he said, IS If speaking to
himself.
''Oh." she said, In the most uncon-
cerned Of ways ".you never told me
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14

ance to the Granddaughter Was
Held Prisoner There.

The Island of Elba, celebrated as
the place where Napoleon was i'm
prisoned in 1914, has since Italy's en-
trance into this war attracted much
attention as the location of valuable
Iron mines, writes correspondent.
In view Of the scarcity of iron mines
In Italy and the difficulty of transport
ing ore or pigs from the United States
for use in the munition factories the
mines Of Elba have given q new Inn
portance to the island. Travellers on
the Genoa-Rome Express, which skirts
the seashore Of the mainland, permit
ting view on a clear day of the blue
island rising out Of the water six miles
distant, think rather of the tall foun-
dry stacks In the foreground at Piom-
bino than of the great soldier Of other
wars.
In the days before the war this ex-
press stopped at Campiglia to put off
tourists for Piombino and Elba. To-
day 1t stops to put off business men,
skilled iron workers, Italian soldiers
and their Austrian prisoners interned
on the island. The side track at Cam
piglia has been enlarged since the war,
too, for the purpose of handling the
large quantity of iron freight brought
over from Elba. Napoleon's name has
almost been forgotten on the island, SO
busy are the Inhabitants with war
work. How can get to the villa San
MartinoT" a visitor arriving on the
stone wharf Of the harbor inquired of
workman. The workman looked at
the visitor blankly, when the visitor
added: "You know, the place where
Napoleon used to ive." The man shook
his head. "Tm a newcomer here. New
er heard of the place."
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
that before. Tell me all about it

nOW.'r
1T was in Baton Rouge" he began,
and his eyes themselves seemed to be
in Baton Rouge as he spoke. II was
only twenty. She was eighteen. Yes,
| loved her. I did, indeed"
"Was she dark or light?"
katherine herself was light)
Ozark" he answered, "her hair was
rich chestnut and her eyes big and
brown, like the eyes of Homer's OK.
She was Creole, you know, and full Of
the South"
Katherine (who was herself north
ern) moved uneasily and devoured the
face Of her lover with eyes of strange
interest.
"Go on!" she urged. "Why didn't
you marry her? Did she love your"
''That she did," he exclaimed with
animation, looking Katherine full in
the face. "Oh, yes. But she was
religious and there never had been a
free thinker in the family"
show did you part?" she asked.
"In tears. You see, I was a boy
and Intellectually proud, and could
not break my manhood by pretending
to believe in religion my intellect
rejected. could not believe In any
religion whatever, and I conceived it
degrading to pretend to do So"
"What was her name?" (This III q
weak, hesitating voice.)
"Nana," and his lips caressed the
sound.
Another long pause.
"Would you join a woman's religion
now if you loved her."
"Why, of course" replied Charless
carelessly. II am not boy now. What
difference would it make?'
He arose and walked toward the
window.
"Mr. Charless," exclaimed Kather-
inc family. "Why not you go down
there and marry herr"
He turned. She, too, had risen,
and was now near him. He looked
at her fondly.
'You ought to know why" he re-
turned.
"Would you advise me to do it? Do
you think the old love would come
back? I wish knew for certain, my
self"
She was very near him by this time.
Her eyes were cast, down and her form
was shrinking. He drew close to her
and touched her shoulder. In mo-
ment her arms we're around his neck
and her head nestled in just the right
spot. A long space of silence. Then
she whispered. "SweetheartW
"What is it, lover
'Do you love me more than you
loved the girl in Baton RougeW
What answer he made will not dis
close; but will say this, that Baton
Rouge was never so far away as it
was at that very moment.
Copyright, 1917. Western Newspaper Union.)
The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-14
Fisherman Catches Shark.

Reading. Pa.-Dr. D. G. Long Of this
city had a narrow escape while on a
fishing trip to Fortesque, N. j., where
he hooked four-foot shark which bit
fast to his clothing when he hauled it
into the boat. Charles Cole and Felix
Oehring, who accompanied the Read
ing doctor, cut the sharks head off
before it's hold could be released.