davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
No Wonder Germany Quit
NUMBER TWELVE

''The other day I was reading
about the unreliability of the new
troops raised at the start of the
Civil War" said Major Frank c.
Mahin, of the Army Recruiting Sta
ton, 325 Market Street, Harrisburg,
"and the article reminded me of
what happened when we first went
into the trenches in France. About
fifteen minutes after one platoon got
into the trenches two sentries heard
each other moving around in the
dark and started to stalk each other.
The result was that one shot the
other through the head Before
morning two other sentries in an
other sector came rushing into their
respective platoon commanders and
reported that they had had a des-
perate fight with a German patrol
right in our trenches. A little inves-
tigation proved that they had run
into each other in the dark, had
thrown away their rifles and had
fought each other back and forth in
the trench with their fists. nails
teeth and feet, in the mistaken idea
they were fighting a Boche. Finally
they tore loose and departed in op-
posite directions as fast as they could
go, each fellow firmly believing he
was escaping from a hostile patrol
But the following night was when
the real excitement took place.
namely, the Battle of the Black Cat
My first warning of this desperate
CD engagement was a sudden fur
ious burst of rifle, automatic rifle,
and machine gun fire, followed by
the roar of many bursting grenades
n nj ~ fln Il M
shells went sailing up in the air light
ing up the whole landscape, and then
up went a signal rocket calling for
artillery barrage. The Boche got
nervous and called for a barrage too.
and before you could say Jack Rob-
inson everything that could shoot
on both sides of No Mans Land was
shooting. "I had a mighty strong
hunch that it was nothing but false
alarm so I started for the place the
whole show had originated at, Just
as fast as I could go. When I got
down there at once got the firing in
the trenches stopped and began an
investigation. I finally found the
man who had started the whole
show and his statement was that he
had looked out through a loophole
and had looked straight into a pair
or cleaning. blood thirsty, murder
Gus eyes. Tt scared him out of
about seven years growth, scared
him so that he involuntarily
screamed and then, believing he was
about to be killed, started throwing
grenades as fast as he could throw
them. OF course the scream and
the grenades started everyone else
to shooting. It occurred to me that
that afternoon had seen a black
cat in that trench so went to the
loophole that had started the trou-
BILE, reached in and pulled out one
black cat, absolutely frightened into
state of imbecility.
Then I began to get mad and
when I had finished my remarks
every man in the battalion was
firmly convinced it would be better
to get killed by the Boche than to
start another false alarm"
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
Americas Part in the War

America has saved the world from
the threat of famine, also the in
tensified horrors that would have
trailed after such a calamity. The
June report of the Department of
Agriculture indicated a total wheat
crop of 1926, 100000 bushels, which
though somewhat below the expec-
tations of month ago is more than
20O,000,000 bushels greater than the
previous record crop of 1915. The
decline for the month was attributed
to rust and climatic conditions. 1t
was not serious and will probably
leave surplus for export of 60O,-
100000 bushels to satisfy the hun
ger of Europe, whose productive
abilities have been grievously i'm
paired by war and loss of man
power. This great crop is distinctly
the fruit of the Government guar
antee of $2.26 per bushel; the prom
Use of favorable weather conditions
and the fact of large increase in
acreage. The wheat belt will gain
enormously by this Government
bonus. Prosperity will unquestion-
ably be widely distributed in the
agricultural districts through the
enormous foreign demand upon us
for all food supplies. BY our ex-
ports of grain and meats we have
effectually prevented a disastrous
famine in Europe; our armies has
tened the defeat of Germany; our
ship convoy system lessened sub
marine losses; our munition plants
released millions of the Allies for
fighting PURPOSES; our ships carried
supplies safely across; our banks
aided finance the war; we furnished
great quantities of oil, copper, cot
ton and other materials to the Allies,
and our Government placed the en-
tire forces of this powerful nation
wholeheartedly upon their side.
When the history of the World War
is fully written, it will be recognized
without stint that without American
help in men, money and materials
the war would not have been won-
Henry Clews.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
Food From the C0cklebur
[From the Literary Digest.1 ]

Out of the cocklebur, which
sticks to the clothes of the passer-
by and has generally been considered
, a pest, is now made a valuable oil
, available for use in paints and var
nishes and adaptable for food The
details, as explained by L. r.
Rhodes, oil chemist of the North
/ Carolina Department of Agriculture,
are thus set forth in press bulletin
! issued by the North Carolina section
of the American Chemical Society.
After mentioning the wide dis
tribution of the cocklebur and the
ease of gathering it, Mr. Rhodes con-
tinued:
Those which / have gathered
were either dry or in a half dry
condition. They were first cut in
half by a trimming board and the
kernels mashed. They were then
placed in a box and vigorously shak-
en-. The hulls were taken out, leav-
ing the kernels at the bottom. These
kernels were then pounded and rub
bed in a mortar until the black
| shucks were removed, after which
the husks were forced out by blow
ing. The ground kernels were then
wrapped in cheesecloth and pressed
between cold steel plates.
The oil thus obtained was allowed
to settle for three or four days and
then filtered. 1t is of light yellow
shade, has clear, sparkling APPEAR
| ance, a pleasant odor and an agree
able nutty taste. 1t keeps we'll with
out becoming rancid. On account
of this quality it should eventually
be used as a substitute in the dietary
for other vegetable oils.
The pressed cake left after ex-
pressing the oil should be of value
as food for cattle, and certainly
it can be readily used as a fertilizer"
Mr.. Rhodes said that he had no
doubt that before long the cockelbur
oil would have a place in commerce
because of the richness of the ker-
mel and ease with which the oil can
| be extracted. The yield from the
kernel is about 80 per. cent, and
the kernels constitute about the
same proportion of the bulk of the
crude burs. The press cake con-
tains 40.34 per cent of protein. With
such things ir their favor, he added,
the familiar roadside pests may
prove of real service to both man
and beast.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
ished houses; no objection to su-

nished houses; no objection to su-
burb."
Philadelphia manager wants
home in central part of city; re-
Gently located here. temporarily
placed in furnished rooms"
Local representative desires first
floor apartment for family of four.
two small children; will consider
small house. will pay $35."
Pennsylvania Railroad employe
forced to move on account of sale
of property; family of four. desires
six rooms"
Manufacturer desires furnished
house or apartment of six rooms; will
pay $50 or $50"
Machinist has searched for home
for four months; family has lived in
congested district with relatives"
''Bookkeeper desires small apart
ment for himself and bride; wedding
postponed until suitable home can
be secured"
And so it goes throughout the list
and the cases are multiplying daily.
Men employed in Harrisburg. per-
sons engaged in business here, and
stil others who want to come here
are clamoring for homes for their
families and relief must be pro-
vided through private enterprise and
without unnecessary delay. Real
estate agents confirm the Chamber
of Commerce conclusions and tell of
the constant and increasing demand
for dwellings. Harrisburg has solv-
ed other community problems; it will
solve the housing question.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
ANY SPOOKS TO HIRE ?

"HERE are very distinct indica-
tons that we are gradually
shaking off the spell of the war
and getting back to normal. Take
England, for example. Alexander
Baird, writing of the summer season
IN London, says that in England for
dive years there have been no dog
days" there has been no SILLY sea-
SON" Both were summarily squelch-
ed by the outbreak of war in the
summer of 1914.
In pre-war years the English
l~silly season" was usually heralded
by the appearance of sea serpent
of the coast Whether it has been
that weird monster, the submarine.
IN it's midst has scared it away to
Ehe safer regions of the Arctic or
Antarctic, the sea serpent has not
get been reported near British
shores. But the SILLY season" is
pom England for all that. 1t has
begun with a boom in ghosts. Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, with his
psychic seances, and Robert Hichens
wfsh this weird tales of the occult
have stirred things up, though in q
inherent fashion than the former al
any rate meant. A brisk demand
has sprung up for haunted houses
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
HOW 1T WORKS

-HE TELEGRAPH has informa-
'tion from reliable source that
the Cleveland Foundation has
Reen a most helpful institution.
Through it's activities much has been
accomplished for the big Ohio city
I'm the way of public welfare pro-
s1ects and improvement enterprises,
harrisburg is ripe for some such
Reorganization and it is the confident
belief of those who have been max
ling a study of similar organizations
THAT the suggested Harrisburg
s.Foundation would meet a public
need here and result in interesting
.many persons through bequests for
ssommunity purposes.
1t doesn't follow that all the funds
splaced in the custody of such a
afoundation will come from those who
have passed out of this life; they
will also be derived from living citi-
szens who would be glad to have
ttheir contributions handled by a
sthoroughly efficient and capable or
sganization under the supervision Of
sthe court.
At Cleveland the Foundation Of
sEhat city has done a notable piece
sof work in a thorough survey of the
,citys educational system and the
adjudication of an elaborate report on
sthe findings of the Investigators.
7Through this investigation, which
lhostilely critical, many weaknesses
IN the school system were discovered
(which have since been corrected.
Here the Chamber of Commerce
md a similar piece of work through
fthe generosity of number of public
spirited citizens. At the present
time the Cleveland Foundation has
! in progress a recreational survey
which is expected to duplicate in
thelpfulness the results of the school
Investigation. 1t seems to be the
policy of the Cleveland institution
to finance surveys and studies of So
,cial conditions where public funds
are not available and where condi-
,fions are such that a thorough an
salysis of them would be helpful to
kthe community as a whole. The en-
Sfire emphasis of the Foundation in
tthe Ohio metropolis has been put on
5helpfulness and criticism when it
becomes necessary is always with
that end in view.
There can be no doubt that a
harrisburg Foundation, having the
tcustody of large funds through the
accumulated bequests of the dead
,and the contributions of the living,
Fwould be able to accomplish much
IN the way of constructive improve
rznent in many lines. especially with
regard to the comfort and happiness
band contentment of the people.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
ccording to the aforementioned

according to the aforementioned
writer.
Hitherto, haunted premises, how
ever desirable" otherwise, have
gone begging, and it is still action
able for any but the owner or his
authorized agents to describe a par
ticular house as haunted. Many
quite respectable English spirits OF
good family have been under notice
to quit for years, but no legal pro-
cess has yet been invented for their
summary election.
Now that the news has reached
the other side of the great River
Styx that spirits-of the shadowy,
as well as the liquid variety-are
being quoted at a premium, they
are evidently becoming shy at revis-
iting "the glimpses of the moon" "
Advertisements are appearing in
both the London and provincial
press for haunted houses.
One advertiser offers $4,000 for
a house with a genuine" ghost.
Others offer various sums for brief
tenancies for the purpose of psychic
research. On the other hand, a
lady exorcist advertises offering to
rid disturbed" premises of their
non-paying tenantry.
The ghost of Hun visitations hav-
ing been laid at last, England has
gone back to the good old-fashioned
spooks that require no Zeppelin or
aeroplane for their midnight seances.
But you need not go to Europe for
ghost stories. We have 'em right
here in Harrisburg. Haunted houses,
however, are for some reason not
so numerous as they used to be. A
quarter century ago there was no
village so small, no country side SO
sparsely settled and no community
so poor that it could not boast at
least one haunted" house, with a
history so blood d-curdling that 1t was
never told except in broad daylight
and then in lowered voice and
frightened tone. Timid men and
women uSeu TO 30 SQudISS OuS VI
their way to avoid such places at
night and the boy who could boast
that he threw a stone through a
window of the haunted house at
midnight" was an unopposed candi-
date for the community's D. S. c.
for personal courage. There were
all manner of spooks, from the ter
rifying old chap, who used to go
about with his head under his right
arm, down to the common or garden
variety of ghost that merely ratified
the windows, upset tables, or clank-
ed his chains on the steps at mid
night. But they've all gone, scared
probably by stories of German
frightfulness. May be, however, if
we start offering rewards like our
English friends they will venture
timidly back. May be. also, the
shortage of houses has resulted in
so much over-crowding that there
is no room for spooks and people in
the same city. Who knows?
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
MECHANICAL EXISTENCE
[From the Omaha Newsl

[From the Omaha News1
After taking an exhaustive sur
vey of life one is led to the conclu-
sion that the machinery business
would be pretty good line to be in!
Figure it out for yourself.
You get up in the morning, array
yourself in garments built from
machine made cloth, eat some ma
chine made breakfast food, drink
some machine cut coffee, read a
newspaper that remarkable ma
chinery has made possible, take a
machine known as a street car to
your office building where an ele-
waiting mechanism hoists you to the
floor on which you mechanically go
through the days tasks.
You can write your letters by
debating them to a machine from
which a girl pounds them out on
another machine. A little contrap-
ton standing on your desk carried
your voice to various parts of the
city and brings the conversation of
friends and business acquaintances
to your ear. On dark days you i'll
Illuminate the gloom by electric light
generated in a vast machine driven
power plant.
At night some friend takes you
home in a 4-wheeled machine which
is mechanical marvel-it gets
such a startingly enormous mileage
from a gallon of gas, at least to
hear said friend tell about it. You
read another newspaper also print
ed on machinery, of course. For the
evening meal you have a soup skill
fully canned by some mechanical
process, some other canned goods,
and ice cream made by a lot of
machinery in big plant. Then you
go to a movie where mechanism re-
produces drama on a silver screen
for your benefit. You finally hop
into bed assembled from a lot of
parts made by machinery.
No wonder the machinery bust
ness looks like a good line to get
into. No wonder a man often gets
into the habit of thinking he's a
good deal of a machine himself!
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
WHY NOT HERRON?
[From Harvey's Weekly ]

We seem to have struck a snag
in the matter of our taking man
datory charge of Turkey. 1t raises
awkward alternatives. We must
either recognize polygamy as a ma
tional institution, or begin a holy
war and fight all Mohammedan-
dom 1t is an intricate, and,
on its face, an insoluble problem.
But may we not" suggest a possi-
BILE way around it? Why not COM
promise? Why not make Heron
the Turkish mandatory? Herron's
matrimonial views are broad and
comprehensive. His poultry yard
standard of morals might possibly
be little looser than the Turkish,
but he would doubtless conform
himself in theory and practice to
the narrower Turkish matrimonial
prejudices. The fact that he is
only q titular reverend should not
identify him extensively as a Chris
tian. Indeed, If it came to that,
he could produce the record of his
dismissal from the ministry, sup
ported by the records of numerous
Christian organizations condemning
the President for appointing such
a man to office. 1t is hardly too
much to say that Heron could
bring strong testimonials in the
form of officially expressed loath-
ing for him and his views from
most of the religious organizations
in the United States. Neither in
Herron's morals nor his religious
principles, then, is there anything
which should make him objection
able to the Turks. We unhesitat-
ingly nominate the constructively
Reverend Heron as mandatory of
the late Turkish Empire.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
Chind'S Communications
[From the Hsin shen Pao Chinese,

[From the Hsin Shen Pao (Chinese)
No country in the world has such
a defective system of communication
as that of China. Commercial and
press kilograms which are of great
importance are delayed every day
while the so-called first class tele-
grams, which are really OF no i'm
portance at all. tax the lines to their
utmost capacity. Volumes of them
are dispatched every day on every
line. Cargoes are piled sky high
at many railway stations waiting
for transportation. Cars are said to
be unavailable; yet high officials ride
back and forth comfortably in spe-
cial cars without paying cent. Hun
dreds of cars are available for trans
porting military supplies from place
to place. Very heavy losses have
the merchants suffered from these
two causes alone.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
WELL KNOWN PEOPLE

Thomas Shallcross, Jr., promi-
nent Philadelphian, is to speak on
legislative matters at the national
real estate convention at the sea-
shore this week.
Alfred M. Barrett, well known
in State banking circles, has been
appointed deputy public service
commissioner of New York state.
ID. I. McCahill, new president of
the big Harmony electric lines, Is q
prominent Pittsburgh lawyer.
Jackson Crissey, city engineer OF
Johnstown, says that rains have re-
tarded improvement work in his city
over thirty days.
-Sauel M. Clement, Jr., Public
Service Commission, made an inspec-
ton Of the street railway facilitie,,
in West Chester.
Mayor w. S. Mcdowell, of Ches-
ter, the mayor who bade Chester
soldiers farewell when they went to
war, made the speech welcoming
them home again.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23

Drake, he's in his hammock an a
thousand miles away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there
below?)
Slung atween the round shot in
Nombre Dios Bay,
An dreamin' arl the time o. Ply
mouth Hoe,
Yarnder lumes the Island, yarnder
lie the ships,
WI sailor lads a dancin' heel
an'-toe,
An the shore~lights f1ashin', an the
night-tide dashin',
He sees it arl so plainly as he saw
it long ago.
Drake, he was Devon man, an
ruled the Devon seas,
(Capten, art tina sleepin' there
below?)
Rovin' tho his death fell, he went
wi heart at ease,
An dreamin' arl the item o. Ply
mouth Hoe.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
A Victory Carpet WoDen
[From the London ChronicleI

[From the London ChronicleJ
There already has appeared in the
market victory wall paper, but 1t
was reserved for Bridgenorth in
Shropshire to weave a victory car
pet. This is now displayed in a
window in London. The need for
a plethora of symbolism would have
destroyed Gone would have thought)
any chance of achieving artistic
success. But this has not proved
to be the case.
The carpet in question, although
a maze of doves and olive branches.
arms and flags, roses, thistles and
shamrock, is really beautiful in
color and design, and a not too
observant person could walk across
arms and flags, roses, thisties and
1t without 80 much as being re-
minded Of the war.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
A CITIZENS CREED

During the Chamber of Com
merce outing at the Colonial
country Club an aeroplane circled
overhead and showered upon the
assembled group this creed, the
inspiration of w. G. Howland:-
I believe in the city,
Maker of State and Nation.
And in the power of the individ-
ual
To direct and shape its life.
I believe in my City
And that it is capable of great
er accomplishments,
And that my neighbor and can
make it more wholesome.
And beautiful to live in and
attract others.
I believe in my street and ward
AS much as do in my house
and lot,
And they are what I make thom.
/ believe in the wholly American
community.
The cooperation of citizens
And the principles of freedom
and democracy everlasting,
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-23
LABOR NOTES

1t is generally asserted that women
take more kindly to reptition work
than men.
Ninety per cent. of the silver work
ers employed in Toronto (Canada)
shops are unionized.
Over 100 store proprietors in Port
land Ore, have signed a new work
Ing agreement with the Retail Clerks 8
Union.
Paper substitute driving belts are
now being introduced into German
workshops. The paper is cut into
narrow bands and then spun.
In scientific instrument making wo-
men graduates of universities or tech
nical colleges teaching optics and me-
chanics are now engaged in testing
experimental work with excellent re-
suits.