davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
HoNDURAN CITY or MYSTERY
No Scholar Has Been Able to %.
cipher the Picture FITTINGS
Left IN Copan.

Copan Is city Of mystery. The
people who once thronged It's streets
and bowled at its affairs are long since
gone, leaving no record Of their ex.
istence save the hoary stones of their
city. These stones, built into nyra.
m'ds, walls and monuments, bear their
story carved In the Maya characters
But no descendants have survived to
interpret the stories, and no scholar
has arisen wise enough to read the
picturewritings Of Copan.
Ruins OF this oldest city Of the
Maya Indians may still be seen by
those sufficiently persistent and en-
thusiastic to seek them out. A lit.
tie Indian village In western Honduras,
and the river on which II lies keep
the name of Copan alive today. To
visit the ruins OF the great Copan you
must seek out this village by train
and then so a long Journey on horse
back. Just beyond the village lies
the old Maya metropolis.
The only inhabitants OF Copan to-
day are queer figures Of the Maya
gods. that peer out of unexpected
hiding places like the creatures Of a
bad dream. Wonderfully carved many
Of them are. grotesQue In attitude and
expression, according to the artists
conception Of the beings of the other
world.
When Copan fiourished. how It fell,
and what became Of Its last people,
no one knows. The city Is as DESC
late as only deserted city can be.
oppressive and sad even,in the bright
sunlight Of a tropical midday
''Niksah" In indianapolis Star
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
WISE Guy, PARL|N
Knew Just What to Do With That
Little Book.
Recital Of Tragedy In the Gibbs Home
stead Decided His Course OF
Action Without Necessity Of
Long Thinking.

II heard that Mrs. Gibbs Is going to
leave home" was the spicy bi, Of Cos
sip with which Mrs. Parlin met her
husband after he had parked his little
motor car in the back yard.
"No!" gasped Parlin, dramatically.
"Yes!" came back his wife. "Uatil
Gibbs gets the house decorated--which
speed he is travelling on the job And
don't blame Mrs. Gibbs. II you at.
tempted to do what Gibbs is doing I'd
leave for mothers for an indefinite
period.
"The Gibbs family always called in
expert decorators to do their work
until this year. Now Gibbs Is suffering
from an attack Of economy. and he
figures he could do the work himself
and put the saving into Victory bonds.
or spare parts for his car.
"He bought book called How to
Do Your Own housekeeping for ten
cents, and began to memorize the
thing. The book was so full Of statis-
tics and specifications that he soon
became addle Drained trying to figure
It out.
zone chapter was devoted to paint
Ing. 1t explained infinitely how one
could figure out the surface of the
walls and by multiplying the dimen-
sions by something or other find out
exactly how much paint would be
needed for the job.
"Gibbs figured out that 1t would take
IS gallons of various colors to do the
work. He ordered up wagon load
Of paint and began.
'When Gibbs got through painting
he found that he had 81 gallons still
untouched. But as he had opened all
the cans as soon as he got them, he
could not return them to the paint
man in exchange for anything else.
"Gibbs lost a tidy sum on the paint
job. and even more on his wall paper
ing. He ordered enough paper to cover
the side of warehouse, and when he
got through papering his living and
dining rooms he had them matched all
wrong and the SO rolls left over were
In tatters. He mixed D gallons of
paste, basing his figure on the book,
and had 10 buckets unused when he
fell of the ladder and broke his shOul.
der blade"
$50 Mrs. Gibbs is going to leave
poor Gibbs alone with his broken
shoulder2"
"She will-unless he changes his
mind about finishing the work. II he
persists she Is likely to do anything,
for she Is In desperate frame OF
mind"
Parlin reached into an inner pocket
and drew forth a little book called
"How to DO Your Own Houseclean.
Ing" He tore the book into small
scraps and threw them at the cat. He
didn't look at his wife. for he knew
she would understand.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
Alrpians suruery.

Great interest has been aroused In
Paris by the trial flight Of a new air
plane, invented by the engineer Nemi.
rovsky and DIR. Tilmont.
The new machine. which Is called
the "aerochir." Is designed to place
promptly Mt the service Of men wound.
ed in warfare. or persons injured In
serious Academia. all the resources Of
medical science, and II necessary to
carry them back to the hospital.
Everything required for surgical and
X-ray work Is provided on board the
airplane. including an operating table
and even an ingeniously constructed
collapsible tent which can be erected
on the scene Of an accident within two
or three minutes.
Two models Of the ''aerochir" have
been designed, one capable Of carry
ing four injured persons In addition to
the necessary apparatus, and the other
much larger. capable Of carrying 4
medical and surgical star OF ten per.
sons, and bringing back. II necessary,
as many as twelve Injured.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
FIRST TO WEAR FINGER RING
Legend Makes Prometheus the Ptonssr
OF Custom That May Now %
Called Universal.

The first finger ring is supposed
to have been worn by Prometheus.
who stole Are from heaven that man
might warm himself and cook his
food. This act so incensed Jupiter
that the king OF gods condemned him
to be chained upon a rock where vul-
lures could constantly feast upon him.
The sentence was carried out, but
Prometheus was released. Then Jupiter
ordered that Prometheus wear link
OF chain about his finger as remin.
der Of the punishment. A fragment
of the rock to which he had been
chained was set In the ring, 80 that
he might still be regarded as being
bound to the rock
The custom Of wearing an engage
ment or wedding ring upon the third
finger Ia due to an ancient belief that
a nerve or vein directly connected
this finger with the heart, according
to writer in the Pittsburgh Dis
patch. Macrobius said: Because Of
this nerve the newly betrothed places
the ring on this finger Of his be.
loved, as though It were representa-
ton OF the heart" And Just to show
that the practice In very old one,
Macrobius admitted having obtained
the facts from an Egyptian priest
thus linking the belief with the dim
reaches Of the past.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
FIND LITTLE 10Y IN MANTUA
American Soldiers In italian City Can
not Be Accused Of INDUCING
In Wild Reveta>

Mantua. the metropolis Of the prov
ince. Is the center of the territory
which encircles II In every direction.
Hitler flock the country folk from as
FAR MS five or six kilometers away, to
gaze at the vino and stand around In
the middle of the street. impeding the
progress of the trolley car.
Equally fascinating to the American
soldier is this city, with its car track.
Its air of cordial welcome. and its In.
saiuhrious climate. all OF which com.
hine to make him think more of the
old home town than he did before he
came here, says n writer In Italy Am
bu!ance Service News. 1t is not diff
ticut to find things to do. for one may
always spend quite while figuring
out when he last saw the sun. or when
he VIII see II again. And then one
may also look at the lake,
But 1t Is at night that Mantua dis
closes Its true nature. With an cleo
trio light cleaning on every fourth
block. and the comradely mist always
with you, you can start out for Wild
evening. There are plenty Of places
to go--all cafes. Variety Is supplied
by ordering beer In one place and wine
In the next. until In a final burst of
hilarity you end up with caffe.latte
1.-THE nadir of recklessness). BY that
time 1t Is 1880, the shutters are up,
the waiter jingles a pocketful OF cen.
tessimi and looks bored, the last pa.
iron has departed and the girl behind
the bar seems to wonder what secret
sorrow keeps you from home. SO you
depart--via the hack door, barking to
Your footprints echoing upon the still
night air. The carabinieri look at you
suspiciously. cat runs across the
black street and you are oil, all alone
In the wicked city. You yawn and 30
back to bed. filled with excitement
and beer. One night nearer home.
Mantua has many attractive TEA
lures, hut the best one Ia the ten
o'clock train to Milan.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
GIVES LINCOLN THIRD PLACE
eosn jackson and johnson Began Lie
Destitute and Friendiess,
Says Watterson.

Abraham Lincoln, the rail splitter
who worked his way from a log
cabin to the White House, must take
third place among the nations self
made presidents, remarks Henry
Watterson in the Saturday Evening
Post. Despite his hardships he did
not have to overcome the obstacles
that confronted either Andrew Jack
son or Andrew Johnson.
much has been written about
Llncoln's humble BIRTH" says Colo
onel Watterson, 'but johnson was
equally friendless and penniless and
started as poor tailor in rustic
village, while Jackson at sixteen was
a prisoner of war, liberated from the
British pen at Charleston without q
relative, friend or a dollar in the
world, having to make his way up
ward through the most aristocratic
community of the country and the
time.
"The Hanks family were not pau
pers. Lincoln had wise and help
full stepmothes. He was scarcely
worse off than other young fellows
OF his neighborhood, first in Indiana,
then in Illinois. On this side justice
has never been rendered Jackson and
johnson. In the case of Jackson the
circumstance was forgotten, while
johnson too often dwelt Oh it and
made capital out of it."
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
PROTECTING FiREMEN.

Some Investigator abroad has been
giving some attention to the investi-
CATION Of the best means Of protect
ing persons, such as firemen, who are
compelled to work about furnaces.
The conclusion arrived at was that
the most effective device is to fix inn
mediately behind the furnace door .
narrow, oblong nozzle, through
which cold air is blown upward, thus
interposing a screen Of relatively cool
air between door and furnace. This
arrangement is to give adequate pro-
lection to the worker, and has the in
cidental advantage when the doors
of the furnace are opened the escape
of flame is checked.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
.Jucior. Re.embIes His papa.

His friends said II was excusnble
because It was his flrst boy. He ex-
hibited the photograph at the bank
where he was employed.
isn't he wonderf" the Young IA
Their would say. passing II through the
window.
'You bet he is--really good looking
and intelligent: yes. he does resemble
his father" And papa would beam
and act an though he had not noticed
the fiattering smile. All day the same
thing was repeated as friends entered
the bank.
He was "real tickied" with himself
when he went home that night and
handed the package Of photographs to
his wife. As she opened II the much
battered papa told her how his friends
had admired Junior" and did she
think the little fellow looked as much
like him as people had said7
Mrs. Bank Teller took one look at
the contents Of the package.
"Whs. dearie, the photographed has
made a mistake; he gave you the
wrong pictures. Kansas City Star.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
GRAND AND GLORIOUS FEELING
aviator Tells OF Reaction That Was
Worth Descent into the Darkest
Depths Of Despair.

when you have been on patrol a
long way behind the enemy lines,
shooting up towns and camps and
railway trains like pack of aerial
cowboys; when, on your way home
you have deliberately disobeyed Or
ders and loafed a long way behind
the other members of your group in
order to watch the pretty sunset, and
as punishment for this esthetic in
diligence, have been overtaken bv
darkness and compelled to land in
strange country, only to have your
machine Immediately surrounded by
German soldiers; then, having taken
the desperate resolve that they shall
not have possession of your old bat
tle-scarred avion as we'll as of your
person, when you are about to touch
a match to it, if the light glistens on
a long French bayonet and you learn
that the German soldiers have been
prisoners since the battle of the
Somme, and have just finished their
days work at harvesting beets to be
used in making sugar for French
Poilus-ah, isn't it grand and
glorious feeling"
To which | would reply: "Mais
oui, mon vieux! Mails oui pat
lantic.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
cioek Tower 81 JerusaIec,.

Since the occupation Of the holy
city OF Jerusalem by the British II
IL gradually becoming more western
lied. For the first time In It's history
it's streets are properly cleaned and
1t has been given 4 Are brigade SER
vice and now an efficient water-sup-
ply. Hitherto it, Inhabitants de.
pended upon few wells and water
collected In overhead cisterns. The
telephone, too, has been introduced.
Its most striking improvement
though II ID one that was carried out
just prior to the war--was the erec.
ton OF fine clock tower ct the Jafln
gate. It Ii built Of white stone obtained
from Sol0mon's quarries, Of which the
temple was constructed. The clock,
which was supplied BY q London
matchmaker. shows both European and
Arabic time. Opposite the tower .
drinking fountain has been erected.
and the roadway which leads through,
the old walls into the city ct this
point has been entireiy rebuilt.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
THE TRoussEAu IN CHINA
How II Figures When Plans Are Made
for Marriage OF Daughter Of
Family.

When ! was ten years old my serv-
ing woman made mark here In the
middle Of my forehead 1t was made
with red face paint and had to be re-
newed every time went outside the
compound. That sign meant that I
was old enough to become engaged.
and that my parents would consider
offers for me. Soon after. an old
woman came to see me. She made my
serving woman remove all my cloth
Ing Then she looked me over. She
made me thread needle--to test my
eyes. She made me- sew q seam-to
try my SKIN, She looked at my teeth,
and plnched my body all over~--to see
II was healthy. Then she went away.
One day. when l was twelve. I heard
my mother talking about me--with the
old woman who had been to see me
before. They were talking about my
clothing. The middle woman said I
should have four pairs of silk trous-
ers and three of cotton. was also
to have six white undergarments OF
cotton. and four linen for the hot
weather. My outer garments we're all
to be Of silk. and oil must have
embroidery about them. Two heavy
garments were to be lined with silk.
and padded with new cotton. These
were to wear In the cold weather. They
talked half day about my trunks.
The middle woman held out that
should have four, all covered with pig
skin. but my mother was determined
should have only two. At last Il
was agreed that should have three
pig-akin trunks and two boxes GOV.
cred with plain cloth. When they
came to an agreement about anything
teacher wrote II down, 70 there
would be no forgetting after. He
would read It over to them often and
had to change the writing whom one
or the others said they did not 20 under
stand. The middle woman grew vsry
angry when they were taking about
the bedding / should have, and leff
the court. A servant called her and
she returned. All the while they wero
talking about me l felt most impof.
tant. for I had never before had =
value placed on me. Then / thought
had not understood my mother oil
my life. She had always treated No
with unconcern, because I was not q
boy. and now she was pointing out Oh
my good qualities and setting 4 value
on each Of them. Then they told M
I was to be married. l was to marry
a man had never sesn and they would
not even tell me his name. / asked
my mother II he might como 70 our
court and play with me. She scolded
me. He lived eight miles away, ana
could not come that distance just %
see me. SHY child. AHA Magasins.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
apaselnav fer lneurance.

A Philadelphia physician. Doctor
Gatllard, who has examined great
numbers OF men for life Insurance COM
panies, informs me that "the popular
styles In physique have changed. =
Girard writes In the Philadelphia
Press.
When asked him to elucidate. be
replied:
'Not 30 long ago fife insurance c0nn-
pnnies made great ado and scanned
with care all applicants who were un.
derweight. Now underweight IN pass
ed over M Of little consequence, while
overweight Ii reckoned IN the STUN
bling block"
In other words, the thin man was
once regarded AZ poor risk, whereas
now he Il preferred TO the stout man.
When I asked the doctor 70 tell me
the reason for this switch around IN
the popularity of the two types Of the
male form divine, ne said tuberculosis,
once the dread Of the thin man. has
been far ontclp~sed In fatality BY other
organic diseases. especially Of the
heart. which are apt TO affect the more
rotund.
Truly, every dog has HIS day.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
ANTIQUE % Please.

The mistress Of the house engaged
q new servant and gave her instruc
lions how to behave when answering
her bell. One evening she rang for
a glass of milk. and was surprised
to see Martha appear with the glass
grasped In her hand.
"Oh. Martha! !" she said, always
bring the milk to me on a tray"
Martha apologixed. and promised to
remember In future.
A week later the bell rang. and the
same request was made. This time
Martha appeared with the tray and
the milk emptied into It.
Anxious to please. she curtded, and
inquired:
"Shall ! bring 4 spoon. ma'am. or
win you lap It upr'-London Answers.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
DESERTED PEACE PALACE.

"The citizens Of Geneva are jubi-
liant because their city has been
chosen capital Of the league of ma
TONS"
81 wish them WE'LL" said the
gloomy man. II hope no one will
be unkind enough to remind them
that The Hague once cherished the
same hopes and ambitions. Dir
mingham Age Herald.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
what Did he Meant

The minister had eaten very good
dinner and was getting ready 70 leave
for d long time. He happened 10
glance at the eighteen-year-old daugh-
ter.
well, we'll" ne laughed. II sup
pose that pretty soon I'll be coming
back to marry this young woman 70
one Of the interesting young men Of
the congregation"
The irrepressible. eight-year-oId soa
spoke MP:
"Oh. no. you won't" he offered.
MARY II going to be an old bacheIor."
The famfly's laugh told him that he
had used the wrong word. So straight
WY he started to make II right
Il mean an old WITCH" De asserted
more positively than before.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
LOST ~ A PEN.

Grease-Paynt - That property
man tells me he lost a fortune when
the arlnistice was signed.
Foote-Lyte -Howzzat?
Grease-Paynt-Why be had just
invented q full set Of collapsible rub
Der meals for stage-eating purposes
when the food restrictions wers
pulled of.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
Vary Your 0ardsn.

Remember that plant diseases ana
insects thrive where they have become
established. Therefore. gardeners this
year should take care not 10 place the
individual crops where the same crops
grew last year. Varying the arrange-
ment ~ the garden reduces the danger
from disease and insects. The same
vegetables In the same place each year
exhaust certain food elements, and r.
duced yields are sure TO result
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
resch sailors 70 swim.

Merchant mariners must know how
to swim. The United States shipping
board has added lessons In swimming
to IT. course for apprentices. II II said
that any number Of seamen. picked 1t
random, and compared with IN eqnal
number Of men picked from land In
dustries, win show about % per cent
fewer men able to care for themselves
10 the water. Many sailors ~ unabls
to swim even few strokes.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
Abe.t Co..

Ontario. Canada, now has m egG
.circle." This egg circle has been on
ganized for the purpose Of eliminating
ne wholesaler and middleman. IL
idea Il specifically 10 prevent any per
son Of persons coming between tho
farmers supply Of eggs and the con-
sumner. More and more % the cold
Storage warehouse has come between
the consumer and his egg. has the con
sumner suffered from the separated.
Most every one VIM wish IT, -
drcle well.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
WHERE SHE Is SHORT.

First War Economist What ex-
travagance! You have two hats to
match that one dress!
Second War Economist-Oh, no,
haven't! I've only one dress to
match the two hats.-Sydney Bull
letin.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
NEARNEss.

"You boys will have to sing about
brown October near-beer' instead Of
Brown October ale.
s'The near-beer substitution won't
be altogether inappropriate" replied
Uncle Bill Bottletop. ."Most Of it i
only near-singing."
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
AssREvIATioMs.

Father" said the small boy.
what 10 ! bolshevist 2"
"a bolshevist, my son, Is . man
Who thinks IN r. o. o. il oil right
II it can b backed up with
INT
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
ANOTHER OF THOSE PROBLEMS.

ssWhat is worrying you now?"
ooh, nothing much" replied the
man who is perpetually pensive. Il
am merely trying to figure out what
has become of all the daylight |
saved since we set the clocks for
ward"
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12

He-I know that you love me,
dearest!
She-Then / can never marry
you!
He-Why not?
She-Because l have sworn never
to marry q man who knows more
than / do.-London Answers.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
TOO pusLic.

Il can't use this envelope with Tho
isinglass front"
~Why not?
Fl want to order liquid suppliss.s
Louisville CouFier-JouInal
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
orset veeetah,e csep,

The value Of farm vegetables ini
1918 on the farms Of the United States
vas $l.2l6OO0,O00. or 10 per cent -
all farr, crops
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
Plenty 81 Reosn oshlnd.

4 mule was brought and tied near
the group head headquarters and SONS
one asked to whom Il belonged Ons
Of the young second lieutenants sus-
eested that Il must b the chaplain's
mount. AZ the of1csEs' mes that
evening the joke was sprung on tho
chaplain. dignined college professor
In civil lifa.
sWhere did ron ct your due mount
Ne saw lied up out there this afterl
noon. chaplalnf" Cueried one oe the
young 0flicers.
'From Missouri" was the prompt
answer. and without : flicker Of 4
smile. Z
II think ~ ought 70 have the chap.
lain head our review tomorrow on that
mule. and Ne would Ill come parading
along behind him." said the mia.
chIevOus lieutenant.
There h one thing certain, replied
the chaplain. you would not crowd
him."