davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
LINK WITH PREHISTORIC DAYS
Hoatzin Birds, Found in Guiana, Have
Long Been a Subject Of Study
by Scientists

Running on all fours; climbing with
fingers and toes like monkeys; diving
and swimming as skillfully as If they
were denizens OF the ocean, the baby
Hoatzin birds. found in Guiana. per-
petuate the prehistoric days WHEN rep
. tiles were the dominant beings. II
can neither sing nor fly gracefully and
its very presence is betrayed by It's
strong Odor. but II is none the less OF
great importance in the bird world be
canse OF its strange prehistoric at
tributes.
The nests of the old birds are al
ways built out over the water. fire.
quentIy some 10 feet above the sur
face, and the young birds, with their
wings turned back. not folded as is
usual but up like q divers hands. will
dive cleanly from the nest into the
water and swim like fish. When
they wish to return to the nest they
climb on shore and walking on their
feet and handlike ends of their wings
will creep back to the tree and then
climb like a monkey. using what is
virtually the thumb and first fingers
of their strange wings. They have
a long neck and head far more rep
lillian than birilike. and despite their
lack Of beauty many scientific expedi-
tons have been sent to Guiana TO
photograph and study these birds,
who represent all the ages Of his
tory from reptile to modern life.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
"Left-Handed" Elephants.

Not many people are aware that ele-
plants are '.right-handed" and left
handed" in using their tusks, and that
an examination of the tusks of any
particular elephant will reveal the
class TO which the elephant belongs.
An elephant uses only one tusk most
Of the time il is digging for salt earth,
uppOoting trees or tearing up roots.
says contributor to an English maya
zine. When its working tusk becomes
badly broken ii turns to the other, just
as a man who has injured his right
hand takes 10 his left. The tusk must
be very severely damaged before IL will
give up using it in preference to the
other.
The working tusk becomes worn and
smooth toward the end-so much
won, in fact, that il Is often appre-
oaby shorter than the other, and
frequently the tip has been broken Of.
After that has happened the jagged
eoge becomes gradually worn smooth,
tN in the course of years pointed
tain. but the working tusk Is always
hunter than the other.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Few Old psoNIe ID New Guinea.

The average duration of life is short
er In New Guinea than in any other
country, owing 10 the peculiar diet
Of the natives. who deyOur with gustO
the larvae of beetles. dug out of decay
ed tree trunks. and habitdaIIy drink
Seawater when near the coast. The
people die OF at about forty" A. E.
Pratt says In his Two Years Among
the Cannlbals of New Guinea" I'VE
saw one very old man. who may have
been about sixty years Of age-the
only example OF longevity that, we
came across. He was bent almest
double. and had long. white beard.
His fellow tribesmen regarded him as
a great curiosity, and brought him to
see US. Despite the decrepitude Of his
body. however. there was no trace Of
senility; his senses were unimpaired
and the poor old creature showed greas
gratitude for a gift OF tobacco"
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
FORMING Artificial Pearls

Pearls were valuable as gems In
China as early as twenty-five centuries
before our era. and the Chinese had
worked out a plan for the artificial
formation q pearls about 100 years
ago, which they have carried on ex-
tensively. Large numbers Of oysters
are collected and the shell gently open
ed to allow the Introduction of vari-
Gus foreign substances which are in
serted by means Of a forked bamboo
stick. These pellets are generally
made of prepared mud. but may be
bone. brass or wood. The oysters are
then placed In shallow ponds connect
ed with canals and are nOurished by
tubs OF night soil thrown in from time,
to time.
Some time later. from several
months to two years. depending upon
the size of the gem desired. these Oys-
tiers are taken out of the shell, the
pearls removed and the body Of the
animal eaten as food. Millions Of such
pearls are sold annually In China. The
most valuable are either round or pear
shaped.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
FISH THAT KNOWS NO FEAR
Killer Whale Easily Holds Title Of
Most Ferocious Of the AMI
mzls Of the Deep.

The killer whale Is one Of the most
deadly animals that swim in the sea.
Killers are found In almost every ocean
OF the world. but. because Of the nature
Of their food. they use as feeding
grounds the sounds and bays along the
coast. rather than the open sea. They
are ferociOus pursuers, constantly de-
stroying more than they eat.
killers apparently will eat anything
that swims." says Roy C. Andrews. OF
The American museum. who has been
studying whales for some time. Fish.
birds. seals. walrus and other whales
are all Its prey. Its capacity is almost
unbelievable. There Is a record Of thir-
teen porpOise and fourteen seals Being
taken from the stomach of a 21-foot
specimen" The capacity Of the killer
has given rise TO a number Of fantastic
tales, one Of which tells Of killer be-
ing seen with a seal under each flipper,
a third under its dorsal On and
fourth In its mouth. In pursuing, the
killer bellows In a terrifying manner.
Killers are the only whales that feed
upon their own kind. They sometimes
go In company by dozens and set upon
young whale. batting him like so
many bulldogs. Some will lay hold OF
his tail. while others bite at his head
and thrash him until the animal dies.
So great is the strength Of the killer
that single one. by fastening its teeth
into the body Of a dead whale being
towed by several whaling boats, can
carry II to the bottom In an instant.
They know no fear and in parties they
will attack the largest whale.
Not even a ship. or a number OF
ships can daunt the ferocious killer.
who frequently. through its holiness,
help whaling parties by terrifying their
mutual prey into nonresistance.-From
an American Museum of Natural His
tory Bulletin.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
DAYS OF ATHENS GREATNESS
Making the City Religious Center
for All HeIIas.

II was during Hadrian's first visit
TO Athens (about 124 A. d. that he
made plans for rebuilding the majestic
temple of Olympian Zeus. He added
signally to the adornment of Athens
with many temples and other build
ings; he built an aqueduct TO bring
the water of Cephissus to the city,
aud at Corinth he constructed aQue-
ducts 10 bring to that city the water
from Lake Stymphalus. Sparta was
then the most important city in the
Peloponnesus. and the visit of Ha-
drian there is established by an In
scription. He was absent from Rome
three years at this time. returning
by way Of Sicily, where he made the
ascent OF Mount Etna TO witness sun
rise. GregorOvius believes he has evil
dence that proves Hadrian to have
been in Athens again In the, year 132
A. D.. and he assumes that the great
temple of Olympian Zeus was then
completed and dedicated. Not for
centuries had Athens known any such
magnificent festival as that of the ded-
ication of this 0lympieion. 1t was
made national festival. with repre-
sentatives from every city in Greece.
as the OlympIan Zeus was the new
religious center for all Hellas. The
dedicatory address was delivered by
POlemOn of Smyrna, who was the most
celebrated Sophist Of his day.-From
ATHENS, the Violet-C Crowned" by LII
ian whiting.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
NEVER WORE ROYAL DIADEM
Seven Queens of England Who Re-
manned Unerewned on Account Of
State and Religious Reasons.

There have been seven uncrOwned
queens OF England. The first was
Margaret of France. the second wife
OF Edward l. Money was scarce in
the government Golfers ut the time,
and Edward could not afford the eX-
penSe of a coronation. The four later
wives of Henry VIII, Anne BOleyn's
succesSOrS-Jane Seymour, Anne of
Cloves. Catherine Howard and Gather
inc Parr-were never publicly crowned
as queen cOnsOrtS. Perhaps il was be-
cause Henry thought IL would cause
ridicule. to have corOnatiOns occur as
frequently as his marriages. Henrietta
Maria, the wife of Charles /. being
strict Catholic. refused to take part
in a state function which would COM
pei her to- partake of the sacrament ac-
cOrding TO the rites of the Church Of
England. Sophia DorOthea, the wife
of George /. and mother of George ii:
was never recognized as queen of Eng
land, and therefore cannot be classed
~ one of Britain's uncrOwned queens.
Caroline of Brunswick, the wife of
George ", was not permitted TO be
present in Westminster hall at his
coronation.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
The Perfect Mind.

Truth is bigger>than our minds, and
we are not the same with II, but have
a lower participation only of the In
teIIectual nature and sre rather appre-
LENDERS than comprehenders thereof.
This Is, indeed. one badge Of our crea-
turely state that we have not a per-
fectiy comprehensive knowledge or
such as is adequate and commensu-
rate TO the essence Of things; from
whence we ought to be led to this &C
knowledgment that there is another
perfect mind or understanding being
above us in the universe from which
our imperfect minds were derived and
upon which they do depend.-Ralph
Cudworth.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
EnuIand,s Bio MISTAKE.

On the Sth of March In 1T65 the
house Of lords In England passed the
stamp act. which led to the famous
Boston tea party. the first militant act
Of the Revolution
The English treasury had been
drained by the Seven Years war and
the country. needed money. The people
Of England were already taxed to the
limit and King George and the English
parliament decided that the most ex-
pedient way 10 raise money was TO
tax the American colOnists and to es-
tabhsh the principle that the colonists
must pay taxes 10 the crown even
though they were not allowed repre-
sentation in the English parliament.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
DAY HoN0RED By WELSHMEN
March the First Known the World
Over a. Anniversary Of the
countrys Patron Saint.

The first day OF March has long been
observed as a special day by the peO-
pie of Wales and Is called st. Davids
day in honor OF the good st. David.
patron saint of the Welsh, who lived
in the sixth century.
ST. David was said to have been the
son OF a prince of Cardiganshire.
Wales. and is accredited with the
working Of many miracles, especially
among the poor Of the country. 1t was
said that when the saint first went
into the fields to preach to his follow
ers the ground on which he was stand
ing began to rise until IL assumed
gOOdly height, and henceforth was his
pulpit.
For hundreds of years the Welsh
wore sprigs OF leek-a plant with
broad bluish-green leaves and yellow
flower clusters-ln their hats as SYM
boil OF recognition of the day. This Gus
tom was brought about, some say.
from the fact that in battle Of the
Welsh against their old enemies, the
SaxOns, St David had ordered all
Welshmen TO go into battle wearing
their native leek. not only to distin-
guish them from their enemies, but to
bring them good luck
Other writer's argue that the badge
was worn more as fraternal sign and
because leek was grown in every Welsh
garden and was the favOrite vegetable
of a true Welshman.
Writers Of the last century depict
a typical Welsh gartten-as a garden Of
onions. garlic and leek. Homely incl
dents are told of Welshmen assisting
each other in farming and eating their
leeks together. ceremony symbolic OF
hospitality and good fellowship.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Robert Louis stevenson's Prayer.

Robert Louis StevensOn's lasr prayer
tells us how all great men live by faith
Of the life immortal. Assembling his
servants. at the end of the day. in his
house In Samoa, he prayed. Behold
us with favor. folk of many families
and nations: gathered together In the
peace Of this room. Weak men and
women. subsisting under the covert Of
thy patience. be patient still. Suffer
us yet a while longer. with our broken
purposes of good. with our idle en-
deavOr against evil. Bless to us our ex-
iraordinary mercies: II the day come
when these must be taken. brace us to
play the man under affection. Call
US up with morning faces and with
morning henrts. eager To labor. eager
to be happy. II happiness shall be our
portion. and. II the day be marked for
sorrow strong to endure.
sesInon by the Rev. DR.. Newell Dwight
Hills NJ Brooklyn. \. Y.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
JUDGE WAS ON RIGHT TRACK
New Englander a Pioneer in Scheme
Of Conserving Water for Use
In Summer Months.

Present-day interest In the develop
nsDt Of water power has recalled a
pOdeSt, old-fashioned episode In the
history of New England when. some
tue in the fortieS. Judge Nathan Cros-
r drove round Lake Winnepesaukee
ia his carriage and made rough calcu-
lstiOns Of the effect upon local agri-
rultural land If the lake level were
missed a few feet. Out of that car
rage ride grew a plan by which Lakes
Wnnepesaukee, Squam, Newfound
and others have since been used as
storage basins, conserving water for
he summer months, and thus becOm-
ing modest pioneers Of the more i'm
pressiye plants for water utilization
that will doubtless be feature of the
United States in the not distant fu-
ture. Judge Crosby, however, may
have had no more idea of the trans
mission Of water power in the form
q electricity than his buggy had Of
bsuming an Observation-Disclosures
SdsDce Monitor.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
CAN EAT WAY THROUGH LEAD
Beetle OF Remarkable Power wou,a
Wake Man Much Trouble n u
Existed In Quantities

Probably most persons who read
tne newspaper story OF the discovery
oy q Santa Barbara tCal) telephone
engineer OF an insect that eats its
way through sheet lead thought Il In
the same class with the ancient hoax.
about the worm that eats steel
nails. which was perpetrated about
q quarter OF a century ago and still
reappears at intervals. One of the
editors OF Engineering News. however.
mas seen the insects, a number of
which are held In captivity In lead
boxes with glass covers. to see how
Tong II win take them to bore their
way TO freedom.
The insect Is a slender black beetle
about a quarter of an inch long, with
hard wing covers and of innocent and
placid demeanor. II is said to light
on lead-covered telephone cable and
bore a tiny round hole through the
lead sheath and the paper Insulation
down 10 the copper. Possibly IL be-
iieyes the cable to be a part of a tree
or vine into which IL is accustomed to
bore holes. and so IL proceeds to bore
through the lead as IL would through
the bark. Some persons think that
concealment Is Its motive; others that
the boring process is preliminary TO
egg depositing.
The lead borers have been heard Of
In South Bend. Ind, and Rockford.
ILL.,; In Omaha. Tacoma. Portland and
San Diego; in Florida and In Austria
liza. The fact that numbers of them
have been found in old lead foil tea
packages leads one to suspect that the
family Is of oriental extraction
Youths Companion.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
sfSVEs A USEFUL PURPOSE
-. Comments Entertaininaly Of
what He Calls This Ne Of
Mine"

r-S, Us very individual. this Ne OF
II eats, Il walks, II plays. IL
Us - and 1t sleeps. Also. II plans and
80 spd dreams and loves
D MS Me of mine gets lonely, too.
!, the midst Of work. II looks
e' "a itself and marvels at time and
- end things, and grows into a
y ecstatic mood at the feel Of life
,ud all It's tasks
like this Me Of mine. because IL Is
-.o-standable. Good and bad. both
-, honestly abreast. For true things
~ nassing by at every hour Of every
Day. - a. =. IL. A.. a.
.-,.s m me- And the world of action
q Ground stirs the blood in this Ne of
-,,s For il is wakeful and alert.
nm errands for this Me Of mine.
~ | work. sorrow. sympathize
AZ this Ne Of mine.
MS inside one. this outside one. this
-.-vhere one-ehis Ne OF mine-it's
y thst | may keep and call my own.
On shall stick. with loyal pride, and
ADV strive to make better. to WELD
s,rupcer. the brain. the heart and the
,Dul Of this Ne Of mine.
60 that TO serve may prove the end
. an that there is to this Ne Of mine.
From Good Housekeeping.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
ToILED HARD FOR SUCCESS
Great Sculptor Knew Many vieissi-
tudes Before His Genius Compelled
Worries Acknowledgment

The old. old story Of genius tOEling
against adversely and winning the
struggle Is ever repeating itseif-and
Is ever interesting. Rodin, the great
French sculptor, climbed the bladder
laboriously. but with such persist
ence that fame could not escape him.
In "Rodin. the Man and His Art" Miss
Judith Cladel tells how the young ar
list, In order to live. applied himself
TO varied occupations.
He clipped at stone and marble. he
drew sketches for the fashionable Jew
elers Of Paris, and he made articles
OF decorative art ordered by manufac-
turers. Despite n considerable loss OF
time he obtained by that means a true
apprenticeship in art. and finally was
able to realize his first dream-to have
an atelier Of his own.
His atelier! II WAS a stable In the
Rue Lebrun, In the quarter OF the
Gobelins. where he IVES born. II was
a cold hOvel-cave, with a well sunk in
the angle of the wall that. at every
season, exhaled its chilling breath. II
did not matter. The place was suffi-
GENTLY large and well lighted.
There ROdin accumulated his stud
les and works until the place became
80 crowded that he could hardly turn
himself about, hut. being too poor to
have them cast. he lost the greater
part Of them. Sometimes the soft clay
settled and fell asunder; sometimes
becoming too dry. IL cracked and crum-
bled.-YOuth's Companion.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Ant. Sweet Tooth.

One Of the greatest pests that haunt
our orange groves Is the Argentine
ant, and yet Ii never goes near the
trees. Every bit OF the damage II
does indirectly. II seems that II has
a very sweet tooth and Is abnormally
fond Of a honey dew that Is secreted
by certain mealy bugs and scales that
are most injurious. and It win 90 to
any lengths to protect them from be-
ing destroyed or harmed In any way.
In Louisiana they have discovered
way OF trapping these ants. They
construct nests and when they all
eongregate there. as they viii IN rainy
weather. they can destroy them.
In California they poison them with
poison syrup When they are once
gone Il Is easy enough 70 deal win
their friends.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
FAMOUS 0LD ENGLISH FORT
Perchester Castle, ohso,et. Now. Must
Have Been Place Of Great
Strength In Its Day.

Far away. behind all that the ma
Jority OF people know OF Portsmouth
tEngJ harbor-the outer basin with
the ships Of all kinds and descriptions
coming and going In Il. from the great
battle cruisers to the steamers plying
to and fro from the Isle Of wIght-far
from all the hustle Of the harbor side.
at the extreme end Of a great stretch
OF ddal water. backed by the long.
low line Of the downs, stands Por.
chester castle. Roman as its name
denotes, Dorchester Is said TO have
been one of the nine fortresses built
by the Romans TO defend the British
Coasts against marauding pirates
from across the North sea. However
this may happen to be. the walls
which face the huge expanse Of mud
hats at low tide and water at high
tide are really the work Of Roman
builders. which is a great deal more
than cah be said for many Of the so
called "Romas walls" in other places.
Wonderful walls they are. tOO-Roman
builders never did things by halves
fully ten feet thick and built Of flint
and concrete with courses Of lime
stone slabs.
The strength of the place before
artillery came into use. or against an
enemy unprovided with II. must have
been enormous. and its situation must
have made II almost impregnable. The
Normans recognized its value and Hen
~ ! added the great keep and many
Of the other buildings.
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Mot /. Joyous Occasion.

A pig belonging to James Newman
Of San Francisco was unusually OBJ
stinate, and he tried calling II nice
pierie" and q lot Of other pet names.
but the animal snorted and refused to
come along. Then Ifs owner called
the hog names that indicated be was
very angry. but the harsh words had
no more effect than those OF honey.
Ar last Newman lassoed the animal
and was At once arrested for cruelty
to animals. -The hog didn't seem to
be very cheerful. judge the police
nan told the judge. He was on the
~ 10 his own funeral Newman
pointed out @You wouldn't expect
hin Be laughing. hardly. would yso
now. 5udser
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
cioui.

vincenzo Giotti was a native Of
Bologna. born about 1880. He became
q scholar Of Dionysius Calverte at the
time that Guido REM studied under
that master. At twenty years Of age
he went to Rome in company with
Guido. and there painted some pic
lures. He was then invited to the
court Of Naples. where he passed the
remainder Of his life. Giotto possessed
50 ready an invention, and such sur
prisng facility, that Orlando states.
from a list Of his works. found after
his death. that he had painted no fewer
than 21S pictures for public positions
In the different towns OF the kingdom
Of Naples He died at Reggie in 1886
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Mammoth and Man.

The first msmmoth remains dug up
IN Europe were supposed TO be those
of gigantic men. In 1877 a learned
professor at Lucerne. from a pelvis
and one thigh hone. RECONSTRUCTED" q
man 10 feet high. Nor was the mistnke
without excuse. inasmuch as the bones
of the mammoth are remarkably hui
man ike. The vertebrae look Ike
magnIfied copies Of human spine sec
tiors. and the same Is true OF the
shoulder blade. the pelvis. the femur.
etc
The broad ax., 1919-04-05

In their efforts to secure good die
tion-by taking lessons from a high
priced coach-singers often overlook
the benefit which may be secured by
reading. with careful attention. the
texts Of the songs they are to sing.
II Is manifest that q singer who
cannot give an intelligent reading Of
a poem cannot give an intelligent In
terpretation Of that poem In singing:
The value OF each word. each phrase.
and their relations to each other. and
to the whole thought. are legitimate
objects for thorough study. Especial
ly Is this true Of the pause which Il
20 valuable In speech or In the read
ing Of q POEM
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Candle Auction.

HE candle has been used for many
purposes In the seventeenth century
: candle auction was the regular
method Of selling wares at the mart
V the East India company custom
Lmch Is still in vogue In various parts
v the country, notably at Tatworth,
mar Chard, in Somerset. where the
SUNG Of land Is annually conducted
" mis- novel method The thirty or
tO''g people having rights in the land
assemble and bid. and IL Is Knocked
eoSn' to the last bidder as the inch
y candle fickers out In three sue
s sslSe years the candle burned for
~ q and 3S1k minutes.-London
The broad ax., 1919-04-05

you have plenty OF room In Amers
ca" said the foreign visitor.
-0h. yea
Then why do you build 50 many
sky-scrspersr
4 guess that's beeause the average
American thinks he can't transact
business unless he's within waking
distance Of the post once. -BinninR
ham AgeHeraid-
The broad ax., 1919-04-05

-why do Jon object to the study Of
botany In the schoolsr
1T nearly ruined my digestion
sid AFR. Growcher Il cuitissted the
habit Of calling vegetables By their
Latin names until nearly everything
I ate sounded as II II had come out
OF q Doctors prescription
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
Not oe.,r.hle

I had to ask Flubdub NOT to eat
aere any more.
what's wrongT-
Every time ! got pretty waitress
ny to convince her that she was
~ - ogt for a movie career. 50 / told
- 70 take his hash business some
=, e elseS-Lcuissille Courier-Jour
The broad ax., 1919-04-05
A ssnef.etor.

lowe a debt OF gratitude to that
man.
.That srouchy magazine edissri
whyr
He refused to publish : lot Of
poetry I wrote In my youth.--Louis
vile courier-JonrnsL