davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28

they could see the-sand bank. About noon two erocodtles went out upon it to sun themselves, when several birds began. to Hit near-and about them. MT. Cook and his abrother watched them through opera, glasses and saw one of the birds go-straight up to a crocodile. The great-creature at once opened ftsemouth, the bird hoped in and the crocodile closed it again. One~would suppose that was the end of the venturesome little bird. But it was not In a few moments, MT. Cook says, the ugly jaws opened again and out came the bird, which hurried down to the waters edge. What ir did there could not be made out, but having finished, it went back to the crocodile, entered its mouth, was shut in again, came triumphantly~ out and hastened once more to the water. Three times they saw the -bird do this.
 "Mr. Cook shot4two of these birds which he tells uSsare thesSpur-winga@> blower. They are grayish, aDou. the size of a small pigeon, and provided with a sharp spur upon the wrist joint of the wing It is probably this weapon, used by the feathered den tist as more or less gentle remin- der, that~causes the crocodile to re- open his enormous mouthsand this busy little. friend depart
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
A HUMOROUS HuMM1NG BIRD

teNor was vein of humor absent in this very interesting bird person a1ity,'" writes R. I. Brasher in an in innate. study of a pair of humming bird published in the July issue of Boys Life. "A black beetle about three-quarters of an inch long had become entangled in some spider web strands and hung suspended from one of the grape vine slate- The hum mer's quick eye saw the swaying vic tim struggling to climb up the elusive entangling threads. Darting forward he hit the captive a blow that sent him swinging to the top of the arc. Poising a few moments in midair while the old cat died,' the onset was continued from the other side. The helpless insects swaying motions seemed to interest his tormentor greatly for he would shift from side to side, watching the momentum gradually lessen, then accelerate it by another blow until an extra hard tap broke the thread and released the ob- ject of his teasing.
 ''To comprehend the motives which actuate birds or animals, is of course, impossibla. but if ever a feathered form exhAbited a clear spirit of mis-
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
A BIRD DENTIST

~Mamy hundreds of years ago the Anriiezmt historian Henoelotus travelled t1trwGlrih tine 1arid of Egypt and wrote zabtut d eFuee1- bird he s1w there that sacted a derrtist to fhe crocodile twnftes Gene Stone i'm Boys' Life for ..gmlg-
 He tells r,s that tafe crocodile dives -1hhe.ty inn the river and that the in side of his mouth is infested with a 1tinM of worm called the leach. When fihs crocodile basks on the sand, he Dussns his great Hnonlth toward the E1uefitsrm hpeeze a ad a 1rttle bird takes fh6s opportunity to hop into it and kFdt1k Hdis teeth and jsrNSs of these a1n- pleasarrt fntruders- The odd wrdIer adds that the crocodile is so pleased lamd helped by this attention on the pzrt of fhe bhrd that he takes zxrest carse mot to hurt it.
 ~'T.his story was told over and oSaer flor centuries. One writer would tell it one way and another would Ee- count a different version of it.
 --Peopde in odden times he1iexed it rnGuestioningly, but the modern per- i.son is much more critical and so it 1haSsan to oe doubted and even laughed at as a sort of fable that bird should Aetually be allowed to enter the 8asvs of the monster of the river Mdle and get out alive. It seemed too afhS6rd to be true for it was 3onowrl that the crocodile was very 4nesay for birds and if he eoald find one that had been hurt and could not get away he would make short work AoG eati1ns it. Even a, fudl grown vud- tune had been found in a dead cFoco- E<dl6'S stomach. So fhes tory was dis e1efited-
 ~Another old chonfeier who re- lated this odd tale of the crocodile bard said that when the little creature was cleaning the eroeodSae's teeth the monster woaad go to sleep, when the industrious little dentist would re- uatnd hdzn to open his jaws by pierc- prdekl@ which gro4Setf on the birds hssId:' Then the crocodile would ope1, his eaSernous jaws again and Doctor Bird could get out. This addition to the old tale only increased the doubt t. fHtEAss of it, for what was supposed to be the prickIe on the head of the bird known as the crocodi1e-bfrd was found to be only a little crest oi feathers,
 "A man named Mr. John M. Cook has really set the matter at rest He
 tsfis HIS that when travelling on the Mile, hs and his brother saw a num-
 birds on a sand bank and decided te
 watch them to see if there was really any truth in the old story. The two men were very careful to concea
 t-As.asAlves in a pit at daybreak where
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
Bridgeport. HHEH,E,VElV sN Bridgeport Conn. A@~~ - ~ Conn. 
 LEADING MILLINERS

Great Price Reductions All This Week
 This Will Be Red-Ieter Week for Value Giving All Colored Straw trimmed Hats formerly priced at $500 to formerly priced $2OO s70O soc o Georgette Hats White Milan
 Natural Legohnr Hats, White Black Transparent S20O Banded Straw Rough Sailors 69c S250 Banded Fuce Straw Sailors $1.4S Tailored and Outing Hats at half prices. Shirt Waists cost prices. Silk Petticoats Cost Prices. S15.O0 S1S.00 Tan Cloth Coats S99S Rain Coats Cost Prices. lAarabout Feather Capes at Cost Prices Summer Fur Scsrfs at Cost Prices Sweaters at Cost Prices
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
A SENSE OF INFERIoRrTY

I've often been struck by the ex treme hauteur of salesladies.
 We'll?
 Don't you suppose merchants suf- fer from it
 know one who does. He tells me he feels lick sneaking into the rear door of his establishment because he suspects that his personal appear ance does not meet with the approval of his clerks.
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
BRIEF NEWS NOTES

Reduced to it's lowest terms, the industrial problem resolves itself into these three factors: The proletariaI and the profiteeriat are trying to ex- propriate each other, and the salarat is getting squeezed out in between The Independent
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28

Friend-Do you believe that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world?
 MT. Henpeck-Yes; but somehow I always think of it as the hand that wields the flat-iron and the rolling pin-Judge.
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
HARD TO GET

MT. Kno@Who are all those women in front of the house2
 Mrs. Knox-Neighbors. They heard out cook was going to leave and they are waiting to engage her.
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28

The sentence of death has been inn posed on a. man who murdered a Cuban sugar planter. Anybody who kills man producing sugar deserves short shift at this period--Buffa1o Commercial
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28

In order to be consistent, every man who wears ovaraIls to reduce the price of clothing should welcome a like action on the part of the public directed against whatever he sells.- Rome Sentinel
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28

So long as production remains at low ebb, just so long will every thing that once upon a time was cheap shine among the things the common people cannot afford to buy--Anaconda Standard
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28
False Teeth Arrested

c1.ve,and Feb. 3-FaIse Teeth are now as- rested from falling and securely held in
 by the deal Ppaeden.s psidd ass ipposss, Sith this antiseptic adhesive powder sprinkied on the plate. Corega re}axss the 1zs.l mnseies and nEeveutz sore Kuuas- sss a1
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-28

chief and amusement it was in this curious performance"
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11

Monsieur continued to weep-pos-
sibly he thought we'd left him out Of
consideration for his emotion.
"Say--this is The very deuce of a
hole" Billy began in a rapid whisper,
"lha very devil of hole What we
must do is 10 go to Washington to-
morrow"
"Hur. Billy
"Well, tonight, then-we can catch
the midnight train and he there the
first tuin- iT the morning"
81 WON'T At least, not now. Do
please listen. won't do anything till
I've seen Mrs. DelariO-"
"What the good Of wasting time see
ing herr" he interrupted. Here's a
ease where hours cOunt-minuleS-
seconds, for all we know. How'll she
help, auywayy
That's not the question. She en-
trusted them to me--so she's the one
to take them back to first-and then
if She says"
"Oh, YOU know what shell say" he
argued "Women are always that
way-dont want any trouble. Now,
YOU take The hull bysthe horns-go to
Washington tonight"
"No. I'm responsible to her"
"IIow can YOU be-when she only
found them where the girl must have
put them? He'll confess that, too,
when he gets over his weeps."
"Oh, well since you've got 'em, l
suppose youn do as you like for all of
my advice" Billy said glumly, stuiling
his hands in his pockets. But if
yOull take my advice, you'll not waste
time over anything-it's too serious"
"RiIly, dear, do listen to reason for
half a second. What are we going to
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11

was he who broke the spell of our
silence by asking me for Il glass of
water.
| carried the water to him and
turned away my eyes while he held the
glass with his two hands to his lips.
That's quite n yarn" observed
Billy, blowing out a cloud.
"'Yarn|" questioned monsieur.
"Story--tale-narratlve,H Billy ex-
planned. "Une historic" ON which
mon, ieur frightened and declared: /:
"CeSt une yertable historic"
"True when It happened translated
Billy. "But what don't see is, where
you come in on the diamond deal"
81" said monsieur, giving me a look
that asked; rs there anything have
not oautifully eXplaincd?"
"NeS--you; | don't seem yet to see
wherN you belong in this vertable his
toirc.' returned Billy, looking about
for IN ash tray, but driving at his
poinl-'I don't see what part you play
in II al all? Granted that the dia-
monds belong to the Emperor William
--nov, then, what are you doing with
then? 2"
"I?' again he looked at me. II am
trying TO find zem for ze Emperor VIII
liam"
"All right. But what are you doing
with them--ln American Billy's tone
was severe. "That is what you have
to answer"
Billy looked the man straight In the
eyes defiantly, and thought, for just
The fraction of a second, that he
quaicd under the boyish honest stare.
"les, sir" continued Billy, as mon
sleur did not Immediately reply,
there's quite a gap between the en-
pernr's owning them and your having
thela. Very possibly | am lacking in
Imagination, but to be quite frank, /
can see the connection"
il was to me monsieur appealed.
"Ah, madame, what more can say? l
am 1T your mercy" and he held out
his manacled hands.
hardened under Billy's look at me
and replied coOlly: 81 think you'd bet
ter ell us how you came by the dia-
moris. ] can't see the precise connec-
tior between the Emperor William and
you self"
Monsieur appeared to choke hack a
nu'.iber Of emotions and then de-
clu ned. MADAME must pardon me,
hui zOze--are secrets--of statew
~ did 1t really magnifcently--al-
tog her the great man, the cOnfdant
of Kings. and that-On top of the rest
&C Hvinced me Of his sincerity. Be
fore could reply, Billy pulled my
sleeve and demanded: "Where's an
ash tray?-Tm getting this stuff all
oyl your best rug. Get me plate or
sol athlng out Of the Kitchen and
with his eyes he said: Leave this
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11

And with this attended TO, Elfrcda,
stationing The lady-of-alIwOrE in tie
proper attitude with The goblet in
readiness TO catch her hearts blood,
plunged dagger in ner bosom and
died.
The faithful lady-in-waiting obedi-
emily caught the blood as II fell
seven great drops. But, on, miracle
when she looked into the golden goblet
wha, did she behold? Seven drops,
unmiycd us when they fell from the
gaping wound Of her beloved mistress
seven glorious blood-rcd diamonds!
But she was strictly honest. The
letter and the diamonds, still in the
golden goblet. were conveyed to Oscar
al The appointed hour and at sunset
the two brothers united their tears
above the bier Of the beautiful FL
frcda.
Such was the legendary origin Of the
most wonderful diamonds in the world
ii collection created by miracle; and
thcnceforh, in Keeping with their
mystic origin, they assumed n peculiar
role in the history Of nations, binding
bargains ana sealing treaties of peace.
But now the later legends had en-
dowcd the stones with occult powers
which were impaired 10 their posses
sors-the renewal Of youth, wealth,
untold energy Of mind aud spirit.
A century after the stones were
taken TO Venice ana cut and their real
glory was revealed TO the world; and
at last thoy excited the envy Of Bis
marck and came into the possession OF
the emperor grandfather to the pres
cnt William, thence to William the
present,
To This legend Billy and J had lis
tened with unbIiHking interest Mon
sicur told 4 in the sustained manner
of one imnured to secrets Of state. il
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11
CHAPTER XIII.
Monsieur Appeals TO Me.

The effect of our words on monsieur
was the last thing we could have fore
seen. He had been standing all this
while. He sank heavily into his chair,
buried his face In his hands-and
wept! Billy raised disgusted eyes to
the ceiling, inviting 1t TO come down
with noise and end the unpIeaSing
spectacle of q man crying tears on
rug. Then catching my commiserating
eye. Billy communicated his ideas on
the subject with little sneer OF his
lip and little shrug of his shoulder.
The next instant, ne had seized me by
the arm and pulled me along the hall
whispering: "While he'sson the weep
we can talk" and he thrust me inside
the bedroom door, himself remaining
on the sill with an eye to the dining
room.
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11

I'hy SS"iJ ~ ~'SASh w nSoSO''
tell the president? We haven't got
the whole story even yet out OF him
| pointed In the direction Of the dining
rOonl-"and there mustn't be any gap
In it. We've got TO see Mrs. Delario
and get her eyidence--weye got TO see
Claire"
Hell make her say anything"
"You and | can break her down un-
der cross. examination. You see, we
haven't Il thing but his word"
"And the diamonds" Billy inter-
rupted, "I'm taking your word for
those--you didn't see fit to show 'em
TO me-"
His tone was triae sarcastic, indi-
eating that there might still be some
legitimate doubt as to the existence Of
the stones In question, in spite Of all
the adventure over them but | ignored
it and went on: "lIe made one slip
| saw Il at the time, and now ! can't
rememter what ii was. 1t went slap
out of my head and 1t was important
something about No, can't re-
member II was sort of key to some
thinC else"
Cant you think?' urged Billy.
every little details important now.
And lordy-lOrd--what n story, and my
scoop"
The reporter was rOmping around In
Blllys inside, determined TO push the
story to a finish; while rOmping
around In my insldes was my natural
caution. Why should we do anything
to warn the Emperor William? He
might deny everything and say he
never even heard Of the diamonds !
Yes, one false step would make Billy
and me the laughing.stock of diplo-
matlc circles throughout the world
We must get all our proof before we
divulged the secret on which the fate
Of our latiOn depended.
The net result Of our hurried col.
ibitN was Ailut Nt ltlNl ittu W llit uill-
Ing room and silently relieved the still
sorrOwing monsieur Of his handouts.
Which done, Billy presented him with
leave OF absence from our society In
the words:
Monsieur, you are free TO go,' and
added a cOurtly bow.
i bowed also Thus we slgDlded with
all the manners we possessed that the
interview, pleasing as 1t had been,
WIS at an end
Om action--simple enough TO US and
IN line with the plan we'd just mapped
out for getting at the truth--left mon
sieur as daZed as anything we'd done;
incXplicably, we had abruptly set him
adrift. without threats or explanations
and without-the diamonds. | smiled
and said, quite as though he'd been
drinking tea with me: an say good
night to you, monsieur" With that,
held out my hand.
Monsieur did not rise. He did not
take MY offered hand. He stared--a
really frightened, childish stare, first
ut me. then at Billy. He had been dis
missed-eyery second he longer re-.
mained marked him trespasser. Yet
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11

he remained, glued to his chair and
dumb. Speech seemed to have desert
ed him. Twice he essayed it, but the
words stuck in his throat and he
looked to us TO help him out.
The clock chlmed the four-quarters
to nine and then the hour. Monsieur
spoke.
II have place myself In your posi-.
tlon as American and l appreciate
your feeling" he began, and he gent
on 10 tell US as man he grieyed for
us; how as a would-be friend he
grieved for us; how as the emperor's
The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11

messenger he grieved for us; ard how
lin the innocent carrying OF Ct g.
slipper from the customs house
of a pair in which his daughter had. at
his command, secreted box of dia-,
monds belonging to the emperOr--hadI
brought myself within the circle of inn
placable, all.seeing, all-avenging and
never-ending wrath, whether the dia-i
monds were lost, strayed, stolen from
me, or drowned in the sea wrath that
would follow me and my name for
ever, world without end amen.
"All right, let It," replied curtly.
yT4 na Ho.
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-12
MINES GOT $50
OF 1862 CARS
THEY ORDERED.
Ninety-E Eight Operations In
active Today on That
Account.

The coal car supply is trifle bet.
ter this morning, but not much. To
be precise 1t Is exactly IL cars better
than the day before. TIE mines or.
dered 1.612 cars and the number re.
ported in the region is $50. The
placement at seven o'clock this morn
ing was $50. On the Monongahela
road the car supply was about 40 per
cent. Of normal.
on the Monongah division yester.
day the production amounted to 566
cars. seven Of which were coke. Four
hundred and seventy.four cars OF coal
we're billed east and SO west. The
coke shipment was divided two east
and five west. Three cars of coal
we're turned out by wagon mines yes
terday.
The lid is still on as far as Curtis
bay shipments are concerned. MichI
gan points got IA cars yesterday, Ohio
points % ands49 cars were billed out
70 a variety of destinations. The Bal.
timore and Ohio cleared 1908 cars
east of Grafton. The railroads got 80
cars Of yesterdays production for
fuel.
There are SO mines idle today on &C.
count Of car shortage.
Schwab Buys a Railroad.
BY long odds the most interesting
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-12

piece OF gossip in coal circles today
Is the purchase OF the Morgantown and
Kingwocd railroad by the Bethlehem
Steel company which Is now develop
ing great coal properties In Preston
county and the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. II Is also reported that the
steel company he's ordered 1000 steel
coz cars for the NJ. & K. account.
The road is 4s1s miles long, extend
ing from Morgantown to NJ. e K.
Junction, and taps one Of the most i'm.
pc.tant coal fields in West Virginia.
Much Of this property was recently
purchased from the ElSins interests
By the Bethlehem corporation
Operators at Capital.
Today operators from northern
West Virginia and from the Kanawha
valley are meeting in Washington for
the purpose Of outlining policy to be
followed tomorrow when the opera.
tors and mine workers from this state
vii be heard by the Presidents soft
coal strike commission. Fairmont
field operators who are in Washington
today are c. II. Jenkins, president OF
the Northern West Virginia Coal oper.
ators' Association; George T. Bell; ex.
eCuIlHe VICE pE6olucuI VI Tue hSSOCld'
ton: Frank r Lyon, Brooks Fleming,
Jr, C. II. Tarleton and Everett Dren.
men.
Among the charters recently issued
by Secretary of State Houston G..
Young the following were for coal
companies:
silver Coal Co., Beryl; capital
stock $4,000; incorporators H.
Cross, R. Grant. ST., Cumberland; w.
Stricken, Westernport; L. Grant,
Berry,, and R. Grant, Jr., Elk Garden,
W. Va.
Lawrence E. Tierney Fuel Co.,
Powhatan; capital stock $50, 900; in
corporators L. E. Tierney, Powhatan:
j. R. Tucker, N. Q. Sale and G. Sale,
/. WEIGH, w. Va.
Ambrose-Som Galleries Cor
poration, Piedmont, capital stock 50,-
600: incorporators ]. E. Bleekman,
C. S. Harrison, New York; W. E. Am
brose, H. E. Gibson, Piedmont; S. c.
Ambrose, Blaine, w. Va.
Glogora Coal Co., Huntington; cap
ital stock 100000; incorporators F.
Hager, w. G. Fleu, E. K. Kelley, L.
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-12

IS. Wilson. T. 5. Ncoman, Ashland.
Lee r. Coal Co., Moragntown: cap
itai stock $50. 600: incorpoartors n.
2. Bupdett. r. i. Brock, r. q. Shris
Yer, X. E. Kerr, ". r. GlasscociI. Jr.,
L. Shriver, Morgantown.
Yesterday the coal strike commits
sion announced that II would take up
the public's side Of the matter Tues
Gay OF next week. On that day rep
resentatTes OF public utility corpora
lions, individually manufacturers and
consumers viii appear. The commits.
sion has had number OF protests. 1t
is stated, from representatives Of the
consumers against any action by it,
as an outcome Of the inquiry. that
would, increase the price Of coal in
the market. These protests have car
ried with them strong requests TO be
heard, after the respective cases OF
the miners and operators were pre-
scented
To Study. Prices.
Chairman Robinson of the commits
sion also announced the personnel oil
subcommittee of five which will
take UP the matter OF the government
fixed coal prices and their effect, along
with that of the recent IA per cent
wage advance upon operators profits
The subcommittee will consider the
protest Of the operators, voiced before
the commission that under the fixed
price OF $2.35 a ton at the mine for
coal, together with the wage advance,
their profits have disappeared.
The subcommittee follows: John
ID * nj
mine operator, regional distributor
Central Pennsylvania under the Fuel
Administration during the war; C.E.
Lesher, of Washington. statistical ex
pert for the United Mine Workers OF
America and secretary OF the Bi.
luminous Coal Commission; D. NJ.
Reynolds of Pasadena, CAL. Western
representative of tho Council of Ma.
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-12
Winter Ball Has
Developed Many Stars

Where the sun shines warm in win
ter. the baseball bats are never sheath
ed.
Around the southern border line OF
the United States, from Palm Beach,
Fla, up the west coast 10 Santa Bar
bara, CAL, winter baseball leagues
hold forth in sport limelight.
They are prospering. The fans like
1t. The game'never grows old to them.
There is money IN It for the play
ers, too.
Under the present system of con-
tracing ballplayers they are on their
own time" when organized baseball!
parks lock up their gates in the fall.
Many OF the big league managers
advise their players 10 rest during
the off season. They say it doesn't
do them any good to play ball all the
year rou.d. Then there is the chance
for injury. They want EN- to report
all fresh and starchy at the spring
training. camps.
But just the same the box scores
show many familiar names from the
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-12

tional Defense. and Paul White OF
Cleveland. son oil John P. White. the
latter Representative Of the miners or
tho commission
The sub commit tee VIII sit In wash
ingtons deyottng itself entirely to the
question Of fixed prices, and their
effect on operators profits, coupled
with the wage advance. Chairman
Robinson reiterated that the commits
SIGN has no authority to fix prict;s and
will not determine whether to ask tic
president for authority to do so until
after it has unanimously agree in its
final award.