davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
TOOK ODD BELIEF FOR FACT
Description by Aristotle of Birds That
Never Existed Makes Humor.
Gus Reading Today.

Aristotle was one of the greatest
minds of all time. His philosophical
deductions and reasoning powers have
never been surpassed, but like many
another great genius he often made
the mistake Of accepting common sup
positions for truth. He was not him.
self an observer, and his dependence
upon the observation of others often
led him into ridiculous errors. He
wrote in this fashion concerning the
phoenix, fabulous bird which never
existed.
THE Philippians and Indians tell US
Of birds of varied coloring and indie
scribable; of the phoenix of Arabia
most noteworthy of all. It is de-
scribed to be of the size of an eagle.
with golden sheen about the neck but
purple otherwise, varied with roseate
feathers on a tail of blue, and with
tufts identifying the face and a
feathery crown and head. Manlius
says that in Arabia it is considered
sacred to the sun and lives for eco
years. When it grows old it makes
itself nest of cassis and twigs of
frankincense. In this it dies. Then
from its bones and marrow is pro-
duced what seems a small worm, but
1t afterward becomes a chick"
Of the pelican he wrote: when
they hnd their young killed by a SER
pent they mourn and beat themselves
upon their Sides and with the blood
discharged they thus bring back to life
the bodies of the dead"
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
DRAGONS OF EAST AND WEST
Leuends Regarding Thorn Vary Wide.
ly, the Oriental Mind Regarding
Them With Reverence.

PerhapsNlwe never stop to realize
how strange it is that among the saints
there is room for one to win his place
by the reputed actual saving Of a lady
from a dragon. And yet this is the
story Of Saint George of England, and
considered in no allegorical light by
the medieval church. The wealth
boarding and slaughter-bringing drag
ons early trailed across the legends
Of Europe, bringing with them desola-
ton and forming pretexts for love af-
fairs between lorn damsels and he
roes.
The eastern mind sympathized with
the dragon and made it the emblem
Of rule I know Of only one instance
where anyone attempted to destroy
dragon, for they were usually regarded
as sacred and Of incompatible power.
The West. however, true to its tenn
permanent, preferred to tell Of dragons
conquered and slain by the wit Of man.
The dragon is almost the symbol of
nature in the East, and the different
ways Of meeting it seem to form an
allegory of the oriental mystic rever.
ence of nature and the European scien-
lific conquest of it-EliZabeth J. Coats
worth, in the North American Review.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Mean Man


Mrs \. Parker came bursting in to
see her new neighbour and found Mr..
Jones reclining in an armchair.
We'll Mr.. Jones. and what's Mrs.
Jones doing?"
Mr.. Jones sucked his pipe with evil
dent enjoyment.
"Ah, poor soul, she's dyingw
Mrs. Parker was Mortified.
what? You brute, Why don't
you do something's
Just at that moment Mrs. Jones
walked in.
Mrs. Parker spluttered:
"But-but you said she was dying ="
Yes" said Jones quietly. $50 she
is-to see you mind your own bust
ness
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Would Be Embarrassing,

During the social session Of ledge
the other night the expenses were de-
frayed by levying fines on the various
members for real or fancied infrac
tons of the rules.
The forfeits were collected by the
sergeant-at-arms.
In one instance, however, the ser
geant made no effort to collect the
fine, and the chairman directed his
attention to the oversight.
Again the sergeant remained I'm
different.
Rapping for order, the chairman en-
claimed:
tine sergeant alarms has refused
to collect a fine from Brother Amley.
We will hear what excuse he has to
make
I'll owe him money."-Youngs
town Telegram.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
The LAST Straw.

1t had been trying day and Ray
mond's father was rather irritable. He
stood for few questions from the
youngster but when the latter asked
what caused the desert of Sahara. he
laid down his paper and answered ::
Il guess it formed when the Israelites
lost their sand. And if you don't quit
asking me so many questions I'll see
your mother puts you to bed before l
get home hereafter"
But, pa came the question, "how
can you see her put me to bed If she
puts me to bed before you get homer
And that question was Raymond's last
for that evening Tran
script.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
LARGEST KNOWN FOSSIL BONE
Discovery Made in Northern New
Mexico Is interesting for More
Than One Reason.

The largest shoulder blade Of any
animal on record, ancient or modern,
has been discovered in San Juan basin
in northern New Mexico by John B.
Keeside, Jr., of the United States
geological survey. This scapula bone
is part of ar immense extinct dinosaui
estimated to be over one hundred feet
long and markedly larger than an!
previously known to have existed.
Charles E. Gilmore of the National
museum in Washington has assembled
the collection of pieces OF this fossil.
scapula and has found that the total
length of the bone is more than five
eeet, nearly as tall as man. This is
i've times the length Of the shoulder
blade OF COW Of today,
The large fossil was found In the
part of the earth that was deposited
and formed in the Upper Cretaceous
era, and this indicates to the geologisl
that the dinosaurs lived at a later
geologic time than they had previousl!
supposed. This fact has created more
stir in geological circles than the
size Of the fossil.
Dinosaurs We're large reptiles with
long necks, little heads and brains
and long tails. Their bodies looL
somewhat like that of an diversified
elephant with hind legs longer thai
fore legs They dominated the eartl
In the days when the limestone beds
were laid, but for some reason dis
appeared from the earth to give placs
10 smaller and livelier animals.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
WOODEN LEG A HANDICAP
pendage Would Not Help Duck
in Its Native Element.

distinguished doctor Of Baltimore,
Md, has flock of Muscovy ducks run
ming around his country place and hear
ing great commotion in the chickel
yard one afternoon hurried hence to
see one of his ducks doing a line of
daredevil stunts in mid-air. The fall
ing leaf" 'tail-spiH' and such per
formances were following one another
with startling rapidly when the doe
Cor discovered that the cause of it all
vas big rat which was hanging on
the ducks leg. The rat held on until
the leg came off, when the rodent
dropped to the ground and escaped
The doctor tied the injured member
and his surgery was a success in that
the bird recovered, but it had a great
handicap in its possession Of a single
leg. The doctor made a wooden leg
for the fowl which answered all pur-
poses on the land, but when the bird
ventured into the water its efforts to
paddle with one leg caused it to de-
scribe one circle after another so that
If it finally did reach the shore it was
by the merest accident.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
PIT OF REMARKABLE DEPTH
Strong Belief hs.d IN English County
That "EIdo1 t7oie" Is Abso-
luteiy 9ottomIees.

Far from habi5:ti0n. on a hillsiG
in the m0ors of DerbyaA.r'. Trd1u
lies Il dreadful chasm in the To-.
chasm is of no great ~idth, but has
sheer descent to a tremendous depth
This is the bottomlesS pit of "Eldon
Hole" regarded for centuries as Tn
fathomable. The gap is surrounded
hy 4 low stone wall and q projecting
ledge at one end enables the adyen.
turous investigator to peer down into
the gloomy depths. For ages the chasm
was regarded as Il terrible place, pop
ularly supposed to lead directly to In.
fernal regions. \ gruesome story re-
iateS that 800 years ago a man was
lowered into the cleft to q depth vi
500 feet. When the unfoEtunate fe1-
low was hauled up again he was a raw
ing maniac, and died eight days later.
For centuries the place was regarded
with superstitious awe and no real at
tempt was made TO find the bottom
until about 100. when one writer
stated that half a mile of rope had
failed to reach it. As the whole dis
trict is honeycomhed with holes and
erevices. it is probable that the chasr?
of "Eldon Hole" Lends to a maze q
underground passages.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Kings Who Never Grow Old,

A curious custom of a pastoral peo-
pie of Uganda, known as the Banyoro.
is related by the Rev. John Roscoe.
He said that when once a king
was enthroned his person became
sacred, and his food was restricted ia
milk and beef from sacred herd of
cows.
The Banyoro monarch never allowed
himself to grow old nor his faculties
to become impaired. When he thought
he was going to be seriously i'll he
called council, arranged state affair.
with the principal chiefs without Civ
ing them any reason for thinking that
he was about to die, and dismissed
them to carry out his instructions.
Then he returned to his private
house, summoned his chief wife. and
ordered her to bring him a cup of
poison. He drank the contents, and in
few minutes was dead.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
CURED MONARCH OF AVARICE
Power of Turning Everything ne
Touched Into Gold Quickly Palled
on King Midas.

1t was because King Midas helped
a drunken companion of Bacchus to
sober up that he received the power
Of turning everything into gold at his
touch. Bacchus had offered to grant
Midas anything he asked, and the
king wished this unpleasant power
upon himself, according to. Ovid.
Midas enjoyed himself immensely
at first, turning twigs, apples, stones
and clods Of earth into gold. But the
trouble began as soon as he sat down
to eat. The bread he touched turned
to gold and defied his teeth. The wine
flowed down his throat as liquid
gold.
According to an embellished YER
sion Of the myth, the GROWING mis-
fortune wrought by Midas curse in
blessings guise was when, in the act
Of caressing his little daughter, he
turned the child into a golden
statue.
Bacchus had been aware that the
gift was anything but desirable.
So, believing Midas cured OF avarice,
he sent the king to wash away the
power In the fountainhead Of the
River Pactolus. Az q result Of his
bath, the sands Of that river remain
golden to this Guy.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
ANTS MUCH LIKE FIREFLlES
Species in Brazil, Travellers Assert
Throw Off a Small but Quite
Distinct Light

At least two Brazilian trav@ers
have described an extraordinary phe-
nomenon connected with the nests OF
white ants, or termites, Dr.. da Fon-
SEGA, who saw the exhibition on the
headwaters of the Rio Verde, gives the
appearance as that Of tiny stars, at
fording the nest the look Of a min"
lature tower brilliantly Illuminated
When the nest was struck with stick
the lights went out, only to re-appear
little by little.
Castelnau, in the middle Of the last
century, beheld a similar spectacle
near the city of Goyaz. He says that
the lights were produced by an i'm
mense number Of small phosphores-
cent larvae, which withdrew into the
galleries OF the mound when an az
tempt was made to capture them.
Branner of Stanford university re-
marks that this exhibition is prob
ably confined to some particular spe-
cies, or to some special occasions or
conditions of termite life, since he has
lived and travelled for years In Brazil
without seeing it.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
BIRDS AND CAT SPLIT HOUSE
Hitherto Bosom Friends Proclaim
Feud at Time When Only Kind
hest Feeling Should Prevail.

There is a feud still only few
weeks old, out in one of the Westches
ter towns that promises to develop in
to vendetta as intense and deadly
as anything that Breathitt county ever
produced The pity of the feud is
that no one would ever have predicted
1t; 10 one took steps to forestall it.
The Bixbys and the Judds have been
neighbors for more than six months
and until recently relations had been
friendly between the two families
Bixby and Judd come out from the
city on the same train three or foul
nights a week and until last week took
part in the best game of pitch in the
commuters league Mrs. BiXby and
Mrs. Judd were neighborly about such
things as a little vinegar or enough
olive oil for a French dressing.
But that is all over now. Bixby and
Judd pass each other with laboriously
achieved unconcern. There are no
more informal visits from house to
house. The BiXbys are talking seri-
ously about selling their house, even
at a sacrifice, that they may get into
a more congenial atmosphere. The
Judds are letting it be known that the
neighborhood is in some ways an un-
pleasant one.
Love of nature really started it all.
The Bixbys We're unaware of the fact
that Mrs. Judd was a bird lover. 1t
IS not always easy to identify pro
eessional bird lover. Very often they
give every indication of being normal
persons. 1t is only when the annual
migration starts that the bird lovers
give themselves away.
That was when Mrs. Judd revealed
her true character. AS soon as the
first robins appeared in the neighbor-
hood she began tc take the trouble OF
the birds to heart. 1t was large or
der to worry about all the birds in
town, but Mrs Judd was conscientious
There was Felix, for instance. Felix
is the Bixby cat, a great taWny cat
highly decorative but not particularly
respectable, and not familiar enough
with bird lore to know that ht
shouldn't catch robins. He had bee
doing it for long time; he did it out
bright morning ON the lawn in from
Of the judd house.
Mrs. Judd went to the telephone
She called Mrs BiXhy. There We're I
few remarks, progressively icy. :
complete silence, The feud began.
Felix. however, merely sat in the
sun and cleaned up after his meal.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
STILL MATTER FOR RESEARCH
Astronomical Science, Although Enor
nsously Developed, Has Yet =
Great Deal to Discover.

A century of continuous achieve
ments in the knowledge of other
worlds has brought US, as Professor
Eddington suggests, to the threshold
Of expectations which generation
ago would have been deemed fantas
tic.
We have giant telescopes beyond the
imagination of fifty years ago. The
camera has, in the minds Of many of
the public, almost brought the sun
and his satellites onto a dissectine
table. Above everything else the spec
troscope has revolutionized astronom-
ical science by revealing the materials
of which the sun, moon and stars are
composed.
But we must calmly await the IN
formation of science which admits the
existence Of vegetation in Mars as to
the mysterious signals" of its inhab-
itants. There may be men in the moon
In the breathable atmosphere Of its
stupendous craters. The field of astro-
nomical research excludes nothing but
the impossible. We all share the "feel-
ing" to which Professor Eddington
gave expression, that we are on the
verge of something greater than our
dreams can shape. Natl.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24

Carbon has been subjected to fierce
heat energy and to very high pressure
at the same time to be formed into a
rigid solid, the diamond. Carbon in
the central regions of giant suns is
subjected to an intensity Of energy
of heat far greater than any that can
be secured by electro-chemists in lab
oratories in either highly condensed
sparks between metallic terminals or
arcs. 1t is not known what effect such
intense energy of heat has on the
atoms Of elements, for none so intense
Is available to science Atoms in the
interiors of highly incandescent suns
may be resolved back to primordial
electrons; or electrons may never have
revOlved around nuclei to form atoms.
Then solar interiors would be cleo.
tronic by this hypothesis.-Seattl
Post-Dispatch.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
DATES FROM SIXTH CENTURY
Oldest Known Latin Extant 10 Not
Epigram, but Decidedly Com
nonplace In Expression.

Those who swear by the classics,
and believe that in them is set down
all wisdom, as well as those who fout
this view for old fogeyism, may be
surprised to learn that the oldest
known Latin extant, dating, accord
ing to most scholars, as early as the
Siy|h century. B. c., is neither fr9g-
ment of ar old law carved in crumblfng
stones nor a scrap Of old parchment
containing calendar proclamation.
Instead It appears on so frivolous q
thing as piece Of jewelry, q gold
brooch. and that not made for a ~om-
an, but meant to be worn BY q Roman.
patrician to fasten the folds Or his
toga at the shoulder. The motto On
the piece u nothing that could be
carved on 4 coarthonse coene1tona,
nor = 4 Suitable ~ r1lnaing NJ
stnfs 81 e y .|Dulill ~
~ = l lle q g Il
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24

The thoroughness with which the
apple is now worked over and utilized
by some manufacturers makes It COM
parable with the packing house Dig
that leaves only futile sqheal In
many Of the apple-using factories the
apples are first pressed to produce
cider, which may be sold as such or
may be manufactured into vinegar
After thorough pressing the pomace
is treated with hot water to remove
the pectln, which, after publication, is
sold in either liquid or solid form to
manufacturers of jellies and similar
products and to housewives The much
wasted and squeezed residue is dried
ground and sold as. cattle food.-De-
partment of Agriculture Bulletin.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
DULL AND BRILLIANT YOUTHS
Bright Boy Does Not Always Fill Ex
pectatio1s Of Friends, While
Stupid Lad SurpriSeA

An ex-headmaster Of % years az
perience has confessed that he was
anything but model boy at school.
He is not exceptional. Some boys
who have no lack Of brains have not
the Examination mind" and In some
the intelligence is too vivacious and
original to be interested In routine
work. There are boys who are really
dull and will never be anything else,
but there are also boyn who aAe mere-
ly unconventional and boys who are
apparently dull only because they are
slow.
Human beings are like plants It u
not always the tree which grows and
fruits the quickest that gives the best
crop In the end, says the London Daily
Nail The brilliant boy does not IL
ways fulf1l the expectations df his
friends, while the boy who was SUD
possd to be dull occasionally sa1p91sos
everybody n after liz bocAuGa ~
mind was q The sort MhicA taAao 4
1ng dime . mature. s.
No hardAnd-fast fale On - ~
1sNA - - n c. u 1nl1ln
- - r. y
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Gohelin Tapestries.

The Austrian government recently
offered 4 collection of tapestries, chief
IL GobelinS. as security for an Ameri-
can loan of Sl5lMO.000 Gobelin tap
e.stries the most valuable, are still
being made in Paris, says the Men
tor Magazine.
Sixty master weavers are employed
at the GobeIin looms where in the
days of Louis NV 300 worked on
tapestries for the sun King The
building is on the site OF the medieval
dye works of Philbert and Jean Go
belin.
Tapestries are now woven fol-
French public buildings Pieces that
sold for 500 d century ago bring
thousands today.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Ancient Advertisement.

A drinking cup was recently sold 8;
London, belonging to Sir Arthur
Evans collection, which is chiefly In
teresting because on it in Greek is a.
Inscription claimed to be the first
known advertisement. 1t runs rather
plaintively: Made by Ennion, let the
buyer remember" For the Twentieth
century buyer It is not a question of
remembering. but OF endeavoring to
trace the history Of one whose work
must be more than 1000 years old
Ennion is believed TO have been an
artist of Sidon. the principal city of
Phoenicia for many centuries. and
even in the Middle ages q place of
considerable Importance Now 1t is
little more than a village. its glory
having faded as completely as the
fame of its citizen. whose request
nevertheless. to be remembered, has
not remained wholly unheeded.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Points of the Moon.

IT, points" or ends Of the crescent
L. 4 always point away from the sun.
Ntl The moon is new the setting
slA. OF sun recently set, is on the
PSF sf it, which sends the points TO
the east. AS the sun sinks farther
below the horizon the points of the
crescent moon point more in an up
ward direction; for the convex part
Of the crescent must always be
toward the sun. When the moon is
waning the sun is on the east of it,
which, Of course. sends the points
toward the west The moon is always
sphere: the crescent is merely that
part Of its Illuminated side which
we are in a position to see.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Remarkable Mountain Of Sand,

In the great desert regions of the
Southwest there is remarkable
mountain Of sand. The behavior Of
1t mystified the early settlers who In
the days Of 40 followed the old trail
from Yuma to Los Angeles. The noun
tain was constantly changing form.
The first pioneers mentioned 1t to
their friends as landmark by which
they might guide themselves on their
way into the new country, but 1t
changed its appearance 50 rapidly that
many Of them failed to recognize 1t,
wandered from the trail and were lost
In the desert.
People discovered later that It was
the strong winds that from time to
time sweep across the desert that
made the mountain act Ii % queer
way. When the wind blsw it shifted
loose sand from one spot e anothsr,
,1uilt neas domes ma r r. nj
e1yed othl1 = 20 y
u a = II | ~ :
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
JOB PRINTING
Executed Promptly AT The
HERALD OFFICE.
SEEING POWER OF INSECTS
interesting Data Collected in conneo-
tion WIKI Studies in Comparison
With the Human Eye.

Very curious data have been collect
ed in regard TO the seeing powers OF
insects. The human eye in perfect
condition is able to see objects sepa-
rately that are only one minute of arc
apart. Put two objects, as, for in
stance, two black circles, on white
ground just one inch apart and then
place them at distance OF about
2661h feet. AS seen with the naked
eye the apparent space between the
circles will be minute Of arc. This
space is plainly the limit of detail Wis
ible to the unassisted human eye.
Now it might be supposed that an
insect, having compound eye, would
be able to see more detail than we do;
in other words, could separate small
objects closer together. AS matter
of fact, owing to the small aperture Of
the lenses composing the facets Of the
eye, and the spacing between the
facets, insects see less detail than
we do.
1t has been calculated that a dragon
fly cannot see separately two objects
that are placed less than one degree
apart. In other words, to such an In
sect two silver coins lying on table
three inches apart, and viewed from a
distance exceeding 14h feet, would
appear as a single object.
Bees and flies, according to the
same Investigator, are still more lin
tied in their ability to see the details
of objects presented to their eyes. A
fly could see the two silver coins above
described separately only at a dis
lance not exceeding about seven feet.
1t has been remarked as a conse-
4uence of this that we can see the de
tails ON the antennae of fly at a dis
lance of two feet or more better than
the fly itself can, though they are but
the fraction of an inch from its eyes,
Washington Star
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-11-24
Twisted, but Meant Well.

An English newspaper is printing
choice bits Of broken English as over
heard by its readers. Two examples
follow, which are considered the most
amusing: A coffee room waiter who
said he was Swiss, replying to a
guest ordering breakfast:
Tongue ISIS no more, schickken
never vos! How you like your eggs
VOLT, tight or loose?"
The other concerns an enraeed
Portuguese who turned upon his op-
ponent and spat out:
IF did know re English for re
box, would blow your nose, by damn
I ami"