davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
ROCKS THAT PUZZLED DARWIN
Great Naturalist Could Offer No Ex-
PLANTATION Of Peculiar Land OFF
South American Coast.

To the average reader the name of
St. Paul's Rocks is unfamiliar. The
average geography and map make no
mention Of st. Paul's Rocks. They are,
of course, uninhabited. The little
known island or rather group, lies one
degree above the equator and $40
miles off the coast Of South America
In the entire breadth of the Allan,
tic there is probably no land so re
mote. The Rocks measure only about
1,400 feet In length and some 100
feet in width. There is no harbor
worth the name the only entrance be-
ing narrow inlet but q few feet in
width. As far as the records show,
L has only been visited two or three
times in the last SO years.
The most famous visitor to the
Rocks was, doubtless, Charles Darwin,
who landed there and made mi
mute investigations. His description
of this visit is contained In his book
on volcanic islands. Darwin decided
after careful investigation that the
Rocks were not of volcanic origin.
They lie much too far south to have
been a part Of the fabulous continent
Of Atlantis. In his report Darwin
says that the island was composed of
rocks unlike any he had ever seen,
and adds that he was unable to char.
acterize them by any name.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
CONTRACT WENT TO GERMANS
Americans Passed Up Opportunity
Offered Them of Building the
5agdad Railway.

In his "Under Four Administrations"
Oscar 9. Straus tells US how near the
famous Bagdad railway came to being
built by Americans instead of Ger
mans. It seems that in the year 1888
considerable pressure was brought by
the Germans on the Turkish govern
ment for a railway concession to the
Persian gulf. The grand viZier called
upon the American ambassador, ask
ing him to interest some Americans In
this railroad project. The most favor
able terms would be given to a group
Of Americans because then the project
would be free from the political COM
plications which would (and did, en-
sue If a road through the heart OF
the empire was controlled by Ger
many. William Z. Vanderbilt arrived
at this opportune moment L his yacht.
At the sultan's request Mr.. Straus tried
to interest Vanderbilt in the railroad
and introduced him to the grand vizier.
But he was on pleasure bent and not
inclined to take up more cares and
burdens. Carl Schurz and Henry VII
lard were the next two Americans to
whom Mr.. Straus appealed, but soon
afterward the porte gave the matter
over to q group Of German and French
bankers, and the famous Bagdad rail-
way was not built by Americans.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
BARNACLES LONG A MYSTERY
Up to a Comparatively Few Years Aes
the Small Creatures Were
Wrongly Chased.

SO indefinite and hazy were the re-
suits of Investigation In its case that
until very few years ago the
barnacle was ciassed with the mol
lusca, although 1t is really a crusta-
eean. 1t is developed from free-swin1-
ming larvae and attaShes itself to
rocks or timbers, which II never leaves
again unless torn of by force.
There prevailed during the Middle
ages q curious superstition that the
barnacie was the egg of q migratory
goose. the eggs being attached to the
branches Of trees that e~erhung the
water. Not until 1t was found that the
bird had its nesting place In the
Arctic regions and came South dur
ing the polar wiatsr was this fiction
disproved. But the bird IL still known
az the barnacle goose.
The barnacle also attaches itself
to living organisms. one Of It's favorite
lodging places being the huge bulk OF
the whale. Sometimes, 1t IL contend
ed, 1t ventures even into the Jaws Of
the big mammal. It IL one OF the
parado1es Of nature that the leviathan
Of the deep Is utterly po#srless to
cope with the small cr5ssfaeean, which,
at It's largest Size, when within The
shell, Is about as big as chestnut. It
is believed that whales sometimes rub
themselves against ships In their at
tempts to rid themselves Of their unA
welcome tenants.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
BUTTONS USED AS CURRENCY
Practice That Was General During
and After the Days of the Amer
lean Civil War.

The people Of Siam issue a coin
about the size of bullet which
wealthy Siamese use as buttons. Harry
A. Franck, the noted traveller and
writer. discovered in a corner Of Ba'
varia an old innkeeper who used large
silver coins for waistcoat buttons and
certain Mexican Indians are said to
employ them similarly.
On the contrary, the practice Of us
ing buttons for coins Is rather unusual.
But 1t is of interest to recall that this
was done quite generally in the United
States during and just after the Civil
war, says the Detroit News.
Because of the scarcity brought
about by expectation and boarding,
metallic money of all kinds command
ed a premium at that time. There
fore. firms, and in some cases ind1-
viduaIs, used buttons and various
forms of tokens as money. These were
In reality promises to pay or ]. .. US.
This personal currency was recognized
and accepted in the communities IN
which it was issued and In nearby
places.
This use Of buttons and tokens as
money was In part responsible for the
Issuance by the United States govern
ment Of "shinplasters." These were
paper certificates In denominations OF
10, Is and Is cents. They received
their name not because Of any actual
or fancied use, but because Of their
size.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
ON EQUALITY WITH HUSBANDS
Filipino Women, Entering Into Matri-
mony, Become Partners In Future
Business Enterprises.

"When a Filipino woman marries
she goes into partnership with her
husband" said Nine. Sofia Reyes de
Veyra, wife of the Philippine commits
sioner to the United States. while
the men handle the work and en-
ployees, the women attend to the
finances, act as cashiers, pay the work
ers and oversee much Of the business"
Things are made easy In many
ways for Filipino women, she asserted,
writes Louise Cattoi In the Milwau-
kee Journal. Professional opportun-
tiles are as good for them as for men.
Women are already members of the
Philippine Bar association, privilege
not open to British women.
Married women In the Philippines
hold their property in severalty, and
are guardians of their own children.
OF the property which accrues to a
married couple, the wife is half adj
ministratrix and there are vested
rights which cannot be taken away.
1t is not unusual for the mother OF a
family to have not only household
leadership, but economic control"
Women's clubs are rapidly growing
in the islands. Nine. De Veyra said
and pointed out that already 900
clubs and associations exist. which
have formed a federation.
Nine. De Veyra has four children
.'as bright, healthy and happy as
opy rnothar could wish" as she de-
scribed them.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
Fish NOT BRED FROM Eo0S
Scientists Have Discovered Small
Species That Undoubtedly Bear
Their Young Alive.

The habit of laying eggs is so near
b universal among fishes that prob
ably most people will be surprised,
says Science Siftings, to learn that
certain small species actually bear
their young alive. Among these Is the
large family Of killiflshes, or Cyprino-
dontidae. In such species the young
are born In comparatively advanced
stage Of development. When born
they closely resemble the adult nsh.
All Of them are very tenacious OF life.
That the bearing Of the young alive
b. certain fish Is not significant Of q
higher state Of evolution, AZ the lay
man might naturally suppose, Is
proved by the fact that It occurs In
many species Of the sharks and their
cousins the rays, though these are
among the earliest, |. e., the most an
Client fishes that we know. This habit
Of procreation has been developed In
order to give the young fry a better
chance Of survival than they might
otherwise have-it is literally a case
Of "fewer babies but better ones" The
most curious Of all these fishes is the
genus Anableps which lives in the
streams Of the American tropics. This
Ia sometimes called the four-eyed fish,
for the reason that its large promi-
nent eyes. which actually resemble
marbles on the top Of the head. are
divided horizontally into two parts,
the lower half being fitted for water
vision apd the upper half for air
vision.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
------- ----- -
ACT ENDS AGE-0LD ENMlTY
Students Of History See Significance
In Recent Move Of the Dean
Of Westminster.

There Is more than meets the eye
In the announcement that the dean
Of Westminster has assigned a partic-
ular stall on the north side Of the
chair for the use of the mayor Of
Westminster whenever he visits the
abbey In either a public or private
capacity. The deans kindly act re-
moves another obstacle to the full
friendship which should exist in West
minister between the ecclesiastical and
there was no love lost between them.
The abbey authorities were a powerful
body; the citizens Of Westminster
were struggling to be free. In a mu-
nicipal sense It was the cellarer Of
the abbey who built the Gatehouse
prison late In the Fourteenth century
and installed the abbey janitor as its
keeper. It was the abbot who had Gus
tody of all prisoners captured within
the liberties. It was the abbot who,
when debts were owing to the nonas.
terry, did not recover them by ordinary
process Of law, but sent out his "cona-
mon pressers" to distrain on the
debtors goods. When Bryan Talbot,
a gentleman by birth. fell into ar
fears with his rent, he had to sur
render his large bedsted legged" his
'1itill old Ship Chest" his water-tub
and his blew pylyan for woman
Not until the middle of the Fifteenth
century did self-government manifest
itself in society Of citizens, and that
Is long way from the gift to the
mayor of stall In the abbey.-Chris-
tian Science Monitor.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19

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. 1t 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
feathery crown and head. Manlius
says that in Arabia it is considered
sacred to the sun and lives for $50
years. When it grows old it makes
Itself nest of cassis and twigs OF
frankincense. In this 1t dies. Then
from its bones and marrow Is pro-
duced what seems a small worm, but
It afterward becomes a chick"
Of the pelican he wrote: when
they find 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, 1923-01-19
Remarkable Mountain Of Sand.

In the great desert regions of the
Southwest there is remarkable
mountain Of sand. The behavior Of
1t mystif1ed 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 a landmark by which
they might guide themselves on their
way into the new country, but 1t
changed it's appearance so rapidly that
many of them failed to recognize it,
wandered from the trail and were lost
in the desert.
People discovered later that 1t was
the strong winds that from time to
time sweep across the desert that
made the mountain act In so queer a
way. When the wind blew 1t shifted
loose sand from one spot to another,
built new domes and pinnacles and
destroyed others. until within a short
time the whole mountain presented an
entirely new outline against the sky.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
WOMEN THE CHIEF WORKERS
In Welsh Community That Was
Founded by Flemings, Gentle Sex
Shoulders Lies Responsibilities.

About twenty miles up the marvel
GUS harbor of Milford, In Wales. is q
little village tucked away In creek.
Here live and die a small settlement
of people whose ancestors were
Flemish.
In the reign Of Henry Fl, band Of
weavers was sent over from Flanders
and installed In Haverfordwest castle.
They were engaged to make cloth for
the mobiles of the land.
In the castle they toiled for many
years until at last, either tired OF work
or forgotten by their employers. they
left the dreary prison fortress and
settled in a small tract Of land about
eight miles away.
Although many years have passed,
the people still keep the customs OF
their forefathers. The women's dress
is but slight variation Of the dress
worn by the Welsh in the olden days.
The women do all the important
work. 1t is no unusual thing to see
the women in the courtyard Of their
villages preparing the culm "a mixture
of clay and coal used for fuel in Penn
brokeshire and the man lounging
against the wall of the house.
In all things, the woman shoulders
the responsibilities Of life. Before the
marriage, the bride-to-be prepares FOR
the struggle Of living. Her trade de-
ponds upon the possession Of a small
rowing boat.
To get together sufficient money to
buy one, she brews many casks OF
beer. All her friends are invited to
her home to drink the beer, for which
they pay. The stauncher the friend.
the larger the quantity bought When
the beer Is sold the boat is bought
and the wedding feast is prepared.
Then comes the hard daily round
for the girl. Every morning she goes
out In the boat and returns with
load Of shrimps and cookies.
These are put into panniers which
are strapped on the sides of donkey.
With another pannier on her back and
d small basket on her arm she trudges
into the nearest town, where she
hawks her wares from door to door.
How the husband spends his day Is
secret history! 1t is hoped that like a
dutiful man he prepares the dinner
for his tired wife. Perhaps the vege-
tables and a piece Of bacon, which
complete the evening meal, are the
result of his days work.-Bunfalo Elk.
press.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
Dead Beat.

Arnold w. Drummer, the New York
architect who recently declined a $780,
600 salary from the Pennsylvania gov.
eminent because he thought himself
sufficiently well paid for his work al
ready, said at a dinner in Philadel-
phia:
Some people are puzzled by my ac-
ton. Well, such people, when it comes
to government jobs, don't know the
meaning of the word honesty Speak
ing etymologieally they are as much
at sea as the club steward.
IAN elderly clubman, after a long
sojourn in the Orient, said on his first
visit to the club:
Where's Abraham, my old waiter?
Not defunct, l hope?'
"That's what he's done, SIR said
the club steward furiously. with every
blessed thing he could lay his hands
on ="
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
INDIAN LEGEND OF TOBACCO
Believed to Be Gift Of Spirit to Whom
Their Hunters Had Been
Generous.

An Indian tradition as to the first
appearance of tobacco In North Amer
lea is to the effect that a Swedish min.
lister who took occasion to inform
the chiefs of the Susquehanna In
dams, In kind Of sermon, of the prin-
cipal facts on-which the Christian re-
ligion Is founded, was thus answered
by an old Indian orator:
what you have told US Is very
good; we thank you for coming so
far to tell US those things you have
heard from your mothers; in re-
turn we will tell you what we have
heard from ours. In the beginning
we had only flesh of animals to eat,
and If they failed we starved. Two
of our hunters having killed a deer
and broiled a part of it, saw a
young woman descend from the
clouds, and seat herself on a hill
hard by. Said one to the other: 1T is
a spirit, perhaps, that has smelt our
yenison; let us offer some of it to
her. They accordingly gave her the
tongue. She was pleased with its
flavor, and said: Your kindness will
be rewarded; come here thirteen
moons hence, and you shall find it.
They did So and found maize grow
ing; where her left hand had been.
kidney beans; and where she had sat
they found tobacco"
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
Legend of Monkey.Faeed God

The Hindus have a legend that
Hanuman, the mon&ey-faced god, with
the aid of a monkey army, helped
rescue the wife of the divine hero
Rama from a demon. Another legend
is that Hanuman brought men a
stolen gift, the mango, a valued Indian
fruit. For the theft the monkey was
condemned to death by fire, but it
escaped with only its hands, feet and
face burned, and these have been
black ever since.
The hanuman monkey in his native
land is a privileged being. In some
Hindu communities these monkeys
live In the top stories Of the homes Of
the natives. If one native bears an
other a grudge. he places rice or corn
on the enemy's roof during the rainy
season. When the monkeys see this
they eat the grain that is within
reach, then tear up the tiles Of the
roof to secure the particles which have
fallen into the crevices, SO the house
Is opened to the rain.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
ONLY ONE USE FOR MONEY
Navajo Indians Quite Unable to See
Any Virtue In the Practice
of Saving.

What Is money for If it is not to
spend? The Navajo Indian does not
seem to know. 1t is true, as Mr. Arno
Nell remarks in Travel, that he drives
a close bargain over his blankets; yet
as soon as his sales are ended off he
PUSHES 10 the trading post. He will
never be millionaire.
One Navajo, says Mr.. Nell, chose
enough brilliant purple, carmine and
saffron calico one day to keep the lady
OF the hogan busy for many moons,
making shirts for him and dresses for
herself and the youngsters. Finally, to
my establishment, he picked from the
traders stock Navano blanket that
had been manufactured in Chicago ;
the colors were bright green, yellow
and brown; the design was elaborate,
and the texture was flimsy. But the
fellow, like most Navahos, admired the
brightness of 1t and so bought it.
Only one shining dollar now re-
manned Of his little pile; with 1t he
bought tobacco and candy and then
rode off, smiling and happy, with his
treasures. / remarked to Tall Fellow,
my companion, that his tribesman was
rather reckless to spend his money as
fast as he got it, but Tall Fellow, who
was fondling a precious. newly pur-
chased string of beads, only smiled.
Pesos" he explained, they are to
trade with. No good keep."-Youth's
Companion.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
CALL TUESDAY UNLUCkY DAY
Members Of the Greek Church Have
Reasons to Look Upon Il With
MlsoIvlnos.

To most persons Of western tradi-
ton Friday Is more or less considered
to BE- an unlucky day. Many Of them
prefer not to say this straight out.
but they are a bit wary Of starting
any large enterprise on Friday. The
Idea may come from the fact that for
80 many people Friday Is held as
fast day and great interest In purely.
secular pursuits should be held some
what In allegiance. The old Morse peas.
antry give different explanation.
ITO begin big thing on Friday
leads to a great temptation to break
the Sabbath Is the way one old grand
mother puts 1t.
To most members Of the Greek
church it Is not Friday, but Tuesday
that Is the most unlucky day. The
reason Is clearcut and historical Tor
1t was on this day that-a Tuesday, In
1453-C onstantinople was lost to the
eastern empire and passed undsr the
control Of the Turks.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
Joke on Householder.

A prominent Clevelander, reports
the Plain Dealer, of that city, was
awakened in the night by mysterious
noises from the lower floor and going
down found fellow filling his pockets
with the silver on the sideboard.
The Cleveland man leaped on the
burglar and speedily reduced him to
the got enough" stage. Then he let
the man up and asked him what he
meant by adopting such a disreputable
profession. The fellow pleaded his
youth and drink and bad company,
and claimed 1t was his very first
offense.
Whereupon, the householder, after
exacting a promise from the prowler
that he would give up his nefarious
calling. opened the door and let
him go.
Perhaps that part Of the adventure
was all right" said the Cleveland
man, but, confound the fellow, I for.
Unt all about making him take my
er out of his pockets"
4 for years that story chung tn
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
NOT A "HlGHBROW" AUDIENCE
Lecturers Story Reflects on the
Culture Of Early Days Of
the West

A distinguished lecturer once told
story of an engagement he had made
to deliver a discourse in one of the
towns Of the early West on the subject
Of the Beacon Lights Of Civilization"
Il reached the place." he said, "a
little behind time and went directly to
the hall. A large audience had as
cembled. was introduced in due
course by the president Of the literary
society under whose auspices 1 was
to- appear, and laying my manuscript
on the desk before me I opened 1t and
waited a moment for the applause to
subside. Imagine my horror when /
found that l had accidentally brought
along the wrong lecture-one on the
Wonders Of Modern Electrical Sci
ence.'"
what did you do?" asked one of the
group to whom he was narrating the
incident
Il went right ahead" he replied.
"The audience didn't know the differ
ence."-Philadelph Ledger.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
Valuable to Mariners.

In a recent speech in New York
Signor Marconi, the man who first
made wireless communication posi-.
BILE, announced that he has worked out
a method of directing radio waves in.
stead of permitting them to scatter
broadcast He does it by means of
what he calls "reflectors,' the con-
struction of which he did not clearly
explain. He believes that the inven
ton will be valuable not only in send
ing messages in a single direction but
in controlling messages that are now
sent out to sea from stations on the
shore, so that ships can determine
their exact distance from land
Youths Companion.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-19
CARRIES STOOL TO WORSHIP
Woman at Jersey Resort Village Acts
as Her Own Usher on Sunday
Provides Own Seat

Summer resorters get accustomed %
doing without the many little convent
ences of home life. They philosoph.
lcally accept conditions as being NEG
essary to camping out" So oil stoves
take the place Of gas ranges and they
carry water for the household from
the public hydrant down the bungalow
tined street, says the New York Sum
On week-ends most Of the bungalow
colonies house added guests and the
Kitchen and porch serve as overflow
bedrooms. Few of the churches Ii
the summer towns are able to seat ell
the worshipers On Sunday. But that
doesn't hinder the attendance. At Q
Jersey resort village the other Sum
day one woman was carrying a camp
stool to church. Her neighbors
thought no more of 1t than had they
seen her carrying a bundlt q gro
oeries from the corner store