davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1936-08-05
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Four and twenty blackbirds flew down
not to make pie of themselves, but
to enjoy the grains in the feeding device
by the fence.
Blackbirds in these parts really are
grackles. These are so blackly purple
that most people call them blackbirds
which is good enough name for them
any way.
In some sections they are named crow
blackbirds
About one-fourth larger than q robin
the grackle has a bright yellow iris
which is a good identification mark.
They were always favorite of the
early American poets, although every
one recognized their tendency TOWARD
theft.
Instead of songs. they have much talk
among themselves, and are therefore
very human.
The four and twenty which few down
to the feeder just at o'clock in the
morning were chattering group, indeed
No one should think, however, that
the entire crowd flew down at one time
Grackles are wary.
A scout came first Of all.
He looked the feeder over from every
angle. before he approached it, and
only then perched on the roof.
First, he poked his head over and
inspected an end.
Then the other end. AS these were
solid wood, the scout could see nothing.
Hopefully he peered over the roof into
the feeder from the side.
There he saw fine spread of seeds.
But did he Immediately hop in?
He did not.
He peered over the other side, from
which point he saw again the fair
spread of food.
Now he was ready to go in-but not
quite ready. Carefully he approached the
feeder from the first side
He craned his neck.
He reached in his bill, Snatched a
grain, and flew up into q maple with
a great f1utter of wings.
Canny fellow, he was not going to be
caught in any trap.
AS soon as the other blackbirds saw
his success. they. too. few down for
breakfast.
Harsh gutteral exclamations accom-
panied the grackles' feeding
The sounds are impossible to repre-
sent on paper. They had a sort of IS"
sound, too, along with the harsher quail
ity. They took on the aspects of con-
verSation, as the birds flew in and out
of the feeder.
Not even the bluejay dared come near,
as long as the blackbirds were around.
Every time the jay made a move, sew
eral grackles would run toward him,
indicating by great Topping of their
iridescent wings that they would toler-
ate no interlopers.
None, that is, except an English SPAR
row, who craftily ate from one side Of
the feeder while the blackbirds were
occupying the other.
Word of the feeder evidently had been
going quietly around in birdland. Day
by day saw new species. Already baby
cardinals have come in force, three or
four together, to sample the grain.
Some people profess fear that this
help will prevent the young birds from
learning how to take care of them
selves. AS a matter of fact, they are
taking care of themselves very well
when they seize opportunity when it
presents itself. Things in Nature must
do that. The mind of man may daily
with beautiful ideas of perpetual peace.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Shooting Stars.
BY FHILANDER JOHNSON.
FierceneSS,

FierceneSS.
It's going to be fierce campaign!
We have the information
From persons who in language plain
Are spokesmen for the Nation.
About a "New Deal" let us talk,
And of Blue Eagles maybe,
And of some bank accounts that balk
Or how to raise baby.
The threat of "fierceness' must awake,
So let us talk together
OF those things-but, for Heavens
sake,
Don't talk about the weather!
Evening star., 1936-08-05
The Price of Milk.

TWO weeks ago representatives OF some
of the dairy farmers, milk producers for
this area, were saying that unless the
farmers were to be forced into bank
ruptcy the price paid them for their
milk would have to be increased. Yes
terday in Health Officer Ruhland's Office,
representatives of the leading milk dis
was no justification for any increase in
the price of milk and that present con-
ditions would remain unchanged at least
through September. Far from there
being any threatened shortage of milk
due to drought-there Is q substantial
surplus.
The farmers are complaining that
their production costs have risen, de-
creasing their profits, which may be
true. But what interests the consumer
is the fact, apparently taken for granted,
that an increase in the price paid the
farmer must come out of the pockets
of the consumers. The role of the dis
tributor, apparently, would be merely to
pass on the higher price.
Under the law the A. A. A. is COM
PEELED to establish a milk marketing
agreement, containing stipulations as to
price, when a majority of the milk pro-
ducers of this area demand it. The
majority has demanded the agreement,
and it is now under consideration. The
original agreement proposed would not
have increased the milk price. But one
gathers that while the farmers are in
terested in an agreement, they are prin-
cipally interested in higher price.
A. A. A. consumers counsel oppose the
increased price of milk to the consumers
The A. A. A. may refuse to authorize an
agreement raising the price of milk.
The interesting thing about the situa-
tion, as it stands today, is that the
consumers are merely the pawns in the
game. If they are compelled to submit
to Federal dictatorship Of milk, they
have nothing to say about it. If they
are compelled to pay higher prices for
milk, they must do it without recourse.
There is, however, one expression of
which they are capable. The milk dis
tributors, if not the farmers, undoubtedly
realize that the consumers answer to a
demand to pay a cent more a quart
may turn out to be a refusal to buy the
quart of milk. The milk price in Wash
ington is already high-too high The
only thing to be said in its defense is
that Washington's milk is excellent milk,
due to the high standards demanded in
its production. But if the price of milk
goes up, the farmer, as well as the dis
tributor, will be playing with dynamite.
What the farmers and the distributors
ought to be working for is a decrease
in the price of milk that will increase
consumption, not q short-sighted effort
to boost the price Of milk beyond the
reach of many consumers barely able
to purchase it now.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

/ economic security and eternal safety
but the creatures Of Nature know moth
ing of them.
Life, for them, is strictly as they
| find it.
These blackbirds, for instance, spotted
q feeder by some instinct or other. They
sent out one bird to investigate, or
| probably It would be better to say that
one bird set out on his own to look
| it over.
The others watched him.
They saw no harm come to him, so hew
| over to get in on a good thing.
| n
"The birds will become dependent il
| you feed them all the time"
We do not believe q word of It,
If they had the minds of man, they
| would, but not otherwise.
The mind Of man Is responsible fol-
both good and evil.
If the creatures of Nature lose much
by not having the gray matter of man.
they often seem TO gain great deal
by its lack.
Thus, when feeder stocked with grain
| is put out for the various seed-eating
birds they accept it simply for what
1t is
When the supply vanishes they waste
no time or tears, but 60 elsewhere. This
may be demonstrated in the dead of
Winter. Birds stay only as long as the
feeder has grain in it. Within or 10
minutes after the supply is exhausted,
they are gone. Fill it again, shortly they
come back. No doubt they are watching
somewhere. Still this watching is not
endless. They must eat, and if the
feeders are not filled again they search
elsewhere.
We could not help but wonder if the
bluejay chased away by the blackbirds
had not been the same jay that had been
vanquished the day before by the dove
in the fight over plate of salmon
originally put out for wandering cats.
1t probably was baby jay, which
would look almost as large and jaunty
as its parents, but which doubtless had
to learn the hard ways of this world.
1t was learning quickly, right in our
back yard, which was the interesting
thing. 1t is pleasant to have a grand
stand seat for these glimpses into bird
land. All it requires is q willingness
to look.
There is always surprise attached to
such things. For instance, who would
suspect that a jay would have any de-
sire to consume grains? Ordinarily they
spend little time at seed-holding feeders,
except in bitter weather, and then spend
only few minutes day. This young
bird was finding out what was good and
what was bad for him.
1t would be interesting to see whether
the blackbirds would make a habit of
coming to the feeder. In the early days
of the country they fed much on Indian
corn, and the like, and got themselves
a great reputation as thieves, but in
recent years little complaint has been
made against them.
The English sparrow population has
been building up steadily recently. Gone
all Spring and Summer thus far, two or
three returned last week, and now there
are half a dozen present.
One of these, insisting on being present
with the grackles, gave a pleasant note
OF contrast to their somber coats.
A small squirrel, attracted by the
grain, put all the four and twenty black
birds to flight at last. What nuisances
squirrels are in the pleasant occupation
OF bird feeding! How fortunate city
people are, VINO can feed the birds
without these buhSy-tailed interlopers,
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Sense and Safety.

Sense and safety ought to go hand
in hand, according to the authors of the
latest traffic book, which asks lessened
speed from all, both in city and on the
open road. Probably more and more
people are beginning to believe that un-
necessary accidents will continue to in
crease until speed is decreased. They
watch efforts made everywhere to lessen
fatalities and nlaimings, and welcome
the gains made, but feel at the same
time that something else must be done
on q wide scale before the efforts of
safety campaigns achieve lasting results.
This something else" may be less
ened speed, following on lessened haste.
The real problem is one of education.
1t was the mind of man which created
the automobile. Any problem which this
agency calls up, over the years, must
be solved by the same mind. 1t is en-
heartening to realize that what the mind
of man has called up, the mind of man
may call down. The danger of the auto
mobile is by-product of haste and
speed. 1t is unnecessary, in the main,
and need not exist, If the mind of man
determines that it need not exist.
Just how this Is to be achieved is
another Of those great problems of uni
versal education. 1t cannot be education
in a pedantic sense, however. 1t is too
closely woven with the desires and hopes
Of mankind, and the making of the
America to come. The United States
could not turn its back on its motor cars
If it wanted to, and surely it does not
want to; but that it viii allow them to
kill and main more annually than the
Evening star., 1936-08-05

An indication of increased prosperity
is found in the fact that in some COM
munities men are not so eager to serve
on Juries. Jury duty is hard work and
instead of being regarded as an honor
and a patriotic privilege it is too often
considered a meagerly compensated
4 drudgery. The pay of juror, though
small, is often more than he has earned
by the heart and intelligence he brings
to his task.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

It is intimated that Mr.. Knox makes
a better speech than Mr.. Landon. A
Vice President must in the course of
duty attend many banquets and he may,
should he choose to relax the intellec-
tual cares Of craftsmanship, become as
genial raconteur as John Nance Gar
ner himself.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Hopper Glares.

From the Kansas City Star.
We've found that in about nine cases
out of ten that cold, steely glare the
grasshopper fixed upon you is pure bluff.
Glare right back at him, looking him
straight in the eye, and like as not he'll
90 away and try somebody else.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

An argument over craft and industrial
unions might give opportunity for a
breathing spell if the public were al
lowed time to read up and understand
the exact difference between the two
in method of application and effect. In
the meantime the work Of production,
distribution and sale should be permitted
to 60 on with as little interruption as
possible.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

One of the performances at recent
radio amateur night" was a solo on a
musical saw" Even the w. P. A. will
scarcely approve of removing the saw
from its usefulness as a tool and assign
ing it to service in the delicate domain
of the virtuoso.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

Gibraltar controls access from the At
lantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea
by boat, but not by airplane. The sky
is now the limit of possibilities when
threats of another war arise.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
An Easy Down Grade.

From the st. Louis Grobe democrat.
Even though a Yale Medical SchooI
professor says that man reaches his peaE
of physical efficiency at twenty-five and
then declines it is encouraging to realize
that the decline is more gradual than
the development.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
A Rhyme at Twilight
By
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton
Dusk Calm.

Dusk Calm.
Peaceful and calm the Summer air,
Serenely blue the evening sky,
The river flowing tranquil by -.
And in my heart calm despair.
Despair that makes no loud outcry,
But holds the heart in quietude
Too deep to murmur or to brood,
Too dormant even for a sigh.
Dreaming alone in twilight calm
OF one whose step could bring heal
balm.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

"Home on the Range" is still in re-
quest, although in the Presidents official
family the English ditty, MY Happy
Little Hudson River Home" is more
admired.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Rehearsal.

Father has to make a speech,
Keeps the family guessin'.
Mother undertakes to teach
Pa another lesson.
Fellow citizens" says he,
With a nervous wiggle.
Ma says, do be calm, like me-"
And we children giggle.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Barber Shops.

What I miss" said Farmer Corntossel,
"is the old-fashioned barber shop"
. 81 think barber shops are still pretty
good" rejoined 81 Simlin.
"They are. But they lack the old
fashioned elegance and refinement. ALI
you get is shave and haircut. No
body hands you Police Gazette SOS
you can improve your mind while you
wait"
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Radio Evolution.

From the worcester Gazette.
Scientific tests have shown that
radio microphone is almost as sensitive
as q dogs ear. Many will hope that
this leads to invention of microphones
which bite their annopers.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

No oratorical contest is featured in the
Olympic games. If one were held Hit
Ter, with his commanding presence,
would be sure to win it with a word
Evening star., 1936-08-05

Some of the occurrences in Hollywood
indicate an impetuous art inclination to
enact melodrama in real life without
waiting for scenarios to be written.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Appropriateness.

From the Winston-salem Journal.
Speaking of a sense of the appropriate
the man who best qualities as a profes-
sor thereof, in our opinion, is the Sen
ator who read "Aesop's Fables" to tbs
members of his chamber.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Blasts.

From the philadelphia Evening Bulletin
Here's hoping twelve Senator's don't
undertake to lay down counter-barrage
following the blast from the guns OF the
six Governors.
Evening star., 1936-08-05

"What dis country needs" said Uncle
Eben, "is more folks dat knows how to
run DER own business as well as they
thinks dey could run de Nation and
maybe de whole world"
Evening star., 1936-08-05

Mr.. Ickes highly disapproves Of ALI
Landon and 50 discloses at least one
point on which he and Mr.. Hopkins can
be in perfect agreement.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Sponsorship.

Sponsorship.
do you find radio helpful?"
"Yes," said Senator Sorghum. But
in small way it puts business into poll
tics. I find that the amount of applause
I receive depends largely on the brand
of politics am advertising"
Evening star., 1936-08-05

my honored ancestors" said Hi Ho,
the sage of Chinatown, Included men Of
both wealth and position, owing to the
fact that none of them ever sought a
position that did not carry authority as
a tax collector"
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Human HandsOmenesS.

Human Handsomeness.
Beauty contests hold our gaze!
Beauty still serves to amaze
And delight each mortal eye
AS the years go speeding by.
In athletic exercise
Let's give an Apollo prize,
And reveal to public view
Maybe a NarciSsus, too.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
Member of the Associated Press.

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled 70
credited to il or not otherwise credited in this
paper and also the local news published herein
All rights Of publication OF special dispatches
herein are also reserved.
Evening star., 1936-08-05
OUT OF ORDER. BY Phoebe Atwood

tut puic dSAIllIlIIy VI dCtlOIl Ille sup.
posedly normal adult can on occasion
put to shame the most provoking antics
of even precocious juvenile. 1t would
seem that nothing could be more devoid
of sense or reason than $4,000 bet be-
tween two fully mature men over an
order for groceries with which neither
of them had anything to do. The enor-
nifty of the bet, however, together with
an accumulation of cables which failed
to make sense, is enough to cause a
wrinkle of anxiety to furrow the brow
of ASey May, who is spending a hard
earned Winter vacation in Jamaica, and
to send him speeding by plane to a
blizzard -blanketed town in Massachu-
sets in the hope of rescuing his friend,
Bill Porter, from the consequences of
his folly.
To members of the Hybrid Club the
climax of the big foot ball game has for
six years been the annual fight between
Bill Porter and Harper Dixon. Bill has
never wanted to fight Harper, but not
once has he been able to escape the
fracas. This year Bill receives a flood
of messages and kilograms warning him
not to fight Harper. To avoid his
enemy and the usual fight, Bill goes into
hiding, but Harper seeks him out and
eggs him on, and the result is the $4,000
bet between the two that Bills friend,
Asey Mayo, cannot solve the grocery
order of Harpers Aunt Eugenia.
Asey. in tropical togs, arrives in snow
covered Massachusetts, at a time when
only the unSound of mind might be ex-
pected to walk abroad. But before reach
ing the community of Blight he gathers
up quite a car full of people, all con-
nected in some fashion with the family
whose house he hopes to enter by hook
or crook. Things happen rapidly. In
a seemingly deserted house lights go
out, Asey and his new associates are
locked in a wash room by man whose
fingernails are painted brilliant red,
and after hours of wondering how to
extricate themselves from their help
less position they find that the door has
been unlocked and they are free. Search
of the house reveals that Mrs. Charlotte
Babbs, dressed for a party, is dead with
her head over shampoo bowl.
Mrs. Babbs had heart trouble, and the
natural assumption is death from natu-
raj causes, but Gertie, a beauty oper-
ator picked up by Asey on the way to
Blight, points to the fact that woman
does not wash her hair after she dresses
for party. Other things equally sus-
picious point to murder, and investiga-
tion results in verdict of death by
drowning. So, instead of just the settle
ment of dispute over a grocery order,
Asey has other work to do. But the
grocery order proves important when
ASey learns that the woman uhn uyrote
it has been dead several years. It does
not seem likely that two dead women
and a grocery order had anything to do
with the annual fight of Bill Porter and
Harper Dixon, but that is where a sur
prise enters the case and gives Asey
Mayo and his delightful company of
new acquaintances a lively and inter-
esting time
This is Aseys first case out of the
vicinity of Cape Cod. He proves that
he is good fact finder in alien as well
as in familiar territory,
Evening star., 1936-08-05

@. Did Napoleon ever assume the
Iron Crown of Lombardy?-J. c.
A. In 1905 he put 1t on his head with
his own hands.
Smyrna times., 1936-08-27
LURE FOR GOLD
ON NEAR LEWES
Salvaging Crew Arrives From
Providence r. l., For
Sunken Ship
HARKS BACK TO 1898

Once more the talk of Lewes and
lower Delaware is the recovery of
the treasure sloop "deBrook" lost
in a squall May 81, 1898 some
where near Cape Henlopen. Rum
ors that some of the Spanish coins
has been washed up during the
storm Friday night, sent a number
to the sand dunes between Lewes
and Rehoboth Sunday to hunt for
pieces of stray gold while some
where on the high seas between
Providence, Rhode Island and the
capes was the Constad Corporation
with their two wrecking boats to
continue their salvage operations
left off last season. For many
years past coins of gold, silver and
chopper, of both Spanish and Brit
ish mint, have been discovered on
the desolate beaches near the wat
cry grave of the Inflated treasure
vessel. Usually they have been
seen following a high wind and
rain squall, but whether they
have have been washed ashore
from the sloop's money chests by
the fury of churning waves, or
were uncovered by the wind from
a cache hidden somewhere under
the lonely sands of the huge yellow
CONTINUED on Page FourJ
Smyrna times., 1936-08-27
HARTLY MAN is
HEAD POS OF A
C. c. Roadway Succeeds w. B.
Harrington of CheswOld,
State President
SHOW MEMBERSHIP GAIN

The Delaware State Camp of the
Patriotic Order, oSns of America,
at its 32nd annual meeting in
Viola, Tuesday, elected Charles G.
Roadway of Hartly president to
succeed William B. Harrington of
Cheswold. A warning of increased
need for patriotic vigilance by the
order in the face of growing activ-
tiles of Communists was sounded
by Hugh G. Mitchell of Statesville,
N. c., national president, in the af-
ternoon session. Conditions in the
national organization have improv-
ed greatly, he said. Harrington
was selected for the next conven-
ton after proposal to hold it at
Cheswold was defeated. A motion
to change the meeting time to
March firm the last Tuesday in Au-
gust met defeat. Other officers
elected were: Charles w. Dunn of
Wilmington vice-president to sue
tceed Mr.. Roadway; Dallas C.Moore
of Viola, master of forms succeed
ing Mr.. Dunn; Thomas c. Rod
way, Hartly, conductor succeeding
Mr.. Moore; Harry ]. Schmidt, Jr.,
Wilmington, inspector succeeding
Thomas c. Roadway and Harry r.
Smith of Laurel, guard, succeeding
Mr.. Schmidt. George F. Irwin of
Wilmington was reelected secre-
tary for the tenth year, and
Enoch Y. Williams of Dover was
reelected treasurer The so dele
gates who attended the convention
at the hall of Washington Camp
CONTINUED on Page Fourl
Smyrna times., 1936-08-27
GETS POsTOFFICE
President Appoints Him to Succeed
G. Harvey Wright, Term Expired

Robert H. Denney, democrat, has
been appointed by President Roose-
Welt, Postmaster of Smyrna to sue
ceed G. Harvey Wright, republican,
term expired. The announcement
came as a surprise to many.
Davis H. Bell had passed the high
est test and most everybody had
every reason to feel he would be
the appointee, but it seems not so.
Mr.. Denney was, however, among
those on the eligible list of appli-
cants who had passed, and friends
with the proper influence and pull,
worked in his behalf and won out.
Mr.. Denney has been in the real
estate business in Smyrna for some
years. He was a son of the late
Robert Denney, owner and pro-
prietor of Duck Creek Mill and has
spent his whole life in this locality.
The Smyrna postoffice, it is said,
will be turned over to him next
Tuesday morning, September l..
The term is for four years and
pays a salary of S2,4OO annually.