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About The Plattsmouth daily herald. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1883-19?? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1888)
if: 7 JLAL uilROKS. -XES THAT ARE REPEATED FOR MANY GENERATIONS. .Jjoote Slanner In TVblch Term Are Ap plied TVbat la Gopher? Tb Pralrl Dfg Flrtlon lluf ! Worn Tbe "Zlona ITalr StuUce SjeamoM. -A Volume couLl bo written on popular error on cientino subjects. So few people o)arve for thomsolvt, and no many accept what tiiey Lvar from others, or what they read, that it In a wonder there are not more errors Axed in tho popular mind on such sul Jncts. One hardly knows where to legin on the list, tmt attention U first culled to the loose manner In which terms, especially names, are applied. Take tho common gopher as an example The true gopher is of a gray color, and U alxot tho izo of a large rat. Ho lion largo .ouches on each side of hi mouth in which he carries dirt when making hU burrows in the ground. His front t't'th ttaitd out the most prominently in any of tho great family of gnawers rodenlia. II U tail is thort ami looks very much like that of a rat. In nome parts of the country a gray ground squirrel in called a gopher. In other parts a htriptd squirrel or prairie chipmunk is called l.y that name, while iu Ix' u--is, Nebraska and many parts of the est, a small marmot, which is closely allied to tho prairie dog, is called a gopher. Those marmots aro quito common in the country around this city. In most parts of tho south west a kunk is called a polecat and a polecat is called a mink for tho western so called mink is nothing but a oIecat. It took 200 years for the jpular belief to bo given up that beavers use their tails for trowels. In some places yet school readers can bo found that teach such nonsense. THE PKAIUIE 1KJO FICTIOX. Another jopular Action is that if o fie shoots a prairio dog his mates will rush out and carry him into ono of their dens boforo it is possible to get possession of him. It is true that such things have actually occurred. Itats have been known to io the same thing, but the instances are rare. Usually a coun try thr.t is inhabited by prairie dogs, or more properly by prairie marmots, has a dry, thin atmosphere. This condition deceives the hunter and causes hiiu to shoot so far at the little creatures that in tho larger number of cases he misses entirely. Iu the second place, these animals never stop when danger is near until they aro at the mouth of a hole. Then they will stop and sit ujx.ii their haunches in such a manner that if they are shot they are nearly sure to fail inside the hole. Tho prairio marmots, mentioned above, that one tees in tho country around this city, have the same habit that of stopping at tho mouth of their holes and sitting ujion their haunches to look nrouinL Another error is tho calling of nearly every insect a bug. Potato beetles, June beetles. May lieetles, etc., are all called bugs, when tliey are loetles. The bed bug and tho chinch bug aro truo bugs, but nearly everything else usually called by that name lielongs to the great family of beetles. A beetle opens his mouth sidewise, while the bug opens his perj-endicularly as we open ours. Worms are all regarded as worms whether they aro true worms or not. Angle or lish worms are trua types of worms. Most other Wt rms that one sees are tho larvae of insects, and will becomo imagos or perfect insects iu time. Tho common "grub worm" becomes a May L?ctle. The large white "grub worms' that have a bluish list down their backs be come "umble bugs," the truo scavenger beetles. People often speak of "eight legged insects' or "ten legged insects," unmindful of the fact that an insect has six legs, and no more or no less. Spiders, then, having eight j legs are not insects. AVe speak of the time r when the "grasshoppers destroyed the crops," when we mean that the locusts destroyed the crops, and the insects we usually call locusts are the seventeen year cicadas THE "HOUSE nAIR SNAKE." The "horso "jr.ir snake" is another common source of error Tho creature that is usually called by that name originates and has a life history oj follows: A small flesh colored mite is in water. It changes to a purplish lead color and comes to the top of the water, whore it port for a time, and when looking across water of a still evening, esjiecially if looking towards the setting sun, one can see masses of these tiny creatures that look like smoke on tho water. Wh?n they reach this stage of development they leavo the water and get out ou the leaves and grass. Here, as opportuuity offers, they attach themselves to the feet of largo insects, especially of grasshoppers, katydids, etc. The legs of these insects being hollow, they c; j.'-vi up them, where they grow till they All the legs and sometimes tho cavities of the bodies of these large insects. This accounts for tho fat, clumsy condition of many of these in sects. After a rain, in which the insects drown, the full fledged "horse hair snakes" come forth to delight the small boy and to interest tho student of nature, after which they lay eggs in the water, if It does not dry up too soon, ami curl around them for a time, and about the time the eggs hatch into the little flesh colored mites first described tho '"snakes" die. It is not claimed that this - is the history of all "horse hair snakes," but it is the true history of all that I know any thing about. Another error in tho application of nam03 is noticeable iu tho vegetable world. This is to the so called sycamore. The truo syca more acer psrudo platantus grows only in England, or, at most, the British Isles. Our tree platantus occidentalis should bo called but ton wood. The true sycamore is as worthless as buckeye or horse chestnut. Another error is held regarding the Virginia creeper ampelopsis cinque folium that grows so abundantly along our fences and in ur forests. It is a beautiful plant and per fectly harmless. It can be trained over stone or brick walls, over windows, doors, lattices or arbors, so as to give a nitst pleasing effect ; but most people think it is poisonou. They '""f mistake it for the poison ivy rhus toxico- dendron which also grows abundantly throughout the country. The beautiful Vir ginia creeper, or American ivy, grows plen tifully along the Missouri river bluffs and along old fence rows on the uplands. The Virginia creeper has five leaflets on each leaf stalk, while the poison ivy has three leaflets. Tho creeper is a dark, rich green, and in au tumn changes to a vivid russet. The poison ivy is of a lighter green color, but changes to a maroon or magent.i in autumn. It also has many more lateral tendrils than the '.' creeper has, and consequently sticks closer to whatever it grows upon. Edwin Walters in Bt. Louis Republic. A Very Remarkable Story. This remarkable tale comes from France and no aCidavit goes with it: In the forest of literel a man and a woman were at work while their infant child, aged C months, lay in a cradle in front of their cottage within sight. Suddenly an enormous eagle swooped down, seized tbe babe and flew oil. The fa ther rushel into the hut, picked up Lis gun, and returning, fired at the bird, which dropped to the earth C ad, while the father, holding out his hands, caught tbe infant as it fell and returned it to tho cradle without n scratch. Sow York .Sun, . , EFFECT8 OF CITY LIFil. iMctc of Arm and Shoulder Exerrl cM.nt Nolae Shock. -In- An English physician of distinction. Dr. Walter U. I'latt, contributes to Tho I'opular Science Monthly a suggestive fmpcr on cer tain "Injurious influences of City lAfe." llo confines his observations to these points: (1) The disuse of the arms for any considerable muscular exertion by the great majority of men and women. (2) 1 he incessant noi.se of a large city. (S) Jarring of the brain and spinal cord by continual treading upon pu ire- men ts. The effect of these influences, according to Dr. I'latt, is to undermine- the stability of tho nervous system and to impair the circu lation and general nutrition. These effects accumulate with each successive generution of city dwellers, and it is asserted that there aro very few families now living in London who, with their predecessors, have resided there continuously for three generations. in regard to the lack of arm ami shoulder exercise, the doctor points out that it has an important bearing on tho general heahh of both men and women, since it increases tho capacity of tho chest und thereby the surface A the lung tissue, so essentia) to the proper purification of the blood. In tho city the muss of people can only get this benefit through gymnasium work, or some form of homo exercise, like pulling weights, dumb bells or Indian clubs. Tho writer insists Uon arm exerciso as necessary to a erfect physical condition and to tho prevention of nervous irritability and consequent mental disorder. The injurious effect of incessant noise ns an irritant to tho nerve centers has leeu demonstrated by experiment, as well ns con firmed by observation. A largo share of this noiso iu the residential ortions of cities is unnecessary, and should lie btopped. "Tho loud ringing of church bells at all hours of tho day and night, in this nge, when every cno knows the hour of service, hardly recom mends tho religion of good will to men," says tho doctor. Streets of residences should be paved with asphalt; underground roads should supplant elevated structures, and nil unnecessary noises or street traffic and vend ing should be forbidden. To prevent the shock to the brain and siwial cord caused by the jar of walking on lirick or stone tho doctor suggests an elastic rubber boot lieel. In this country very little heed is jwid to the nerves of tho people; they aro lucky to escape with their lives from tho many jicrils. But anything that tends to make city life more agreeable and beautiful ought certainly to be encouraged. Now York World. The Writer As lie Writes. When you just legiu to bo an author tho sight of the blank sheet of paper gives you an appetite instead of depriving you of it. You long to be at work and cover it with ink marks. A new writer not only enjoys writ ing, but rewriting also; I have known authors who will copy out a piece, over and over again, until the page upjiears without an erasu-e. That is not a lud tiling by way of practice, and would no doubt bo advocated by the printers. But it is not likely to bo kept up more than two or three years. After that tbe writer knows what ho is going to write before he writes it; ho has learned the art of putting the contents of his mind di rectly on the paper; besides, he has not th-s time to make copper plato reproductions of his work. He is more apt to put it off to the last i iracticable moment, and then to do it as rapidly as he can. And by and by it will bo irksome to hini to do it at all ; and he will wish that fortune would present him with a year's vacation, during which he could lie on his back and do nothing. 'There is a period iu the writing of every book when it seems impossible it should ever ba finished. What has gone before seems bad, and what is to come is either a blank, or it promises to bo worse than the beginning. An apathy, a paralysis, settles upon the worker; h wishes he had taken up butchering or liquor selling for a living. Every day that he postpones tho completion of his task it ap pears more hopeless; his mind is gloomy, his conscience oppressed; ho haunts his study, but effects no more than a ghost might; ho draw3 pictures on scraps of paper, reads books thai do not interest him, or even plaijs out work th:it can only be executed at some indefinite future opportunity; at last his final moment of graco expires, and ho sits down in desperation and plunges his pen into tho inkstand. The work goes on, and then b wonders how ho could have imagined any difficulty. The word "Finis" is written, and he experiences an uplifting of the spirit. Thackeray, according to all accounts, waj subject to distressful periods of this kind; but ho declares, in one of his essays, that after finishing a given book it was his custom always to begin another before going to bed in tho mood of reactionary lightheartedncss following upon his depression, Julian Haw thorne iu America. Driving Out the Cattlemen. Immigration is coming with a resistless tide. Ex-Governor Routt, ono of tho great cattle owners of the wst, when speaking of how the routes were being so rapidly set tied, recently said: Tho cow must give way to Nancy and the baby." Tho first indica tion of the coming of this great tide of im migration was manifested by cattlemen put ting up wire fences and inclosing vast areas of land. This sufficed for a time, but immi gration still continued, and then after much litigation tho courts said: "Take down 3-our wiro fences." As the cattlemen occupied these great ranges for a quarter of a century before it was ever thought possible for them to have any value for agricultural purposes, jt is not strange that they 6hould I'.avt inado the determined fight they have. The plow share uow glistens in tho eld "American Desert" and tho old cattle trails are being turned into fai-rus. The east can hardly realise the wonderful changes that aro talk ing place. Within twenty-fivp "rears, th buffalo, wbjch used to roam these plains by tho tens of thousands, are almost extinct. Tho great herds of the cattle kings took tho place of the bison, but now tho cattle ranges arc being turned into farms. What wiil be the result! The general im preasion is that thcro bo more cattle, but with more owners. The public domain will soon all be taken, which will necessitate tho dividing and subdividing of the great herds. The result will come about in a natural way and without loss, but rather with profit. As the grazing area becomes more circumscribed tho greater the necessity for winter feeding and tho production of some kind of feed that will more readily prepare stock for the niarkei Sach feed consists of alfalfa, sorghum hay, Johnson and other varieties of farm grasses, oil cake, roots, etc., whiie iu parts of western and southern Texas prickly p.-ar (a species of cacti) is being largely used with cottou seed meal or oil cake, with v.bicli it is claimed cattle may be easily fat tened. The beef from cjiiraab thus fed is said to be of a most excellent quality and flavor. Denver Cor. Globe-Democrat. The principal foreign missionary societies cf the United States send in the aggregate f3,5XV?.!3 annually for the spread of the Gos pel in heathen lands. Great Britain through her various societies expends on missionaries . THE FISHERMAN'S SIGNS. HE STOUTLY DENIES THAT HE 13 AT ALL SUPERSTITIOUS. But lie Uelleves That Wet Sunday Al ways follows a Wet Friday Had Luck To llirak a, looking Olaaa Other Hy- terle. "Next Sunday will bo wet." "How can 3'ou tell r "Wet Friday, wet Sunday, replied an old fisherman who was smoking a well colored meerschaum pijo and discussing a cup of strong, black coffee in an eating saloon. Ho was a typical fisherman. He had largp, clear bluo eyes, a bushy head of hair, and a Land as hard as a marlinspike. He stoutly denied that sailors were superstitious, and maintained that their reasonings were founded on fact und not fiction. No book for him. In spite of his denial, however, fish ermeu aro probably the moct superstitious class of eople on earth. "J 11st toll me somet hing alout a fisherman's life and his superstition," asked the reorter of the veteran. "Fishermen don't have any suwrstitions, sir, and if they havo they are far below thoso that you land lubbers are a prey to." "You just now mentioned one; 'wet Friday, wi t Sunday.' " "That's no superstition; that's a fact and one 3-ou can't alter. I've grown old in tho business, and as loug as 1 can remember I've never seen a wet Friday that was not fol lowed by a wet Sunday." AS CXLUCKY DA V. "Don't you think it sui?rstitions not to go fishing 011 Friday Why should you select that as being an unlucky dayf-' "No, I don't. Just so long ns fish have lived in tho water and men have taken them out. Friday has been an unlucky day for our trade. You just try it and you'll find that I'm right." "Why is it that you never ullow whistling on board a fishing boat if" "Because, mo boj it's calling on old Nick Wo mako his a pi oa rat ice, and ho alwa3-s brings wiud with him." "Fishermen don't like to begin any under taking on JVi"lay- What's tho reason of that superstition f" "I told j-ou a minute ugo tLat it was not a superstition. Tho meaning of it is bad Mon day, bad week." "Now, if 0110 of your shipmates should smash a looking glass 011 board ship 3-ou give up all hope of getting a good hauL" "es, sir; I never saw it fail 3-et, and I have seen a good many broken in mj' time, and just as sure as it occurred a gale came on and blew great guns, and wo were compelled to run for shelter. If that failed, then we ?aught no fish. I've known men that had to ;o out of the business because they were ilvva3"S smashing things, and 110 ono would sail with them. I dare say 3-011 would laugh at 1110 if I told you that I got a good drubbiug from a skipper under whom 1 once sailed bo- causo I shoved the dory off from the side of too ship with her head pointing to the suu." "What did that signify f "It means simpi3 def3'iug the elements, and whenever 3-ou do that take my word that nothing good conies from it." "How is it that 3-ou aro so certain of 3-our btorm prediction?" SIGNS OF THE KEAVEXs. "Oh, that is simple. Year in and 3'ear out we study the signs of the lieaveua, which are very accurate. Lertam stars, bright or dull, mean certain things. The wind from a given certain quarter in a certain month is almost suro to bring stormj', fair, dry or wet weather, as the case ina be. The moon gives us a good deal of ini'ormutioi ; if she s u her back, then lookout for a storm; if her horns are well pointed then 3-ou may ex- pect cool or cold weather, according to the season of tho 3-our. If there is a large, hazy circle around tho moon, then vou may look out for a good rain storm or a steady rain tail, ihen the big ana little bears give us some useful knowledge, according to tho dif ferent positions they ussumo." " hen going on a fiaU'ug trlp'-I mean, of course, deep pea, fib.ing how is it that 3-ou can tf 11 exactly where to set your net or cast 3-0111 lines?" "That's as easy as smoking 3-our pipe. You eeo, a rock or a bank is situated exactly by tho compass in a certain bearing of locality. Well, we can tell just as well without a com pass, and it is very simple. Supposo the fishing ground is ten, twenty or thirty miles from the land. AVe sail in the direction of it until we get two headlands in one, as it were. Then we can tell to a dot how far wo are out, and consequently we know whero tho fishing bunk is, but we sail 011 until one f-f the headlnuds or bayjks is visible; that gives 11s so many miles, just as exactly a3 if 3-ou measured it with a tape, so that we know where we are. A high church steeple, ft lighthouse or a land bluff nil tend to show the accustomed 63-6 of a fishernia.n where he Is." "Then it isn't true lUat you can tell by tho WAtfi'i" "In some cases we can, but as a general rule our land bearings are the most reliable." "There is no emergency that would compel a fisherman to make any repairs on idondaj, either in the sail department, rigging or hull of tho vessel." "E.-tpevieiiee has taught us that Suuda3"3 must be kept. If you drive a nail in the piece of the wood of your vessel on Sunday look out, for that is what we call nailing tl0 trip. Should 3 0U meud 3'our sails, the first w ind rips them again, aT(d if 3'ounx or mend 3-our rigging it will coino down about your head CV cars the moment 3-ou go out. I have 1113-elf had needles break in my hand when I attempted to sew on Sunday. That was when I was a 3-oungster, and thought it would bo a big thiug to defy tUe rules." Lewiston Journal, IJurning Cricks iu a Kiln. Burning bricks in a kiln seems to be a very easy matter, but if one looks into the busi ness ho will find that such an impression is entirely incorrect. I have been at the busi ntss twenty-five 3-ears, and I believe that I am in a position to speak intelligently on the subject. When the bricks leave tho press they are taken to the kilns and piled in such a manner as to permit the heat to reach every brick. Of course, the layers near tho fires are always burned harder than those on top, and it is the amount of heat that regulates the grades. The bricks that get the most heat are strictly hard; further up you will find the medium, and on tho top of the kilns we get the salmon, the softest grade, used for filling up between the walls. When the fires j are started the greatest card must be exer- I cised, and if the burner who has charge of ' the kiln don't understand his business, he may ruin tho bricks. Too much heat will bring about such a result just the same as an insufllcient amount. Tbe rtock brick, which are formed in finer molds, are burned in different kilns from the other grades, and, as . they are very hard, you can see that they i must be subjected to an intense heat. Brick Burner in Globe-Democrat. James Whitcomb Riley complains that some conscienceless scribes are palming off cheap imitations of his poetry, with his name attached, upon certain gu llible editors. ' -- " : I BROOKLYN LAUNDRIES. CONVERSATION WITH "JOHN CHI NAMAN" AS TO THE BUSINESS. A Woman's Opinion on Hand Work and Steam Work Ueat of the Drying Room. VUlt to m Steam Laundry Machine Work. Chancing ono day to bo passing a Chinese laundry which had the name James L Yu on the door, the thought suggested itself to tho seriljo to step in and seo how the laundry business is carried on. "Hello," said the reporter, "how is busi ness r "Oh, business no good. People all gone to country; no make much now." "Will 3-ou tell mo how inueh you average of a week and how much you pay your assist ant?" "Make about 1 15 a week in winter, some times $'20 or $23. Pay him (his assistant) $10 a week. Then have to pay t'-iO a mouth for house, and coal and wood, 1 ght and rice, vegetables and meat cost." "Will 3"ou let me see tho back room?' "Yes, I let 3-ou see, but no stay long here now; want 3-ou go home." Tho reporter started back into the kitchen, which was to hot that nobody but a China man could stand t any longer than five min utes. There was nothing in it but a few pans, a rack, a tablo, two chairs and a redhot stove. Between the store and the kitchen, in a sort of passagewa', were two bunks, very much on the plan of stateroom berths, one over the other. Chinamen, generally speaking, live ou rice and vegetables very little meat. They eat tho rico with chop sticks, and when eating they never sit on a chair properly, but pluce their feet on tho chair and assume a sort of doubled up position. In writing they use a long reed with camel's hair stuck in ono end in the shape of a brush. This instrument is called a "bid." "Do you go to Sunday school f' asked tho reporter. "Yes, I go to Methodist Sunday school in Atlantic street. No burn Joss' stick no more, no worship him no more. Now you go homo?" said ho suddenly. alking up Pulton street the reporter came to a laundry kept by a native. Would sho give any information! 'Oh, certainl3'; with pleasure." 'Will 3-ou tell me how long you have been in this business, and if it pa3-si(" ell, I've been in it about three or four years now. As to its paying, I think it does. I manage to make a good living out of it, be- sido giving employment to eight women, not couutirg two girls who stand behind the counter to do up tho clothes and wuit on the customers. And it is all hand work, too." "Do you not find it vcr3' warm in tho sum mer P 'Oh, 3-es, it is warm all tho time, winter and summer, in the dr3ing room ;" hero she showed a small room in the back of tho storo and opening the door, said: "This is the diy- ; room, as you can see we have a stove red hot ail the time, and this room is lined with sheet iron, so that there is 110 danger from it and all the heat remains within." 'Do you think this business is injurious la health?" "Not a bit of it. It would, br, r.robablo if wo had to bo over that hot stove all day. but you seo I have another Bt6ve coiinr down in the kitchen, and that is where the irons aro heated. Of course, it is hot. but not nearlv so hot as the drying room." "What do you think of the steam laun ur'esr' I don't think much of them, to tell the truth. I suppose it lightens the labor a good deal to havo rollers to iron with by steam, but then 3-ou'U find that the collars and cuffs and other things will eventually be worn out Detoro their time by that system." " hat do you think of the Chinese V 'The Chinese, is it! Well I never look at a Chinaman but what ho puts mo in mind of a dried up monkey. But as for them washing and ironing any Christian's garments, I tell 3-ou if I never had anything washed I wouldn't get a Cbinamaa to do it Fudge, I can't bear thorn, " The next visit was to a steam laundry. "Do 3-ou employ many hands F' "Well, between twenty and thirty, I think. And I would not be surprised but what next winter we will havo to employ more, as this kind of work is constantly increasing. People don't care to have their white good douo at home. Whether it is because they are not done up nice enough for them, I don't know, but in nino cases out of ten you will find that all the whito goods find their way to the different laundries in the city." "What do 3rou mean by white goods!" "Oh, collars, cuffs, shirts, ladies' collars, fckirts, etc Of course, we do more of a busi ness in men's collars, cuffs and shirts than anything else." "In 3-our opinion, does it injure clothes any, this steara work?" "WI13', bless your heart, no! How could it. Some people havo an idea that we merely sov.so tho things once or twico in tho water, starch and dry them and then put them through the ironing rollers. But wo don't do anything of tho sort. Tho clothes in this lanndiy are thoroughly and carefully washed, and as carefully finished off before they leavo our hands." uJIow many drying rooms have you J" "We have only one drying room, but it contains no less than five medium sized stoves, and it extends nearly the full length of the cellar. Do you know I think we have tho best drying room in the city ! Why if you put a new shirt in there, in five minutes after you put it in you can take it out bone dry." "How does hand work compare with thia steam work?" "Well, I don't pretend to know half as much as some people, but my opinion is that when a machine can lightenthe labor, why I say use tho machine by ali'wieans, no mat ter what the motive power. As for hand work, well it's all well enough in its way, but let thoso who like it do it. Steam work is the thing; why, while a woman at tho old hand work system is finishing one collar we can finish two every thro; of course blurts have to be done by hand." "Do you know if the other steam laundries take iu skirtsF' "Well as to that I couldn't say. There is not much in them, in fact there's more bother than their worth, but then 3-ou know if a lady saj-s she wants a thing done it has got to be done, and that's an end of it." "Can you tell me about how much you average a day or week F' "Well I would not like to tell that, bnt ycu can seo for yourself that if this laundry em-PI03-S about twenty people all summer round, and ten or fifteen more in the winter, with the fact that business is constantly improv ing, why then of course, we do take in a little money." "F. C." in Brooklyn Eagle. Tiotli Ends Hud try. Two little boys were at the circus, looking at the elephant. After the elder boy had given the Bnimal several peanuts, the little fellow cried out: "Oh, Pa, can't I give his other tail some peanut3, too?" The Epoch. The Plattsmouth Herald Is 023. joying a DAILT AND WEEKLY EDITIONS. Will be one durinr. which the subjects of national interest hikI importance will be strongly agitated and the election of a President will take place. Ihe people of Cass County who would like to learn of Political, Commercial and Social Transactions of this year and would keep apace with the times should -roil Daily or Weekly Herald Now while we have the subject before the people we will venture to speak ot our Which is first-class in all respects and from which our job printers are turning out much satisfactory work. rLATTSMOUTII, Boom in both, its Tear 1888 KITIIEK TIIK- 3 JWli a 4 NEBRASKA. 9