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About The Athena press. (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1909)
Wateruue "DKOWEllSANEWKIND j-Sj! FOOD IN THE NORrmVESTl i (Ik Government experts have discovered a new kind of food. It Is said to be palatable, wholesome, nutritious, and ought to be reasonably cheap. The food in question is furnished by the seeds of the great yellow water lily, which in Southeastern Oregon have been gathered for many centuries by the Klamath Indians, who depend upon them to a considerable extent for their winter provender. They are so delicious, and so obviously avail able for consumption by civilized people, that It is thought there would be profit in collecting them on a large scale, preparing them for market by modern methods and putting them up for sale in neat and attractive pack ages, as a new food luxury. The aborigines in question dwell among the foothills of the great Cas cade range, In a region remarkable for multitudinous springs of icy-cold and crystal-clear water. It is from these springs that two vast water spaces, known respectively as Klamath marsh and Klamath lake, are sup plied. The Klamath marsh, writes Rene Bach in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, contains 10,000 acres of the water lilies. The water lilies are such exceedingly vigorous plants that they prac tically crowd out all other forms of vegetation over the area they occupy, even to the cat-tails. Thus the 10,000 acfes represent that much space ex clusively occupied by the "wokas," as the Indians call them. Their seeds are inclosed in large green pods, which when fully ripe undergo quite sud denly a curious sort of decomposition, as one might call it, literally melting and dropping into the water a mucilaginous fluid in which the seeds are most eagerly sought, the seeds having obtained a maximum of flavor and tenderness. . White people in Southeastern Oregon often buy wokas from the Kla maths for their own use, paying from 10 to 20 cents a pound for them that is to say, for the kernels ready prepared and parched. They like them very much. But the price seems to be rather high, and it is suggested by Dr. P. V. Covllle, botanist in chief of the Department of Agriculture, that mod ern methods might be employed to great advantage in placing the crop on the market. It would hardly be practicable, says, to gather the pods in any other way than that now adopted, but the processes required for sep arating, cleaning and otherwise preparing the seeds might be performed inexpensively and advantageously by already familiar milling machines so as to place the product on the market at a price low enough to enable It to compete with other breakfast foods. actor that had been cast for the part of the horse was doing his best, pre sumably to look pathetic. With drooping head, It stood on the stage, from time to time switching Its poor docked tail. One of the two legged actors was delivering an im passioned and really touching speech, when the audience suddenly burst into a fit of prolonged and uncontrollable laughter. The oration came to a sudden stop. The actor glanced at the horse, then turned and fled in dismay behind tho scenes. "Black Beauty" was yawning. cnncERJcc: Calcutta is to spend nearly half a million dollars for a 9,000, 000-gallon tank for its filtered water supply. The tank will be elevated 100 feet above the ground on steel columns. To facilitate its telephone service, the British postofflce department Is experimenting with a slot machine de vice into which two pennies are dropped when a call Is made. If the line is busy the money Is returned. The navy's submarine boat, Octopus, holds the record for depth of opera tions. With a full crew on board the little vessel, was operated for half an hour in Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts, In water -no less than 107 feet deep. Tho first electric furnace in this country for annealing, tempering and hardening metiila has been erected at Schenectady, N. Y. It consists of a crucible containing metallic salt. melt ed by an alternating currant, of low voltage. A prize of about $2,406 offered in Germany in 1804 for the best method of preventing the pollution of streams by sulphite liquor from paper mills still remains unawarded. Score of methods have been tried, but none has been notably successful. P. Stubbs, an English ornithologist, expresses the opinion that birds habit ually make use of storms in traveling from one part of their range to anoth er. He points out that if a bird can not find shelter, it must be more com fortable on the wing than on the ground during a storm, because in the fiercest gales the air, as a mass, is at rest; that is, the bird is in a moving supporting medium, like a swimmer In a strongly flowing river. The advantages of oil fuel for sta tionary and marine boilers are receiv ing much attention In England. Al though the total cost is greater for oil than coal, oil has the advantage of greater convenience, simplicity and cleanliness. It is also more efficient, since a pound of good oil is found to have a calorific value about 35 per cent greater than that of an equal weight of coal. It also occupies much less space, and in that respect is very suitable for ships. Many improvements have recently been made in the meth ods of spraying and burnlug the oil. A curious photograph of a croco dile's nest filled with eggs, from two of which young crocodiles were Just issu ing, is contributed to Nature by G. W. Grabham. The photograph was made In the bed of the river Rahad, near the frontier of Abyssinia. The eggs were about three inches long, and the newly hatched crocodiles are ten Inches long. They are perfectly formed, and utter a sound resembling the croaking of frogs. Before being uncovered, the eggs were burled about three Inches deep In the sand at the bottom of a hole a foot deep. The young croco diles. Mr. Grabham says, were perfect ly willing to bite, but not strong enough to do any harm. polled ta Performance. The play was all about a horse a famous horse, the autobiography of which la even yet among the "best sellers." and over the sufferings of which thousands of readers have shed (cart of sympathy. The four-legged I THE FINE ART OF MANNERS. Miss Prlndle was a formal and pre cise old lady who "conducted" so the phrase ran a very select sewing class for young girls. Besides being an ex cellent school for learning needle work, Miss Prlndle's Thursday after noon gatherings were Instructed in the niceties of old-fashioned manners. Miss Prlndle was herself a model of pro priety, and had her pupils tried only to imitate her, their time would not have been wasted. One day, down-town, Miss Prlndle saw coming toward her a girl whom she recognized to be Marion Knight, one of her sewing class. The girl was walking along rapidly, not seeming to notice her teacher. As the two met, Miss Prlndle caught her eye, and bowed and smiled In her most formal way. She then passed on, reflecting that Marlon would doubtless benefit by the example of her salute, and Borne time be herself an example to others. A few rods farther on, to her sur prise, Miss Prlndle again encountered so she thought Marlon Knight. The girl was coming toward her, as be fore. Miss Prlndle stopped. "Are you " she began, "are you not Marlon Knight?" "Certainly, Miss Prlndle," said the girl. "And didn't I meet yo& only a mo ment ago?" she asked. "No, Miss Prlndle, I think that was my twin sister, Elsie." Miss Prlndle looked her confusion. "And she she Isn't In my sewing class, Is she, Marlon?" "No, Miss Prlndle; she has been away at school for a long time." "O dear! O dear!" exclaimed the old lady. "And I don't know her, and I bowed and smiled to her! Oh Marlon, dear, will you tell her Just as soon as you see her that I shouldn't have smil ed and bowed to her, because I've never met her, you see? It was very bad form, you understand." "But, Miss Prlndle,"' protested the girl, "I think you met her last year when we first came to live here. Don't you remember? It was at the church fair." "Oh, so I did!" cried the other, aftei a moment. "So I did. Well, in that case. Marlon, you may tell your sister that I am glad I bowed, but I shouldn't have smiled. Good-by, dear!" Neglected Opportunity. Thougn Swansea. Wales, la In fhe very heart of the Welsh anthracite coal fields, stoves suitable tor burning It are conspicuous by thelv abvenca. WHERE DANCES ORIGINATED. Walts First Popular Among German Peasants. Of all the wonderful, stately old dances which 200 yean ago were In vogue, only the minuet remains, and that nowadays is very rarely attempt ed. Of course every one admits that of all dances the waltz Is queen. It originated among the German peas ants In the seventeenth or eighteenth century. As they danced it It was th( slow waltz, called the landler. Later the Vienna musicians took it up, quickened the pace, and by their lovely musical settings of this dance rhythm established the reign of the waltz throughout the world. It is note worthy that the composers of the finest dancing waltzes ever written Schu bert, Weber, Beethoven, Strauss, Lan ner, Labitzky and Waldteufel were all Vienna men. It Is properly a three tep dance, whether slow or fast. Ihe two-step waltz is a recent Innovation and not an improvement. Besides the waltz we owe to Ger many the gallop, an impetuous, dash ing dance dating from about 1800; the polka, a Justly popular four-step dance derived from the Bohemian peasantry about 1830, and the redowa, a quick movement in triple time, also Bohe mian in origin. Prance has given us the minuet, the quadrille or contradance and the far andole, all square dances or dances participated in by several pairs or sets simultaneously. Poland has furnished some beautiful dances, notably the much-admired ma zurka In modern triple time; the state ly polonaise, a kind of processional much used in European courts and at elaborate social functions; the varso vienne, a slow three-step, and the cra covienne, a fast two-step. Italy's chief contribution is the Jig, which is danced under different names In all countries In Italy as the taran tella and saltarello, In England as the hornpipe, and In Scotland and Ireland as the reel. The only dances native to his coun try are sundry Jigs, reels, clog dances, break-downs, etc., mostly originating among the Southern plantation hands. While these dances are lively and amusing, they cannot be called artis tic, like the national dances of Ger many, Poland, Spain, Scotland and Prance. l A STROKE OF FORTUNE. 5 It was a murky day In August, and the old sea captains were talking of a schooner which had been struck by lightning a few days before, and add ing their contributions to nautical fic tion, thinly disguised as fact. "How about the Emma S., Captain Ell?" asked the privileged listener at last "Wasn't she struck once?" "She was, sir," and Captain Ell fixed his gaze on a crack in the cell ing of the old wharf office. "She was, Indeed, off the Cape; home'ard bound, she was." "I'd like to hear the particulars," said the young man, and all the cap tains moved in their seats and fixed their eyes on the crack which held the gaze of Captain Ell. " 'Tlsn't much to tell, only what might happen to any vessel under sim ilar succumstances," said Captain Ell. "A bolt struck the deck amidships, and bored a hole right down through the bottom o' the schooner big as a man's leg. "The water come rushing In, and o' course the Emma S. would have foundered If a second bolt hadn't come and struck my foreto'galla'mast, cut It off near the top, turned it end for end, and drove It right Into the hole, plugging it up an' making it water tight. N " 'Twas a clear case o' what folks call the ravages an' repairs o' nature," said Captain Ell, as he removed his gaze from the crack and let It rest thoughtfully on the Ingenuous face of the only landsman in the company. Bur French Women. There are 7,000,000 women In Francs who earn their own. living. In Parii women now work as cutters of pie clous stones, and they have proved so skillful that they may win supremacy from Amsterdam as the center of thi stone-cutting Industry. The women cutters receive $1.80 a day, against the 60 cents paid the Paris seam stress. Women are found in almost every line of work In France. Foi example, a woman Is In charge of thi railroad station In Prolssy, a Parli suburb, while her husband works un der her as a porter. The only barbel hop in Frolssy Is run by "Mile Jeanne," who work only on Tuesdayi and Fridays. Mme. Lesobre holds thi Joint position of telegraph messengei and postman. She averages twentj miles a day, seven days a week, and has not missed a day in fifteen years A woman pounds the big drum In thi Frolssy brass band, and a woman holds the street cleaning contract - Tho Rlht Sid. Patience They say a man's beard Is generally heavier on the right sidi of his face. Patrlcs I don't see, then, why girl always tries to get on the right ids of a man! After a woman has been married six months the tradesmen don't hear so much about what her husband likes to sat Sometimes a man wants a thing so much that he forgsts the other fel low dossnt want to glvs It up. MOTHER. GOOSE UP TO DATE. Tom the piper's son stole a pig from Farmer Jenkins and away he ran to make good his escape. But piggie objected to being stolen. The moment he understood his true position, he started to squeal at the top of his voice. This aroused the farmer from his noonday siesta (get Uncle John to explain this word), who at once start ed in hot pursuit for his lost prop erty. Poor Tom! Already his conscience troubled him but not half so much as the pig's squealing. Do what he might, he couldn't stop it, and all the time his pursuer was Just following the squeal and getting nearer and nearer. Tom tried to hide the animal nder his blouse, but piggie simply wouldn't let up even for a second. In desperation, Tom opened his mouth very, very wide, took ont mouthful and plggie's squeals were no more. But with a pig in the inside of his stomach, Tom couldn't run nor could you, dear reader. The farmer over took him, grabbed him by the collar, gave him a sound trouncing, and sent him flying down the street as fast as ever his legs could take him. Tom never stole another pig, you may be quite sure of that Flower In a Soap Bubble. A pretty experiment is that of plac ing a flower inside a soap bubble. To accomplish this feat, which is often mystifying and always amusing, put water in which a good deal of soap has been dissolved Into the bottom of a tray, or shallow pan, to the depth of about an eighth of an Inch. In the center of the tray place the rose, or water lily, or whatever flower Is chosen for the experiment. Over It then clap a tin funnel. Now slowly lift the funnel, at the same time blow ing gently through its small end. When you have blown a large enough film, you can disengage the bubble by turning the funnel at right angles. A great variety of objects, from china dolls to Easter eggs, may be In this way filmed over with a gay sphere of Iridescence. A Common Error. An error that is frequently made and for which there should be no ex cuse save that of Ignorance, is often said to be the result of hurried com position; but you will admit that that is less than no excuse at all. It Is the use of the objective case Instead of the possessive, before a gerund or verbal noun, ending in lng. As an il lustration, take this phrase that was inadvertently published in a news paper: "To prevent them making a rush." Of course this error may be corrected In one of two ways: "To prevent their making a rush," or "to prevent them from making a rush" It you will think only a moment, the reason will be obvious. HONARCHS ALWAYS IN PERIL. Effort to Appear Calm Often Upset by Apparent Dancer. One of the principal rules in the life of a king is that his face must BSTtr betray his (motions; ha must never show surprise or dtsappotr ment or anger. Above all. he must never show fear. But sometimes, says an English ' writer, it happens that the iron self-control of a ruler will break down. One can readily understand the ef fect that the terrible events of her wedding day must have had on the nerves of the young queen of Spain and though at the time her calm courage was the amazement of all, it is quite certain that the fright has had a lasting effect. After a recent visit to England she was about to embark on her Journey back to Spain and had taken leave of the friends and relatives who had come to see her off. Suddenly she turned back and hurried toward her mother, flinging her armB round her and embracing her passionately again and again. "I fear I shall never see you again," she said, with tears in her eyes. The only time the German emperor has been seen to look frightened was when he had just arrived in England on his way to the deathbed of Queen Victoria. He landed at Cowes, where he was received by the Prince of Wales (the present king) and they had both taken their seats in a closed carriage pre paratory to driving to Osborne. As the carriage began to move off through the respectful crowd something dark ened the window and there was a sharp click. The emperor turned dead ly pale and shrank back into his cor ner. But the click was nothing more serious than the sound of a snapshot camera that an overeager photog rapher had thrust almost into the open window of the carriage. His majesty dearly loves to be photographed, but on this occasion he was furious at hav ing been betrayed into showing "funk." A curious episode showing the state of the present Czar's nerves occurred when he and the Czarina paid a visit to Queen Victoria at Balmoral in 1896. It had been arranged that when the imperial train arrived at Ballater sta tion some rockets would be sent up to announce to the queen their safe arrival and also as a sort of welcome to the Czar himself. Unfortunately, no one had prepared the Czar and, as he took his seat in the carriage he was startled by the sudden roar and crash as the fireworks raced aloft and burst forth with a flash. The Czar sank back in his carriage half insensible with fear and quiver ing like a leaf, and it was some min utes before he recovered sufficiently to bow to the crowds that lined the route through the village. A dramatic little episode once oc curred on the magnificent staircase of the royal palace In Madrid. On the night of October 7, 1841, a crowd of mutinous officers swarmed up with the intention of kidnaping the child queen Isabella. Shots rang out and there was a murderous hand-to-hand combat on the staircase. Poor little Isabella, all her real dig nity forgotten, wrung her hands in an agony of fear, screaming, "Oh, don't let them kill me!" As day broke over the city the mu tineers fled and most of them were afterwards shot. SHROUDED IN MYSTERY. Cob Meal Industry Not Especially Well Known to the Public. "Have you ever bought any cob meal?" inquires a writer in Popular Mechanics, and adds: "If so, you did it unintentionally. Cob meal is made by grinding corn cobs, and the indus try is one shrouded in great mystery. Not that there is any secret of par ticular value in the process of grind ing, but the ultimate purpose of the corn cob meal Is not such as to make publicity desirable. Thousands of dol lars have been spent in perfecting the grinding machinery, and the process is now reduced to a practical science. "It is apparently reassuring to learn that 'it is necessary, of course, to have the cobs clean of husks, stones and pieces of chain, brick, etc.'; but in vestigation develops the fact that this precaution is taken not on account of the meal, but to safeguard - the grinding machinery. Even so ignoble a thing as a corn cob grinder rebels at being fed on pieces of stone, chaiq and brick, and the machines are rathei expensive. "Where the cob meal goes finds a ready explanation in the fact that it can be made at a cost of $6 to $7 per ton, while ground feed brings $25 to $28 per ton. "To such an extent has this class of deception developed that several States have already Imposed severe penalties on the use of cob meal as adulteration. Inasmuch as the nutrition in cob meal is on a par with pine sawdust, it would seem a proper subject for national pure food legislation. The leading milling Journals Insist that the millers of wheat flour seldom are offenders, and that cob grinding is chiefly done by manufacturers of mixed and com pound feeds, especially those composed largely of molasses. "It's a mighty mean and contemp tible man whose automobile Is pui chased with the stealings from the rations of a faithful, helpless animal." Color Blind. . Servant A pound of tea for the missus. Grocer Green or black? Servant Shure, ayther will fl0. She's as blind as a bat!" Judge. It was David who said, "All men are liars." And he might have added that married men have opportunities thrust upon them. A man has no business with religion it & doesn't use it ia his business. Mrs. Briggs Does your husband take any special exercise? Mrs. Griggs Yes; he's all the time kicking. Mr. Summerboard (politely) Shall I help myself to the beans? Hired Man You will If you git enny! Knlcker When he graduated he thought he would save the State. Bocker And now he is trying to save a dollar a week. "Your wife doesn't seem to care much for that friend of yours." "No; he's the man I lay the blame on when I'm detained downtown." "Who's that homely girl you spoke to?" "Sir, that lady has promised to be my wife." "Cheer up. Lots of women don't keep- their promises." Editor What are you writing? Re porter A race with death. Editor Say we call that race off and get It up in some other form this time. "I've moved to the country now, and planted a garden." "Anything coming up?" "Sure. My wife's family Is coming up to spend the summer." She Better Join our picnic party. He What's the use", when I can more easily enjoy warm lemonade and sand wiches with ants on 'em In my back yard? Customer (looking at electric fans) No, I don't believe I care for a second-hand fan. Dealer (waving his hands) Vy? Aln segond-hand air aa good as any? I Hub Reckless and extravagant I? i When did I ever make a useless pur chase? Wife Why, there's that fire . l extinguisher you bought a year ago; j we've never used It once. "I don't believe in hiding my light under a bushel," remarked young Sap- lelgh. "You would be foolish to do so," rejoined Miss Slashem, "when a pint cup would more than hide It" ' Fond Mother Tommy, darling, this le your birthday! What would you , like to do? Tommy, Darling (after a I moment's reflection) I think I should enjoy seeing the baby spanked. Fi garo. "It's hard to lose a beautiful daughter," said the wedding guest sympathetically. "It's a blamed sight harder to lose the homely ones," re plied the old man who had several yet to go. "Mean thing!" exclaimed Mrs. New llwed; "it's just brutal of you to call it 'this stuff.' You said you'd be glad if I baked my own bread " "Yes, dear," replied the brute, "but I didn't say you should bake mine." Critic (as the composer plays hla last piece) Very fine Indeed. But what is that passage which makes ths cold chills run down the back? Com poser That Is where the wanderer has the hotel bill brought to him. Fliegende Blaetter. Mr. Budworthy Rather clever fel low, that young Dudelong, don't you think? Miss Pewstules I really could not tell. He scarcely uttered a word the whole time he was here.. Mr. Bud worthy Sly dog! He knows when hi Is at his best. Puck. "How did you manage to see every thing in Rome inside of two days?" "Well, you see, we got up early, mj wife went to the shops, my daughter to the picture galleries, and I took In the restaurants. In the evening w compared notes." Fliegende Blatter. Miss Passay This gold dollar wai given to me by my grandfather when I was christened. It vas just coined shortly after my birth. See, it is dat ed 1880. Miss Sharpe Yes, how con siderate of them to have the colnei date It so far ahead. Philadelphia Press. Towne It's all well, enough to TBrk about forgiving our enemies, but, 1 tell you, it's a hard thing to da Browne That's what it Is. We should not be expected to forgive our enemlea except when they freely admit thai they don't deserve our forgiveness. Philadelphia Press. She (indignantly) Why- did you fall to keep your appointment with me yesterday? He I'm awfully sorry, but I was compelled to wait in a res taurant until it was too late. She (Icily) Pardon me, but I thought you had a position in a bank. I wasn't aware that you were a waiter. Tit Bits. Merchant's Wife (suddenly appear ing In her husband's office) Ha! 1 thought you said your typewriter girl was an old maid? Merchant (much confused) Um er, yes, m'dear, ol course, of course; but she is sick to day, and she sent her little grand daughter as a substitute. Philadel phia Record. Epicure Walter, this steak la posi tively bad. It must be three week! old. Waiter Ah, pardon, monsieur! I have made ze meestake, and havi brought you ze venison. Epicurean Venteon? Oh, yes! Then you maj leave it (Tastes It) Ah! to be sura It Is venison; and very nice, too very nice, Indeed! Town Topics. . Mrs. de Temper (looking up from the paper) Well, I declare! Anothel woman, single-handed, has captured burglar. I should think she would havs been killed by the brute; but the pa pers say the moment she grabbed poker and made a dash for him, nil knees trembled and his teeth shook, and he sank to the floor in affright Mr. de Temper He Is probably a mar ried man. New York Weekly,