Newspapers / The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, … / Aug. 27, 1909, edition 1 / Page 2
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lilli CATFISH STORY. SAVED LIFE OF WHOLE SPAWN. Folic c > Walton Relate* Tale Whivh l.r. .Jiuiily Start* An other and Greater Yarn?Baron Munchausen Better Look to Hi* Laurels or Ha Will Be Outdone. I Lackawaxen, Pa., Auk. 7.?"Having always Had my head close to nature's beart, wuu an ear alert to its every throb and an eye ever open to ob serve particularly ways of nature that tbe casual person never would de tect," said Warren K. Hid*way, for merly sheriff, treasurer, register, re corder, and clerk of Pike county, "1 became intensely Interested in what Jefferson Sbellenbanker told me one time, and was disappointed beyond words when he got that letter from borne. " 'If you want to make a study of catfish that are the real tllng.' he bad said to me, 'you should come with me over to my native valley of the Scrubgrass and look the Mole fetcher pair over." "Jefferson Sbellenbanker was work ing for me at the time, and tbe way he came to refer me to his native bailiwick as the proper place for studying the perfect cutflsh was that 1 had mentioned casually one day a touching little incident that had come within my ovservatlon at Prom ised Land pond. Iu time of high wa ter Promised Land pond In those days rose and covered the old stumps along its shores, when the water be gan to recede it receded quickly. Most of tbe stumps were big and some of them were hollow. "When the water was falling after one of these floods was a good time to net baft fish along the shores. I was netting some one day when I Raw a movement at the top of a big hollow stump that had beeit covered by the high water, but which was now about half way uncovered. The stump was twenty-five feet from shore. Looking closer I saw that the movement was made by a cat fish which had its head and half of its body above the hollow in the stump. As It turned its gaze toward me where I stood netting out bait fish it gave a flop that landed it in the water below. Lett Dy Keceaing water. "It was plain to me that the cat fish had settled Itself in the hollow of that stump as a pretty comfortable nook to be in while the flood water was carrying It, and that it hadn't noticed the receding of the pond. The discovery of Its predicament, of course, had given th<,> catfish a great scare, but now that it had jumped back into the pond I naturally sup posed that would end its trouble. "I went on with my bait netting, when pretty soon I saw the catfish pop its head out of the water a yard or so from where 1 stood with my ( bait net and gazed nt me with a , queer look in its eyes. When it caught my eye the catfish turned and swam back toward the hollow stump, keeping its head out of water, and turned so it could look at me. "I stood still, wondering what the bigmouthed fish was acting in that . way for. After swimming a little j way toward the stump the catty turn- , ed and came back again until it was , close to me, and with that queer look ( still in its eyes. , "The catfish kept this up so long, coming close to me, and then swim- | mlng back toward the stump, some times going all the way to it and ( trying to spring up into the hollow, , that I made up my mind something out of the ordinary was exciting that ( fish. i "It's coaxing me to go to that ( stump for some reason or other," said I. I "So I waded over to the stump and as 1 approached it the catfish spat tered and splashed around in the| wa- , ter as if dancing for joy. I looked | down into the hollow of the stump, and then all was clear to me. Dart ing frantically about in the water in the hollow were a myriad of young ( catfish. The big fish on the out- ( side was their mother. Restored to Their Mother. "Well, what had I to do with her , predicament? Nothing, except when she discovered it and saw me with a net lifting minnows out of the wa ter along shore she got an idea, and that idea was to coax me to come with my net over to that stump and life her kittens out of it and re store them to her. "The person who hadn't his head ev*r close to nature's heart and his eyes constantly open to the strange ways of nature and her creatures might not have fallen to this idea. I did, and as I netted the little cat ties out of the hollow stump and turn ed them over to their mother, and I declare It almost brought tears to my eyes to see the Joy of that happy reunion. "I happened to refer casually to this incident one day in the presence of Jefferson Shellenbanker. He lis tened to it with rapt attention, and It pleased him, brightened up to him. as It did, recollections of his old home. ?' 'There way be more picturesque aud healthful valleys than my u?u na tive Scrubgrasa,' said he, 'but there is not a creek nor a river nor a pond on the (ace of the earth that breeds, r< ars, and fosters catfish that can compare in size, strength, docility, tenacity, mildness of temper, tracta bility, and willingness with the catfisl the historic Scrubgrass yields to her expert and r' (lent anglers. " 'I wish my friend lzaker Mole fetcher were known to you. He is not a large man, but .be is big enough to be one of the best fisher man that ever kept you wondering while he told you all about it. A year ago this spring I/.aker stretch id a set liue in the creek, after the sure but unezclMng Scrubgrass style of angliug. It doesn't matter what else be caUhli', but among his catch were two rep ? i?.:<tatlve Scrubgrass catfish. " 'When my friend Molefetcher, with the aid of his hired man, haul ed them into his boat they were still as full of life and vigor as they were before they had succumbed to temp tation and swallowed the bait with which the Molefetcber's hooks had been disguised. They Were well matched, sound, kind as kittens, and weighed thirteen pounds each. Eat Out of His Hand. " 'My friend Molefetchrr has a small pond on his premises, and hav ing for some reason taken a high regard for the pair of catfish he load ed them 011 his wagon and transferred them from their native Scrubgrass waters to the waters of the pond. The catfish proved truly grateful for this mark of consideration, aud show ed their appreciation of It by taking their meals out ol the hand of any member of the Molefetcher family who went to the pond to feed them, aud would come on call at any time to let the children play with them. " 'My friend Molefetcher has a seven-year-old boy named Erastus. They call him "Kassy" for short, but that doesn't matter. One day "Ras sy" went to the pond to have larks with the pair of catfish, and it struck him that it would be a nice little change for both him and them if he should play horse with them a while, lie got some twine, made a harness, put it on the catfish, and with a pair of lines to guide them drove them round and round the pond to his great amusement and the equal ly great delight of the gentle-man nered fish. ' I ne lamer or turn ingenious iaa got an idea from this lino of sport with the catfish. He made a strong harness for each fish, with bridle and bit in regular fashion. This in telligent and willing pair of Scrub grass catfish fell In with the idea from the first time the harness was put on them, and the bits were put in their mouths. They pulled a log around the pond with great relish i>f the fun, and it was indeed a cheering sight. " 'Hut my friend Molefeteher's idea was of wider scope than just hauling ii log about the pond. He was only loading up to what was really In it. He made him a light cedar boat, i-asy running and of light draft. From the bow of the boat he projected au Iron rod to serve as a wagon tongue, so to speak. The pond was not fit Led for the working out of his idea Mid he transferred ills team of cat fish to his milipond. Hooking them lap to the boat, Molefetcher got into It. and in the presence of his delight sd family took up the reins, chiruped :o the catfish and away they started with him up the pond at a three-mln Jte gait. My friend Molefeteher's idea was an unqualified success. Ev 3ry day the team df catfish enjoyed heuiselves by giving some member jf the Molefetcher family a spin a l>out the pond. Scared by Hawk. " 'One day my friend Molefetcher was riding along on the pond behind Ills catfish team. They were going Sown the pond at a nice little Jog, when suddenly a flshhawk, whose ?yes must have been a good deal big ger than his stomach, pouched down 3a the team and tried to lift the ratfish out of the harness. This sud den assault frightened the team and they ran away. They made a wild dash toward the dam. Molefetcher held onto the reins and tried to stop them, but it was no use. Over they went. ?' 'The boat was smashed to pieces. Molefetcher came near being drown ed. They rescued him in time, and down the creek he tore after the run away team. The hawk still had Its clutches in the off catfish's shoulder as they went over the dam. A mile down the stream Molefetcher caught up with the nigh catfish. It had the hawk by the throat, and the hawk was dead. The off catch was over hauled half a mile farther along. He was so badly crippled that It was plain he would never be of any more use In the team. In fact, my friend Molefetcher turned them both out In the pond to pasture (Is they pleased and has never hitched 'em up since, much to the bereavement of the Mol efetcher family and to the lasting disappuinlmeut ol the turned out teaui. /es,' said Jefferson Shellenbank er, 'if you want to make a study 01 catfish that are the real thing, you should come wiih me over to my native valley of the historic Scrubgrass and look the Molefetcher pair over.' "1 became intensely interested in 'ppiH a.>)(ui!iiu.)[|.iqs uosjsjjrtf jBq.w therefore, and set a day for going with him to his native bailiwick to make a study of the Molefetcher pair. The night before we were to go, Shellenbanki-r came in from I^acka wack looking distressed. He had re ceived a letter from home. " 'From my friend Molefeteher,' said he. 'Had a fearful thunder storm in the Scrubgrass Valley. Light ning struck the iron rod In Molefetch er'* cedar boat. Catfish team loung ing near. Killed 'em both.' "So 1 didn't get to study the Mole fetcher pair, and I was disappointed beyond words."?Washington Herald. Churches Asked to Hold Services. Ily request of Dr. D. li. ZolUcoffer, Lay Leader, the members of the va .rious Methodist churches of John ston county are earnestly requested to meet at their several places of worship 011 the 5th Sunday in Au gust and hold at least a simple ser vice of thanksgiving to God for his j mercies and blessings and make a I contribution to the Lord to advance his cause. The churches on Clayton circuit as far as practical will meet with the church at "Elizabeth" where morning and afternoon servi ces will be had. Dinner will be serv ed on the grounds. Brethren will take due notice thereof and bring bas kets. Brother Sam F. Austin, Lay Leader for Nash county will deliver the address at 11 o'clock A. M. and Kev. Costen J. Harrell lii the after noon. Everybody Invited to oome. W. S. STEVENS, Chairman. N. E. EDOEHTON, Sec. Telephones and Telegraphs. Of more than 10,04)0,000 miles of wire lu the telephone and telegraph systems of this country, the tele phones use nearly 13,000,000. Om year's telegrnph messages numbered 368,470,509, of which 5,869,317 were cablegrams. The capital of the tele graph and cable companies was $244, 607,900, yielding an income of $244, 607,900. The capital of telephone sys tems was $814,616,004, yielding $184, 401,747. In 1 i?07 the telephone busi ness was eight times as great as that of the telegraph. Wireless sta tions in 1907 were operated at a loss of $47,628, on a capital, in six sys tems, of $32,726,242. Hut there have been marked devulopm hts during the past two years. The tailroad tele graphs number 625 and rperate 860, 000 miles of single telegraph wire, besides 52,518 miles of telephone wire These systems paid out in 1907 $37, 1N2.479 in salaries and wages, main tained 33,441 offices and 30,115 tele phones; transmitted 5,923,483 com mercial messages and 258,589,333 lues sages in connection with railroad busi ness. All the present indications show that the telephone will come into increasing use in the dispatching of trains, interurban electric roads having been among the first to recog nize the advantages of this method. ?Washington Herald. A Town Crier Silenit. Nantucket has lost its town crier, "Billy" Clark, who died, broken hearted, because he had lost his voice. He was a queer vocal news paper. He made two rounds of the town a day, in the morning to an nounce auctions, bargain sales, and entertainments, and in the afternoon or evening to tell the news of the outside world that had been brought to Nantucket by the boat, and to sell newspapers. It was his after noon function, also, to mount the Old South Church tower and sight the boat from Bedford, and to proclaim her coming by blowing his home on the four sides of the belfry, on a foggy day this meant that the steamer would arrive in thirty min utes .and t>n a clear day that she was two hours off?and the inhabitants could accordingly govern their rush to the wharf. "Billy" was thrifty and made folks pay for their fun. Hence his two birthdays, one in sum mer, when the visiting strangers were expected to reward him openly ?one year Eastmans Johnson, the New York artist, gave him a gold watch?and another in winter, when the islanders remembered him with a barrel of flour or other things sub stantial.?Washington Herald. Buttons for Suspenders. There are 115,000.000 worth of but tons made in this country every year, yet lots of men use nails to connect their suspenders with their trousers. ?Chicago Newie. The first Sunday newspaper appear ed In 1748. , _ _ PELLAGRA NOT DUE TO CORN. Interesting Discussion of a Disease That is Now Attracting Much At tention?Facts Cited to Show That It is Hardly Due to Eating Meal From Spoiled Corn, As is Popular ly Supposed. Pellagra, the'disease wnicb U claim lug ho much attention at present in the Southern States that It has al most overshadowed the beforetime fa vorite, hook worm, has its name ori gin from two Italian words, "pelle," aud "agra," meaning "rough" "skin." '1 lie name is a rough description of one of the symptoms of the disease. This symptom manifests itself as an Inflammation of those parts of the body most exposed to air and sun shine, as the hands and forearms, feet and ankles, face, neck and shoul ders. This inflammation (technical name, erythema) looks and feels like an ordinary sunburn, acquired in the usual way. Another constant sympton is a condition of the throat and mouth very much resembling scurvy. The gums swell and bleed, the lining of the mouth and throat swell and numerous sores (ulcers) develop in the mouth and throat and on the tongue. The person attacked is pale, has a peculiar staring look, and com plains of headache, giddiness and vague but often severe pains in the back and Joints. The character changes and the patient becomes irri table and at the same time stupid and morose. The skin eruption is just like or dinary sunburn in appearance and acts like it In every way except that ; when ,like sunburn, It scales off af , ter about two weeks, the new skin is rough and stained a light reddish brown color, which condition is par inanent and the natural color never i returns. The nervous symptoms are: sleep lessness; great weakness, especially In lower extremities; peculiar at tacks of giddiness, with a tendency to fall forward or backwards; trem bling of tongue when pushed out of mouth; tenderness and actual pain when spine In middle of back is pressed on. After about two months the patient , apparently recovers, only the dark colored rough skin remaining to re mind him of his trouble. However, next year at about the same date the whole series of symptoms recur and in a more severe form. Each re currence leaves the patient in worse and worse shape mentally and physi cally, until finally there is extreme emaciation, paralysis, complete de mentia and epileptic convulsions. The duration of pellagra is exceed ingly variable. It may last only two or three years, but usually it extends to ten, fifteen or more. Knowledge of pellagra is of com paratively recent date. It was recog nized and described almost simulta neously in Italy and Spain. In Spain it was described by Casal in 1762 but had been present since 1735 under the name of "rose sickness." In Italy, under the name of "Alpine scurvy," it was described by Odoard in 1776 but had been recognized in 1740. Pellagra has been ascribed to the most varied causes, such as sun heat, poverty, unsanitary dwellings, syphilis, irritant oils, bad water, al cohol, garlic, onions, corn. It has been regarded as a modified form of leprosy. "Sun disease" was the old and popular name. Although it is known that sunlight and directs sun rays influence the eruption, as in smallpox, this is no adequate reason for concluding that exposure to the sun is the cause of the disease, es pecially as the eruption is limited to | the early spring season and lasts about a fortnight. The corn theory, of all the fancied ' causes of the disease, demands, be cause of Its popularity, the most searching scrutiny. The general opinion is that pella gra appeared soon after the introduc tion of corn into Kurope, and that it advanced pari passu with the exten sion of corn cultivation, and with the more general adoption of the new ce real as an article of food. For these and other reasons corn Is held to oe the causative agent of pellagra, as ' rice has been held to be the cause of berl beri; and just as in the latter case, various theories have been ad vanced to explain the operation of I the assumed Cause. [It is now gen-1 erally conceded that beri berl Is j caused by a germ and that rice had ; no more to do with causing or spread ing the disease than any other food], I There are many theories as to the ! manner in which corn causes the disease, nearly every theorist giving a new method. The poisonous action of corn has been variously attributed to? (at Deficiency in its nutritive prin , ciples. (b) Special poisonous substance contained naturally In the grain. (c) Poisons made after the corn has been eaten. (d) Poisonous substance made du ring decomposition of grain. (While In shock In field or after being plac' |ed In barn). ? (e) Fungus or moulds found on corn. Of these theories the first must have been advanced by a European unfamiliar with the food value of corn, for Just the opposite is true. That corn normally contains the !>olson that induces pellagra falls down of its own weakness, other wise how could the immunity of mil lions of people who live on corn be accounted for? If this theory was true .corn would poison every or nearly every person that eat of it. The same reasoning is true of the ; third theory. If either theory was true corn would long ago have been rejected as a food. As to the fourth theory, although numerous poisonous substances have been extracted from spoiled and decomposing corn, differ ent investigators have extracted very different substances. To further neg ative this theory, similar poisonous substances have been prepared by similar methods from wheat and oth er harmless foods. It is true that fungi and moulds are found on corn, but that one in criminated by the majority of au thors as the causative agent of pella gra is, strange to say, the common blue mould (perricillium crustaceum), which is found anywhere and every where. If this theory was true, ev erybody would have contracted pella gra long ago. In examining the numerous obser vations that have been made, there is one fact which stands out very prominently, and that is that each investigator claims to have reproduc ed true pellagra either in animals or man ,sometimes,in himself, by inocu luting the skin, injecting into the veins, or administering by the mouth tile special organism or poisonous product which he happens to have discovered. This {act is sufficient proof that the real cause of the dis ease is yet to be discovered. The dis ease must have, can have, but one specific cause, be that cause what it may. The corn theory is based chiefly on the belief that the disease appeared soon after the introduction of corn into Europe, and that it everywhere followed the extension of corn culti vation, and increased with the more general adoption of the new cereal as an article of food. Both the state ment and the argument is incorrect. We know nothing positive about the introduction of cprn into Europe. The general belief is that it was in troduced, by the Spaniards, from South America. There is historical evidence that corn was cultivated in the old world hundreds of years be fore the discovery of America. Corn was used as an article of food in Italy for 200 years before the discovery of the existence of pellagra. It has been pointed out again and again by numerous observers that the areas of pellagra and of corn cul ture do not correspond, that there are vast regions in which corn is ex tensively clutivated and much eaten, but in which pellagra is absolutely unknown. On the other hand, pella gra has been observed very frequent ly in places In France, Spain, and Italy, in which corn is not cultivat ed and in people who have never us ee} it as an article of food. But to overcome these embarrassing facts, so telling against the corn theory, the comfortable term "pseudo-pella gra" ("make-believe" pellagra) was Invented. The cJisease is pellagra when it fits in with the orthodox the ory and when it can b?; connected in any way with corn; but when this is not possible the disease becomes "pseudo-pellagra." A comparative study of the distri bution and prevalence of pellagra at different periods is decidedly unfa vorable to the corn theory. In the days of Casal (.1762), the province of Oviedo1 in Spain was one of its chief centres. In 1900 this was the prov ince which suffered least, the great est number of victims being in the province of Madrid. Now, no change whatsoever has taken place in the corn cultivation in the province of Oviedo; the people eat corn there to day just as freely as they did in 1762, and there has been no improvement in the storage or preparation of the grain. On the other hand, corn is hardly ever used as an article of food In the province of Madrid and pella gra is on the Increase. In writing of the cases in eastern North Carolina the observer states: In studying the cause of the series of cases occurring in my section I was impressed with the fact that practically all of the corn used by the people came from Ohio and Vir ginia, though in neither of these States had pellagra ever been report ed." A friter In the Southern Medical Journal says that in an Oir>iian asy lum in Nashville in 1906 on^ child of a lamily of four developed the dis I ease, the other three children devel oping it later and that twelve other children in the asylum, coming from all sections of the South, have devel ope the disease since 1906. The pro j visions used in the orphanage are the best the market affords. The corn i weal used by this institution is ob tained from tbe same mill which fur nishes meal to the Tennessee Insane Asylum in which there is no pella gra, even among the colored inmates. It is rather a strange and peculiar tact that the majority of cases re ported in America?these all from the Southern fc?tates?occurred in in stitutions. In Europe the disease does not occur in towns or! institutes, but, like malaria, infests the country regions, and, except very rarely, on ly the poverty-stricken field laborers are affected. The most noted observers in Eu rope and the government experts in America are agreed that this disease has as a specific cause a germ or mi crobe, as has tuberculosis, diphtheria, small pox, etc., and that corn is the cause of pellagra is as erroneous a theory as that bad air causes malaria. Malaria is made up of two Italian words, mal?bad; aria?air; and for hundreds of years bad air was accus ed of being the cause of chills and fever or ague. It remained for later generations to prove the air innocent of the charge of causing chills and fever, and ere long some will discov er the germ of pellagra and thus clear the fair name of corn of the present unjust accusations.?States ville Physician in Statesville Land mark. k! rrr hI 8 \;>0m JVW MU'WfcU'C/ ij|j I3J Mr. Luthe* Guthrie, of Bf j^l Beaufort, N. C. spent money 11 ' I freely in employing doctors to H ? cure his wife from continual I j J headache. He writes: s*H | ^ "One bcttie of Cardui did ?'] LrI my wife moro good than any- I ? thing she has taken for ten I*! ? years past. She had suffered I H with headache for ten years I i |,l and I had 3pent $300.00 for I H doctors' hills for her. but noth- H | ing did her any good. [ ^CARDUI ? She has taken two bottles 11 ? of Cardui and It has done her H 11 two thousand dollars ($2,000) I | ? worth of good. Just as long H H as It is made, I shall have H ? Cardui In my home." | j ? For all forms of female I | I pain, like headache, side ache, I 11 pain In limbs, dizzy feelings, l?j \ I dragging down -sensations, etc I j 11 ?Cardui has been found to be I j | I an effectual remedy. Don't I. 11 wait till you are "all run down." I ? Try Cardui at once. p ] ? Sold everywhere. I 1 Electric I Bitters 1 Succeed when everything else fails. I In nervous prostration and female I weaknesses they are the supreme i remedy, as thousands have testified. FOR KIDNEY, LIVER AND STOMACH TROUBLE it is the best medicine ever sold over a druggist's counter. O Wood's Descriptive Q Fall Seed Catalog now ready, prives the fullest information about all Seeds for the Farm and Garden, Grasses and Clovers, Vetches, Alfalfa, Seed Wheat, Oats. Rye. Barley, etc. Aleo tells all about Vegetable & Flower Seeds that can he planted in the fall to advantage and profit, and about Hyacinths, Tulips and other Flowering Bulbs. Vegetable aad Strawberry Plants. Poultry Supplies and Fertilizers. Everv Farmer and Gardener *hot 'i have this catalog It is invaiuaMe in its helpfulness and suRKestlve idea*f??r a profitable and satisfactory Farm or ? .arden Catalogue mailed free on request. Write for it. T. W. WOOD t SONS, J Q Seedsmen. - Richmond. Va. C/ KILL the COUCH AND CURE THELUNCS! wth Dr. King's New Discovery FOR Colds'8 JSSlL AMD All THROAT AND LUNG TROUBLES. GUARANTEED SATISFACTORY OR MONEY REFUNDED.
The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 27, 1909, edition 1
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