docs: def read_column_data_from_txt(fname):
      """
      Read data from a simple text file.
  
      Format should be just numbers.
      First column is the dependent variable. others are independent.
      Whitespace delimited.
  
      Returns
      -------
      x_values : list
          List of x columns
      y_values : list
          list of y values
      """
      datafile = open(fname)
      datarows = []
      for line in datafile:
          datarows.append([float(li) for li in line.split()])
      datacols = list(zip(*datarows))
      x_values = datacols[1:]
      y_values = datacols[0]
  
      return x_values, y_values