davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
Mexican Beauties.

Ben Perley Poor writes from the city OF
Mexico 1T used to be said that the Next
can ladies began the day in black, on their
knees in chapels and ended their waking
hours amid the blaze of dress and jewels in
the family box at the opera. | think that
the matn prayers are rather out OF fash
ion, but an opera box is still an indispens-
able necessary Of life. Social visiting IS
not common, but ladies are 'at home IN
their opera boxes, where their friends call
upon them between the acts. The moment
the drop curtain descends there is a crack
ling of the wax matches in use here, cigar
cites are lighted, and the gentlemen go the
rounds Of their lady acquaintance, who
receive them courteously, coquettishly using
their fans, while their lustrous eyes well
come favorites. gentleman who has re-
sided here for some time declares that il the
Mexican ladies are not so varlously beauti-
full as the women of northern lands, In
whose veins the blood of many nations has
mingled, they are most loyable creatures in
spite Of the uniformity Of their national
type There is degree of exquisite ten
derness and an expression of affectionate
sincerity in the faces of Mexican women
which instantly wins not only respect but
the confidence of the gazer. The toilets We
saw at the opera were elegant but not in
any way gaudy, and at an operate perform,
ance in any of our cities we should have
seen much more of the wearers, although
| the Mexican ladies are almost all so stou
that they can appear dceolette without ana
| tomical suggestions"
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
LOSSES

LOSSES.
Upon the white sea sand
There sat pilgrim band,
Telling the losses their lives had known,
While evening waned away
From breezy cliff and bay,
And the strong tides went oat with weary
moan.
One spake with quivering lip
OF a fair-freighted ship
With all his household to the deep gone down.
But one had wilder woe
For a fair face long ago
Lost in the darker depths OF great town.
There were some who mourned tneH
youth
With most loving truth,
For its brave hopes and memories ever green,
And one upon the west
Turned an eve that would not rest,
For far-off hills wherein its joy had been
But when their tales were done,
There spake among them one,
A stranger, seeming from all sorrow Tree:
"Sad losses have We met,
But mine is heavier yet,
For believing heart hath gone from me-"
"Alas!'' these pilgrims said,
ssFor the living and the dead,
For fortunes cruelty, for loves sure cross,
For the wrecks of land and sea,
But however it came to thee
Thine, stranger, is life's last and heaviest loss
-[Athenaum.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
A Man who didn't overestimate H;msan

A Hebrew merchant from Western c;tv
went into one of our large wholesale houses
the other day, and said he wished to buy
about 81 500 worth Of goods. He was viii
ling to pay 81 200 cash, and give his note
for ninety days for the rest of the bill. The
firm looked up the house which the custo-
mer represented, and came to the conclu-
sion that his note wouldn't be ofmuch yalue.
They concluded however, to sell him the
goods he desired, making a sufficient ad-
vance IN the usual price to cover the amount
OF the note. The sale Was made. and the bill
amounted to Sl,45O. The purchaser paid
the 81 200, and drew his nsie for me re-
mainder.
"Now, mine vriends," said he, 81 wants
you to gif me Won present. l always has
present after SO big BILL
well, replied the merchant Eve can't
give you much Of present, but you can
pick ont necktie for yourself, If YOU wish. ?
"No, no. | wants no neckties. wants q
silk dress for mine Wife
20, we can't do that, y said the merchant.
but III tell you what we viii do. We will
give you your note"
my note! No, py my gracious, l takes
re necktie,"
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
An OId-time Torture

The London Daily Telegraph Of July 90
says: The Paris newspapers have-with
what foundation in fact we are unable to
say and reluctant to surmise-been actively
engaged lately in lionizing certain Father
Remy. who is said to have returned from
Thibet, in which regions he has made a num-
Der of conversions under certainly extra
ordinary circumstances. The story goes
that he fell. as a missionary, under tide sus-
picion of the local authorities, and the
od,ur. tasotog.cum reached the unpleasant
climax of the luckless ecclesastic being
condemned to be eearteie, or quartered. An
attempt was actually made to put the sent
ence into effec,-le Pere Remys legs and
arms being tied to four horses, which were
straightway driven in different directions
But. i, is added, the devoted missionary is
a very powerful man, and the steeds, with
all their strength. did not succeed in tearing
him assunder. His prosecutors, the story
goes on to say, were so struck by his SEEM
ingly miraculous powers Of endurance that
| they embraced the quasi-martyr and were
| forthwith converted to Christianity. OF
this tale it may be said, first that it answers
the Italian condition of being ben trorato,
and next, that if it be an invention. it
should have been written by medical man,
| for only skillfdl anatomists know what q
herculean task it is to tear living human
being into quarters. Muscularity has
nothing whatever TO do with the resistance
the human frame will offer TO inordinafe
tension. 1t is matter of thews and sinews
of gristle, in fact. 1t is very difficult to
break a mans skull, unless knowingly OF
unkuowingly the head be hit in precisely
the proper place; but it is much more fl
cult to rend him assunder bodily. In the
days of torture prisoners might be racked
day after day and their limbs dislocatet
and rent time after time, put the frame o.
the tormented wretchs,in held good Al
for quartering sufferer by means o
horses. there are two celebrated instances
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
LITERARY
A VERY GOOD TEST.
A MateraIized Ghost Willing to Risk {
let

A materaIized Ghost I, Willing to Risk su'
A ST. Louis exchange says:
1t will be seen by the correspondence be
low that W. c. Clark, Spiritulist, who re
sides in this city, has agreed TO submit him
self to very severe ordeal TO prove the
genuineness of materializations. To shoot
at a materialized spirit is an experiment to
which mediums have never before consent
ed
Many marvellous tests have been made.
but they were generally harmless, and it
may be said that ghosts have shown quite
an aversion to gunpowder and projectiles.
Distinguished experimentalists, such as MIR.
Olcott and Mr.. Crokes, declare that they
have frequently enjoyed the liberty OF
caressing and kissing them but it has been
uniform assertion on their part that the
atmospheric conclusion of pistol discharse
would be too great shock TO the nerves OF
both spirit and medium
Mr.. Clark, however, claims that he has
the power TO stano the test, and will sub
init to ii under the strictest conditions. 4
skillful marksman will be selected for the
occasion, who will be permitted to load and
aim the rife, and, if any physical being is
personating the ghost, something is liable
to drop 4 large hall is to be selected for
the exhibition of the feat, in order that al
may have an opportunity of witnessing
it.
II was Mr.. Clarks intention to give
private seance first 10 select few, in ordel
to demonstrate his power TO endure tn
ordeal, and then offer second exhibition
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

to the general public. He has been advised
by the spirits, however, not to try TINS tnlng
but once. He claims that he has band OF
spirits about him, comprising thlrty-two
disembodied beings.
The head of this band is one Peter. Peter
is the wandering soul of doctor who died
thirty wears ago, and for the last nine years
has acted in the capacity Of guardian spirit
to Mr.. Clarke. Wednesday night he met
Peter and the rest of his band, and had a
consultation concerning the proprlety OF
giving two seances. Peter, like sensible
creature. counselei him not to submit to
such a novel test, and in no event to try it
but once.
The reason for this advice was that the
shirt was able to materialize only by the
odic or mesmeric force which it received
from the medium, and that second trial
would be a positive injury to his physical
health Peter finally agreed to help pull
him through one seance, but refused to
permit second. Mr. Clark remarked that
the cause of the pallid appearance which
generally characterized Spiritualists was
the fact that they expended too much odlc
force in materializing efforts.
St. Louis, August 4, 1875.-Mr. Clark
Dear Sir: Having attended seance given
by you, and having seen the wonderful ma
terializations, I will give you fifty dollars to
produce one face at the aperture, if you
will let me or any person | may name fire a
shot at it with rifle. If it is spirit-face,
it cannot hurt it, and it will satisfy me it is
not you with mask on your face. My con-
ditions are that you will disrobe yourself
and put on clothes l shall produce, and per-
NIT me to fasten you to the bottom Of the
cabinet
Yours, respectfully,
HENRY TIMKENs.
St. Louis, August 4, 1875.-H. Timkens
Eso.-Dear Sir: Received yours of to-day
and accept your proposition with pleasure
viii meet with you as soon as convenient
and arrange time and place.
Respectfully yours,
w. C. CLARK.
Another St. Louis paper reports that the
test came off thus
As soon as the face appeared, Mr.. \. B.
Cunningham, at Mr.. Timkens' request, had
coolly sighted small rife at it. The eyes
looked almost into the muzzle Of the gun
without any sign Of finching. Without
the tremor Of a muscle, Cunningham fired
apparently thinking no more OF shooting
girls than a Comanche would.
At the shot the face remained steadfast.
1t wasn't scared and didn't wink. A few
seconds it remained as before, and then the
curtain mysteriously slid across and OBJ
scured it from view. When the door was
opened the medium was found tied jast as
he was left when the door was first closed
The cords had been strained little ano
that was all Everyb body said it was good
thing, and nobody could tell how 1t was
done
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
Starting Oeprecations in Value.

very Intelligent old darkey was met by
IN ane-bellum friend the other dav for the
nrst time since the war, and the old mans
dengnt IN seeing one Of Massas ticker
trends ID Old times was unbounded After
hearty hand-sbaking and protracted
laugh peculiar to The Southern darkey, the
gentleman asked:
'Well, Uncle Joe, how are you getting
along in the world.''
y u ''Sorter slow, Marse -. Been had
rheumatic right smart lately, and things
amt gons 'saetly right no. how" replied the
'darkey.4e. -f-aa 5ii
d'sA great many changes have taken, place
since | last saw You, Uncle Joe. Deeth, -.
taken yotr old master away. the family ~
scattered shout the four quarters az ii,
globe, the tsvmis divided up. and strangers
occupy the old house l. makes one feel
right SAD, Uncle Joe, to think Of the changes
That have been wrought BY old Father
d "Yaas-" replied the Uncle Joe. aYou
member when ! was slave / worked hard
q odd times, and made money 'nuff to boy
myself. paidaol Massa 81 900 for my free.
..'Yes." said MI remember tn
"W1sh'i had dat money now" unused thu
old daYkey.s Dill 80
wen, yes." replied Mr. ----- 1T woull
De quite fortune far you" 4trn ID n
FscLots o fortune sar," said the old maj
9ourntuily; 'and every fine link about Il
Iskinder rus de i,argzin- bigger was WI
: thousand dollars then, but now h. ain,
Hun cuss. Mighty changes IN dis world
-A4ssa." ngH -shaa n
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

that continually; and it is perfect mystery
that gentlemen of my profession care 20 lit
tie, do and know so little about q poison that
is doing mischief at 50 terrible > rate.
"Sir,'' the doctor continued Il was at q
council of physicians the other day, on the
border Of this town; the patient was young
man Frustrated by paralysis; he was de-
prived Of the use of his lower limbs from the
abdomen to the toe We overhauled him;
we withdrew and talked about antecedents
factory conclusion. Dissatisfied and impa-
tient, I inquired Of Il the attending physician
whether the poor fellow used tobacco"
20, no" he replied, II guess not" and
with an air of nonchalance, added, What
if he does? that can have nothing to DO with
his case"
the effects Of tobacco, but simply if the pa
tient used it."
Gruf1y he said, ssGo and see'' ~
Stepping to his bedside, l said. s.AIy
young friend, do you use tobacco?''
With squealing voice, more cat-like than
! human, he answered, II use little
s'How do you use it!''
II smoke ittle:''
ibid you smoke this morning."
Yes, a little"
Before l quit his side ascertained that
he had actually consumed sixteen cigars q
day, and the poor fellows soul was SO obfus-
Gated by smoke that he considered that pro-
digious amount but a little!
This continued the doctor, ''may seem
strange, but the strangest thing OF all is the
fact that his attending physician, regular
and we'll bred did not know, in the first
place, that his patient used tobacco, and sec
ondly if he did, he did not know that a
rank and deadly poison could have anything
| to do with his case.'
We ara indebted to the medical profess
fession for the most effective testimony
against this popular poison hence we have
no wish to arraign it and denounce it in
wholesale style. But account for it as We
may, on the score of selfishness or igno'
rance the main body Of the profession are
mournfully derelict in duty touching the
ruinous effects of this great and fashionable
narcotic.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
An Antique Sword in a Dead Tree.

Among the relics gathered up by Profess
sor Collect, few days ago, in Owen coun-
ty, Ind, is an ancient sword blade of curl
GUS make, with an inscription on either side,
which has not yet been dcciphered. 1t is
related that it was found in the decayed
trunk Of tree. The superstition is that it
was hidden in the tree while it was stand
ing in the long ago, but when or by whom is
yet to be determined by those versed in an
cient relics.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
POETRY.
A CAME OF CHESS.

By RAN DIAN.
They strolled upon the beach 50 long
He missed the train, belated;
And so they played game OF chess
For pastime, while he waited.
1t must have been charming one,
For both seemed quite enraptured;
She took Castle and Knight,
And he the white Queen captured.
cannot tell who lost or won.
Because it is related q
Although the game was only drawn,
The players both were mated.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

/ EFrEcrs or TonAeeo.=-.-Qoct0r-Lse said
to splendid specimen q t1s profession,
'.tell us something about the baneful effects
Of tobaeeo.n
Its effects, sir, he replied, s.are evil xnd
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

UP TO SINE plE.--In a neighboring county
the Democrats had for over twenty wears.
been IN the habit of holding all their county
nominating conventions at the house of a
staunch old Democrat, Mr.. G! He happen :
ed, on a recent occasion, for the first time to
be IN when a motion was made to adjourn
sine die. ''Sine die" said he to a person
near him, where's that" "Away IN in
the northern part of the county," replied.
"Hold on, il you please, Mr.. Cheerman. !"
said Mr.. g., with great earnestness and
emphasis; ''hold on, sir. I'd like to be
heerd on that question. I've kept a public
house for more'n twenty years. I'm poor
man. I've alters been Democrat and never
split my ticket in my life. This is the most
central location in the county, and its where
we've always had our county caucusses. |
have never had or asked an Office, and have
worked night and day for the party, and
now think, sir, it's contemplate. it's infer
naliy mean, for to 60 for to adjourn this ere
convention way up there to that sine die ,
The convention adjourned in commissions.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
SCIENCE

1
from Tribune article with regard to the
swallowing process OF the bladder says:
..But as the valve does not appear to be IN
the least irritable, the slow swallowing pro-
cess must be the effect Of the onward move
ment of the lara" Unfortunately Tor TINS
theory, l have seen hundreds of mosquito
Larvae swallowed tail first, with the head
and first Joint left out-too large to be taken
in, and l am now putting such specimens IN
alcohol with view Of sending them to Mr..
Darwin. am wo, king with four distinct
species of bladderwort, and the structure OF
the bladder of each is quite dlssimilar.
The purple Powered one Uioculario pur-
purea), is the oldest Of all The long
hairs about the mouth Tor prolt ngations Of
the bladder, or anten@ as Mr.. Darwin calls
them) are unlike either of the other species
that / have examined. The antenn@ and it's
bl anches are all beautifully knobbed in this
species, instead Of terminating IN sharp
points and it has other marked differences.
| find mosquito larva is just as good or even
better to work with than the chironomus
larva. The water in which my plants are
growing is swarming with mosquito Larvae,
and see them swallowed head first or tail
first, Just as it happens, and | have often
seen the larva caught about midway when
taken in tail first, and sometimes held in
this position for hours, when suddenly the
bladder would seem to give gulp and swal-
low it entire, or if the head was too large
for the mouth Of the bladder it is left out,
and the larva dies in this position. 1t MAJ
tiers not iu what condition larva is caught;
it never escapes SO the swallowing pro
| cess cannot be due to the onward movement
| of the larva-Ndry Treat
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

In the excavations now being made at
Fiesole. near Florence, an ancient theatre
has been brought to light, and is not inferior
ID its ample proportions and the richness Of
its decorations to the similar. monuments Of
Pompen and Sicily g
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
WtT AND HuM0R+
EDITED BY
I.Donne1lv.J r:

The only suits that can last longer than
you want them are law suits.
SENs1BLE.-A little boy being asked,
"What is chief end Of man! 4" replied, ssThe
end that's got the head on
The OLD SToRY-"Why should we cele-
brate Washington's birthday more than
mlne!" asked teacher, "Because he never
told lie!" shouted little boy.
member of our fire department. in
speaking of the decease of a friend. last
week, remarked that his complaint was Gin
formation on the bowels" when bystander
asked If, the deceased had swallowed an en-
cyclopedia OF pub doc.
When Vicksburg negro woman was in
formed the other day. that the price Of sea
lions had increased fifteen per cent during
the present month, she elevated her hands
and exclaimed: ode Land only knows what
Is to become Of poor folks! Seems zif de
more we morked de otter Me white folks 60
and riz de price on de nessumsaries of lifeI',
EATING ASDlDR1NK1Nc.-A tipsy husband
said to his wife, ..You need-needn't bl-
blame me. Twas woman that first tempted
man to eat forbidden things" "Woman NAV
have tempted man to eat forbidden things
Things" said his wife, s.but he took to
drinking of his own accord"
scoTcH W1sDoM.-A Highlandman once
remarkedto an English tourist, .'Toot ava,
ma man, toot ava; dinna We boast sac much
aboot yer ain countrie; dnna We ken that it
was only caad Breetin till Scotland cam t.
ye, and then we became Great Breetins Aye,
an we've remained Great ever since. You'd
be puir lot left to yersels',g
IRISH RoAns.-An Englishman, having
asked son of Erin if the roads in ireland
were good received this reply; .Yes; they
some Of them into England Let me see.
there IS the road to love, strewed with roses;
to matrimony, through nettles; to honor.
through the camp; to prison, through the
law, and to the'undertaker's, throug Oh ply
SIC" 'Have you any road to preferment?'
asked the Englishman. Eyes, faith. we
have but that is the dirtiest road in the
kingdom .
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

There are $500 miles of streets in London,
The metropolitan houses at the present time
amount to nearly half million: they are
consequently sufficient. with an average
frontage of FIVE yards, to form one continu-
Gus row of building right round the island
of Great Britain, from Lands End to John
o'Groat's 900 miles,, from John o'Groats
to the North Portland $40 miles) and from
the North Forelani back again to the Land $
End $50 miles, equal to 300 miles alto
gesher. rs-
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
An Ancient Metric System.

The library of Asshurbanipal, King of
Assyria found during Mr.. Layard's excava
tons at Nineveb shows that science had
made no little progress IN Asia twenty-five
hundred years ago. This curious library
consisted Of fat square tables of baked
clay, having on each side a page Of closely
written cuneiform cursive letters, which had
been impressed on the clay while ii was yet
moist.
The great majority of these tablets are now
in the British Museum, and have been found
to contain the remains Of an immense gram
NAUTICAL encyclopedia. There are also frag
ments Of many mathematical and astrono-
mical treaties, with catalogues Of obscrva
tons, tables, calculations Of eclipses Of the
moon, and observations OF solar eclipses, the
earliest of which occurred nearly thou
sand years before the beginning OF the
Christian era There are also fragments Of
law books and legal records, books of chro-
nology, manuals Of history, accounts of As
syrian and other divinities, collections Of
hymns in the style Of the Psalms Of David,
geographical encyclopedia, works on nat
ural history containing lists Of plants and
animals, of timber trees employ d in build
ing and furnishing. Of stones fit for archl-
lecture and sculpture, etc.
Perhaps the most interesting Of all these
| lists is q classified catalogue of every spe-
cies Of animals known to the Assyrians,
| showing scientific nomenclature similar
| in principle to that of Linnmus. Opposite
the common name Of each animal is placed
a scientific and Geographic name, composed
Of two parts, family name and charac-
teristic epithet denoting the species.
still more remarkable indication Of the
scientific advancement Of the ancient Assy
rams appears in their system Of weights
and measures, in which, as in the French
system, all the units OF surface, capacity
and weight were derived from one typica
linear unit. The basis of the system was
| the cubit (equal to 2O57 inches). This
was divided into sixty parts, corresponding
with the minutes Of the degree. The cubit
multiplied by $50, the number of degrees II
the circle, produced the stade, the unit fol
the large distances.
The fundamental unit for areas was th'
square foot, the square Of . measure bear
ing to the cubit the relation Of 3 10 o.
12-4 inches Of our measure. The cube. o
the TO OF was the metreta, the standard o
all measures Of capacity; and the weight o.
. cubic foot of water gave the talent tn
fundamental unit Of weight; the sexagesi
NAL division Of the talent gave, first tn
nina f-5lO-S3 grains) aad second, tn
drachma (-e-52l. ss an.s d
The sexagesimal system was employe,
throughout their mathematics. the unit be
ing invariably multiplied ~ divided ~ sIx
~, the result, again hy sky, and 30 On =
sf7l-t..-r- Cd !. o @a.s.o :
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30

mo, ! don,t-1ant none sfty0ur hgAtHng
rods, !" said Kentucky farmer, last week 10
; man who had stopped at his house to put
up patent lightning conductors Il. Amt
afraid Of lilhsning. it's the thunder I be-
Ieve's going 70 knock rs Ill sndvise, some
day" You don't seem TO- comprehend, :
said the pedIar; these ers slyer-hpped
rods are lightning rods, and the gsld-ipped
ones are thunder rods-just what u Tou
want, and he persuaded the old man II
ordering up the gold-dpped rods IL