davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-02-07
NAxIxILlAN AT QUERETARO.
Facts No, Heretofore Published.

Narrative in New York Herald.J
The principal streets and avenues OF
the town were In possession of the Re'
publicans by day break, and the Impe-
rial battalions c00ped up In the inter
walls, finding themselves surrounded oy
enemies, either disbanded or were taken
prisoners. Some of them directed their
march to the Cerro de las Campanas,
where Maximilian, fully aware Of the
confusion among his troops aud the
catastrophe of his cause, had taken re-
fuge. He saw around him groups of
dtsorganixed troops who were unable
to offer any effective resistance to the
besiegers, who now advanced from all
parts and were surrounding tho Cerro
In circle of iron and fire. Maximilian,
who felt convinced that all was now
over, hoisted white fag-so Escobe-
dos secretary says-gave orders to
cease firing and to sound q parley, send
ing, at the same time, two or three OF
his aides to seek the Republican Gene
ral-in-C Chief and advise him of his SUR
render. These officers were first con-
Quoted to Gems. Ramon Corona and
Aureliano Rivera, who, when they
learned the mission of the flag of truce,
gave orders to sound cease firing and
sent word OF the surrender to Gen.
Escobedo, who, at the time, was on his
rounds along another part Of the line.
Before the General in Chief was found
an Imperialist force, which was posted
at the foot of the Cerro, approached In
a peaceful attitude to where Gen. Corona
was, and one of the officers came up to
The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-02-07

L.. n. Polk,
DARIsH SURVEYOR, Ouachita parish:
drauehtins promptly attended to. forms
cash. April IL, 1873.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
The Century Plant.

The American aloe, or century plant
ii rarely fine specimen of which Is now
growing in Brooklyn, and about to
flower, seldom reaches that perfection
which results In flowers, In temperate
climates. Its growth here is so slow
that its popular name Is derived from
the belief that full term of 100 years
Is required before the blossoms appear
But in its native soil, in tropical and
semi-troplcal climes, extending to the
thirty-second parallel on either side OF
the equator, it comes to perfection in
much less time; often in twenty or
thirty years. The same plant never
blooms more than once. When the
time comes the flower-stalk shoots up
with great rapidity from the centre Of
the crown, around which the leaves
radiate, growing often fifteen or eigh-
teen inches day, until a height of
thirty and sometimes, In an exception
ally vigorous plant, of forty feet is
reached. The arms of this stalk. like
those Of a branching candlestick, bear
the cup-shaped flowers, which have no
remarkable beauty. The aloe belongs
to the agave family of the order of
AmaryllidaceG. The leaves are tn OK
at the base and terminate In a sharp
point. 1t Is one of the most useful
plants found In Mexico and Central
America. From the fibres of the leaves
a thread is obtained which can be wo-
ven into cloth and twisted into ropes,
and these leaves make substantial
thatcb roof. a part of the stalk is used
for food, and the hard pithy centre at
the base forms good milestone, as
silica enters largely into its composition,
while the fermented sap of the aloe, or
maguey, as it is called, is an intoxicat-
ing beverage known as pulque, which
is largely consumed by the natives.
Large specimens of the century plant
are valued highly by florists here, and
as much as several hundred dollars is
not uncommonly paid for fine one.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
Two Little Shoes.

Charley Bunnell was running mes
senger on the j. M. and l. r. r. and
tells this story: "Bluff old Jack Mills,
rough, but kind hearted, was the en-
gineer. About mile and half this
side of Columbus there is a fine stretch
of road, and Jack had pulled her wide
open" to make up lost time, and the
old engine and train were rocking
along at rate of about thirty miles an
hour. A country road runs parallel
with the track here for some distan ce,
and finally crosses 1t. But q short dis
tance, and finally crosses it. But a
short distance from the crossing, on the
day referred to, there was suddenly
discovered man, evidently half drunk
in a two horse country wagon, and in
it was his wife with him. The man
was standing up driving like mad, but
the train was so close upon him that no
one dreamed of his attempting to cross,
but making sudden turn to the left,
he endeavored to cross the railroad
track. By the time the wagon was
fairly on the track, the locomotive
struck it, smashed the wagon to splin-
ters, killed the horses, and mangled to
death the man and woman. The train
ran some distance before it could be
stopped, and when it was finally
checked Bunneli went forward and
found Engineer Jack Mills, swearing
like trooper, his engine all unused,
and he was damning the drunken fool
in the wagon for his criminal careless
ness which brought on the accident.
Jack was hot. AS he turned 60 get on
his engine to reverse her and return to
the scene of the accident, his eyes
caught sight of tiny pair of baby's
| shoes, which had been among other OF
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16

the purchases of the man in the wagon
and knocked out. They had fallen on
the boiler of the locomotive, and there
they rested as gently as dove sitting
In IL cannOn's mouth. A food of recol-
lections of the little ones at home
watching and waiting for their parents
who would never cOme-thoughts, it
may be, of the little feet at home-was
too much for the true and tender heart
of the rough and hardy engineer, and
he leaned on Charlie Bunnell's shoul-
der and sobbod aloud. Just look at
them little shoes, Charlie, he said, be-
tween his tears, I-I-didn't mind so
much running over that drunken fool
who tried TO cross ahead Of us when he
couldn't, but the little one, Charlie, the
little Kid that's waitin' for 'em, that's
too roughn'
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
bee ltanchInC In California.

This is a famous country for bees and
the making of honey, and at many a
breakfast table in distant Europe to-day
the waffle Is spreadwith sweets that have
been tilched from the hearts of thou
sand California flowers. In the mouth
of almost every canon there is bee
ranch or apiary, whose owner grows
indolent and prosperous from the labors
of his Industrious subjects. Here there
are no long winters with dearth of
flowers, through which the patient
workers must be nursed and fed In
order that they may live until the OPEN
ing of the next field season. These
bee-ranches are models OF neatness and
domestic comfort. and the profession
of bookkeeping Is rapidly becoming
popular among persons of little physi-
cal strength or small financial capital,
or both such rs maiden ladies, broken
down ministers, bachelor students, and
those dilettante farmers who fancy that
the royal road to bucollc happiness lies
through the flowery beds of bee-pas-
ture. Their expenses are as light as
those of a hermit in his cage, and what
stores of honey are laid up are so much
clear gain, as the bees board themselves
while they work, and work increasingly
In preparation for the winter which
never comes. When the hive is full
the cakes of comb are removed, the
liquid is strained from the cells, and
the empty cups are replaced to be filled
again and again. This economical pro-
cess prevents a waste of labor and time
in the gathering of wax and the build
ing of new bins in the store-house.
Walking out in the morning in the
green brushwOOd of these cdRons you
hear loud and continuous buzzing of
wings, and, although there may not be
a fower in sight, it Is as ceaseless and
strong as in a buckwheat patch or clover
field at home. This humming of bees
is natures tenor voice, as the roaring
of water is her bass. There is cure
for homesickness in the bees mono
tone, even though the authors thereof
be perfectly wild, as, indeed, many of
these are. In such country you can
not feel utterly lonesome and lost.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
Adventure With "A Snake,

Robert G.. Pillow, a son of the late
ex-Confederate General Pillow, lives
on an Arkansas plantation. across the
river from Memphis. A few days ago,
accompanied by Aleck, one of the col
orcd men on the place, he was out hunt
ing a wild hog that had been seen in
the vicinity. Pillow had gun and
Aleck had armed himself with pint
bottle filled with whiskey. The hog
was found and shot, and just as Pillow
went up to the writhing animal an i'm
mense "cotton-mouth" snake, whose
bite is fatal as that of rattlesnake, fas-
tened its fangs on the calf of his leg.
Pillow Is not easily frightened. He
took in the situation in moment, and
instead of exhibiting alarm he turned
to his companion and quietly remarked /:
"Aleck, think I'll try little of that
whiskey now," whiskGy being consid-
cred an infallible remedy. He poured
every drop down his throat without
stopping to venture any remarks as to
its quality. Then shouldering his gun
he rapidly walked to the house, half
mile distant, where he drank the con-
tents of three ordinary glass tumblers
filled with whiskey. He was soon in
what he calls "Niagara Falls OF per-
spiration," which rapidly expelled the
poison and saved his life. For day or
two after he says that he was the sick
est man in all Arkansas.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
Witches at the Lewes.

Now. my son Roderick-my young
est son, who is twenty-one next month
was last year at the herrin' fishery
at Frazerberg. One night he went
ashore, and met a strange woman and
man walking. They did stop, and did
ask who he was, and where he did
come from. ''From Loeb Inver," says
he. "And so do we," says they (Which
was singular, as he did never set eyes
on them befOre) "Come with US, and
we will give you a drink" of beer or
of rum, or of whisky, or of gin, do
not rightly mind which 1t was what
effer. You must know sir, that each
boat, at the herrin' fishery time, takes
a woman on board to cook meat and
wash for them; there will be many
women 60 to sea in this Mariner.
Well, they ask my son at the tavern,
'Did you have any good luck with the
herrin' to day?" mo, very bad."
"Did you yesterday? ?" "No worse
again. ""Ah but" says she, "you will
I'aU-. 80 ..,N-"nw - Well sure enough
he did fill his boat ncXs-aay with very
many Grams of herrin', and did get El5
for his share that one day. 1t was
wonderful thing. But he did tell me
that that gold did do him no good; he
had no idea how it did get spent what
ener. That day he did go looking
about after the man and woman all
over, but he did never see them again
did not here of his ever again seeing
them. ''Roderick do hope you Will
never again have anything to do with
these witches" "No, father, | will
never again, so long as / do live" He
is away to Frazerberg this year again.
/ did hear of another witch in the
Lewes, 10 year agone. She lived at
Stornoway, and did sell winds to sail
ors. One of our Loeb Inver boats did
not get away that autumn for weeks.
The wind was almost dead against
them. Well, they did 60 to her, and
what they paid her did not hear, but
she gave them black string tied with
three knots, and said, "Ye'll be getting
AVA to morrow. Now, if the wind is
not strong enough, loose one knot; if
even then it is not enough, loose the
second; but on your life ! on your life I!
dinna loose the third - Well, they
got off sure enough next morning with
fair breeze; and then the skipper
loosed one knot. On the boat sprang,
and the wind rose. Soon he loosed the
second, and they tore over the waves,
and were very soon over the Minch
near Loeb Inver. They got to the en-
trance fthe harbor near the store house
-ye ken it? on the right-and the
skipper says, "We're a. RIGHT now; if
the dell himself withstands me, will
loose the third!" He did loose it, and
though so near home, the boat was only
got ashore in little bits She was al
though broken up! The men were all
| saved
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
The Most Wonderful of Calculating Boys.

When Bidder was ten years old he
answered in two minutes the following
| question: What is the interest of "a ,4I4
for 4, ,444 days at y per cent. per an
mum. The answer is E2, ,434 l6s sid.
y fewmOnths later, when hewasyet elev-
Ell years old, he was asked, how Long
would n cistern one mile cube be filling
if receiving from a river 120 gallons
per minute, without intermission' In
two minutes he gave the correct an
swer, II 300 years 2s5 days y hours
and 46 minutes. \ year later he divid-
ed correctly in less than a minute
46S, ,592, ,4l3, ,563 by 9,076. l have tried
how long this takes me with pen and
paper; and, after getting an incorrect
resul. in one and quarter minute,
went through the sum again, with cor
rect result, Isl ,629, 1888 and 1915 over,)
in about the same time. At twelve
years Of age he answered in less than a
minute the question, if a distance of
914 inches is passed oyer in a second of
| time, how many inches will be passed
over in 365 days, 3 hours, As inmates,
55 seconds? Much more surprising,
however, was his success, when 13
years old, in dealing with the question,
what is the cube root of S97 ,339 ,273, ,S74, =
002, 1853? He obtained the answer in
two and half minutes, viz, 964 .537. d.
L do not believe one arithmetician in a
thousand would get out this answer
correctly, at a first trial, in less than q
quarter of an hour. But l confess
have not tried the experiment, feeling,
indeed, perfectly satisfied that should
not get the answer correctly in half
dozen trials. No date is given to the
following case: "The question was put
| by Sir William Herschel, at Slough,
near Windsor. to Master Bidder, and an
swered in one minute: Light travels
from the sun to the earth in eight min
utes, and the sun being 9S, S,O00, 900 of
miles off, [Of course, this is quite wrong,
but sixty years ago it was near enough
tothe accepted value if lightiwOuld take
SIX years and four months travelling at
the same rate from the nearest fixed
SCdl hON ldl 10 btldO ILOul JuC CdIlIl
reckoning 3G5 days and six hours to
each year, and % days to each month ?"
The correct answer was quickly given
to this pleasing question, viz, 40 $685.
$40, 900, 900 miles. On one occasion we
learn the propOser of question was not
satisfied with Bidders answer. The
boy said the answer was correct, and
requested the prOposer to work his
sum over again. During the operation,
Bidder said he felt certain he was right,
for he had worked the question in
another way, and before the proposer
found that he was wrong and Bidder
right the boy told the company that he
had calculated the question by third
method.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
The Cunning Wolves

1t is said, traveller in Germany
writes, that whenever several of the
larger wolves associate together for
mischief, IN the German forests and
their neighberhood, there is always a
numerous train of smaller ones to fol-
low in the rear, and act as auxiliaries
in the work Of destruction. Two large
wolves are sufficient to destroy the
most powerful horse, and seldom more
than two ever begin the assault, al
though there may be score in the
gang. 1t is no less curious than anus
ing to witness this ingenious mode of
attack. If there is DO snow, or but lit
tie on the ground, two wolves approach
in the most playful and caressing man.
ner, lying, rolling and frisking about,
until the too credulous and unsuspici-
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16

Gus victim is completely put of his
guard by curiosity and familiarity.
During this time, the gang, squatted on
their headquarters, look on at II dis
tance. After some time spent In this
way, the two assallants separate, when
one approaches the horses head, and
the other his tail, with shyness and
cunning peculiar to themselves. At
this stage of the attack their frolicsome
approaches become very interestingly
is right good earnest; the former is Il
mere decOy, the latter is the real assail-
ant, and keeps his eye steadily fixed on
the hamstring or flank of the horse.
The critical momement Is then watched, =,
and the attack is simultaneous; both
wolves spring at their victim the same
monochrome TO the throat and the
other to the flank-and II successful,
which they generally are, the hind one
never lets go his hold till the horse is
completely disabled. Instead of spring.
ing forward or kicking to disengage
himself, the horse turns round and
round without attempting a defense.
The wolf before then springs behind to
assist the other. The sinews are cut,
and in half the time l have been des-
cribIng 1t the horse is on his side; his
struggles are frultless-the victory is
won. At this signal the lookers-on
close in gallop; but the small fry Of
followers keep at respectful distance
until their superiors are gorged, and
then they take their turn unmolested.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
Tame Hornets.

There Is no accounting for tastes
Mrs. Lincoln, of Boston keeps two big
pet lions, and now we hear of a West
ern farmer who has domesticated lot
of creatures that belong quite as appro-
priately out Of door. In letter he
says :-"In the middle of my parlor
have curious republic of industrious
hornets; their nest hangs to the CELL
ing by the same twig on which 1t was
so admirably built and contrived in the
woods. Its removal did not displease
them, for they find in my house plen-
ty Of food, and l have left little hole
in one of-the panes of glass that an
swers all purposes. By this kind usage
they have become quite harmless. They
live on the flies, which are very trouble
some to us through the summer. They
are constantly busy catching them.
even OH the eyel'ds of my children. By
their assistance am but little troubled
with flies. All my family are so ac-
customed to their strong buzzing that
no one takes any notice of them, and
though they are fierce and vindictive'
yet kindness has made them useful and
harmless.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
Cutting GLASS With scissors.

Many persons may not be aware that
glass can be cut under water with great
ease to almost any shape by simply
using a pair of shears or strong scissors.
In order to insure success two points
must be attended to. First ard most
important, the glass must be kept quite
level in the water while the scissors are
applied, and, secondly, to avoid risk,
it is better to begin the cutting by
taking off small pieces at the corners
and along the edges, and so reduce the
shape gradually to that required, as II
any attempt is made to cut the glass all
at once to the shape as we could cut a
piece of card board, it will most likely
break where it is not wan ed Some
kinds of glass cut much better than
others, the softer glasses being the best
for this purpose. The scissors need
not be at all sharp, as their action does
not appear to depend on the state of the
edges presented to the glass. When
the operation goes on we'll the glass
breaks away from the scissors in small
pieces in a straight line with the blades.
This method of cutting glass has often
been of service when diamond has
not been at hand for cutting Ovals and
segments, and though the edges are not
so smooth as might be desired for some
purposes, yet it will answer In a great
many cases. The hints given above, if
strictly followed, will always insure
success.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-16
Fast Horses and Personal Equations


We hear much nowadays about the
extraordinary speed shown by this or
that horse at some race meeting. These
time tests are regarded MS much part
of the record as the winning Of the race
itself. But while the general public
may be satisfied with announced results
some of US would like to know more
about the contest than is told In the
brief statement that "Rarus trotted q
mile here to-day I'm 49," or whatever
It may be. 1t has become so that frac-
ton OF second makes a great differ
ence in the record as well az well as In
the value of horse; and yet iC seldom
happens that two men in the Iimbers'
stand agree as to the exact time made.
While IL is true that In the well regu-
lated mind Of man, the will possesses
supreme direction over the whole cur
rent of thought. policy and action, can
it be said with positiveness that he who
occupies the positson Of q timing judge
on a race course has well-regulated
mind? Sensation and perception are
the two things most intimately con-
nected with the proper timing Of fast
horses. The horse speeds around the
course, he approaches "the wire," and
amid great excitement, passes under it.
The timer, who may or may not be inn
bued with this same excitement, or
who may have an active or an inactive
brain, sees the horse and becomes con-
scious of the fact, but he is not done
yet. There has TO 60 back from the
brain, so TO speak, an electric spark
along the nerves, which produces N
contraction OF the muscles OF the arm,
and a motion Of the thumb aud finger
follows. These press the spring. and
the hands of the watch are stopped,
But the activity with which all this is
accomplished differs in men materially.
At best, the nerves transmit their share
In the work at the rate Of only seventy
feet second, which Is less than double
the rate of speed at which the horse is
moving In the same period Of time.
There exists phenomenon called"per-
sonal equation, and so long as quick E
witted persons and dslow-wittedp persons
are to decide the speed at which race
horses travel, just so long will the time
test be an irresponsible one. In making
the common observation Of the exact
moment when a star travels across the
fine vertical wire intersecting the field
of view of telescope some astronomers
always anticipate the event, and others
allow it to pass before they succeed In
noting it. This is by no means the ef-
Err<71A SyST TCrTSS OH E1rcSKuHTEUhUHhT@Wy
but is persistent characteristic OF each
individual, however practlced In the
art of making observations he may be.
The difference between the time of "
mans noticing the event and that OF
its actual occurrence is called his per-
sonal equation, and is carefully ascer-
tanned Tor every assistant I'm every lab
oratory. The adoption of similar
plan on our race courses can alone give
US the correct time made by fast
hOPSa9