davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
WANTED HIS DINNER.
The Jumbo Of African Pythons
Proposes to Make a Meal Of
His Keeper.

When Mr.. Herzenberg came from Ham-
burg to America, says the New York
Morning Journal, he brought among his
personal baggage four snakes 20 feet long.
The largest previous snake in the United
States had not exceeded length of Is
feet. Mr.. Herzenberg's snakes each
measured two and half Sfeet around,
weighed 250 pounds and could eat sheep
at a meal. They were not only the larg-
est, the most intricate and the most stu
pendous reptiles ever brought to this coun-
try, but the most stupendous, intricate and
the largest reptiles ever seen in Europe.
Ordinary big snakes are quoted in trade
papers and mercantile exchanges at $75
and 500 apiece. On account Of their great
size the four African pythons sold for
$500 each. They were left with Superin-
tendent Conklin at Central Park. He kept
them in his office in two strong boxes.
When Mr. Conklin entered his Office
yesterday morning he saw snake with
his head raised about eight feet above the
floor, gazing upon him from the middle of
theroom. The reptile rolled itself back
till it rested upon the end of its tail, and
wavered to and fro in the form of a letter
"S," 20 feet long. Then it projected about
Is feetof its body forward in straight
line. 1t is needless to say that Mr. Conk-
lin left the room hurriedy, and that he
slammed the doorin the reptiles face.
The superintendent got ladder and
climbed into his Office through window
The snake hung from the top of the room,
coled around chaniplicr, and hissed fire,
AS the python eats Il goat at meal, Mr..
Conklim did not feel entirely safe in the
room. He was just thinking how the
python might compress him to the thin
ness of a wafer and grind his frame into
bone meal when the snake dropped from
the gas-fi1ture to the floor and ch ased him
across the Office, Mr. Conklin bounded
over chairs, leaped across tables, Chamber
ed up bookcases and jumped over desks
The snake, with his jaws distended almost
four feet, was about to seize the superin-
tendent when that gentleman seized {
shawl and threw it over the reptiles head
binding him. Mr.. Conlllin had to deliver
quite long lecture to the three employe!
on the harmlessnes of snakes before they
could be induced to enter the room anc
lift the python back into the box. All o
| them wanted to take hold the reptiles tail
| When Mr.. Conklin got hold of the snake
| head the three assistants tooa hold of thu
huge reptile at different places and lifted i
back into the box. The box was paddock
ed and two iron hoops were put around it
The escape of the python and the subse.
quent marvellous adventure of Mr.. Conk
lin were due toa theory of the gentleman
that snakes did not need food except a
rare intervals. The snake, getting hungry
came out to break fast on the superintend
ent. 1t is supertiuous to say that MI
Conklin has adopted a new theory.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
Her Fathers Postscript.

Not long ago one of those unfortunate
creatures called "mashers" sent to an es-
timable young German lady letter, to
which this postscript was added:
p. S.-That my darling may make no
mistake, remember that I will wear q
light pair of pants and dark cutaway coat
In my right hand will carry small cane
and in my left cigar. Yours forever.
ADoLPHUs.o
4 The father replied courteously, stating
that his daughter had given him authority
to represent her at the appointed place a
the time prescribed. The postscript added
was as follows:
s'P. S.--Dot mine son may make n,
mishdakes will be dreshed in mine shir
sleeves. will year in mine right hand
Club; in mine left hand ! viii wear six
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02

of the French school, and Col. Martil
who is an example of the thorough Eng
lish schools ofguards. Mccullough, Loui
Aldrlch, Barret and Frank Mayo studied
under Monstrey."
"And you?"
"My instructor was Col. Martfan
Nearly all the death dealing blows which
are used by the most famous duelists are
known by our pest actors. Not one of the
actors named doesn't know Of the great st
George thrust, nor who dosen't perfectly
understand the great 'dsarm movement
which is puzzling some of the French due.
lists just now.
"What is this moyement?"
''It is simply perfect treachery. Dis.
engaging the opponents attention, the
duelst uses his sword as a whip to paralyzt
the nerve a1d muscles of the forearm O
the sword arm. BY this action you1
opponent must lower his point Or los
his sword"
'Do YOU consider sword exercise as one
Of thc absolute necessities of acting?"
do 1t gives the actor fifmness, 6
strength, a grace of movement, which he
can acquire ia 10 other way. 1t is neces
sary not only in the legitimate but in the
modern drama.'
The reporter then asked the tragadean if,
in his opinion, the stock system would be
revived generally.
"That snbject has become SO hackneyel, >
said Mr.. Keehe, "and has been Sc
Il oryughIy discussed by abler men THAN
that we need scarcely open it. However
let me say that do not believe that there
will be any immediate revival of the >tOck
system, but | look forward to the estab-
lishment of schools in the large cities
ceive that instruction which is now denied
them. Something will certainly be done
before long to educate people for the pro-
tession of acting. The necessity of such
a system can be no better illustrated than
by saying that in this country Belle
Pateman can not be found, Miss Pateman,
by the way, came to this country to play
Columbine in pantomime, ia Robinson
Crusoe" at Woods. She was educated
in stock theater. How many of our
prominent actresses could play Ophelia
Desdemona, the Columbine in pantomi-
me. assume eccentric part in comedy,
or play role in comic opera?'
The reporter cast the list up in his
mind and was compelled to admit there
was not one.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
A Prehistoric Cemetery.

Two miles from Mandan, on the bluffs
near the junction of the Hart and Missou-
ri rivers, is an old cemetery of fully 100
acres in extent filled with bones Of giant
race. This vast city of the dead lies just
east Of the Ft. Lincoln road. The ground
has the appearanceof having been filled
with trenches piled full of dead bodies, both
man and beast, and covered with several
feet of earth. In many places mounds
fl I'm eight to ten feet high and some of
them 100 feet Or more in length, have been
thrown up and are filed with bones, brok-
en- pottery, vases of various bright colored
flints and agates. The pottery is of a
dark material, beautifully decorated, deli
cate in finish and as light as wood, show
ing the work of a people skilled in the arts
and possessed of. "a high state of civiliza-
ton. This has evidently been a grand
battlefield where thousands Of men and
horses have fallen. Nothing like syste-
matte Or intelligent exploration has been
made, as only little holes two or three feet
IN depth have been dug in some of the
mounds, but many parts of the anatomy
ofman and beast, and beautiful specimens
Of broken pottery and other curiosities,
have been found in these feeble efforts at
excavation. Five miles above Mandan, on
the opposite side o. the Missouri, is anoth-
er vast cemetery as yet unexplored. We
asked an aged Indian what his people
knew of these ancient graveYards. He
answered: "Me know nothing about
them. They were here before the Red
man .'-Manddn Pioneer.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
MRS. GAINES VICTORY.
Her Success. Alter Forty Years of
Litigation.

The victory recently won by that inde-
fatigable woman, Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines,
in her suit against the city of New Or
leans, says the New York Times, seems to
have been the inevitable sequel of the
former decision which gave her the prop
erty in question. Having secured title to
the property which the city had wrong
fully sold at auction March 10, 1874
sale which the United States court after
ward annulled-she sued to recover an
amount equal to the rent yielded in all
these years by the property, holding the
city responsible not only for all the reve-
nue. which had been actually derived from
the property since 1887, but also for all
that it might have yielded under reason
able and proper care. For example, sew
eral of the lots and squares remained un-
improved because the validity of the title
was in doubt, owing to her original suit
against the city to gain possession of them.
She held that the city was bound to pay
her the revenue which would have been
collected from these squares if they had
been improved as other adjoining squares
not blighted by litigation were improved.
After many years the master in chancery
reported that the city owed her 81, ,s04 ,0e2
for these revenues and interests upon them.
Judge Billings chose to increase this al
lowance to $1,925,6e7. If the United
States supreme court should sustain this
decision the city will be forced to pay
nearly 1900, 600 to this aged but energetic
woman, whose career as litigant through
a period of 40 years must be regarded as
without parallel.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
An Awkward Dilemma.

A young English woman who was
among the steerage passengers landed at
Castle Garden yesterday from the steamer
Lake Manitoba found herself in very
awkward predicament. A circumstance
occurred which placed her identity in
doubt, and she couldn't for the life of her
tell for few momsnts whether she was
Mrs. John Matthews or Mrs. William
Preece. She was met at the Garden by
two men, each of whom claimed that he
was her husband.
1t appears that the woman married
John Matthews in Bristol ten years ago,
and that he soon thereafter came to Am
erica. She never received any letters from
him, and heard that he was dead. Under
the circumstances she thought to take a
second husband, and she married Mr..
Preece, the nuptial knot being tied by a
Episcopal clergyman in a church sear
Bristol. The second husband came to
America three years ago, and last winte I
he wrote to his wife, sending her money
and asking her to follow him to this coun-
try. The woman accordingly embarked
on the steamship Manitoba, and when she
stepped ashore she found both of her bus
bands awaiting her arrival. There were
loud and angry words between the two
men, but the woman maintained judici-
Gus silence. Finally the trio left the Gar
den and went to Greenwich street hotel
The upshot of the matter was that hus.
band No. l gave satisfactory reasons fol-
the failure ofthis wife to receive his let.
ters, and husband No. will step down
and out
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
Marriage of A French Actress
Who Shot Her Lover.

! Paris Letter.
The strange marriage of Mademoiselle
Marie Biere bids fair to be more than a
nine days wonder in the French Capital,
where sensational events are so common
and so easily forgotten. You may have
heard of Marie Biere. She was an actress
Of ordinary ability who gained an Europe
an i.otoripty, not on account of her success
before the footiights, but owing to her ar
rest and trial charged with the attempted
murder of a young man with whom she
until few weeks before lived on annie: b g
terms. After the jury had brought in a
verdict of not guilty Marie Biere attempt
ed to regain her lost prestige on the
stage, but in this was only partially sue
cessful. for she was Kissed Off the stage at
Bordeaux, where masculine women are
disliked; refused by Brasseur at the
"Nouveauts" Theatre; received without
enthusiasm at the ssBuffes;' and with re-
ticence at the "Follies Dramatiques. y
To-day, however, she avenges herself sig
nalIy on the GOODNESS Of the French people
and has determind to deprive France o.
the sunshine of her presence.
Several gentlemen Of different national
lilies, who thought her heroine for brav-
ing public opinion and avenging their rights
Of women wilma revolver, went so tar as
TO make overiurts OF marriage to her.
Most Of these, however, she laid aside
as worth no attention whatever, but among
Others she received, a letter from Il per-
feet stranger, signed Prince Boudesko, a
Moldo Wallachian grandee, begging Marie
Biere to crown his happiness and s,rren-
der unto him the hand that had lately
welded the revolver. This she also retuS-
ed at first, arguing that it was impossible
for man, or even prince, TO fall in love
with a women he had never seen.
It does not seem to have occurred to her
that the notoriety Of her trial had accom-
plished more than her beauty. Marie
Biere took no more notice of the proposal
until a dainty card was handed to her by
her maid, bearing the name Prince Bou-
desko. The gentleman was admitted 10
her boudoir, and at once told the actress
that his proposal was sincere. He had ac-
tuaily started from Bucharest, and reach
ed the little house owned by Marie, in the
Rue du Rocher, determined not to leave un-
til he had gained her consent to share his
princely nam" and fortune. A man must
be courageous 10 Iaye Il wifeWhose hands
were stained with blood, but such fool
seems to have been founl in this Bulgar-
ian. Mile. Biere consented to marry him
and the ceremony was duly performed
Yesterday in the little Russian church of
the Rue Darus which was appropriately
decorated in honor of the happy couple,
They took the train for Hqeherast, where
the newly made Princess intends to reside
under the venerable and respectable
| wing of her molher-in-laW. There are
in Fraiiee tMa So oo's for aYengi9g stuial
| wrang- doing -punishaag rival BY the nst
| O. siriol Which school was into III &c
into France by The Veuse Gras, and sho It.
ing ihe prime author Of the offense, $,
successfully accomplished ny Mile hIefa
| now Primo, IS Bouaesko. Both schools at
sufficiently repfehensible.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02

Alfred Linfried, a tramp, died recently
in the Episcopal hospital at Philadelphia,
from the Effect of eating lucifer match
heads, which he had taken with suicidal
Intent. He said he was tired Of life, and,
be ilg too poor to buy stronger poison, in
vested 8 cents in Il box Of matches, the
heads of which he ate. He died in ex-
treme agony.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02

John Abrecrombie Of Utica, N. Y, ex-
claimed "I'm glad of it!!o when Garfield
was shot. For this he was hung in effigy,,
discharged from a good position, and on
his coming West as manager ofthe Boston
Juvenile Opera company, circulars de-
rouneing him met him at every date, Sc
that he had to desert his company and
quit business.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02

shooter, forty-fiye calibre. You viii re.
cognize me by de way / bata you on the
head goople dimes twice NIT the o,nh
sait Tor me on de corner, as have some
aings important to inform you nit. Yopr
trent. HENp,or, u,
st. Louis Post Dispatch.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
Miss Ida MagelIder brought sniff IN +

Miss Ida Mageuder brought suit IN the
circuit court at Kankakee, ILL.,, for $1,000
against Mrs. Sarah Grimes for alleged de-
famation of character. 1t is charged that
Mrs. Grimes reflected on the chastity of
the plaintiff. The families interested are
wealthy and prominent, and the trial will
be sensational
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
KEENE ON ACTING.
Wrinkles About Fencin ng-Americaf
Masters of the Art-VOmen wine
ExceIl0d in RrGadswOrd
Combat.

ruprvirs I.,,n securfnp the apDIause of the
naonl. r. was = rositive relief therefore,
for tine writer to encounter Thomas w.
Kecpp, who. in the course Of conversation
showed NOT onlv = masterlv grasp of his
art Lns in sppakinp of the various charac-
tprs and nlgvs considered belonging to the
..lpoiri,natc ,, also djsplaved the scholar
Shin ofadcpp student. and demonstrated
.h.r he v.as as familiar with current sub.
i.,.s.4s hn v.as with the t+chnioue Of his
nr.,grs-ion. In touching anon his own
work and remarkable success he spoke ex-
rrarli civ nfodrstIy. ana generally turned
!na matter into another channel. One OF
fh.. sul,ip,.fs which came up during the
hriI I.aIk WIS ,he system Of ''stage train
;u.r'' as conducted t0-.Iay. and that in v0-
gue a few Years ago. "1he system OF
traytli.y combinations - said Mr.. Keene
in response to a qucs i0n "has killed all
stage education: that is, the thorough edu-
cation. deemed necessary for an artist -fff-
teen or twenty years ago"
GLOW lid lhey train actors and actres-
SEES then?,
In the davs of the stock,'' replied
Keene. "when | first began my career.
in common with others. received a very
severe training. and. OfcOurse. T owe MANY
of the ADVANTAGES | now possess to that
training. 70 give you some idea of the
labor Of Young actors life. let tell you
that on certain days of the week. all the
voung men and women were called every
dav An hour before the call for the regular
rehearsal of the play. On Mondays and
Fridavs thpv were called nv the Ballet
Master who Instructed them in stage
dagrin~. how they should enter and retire
from a room. how they should walk grace
fully. how they should sit down, &c. On
TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS the Chorus Mas
fer called Us and taught us how TO sing
for EXAMPLE. the music Of Macbeth 'Piz-
zaro.' The Miller and his Men, the lat
ter drama which was always in perfect
rehearsal. so that it could be put on in
case of the non-appearance of star. In
additino to these exercises, the young
men were called twice week for sword
and foil exercise. That training was most
severe. remember that they would e -
us, fer instance, at the 'thrust-and receive
movement an hour day for a month, and
one hour at that sort of exercise was
enough to almost paralyze young man.
When proficiency had been acquired in
tIlat movement the first point in fencing
would be learned. All were anxious to
excel in this. because we were allowed to
60 into broadsword exercise the moment
we could handle broadsword, and when
we could handle one properly we were
permitted to take parts in the combats
of such plays as Rob Roy Wallace
&c.
"Did the actresses receive instructions
In fPnclng?"
''lt was optional with them, some OF
them-heIen Western, Isabel tubas,
Marietta haVel ana others, were very skill
ful IN using the broadsWord."
''ln any OF Gha theatres to-day, is there
any such tra1nlng?"
"ln no American theatre that L know
Of" replied Aeene.
Are there any educational facilities Of
hyvyy n n nt nJt nnt
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02

There As been 4 very heavy rainfall IN
California during the present month, aud
report from every country In the State are
very Encouraging. II is expected that the
wheat will reach 5000 900 tons.
The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02

The Gear is supposed to have been sue
cessfully crowned without even an effort
TO blow him up,
The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-11-03
Mothers! Mothers :!
others -.

Are you disturbed at night and
broken cf your rest By a sick child
suffering and crying with the ex
pain OF cutting teeth Z
Ii SO, go at once and get = hottie
of MRS. NINSLOW'S SOOTH
ING SYRUP. l: will relieve the
poor little sufferer immediately
depend upon it; there is no mis-.
takc about it. There is not q
mother on earth who has ever
used it, who will not tell you at
once that 1t will regulate the bow
els, and give rest to the mother,
and relief and health to the child,
operating like magic. II is perfect
II safe to use in all cases, and
pleasant to the taste, s3d il tie
prescription Of one Of the Oldest
end BEST female physicians and
nurses in the United States. Soid
everywhere. - cents abetlle.
The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-11-03

A Cough, Cold or Sore
Throat should he stopped. Neg
iect frequently results in an IN
... %, -~9~ D;sense or COnsump
ton BROWNS BRONCHIAL
TR' CHES do not disorder the
stomach like cough syrups aud
oalsams, but act directly on the
infamed parts, alIaylng irritation,
give relief in asthma, Broxchifist
Coughs, Catarrh, aud the Throat
Troubles which Singers and Pxblic
Speakers are subject to. For thir.
~ years Browns Bronchial Tr0
clies nave been recommended BY
physicians, aud have always Civ
en perfect satisfaction. Having
been tested by wide and constant
us.. for nearly an entire ge.,xra>
ton, they have attained we'll meri
ted rank among the few staple 70
medies of the age. Sold at %
cents box evrS where
The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-11-03
SINGING GHOSTS.

In many ghost story mysterious music
plays an important part. Sir Walter Scot:
;ias told Of tho veteran major Of hussars
xhc. while occupying . bed-chamber in
certain old castle on the confines OF Hun
gary. vas reused from sleep By the solemn
singing of three ladies fantastically attirel
in green Ths major begged the laaies to
seop-aPpazeatly their azsins wegs = dr.
agreeable TO him - ths nocturnal outcs5es Of
eats-but tho singers sang on. Tho major
besan 70 handle hin pistolA Tho ladies did
NO. desist. Al last b gave them fair WAN.
ing that be regarded their dnsing piece of
impestiaeoce, - trick g fsighbsa him, and
promised them that hs woold gve them but
Ave minutes lav. and thas 4 they continued
to sina after that Interval bad elapsed hs
would aasursdiy discharge both barrels At
them point blank. GGiu De ladies veat on
sikh their soos Presently ths majse shoved
himself . nm q hb word, deafbesaaesy
The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-11-03

0ssoil when brought to tho summit, i
9ad away and etrewn ON the ground.
sals h IS left for fortnight or thres weeks
elalvsrise in the sun. At the expiration
: IA 6ns. gangs Of Kafirs. supezina.r'e';
white ovelseer, break the large dry
n into powder, and this in turn is c.,r;t,d
- 70 b placed in the washing machine
- danng Tho process Of FIRST bre~Aln;
esos of the larsess diamonds ara dis
a and the oversee. has to keep
lockout on tho workers in eonse-
= In fpate Of the terrible penalty ;r-
= y any one detected in the acs of
Socd Hnd, thefts are very rife,
amy . diamond fuds i.s way iato
- Possession in spite Of the shaysss
eea Daring the process Of washing.
aseuy substance, vhic:, is fcu of gar
= Wi . tie diamonds, sinks .n the
q tie machine. while the cartea
disappsan in another channel
- beea thoroughly washed
~ g three tines this grave! is
3z|Zs.l - sersun On tahles where search
"a stesi instrumeuts somewhat re-
ssy hksad knives, carefully ..rn
aanse search. Than it is that
- 3e~el i discovered ia al nsan.
= I'd tAApeA when II is placed IN
~, - tAish anetAss evesxsss
sulshfsl VA I ~ eivn ~.
The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-11-03

cocked his pistols. took ain and Ared. Still
the ladies sung. Tie major vas completely
overpowered BY the obstinacy Of HIS visitors
He wns seized. indeed, with violent illns,a
which endured some weekA L was aftex-
Ssrd explained-but the worst and feeLlest
part Of ghost story 10 usually the exph.ua.
.,on Of it-that he had been deceived by tl,e
::.ct that he had seen only the reflection Of
the choristers who had stood in An adjoining
.oou:. while their images had been projected
.uto mis- chamber with tho help Of concavs
mirror, and. presumably. q magic lantern,
vr by some such means.