davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
TARIsIO AND 1HE CREMONAs.

At the beginning of this century,
hidden away in old italian converts
| and wayside inns, lay the master
pieces OF the Amati, Stradlvarius,
Guarnerius, and Bergonzi, almost
unknown and little valued But
Tarisio's eye was getting cultivated.
He was learning to know q fiddle
when he saw it. Your violino, Sig
nor, requires mending?" says the
itinerant peddler. as he salutes some
monk or padre known to be con-
nected with the sacristy or choir of
Pisa. Florence, Milan. Il can mend
it, Out comes the Stradivarius, with
loose bar or split rib, and sound,
ing abominably. "Dio miop' says
Tarisio, land all the blessed saints,
but your violino is in bad way. My
respected father is PRAYED to try one
that have, in perfect and beautiful
accord and repair, and permit me to
mend this worn-out machine" And
Tarisio, whipping a shining. clean
instrument out of his bag, hands it to
the monk, who eyes it and is for try
ing it. He tries it; it goes soft and
sweet, though not loud and wheeling,
like the battered old Strad. TarlsfO
clutches his treasure The next day
back comes the peddler to the cloister,
is shown up to the padre, whom he
finds scraping away on his loaned
fiddle. But" he exclaims, ''you have
lent me beautiful violino and in
perfect order" "Ah! if the father
would accept from me small favor"
says the cunning Tarisio. And
what is that?" ''To keep the violino
that suits him so well, and I will take
in exchange the old machine which
is worn out, but with my skill 1 shall
still make something Of itr' A glass
of good wine or a lemonade or black
coffee clinches the bargain. OFF goes
Tarisio, having parted with char
acterless German tiddle-sweet and
easy going and docking NICE" and
worth now about G5-in perfect Or
der, no doubt-and having secured
one of those gems of Cremonas which
now run into the f200 Violin-col
lecting became the passion of Tar
isio's life. The story has been told
by Mr. Charles Reade, and all the
fiddle world knows how Tarisio came
to Paris with batch of old instru-
ments, and was taken up by Chanot
and Vuilllaume, through whose hands
passed nearly every one of those
chefs d'PurTe recovered by Tarisio in
his wanderings, which now are SO
eagerly contended for by English
and Amer ican millionaires, whenever
they happen to get into the market.
L have heard of mania for snuff
boxes-it was old Lablache's hobby.
There are your china maniacs, and
your picture maniacs, and your old
print connoisseurs who only look at
the margin, and your old book hunt
ers who only glance at the title-page
and edition, and your coin collectors,
and your gem collectors, who are al
ways being taken in; but for down
right fanaticism and "gone cooni
ness" if ! may invent the word,
commend me to your violin maniac.
! He who once comes under that spell
goes down to the grave with dis
ordered mind. l have sometimes at
tributed the confusion of my own
ideas to this Haweis, in the Gen
tleman's Magazine
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
THE DOG GF MoNTARGIs

4 dog carved in the mantelpiece
over the fire place of the dining room
Of tie Chateau de Montargis is the
ouly thing which remains to remind
the present generation of the famous
dnel which took place between the
Chevalier de Macaire and the faithful
hound Of Aubrey de Montdidier. The
latter Was murdered when out walk
ing in the Forest of Bondy. where the
chapel built by three merchants who
were saved from robbers by an APP
partition of the Virgin is still the site
Of IN annual pilgrimage. His dog
attempted to defend him. but was
left for dead by the assailants. The
animal recovered. and going to the
house Of friend Of its last master.
was successful in bringing him to the
spot where the murderers had buried
the body of their victim. No clew
was found to the assassins until one
day when the friend was passing with
the dog through the Rue aux Ours.
the animal flew at a man. who proved
to be the Chevaier de Macaire. He
would have been strangled had not
some of the passers-by interfered.
The matter was brought before King
Charles V. who ordered the Cheva
lier and dog brought in his presence.
He considered that a combat was
necessary, and gave permission for
the trial by battle to take place. The
Chevalier was to be armed with a
club, and the dog was to have an
empty cask to retreat to. The sin
gular duel was to take place behind
the Cathedral of Notre Dame, on the
spot termed the Island of st. Louis,
which now fronts the Morgue 1t
has been transformed into q garden
and those who sit down there after
visiting the relics of Notre Dame, OF
before peeping into the Paris dead
house, little think that they are within
the limits of the famous champ clos
where the dog compelled the assassin
of his master to confess his crime
Within few hundred yards of the
public garden is the Sorbonne. famou:
for the experiments conducted there
by Nj. Paul Bert and other vivisec
tionists, who have never paused tx
think of the agony they are inf1ictins
on tho animals who are not only ths
most faithful companions. of man
but who can, according to history
enter the lists in favor of those whom
they regard as their natural pro
tectors The Rue aux Ours exists
still, and bibliophiles who study th'
history of old Paris, comparing i
with modern times, can point to th'
spot where the dog of Montargis frs
seized the assassin of Aubrey d.
Montdidier.- Paris Letter.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
IHE MOSQUITO CARNIVAL.

The best human calculations assign
the latter part of August or the whole
month of September, and in excep
tional years possibly the best or
worst part of August and slice of
July, to the annual mosquito advent,
and preparations are made accord
in9ly for it. But just now, right here
in May. before the cuticlc of the
race has begun to toughen itself I'M
der the blaze and brown and black
and tan of the summer months. these
bill birds and blood suckers are with
Us. not in scattered forces, like rarities
of game ont of season. but in whole
numbered ranks and full array of dis
clplined swarms, apparently Y ready to
suck the vitality and provoke the
profanity of a sinful world. Com
plants come from all sections of
the city that households are disturbed
by the unreasonable presence of these
merciless tormentors, and ordinarily
good-natured wives and housekeepers
are losing their tempers somewhat
over dispensation which they can
not account for.
To be historically accurate, it may
be said that there has been no such
early visitation of mosquitoes since
the late spring of 1872. There was
at that time 50 sudden an arrival and
in such vast numbers that the CouTant
printed leading article or the sub
ject, which attracted much attention
among its exchanges on both sides of
the Atlantic. The uncommon size of
the insects was then noted, and a
leading specimen was preserved for
the Historical Rooms, but was spoiled
by an accidental fall when workmsn
were arranging pedestal for it to
stand upon. Because of the loss of
this attraction arrangements We're
subsequently made for securing and
placing on exhibition a chest which
came over ON the Mayfower, and
which is now in the possession of the
society, showing that there can be
no great loss without some small
gain.
But this does not explain why. in
1888, at the present date hereof, so
many of the insects should appear.
There is probably some reason for it !;
but it is waiting a discoverer. The
cyclones come earlier this year by two
or three months, and no one can tell
why. but it makes less difference
when wind storms come, for they are
instantaneous and all over before the
surprise begins. while mosquitoes
come to stay and prolong the agony,
sometimes in such persistent and
soul provoking measurements that
the interruption of a cyclone would
be relief to the tOrmented.
The best that can be done now,
probably, is to put up the bars and
trust to science for an explanation Of
the phenomenon. In case science
should fail the whole matter might
be referred fer more light to the
Board of Aldermen, whose practical
knowledge of public necessities and
great desire to please the public no
one will seriously question.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
AN IMPORTANT FRRAED.

A conductor on Missouri, Kansas
and Texas train approached swell
looking colored woman arrayed IN all
the glorics that ribbons can lend, ami
asked her for her ticket
"Go way fun yah, Don bodder
me with none yo' fooli.hness.," she
exclaimed. bridling with Indignation.
Come, give mp your ticket" Re
monstrated the conductor
Il tole yo' go way fun yah, l
done got no ticket, an | don want 10
foolishness.'
IF you don't give me ticket OF
pay your fare. I'll put you off the
train! growled the exasperated
functionary.
"Yo' don put me off no train. now,
/ tole yo' fer suah.'' retorted the
darkey. Use got business down
yere dat you can't postpone. Ef you
put me off de train yo' done got in a
fuss. suah's yo' bo'n!'
Where are you going, anyway? ?
What's your business demanded
the conductor. rather impressed by
her manner.
Use gwine to de hangin' Il piece
down yere, and mon dat, Ise gwine,
and yo' can't stop me-
Whore they going to hang"
asked passenger, who had become
interested III the discussion.
"Dey's gwine fer ter hang my hus
band, and Use ter be the only lady
present. Go way fun yah, Don
fool with me. Ef yo' think yo's
gwine ter sit me off dis train an
beat me ont II de last chance o layin
over that nigga's nudder and sister.
who can't get in and won't stay ont,
yo' don know nothin' about the
strength of a wife's devotion, Go
way fun yah. Rudder dan lose de
chance of breakin' dem niggas'
hearts, l done put dis heel under yo'
railroad an lift it over de State line.
Go way fun yah
The conductor let her ride free,
but whether to save the rail Dad OF
to let her have the last opportunity
to get square with her mother in law
was not apparent on her returns.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10

though The hen WAS Il long TIM"
Eatciiing them. and If it had been
him that was setting on them he
would have hatched them out in
week. or died trying. Hrt the cx-
pOsure told on h;rl. and be went into
a decline, and one morning we found
him dead. Doyou know. never sec
a hen that seemed TO realize Il calam
ity as she did. She looked pale, and
her eyes locked red. and she seemed
to be utterly crushed. If the chick
ems, which We're So young they could
not realize that they were little or
phans, became noisy. and got tnrull
Ing and hauling over {; WORD. ana
conducted themselves in an uns1en.ly
manner, she would talk to them in
hen language. with tears in her eyes,
and it was picture III Woe. But the
next day neighboring rooster got
to looking through the fence from the
alley. and trying to tlirt with her. At
first she Was indignant. and seemed
to tell lim he ought to go about his
business, and leave her alone. but
the dude kept cltlcking. and pretty
soon the widowed hen edged up to
wards the fence. and asked him to
come in, but the hole in the fence
was too small for him. and then the
chickens went ont in the alley, and
the hen followed them ont. | shall
always think she told the chickens to
go out. SO she would have an excuse
to go after them, and iiirt with the
rooster, and | think it is perfect
shame. She is out in tho alley half
the time. and | could cuff Eer. 1t
seerls to me wrong to 81 soon forget
a deceased rooster, but | suppose a
hen can't he any more than human.
Say, you don't want to buy a good
dead rooster do you? You could
pick it and sell it to somebody that
owes you, for spring chicken
No | don't want any deceased
poultry, that died of grief. and
you better 20 home and watch
your hen, or you will be hereaved
some more" and the grocery man
went out i'll the shed to see if the cat
was over its fit. and when he came
back the boy was gene, and after a
while the grocery man saw 4 crowd
in front Of the store and he went out
and found the dead rooster lying on
the vegetable stand. with a paper
pinned on its breast on which was
sign. '7HiS 1trtcr diti" Of collie.
For safe chccp io borc'inJ house
only" He took the dead rooster and
threw it ont in the street, and looked
up and down the street for the bad
boy, and went in and hid raw hide
where he could reach it handy.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
THE BEATER BEATEN.

A farmer came into grocery store
the other day and exhibited to the
eyes of an admiring crowd an enor
nous egg about six inches long. which
he avowed to have been laid by one
of his own hens. He had it packed
in cotton, and wouldn't allow any one
to handle it for fear of breaking the
phenomenon. The grocery man ex-
amined it with the rest, and, intend
ing to chaff the countryman, said:
"PshRW! I've got something in the
egg line that will beat that
''Tll bet you S. you haven't said
the countryman, getting excited.
Take it up" said the groceryman,
and going behind the counter he
brought out wire egg beater.
There is something in the egg line
that will beat it J guess" said he,
reaching out for the stakes.
Hold on there" said the farmer.
''let's see you beat it, and he handed
it to the grocer The latter held ont
his hand for it. but dropped it in
surprise on the counter. where 1t
broke two soup plates and platter.
1t was of solid iron, painted white.
''Sone folks think they're darnatlnn
cute" murmured the farmer as he
pocketed the stakes and lit out. but
'tain't no use blckin' against the
solid facts"
| One point as to tn" skunk. Il Is q
| we'll ascertained fact that many
asthmatic patients find relief from
smelling the odor Of this to
most people hateful quadrnPcd- !
have known cases where asthmati'
people would stay for half an hour il
fur warehouse after the arrival o
recently killed skunks. and dcpcr
! relieved, SO that the latter make SOM
posthumous atonement for their Ill
: odorous lives.
/ A maiden heiress is the only mis-
}that uoakea a social hit.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
SOLITUDE.

L.ugh and the world laughs with you:
Weep and you weep alone:
For the sad old earth must borrow its
mirth.
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing. and the hills will answer:
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to joyful sound.
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice. and men will seek you:
Grieve. and they turn and go:
They want full measure of all you pleasure,
But they do not heed your woe.
Be glad. and your friends are many:
BE sad. and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your ncctared
wine.
But alone you must drink life's gall.
Feast. and your halls are crowded:
Fast, and the world goes by:
Succeed and give. and it helps you live,
But no man can help you ole
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For large and lordly train,
But one by one We must all file on
Through the narrow aisle of pain.
ELLA WHEELER.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
FIFTY YEARS AG0.l

Sunday, the 17th inst, will be the
fftieth anniversary Of the visit OF
President Jackson and Vice-Presi
dent Van Bulen to Hartford. At
that time there was grand parade.
jackson was honored by his friends
as hero and a statesman. He rode,
somewhat against his wish (for he,
had already ridden for days., a splen-
did horse, in Difference to the wish of
Gen Hayden chiefly. There was
grand parade. military and civic, and
even those here who had most abused
the old helo were fain to join the
general acclaim. Jackson rode
through dense tbrongs all the way
through Main street, and the writer
remembers how he looked-lifting
his hat, his gray. stiff hair brushed
back and up, as he bowed right and
left to the throngs in the windows
and on the housetops, in answer to
the cheers and the waving of hand
kerchiefs.
He was escorted by the finest mill
tary line, of calvary and infantry,
that had ever been seen here Arches,
with flags, flowers and notices,
spanned the street. There was a
military brigade of nearly 1900
drawn up in line at the South Green,
to greet the President as he came
into town, escorted by the Cover
nor's Horse Guards. Major Denslow
who had gone out to meet him and
his companions, officials from many
States including Gov. Edwards, ol
Connecticut, Gov. Marcy, of New
York, Vice Pres; dent Van Buren
Secretary of War, Cass, and many
more. Cannon pealed, bells rang
and cheers went up from lO,OO'
throats.
The Governors Foot Guard wa'
under command of Major Calvin Day
1t was his first appearance in com
mand Of the company. He "stil
lves;" and in honor of that event o
1888, the old company have extended
to him complimentary parade am
banquet. If accepted, it will TAX
place next Saturday afternoon, tn
10Th inst. At the time of the parade
fifty Years ago, President Jackson
said he had never seen finer mill
tary company than the Foot Guar
What would he say if he saw theI
now?- Hartford Times. June It'll
A Chicago woman is said to hav
had bronze sarcophagus made fo
her, which weighs thousand pounds
1t seems as though thousand poun
sarcophasus would be pretty heav
to wear this weather, unless there
an ice box in IT. Seems as though
would cause a woman to interfer
However, if cophaguses are in styl
they have got to have 'em
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10

Texas is great State for ants.
Sullivan ought to so there. Doesn't
the Scripture say, 60 to the ant,
thou slug hard 2"
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10

Pope's mob Of gentlemen who
wrote with ease" was evidently COM
posed of the Browne, Smith g, and
other snobs.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
ii A>lli\GTO\ STANDARD
isI>srsuFy SATURDAY T"GNING. By
JOHN MILLER MU RPHY,
Editor and Proprietor

Devoted tp News, Politics. the Dis
seniuulion Of Useful Informa-
tiou and the Promotion Of
the Best Interests Of
Washington Territory
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10

A Den OF SNAKEs.-A man just
from Scott County informs us that
den was found near Commerce last
week, which when opened was found
to contain 3S7 rattlesnakes. A party
of men went to the den, which was
under huge rock, and after about
two hours hard work succeeded in
turning the rock over wheref Y the
snakes were exposed to view. They
were coiled up in one solid coli, and
did not move until they were fired
into by the men with shot guns, then
they uncolled and scattered in all
directions, and only about one hun
dred were killed, but man who went
| up tree says he counted 3S7 of the
reptiles. including those killed. We
do not vouch for the truthfulness OF
this story, but give it just as it came
TO us.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10

In communication to the Societe
de L'Industrie Minerale, France,
upon the working of the Mazenay
mines. NJ. Poisot states that the great
difficulty in the way of their salts
factory working arose from the wheels
slipping ON tho rails, these being
always greasy, owing to the smoke
and moisture in the galleriez. In
some parts only half speed could be
obtained, and in others the wheels
slipped continually, Notwithstanding
the thorough sprinkling of the rails
with fine sand. On one occasion. the
joint Of blow off cock having broken,
Jet of steam escaped and was driven
on the surface of the rails. 1t was
found that during the two days that
the engine worked before the fault
was remedied, no slipping took place
In consequence of this, the blow-ofl
pipes on the different locomotives
were so arranged as to discharge
direcly upon the rails the results o.
this method being sufficiently salts
factory to warrant its continuance, q!
a means of obviating excessive weal
| OF the rails
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
RUSSIAN SOCIETY.

A visitor to Russia who has been
able to look beneath the outward
brilliancy of the Cars coronation
ceremonies at the true state of Rus
sian society writes that gloomy 81
lence pervades even unsupported and
loyal social circles. The usual dis
position of the Russian is sociable,
and formerly, when friends and ac-
quaintances gathered around the tea
table, drinking innumerable glasses
of tea and smoking Turkish cigar
cites. it was the custom for converse
ton to flow animatedly ON all sub
jects of political Importance. Now
there is scarcely any conversation,
and in companies there pervades a
dread lest suspicion may arise with
the inevitable consequence of the
person suspected being suddenly
transported under the escort of
gendarmes Ito some place where
there is no railroad, no telegraph. no
means to send letter to ones
friends in order to tell them what has
befallen u.s.
Under such conditions society nat
urally languishes, SO intimately
connected are politics and social life.
As society is not dead, however, as
the Russians have not overcome nat
ural qualities. friends and acquaint-
ances meet upon safe ground, the
game of whist. Good whist players
cannot converse and play at the same
time, so night after night, old men
and men fresh from the universities,
older women and younger women
meet at the green table and engage
in the fascinating game, all the more
fascinating because safer than the
game of politics or the play of con-
versational wit Thus, the Russians
bride their tongues in fear of the
ruler who has succeeded in being
crowned. Surely, there was never &
more peculiar state of society. Is il
possible that nation has been re
duced to choose between the playing
of whist and the making of dynamite
bombs? Are the alternatives the
being loyal in whist or the being dis
loyal in Nihilism? Beneath th'
pageantry Of royalty exists a loya
people playing whist; beneath tn
roar of the rejoicing cannon lies 81
lence produced by fear. 1t will b.
fortuate for the Gar and for Russi'
if the silence around the green table
is not productive of an outburstin:
storm at some favorable time.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
THE TAILOR,s STITCHES.

The president of Boston bank
once redeemed counterfeit fifty
dollar bill on his own bank, not
doubling for a moment that the sig
nature upon it was his own. MIR.
Josiah Quincy mentions in his Zig
ures of the Past" that the incident
was told at Daniel Webster's dinner
table and led to discussion of the
value of expert testimony. Several
of the guests asserted that it could
not be depended upon, but MIR. Web
ster defended it. He said that he
had found it valuable, and that ex
perts were like children who saw
more than they could explain to
others.
And this reminds me-" he added,
''of my story of the tailor. A case OF
life or death was being tried, and the
tailor's testimony was very important.
He had been called to prove that
he had made a certain coat for a
criminal: and he swore to the fact
stoutly. Upon cross-examination he
was asked how he knew that the coat
was his work.
"'Why, I know it by my stitches, OF
course
"'Are your stitches longer than
those of other tailors?'
"'Oh, nor
"'Well, then, are they shorter?'
"'Not a bit shorter
Anything peculiar about themF
"Well, l don't believe there is
"'Then how do you dare to come
here and swear that they are yours?'
This seemed to be poser, but
the witness met it triumphantly.
Casting a look of contempt upon his
examiner, the tailor raised both
hands to heaven and exclaimed:
Mercy on us! as if didn't know
my own stitches!
1.-THE jury believed him, and they
were right in doing so," continued
Mr.. Webster. "The fact isl he ad-
ded. 1--WE continually build our
judgment upon details too fine for
distinct cognizance.
"And these nice shades OF sensi-
bility are trustworthy, although we
can give no good account of them
We can swear to our stitches, not
withstanding they seem to be neither
} longer nor shorter than those of Other
| pooploS