davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
THE KNoUT-A TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT

The following is the way of adminis- tering the knout. Conceive, reader, a robust man, full of life and health. This man is commanded to receive fifty or d hundred blows of the knout. He is conducted, half naked to the place chosen for this kind of execution; his hands are bound together, with the palms laid flat against one another; the cords are breaking his wrists, but no one pays the slightest attention to that. He is laid flat on frame, inclined diagonally, and at the eXtremites of which are fixed iron rings; his hands are fastened to one end of the frame, and his feet to the other; he is then stretched in such manner that he can not make single movement, just as an cells skin is stretched in order to dry. This act of stretching the victim causes his bones t0 crack and dislocates them. What does that matter, In little time his bones will crack and be dislo- cated in a very different manner. At a distance of fve-and-twenty paces stands another man. It is the public executioner.
 With both hands he grasps the in strument of punishment-a knout. This knout consists of thong of thick leath- CT, cut in a triangular form, from four to five feet long and an inch wide, tapering off at one end and broad at the other; the small end fastened to little wooden handle about two feet long. The signal is given. The executioner advances few steps, holding the knout in both hands, while the long thong drags along the ground between his legs On coming about three or four paces from the prisoner he raises the knout toward the top of his head, and then draws it down with rapidity toward his knees. The thong flies and whistles through the air, and descending on the body of the victim twnes around it like a hoop of iron. In spite of his state of tension the poor wretch bounds as if he were submitted to the powerful grasp of galvanism.
 The eXecutioner retraces his steps and repeats the same operation as many times as there are blows to be inflicted When the thong envelops the body with it's edges, the flesh and muscles are literally cut into strips, as if with razor, bat when it falls flat, then the bones crack; the flesh, in that case, is not cut, but crushed and ground, and the blood spurts out in all directions. | The sufferer becomes green and blue, 1 ke body in state of decomposition. He is now removed to the hospital, where every care is taken of him, and is afterward sent to Siberia, where he dis appears forever in the bowels of the earth. The knout is fatal, if the justice of the rzar or of the executioner desires it to be so.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
A REMEMBRANCE OF NIAGARA.

1 remember when was boy man got into the rapids here, having been carried down in boat, which was broken to pieces. He had the good fortune to be dashed on rock, to which he chung. It was at the height of the season-August, if l recollect- and he clung there for fully thirty-six hours. Everybody streamed out of the hotels and the village the banks of the river, particularly on this side, were thronged with people anxious to do something to save him. Dozens of plans were suggested; some attempted, but they all failed. Thousands of dollars were offered to anybody who would rescue him. The desperate sit nation of the man was telegraphed over the country, and every tram brought crowds of passengers hither to witness it with their own eyes. He was en- couraged by shouts from the banks, but whether he could understand any thing that was said is doubtful.
 The world is said to be sympathetic. It is, or appears to be, unsympathetic, because the object for which sympathy is asked is abstract. When it is tangl- ble, visible. all is changed. There was an exempliGcation. This poor wretch could be seen. He was an ordinary, uneducated man; but he was man, and the brotherhood and sisterhood of the race went out to him in pity and intense eagerness to rescue him.
 Many persons sat up all night looking across the seething, roaring waters at the small dark figure still clinging to the rock. The morning came renewed efforts were made, but they all mis- carried. The crowd had increased; it was immense. Everybody was excited. Tears were in the women's eyes. Can't something be done? Must the poor iel low perish before our faces? Is there no way to rescue him? Such questions were necessarily asked; but, alas! no reply could be given.
 The man had good courage and great strength. He clung to the rock with the desperation of q dying soul, To lose his hold was to be dashed over the cataract. Apparatus and contriv- ances arrived from Buffalo. New ex- periments and new failures. Hoarse shouts still rang across the rapids to hold on, to be of good heart. The stoutest heart that ever throbbed could not gripe that rock forever. It was wonderful how he had endured. A fresh idea had come to the minds of half dozen mechanics. They were laboring to throw out hawser; every muscle was strained every eye was bent upon their work,
 Suddenly the man slipped away. He was exhausted; he threw up his arms; he dashed toward the cataract. A long groan as from one breast went through the throng; the thousands shivered with terror. A black object appeared for moment in the hell of the waters, and then disappeared forever. There was an agony of relief No one moved, no one spoke for a while. All looked in the direction where the figure had been swallowed up. It was the entertainment of terror; it was the chill of tragedy distinctly wrought which froze every one for the moment to the spot.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
aoIYNr1Rrc MISCELLANY.

The Italian Government offers $2, ,0OO to the inventor of the best method of transmitting electricity to distance. Dr. Konig has attempted to show that the first real observation of q case of blindness was made by Goethe.
 Lieutenant Julius von Payer, one oi the discoverers of Franz Josef Land has given up Arctic exploration for art, and has just completed series of four paintings Illustrating the last polar expedition of Sir John Franklin.
 A recent calculation shows that a man weighing 40 pounds and running mile m six minutes performs work about equal to that of half-horse engine, while walker sustaining five miles an hour for long day does work equal to that of quarter horse engine, and con sumes only one-twenteth of the weight J of food and fuel.
 In Berlin elecericity has been applied to the matching of chickens. The eggs are placed in circular box, or incuba- tor, over a coil of wire, and the wire is heated by the electric current. A ther. mometer automatically regulates the temperature, by cutting the wire coil ou, of circuit when the heat becomes toe great.
 Changes have been observed in the spectrum of Sirius which indicate that the star is moving away from the earth much less rapidly than formerly, and that it must therefore be travelling in close and comparatively small orbit. Forty-five stars were studied with the spectroscope last year at the Greenwich observatory, for the purpose of detecting any changes which may occur in their apparent rates of move mcnt.
 1 Several accurate photographs O lightning flashes have been secured by Mons. Robert Haensel, of Reichenberg Bohem Il. The flashes are shown as long, continuous sparks, and in one O the pictures the point where the spark met the earth may be seen. The land scape is clearly defined in the photo graphs, aifording means for cal culating the length of the lightning'i path through the air, which, in one in stance, was estimated at more than z mile
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
THE FIRST ICEiPAtACE.l

In the construction of this work the simplest means were used. First, the purest and most transparent .ice was selected. This was cut into large blocks, squared with rule and compass, and carved with all the regular architectural embellishments. No cement was used. Each block when ready was raised to it's destined place by cranes and pulleys, and just before it was let down upon the block which was to support it, water was poured between the two; the upper block was immediately low cred, and as the water froze almost instantly, in that intensely cold climate, the two blocks became literally one. In fact, the whole building appeared to be, and really was, single mass of ice. The effect it produced must have been infinitely more beautiful than if it had been of the most costly marble--its transparency and bluish tint giving it rather the appearance of precious stone.
 In dimensions, the structure was fifty six feet long, eighteen feet wide, twenty one feet high, and with walls three feet in thickness. At each corner of the palace was q pyramid of the same height as the roof, of course built of ice, and round the whole was low palisade of the same material. The actual length of the front view, including the pyra- mids, was one hundred and fourteen feet.
 The palace vas built in the usual style of Russian architecture. The facade was plain, being divided into compartments by pilasters. There was a window in each division, which was painted in imitation of green marble. The window-panes were formed of slabs of ice, as transparent and smooth as sheets of plate-glass. At night, when the palace was lighted, the windows were curtained by canvas screens, on which grotesque figures were painted. Owing to the transparency of the whole material, the general effect of the illu- imitation must have been fine, the whole palace seemingly being filled with a delicate pearly light. The central division projected, and appeared to be a door, but was in fact, large window, and was Illuminated like the others Surmounting the fdcdde of the building was an ornamental balustrade, and at each end of the sloping roof was huge chimney. The entrance was at the rear. At each side of the door stood ice-imtations of orange-trees, in leaf and flower, with ice-birds pearched on the branches.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
FACTS AND NEWS.
\ camel can carry q ton


 The principal undertaken at Palatka, Fla, is woman.
 The fence-cutters in Texas call them selves Javelenas.
 An English Masonic lodge will be or ganized in the city of Chihuahua.
 The first tenement house in twenty two years is shortly to be built in North Truro, Cape Cod, Mass.
 A man at Jay, Ill.,, receives $2.75 per week from the town for taking care of his own father
 The brewers of New York claim that their losses by the theft of kegs are at least $l25 ,000 per year.
 Mayor-elect Fulton of Pittsburg, Pa, has filed 400 applications for appoint ment to the police force.
 Mrs. Hannah Simon of Newark, N. J., recently celebrated her ninety-ninth birthday by waltzing for ten minutes.
 4 Rochester inventor has obtained a patent on bowl-shaped floor as sub- stitute for an inclined plane in places ol amusement.
 In Montana the law prevents woman from marrying until she is eighteen wears old, and man cannot marry until | he is twenty-one. From 1884 to 1881 sumptuary edicts as to dress were issued at Berlin. The last forbade women without rank tc wear silk dresses. The Italian peanut dealer longs only for five hundred dollars that he may re- turn to his native land the possessor ol an ample fortune.
 A St. Louis gambler of mathematical bent kept an account book, and hence the police found that his net January profits amounted to just $l 1867.
 A paper recently read before the French Academy of Medicine expressed the writer's conviction that one in every ,, ,OO0 persons is buried alive.
 A temperance cyclone has struck the people of Plainfeld, N. J., during the mast few weeks, and over two thousand have agreed not to touch intoxicating liquors.
 If there is one trait which comments man of the world to his acquaintances says Boston paper, it is that of know inc how to order a dinner at restau- | rant.
 The population of Mexico, including  natives, Indians, Spaniards and those ol mixed blood, numbers about 10, 1000 ,O00. The area of country is nearly 800, ,OOO square miles.
 In the Boston Directory of 1889 the | people of color are in separate list | Colored folks are not so proud now, and permit their names to appear among those of the common people.
 One of Davy Crockett's old hunting knives with four-nch wooden handle and six-inch blade, with a silver bant around the handle has been presented tc the Tennessee Historical Society. The only ocean steamers now in ser vice that are 800 hundred feet in lengtl or over are the City of Rome, 546 feet | Alaska, 800 feet, and Oregon, 52O feet l The Great Eastern is 67S. One of the most curious customs tha attract the attention of strangers in Pan anna is to see the native women walking | along the streets smoking long, slende cigars, in much the same fashion as meI | do here.
 The boomerang, says the PaH Mal Gazette, is one of the few weapons the use of which the civilized world ha' never been able to acquire. No on' save an Australian black fellow seems t' be able to either maFe or use it.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
REPORTERS AS DETEcTIVEs.

Oi late years not a few newspaper reporters have made themselves famous by the detection of crime. In several cases mysteries which had defied the trained dectective have been unraveled |, and the criminals brought to justice by reporters. A short time ago a murderer was so arrested, and that case was but one of many. 1t seems that the qualities which make a man good reporter make him natural detective He must have quickness of perception and the ability quickly to weigh and value information, and he acquires ability in piecing together stray scraps of information and forming of them statement or theory as the case may demand.
 few days ago the story was told of the arrest at Blyth of a man charged with offering counterfeit money for sale. His arrest was brought about by Mir. Nichol, reporter for the Hamilton Spectator. True, there was nothing very mysterious or very intricate in the case. Still there is the fact that a man had for months been offering counter felt money for sale. The official con stables and detectives had failed to put stop to his practices, and the young man named was successful. Of course, We must not assume yet tbat the man arrested is guilty. He is as yet only committed for trial, and it will not do to assume his guilt till he has been proven guilty. Perhaps it will not be safe to infer that the official detectives may be dispensed with, and the ferret ing out of crime be left to newspaper reporters. But the latter will do good if they do no more harm than pnt the "regulars" on their mettle.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12

There is nothing like fellow having wife who loves him; one who, when he says Ee believes he will take short walk down town, says, "Ill go along with you" Oh! the priceless value of true love Lat the same time it strikes us that we would kind of prefer wife who wouldn't have so much true love about her so early in the evening-its 80 delicious that it would he more appro- priate as dessert.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12

"The story comes from Paris that lady, who visited four churches in one day, missed her umbrella on returning home. She immediately revisited all four churches and found her umbrella in the last one. When the umbrella was handed her she thankfully said to the sexton: "The people at this church are much more honest than those at the others"
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12

The shipments of eggs from Gane- vile, Ala, during the pGst month were 80, ,000 dozen, or at the rate of 720, ,000 dozen a year. The merchants get an average of fifteen cents dozen for eggs the entire year.
The Arizona champion., 1884-04-12
0vER.sENsrTlvENEss

There are some people, yes, many peo- people, always looking out for sights. They cannot carry on the daily inter- course of the family without some ohense is imagined. If they meet an acquaintance on the street who happens to be preoccupied with business they at | tribute his abstraction to some mood personal to themselves, and take um- brage accordingly. They lay on others the fact of their irritabil y. A fit of il : digestion makes them see impertinence in every one they come in contact with Innocent persons, who never dreamed of giving offence are astonished to find some unfortunate word of momentary | taciturnity mistaken for an insult To say the least the habit is unfortunate. There are people in this world who have something to do besides talking, joking, and complimenting. There are persons who get too weary to answer foolish questions repeated aca'n ald agai". There are persons who now and then appreciate the privilege of moments thought or silence, and it is not needful for oversensitive people to construe weariness and care and labor into indif- ference, un lindness or contempt. It s far wiser to take the more charitable view of our fellow beings, and not sup | pose slight is intended unless it is open and direct After all, too, life takes it hues in great degree from the color of our mind. If we are frank and generous, the world treats us kindly. If, on the contrary, we are suspicious, men learn to be cautious toward us. Let person get the reputation of being touchy and everybody is under more or less constraint, and in this way the chance of an imaginary offence is vastly increased.
 A British scientific expedition is about to undertake the exploration of New Guinea, which, although the largest island on the globe except Australia and possibly Borneo, is one of the earth's little known regions. A route of ,000 or 200 miles across the island has been mapped out by the party, and it is expected that the trip will occupy more than year. Places which have already been visited by Europeans will be avoided.
 The number of volcanic vents in existence on the globe was placed by Humboldt at 407, of which 225 had been active within a century. The Asiatic islands were supposed to con tain about one half of the latter More recent estimates allow over 900 vol canoes to the Indian Archipelago alone.
 "Let me see," said the young man on recent Saturday evening as he was going home from his work "my wages is $6. ken get horse and buggy to- morrow and take my girl out iidin for $4. That leaves me $2. ken get along with $l 50 for spendin money and will have 50 cents left to give moth- CT for board. I'll go."
The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-09-25

ned tbe pitchers hands asahlsd MP The IN
pire twice, drove the wisa clean eat 81
the secosd Base, broke sir raass OF glass
and q womAn's head in tho school house.
and ksoeksd aspectaicr cold, What have
douss haven't laid around all day,
limp mans Of prc,crlasmie network. :
Asd be smiled in bitter triumph, A. he
thus displayed hls college training. "Nev.
er mind. drawlsd the hammock, "ds not
be discouraged. You are hesiuniag very
we'll and will doubtless bs able TO accom-
plsh something ~hsn yen are older and
have more experience.
The little Base Ball, dams wIsh smais
msnt, fairly bars, lis scans With wrath,
but ere II eonld speak strong man,
weighing 26i pounds, saun,sred under
tho tree and swung himself into the Ham-
mock. II WAS oil done 90 suddenly that
the tree hadn't time 10 bark. swlit
movement OF the Hammock, like the 70.
tary whirl efa buusaw, . human form
tesscd ints The cir like cork and hurled to
the ground with noise like the fall Of =
bale Of hay on tho deck Of wharf boat.
and the little pxss Dali ~as driven ints
the ground like 6y in currass cake
".Alasl' it said, in the tone Of crushed
man, AZ il Watched tho moaning human
limp painfully tsward the hotel "Alas'
my pride is forever hunblsd. will
never again sneer at gcntleness, l will
never despise the hand OF steel in the
velvet gauntlct again. His swinging
comradc laughed a mosking laugh. "s,-
milia similibus cure ranter," she said
ut is tho mild power subdues,' Asmosh-
cred sob, ending in pitful vail, was the
only reply, and the strong tree bosghcd
itself to hear the Base bawl.
The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-09-25

Bank Presidsnt--"My dear, ! suppose
you know that i am not only the presi'
dent OF the bank. but the owner Of aost
OF the stock?'
Daughter er--"Yes papa
"Apd II am net mistaken You are be-
coming rather fond Of Mr. Lightfinger,
my casLisrf
Yes. papa, confess IT is true But
how do you know?
Il have eyes. But why have you tried
30 hard to conceal II fron me1"
"Oh, papa, please forgive me; but
knew you would object to my marriage :"
q poor mas. and, drsading your terrible
anger, have tried my best TO conquer
my feeling. Indeed. indeed ! bavef'
"Copquor them? Great st. Bnllionl l
want you to marry him ss sson /" po''
siblsr'
"Oh, You dear. darling old psi bui
What has wrought this strange mstsmor'
pbosisf" =.
.Ob, nothing; snly thought u vsaid
be jusi as well 10 keep all the bank iuAds
ia the family"
The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-09-25

~~,Sr send cents for postage, ana
vHII receive free, = costly boz OF good
Hill which will help, OF either eI,
more money right away than anything 'lic 10
this world. Fortunes await the workers abso-
,ag.,. M.i,a 23-4T-l
The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-09-25

A gentcel. looking tramp, with fair
lead for Monday morning. stood on
Chatham street corner recently in medi-
tatiye mood. He nervously twirled
dime in his fingers, and finally tossed up
the coin. saying: Heads for breakfast;
tails for cocktail" He looked at tho
coin after it fell to the sidewalk and sor-
rowfully exclaimed: "Hsadsl that's for
breakfast"
Flippiag it again in the air, he said;
Twice out OF three times.
1t fell tails the tramps thirst WAS neck
and neck with his hunger. ~ must give
the breakfast fair chance. So here goes
zsrd and last time, be said
He tossed the coin, again in the air. II
fell in the gutter and bounded into the
sewer through hole in the rounded curb
stone.
The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-09-25

The principal scientific facts discovered
are the fellowing
/. The North Psle lies due north OF
New York. II WAS not discovered, but
its general direction was pretty well es-
tablishsd.
2. That the North Pole lies in the Artic
regions.
3. That il is an almighty cold neighber.
hood
A. That nearly all the animals there
wear sealskin jkets the year round.
8. That chief signal officers are some
what unreliable caterers.
6. That when men cannot got food
they starve to death. .
7. That extreme cold produces frost
bite.
S. That the getting back is tho chief
fun and difficulty OF the expedition