davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
Splitting Rocks.

4 man who was sitting on q big
sandstone near a new building u;1
town, while pounding on top of an iro1
rod with a heavy hammer, stopped hia
work when q young man said TO him:
What are YOU doing that for?"
''DrilI DC hole" said he. Tbers
in line along the middle CT the top Of
the big stone.
What are all these holes for?'
The workman said, as he pounded
away: "rll show you" When the
hole was about four inches deep he took
a lot of half-round pieces of iron and
put two in each hole. Then a thin steei
wedge was put between ea' pair, anii
the man walked along hitting eaca
wedge a moderate blow with his ham
mer. The fourth succession of blows
split the rock almost as clean and
straight as if it had been sawed. Tho
rock was three feet thick.
That was very easily DONE" said
the young man.
''Yes; but you would be astonishe6>
think. TO see the large masses tha<
can be split in that way. 1 was in n
down-East quarry not long ago where
they were getting out granite slabs 70,
landings in the sta.rNays OF big Phil
adelphia building. The seams in tho
rocks were opened with seam blasts
just heayy enough to loosen without
dis ntegrating the mass. Then steam
drills drilled several holes, say three or
four feet apart and five feet deep, in q
line along the top of the rock Between
the big holes and in the same line the
snail holes like these were drilled.
When the wedges in the little holes
were hammered in, the big slab of
sto e, eighteen by tventy-seven feet
la-ge. was split of like slice of bread
cut from loaf /. was ust the righS
thickness for a smooth finish below and
fine hammer dressing on top"
What were the deep holes for?'
$40 insure that the rock split down
straight. / have never seen a rock SO
large that could not split it Up as
easily as opened thic one ~ r
Sun.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
The hOmesick Parrot.

Poll Parrot belonged to a lady in Do
troit. She lived in great house Oh
Woodward Avenue.
Polly was favorite. All the nico
little children OH the avenue knew and
loved Polly. On their way to school
they would stop to say: GOOD morn"
i'm, Mistress Polly and to O Ter her .
bit o. cake or cracker from their lunch
baskets For these friendly offices
they were amply repaid by the quaint
savings which were sure to follow from
the glib tongue of Polly.
Sometimes in answer To a cheerful!
Good morning. Mistress POlly!" the
birti'wOuld drawl out, &c o cd m-O-r-n-
n-g--Polly's sleepy" For the next it
might be. GOOD morning
bother a bird"
Polly's m stress lost the bulk of her
fortune, and went to live in another city
When she was ready to move, =
change came over Polly. She grew
moody and silent. To her little friends
greetings she would scarce deign -
reply.
AT her new nome her mood changed
but, alas, not for the better. She move
complained all the time; and the burden
of her cry was ever the same: Polly
wants to 90 to De;roit-pOOr POilS
wants to 90 to Detroit"
So sad was the birds moan. ttat q
lady wEo lived across the street had to-
close the front doors and windows OK
her house and retire to the rear, that shs
might not hear it.
For fourteen days The poor creature
sent forth her pitiful wall. She refused
1oOd, and died with the half-Gnishei
petition upon her tongue: Poor PODy
wants to 90 -"-Our Little ones,
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
Fatality Row.

There is a superstition among old
members about sitting in a certain row
of seats in the House on account of the
deaths that have occurred among the
occupants of this fatal line. An old
member in speaking of Fatality Row
SAID: "No, you couldn't get me to sit
there. I'm not ready to die yet
Then lowering his voice to an awful
whisper, he continued, looking cau-
tiously about:
There are lots of members in the
House you couldn't get to sit there,
either. Why, when the seats are drawn
at the opening of each Congre 8, some
of the members who know about the
fatality that hangs about these seats
are uncomfortable until they are are all
gone. for fear it will fall to their lot to
get one, and when it comes to choosing
between these and the otherwise less
desirable seats in the rear they always
take a back seat. Haven't YOU noticed
how these seats are generally the last
taken, unless they are chosen by new
members? Well, it's a fact. The old
men are particularly nervous about sit
ting there
'Why is this Fatality Row more than
any of the others?" asked the reporter
'.Why? Iguess if you'd count over
on your fingers and see how many
members have died before the end
their term who held seats in this row
you wouldn't ask, and l guess you'd be
little dubious about sitting there. too.
Just count them over, commencing,
say, with the Forty-tifth Congress,
Mackey and may be one other are the
only members who have died within
that time who did not hold seats IN this
row. There was Fernando Wood.
Haskell, Hartridge, Williams (of Mich
igan). Bev Douglas and one or two
others whom l can't name just now.
Garfield also sat in this row. There is
something in it. l tell you. would
not like to sit there. Washington
S.dT.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
Remember Mother.

Boys, some of YOU who read this are
absent from home. You are attending
school, learning a trade, or engaged in
some kind of employment that has
called you away.
There is a mother at home, who longs
to hear from you often. Do yon give
her that privilege? Or are yon viii ng
to let her watch every mail, day after
dav and week after week, until the
thought comes forcing its Way into her
heart that you have forgotten her, or
care more for the new assoc ates around
you?
Do you realize that her thoughts are
with you os-ener. and linger much
longer WITT you, than yours with her?
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
THE WHITTIER.

His knife Is an oid-fashioned one-the blade Is
That. while with ease it cuts new cheese, its
edge turns on the rind.
And IL bears the old-time falSehOOd that so
many old knives TELL
The prehistoric rebus in the letters 'IXL-'
The spring is worn and shortened, and the
blade which backward leans,
Oft closes on the fingers when opening sar-
dnesi
Though It's worthless yet the owner of its
merits much doth blow,
And wants some ';boOt' when asked to trade
he atIeast should get the toe.
The whittier sits and whistles, when the
weather will permit,
On q goods box on the pavement, where he
loveth much to sit,
And he talketh of the tariff to friend from
while bis ehavings and his arguments are
valuable alike.
In the southwest the whittier in the most per-
fection blooms,
And he carveth strips Of poplar and the han
dies of old brOOmS;
He hath no ingenuity and couldn't make a
If the penalty FOR failure was the loss of lis
right leg.
The policeman poses near the middle of the
street
And whites very soiemnly, quito deaf to
You'd think his mighty brain upheld the land
on eveuS brink
He's thinking, very probably. where next he'll
get drink.
IN this section, where horse trading is an
everyday affair
And the young men have mania for trading
eYeryw here,
This whiting serves a purpose, for the
traders bound to lie,
Hate to look each other honestly and squarely
i'll the eye.
And so at night in circles where the idler
loves TO sit
And listen to horse arguments and question
able wit,
Something like this you'll hear at times: ''Bill
Griggs who shot jim Gray,
Got Whitfield outen that black mar he's had
SO long. today"
-I'drme,tGs Mir. ip n. Y. Mercury.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
For Young Readers.
DEAR" a"

bright little maiden. over the way,
Is up from her pillow at break of day.
Hands and face sic washes, and combs Eef
hair:
Twin pretty brown braids she ties up with
care.
When breakfast IS done, she washes the dishes,
Then hurries away TO know mammals wishes
She brushes the chambers, the stairs and hall,
Puts them in order-and that isn't all;
She clears from the steps the dead leaves that
fall,
And hastens again at mammals low call
What more she is doing I'm sure 1 don't
know.
If your mother, kept boarLers, would you
do SO?
Her name. If knew, | would tell it here;
But l think they do right to call her" Dear.
-lHLr Little OUEs
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

l recovered from my wound. very
quickly, and within six weeks rejoined
the party, receiving promotion to the
first place in the corps-that of transit
man-which / occupied until the road
was completed.
Our miraculous escape was long the
sub ect of wonder on the frontier,
where it was regarded as the most mar
velous on record, as we fought against
such fearful odds. l hope the narra-
tive as | have written it will be intel
ligible. / fear have not made it rs
clear as l could verbally. 1t always
excites me to think or tell of it.-N. y.
ECentu1 Post
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

And large number of lesser stars, at
salaries varying from go to e697 each.
BY the end of 1913 the young gentle
man was completely ruined, but his
credit was not entirely gone. He
commenced the operate season of 1849
by loan of $4,000 from his bankers.
and soon after was obliged TO make his
escape to the continent. Not only was
all his money gone. but his debts
amounted to f33,000, and the only
available assets were good debts-f3
I4s. Cd. A reversionary interest to the
amount of $4,000 had been assigned to
Beale for an old debt of $4,000. Beale
was ultimately squeezed ont of fl,000
of his plumber for the benefit of the
creditors.
Someone is said to have told the
story of Delafield to Col. Mapleson on c,
whel eupon the Colonel wept bitterly
and informed the narrator that either
Dtlafield had been born too soon or he
(the ColoneD too late.-N. Y. Dispatch
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

Care in the setting of trees is profit
ably employed. DO not hustle in thc
tree as quickly as possible, thinking
that the sooner its roots are covered
the better. Dig good-sized hole. and
before putting in the tree spade up the
bottom of the hole as deeply as possible.
On this -pulverized bottom the tree
taxes root quickly. Sift in fine earth
about the roots, and when the hole is
filled pack the earth tightly about the
tree If in dry place put mulch o
straw or old horse manure, well supplied
with litter, about the tree. In dry
weather the mulch may be raised, 9
pail of water applied, the mulch re
p aced, and its eject will last nearly a
month. Chicago Times.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

WAu communications for this paper
should be accompanied by the name of the
author: not necessarily for publication, but
as an evidence of good faith on the part OF
the writer Write only on one side of the pa
per Be particularly careful in giving name
and dates to have the letters and figures plain
and distinct.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

"A Tucson "a. IT, paper says that
one afternoon recently when the east
bound passenger train was about ten
miles out a rare mirage of the entire
train was reflected on the western
horizon, and could be seen moving at
rapid rate for more than oae mile along
in the air. The color of the cars as
very distin t, and the entire train so
well outlined that it was readily iden-
titled on its approach to the depot. The
sight was Witnessed by large number
of persons.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
An Awful Man for Eggs.

A young man with an alluring smile,
a clean-shaven chin and a round god
scarf-pin engraved with big P, saun-
tered casually into John Ross coffee
and cake foundry at No. 200 Front
Street one day last week, when it was
neither blowing, ha ling, showing, rain
ing. or freezing. and meekly called for
little breakfast. The walters sour
ried around for half an hour therea-
bouts, carrying in the young mans
small meal on divers trays, and other
guests came in and wa ched him with
an awe that was almost reverential.
When the Young man had secreted q
pound and half of sirloin and a whole
loaf of white bread somewhere behind
his waistband. he gently shoveled big
mound of fried potatoes through the
smiling oritice under his straight nose.
casually swallowed four cups of coffee
to assist the potatoes in their Journey,
and neatly topped off the whole pleas
ing combination with 3 saucer of friei
onions. Then the young man sighed.
So did Mr.. Ross when he gratefully o5-
served that the remarkable young man
didn't send the saucer after the onions
Mr. Ross sighed with relief, but the
remarkable Young man sighed for
more. The waiter brought it. 1t was
a large dish of seven poached eggs
neatly spread on square yard of toast
A Front Street potato merchant cast ?
look of sympathy upon the young man,
and look of dubious surprise upon an
other young man with red mustache.
who said he was James Mcdonald, and
also asseverated that he once saw ne
gro eat forty poached eggs. The pota
| to merchant very unwisely and some
what forciblv observed that he didn't
believe it. This was evidently what
the man with the red mustache had
been waiting around for. He grinned
with evaltation, and exclaimed:
"Why. there is fellow here now that
can eat sixty eggs day for five days.
thirty at a sitting. and get away with
his regular meals besides, and here :
the stuff that says he can"
He excavated small roll of green
backs from his check breeches, and
| tapped the shoulder of a young man
with an alluring smile. The young man
arose with the dignity of conscious
genius, and inserting his finger and
thumb in his waistcoat pocket, drew
forth piece of pastebOard, upon which
was printed this excerpt of autobiog-
raphy:
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

BY far the greater number Of fires
recorded in LonIon during the past year
are chargeable to the tallow dip. The
ease with which they can be / under
shelf in the pantry or cupboard or car
ried under combustible mater makes
them more dangerous than oil lamps.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

-''We've got to draw the nne some
whe e." remarks the Chairman of the
Vigilantes, as he tucked the knot
under the horse-thiefs lett ear.-BoSsOa
Post.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

During fire in Capp's block at
Portland. Maine. some men carried d
keg of powder from an upper room
down through the flames without an
explosion. .-Boston Herald.
The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01

Prof. Cyrus Northrup. of Yale Col
lege. has accepted the Presidency of the
Minnesota State University.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
Boston Market.

BOSTON, April 25.-Th following were to-day's
quotations of Butter, Cheese, Eggs, DC:
Pork-Long cuts, $18 5O9S19; shoYt sxts $3.50
10 so; backs $40 50g20; light backs 18 5OG$l 8;
l8 b0RI9 90; extra prime SIT; mess, new, 10 30;
old sI7 so; pork tongues $19@19 so.
Lard at 9I40915c ~ fb for tierces; 91aC0A for
10Th pals: Ssz @1Oc for 5-fb pals; 109lOA c
for BIB pals. 1900.
Fresh Beef-Fair steers at 9991sc " n; choice
1O61O1lc; light Texan cattle 81s@9c; good heavy
binds at 12@l3c; second quality at S19 912c; good
heavy fores at ia @719c: second quality at 6g7c;
rattles 5@5hc; ribs at 9991sc; rumps l3gl5 4ac;
rounds at 712@9c; rump loins lo4aI9l112c; loins
16920c; light 14117c.
8eans-choice large hand picked pea at 45@
(42 90 W bush; choice New York small hand-plcked
do at 6o92 20; common to good at So 4O92 30;
enolce small hand-picked pea, Vermont, at " oOig
~; cholce screened do 1902 6Oi hand picked
meo 4oiG2 DO, and choice screened do 3bE@z Az;
common beans 00@2 rs; German medium beans
~ y zug1 SO DO pea 40@2 80; choice improved
8 20@3 20. w
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
In Insolvency.
Court of Insolvency for the County of Cumberland

Court of Insolvency for the County of Cumberland,
State of Maine. April Is, A. D. 1884.
In case of Horace P. Storer, Frederick Storer,
Mellen e. Bolster, Henry l.. Sturtevant, Edward P.
Staples, Neal d. Smith and William Y. Pomeroy
doing business as partners under the firm name of
Storer Bros & Co. individually and as co-partners.
insolvent debtors.
FEtHIS Is to give notice, that on the fifteenth
Il day of April, A. d. 1884, a Warrant in Insol-
vency was issued by Henry g. Peabody, Judge of
the Court of Insolvency for said County Of Cumber-
land, against the estate of said
Horace P. Storer, Frederick Storer, Mellen E.
Bolster, Henry L. Sturtevant, Edward P. Staples,
Neal d. Smith and William Y. Pomeroy, doing bust
ness under the name of Storer Bros. & Co.. ndivid-
ually and as copartners
adjudged to be insolvent debtors, on petition of
Horace P. Storer, Of said debtors, which petit
ton was filed ON the twelfth dayof January A. d.
1884, to which Gate interest on claims is to be
computed.
That the payment of any debts to or by said debt
ors and the transfer and delivery of any property
by them are forbidden by law.
That meeting of the creditors of said debtors to
prove their debts and choose one or more assignees
of their estate will be held at Court of Insolvency
to be holden at Probate Court Room in said
Portland. on the fifth day OF May A. d. 1884, at
tan o,alnak in tina fnrapnQn-
Given under my hand the date hrst above written.
H. R. SARGENT,
Deputy Sheriff, as Messenger of the Court of Inso-
vency for said County of Cumberland.
ap19&26
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26

Apples-we quote No Baldwins at 81 1904 70;
western So 6094 90 ~ Dbl; russets at 81 2594 75.
Hay-Choice prime hay is quoted $16@$16 so "
ton fancy ST. medium to good $15@$15 50;choice
Eastern fine at $13@$14; poor at $129$13, with
Eastern swale at SO. Rye straw at $l3 5O@S14 90
and oat straw $40 u ton.
Butter-We quote Western creameries at 3O432c
Tor line and 26@2Sc for flair and good; New York
and Vermont dairies at 25028c for choice fair to
good at 23@24c; and common at 1SiG20c; imitation
creamery 21@23s for choice; Western ladle packed
at 2O@21c q h for choice and 1920 for fair and
good; quiet.
Cheese is quiet at 131a9l5c for choice and extra;
and fair and good at 10@13c.
Eggs 15@17c " doz for the different kinds.
Potatoes-Houlton Rose 40143c " bush, Aroos-
took and Eastern Rose at 35@40c. Prolifics 350S8.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
DEATHS.
In thiscity, Aprll "a, Mrs. Margaret s. Racklyr.

In this,city, April "a, Mrs. Margaret 8. Racklyn.
aged 54 years. w.
at the residence of her hrother No I2 Congress
Place: Burial at convenience Of the family.
In TINS CITY; April 20, Jane. widow Of the late
Notice Of funeral hereafter.
In this city, April %, Mrs. Sarah, wife of John
McCarty, aged 50 years
funeral on Sunday afternoon at o'clock1
In this city, April 20, Thomas D. Murray. aged
81 years. ~ "sON
In Hebron, April 9, Ansel Cushman aged 80 wears
In Rnmford, March 80, Mrs. Moses Kimball, AGED
80 years. "sON
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL
Excitement i'm Grain-June Wheat Ad-
Yanced &c.

Excitement i'm Grain-June Wheat Ad-
vanced &c.
A special Produce report from New York, receiv-
ed last night, says that Cotton dealings during the
day were unusually large and attended at intervals
with great excitement, but the special feature was
an advance in June Wheat of &c for the day, the
price having been up to 1875. The offerings of
June Wheat have been very light of late, and as
there was large outstanding short interest it only
needed something to cause sharp upward turn
Adyices from England yesterday reported cold and
unfavorable weather for the crops there, and ac-
companying the same there was material increase
in the foreign order for Wheat. The "bulls'' took
advantage OF this condition to squeeze the "bears"
and experienced little difficulty in forcing up prices
The general market sympathized with the rise in
june Wheat to moderate extent, but later lost
part Of the advance. The squeeze resulted in only
one failure, w. l. Phillips, a small concern.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
FOREIGN PORTS.

At Montevideo Mich 10. barque Rachel Emery,
Wyman, from Boston, 9th.
at Vera Cruz 23d, sch Helen, Mitchell, for Mon
tepic
Sid I'm Antigua Mch Gath, sch Jennie A Stubs.
Stubs, New York.
Sid FIN Mansanila 9th inst sch -Four Sisters
Bunker, New Yerk.
At Port Spain 9th inst barque Nellie Rumball,
Coffin, from New York, ar Mich 81; brig Abbie Cliff
for, Storer, from Boston, ar I'd,
Ar at Areeibo 18th, sch Helen Holway, Stuart,
New York.
Ar at Mayaguez Sd inst, sch Ella A Warner, Ho-
brook, Guadalupe.
Sid Sd. sch d b Haskell, Haskell. Boston.
Sid FIN Cienfuegos Apl 10, brig Eugene, Beal.
In port 18th, barque Woodside. Montgomery, for
New York; sch l. Orr, for Philadelphia
a. at Havana 18th inst. brig Rocky Glen, Bray,
Caibarien.
In port 18th, brig Anita Owen, Brauscomb and
Ftdelia, Dow, for North of Hatteras schs Luis G
ley, Holt for Sagua and North of Hatteras George
Moulton, Jr, for Philadelphia.
Havana, April l9-Chartered, barQues Skobeleff,
from Matanzas for North at Hatteras. sugar, So;
Woodside, Cienfuegos for do, at 81 briggs Carrie
Bertha Matanzas to New York, molasses 81 1919;
Az Pettengill, do North of Hatteras, So 80; Anita
Owen, Havana to do. 1919, if east of New York
$2.25, 2.S71a; schs Edw Waite sugar at Cardenas
at Havana to Philadelphia. $2121a pr lilo gals;
Ariadne, Cardenas to New York, 81 and 2.1212;
sarah q Ellen. sugar DO DO, S3.l21a and SS:2o;
isle, New York.
at Cardenas Apl II, brig Onolaska, Griggs, for
NorGH u natIeIaS. lugj scns D " NEOuW6lli YORK.
Lizzie Carr, Poland; Ariadae, Colby, and Sarah Il
Ellen. York for North of Hatteras.
Sid 18th, barque Add-el-Kaler, Leavitt, NYork;
brig Havana, Reed do.
Sid FIN Matanzas 18th inst, brig Sullivan, Guptill.
for Portland.
In port 18TH schs Walker Arlington Smith, for
North of Hatteras, ldg barques Tatay, German do;
j Chadwick, Forbes, do; H l. Gregg, Dyer, wig;
Alice. Dyer for Portland, ldg; sehs Edward Waite,
Lee, for North of Hatteras; Grace Webster, Young.
disg Panchitta, Thompson, for North for Hatteras;
and others.
Sid I'm Sagua 10th, brig David Eugbee, Showers,
Delaware Breakwater.
At Sagua Apl IL, sch Laura, Lamson, for Boston,
ready.
SPOKEN
April %. off Sicily. ship Grecian Dunbar, from
San Francisco for Falmouth.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
MARRIAGES.

In this city, April %. by Rev. A. K. P. Small.
Frank s. Keene of Poland and Carrie P. Waite Of
Portland. rn
In this city, April 25 by Rev. B. F. Pritchard
of Chebeague. 'A'Au' oo'u
In this city, April "a, by Rev. Henry blanchard
Smyth of Chelsea, Mass N-"H0es r.
AT White Rock. April 12 BY Rev Ios r EranL
lin. George Adjutant eff windham and Miss Annia
+. wade, OF Franklin, N. Fl. April 49, by same.
Snsrles Davis and Miss Lizzie F. Gray both Of Cor
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
Farm for Sale or toLet

NNE of the best in the County; known as the
" Brooks farm, four miles from Portland, half
mile from the ocean; two miles from Cape Cottage.
Buildings first class; two houses; cuts about fifty
tons hay; cost about fifteen thousand dollars; will
be sold for less than halt the COST let on
able terms. Fine place for summer boarders. New
house will be let separate If desired.
S. L. CARLETON, Office $50 Middle st.
apr22dtf Residence, 11S Congress ST.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26
DIR. H.. heb. REED,

ClairvOyant and Botanic Physician has
opened rooms at No. 592 Congress St.,
Portland, Maine. where he is prepared
to treat all diseases of the Blood, acute
and chronic. Office hours from 8 a. m.
to IL M, and 1 to 8 D. m. Free examin-
alton at the House until further notice.
Examination at distance the fee will
be $500. feb5dtf