davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
detroit Free Press.l

it is all very well for those who can
afford it to adorn their houses with rich
nesS and elegance of European palaces,
and decorate their walls with works of
art the like of which can only be seen
in the galleries and castles of the old
world.
But one practical difficulty about it is
that whereas the art treasures of Europe
are sheltered in fire proof buildings
which can be burned very slowly, if
burned at all. in this country a Jet of
flame, Whit of smoke and the tons of
water necessary to extinguish fire in an
American structure will destroy the most
valuable of possessions in the twiDkling
of an eye.
An imperfect fue" sc: New York
house on fire the other morning, and AL
though the engines arrived in time to
prevent general confsgration, immense
havoc was wrought. A parlor whose fur
niture, panels, chandeliers and frescoes
cost $50, 900; \ picture just from the
Paris salon worth $15, 900 were speedily
made almost worthless. The man who
tucks away his bonds or his greenbscks
in the stove during the summer and
kindles fire with them in the fall is not
so very much behind those who store up
these precious articles in infsmmable
structures
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15

There is widespread belief among
Americans that the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was signed on the Fourth of
July" The writings of John Adams
and Thomas Jefferson, as well as the
printed journal of the Continental Con.
gress, bear out this idea, but a recent in
vestigation by the chief librarian of the
Boston public library shows that we
have all along been laboring under a
mistake.
The declaration was read and agreed
to on the 4th of July, but it was not
signed. 1t was ordered to be authenti-
Gated and printed during the afternoon,
and on the following day copies were
sent all over the country. On the 10Th
it was resolved that the declaration be
engrossed on parchment and signed by
every member.
On the I'd of August nearly all the
members signed it. Thornton, of New
Hampshire, did not sign until November
4 of that year. and Mexican did not sign
until 1881 Of course no one proposes
to change our day of celebration. 1t is
a fact that our independence was an
nounced to the world on the 4th of July,
and that is enough. The signing of the
document was of less Importance.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
How Fahrenheit Got His Zero.
TOhio State Journal.I


Fahrenheit was mathematician and
knew that circle was divided into $50
degrees. He found that steam and ice
were the most natural fixed points in
temperature, at opposite poles.
He therefore naturally divided the
distance on bis glass tube between ice
and steam into the number of degrees in
the diameter of a circle, which is $50.
He wanted an instrument which could
be cheaply made and which would meas.
ure above steam and below ice, so far as
would be used in everyday life.
He found that artificial cold could be
produced which would cause the mercury
to fall just thirty two Of the spaces he
had marked off on his glass between ice
and steam, and he there, sensibly or not,
placed his zero or point from which he
could count. Hence ice or freezing is
thirty-two degrees above, and steam or
boiling water is the diameter of his circle
or $50 degrees above ice, or 212 degrees
above zero.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
Cure for suffering.

A gentleman who stammered from
childhood almost up to manhood gives
a very simple remedy for the misfor-
tune:
"Go into a room where you will be
quite alone, get some book that will in.
terest but not excite you, and sit down
and read two hours aloud to yourself
keeping your teeth together.
Do the same thing every two or three
days or once week if very tiresome,
always taking care to read slowly and
distinctly, moving the lips but not the
teeth. Then when conversing with
Others, try to speak as slowly aud dis
tinctly as possible, and make up your
mind that you will not stammer
Well, | tried this remedy, not having
much faith i'm it, / must confess. but
willingly to do almost anything to cure
myself of such annoying difficulty, I
read two hours aloud with my teeth to-
gether. The first result was to make nv
tongue aud jaws ache, that is while /
was reading, and the next to make me
feel as if something had loosened nv
talking apparatus, for 1 could speak
with less difficulty Immediately. The
change was so great that everyone re-
marked it. / repeated the remedy every
five or six days for a month, and then at
longer intervals until cured"
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15

A man need be neither rich, hand
some nor shspely to dress elegantly, or
even set fashion. Though good in
come is desirable, the art of dressing lies
not in expensiveness, but appropriate
ness, finish, and that Elusive something
that the world calls style and philoso-
pliers character.
IL not born in man il can be arrived
at only with vast pains, and even then a
man will often dress less we'll than his
valet. 1t is only when garments seem
exactly TO express mans true self, un-
consciously; when they are at once efiec-
tive and unaffected; are entirely harmo-
NOUS, easy and appropriate, and, above
all, are suggestive rather than conspicu-
Gus, that they are artistic, distinguished
and of ethical value. In other words,
what looks well on one man won't look
well on all men.
But only few recognize the great
truth or have courage to practice it,
Therefore, the man who dresses TO cor
rectly suit himself is certain To produce
a result that will be copied by Others
who admire it without regard to whether
it suits them or not. This is how men
Of talent set fashion, and why it re.
quires men Of talent 10 do il.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
The Caxafe,s Voice.

They say there is only one thing that
can initiate coyotes call, aud that is an
Indian. This seems to imply that an In
dian must be the more comprehensive
songster of the two.
But it is not 50 for conversely there is
only one thing which can initiate an In
dian. and that is a coyote. The coyotes
voice, moreover, has one popularity in
which it gets ahead of the Indian, il does
not echo. 1t used to echo, but the
coyotes would not stand it. They hated
TO have it flung in their teeth that a
mere soulless atmospheric phenomenon
could Keep even with them. so one day
they got up early and set themselves to
beat the echo.
Day WAS just breaking as the first
coyote commenced the overture, aud
when he lefta dusk second coyote
took up the burden and sang till dawn
But the echo was still on time. Twenty
three coyotes used themselves up, aud
still the echo came up smiling. Every
note was taken up a. il fell due, and all
drafts were cashed on sight. When the
eighty-seventh coyote succumbed the
echo was scarcely perceptibly behind
with the responses. That exhausted the
visible supply of coyotes, 30 the first one
went to bat again. This was too much for
the echo.
II broke its spirit When the second
coyote relieved guard it was two bars,
twenty-five cents behind. BY dawn he
WAS only at the top of the last page but
one. Another week increased the coyote
lead TO one hour and four furlongs. Then
the animals doubled up and by the mid
die of July the echo was mauled beyond
recognition. On the 293d round the
echo went down without being
touched, aud the coyotes claimed foul.
Since then the echo never touches a
coyote, because he never knows how
many more there are back CT it.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
Art Appreciation.
lHarper's Magazine.l


1t seems not unnatural that Boston
correspondent should make Chicago
man the hero of this incident in what is
called real life:
A prominent merchant of one of our
Western cites, who counts his dollars
seven figures, but who, in the ardent pur.
suit of wealth, has neglected such friyol-
tiles as literature and art, was recently
visiting Boston with his family, and See
ing the sights Of 1.-The Hub" In the
course of his wanderings he entered the
Museum Of Fine Arts, and after gazing
superciliously around at the contents
there of, his attention finally rested up
OH some fine paintings by Gustsve Dore,
which were at the time the pride of the
city. These seemed to interest him, for,
turning to his guide, he said, sc. Dore?
g. Dore9 are these by G. Dore?'
On receiving an affirmative response,
he continued, 1T seems TO me that he
has improved greatly of late, hasn't he?"
The guide, remembering that the artist
had been dead some time, struggled a
while with the desire to be truthful, but
delighted that the great man had found
fully answered that perhaps he had.
Then the Westerner called his son to
him: John, see these pictures by G..
Dore. Yes, it certainly seems to me he
has improved very much. G. Dore ?
G. Dore? Why he painted our house in
Chicacoir
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
PICKING THE BANJO.
Popular Favor Into which BanI0
Play ing ~ Coming.
Boston Sunday Times.l


at is said that you are one of the
pioneer banjo-makers and teachers" said
the reporter to n jolly, red-faced little
man. with slightly gray hair and stoop
in his shoulders, land as the banjo is
coming into use as one OF the most popu.
lar instruments of the day, have come
to have talk with you on the subject"
Quite right; quite right. / have been
here since '52, but, | declare, the present
craze for banjo music beats anything
ever saw"
Not only here, either, but all over the
country they have taken the thing up, in
some cases 10 the exclusion of pianos and
other instruments, especially accompani-
ments for ballads, that it is wonder
that it has not had run like this before
The trouble was, though, that people
did not like the idea of playing on an in
strument that was So strongly associated
with darkey life in the South, and with
negro minstrelsy in general.
Time has wrought great change in
the notions of the people in this regard,
and the humble banjo has been elevated
to the rank OF the guitar. Besides, the
banjo as il is manufactured is not an in.
strument to be sneezed at or coughed
down when it is in the hands of q player
who knows how to get music out of it.
Another thing about the banjo: Almost
any one with an ear for melody can pick
up tolersbly fair knowledge of it in a
few weeks, with any kind of application.
That is why so many people who don't
want to spend two or three years learn
ing the piano have begun to twaug the
banjo.
have pupils all over the city from
Tar Flat to Mob Hill. make the bari 10
for them after they have taken few
lessons and know what kind of an instru-
ment they want, high-priced OF low,
maple frame or mahogany, nickel frame
or silver hoop" A list of the pupils was
shown, and was found to be long, includ-
ing, as the teacher remarked, persons of
all grades of life.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15

Understand the reasons, and all the
reasons, why the habit is injurious
Study the subject until there lie no lin
gering doubt in your mind. Avoid the
places, the persons and the thoughts that
lead to the temptation.
Frequent the places, associate with
the persons, indulge in the thoughts that
lead away from temptation. Keep busy;
idleness is the strength of bad habits.
Do not give up the struggle when you
have broken your resolution once, twice,
thrice-a thousand times. That only
shows how much need there is for you
10 strive.
When you have broken your resolu..
tions, Just think the matter over, and
endeavor to understand why ii is you
failed, so that you may be on your
guard against recurrence OF the same
circumstance. Do not think IL an easy
thing that you have undertaken. 1t
il folly to expect to break of habit in
a day which has been gathering long
wears
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
The Cashier wio Had NO Emotion.
Boston Herald

Boston Herald
On suburban theater train the other
night little party were talking of pa.
thetic scenes upon the stage and how
they were variously affected by them.
"For my part" said dspper young
man, 81 never yet saw anything on
the stage that could moisteu my eye
l leave the crying to little boys and wom-
en-"
"Oh, you do, do your replied a bluff
old gentleman, an officer of one of the
railroads; every time / hear a young
man talk as you do feel like telling n
an incident that once came to nv notice
in New York City. A party of us sat
in box, Hazel Kirke' was the play.
None of US had ever seen it. shed a
tear or two quietly and unobserved, but
rough old Gen. McRae cried like baby.
He WAS President of Georgia railroad
then, and in New York on business. He
was regular martinez in his profession,
stern and unrelenting. He was an old
bachelor, too, and 80 far as is known
never had tender feeling toward woman
or kin. he had lived life solitary and
absolutely unsentimental. We were all
surprised 20 see such emotion in such a
man, but none of us said anything
except young George, of Atlanta.
He laughed at the old Generals weak
ness.
"'CaD you witness such a scene a.
that with dry eyes," inquired the Gener-
al with all his old sternness of manner
and speech.
"Why, of course can. could laugh
at 1t even Ms laugh at you
"'See here, George, said Gen.
McRae, with great earnestness, you are
cashier of bank in Atlanta In that
bank my company has many thousand
dollars deposited. Immediately upon my
return home every dollar of our de-
posts shall be withdrawn. You may he
an honest man, but ! do not feel safe
with our money in MI institution where
one is cashier who talks as you talk.
Upon his return TO Atlanta the
General did as he promised And lucki-
ly, too, for in less than six months
that bank was nearly ruined by heavy
embezzlement by its cashier"
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
All SORTS.

A sound sleeper. He who snores.- Bos-
ton Post.
A miser is the golden mesn.-[ Mer-
chant Traveller.
No brass band can play as may airs
as drum-major can put on.-[Tid- Bits.
To the drunksrd life is reel; TO the in
dustrious life is earn nest Philadelphia
Call.
Sometimes the woman who kneads
bread the least needs it the most Bos-
ton Times.
Adam and Eve introduced undressed
kids along with the fall styles.-[South
and West.
Grave injustice-The eulogistic inscrip-
ton upon the average tombstone.- Bos-
ton Transcript.
Menny a phool haz passed thru life
with fair svckcess by taking n back seat
and sticking to it.-GJosh Billings
If dread is the staff of life" then
pound CAKE must be the gold-headed
cane of existence.-[N New York Journal.
Arizona now exports tannin." Thus is
another avenue of usefulness closed to
the Massachusetts scooolmarm.-[B Boston
Transcript.
Glass cloth has failed to become a
popular fabric, though its price is only
$40 a yard. Perhaps it's comparative
cheapness is against it Philadelphis
Call.
A New Jersey man wants a divorce
because his wife hasn't spoken to him
for nearly two years. Some men don't
know when they are well off, Hen.
pecked Editor, Norristown Herald.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
detroit Free Press.l

eyes, sab, you might Dot believe it,
but shua rs I'm lathering your chin
whisky saved my life" The speaker
was handsome colored man in neat
barber shop near the Brush street depot.
He was preparing the face of an equal
ly handsome reporter for clean shave.
Eyes. sab, owe my life to whisky, an
| Amt ashamed to say so. 1t happened
in dis way.
was cook on the steamer Asia, an
was a-runnin' tween Gwagian Bay an
the 500. One day at Collin'woo4 went
ashoa an got little trihe Of sunthin' to
drink, an then thinks l a little of dis
stuff wouldn't 90 amiss to.mow mo'nin'
when we're out on dat air cole bay. So
| gets bottle.
Well, when | was startin' to navigate
up de gangway Capt. Savage he looks
down from de prominade deck, an says
he, Cook, you can't fetch no whisky on
board dis hea craft; just leave dat air
bottle on de dock Well, / was jus
slowed enough to be sassy, so says /,
We'll, Captn, If my whisky cant go
aboard can't All right says de old
man, 'jes' you step to de office and get
what's commin' to you, for can't low
no man to take whisky on my boat
There was 1922 commin' to me, so l
steps up and gets it. 'spected he'd AK
me to stay, but he meant business, SO /
got my apron an cap an left. / came
right down to Sarnie and got job first
thing in de Belshamber House. Mex
day when ] was cookin' supper fren'
of mine come in an says he. Il thought
you was on de Asia. Well, / quail lied
wit de ole man. says /, an lef her
You done good job by that says he
for she's done sunk ANAL hands 'ceptin'
two got droun'.' Alta supra me an my
fren' we went TO Port Huron an dare
shua' 'nough we foun' the Asia had gon'
down with nearly 200 people. Says I,
Whisky amt such a bad thing after ALL
Who said it wasg says be. Well, let's
have some,' says I, Now, my young
fren', you've heard talk of paintin' q
town red. Why red was no name for il.
We fairly tore up the groun'.'
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
The InsuitionaI Sense I'm women


The wit of women has been praised.
but her instincts are quicker and keener
than her reason.
Counsel with your wife, or your moth
er, or sister, and be assured that light
will fash upon your darkness. Women
are too commonly sdjudged as verdant
in all but purely womanish affairs.
No philosophical student of the sex
thus adjudges them. Their intuition, or
insight, is the most subtle, and if they
cannot see cat in the meal, there is no
cat there.
In couuseling one to tell his trouble to
his wife, we would go further, and ad vise
him to keep none of his affairs secret
from her. Many home has been happi.
ly saved, and many fortune relieved by
mans full confidence in his better
half. Woman is far more seer and
prophet than man if she be given a
chance.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15

Married people would be happier il
they tried to be rs agreeable as in court.
ship days; IL each would try and be a
real support and comfort to the other; IL
household expenses were always pro-
portioned TO receipts; IL each remembered
the other was practically human being,
not an angel; ia women were rs kind 10
their husbands rs they are to their lovers;
IL men were as thoughtful for their wives
as they were for them when sweet
hearts; II both parties remembered that
they were married for worse as well as
for better; il there were fewer silk and
velvet street costumes and more plain,
tidy house dresses and street ones, too,
for that matter; if there were fewer
"please darliDgs," in public and more
common manners in private; il wives
and husbands would take their pleasure
as they go along and would not degener.
ate into mere toiling machines.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
st. Louis Republican /

History will take care of the great
events Of to-day and hand them down 10
our great grandchildren in many pom.
derous volume; but the more interesting
picture of the daily life of their ances.
tors will have 10 be made from the adj
vertisements now printed in the daily
papers.
The Romans wrote their advertise
ments and notices on the blank walls of
buildings and these, a. we find them in
Pompeii today, give an animated aud
life-like representation of the very things
we desire to know about this once gay
and pleasure.loving people.
But modern life reflects its interesting
little phases, moods, rivalries and con.
Germs in the broad pages Of the daily
journal; and a hundred years hence the
advertisements in some well preserved
copy of the Sunday edition will give g
more vivid picture of what is going on
in the city to day than all the solemn
histories furnish. Ii is the advertiser
who writes for posterity.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
.Crisp, IL the Word.

1t is no longer permissible to speak Of
persons as being "smartly" dressed. A
mans dress is never alluded to, but a
well-dressed woman is now a crisp
woman.
To be "crisp" is at present to have
reached the apex of fashionable style.
But how is this quality to be obtained?
Mem: Having ones gowns made by "my
tailor" ones head-gear by my halter"
ones ''hand shoes" by my glover" and
ones boots by the varlets who shoe the
cavalry regiments, are all means TO the
desired end of being "crisp" woman.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
Begging in China.

In China begging is regular business,
beggars being born into the profession
and bringing up children to it.
In every large city there is vast as
ISOLATION of mendicants, to which every
one who begs for living must belong.
At the head is one styled the Beggar
King. His authority is absolute. and
&c him the others are amenable. The
society has code Of rules, and by this
every beggar has a right, according to
custom, to stand at the door of dwell
ling, and howl, sing, knock or make any
other noise he pleases. until the occu-
pant gives him one cash.
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
He Thought the sheep Had Been
stolen.
ian the Year Round. !

A farmer of Warwickshire having sold
flock of sheep to dealer, lent him his
dog to drive them home, distance of
thirty miles, desiring him to give the
dog meal at the journeys end and tell
it to 60 home.
The drover found the dog so useful
that he resolved to steal it, and instead
of sending it back, locked it up. The
collie grew sulky, and at last effected its
escape.
Evidently deeming the drover had no
more right to detain the sheep than be
had to detain itself, the honest creature
went into the field, collected all the
sheep that had belonged to its master,
and, to that persons intense astonish.
ment, drove the whole flock home again
The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15

Bubby stubbed his toe and came cry
ing to his mother. There, there Bubby,'
she said, after she had ascertained thai
the injury was trihing; "you are too bis
boy to cry over a little thing like
that"
"B-but what a-am ] to do mammal he
asked, sobbingly; 81 amt b-big enough
to swear"
Am on the right road to the vii
lager demanded traveller of an old
darkey who was working in a field.
eyes, sab, I" said the darkev. The trav-
eler pursued his way, but presently re-
turned very mad. Il say" he shouted
to the old fellow, "what did you mean
by telling me that was on the right
road to the village9" 81 tot you de
truf, deed did, boss" replied the dar-
key, but yo' tux de wrong direksbun.
sab, "-lDrake's Magazine.
Ii is stated that Henry NJ. Stan
ley, the great African explorer, wears a
swallow-tail coat. We can now un-
derstand why he was able to travel
among the cannibals for years without
being roasted and eaten. No man looks
juicy in a swallow-tail coat.-TThrouRh
Mail.
1t is said that the largest organ in the
world has been built by Wslck, of Lud.
wigsourg, and placed in the Cathedral
of Rigs. 1t measures SO feet in width,
80 feet from back to front, and 65 feet
in height. 1t has not less than 6,S26
pipes, distributed among 124 sounding
stops.