davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
The Price Of q Blank Shot.

"We had" said n of the crowd, zone
of the funniest duels I ever saw at col
lege. 1t was a put-up job, of course.
The pistols were not loaded with ball, but
the duelists did not know that. They,
stood up like men, apparently, but ono
of them got so nervous he fred before
the word was given. That placed him
at the mercy of his opponent, who was
a poor chap and rather shrewd. As
soon as the pistol went off the indi-
vidual who fired it got utterly scared.
The other stood calm and determined.
and proceeded to take lcisurely aim.
Don't shootr yelled the victim; don't
shootP 4 believe it is my turn, isn't
it? he asked, and turned to the sec
onds. of course it is; go ahead And
he again lcisurcly covered his man.
Hold onl Hold on! I'll give you $500
if you won't .sshoot' "Tain't enoughp
For heavens sake! I'll give you $75Op
The man with the pistol sneered and
covered him one more. How much
will you take?' "A thousand dollars,
'IIl give it. Put that cursed thing
down. And he paid his little $1O00."
San Francisco Chronicle.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
A Persian Game.

There seems to be as great a dearth of
games among the youth as among the
grown people in Persia, still they may be
seen winning walnuts from each other by
games very similar to the marble-play.
ing ofthe American and English youth.
A favorite game appears to be placing
each a certain number of walnuts along
a marked line at a sufficient distance
apart to allow of another one to pass be-
tween without touching.
The line is formed near the base of n
low wall. They then take turns in
knocking the bonse walnut off the wall
so that it rolls through the line, and any
nuts dislodged from the scratch arc con-
sidered won and transferred to the win
ner's pocket. Hobble-de-hoys of TWEEN
ty are often seen playing this game of
walnuts, as also pitch-and-toss for cop
pers. squabbles are of frequent occur
renee, but fighting seldom results, for
the meek-eyed youth of the Shah's do
minlons are more practically constituted
than we were when you and I were
young and were wont to peel off our
coats on the smallest provocation.-Omt-
ing.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

In Auckland, New Zealand, according
to an American visitor, an American is
immediately struck by the dissimilarity
manifested, both in requirements and in
ideas, to his own home. Butchcring cstab-
lishmcnts, with huge open fronts, are stu
ated besides music warehouses. Station
cry shops, their walls covered with books,
like the interior of q library, and saddle
and harness-makcrs, with windows dis
playing brides, bits and spurs, arc fire
quent features. Dry goods stores abound
to at least the number of three in each
block. Their windows filled with CAV
prints and COLLEGES, the light summer
dresses of the ladies and the numerous
light coats and straw hats of passing
pedestrians bear ample evidence to the
semi-tropical nature of the climate.
There are no saloons in Auckland, as a
strictly enforced licensing law compels
the owners of hotels to provide accom-
modations for a certain number of travel
lers. Each hotel, however, has q drink
ing bar in connection with it, from be-
hind which typical British Darmaids at
tend to the requirements Of thirsty way
farers.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

Thirteen boys in the school at Arcola,
ILL.,, struck against further study when
called in after recess. The teacher, who
apparently is a born diplomatist, called
up the thirteen largest girls in the room,
old them of the state of affairs, and
ordered them to march out and each
bring in a boy. Within three minutes
and a half a BAKERS dozen of lads with
very red faces were trying to study holes
in their books, and have been too busy
since to talk about the sad affair.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
lie Looked Fierce.

Within the circle of the authors doc
acquaintance was a dog named Kanuck.
He was a bull. dog, and though Of a very
savage nature, yet he was faithful to his
master he appeared to have a keen idea
of the ridiculous, for he seemed to know
how horribly ugly he was, and to take
supreme delight in terrorizing not only
all the dogs and children in the neigh
borhood, but even the grown people az
well. 1t was this dogs great pleasure to
leap from the ground to the top of the
fence, and thence to the cap of the gate
post, where he would sit for hours watch
ing up and down for some victim to
practice his bugaboo business upon.
When a timid or nervous person appeared,
and the dog seemed to know all such.
then he appeared not to notice their ap-
proach, gazing in every other direction
until the intended victim arrived nearly
opposite the post. Then he dropped
suddenly down in front and glared at.
him with bloodshot eyes and projecting
teeth and such m appearance of f~crocity
that the passer-by generally stepped out
into the gutter. Few people had the
courage to brush past him on the narrow
sidewalk, and when the passer-by had
spunk enough to regain the
sidewalk again, then Kanuck would
jump down from his post, and, rushing
to his master, wag his tail and hidcously
grin, as much as to say 'Didn't 1 scare
them, thought Cincinnati ENQUIRER.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

Tobacco blindness is becoming a COM
mon athiction. At present there are sew
eral persons under treatment for it at one
London hospital. It first takes the form
OF color blindness, the sufferers who have
smoked themselves into this condition
being quite unable to distinguish the
color OF a piece of red cloth held up be-
fore them. Sometimes the victim loses
his eyeslght~ altogether. Although smok
ing Is to a large extent the cause of the
malady, and so gives it its name, heavy
drinking is also partly responsible.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

A curious flower was recently discover.
ed on the isthmus of Tehauntcpec, Mexico.
1t has a faculty of changing its color dur
ing the day. It grows on a tree. An
other popularity of this floral chameleon
Is that it only gives out perfume at noon
time. One of the strangest things about
this flower, however, is that it should be
oundi in Mexico, when its colors are those
OF the United States flag. In the morn
ing it white, at noon it changes to red,
and at night it adopts a soft blue
color.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

At the close of 1878 there we're only
166 firms engaged in the silk manufac-
ture, in all its branches, in the country.
OF which 80 were in New Jersey, 81 in
New York, IS in Pennsylvania, % in
Connecticut, and the others scattering.
The total capital invested in the industry
was only SIS, 9ss, s77; the total products
were valued at $40, s94, s74, and the op-
eratives numbered only 10, 651. By 1879
the figures given for the whole country.
six years before little more than covered
the silk interests of Paterson alone.
which then had 1Os firms and corpora
tions engaged in it, employing 10, 500
hands, with 50, 955, 500 invested, and
produced $12, 172, 995 worth Of goods
that year. Since then the industry has
made still further progress.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

A mad donkey at Mcntone, France.
has just provided M. Pasecur with two
new patients. The animal, which had
itself been bitten by a mad dog, attacked
its owner and a veterinary surgeon who
came to treat it, inficting severe bites on
them both; and they both started i'm.
mediately for Paris, bringing with them
the brains Of the ass which had done the
mischief. They are not the only sufferers
by the accident, which has cast a slur, in
local estimation lat least, on the whole
family of quadrupeds to which the
offending animal belongs. The noun
tain excursions on donkcy-back, in
which visitors to those parts were in the
habit OF INDUCING, have fallen into tenn
Porary disfavor; and the donkey boys.
have been heavy losers by tho lull iu
their industry.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

The general public is not aware of the
existence of a medal of honor which is
conferred by. vote of congress on officers
and enlisted men in the naval and mill
tary service of the United Statcs. The
in which this decoration is con-
ferrcd is not calculated to render it
widely known, as it is always voted on
in a hurry, along with a lot of other
routine military business, and sent to it's
winn-r by mail without the least ccre-
mony. The medal was created during
the civil war and has many wcarers.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
A Thousand Dollar Moth.

1t is by no means the most beautiful OF
striking in color, for it is panied, as you
may say, in q single color of grayish
brown, though in many, many tiuts of
that color. Its form is the more wonder
1ul, for its secondary or hinder wings
reach back into long tails an eighth of
an inch wide and over four inches long.
50 Niat the insect measures about seven
inches from head to tip of tails, and be-
tween four and five inches across. 1t is
OF the general shape of what is known as
our luna moth, the large grcenish white
tailed moth; but in the luna the tails arc
only two inches long. I do not think
any other moth or butterfly has so great
eccentrlcity of form. But the most won
der1ul thing Of all is that it is the only
insect of the kind ever found. :
1hlrtecn years ago 4 son of Prof. Mey-
or caught it in a barber shop in Rio Jan
elro, into which it had flown during the
evening. He sent it to his father, who
had been a collector for many wears.
when the box containing it was opened,
and the great entomologist dropped his
eyes upon it, he almost tainted with de-
light, and at once was offered a hundred
dollars for it.
The news of the discovery of it spread
rapidly everywhere among collectors. and
dlllgent search has been made ever since
to find another of its kind, but in vain.
1t StanuS alone. Derhans the Iost of q q, 81
most extinct species, but surely the only
one that rests in air on cntomolorist's
pin. This fact that it dcies duplication.
together with its kingly form, will help
you to remove the shuddcr that passes
over you as you hear its name, jehovah.
for by this name the p%rinccly insect is
known among Observation-Disclosures DE-
hocah. 1t should be stated, however,
that its happy owner did not intend CIV
ing it this name, but somehow the real
name, Jupiter, was changed into Jehovah
when it was being catalogued, and so it
has remained.
1t is hard to place a value upon this
precious insect, for DR.. Meyer values it,
almost rs his own life; but T have been
told a thousand dollars would not induca
him to part with it. We can believe this
when we are told that u kind of beetle
iound in the West was sold, for several
years, at one hundred dollars q specimen.
Prof. Meyers entire collection is valued
at $40, OOO.- Congregationalist.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
The Pioneers.

Rouse! brothers, rouse! we've far to travel.
Free as the winds we love to roam,
Far through the prairie, far through thu
forest,
over the mountains We'll find a home.
We cannot breathe in crowded cities,
we're strangers to the ways of trade;
Welong to feel the grass beneath us.
And ply the Ratchet and the spade.
Meadows and hills and ancient woodlands
Offer us pasture, fruit, and corn;
Needing ourpresence, coerting our labor;-
Why should we linger like men forlorna
We love to hear the ringing rifle,
Tho shifting axe, the falling tree;-
And though our life be rough and lonely,
lift be honest, what care we?
-1EucL-0u
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
Quick Sales and Small Profits.

A man afflicted with deafness took a
prescription to a Topeka druggists, who
filed it with care and the latest style.
The deaf man asked the price.
when the following talk occurred:
Druggist Cleaning on the counter and
smiling in a won't-you-pay-up
manner) = The price is seventy-fve
cents.
Deaf Customer-Five cents. Here it
is.
Druggist Gin a louder voice)-Scvcnty-
five cents, please.
Deaf Customer-Well, there's your five
cents.
Druggist Gin a very loud voice
and very firm manner)-I said seventy
five cents.
Deaf Customer getting angry)-Well,
what more do you want2 I: Just gave YOU
five cents.
Druggist (sotto voce)-well, 90 to the
deuce with your medicine, + made three
cents, any way.-Drug Record.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

The Missionary Herald tells how the
Turkish government efforts taxes from
Its poor subjects. Ono poor woman, it
says, was tied to a tree with a largo bag of
stones about her neck, for the purpose of
compelling her to pay taxes. In another
place a sick man had his bed taken from
him and sold; other persons are beaten
and some are sent to prison. 1t is a sad
cry of poverty which now comes up from
all parts of the Turkish empire.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

During the trip OF a small steamer ur
the Fox River, Wisconsin, which oc.
Icurred one night recently, the crew wal
startled by hearing a German call out
'"Vat you doing init my b~astureW In.
vestigation developed the fact that the
steamer had wandered with the flood
over a portion of the Germans farm,
and the irate Teuton thought they were
about to rob him.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

Near Charlottt Harbor, Fla, is a coast
where one can wade over fifteen hundred
feet from the shore. In certain seasons
this place is alive with men, axes in
hand, who await the large fish hat seek
the place as means of escaping from their
arch enemy the ~porpoises. The men
easily kill the fish with their axes, as the
water is as transparent as glass, and they
can see how to strike them without any
difficulty.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

che covered it carefully with a green
cloth and seemed 1oath to leave. 1 sup
pose it was the first time he had lost
sight of it since its purchase.
"As soon rs his back was turned I be-
gan an examination. 1 had not the
slightest idea what to do, but my great
need of money urged me to make the at
tempt. 1t had a glass case in front with
a number of little figures that hoped
and jumped in a very stiff and jcrky
manner.
81 slowly turned the handle and
wound out the air of Jeanette and
Jeanot.' 1t sounded all right. I tried
the Last Rose of Summer 1t played
part way through. Then there was a
terrible clashing of wires.
"A string must be ~loose,' I thought,
and has fallen across the others. l can
fix that
'In the middle of that night I was
reused suddenly by hearing a clashing
of strings. I jumped up thinking some
one was stealing the hand-organ. But
no. There it was.
Strange! I said to myself. Gould
anyone have cntcrcd?' I came to the
conclusion that my mind was so worked
up on the subject that I had been dream
ing. Still I lay awake for some time,
waiting and listening. But all remained
quiet. The next morning I started at
my work."
"Wcrc you not afraid if you took it to
pieces, you could not put it back" I
asked.
"Idccidcd 1 would go with great care,
and number each piece us I took it out.
I carefully lifted off the case of figures.
and as 1 was about to set them down, I
heard the same strange sounds without
human hand near. I gently lifted off
the top, SO as not to disturb the ghost or
spirit; and what do you think happcncdY'
"What" I demanded, ex~citcdly.
ga mouse jumped out and I killed it,"
"You fraud" 1 cried.
eyes," he went on, "that was the
cause of all the trouble. When the han
die was turned the mouse, being in ex-
tremely narrow quarters, was disturbed
and crawlcd about on the strings. I re-
placed the top and case and left it till
called for. When the old man came I told
him it was as good rs new.
"Hc tried it and found all went
smoothly. I enlarged greatly on the care
and trouble I had taken! and when I
asked the sum of fifty dollars for killing
a mouse, he paid it without a murmer,
and gave mt ten more to boot"
"And that sixty dollars is what YOU
consider the beginning of your fortunc?"
eyes; it gave me q great lift. The
next day I strollcd into an auction-room.
where a sale of lots was going on: I
bought three lots at two hundred each.
giving n small payment. Next day I
sold two of them at three hundred each.
The third I sold later Mt a large advance,
and kept on in that way, dealing in real
estate with large profits"
'Did you ever hear from your Italian
organ-grinder again"
eyes; he sent several others to me. |
But old them I was out of that line of |
now."-OEre Storm.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

A Baptist missionary in China write
home that what an American famil,
throws away in a year would keep I.
dozen Chinese families; and what a Chi
tnese family throws away IN the same tint
would not feed q mouse.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06
Something to Jog Ills Memory.

Angelina-Oh, ma, do let us have
some of that nice glacier stained glass
decoration.
Mother-Why, darling.
Angelina-Wcll, you see, mother, it
reminds one so much of church. and
church suggests tho marriage-service;
and 1t seems to me as if Harry wants
something to jog his memory.-Pmek.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

A factory in Madison, Miss,
turns out 10 barrels of cotton seed oil
every week.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-06

Recent investigation shows the exist
ing navy OF Great Britain cost $210, 0oO,-
600, and that its present value does not
exceed 500, 600, 900.
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-20
Broken Hearts and Hopes at Milan.
PARTS Letter TO ms p1iladslpnia times.

FdrfS Letter TO the Phii9deLDhiI Times.
At any rate do not think it wise for any
poor American girl TO go to Milan TO study.
Nevertheless that City is tull of would-5e
singers. At night the "Kalleriav is 30
crowded with them that one can hardly
manage to pass through. | asked an
artistic friend how they all managed to ex-
tst. "Hope," said she, 'keeps them all up,
even II they haven't anything in their
stomachsp know an American girl
who went Into an opera organization,
where she advanced $500, nearly all she
had in me world and no chance tor any
more, ,,Whop she gotto Rome there was
no theatfe, no manager, and, of course.
no money. People may talk as much as
they like to the contrary, but believe me
when A assure you no one can make a
career In Italy without money. 1t ~ as
tonishing the number who go.down there
and payito sing and who inyarIablyi'get
let's" Only SIX weeks ago ANEW Y ork
girl, who was fnoM liam with her mother,
wrote me as fellows: There Is more
misery, blasted hopes and broken hearts
in this city than you can ever imagine or
than wOnld ever dare tell you Of. 1t ID
dreadful to think OF young girls coming TO
this PLACE. where the men are absolutely
witbpntf any morals WhateYer0 1t Is a
positive. fact that ~ debutante, especially
II sheds an American, must spend big
money" before she can get 'scrittura"
In Italy. In that country girl must pay
an agent for getting Der chance TO sing;
she must pay for the "spartite" or parti-
ton OF the opera; she must pay the te nor
or bass, sometimes both, and OF course she
must herself sing without pay. The
agents are for the most part scoundrels OF
the deepest dye, wretches not nc to live,
much less for a good American girl 10 be
obliged 70 do business with.
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-20
Wanted to Fight.

From tie AmerdcuS (Gd.) Republican.
We have been told good story on a
young gentleman OF this city who bears
the reputation of being one of the most
quiet and peaceable persons in the world.
He recently went to Macon county, met
Mr.. Lee Turner, an old friend, who was
In towering rage. "What is the mat
ter, Uncle Leer' he said. 'Why, has
killed my dog, and If was a young man
I'd whip him." "Never mind, Uncle Lee,
Pll whip him for you just as soon as see
him." said the young man; 'maybe Pn
see him Tomorrow" That night
after retiring the young chap
was so full OF fight that he
dreamed of meeting the man who had
killed the dog, and they were fighting.
His quarreling drew crowd to his room,
and he was beating his pillow to death,
and letting his tongue loose, too. "Yes,
you killed old Uncle Lee Turner's dog,
did you? Take that and that" punching
the pillow hard. Cd you, Phi pull all
the hair out OF your head" and he began
to tear; the pillow was torn up, the
feathers flew out and the crowd roared
with yells of delight. The young fellow
awoke in amaZement, and sheepishly
viewed his work. "Gentlemen," said he,
otis my treat, and the man that tells this
on me will get more than the pillow"
Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-20
The DEVILS Mil Hopper.

Prom the Gainesville Fla.) 4 dUocdte.
About five miles northwest of Games
Vile 10 what 10 known as the DEVILS Mill
Hopper. 1t is a physical phenomenon OF
like nature as the sinks, but with more
wonders. 1t is formed like a washbowl,
ls several hundred feet IN depth, and is at
all times filed with water to a certain
height. which spreads out at the basin of
the hopper in the form OF a lake which
neither rises nor falls, Notwithstanding
the fact that some twenty streams are
pOuring their contents into il contin-
uously. These streams pour out of the
sides Of the hopper at various heights
above level of the water in the lake
below, coming from no one knows where,
as there is no sign Of a stream
anywhere upon the surface for
miles around. remarkable fea-
ture OF this wonderful sink consists in
the fact that while for miles around the
growth of timber is all pine, inside the
hopper may be found timber growing of
almost every kind produced by Florida
soil. Trees OF every description, from the
diminutiye saplipg TO the towering mag
nolia. are thickly studded on all sides OF
the homer. Beautiful flowers and mag
nificent ferns grow in luxuriant prOfu-
sion, and when the sun Is shining the
reflection in the miniature lake OF all
above is grand beyond description. The
Deyil's Mill Hopper and the Natural Cave,
which ia another wonder in the same
vicinity. are favcrite resorts for picnic
parties and visiting strangers. The drive
from Gainesville to these attractive Tea
lures of Alachua county's natural curios1-
Ties Is a pleasant one hver good road.
M stranger visiting Gainesville should
fail TO see the DEVILS Mill Hopper and the
Natural Cave.