davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-26
Farmer Schwab's CIe6uNty.

Christian Schwab is a rich Dutch
farmer who lives in Saville township,
Pa. He believes in fortune tellers and
charms. A few days G a party of
gypsies came through the township.
Schwab had his fortune told by one of
them. He was told that if he could
place $25 at the foot of q white ash tree
that forked cast and west within nine
PAGES of a running stream, and leave
the money there over night, he would
find it doubled the next day. There
was JUS such a tee on Schwab's farm.
He placed $25 at the foot of the tree.
and next morning found $50 there.
He visited the gypsy again, and
wanted to know if the money transac.
'tion could be repeated. The gypsy
read the cards and informed Schwab
that it could be repeated. and that he
had better place all the money he could
raise at the foot of the tree and make
all he could, for it would be doubled.
Schwab placed 800 as directed. The
next day he went to gather the money.
The 500 were gone. Schwab hurried
to consult the gypsy. She was gone
too. and the 9uiliblo farmer is still
looking for her.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-26

tie Bill, he had never had much blood
in his week, thin body; it could not
long supply such a stream.
you don't see no rats, father" he
whispered.
ono, Bill, my child-my darling"
"Nor snakes, father2"
"No, no."
"Nor-nor nothing, father?"
Nothing, Bill-but YOU"
cts all along of beer, said the child
family; 'they don't smell nothing now.
But father, dear, dear father-promise
me you won't 60 back to the spirits;
Sid can't see as I see, and you have to
look at them alone, for I'm-going,"
he paused a moment, and his eyes half
closed, then he opened them again and
looked up.
"Thc little ones would be frightened
if they saw them. father" he said,
"stinging ones might come in time. and
kill you all; SO promise me, father, that
you'll not go back to spirits; promise
Round little Bill Gathers" arms were
claspcd, and he drew him close, close
to his side.
81 PROMISE" he said, "and I will keep
my word, SO help me God"
a smile fitted across the child's face,
his eyes closed slowly, till his lashes
rested upon his white cheeks, one sigh
broke from his lips, hen all was still.
For a moment his father looked ut
him silently, then cried aloud:
"Littlc Bill, little Bill, speak to me-
But little Bills work was done, and
God had taken him.-7insley's Maya
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-26

the boy continued, "I think it's the
drink, the smell of it, as draws them
I've heard that snakes and rats and
them sorts are uncommon partial to
spirits, and you see, father, there's gen
orally u little smell of it about you,
though it's but n glass you've took"
Again the man looked strangely into
the child's face.
"Partial to spirits, are they! Where
did you hear that2
"Well, I can't exactly say, father;
but I've heard that in India and France,
and-and Iceland, where SIGH things
live, and bite, father, for they're not
quiet and harmless like they is here,
that they fill tanks with spirits over
night, and in the morning there's hun
drcds lying about as drunk rs can be,
a-singing acd-I mean a-hissing and
a-biting of each other like winkic; then
the people sweeps them up, and burns
them; SO l thought father, that if that
was the case there, may be you. though
you amt to say strong of spirits, yet do
smell n little, might draw them var
minis here, for they don't come when
me and the little ones is alone; and
p'raps. father, if you just took n beer
for a time, they might go away far
enough not to be drawn by the smell,
if you did have a glass of spirits, now
and again"
Once more the child stopped to cough,
again dipped the rag in water and laid
it on the mans head.
"Try and eat a bit, father" he said,
and silently the man turned to the Wit
uals, then. uttering a mighty scream.
flung the boy from him and rushed out
of the room.
Bill fell, but was on his feet in a mo-
mcnt: and after his father; the two
children sat up in bed, but he had no
time to notice them; down the stairs he
went, through the court, along Fleet
street, up the Strand, on. on keeping
his father still in sight till they came to
Trafalgar square, then for q moment the
man stopped, then dashed toward one
of the fountain ponds and sprang in
quick as thought Bill followed. and they
beat about in the water together, the
child pulling ut the man, drawing him
toward the edge, and at length they
crawled out.
elbow did it happcn2" said the man,
sobered up at last. Bill coughed again
and shivcrcd.
why, he said, quite calmly and nat
urally eve was running Il race, and YOU
fell into this ere water, and like a silly
fool 1 couldn't stop myself and fell in
after. Let's go home, father"
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-26
Santa Claus Will Skip Him.

A farmer and his wife hitched their
team in front of a Grand River avenue
grocery yesterday and then went in to
make some purchases. BY and by they
were seen whispering together in a very
confidential manner, and as the woman
gave him q handful of pennies, tied up
in a rag, she was heard to say:
"Now, don't you forget! There's
eighty cents, and that will get a twenty
cent present for each one of them"
He left the store with a fatherly smile
on his face and started down town.
Three long hours passed before his re-
turn and then a policeman had him by
the arm.
''Does anyone know this mani" he
asked, as he led him into the store.
Eyes: he's my husband" answered
the
"Chourse I'm yuze Observation-Disclosures
l am, mumbled the man who was ''step-
high" drunk.
'Well, you take care of him." said
the officer to the woman as he SUR
rendered his charge.
Did you get the presents for the
children| asked the wife as she took q
package from his pocket.
"Shertingly / did. Bless 'er little
hearts-bless emp >
She opened the package, and there
was twenty-four of the blacklist, mean
est looking cigars ever put on sale.
"Why, Samuel, what does this meant"
she exclaimed.
"Whaz 'er meant Whaz 'er meant.
Why, Them ish Chris'em presents for UNI
blessed chlldrenp
"They arel Why, you miserable old
idiot, what do these children want of
cigarsT' screeched the wife. (
.'Whaz 'er want of 'eml Whaz FER
want of 'emf Why, Ter want 'em to put
in papa's Chris'em stocking, of courscft
They loaded him into the wagon, and
the woman took the lines and started
for home, and AZ she turned the team
around abe said to the grocer:
"It's six miles home, and there ase
Tour cigars to the mile. I'll uaska5 klm
eat ever Q Of thsm.-IssseisxhH
ENAHE HrrHENHNfETrA
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-26
THE S7EP-MOI,KER.

seThe day died out in dreariness and dread,
Grim shadows crept through hall and cor
ridor,
While fading fre-light lurid Pickering shed
Athwar the panelled walls and oaken
floor.
"Around the cherries hearth the children
pressed,
Pale. patient, brooding DER the dreaded
morrow
(Like half pledged birds forsaken in the
nest).
Too cowed to weep. too dulled with gloom
and sorrow.
Upon the wall the treasured portrait hung,
That aforementioned smile forever gone.
That pure white neck round which their
arms had clung,
Those lips once warm with kiss and benz
sou.
seat every fahcied football, white with fear.
The children started. trembled, glanced
around,
Gazed in each others eyes and seemed to
hear
The strangers voice in every passing
-"How will she come ? with frown, or baleful
smile
Yet fearfuler, to greet the shrinking
throng
How look, how speak2 Why tarries she,
meanwhile,
Thus wantonly their torture to prolong I?
eat last she comes. Hush, hush, unwclcome
-. guest,
Usurper of dead rites and dearest ties
All, no ! false fears; it is a vision blest-
An angel stands before their glistening
eycs.
"With snch a smile as mild Madonnas wear,
Oh snch a look-so gracious and somcek !
The twilight glimmering round her golden
hair,
And tears Of tender pity on her cheek"
Miss MACREDY.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

The lumbermen of Michigan are con-
stantly reaching out into new fields, as
their own forests are disappearing.
There has been a great deal of Michigan
capital invested for number of years in
Canadian pine. Several Michigan lum-
bermen have been engaged for three OF
four years in the mahogany trade be-
tween this country and Central America.
Now it is stated that syndicates of
Michigan men have within few days
purchased nearly million and half of
acres of the leng-leaved pine lands of
Louisiana and Mississippi. The lands
were all Government property and have
been acquired at cost of S1.25 per
acre-a total of something like 81, $780,
900 having been paid for them. 1t is
believed that the standing timber agggre-
gates Is, 900, 900 feet of lumber. There
has been much mooted question about
the quality Of this yellow pine, but
tests have been made of it which were
satisfactory to the Michigan men, and
they propose to hold the production
and control it. Michigan pine lands are
worth to-day from $50 to 500 per
acre, so that they have margin for
profit in the land value, which is in itself
enormous.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

Louis Hahn, of Pittsburg, Penn, is
we'll known there as ''The Little Chief. "
Whenever there is an alarm of fire, the
boy, clad in the garb of fireman, is al
ways seen dashing to the burning build
ing. He is almost a monomaniac on mat
ters pertaining to the fire department,
and knows more about the department
than most of the fremen. He can do
what every member of the department
confesses himself unable to do, and that
is, to be given the number Of box, and
then tell it's exact location and what en-
gine will respond to the alarm from it.
Time and again, when in an engine-house,
this test has been made, and young Hahn
could never be deceived. He keeps
posted on every new box. In his room
he has fixed up several wires and gongs,
and often enjoys himself in practlcing
on them. So far has his fire department
proclivities gone that it is his great
desire to have a wire run to his
house aud gong placed therein, that he
may hear each alarm of fire. He knows
every fireman and frequents every en-
gine-house.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
A LABOR FIGHT.
Trades Unions Kicking Against tho
knights of Labor.

Trades Unions Kicking Against tho
knights of Labor.
A Pittsburg (Penn.) dispatch says: The va
rious trades unions have been threatening to
fight the Knights of Labor for some time be-
cause the latter will keep infringing upon the
formers territory. The fight started first
with the international Cigarmaker's Union OF
New York The fight extended to this city,
and embraced the Flint Glass Workers Union
and the Amalgamated Association OF Iron
and Steel Workers. The fight has resulted
in the issuing of the following secret and con-
fidential circular to oil leading trade union
lists throughout the country:
DEAR S1R:--We, the undersigned officers
Of the organization named, deem it highly I'M
portant to hold conference, at an early date;
of the chief executive officers of each anu
every national and internati snal trades union
in America 1t is issuggested that the said con-
ference be an informal one and be held ID
Philadelphia Oh Tuesday, May Is, leS6.
The subject Of the conference IS 10
devise ways and means to protect our re-
spective organizations from the mahciou.
work Of an element who openly boast tna1
trades unions must be destroyed: Ihls ele,
ment urges our local unions to disband, ana
il is doing incalculable mischief by arousing
antagonisms and 'dissensions in the labor:
movement. Under cover of the knights OF
Labor. and as far as we can learn without au-
thority from that body, this elementpursues
its evil work "Rats," "scabs," and unfair
EMPLOYERS are backed up by this element.
Suspended and expelled members of trades
unions are welcomed into their ranks, and
these elements use the Knights OF labor as on
instrument through which to vent thelrsplte
against trades unions. That this has been
the case can be amply demonstrated by
the Cigarmakers and Iypograplca!
international Unions. Other trades
unions have been more or less affected. These
and other subjects concerning the relations
of the trades unions and the Knight OF Labor
REQUIRE that the above conference %
held as speedily as possible, that we
may agree upon some plan to submlg 10
the general officers OF the Knights OF La Dor
to cease this hostility and antagonism toward
trades unions.
In view of the urgency of the case, we call
upon YOU to personally attend the conference
or appoint a substitute. If you will attend,
sign this circular and return in envelope:
Then YOU will be informed as to place OF
meeting. Consider this circular strictly con-
fdential. It is mailed to all nationa! and IN
ternational unions. Yours fraternally,
P. J. MCGUIRE,
General Secretary, Brotherhood OF Carpen'
terra
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
Daring Deed of an Oil Well Shooter.

Daring Deed Of an Oil Well Sh0oter.
Dell Bankson, an oil we'll shooter,
went to the new Kane oil field, near
Olean. N. Y, one day recently, to tor.
pedo the Craig & Cappean well, which
had just reached the sand. He had low
cred shell containing twenty quarts OF
nitro -glycerine to the depth of 100 feet
in the we'll, when he discovered that the
we'll was about to make flow. He knew
that the force of the oil would carry the
torpedo out at the top, and if it were
thrown upward with the flow it would
fall back to the ground and explode. In
either case Bankson knew that certain
destruction awaited him and the property
of his employers unless the torpedo could
be secured. With remarkable presence Of
mind, he placed himself at the mouth of
the we'll, and as the shell shot up on the
flow of oil, he threw his arms about 1t
and held it.
Even then undue haste and lack of
Judgment might have proved fatal, but
Bankson held the torpedo until the squirt
of oil had ceased before he removed it
from the we'll, although he knew that
only few seconds would elapse before
the oil would be followed by volume OF
gas and mass of rocks from the depths.
The instant the oil ceased he lifted the
shell from the we'll and walked carefully
and steadily away, carrying the torpedo
in his arms He had scarcely turned his
back vixen the gas and rocks came out OF
the we'll with roar and rush. When
all was over Bankson replaced the
torpedo in the we'll, lowered it to the
bottom, and finished his work. When
the owners of the we'll heard of the
wonderful nerve and judgment displayed
by Bankson, they at once presented him
with check for s100. Bankson's con-
duct is said by old we'll shooters to be
the most couras eou; in the history of
nitro o-glycerine operations in the oil
regions-work that necessitates the ex-
ercise of constant vigilance, cool judg.
ment, and steady nerves on the part of
the operator. .-New York Times.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

There are number of Chinese junks
on the Pacific coast, and it will astonish
Eastern people to learn that the freight
carried by these boats amounts in value
to about So, 1000, 900 a year. They are
engaged in the fishing trade on the Ia
600 or tidal creeks which run up into
the low, marshy lands lying along the
shores. They make as much money in
as short time as possible, and then 60
back to China. From Vallejo to the ex-
treme south they are busy all the year
round, dragging the waters of the bays
with nets having meshes so small that
nothing that swims can escape them; sal
mon fry, minnows, young herring,
shrimps, and large fish are all scooped in.
The larger fish are sold at ten to fifteen
cents per pound in Chinatown, San Fran
cisco, while the smaller ones, together
with the shrimps, are sent abroad.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

As an offset to the immense fortunes
in this country, there are some famous
ones in Europe. The Barring Brothers
are nearly as rich and as powerful as the
Rothschilds. It is half American
house, and keeps $50, 1000, 900 ''ready for
instantaneous use" The dead Duke Of
Portland left unentailed property worth
100000, and his entailed estates are
worth great deal more. The Car Of
Russia has an income of $1O,0oo,oO0,
and Queen Victoria is very rich outside
her enormous pensions. The Dukes of
Norfolk, Buccleugh and Devonshire, and
Marquis of Butte have rent rolls valued at
$4,000, 900 year, and the Duke OF West
minister is probably the richest man IN
the world. Rumor puts his income at
$50 minute, or over $50, 600, 900 year,
an extravagant estimate, of course. But
he is very rich, the bulk of his property
being in the thickly populated districts
of London.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
Foreign.

FOUR American fishing schooners were
ordered away from st. Andrews, NeWtound'
land, by a Canadian government steamer.
They had put in for bait.
THE German Government fearing that
strikes are impending, has issued decree or
dering the police to interfere III case strlkefS
intimfdate workingmen.
As1AT1c cholera has appeared at Venlce'
Italy.
THE Belgium government is vigorously
investigating the causes of the recent up
rising Of workingmen which resulted IN the
loss Of many lives and destruction OF lnucn
property
WHOLESALE arrests of Nihilists have Just
been made in several Russian towns, and the
Car is reported to be in great danger or as
sassination.
QUEEN VICTORIA, attended by the Eng
lisll royal family and many dignitaries, pro-
ceeded in state through the streets of London I,
to Albert Hall on the 4th, and opened tne
Colonial Exhibition. The streets along the
route of march were packed with cheering
people. The chief feature of the opening
ceremonies was the singing of a new British
ode composed for the occasion by Loro
Tennyson.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
THIRTY FEET LONG.

Successful Cast Of an Immense Gun
at Boston.
A ''big gun" recently cast at the South
Boston Iron Company's works was ths other
day taken out of the moulding pit, where it
had lain for about three weeks The
casting, so far as could be ascer-
tanned, is a complete success The
gun, in it's present rough state, is thirty
nine feet long. When finished its length
viii be thirty feet, and its largest diameter
fifty-four inches. This is the last Of three
fifty-four ton breech-loading rified can
non, ordered by the government @ TOR
in their finished state are of the
same size and weight and will throw the
same projeetile. but they differ somewhat in
construction. The one just taken out of the
pit will be COMPLETED next fall. The work
IS superintended by a representative Of tie
Iron Company and by three government ord
nance officers.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

JOHN E. OWENS, the comedian, has entirely
recovered his health.
BARrLEY CAMPBELL is writing new play,
based on life in New York.
MADAME JANAUsCHEK is to begin series
of farewell tours Of America in September.
MAPLEsoN's Italian operatic season" IN
San Francisco has not been financially sue
cessful
A CAREFUL estimate shows that only 9l9,,,
rOl nianos nave been made in tile United
States since 17S0.
HENRY IRv1NG's receipts since 1875 are said
to have been nearly 81, 100000, including the
proceeds of his American tour.
ROSE CoGHLAN, the actress, has purchased
q handsome villa on the Hudson adjoining
.'Greystoae, the residence of S. j. Tilden.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
Chang, the Chinese giant, has become

Chang, the Chinese giant, has become
citizen of the United States, in Kansas
City, which he intends to make his home.
He will make one more visit to China
and then return for good, His idea is to
open Chinese store. His relatives are
engaged in thetea business in China, and
he intends to import direct. He ad-
mitted to reporter that he had matri-
monial designs, and that at no distant
day he would take out license. but did
not wish to disclose the name of the
happy Kansas City belle.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
Those who sigh because thers il not

Those who sigh because there is not
time enough in the twenty-four hours for
one to do what he really ought to, in
these busy times, will be gratifed to
learn that the days are actually growing
longer. Said Professor Pritchett to q
St. Louis Globe -Den'ocratreporter: eyes,
the days are getting longer-almost i'm
perceptible, however, the extension being
at the rate of two seconds in a century.
This 'slow-up' on the part of the earth
in its daily rotation is caused by the
tides, which act as friction brakes upon
the earth's velocity. Two seconds in
hundred years is not much, but in tho
impenetrable future their effect will be
f,l+ -
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

Concerning the great age of Emperor
William, of Germany, the following is
of interest: "Only few favored ones
are enabled to see five generations great
grandparents, grandparents, parents,
children, grandchildren. The Emperor
has known seven generations, who COM
prise period of 15s years from the birth
of the oldest person up to to-day. The
Emperor was twenty .one years of age
when his great-grandmother, Langraviss
Luise, died March II, 1918, at the age
of ninety years."
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

The Laramie (Wyonning) Boomerang
has an account of some lakes in the vicin-
ity of that city so charged with soda that
it accumulates in great quantities around
tho edges, whence it is only necessary to
haul it away and work it up into COM
mercial forms. One of the lakes in the
Immediate vicinity of Laramie has been
drained, and the soda is now being
worked up by company, but the supply
in other parts is practically inexhaustible,
and has as yet hardly been touched.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19

One by one the ancient myths depart.
The old notion that wine improves by
age it seems, is humbug. One Winkel-
man, a German chemist, has been ex-
perimenting on the subject, and says
there is an age at which all wines, in.
cluding the very best, cesse to be whole
some. He ordered some wines of the
famous Bremen Rathskeller, Rudeshei-
mer Rose, 1868, and Hochheimer Apos'
tel, 1928, highly recommend for theil
medicinal value, and found that-they
were deficient in natural glycerine and
contained as much acid as the cheapest
new wines in poor seasons, so that they
were positively injurious to health.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
REAPER WORKS RAIDED.
and Strikers Shooting a'
Close Range in Chicago.

Policemen and Strikers Shooting ut
Close Range in Chicago.
Rioting and bloodshed marked the strike
at Chicago on the afternoon of the Sd. when
a mob of thousands made raid upon the
Mccormack reaper works. Their purpose
was to wreak vengeance upon the
men who had taken their places
in the shops. The building was
seriously damaged by showers OF
stones. The police were summoned and
battle ensued during which five strikers
were shot. two fatally; four police nen were
seriously injured, and Assistant Superinten-
dent C. j. Bewby OF the Mccormick works
was struck i'll the face with stone and badly
hut.
Their ranks broken, the rioters fled in every
direction. A dozen were captured and taken
to the police station and locked up on
the charge of riot. Many OF Nc,
Cormcks workmen were assaulted and
slightly injured. Patrolmon Casey was sent
to Vojtek's house to tell his family he was
injured There he was surrounded by mob
and rope brought out to hang him. A &C.
tail of police came to his rescae-Just IN the
nick Of time.