davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
"A Poker Story.
From the Buffalo Courier. I


A pretty good poker story is told by
q we'll known citizen, which duplicates
five or six worthless who are old enough
to be grandfathers. They are all
friends OF many years standing, and,
sub rosa, have been in the habit of
occasionally opening 81 few jack-pots.
This has been going on for q long time,
and as if by some strange dispensation
two of them seemed always fatal to
fall up against each other when both
had hands that were good for large
amount of money with good stiff bet
tiers behind them. This had been no.
ticed by members of the party, and a.
little Job was put up to test the met
tie of the pair. The next evening that
the gang came together, and when the
game was going along nicely, a $40
limit by the way, one of the company
called for new deck. It WAS handed
him all nicely prearranged, and after
pretending to shuttle the cards two
or three times, ne passed them to the
man on the right to becut. OF course
the latter said, "IIet 'em 90" and they
were dealt around. 1t was the sage"
of one of the two in question, and
WHICH, ~ CCtuuO w I'LL AC lOQ1lO UllEdO III
one had staid but his old adversary.
His face fairly beamed with delight as
he raised the other q dollar just for g.
coaxer, but he looked q little serious
when No. 2 came back with SIS more.
No. looked his cards over to see that
none of them had got away, and re-
turned the compliment, when No. 2
whooped her up with the limit, No. l
only seeing it. 1t now came to the
draw, and each took two cards. Here's
where the fun began. The first bet
was $40, followed with g. raise OF the
like amount. They cracked back at
one another until all the chips were
utilized, and each had good-sized
roll on the table, both being equally
confident. Finally one of them said:
"Now, my friend, have had all the
revenge want. You had better CALL
Ihave you beat to q certainty. The
other only quietly smiled and told
him to go right along, that he would
stick to him But MOL said no, he
was satisfied, and triumphantly
threw four aces on the table. He al
most fell off the chair when No. 2
showed up exactly the same hand.
They eyed one another for q minute
or more, divided the pot, nicked their
way over the rest OF the crowd, who
were speeches. with laughter, and
struck out for home.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
A Plague of Eels-

The inhabitants of the east end of
London are suffering from a plague of
cells. Everybody, says the London
Morning Post, knows that the month
ly reports of the chemists employed
by the water companies show conclu-
sively that the water is absolutely free
from living organisms, and the expla-
nation seems to be that the organisms
are too large to get into the micro
scopes. The fish which the East Lon
don Company are distributing to their
customers are indeed easily visible to
the naked eye, for some have been
found no less than eighteen inches long,
and the mains abound with them to
such an extent that the Local Board
of West Ham has complained to the
local government with theview OF hav-
ing some remedy applied. The cells,
instead of fulfilling their destiny by
being legitimately caught, skinned, and
cooked, have a fashion of committing
suicide In stop-cocks and taps. There
they decompose, with the result, as
illustrated lately, OF causing the water
to become horribly putrid, and of Civ
ing something very like typhoid-fever
to the unlucky consumers. A whole
family have just been laid PROSTATE
in this way, and one or two Of its
members are still seriously Ill.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Cure for Most Dangerous Wounds.
from the Boston Transcript. 7

IEOm Uu0 BOSUOD lTaQSCflpU.I
An intelligent and trustworthy cor
respondent has sent US the following:
The smoke of wooden rags is cure
for the most dangerous wounds. A
lady of my acquaintance ran machine
needle through her finger. She could
not be released till the machine was
taken to pieces. The needle had
broken in three pieces, one of which
was bent almost double. After re-
peated trials the pieces were extracted
by pincers, but they were very strong
ly embedded. The pain reached to
the shoulder, and there was every dan
ger of lockjaw. The wooden rags were
put over the Goals, and she held her
finger over the smoke, and in very
short time all the pain was gone and
it never returned, though it was some
little time before the finger healed.
This is but one OF the many instances
of such cure, some of them taking
place after several days from the time
of the wound. Let wooden rags be
kept sacredly and always at hand for
wounds. The smoke and stencil will
fill the house, perhaps, but that is
q tride when the alternative is lock-
jaw, or even a long, painful sequel to
a wound. Another instance, was the
wound made by an enraged cat, which
tore the flesh from the wrist to the ell
bow, and bit to the feshy part OF the
hand. One ministration Of the smoke
extracted all the pain, which had been
frighttul.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
When to Do the Mulching.

[ firmly believe that one Of the great
secrets of successful fruit growing is
thorough mulching. With some fruits
this mulching should be constant both
summer and winter, while the nature
Of some others, the straw berry, for in
stance, will not admit of summer
mulching. Young fruit trees and bush
fruits need constant mulching. Those
who raise but snail quantity Of fruit
as sort of a side issue, or to supply
the family. and who do not feel it an
imperative necessity to study the best
methods Of cultivation, seldom pay
much attention TO this question of
mulching. They may have g. rather
vague notion that trees need something
Of the kind in the way of protection
for winter, without really devoting
much thought to the subject to ascer-
tain the real reasons for the need OF
such treatment. Comparatively few
have recourse to summer mulching,
yet there are just as urgent reasons
for summer as for winter mulching.
Hot, dry winds, and lack of moisture,
are just as trying to young trees and
bushes as are the frosts and thaws of
winter. Mulch holds moisture, keeps
down vegetation, and furnishes fertil-
izing material for the roots in summer,
and what could be more important
than these items?
The work to be done in winter is
quite different, yet is accomplished by
precisely the same means. The great
danger to young trees in winter is in
the alternate thawipg and freezing so
common in the latitude of the fortieth
degree and whereabouts. 1t is not the
freezing alone that causes this injury,
any more than it is the thawing. 1t is
the sudden alteration from the one to
the other that plays havoc with the
roots. The earth about the roots
ought to freeze and to be kept in that
condition until spring that the top
may also be kept in g. dormant state,
in which it is much more capable of
sustaining heavy freezes without in
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Throwing Passengers Overheard.

From the New York Marine Journal
The barbarous custom of throwing
passengers overheard as soon as the
breath has left their bodies when they
die at sea on q transatlantic steamer
has nearly run it's course. Since our
statement that an ocean passenger
steamship is legally bound to deliver
persons who pay their passage in adj
vance at their port of destination,
whether they die or not, we have re-
ceived assurances that convince us
that we are correct. AS caskets can
be obtained in which body can be
kept in a fair state representation two
weeks without the use of ice, all Euro
pesn passenger steamers should be
compelled to carry them. The rela-
tives or friends OF those who die at
sea would gladly pay the extra ex-
pense entailed in preserving their
bodies and returning them to land for
decent and Christian burial.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Once Bitten Twice Shy.
From the Bonner z.itung |

From the Bonner Z3itung
Some years ago Kaiser Wilhelm held
a reception at Bonn. One of the off,
GERS who had the honor of being pre-
sented had been hitherto unknown to
the emperor, and the adjutant, who
had made inquiries, whispered to his
majesty, "Has just been promoted
captain The emperor spoke kindly
to the young man, and complimented
him on his promotion. Quite startled
by the happy news the officer, whose
turn had not yet come to be raised to
a captaincy, FASTENED to report the
matter to the colonel, who lost no
time in seeking an interview with the
adjutant, when it turned out that the
latter had mistaken the young lieuten-
ant for his elder brother, who had re.
Gently been advanced to the rank of
captain. The adjutant penitently
confessed his mistake to the emperor,
but his majesty only smiled, saying:
eff | have complimented Herr NJ on
his promotion it must remain So"
Not long since there was a levee at
court. Herr Won B., who had recently
been promoted to the rank of major.
appeared still wearing captains uni
form and was presented to the emperor.
Again the adiutant whispered: elias
just been promoted major" The en-
peror turned away with g. knowing
smile and said, in genuine Berlinese:
"Nay. my good friend, not to be caught
this timel"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17

jury, than if the roots were allowed to
send up sap during the warm spells and
thaws of a semi winter.
| think that many of those who
mulch, mulch too early IN autumn.
Their idea seems to be to keep out the
frost, SO the trees are mulched before
hard freezing sets in. IL the mulching
be properly applied, the underlying
earth and roots will not be frozen at
all during the winter, which causes the
tree to take on half active condition
as before mentioned. It also leaves
the surface OF the ground free to the
depreciation of mice and other iniuri-
Gus vermin.
Let the ground freeze hard to the
depth of q few inches before applying
the mulch. 1t will then stay frozen
through the winter. The strawberry
bed especially should not be mulched
until the surface has frozen. Mice and
moles often make sad havoc in q loose
unfrozen bed.-W. D. Boynton, in
Practical Farmer.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Driven Out by O. Ghost.
Tsandwich (Mass.) Special


John Murray, q sober carpenter,
who lives with his wife in small tene-
ment on State Street, has been unable
to sleep of late on account OF a female
ghost that comes romping into his
room en- dishabille st midnight, break
ing down the door when fastened, and
ruling the house with a high hand.
For the first two Or three nights Muir
ray and his wife tried to quell the visit
or by firing soup dishes and boots at
her, but SIS all themissiles went straight
through the apparition without leav-
ing scar, Mrs. Murray has left home
to return no more. Last night Muir
ray invited few of his fellow-work-
men 30 come and pass the night With
him. Just before midnight they heard
a noise on the stairs, and when Muir
ray went to the door to admit his
visitor he was knocked down, where.
upon all the men left the house in a
hurry. Murray is moving out to-
day,
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Facts About Rivers.

The explorations of recent years
have considerably changed our notions
OF the comparative rank of the great
rivers of the world. II we class rivers
according to their length, both the
Nile and the Yangtse- Kiang must be
named before the Amazon. The Niles
1000 miles of waterway from it's
head-waters south of Lake Victoria to
the Mediterranean, make it thelargest
river in the world, nearly as long as
the Mississippi and Missouri together,
and about 1000 miles longer than
the Amazon. The Amazon is the
greatest river in the world, because it
has immense tributaries, some of
them larger than the Danube or the
Rhine, by means of which the Amazon
basin covers an area about 1,0OO,-
900 square miles greater than that of
is the fourth longest river in the world
but in the volume of water that it
pours into the ocean it is second only
to the Amazon.
A very curious thing has been dis
covered about the three greatest river
basins in South America-the Orono-
co, the Amazon and the Platte basins.
1t has been found that they are SO
connected by water courses that the
traveller can pass in steamboats, Or
canoe from one river system into
another. He can ascend the Oronoco
River for hundreds of miles until he
comes to the Cassaquiari, on which he
can travel for about 200 miles to the
Rio Negro. one of the largest tributa-
ries of the Amazon. Floating down to
the Amazon, and then descending that
river for some distance, he can ascend
the great Madeira tributary. In it's
upper course he can turn into the
Mamore, then into the Guapore, then
into the little Allegro River. Here, as
is often done, he can haul his canoe
over q low, grassy fat about two
miles wide, and launch it into the Rio
Agoapehy, aud then descend by the
Jauru and Paraguay to Buenos Ayres
and the Platte River. The Allegro and
Agoapehy Rivers, head streams of two
mighty systems, flow side by side for
twenty or thirty miles, and many of
their branches are separated only by
a few hundred yards.
Mr.. Wells, the engineer whom Brazil
has employed for years in it's railroad
surveys, says that in many places the
basin of the Amazon could easily be
connected with that of the Platte River
by canals, and communication by
water would thus be rendered COM
plete from one system to the other.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
They Made Him Explain.
From the Portland oregonian. |

A man and his wife, with his eight
children, running from babe in arms
up to a boy OF IL, crossed on the
transfer boat yesterday to take the
Atlantic express. The children were
chubby, healthy, and sunburned. The
man said he was going back to Kan.
sas. In answer to inquiries he said be
had been living in the state eight
years. Some surprise was expressed
by bystanders that man should
wish to return to Kansas after be-
ing 80 long here, and he was asked
in what part of Oregon he had been
living. He said at French Prairie.
"Good heavens!" said man, "what
do you expect to find in Kansas bet
ter than French Prairie?" "Why,
that is one OF the finest portions of the
state" said another. "You will never
be contented to live in Kansas again. :"
The man looked little sheepish, and
said: "Well, you see my wife's rela-
tions live there, and she kind o'wants
to be with them" That settled the
matter.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Girdling Grape Vines.

At the Massachusetts Agricultural
College, recently, some experiments
were made in girdling surplus branches
of grape vines, which were to be cut
off afterwards. just below the bunch
of fruit ring of bark about one
fourth inch in width, was removed in
midsummer. The enlarged and earlier
fruit of the twelve rows of grapes thus
treated sold for $36 more than that
on similar number of vines not so
treated. The girdled canes were cut
away after the fruit was taken off, and
no injury has been apparent TO the
vines.
We question the utility of the prac-
tice of girdling. The punches above
the girdled spot undoubtedly grow
larger and ripen earlier, out they do 80
at the expense of quality. A vine will
generally set as much fruit as it is able
to bring to perfection. II we attempt
to make it bear an excessive crop,
either by neglecting to thin out the
clusters or by girdling, we thereby in
jure it's vitality without question. We
want strong, healthy vines. We want
grapes for the palate. Girdling weak
ems the vines and produces grapes for
the eye. No girdling for us.-Orchard
and Garden.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
A MONEYLEss MAN.
BY ELLA DARE.


When was boy, full well remember,
The dear mother-hand on my brown, curly
head,
And its touch, like her love- so caressing and
tender,
Comes to me Tow vith the words that she
said.
Lille and its years lie before you,
Paths there are many my son,
Let, beseech, no deluslen come Ger you,
Go on in the way you've already begun.
1--WE prayed for Gods help as guide
In directing your future career,
l have felt that He stood by my side,
I've known that His blessing was near
ave taught you to cherish tbs truth,
To be honest and UPRIGHT and brave,
To guard as your life these jewels of youth,
That from sin and from sorrow shall save"
time has passed by like dream in its fleet
And my brown curly hair is now snowy white
Whilst ask il these words iii their fullest COM
Have proved the dear mother prophet was
right
By the rule of the age must sadly confess it
That those precepts followed might seem to
some vain
The smile of the worldl All, Imay not possessit,
For the egg that is golden still must attain,
Since, strive as may and strive as / can,
| must yet bear the stamp of moneyless
man.
Oft times in the past have known the occasion
When, If had turned but a trife aside,
And listened awhile to most earnest persuasion,
/ might have won wealth and position and
pride.
When if had followed plausible plan,
might not now be moneyless man.
But whenever the tempter has tried to begue
me,
The deep voice of truth has rung like q bell
And I've cast off the thought that came to de-
file me,
7
And now, when I'm old, I'm as began,
An honest and upright, but moneyless man.
There's a terrible strife and deadly delusioD,
In the spirit of greed, depressing the race,
As it rushes along in maddening confusion,
TO reach the false heights of some glittering
place;
But I'd not barter peace for all of this sham,
Though 1--we and die a moneyiess man.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
FARM AND HOME.
Keep Pegging Away.

Keep Peggtng Away.
There's maxim that's true
And I'll tell it to you,
All pensive young fellows,
Who sometimes get blue:
When the clouds gather fast
Till they darken the day,
Pray don't get discouraged,
Keep pegging away.
There is sunshine above
Though it sometimes looks black,
There's an ocean of blue sky
Above the CLOUD rack;
Through the showers or springtime
Comes forth Smiling May,
So don't get discouraged,
Keep pegging away.
It was care killed a cat,
In the days that are flown,
And he's blind as bat
Who sits down to bemoan.
Be blitbe and be cheerful,
Light hearted and gay,
And don't get discouraged,
Keep pegging away.
And if in this process
You chance to peg out,
Why, meet your fate bravely,
With heart good and stout.
And when all is ended
The angels will say,
You did your work nobly,
Kept pegging away.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
OUR FATHER,
BY HENRIETTA CHRISTIAN WRIGHT

our Fatner'-Thus have We been taught to
pray,
Our he1rship granted by our right of birth:
And though we wander homeless DER the earth
YET YET may we claim more than the angels may.
VINO thus may reckon his the Gift Divine.
save him who pours upon the affairs stone
The sacred chrism, and the blood-red wine.
Warm from LIES chalice? Kneeling there alone
we cry, "Our Father" by knowledge of the main
Such Offering costs us-by he bitter sigh FN---
Wrung from us in d. rk hours of agony.
Thus do we our supernal vantage gain
ana lit our eyes unchecked to holy places
faces.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
Asserting Pigs.

In large litter of pigs there are al
ways one or two runts or underlings,
and as they grow older the disparity
is apt to increase rapidly by the
stronger erowding the weaker away
from the taat while sucking, and later
from the feeding troughs. Before they
are old enough 60 wean the tendency
of a few to get ahead of the remainder
will require some watching to prevent
the weaker from being suunted. Moth
ing is quite so good for young pigs as
their mothers milk. When old enough
to wean take off the best and put them
in separate pen with abundance OF
good food. Keep She remainder with
the SOW one or two weeks longer, or
until it has evened up somewhat with
the others. 1t will be impossible even
with the best care to make the poorer
pigs equal to those that first took the
lead. The effect of high feeding, how
ever, will make them fatten rather than
grow. II this is found to be the case
kill them for pig pork before severe
cold weather comes. There IS more
profit in such pigs by killing them early
than by trying to keep over winter.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-07
DICHMOND, FREDERICKSBURG
Ii AND POTOMAC RAILROAD.

y
LII AND POTOMAC RAILROAD.
THROUGH ALL-RAIL FAST-FHEIGH1
LINE TO AND FROM BALTIMORE
PHIIA DELPHIA, NEW YORK,
AND EASTERN AND
wESTERN CITIES.
ONLY TWELVE HOURS BETwEEr
RICHMOND AND BALTIMORE In
EACH DIRECTION.
CuYrespondingly quick tins TO Other
points Through bills OF lsding issued 81
low rates. y. A. TAYLOR,
IN 40 General Freight Agent.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-07
FELL FIFTY FEET.
A Policeman and tne Man ffe Was AR
restimg Tumble over u Ci,f.

A Policeman and tne Man He Was Ar
resting Tumble over Ci,H.
A Pittsburgh special Of Sunday
SAYS: A sensational and probably fatal
accident occurred about ii O'Clock last
night. Policeman George Woods and
a man named Edward Hennig, whom
he was arrestipg, fell over cliff to Lo-
Gust street, and neither is expected to
survive. Hennig had engaged in a
street quarrel, and when the policeman
arrived he took to his heels. Woods
gave chase, and finally drew his
revolver and shot at the fugi-
tive, the ball taking effect in
Bennig's left forearm. They wore
then not far apart, and when Hennig
felt the ball he stopped and stood al
bay Just on the brink Of precipice
fifty feet high. The men clinched, there
was short hard tussle, and suddenly
both men disappeared. When Other
policemen arrived no one was in sight,
bat faint cry over the cliff attracted
their attention. Looking down, the
two men were seen stretched al the
bottom of the cut. Woods was un'
conscious and both were terribly In
jured. They were carried to the police
station, and afterward removed to a
hospital, where they are now lying.
Woods is suffering intensely, and may
die before morning.