davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Congressional Jeremy Diddlers.

Some queer things can be seen about
the capital during the last days of the
session. One Of the queerest is the
crowd of collectors. Coming to con-
gress may be an honor, but it cannot
be said to make men honorable. The
average of dead beats in congress is
quite as great as outside. On the last
days of the session you will find a
swarm of florists, livery-stable men,
hotel and clearinghouse keepers, con-
stables and professional collectors
swarming the corridors, looking after
delinquent members and trying to
catch them in the halls. There are
members who Systematically rob hotels
and haberdashers and all sorts of
tradesmen right and left. Nothing
can be legally done with member
of congress for obtaining money under
talse pretenses though it is jailablt
offence when committed by common
people. The only remedy is to maxi
the transaction known. If the records
of the congressional dead beats coult
be printed good many people woult
be astonished. The most reckless
prodigality in Injuries, such as car
riages, flowers, wines, cigars, ETC., is til,
usual life of the congressional beat
There are poor men and women ther,
who have catered to these members
with the idea that men holding sucl
honorable positions must of necessity
be honest, who have tried in vain tc
collect what is due them. These dupeS
actually suffer for the necessaries OF
life, while the congressional debtor:
IRE aping men of wealth in high living
rhe sergeant-at-arms's office could tel
disgraceful story Of bogus checks
duplicate drafts and violated obliga
tions--a story too unpleasant to print
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
FARMER AND HOUSEWIFE.
The Honey Aats.

The Honey Asts. =
The honey ant is small, red insect,
extremely demonstratiye and active,
and found particularly in Texas and
Mexico, and in considerable numbers
in Colorado. Their nests are promi-
nent mounds in some cases, and again
are low heaps, spread over an area of
twenty or thirty square feet forming
community. AS a rule they are noe
turnal, working at night, though l have
seen them work in the bright sunlight
at three o'clock in the afternoon, march
ing in line, perhaps seven feet wide
and forty feet in length, to a cotton
wood tree, up which they passed-and
long and slender coming down larger
and full of pure white liquid. 1t
would strike even casual observer as
curious that these ants were carrying
home liquid that could hardly be
stored away, ants not having, as a rule,
storehouses for liquid provisions; but
the honey ant overcomes this difficulty
in decidedly novel manner. Certain
of the ants, either by agreement or
selection, are utilized as receptacles for
thehoney food supply and become lit
orally honey bottles. They are kept by
the others in separate apartment,
about six inches long by four in height,
that is storeroom. Here, if the nest
is carefully opened, the ants or honey
bottles will be seen hanging on the
wall, looking like ripe currants.
The modus operandi that results in
this is as follows: The ants, at least
the small ones, forage for food, and find
| it in some cases in what are known rs
gals, curious engagements or growths,
often seen on trees and formed by the
egg of an insect having been deposited
in the wood, the latter growing about
it and allowing in some cases an escape
of a liquid that is greatly esteemed by
ants, and certainly tastes like honey
Filling their bodies with this material
the workers proceed to the storeroom
where the bottle ants are kept and de
liver it up to them, the receptacles re
ceiving so much that they become dis
tended to an enormous extent, as W
have seen, and are incapable Of move
ment to any great degree. Their bodie
upon examination seem particular
adapted for thepurpose, being covered il
their normal condition by several plate
that spread apart whei, the abdomen
distended. How long these living bot
ties hold their store ID not known--llr
doubtedly Indefinitely. When the otht
ants wish to draw their ratiOns the
proceed to the dark chamber, and
supply is forthwith given up. Such a
arrangement seems to show that ant
have much more intelligence than the
are given credit for, rs all their NOV
ments cannot be considered instinctiv
In Colorado their nests are quite con
mon about the Garden of the God
and the tunnels that they form ofte
penetrate considerable distances int
the rock, and the work in arriving {
the chamber where the honey bottle
are hung is one of no little labor.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Who Made Congressmen3

Once upon time good man took
his little boy into the gallery of the
house to show him the great men of the
nation, when they listened eagerly to
the able effort made by one of them.
When he had finished the father turned
to the boy and put his hand on his
head. mw
"My son." he said, a. an honest man
is the noblest work of Cod"
The boy looked into his fathers face
with his great earnest eyes.
"Papa," he inquired simply, "wht
made Congressmen?"
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
SELECT MISCELLANY.
Treatmen, Of Mexican Prisoners.

-, Treatment of Mexican Prisoners.
In Zacatecas the prisoners are worked
as cargadores, and while writing this
fifty have passed my windows and all
were loaded with wood. Atother times
we see them loaded with bags of earth
and rubbish from the street, lime and
sand for the builder and heavy stones
used in paving the streets and side
walks. Many of them are barefooted
and clothed in rags, while others have
piece of blanket around the loins,
which form their entire suit. They are
driven to and fro by mounted guard
consisting of about one-third of their
own number; thus to them life is almost
worse than death itself. When lumber
or long timber is to be moved the two
pieces are fastened to the pack-saddle
on either side of mule or burro, while
the other ends drag on the ground; thus
they are trailed along to the required
place. This is the secret of transferring
everything for which a long geared
wagon Is necessary. And it is even
said they pride themselves on their
native ingenuity, for by this method
there is no time lost in gearing and
ungearing. All the butchers supplies
are carried more than mile into this
city. We have seen one man carry five
dressed sheep or two quarters of beef
this distance at one load, for which he
received six cents per load. And consid-
ering that his employer is not required
to buy hay or corn for him and that
he pays for his own breakfast, he thus
becomes a cheaper creature or beast of
burden than the mule or donkey; hence
we seldom see them used in the work.
Others are carrying large hogskin
baskets filed with hides, horns and tai
low, while others are peddling or deliv-
ering sheep, goat or hog skins full of
lard. This receptacle is made by taking
the hide from the animal in its natural
form, then the feet are tied up and all
cuts securely sewed, after which it is
filled from the neck and tied also. Then
when a supply iswanted they have only
to unite foot or tap the body in some
convenient place and the quantity is
forthcoming. There are no wells or
water works here, hence all water for
use is conveyed by water carriers and
sold about the streets of the city. The
scenes at the fountains in the early
morning is suggestive of ancient times
to the student of history. Women by
the hundreds are filling and bearing
away on their shoulders ollas Gars) O.
water These, too, are very similar il
form to that used by Rebecca at tn,
well. Men are there with their pole,
and water cans. In short the scene il
composed Of men, donkeys and dogs
women, children, pet pigs, lambs ant
goats. The air Is filled with music TO
all creatures of kind are exchangin,
their morning greetings while waitin,
their turn. Thus all seem to enjoy lif
while reproducing the scenes of old a
we have seen them pictured. And her
and then many dark eyed Rebecca
are often won by the meetings at th
well.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Whore They Would Come From.

"Alas, Estelle," sighed Hubert, IT
fear we can never marry. I love you
deyotedly, but l could never think of
asking you to share my poverty"
"But, Hubert" sail the dear girl
fondly, poverty would be happiness if
we only were together. What do l
care for wealth as long as have you?
/ can do without luxuries If only ]
have your love. Bread and cheese and
kisses are enough for me. I ask for
nothing more"
"Really9" he answered firmly, look
ing fondly down into her eyes.
"Reallyw she answered firmly, look
ing up into his with a tender smile.
"Then, by Jinks," exclaimed Hubert,
ell borrow dollar and get the license
this very afternoon. Your father ought
to be willing to stand the bread and
cheese and I feel competent to provide
the kisses"
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Rain ms n stimulant.

The health-giving properties Of rain
are not appreciated by the general pub
lie. Rain is essential to physical vigor
in localities that have an extensive popu-
lation. Man and his occupations laden
the air with countless and unclassiiied
impurities. The generous, kindly rain
) absorbs them, even as washerwoman
extracts the dirt from soiled clothes
The ammoniacal exhalations, the gases
resultant from combustion and are all
quietly absorbed by brisk showers.
People talk about a dry climate" but
It isa snare and a delusion. There is
nothing in it. A very dry climate
will never support large population,
for it would soon become so poisoned
that il would be fatal to the human
race. q .
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Worked Like a Charm.

A tough looking man entered the
sanctum of san Francisco paper re-
Gently and said to the inmate:
"Are you the cditorY
aYes, sir" was the reply. u.
"Well, ! have come to see you about
q piece in your paper one day last week
which says that my wife, who keeps a
candy store on - street, is rather
fond of the society of young men,"
"I assure You, said the editor, as he
cast his eyes around the room in search
of some weapon of defense, and seeing
none looked out the window to calcu-
late the distance to the ground, IL had
nothing to do with the publishing of
that article. l was out of the city at
that time and the reporter who wrote
that article was discharged last Satur-
day. But ] will have the false publi-
cation corrected with pleasure"
Corrected? Why, l wouldn't have
1t corrected for $500. Iexpect to make
fortune out of it. My wife sold more
candy this week than she did the whole
six months before, and as l am not the
man to forget favor 1 just come
around to pay you for the advertise
ment Here's $25, and if you will put
in another piece next week and make
it little stronger, I'll pay you $50"
And with the air of charitable man
who had done his duty though it cost
him something the "tough citizen left
the sanctum.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
.-Dutch sign.Roards.

The sign-boards in the streets in the
towns of Holland are interesting, be-.
auseindicative of the originality of the
people. A traveller says: ut was some
time before / understood what was
meant when I read, Fire and water for
SALE 1t seems the poorer people make
no fires, but buy boiling water and red
hot turf with which to prepare their
tea and coffee. If baby is born, a
small placard Of red satin and white
lace is hung up in the door; II some
one is i'll, his symptoms are daily re-
corded on little bulletin boards affixed
to the house. The retired gentleman
paints in huge letters on the front Of
his house such sentiments as these.
Without Care Big Enough MY
Satisfaction" AlyPleasure and Life so.
ciability and Friendship Within, ETC."
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
A Sample of Fire and Birthstone.

A West Scotland clergyman was
going to the Highlands for his holidays
and being very fond of the "Nabob
Pickles" he took bottle with him.
The "Nal OBJ Pickles are extremely
hot and should be sparingly used.
Arrived at the hotel he placed the
bottle on the table and took out one or
two of them. A Yankee was sitting
opposite and got his eyes on the pickles.
stranger, pass the pickles, please"
The clergyman said: "These are
private property, but you are welcome
TO them." lie passed the bottle across
the table. The Yankee emptied half
the bottle into his plate and stirred
them well up with his spoon. He took
big spoonful but they were not long
down when he drew long breath and
said: "Oh, dodgast it ! Look here
stranger / guess you are parson?"
"Well, / am clergyman and preach
the Gospel" "Look you here,' said
the Yankee, "Ihave heard them preach
about fire and birthstone, but you are
the first one / ever knew who carried
sample bottle.". 6
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
The Commercial Drummer.

? The commercial traveller" vulgarly
known as the drummer" now repre-
sents very important class in this
country. They furnish vast deal of
business to the railroads and an i'm
mense patronage to the hotels of the
country. The number Of New York
drummers is very large-there are said
to be fully 10000 Of them. OF course
there are not so many as that on the
road at one time, for certain goods are
sold at particular seasons and the SER
vices of some of the travelling statesmen
are only required for a few months in q
year. The drummer is generally a
pushing, well-informed, plausible per.
son. He must be good talker and
understand the wares he is disposing of
as well as the peculiarities and credit
of the merchant he calls upon. So vast
and SO well equipped is this army of
commercial travellers that there is no
longer any necessity for country store
keepers to visit New York or other
jobbing centres. He is visited at his
place of business, wherever situated,
by swarms OF drummers, who keep him
thoroughly posted as to styles and prices
A good commercial traveller is well paid
and always puts up at the best hotels
and travels in the saloon and sleeping
cars. They, Of course, are heavy tax
on the houses that employ them, but
with the present machinery Of trade
they are indispensable to the merchants
and jobbers who have goods to sell tt
retailers outside the large cities. The
trade papers and the telephone pric,
current, with the drummers' visit, rem
ders it unnecessary for the country
dealer to visit the great jobbing centre
except for pleasure. Nor does he wan
SO much stock on hand, as he can orde
his goods at short notice by telegraph
as per sample shown to him by tn
Idrummers."
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Fat People and fiaids.

The question: whetl.er water is fat
tening or otherwise has been much
discussed. Formerly it was generally
asserted that the victims Of obesity
should mortifg the iIsysh and reduce
the fat by abstadiing as much as possi-
BILE from liquids and remaining in a
continual state of thirst. Latterly the
opposite has been affirmed, and / am
told that reduction of weight is one
of the results claimed by "the hot
water cure" provided always the water
is taken as hot-as possible, painfully
hot, and in great quantities Expert
ments have been made in Paris by DR..
Debove which colitroyert both these
doctrines. These-experiments indicate
that, provided the same amount of
solid food is taken large quantities of
water make man neither thinner nor
fatter. They were carefully made on
a friend who took weighed quantities
of food daily, andNhile these remained
equal doubling The quantity of water
had no measurable effect on the weight
of the body. Still; it isauite possible
that the old theory of thirst cure and
the new theory Of hot water cure may
both be correct. Both violate the
natural conditions of health. Scalding
hot water, like tea or coffee, or grog of
similar temperature unquestionably
Injuries the teeth, stomach, and other
organs concerned IN the early stages
of digestion, and 1t Is very probable
that deficiency of lihnid impedes tic
latter stages, Whereby the chyme, by
the aid of the digestiqg huids, becomes
converted into chyle and blood. A fat
man may easily become thinner by
iniuring his health. Banting" is
dangerous, as many who have fairly
tried can prove. The difficult problem
is TO reduce the fat without reducing
the strength at the same time. A skill
full trainer will undert IKE to bring any
man down to his "iightng weight" T.
e., to the best condition for violent ex-
crtion, but as soon aSthe discipline OF
the trainer is relaxed the obesity, when
constitutional, returns, and long con
tinuance of high training is murderous
Perhaps the old prescription, "KeeI
your mouth shut and your eyes open,
when followed with judicious limita
tons, is the best. Eat less, sleep less
and walk more are safe injunctions
provided theya obeyed in moderation
The fat man who uses malt liquor as
daily beverage deserves to be burie
under cross roads at midnight, accord
ing to the ancien. modes of degradin
the wilful perpetrator Of felo de Sc.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Extraordinary Coincidence,

In the year 1864, on the 9Th of Decem-
ber, boat on the Menai, crossing the
Strait, with eighty-one passengers, was
upset, and only one passenger, named
Hugh Williams, was saved. On thesam
day, in the year 1885, was upset another
boat containing about sixty persons,
and every soul persisted with the ex-
ception of one, Whose name was Hugh
Williams. On the 9th Of August, 1920,
q third boat met the same disaster
but the passengers of this were nc
more than twenty-five, and, singu lal
to relate, the whole psrished, with
the exception of one, whose name was
Hugh Williams.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
The Wonders Of an Egg.

Mr.. Matthieu Williams, in one of his
lectures, says: "Every one who eats
his matutinal egg eats sermon and a
miracle. Inside of that smooth, symmet-
rical, beautiful shell turks question
which has been the Troy town for all
the philosophers and scientists since
Adam. Armed with the engines of
war-the microscope, the scales, the
offensive weapons of chemistry and
reasOn-they have probed and weighed
and experimental, and still the ques-
ton is unsolved, the citadel unsacked.
Prof. Bokorny can tell you that albu-
men is composed Of so many molecules
Of carbon and nitrogen and hydrogen
and can persuade you of the difference
between active and passive albumen,
and can show by wonderfully delicate
experiments what the aldehydes have
to do in the separation of gold from his
complicated solutions; but he can't
tell why from one egg comes little
rid him. and from another bantam.
You leave your little silver spoon an
hour in your egg-cup, and it is coated
with compound of sulphur. Why is
that sulphur there? Wonderful, that
evolution should provide for the bones
of the future hen! There is phosphor-
Gus also in that little microcosm; and
the oxygen of the air, passing through
the shell, unites with it, and the acid
dissolves the shell, thus making good
strong bones for the chick, and at the
same time thinning the prison walls
Chemists know q good deal now about
albumen; and, if they cannot tell us
why life differentiates itself therein
and thereby, they can tell you how not
to spoil your breakfast"
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Locating Widow with a Coal Mine.

Locating Widow with Coal Mine.
lie entered the office of capitalist
in Richmond the other day and quietly
inquired:
"IIow much would vein Of coal
half mile long, a quarter Of mile
broad and fifty feet thick be worth?"
81 should say S25,o0o, but if you want
more exact figures and will give me the
location / think / can"
"Oh, no, you can't colonel" inter-
rupted the quiet man. II am going
tomarry her myself as soon as the cars
can take me out there"
And he hustled out as if fearful that
the capitalist might locate the widow
and the spot. 7#
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
Eauine Gambling. Appliances. ).

Trotting is the development Of civ
ilizcd ideas and tendencies. The trot-
ting horse can be utilized in almost
every phase Of everyday existence, and
is an essential and most valuable ele.
ment in the practical life and period,
1t is Of value to the physician, the
stagecoach, the traveller, the business
man in search Of pleasure and health
full recreation. To not one of these
is the racehorse Of the slightest value.
The single use to which It is put is that
of gambling; in moral sense the AMI.
NAL is no more nor less than roulette
wheel, a faro-deck Of cards, or any
other Of the appliances employed In
gaming. The chief patrons Of horse
racing are professional gamblers, as It
is to them simply variation in the
kind of gambling-a change, as IL were,
from poker to ruuge.et-noir.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16

Washington" Without a humble i'm
itation of the divine Author Of our
blessed religion. we can never hope to
be happy nation"
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-09-16
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
NEWS AND NOTES

Prof. Wagner has published analyses
supporting his opinion that steamed
patatoes are far more nutritious THAI
boiled ones,
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-11
"Mendacious Dupiicity."

'This is my wife, sergeant" said q
citizen, Us he entered the Woodbridge
street station the other day, with wo-
man on his arm.
Sergt. Bendal, not having his hat on,
gave her the military salute, and she
slightly inclined her head in response.
Sergeant" continued the man, 81
was arrested last night. The papers
say was in the company of female
on the street, and that we were both
drunk and quarreling. have told my
wife Just how it was, but she won't be-
lieve me. | now want you to tell her
the exact facts"
The husband drew down his right eye
to the official. The sergeant coughed
and htched about for moment, and
then said:
madam, it is terrible thing TO sus-
pect your husband of mendacious du.
plicity and contumacious deception"
II don't care if it isr' she replied.
I'm bound to know just how this affair
occurred"
"Very well, madam. AS the court
understood the case. your husband was
on his way home. He sees the patrol
wagon drive up TO Il saloon. lie pro-
tests against the way the officers handle
prisoner. and is pulled in rs an OBJ
structionist. He was tried at the same
time as the man who quarreled with the
woman. All the reporters here that
morning were drunk, and so it comes
about that the names were mixed. Go
home, madam, and be happy"
Are you sure that was the way?'
dead sure, madam. Further than
that, all the printers were on spree
that day, too. and can you wonder that
they got John Green mixed with John
White?"
''Now, does that satisfy you?" asked
the husband.
Yes; but, sergeant, what became Of
the woman in the case?"
Taken home, madam-taken back
to the bosom of her family by tender
official hands. She was somnambu-
list you see, and had escaped from the
house in her sleep"
"Well, that convinces me, and I'll
kiss and make up" she said as she
gave her husband smack, "but if
you only told me that you and the
Judge were also drunk my mind would
be entirely easy. "--DetrOH Free Press.