davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
A MAD ALLIGATOR.
How He Came to Ruin His Prospective
CaptOr's Mansion.

A German, living near New Orleans,
on one of the bayous where alliSators
are quite numerous, finding his chick
ems and ducks disappearing very fast,
was unable to account for it, until one
morning, about daybreak, he discov-
cred an alligator of unusual size APP
preaching the house, under which was
kept the hen-rOOSt. Creeping along
through the long grass, in few min
uteS the animal reached the house, and
at once broke open the hen-coop and
commenced his havoc, first with eggs
and then with chickens-at least with
those that did not escape through the
broken bars. The German. thinking it
rather an expensive amusement, con-
trived plan to capture the monster.
Accordingly. he procured long rope,
and made ut one end 4 moose or slip
knot, and then, running the other
through block and tackle, attached it
to high pole which stood near the
house. The next morning he set the
trap near the chicken-coop, and
watched for the alligator to make his
appearance. About day-break along
came the alligator. and as soon as he
approached the place, and put one
front leg through the moose. the Ger
man gave the rope sudden jerk. and
commenced pulling it with all his
might. The alligator was. however.
too much for him, and it was not until
his son and two or three negroes came
to help him that he succeeded in haul
ing him up to the pole. No sooner,
however. did they suspend him in the
air than he commenced flashing his tail
to and fro, and the pole being near the
house, it was not many minutes before
down went the house, furniture and
all. under the heavy blows from his
tail. scarcely giving the family time to
escape Christian at Work.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
PUDGY'S EXPERIENCE.
a DOliy's Mistaken Idea That She Wa.
UnlOved and Forgotten.

| DOliy's Mistaken Idea That She Wa.
UnlOved and Forgotten.
"Oh, oh. my heart is broken!" and
PudSy tried to turn over, but found
she could not.
"To think it's only two months
| nee Christmas. and she loved and
kissed me all the time then, and now
she has forgotten a.. about me-" And
| 4 pitiful little sob sounded under the
pink sunbOnnet.
1t isn't my fault. I'm sure 1 let
| her throw me on the floor. or sit on
me, or let Jip carry me round in his
mouth. without fretting or complaint
ing the least bit. Pm just as whole as
was at Christmas. Why did her
Uncle John bring that painted thin.
from Paris, and spoil ali my lovely
times? Here Eve been under the
Stoop since yesterday before lunch.
and she has never missed me. Oh.
dear, dcar!' and Pudgy tried again
20 roll over on her face and wipe
hcr tears on. the dead leaves under the
piazza. just then sweet baby voice
called out: Mamma. l don'tsee her.
Please. mamma, help me find my dar-
ling Pudgy.' The homely face under
the piazza beamed with gladncss.
''She loves me; knew it." And Pudgy
forgot all her doubts.
You must come in. darling. Wen
look in the house; and at any rate,
you have your new doll"
mamma, I'll never love any doll as
| do Pudgy. l must find her. l know
she's out-of-doors, and so cold;" and
little Helen'S voice was as full of tears
as Pudgy's had been. just then out
flew Jip from under the piazza, with a
very draggled pink bundle in his
mouth, and started across the lawn.
Mamma. mamma! There. Jip has
herr and Helen started after her.
Fortunately for Pudgv. carriage
passed just then. and Jip dropped
Pudgy, who was picked up and Rugged
to her hearts delight. and was carried
into the house. Helen whispering: 81
love you best, Pudgy-you are so COM
for'blc."
Underneath the pink sunbonnet two
black. staring eyes tried to wink back
the tears that made ridge through
the dirt on the cheeks. and Pudgv tried
to put her head down on Helen's Shout
der.
When Helen was seated in the
nursery she looked at Pudgy's fSce and
said: ''Why, mamma, she books as
though she had been crying-see the
streaks.
81 guess it rained last night, and she
must have lain out-of-doors. Did You
forget her when you cams in yester-
day?"
81 'faid l did. mamma Darling,
precious Pudgy! I'll never fordit you
adam. l love her best cause you made
her. mamma. and can hug her close"
Pudgy was perfectly happy.-Chrts-
tian Union.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
INDIAN PICTURE WRITING,
How the Turtles Notify the World OF
Their Achievements in War.

How the Turtles Notify the World of
Their Achievements in War.
Let us see how an Indian of North
America goes to work to write. Sup
pose wild Indian belonging to the
great elan whose members call them
selves the Turtles. makes a raid on n
village of huts and wigwams owned bv
enemies belonging to the widespread
clan called the Bear clan Suppose it
has taken the Turtles three DAYS of
hard travel through forests and over
the hills to reach the Bears. By means
of their crafty spies, they find that the
brave men of the Bears are away hunt
ing moose, and that most of the souaws
and pappooses are either in the fields
of maize or in the woods, where the
berries are ripe, and only few old
men and women ere left behind to keep
watch over some ponies and oxen.
Then the Turtles, each clutching his
bow, creep on the village under cover
of the woods. and with terrific veil
rush at the wigwams. The old people
run into the bushes, frightened almost
to death, as you can well imagine.
Then the Tu.s.ss gather up ali the
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

ron,es and oxen, drive them of. burn
all the wigwams they can, and hurry
home with the cattle. Now these saw
ages think they have done quite fine
thing in robbing their neighbors of
their cattle and plundering and burn
ing their homes. And they wish to let
other Indians know what clever rob
bers they have been. So the Turtle
chief chooses piece of smooth. cream
colored birch-bark. chews up a little
tobacco to serve as ink. plucks twig
of soft wood for \ pen, and with the
tobacco juice draws the following pict-
ureS:
First comes turtle. and it is a very
big turtle. because he thinks that he
and his clan are very great personages
indeed. Then he draws as many way
ing lines. to represent bows, as there
are Indians in the party. and perhaps
the same number of Indians with top
knots; his lines bend forward to show
in what direction the trail went. Fol-
lowing these, rising sun stands for
daybreak, and three lines under it
mean that three days went by in going
to the Bears. Next. he puts down as
many little pyramids as there were
Bear wigwams. and draws them upside
down to show that they were destroyed.
After that, he draws. as well as he can,
4 wee. wee bear. very small. in order
to show his contempt for the Bears.
Finally. he draws with the greatest
care as many oxen and ponies as he
has captured, because he is chiefly
proud of this part of his exploit and
wishes all the world of the woods to
know what great and successful rob
Der he is. He does not tell that the
Bear braves were away when he sur
prised the camp. and probably does
not care to tell that part of the story.
We may understand it from the alb
sence of any sign for scalps. Had
there been resistance and men slain on
either side, the exact number of deaf
would have been noted by drawing
just as many human figures without
their heads.-Hcnry Ec&Jord. TN 81.
Nicholas.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
THE WRONG SHOP.
Why Lady Customer Was Shown to the
Corner Grocery Sans Ceremonie.

Why Lady Customer Was Shown to the
Corner Grocery Sans Ceremonie.
A verdant housewife. fresh from her
rural home. came to the city to pur-
chase various household necessities.
She glanced timidly about her, and
was evidently confused by the count
less shops which took the place of the
village accommodation store. There
was bucket-shop near by. with the
usual sign over the door: "Stocks,
Grain and Oil" She read the words
and entered the place.
81 want to buy some OIL" she said.
The proprietor gave her one-per-
cent.-margin smile, and winked at the
telegraph operator to get some Oil City
quotations.
"Il-want to buy a great deal"
The bucket-shop man wondered if
his safe would hold all the margin
money.
81 can buy fifty thousand barrels for
you. madam" he said.
81 don't want as much as that"
"Or ten thousand barrels
t'I don't want as much as that"
"Or even a thousand barrels. The
charges for carrying it will be"
"Oh," she exclaimed. "You see,
don't live very far from here. and the
train stops just beyond our farm; SO.
if yc7H put me up a gallon. I'll carry
it home myself"
She was shown the corner grocery,
without unnecessary courtesy or DELHI
eraticn.- Bits.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
FOR OUR YOUNG READERS.
THE SANDMAN.

Now mildly MD nod. and mildly dee dee,
o where can that lettering sandman be-
This baby's eyes are bright as pins, heIgn-
no:
Now where is that sandman lingering so?
o sandman dear sandman. wherever you be.
Hasten. pray, to this boy on my knee.
Perhaps he's at work far across the deep,
A-gett:ng tie little Jap boys to sleep;
Or tripping on through al Esuuiinaux town,
To faSten some winking eyelash down;
But sandman, dear sandman. what shall We
To still this young tyrant's shout Of: 600
goo!"
The bee is asleep in the crimson rose,
And mildly Md nod the poppys head goes:
The yellow. chicks sleep meath the old hen &
breast.
But here is my bird still out of his nest;
So sandman, dear sandman DER land and o'er
sea-.
Haste. sprinkle your grains in this young
rogues &c.
Soft the fringes drop DER the bOnny eyes.
Sparkling like the stars in the midnight skies:
Through the parted lips that two pearls dis.
close.
How the sweet breath comes, how the sweet
breath goes.
Why so quick and so light the sandman stept
We hardly knew when the baby slept
Annie ". I.iLbv, Ia GOvd Housekeeping.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
STAGE MOONS,
How the Silken Satellites that Shine on
Stage-Struck Lovers are Made,

How the Silken Satellites that Shine on
Stage-Struck Lovers are Made.
A good theatrical moon is q trouble
some thing to construct. The old
fashioned moon was a tin moon box
about like milk pan. covered with silk
or transparent paper. behind which two
or three candles were inserted. This
was rugged on invisible wires and thus
operated by man who slowly drew it
upward. This was unsatisfactory, es-
pecially to those in the front seats.
The best moon now is made bv usino
two drops. Out of the first in which is
the sky scene. is cut strip yard wide
it being the path UP which the moon is
to travel. Immediately behind and so
close that the piece so removed is not
discernible. is a second drop. From
this round piece is removed and the
place covered by white or yellow silk or
some transparent cloth. and from be-
hind strong calcium light is thrown
on the silk. The moon is made to rise
by gently hauling up the back drop.
Clouds are usually painted on strips
extending across the path cut in the
first drop. serving both to strengthen
the drop literally and add 10 the realism
of the scene by having the moon disap-
pear for a moment under a cloud
Cincinnati Enquirer.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
HINTS ON COOKING.
Useful Suggestions Which HOusekeepers
Should Not Fail to Read.

Useful Suggestions Which HOusekeeper,
Should Not Fail to Read.
A delicate pudding sauce can be
made without butter, by scalding a tea.
cupful of sweet milk, added to it a coffee.
cupful of sugar that has been beates up
with the yelks of two eggs. Whep the
sauce Is as thick rs custard, take il
from the fire. and when it is cool add
whatever flavoring you choose, and the
whites of the eggs beaten, stiff and
sweetened and favored.
Breakfast puffs are made by taking
three eggs. one teaspoonful of sugar,
one cOtfee-cupful of milk and one OF
water, a cake of compressed yeast, a
small tablespoonful of salt, and flour
enough to make a stiff batter. Leave
the whites of the eggs until the batter
is light. when beat well and add. They
are deliciously light and all ready for
breakfast, if set over night.
Celery may be kept indefinitely by
wrapping around it heavy brown
towel wrung out of cold water. When
the towels get dry renew the water.
On taking boiled eggs from the ket-
tie, chip the shells on the ends to let
the steam out and prevent their cook
ing more.
Roasted cheese is excellent for the
cheese course in a dinner, and it is also
q good dish for either luncheon or sup
per. 1t is made of half a dozen slices
of bread, quarter of pound of
cheese, two tablespoonful of butter,
the yelks of two eggs, one teaspoonful
of dry mustard, one-fifth of tea
spoonful of cayenne and half a tea
spoonful of salt. Break the cheese into
bits. Put it into a mortar with the
other ingredients (save the bread), and
pound all to a smooth paste. Toast
the bread. and after spreading it with
this mixture, lay it in q pan and pnt
into hot oven for four minutes.
Serve at once.-Philadelphia Press.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
ALASKAN HOUSES.
Primitive Dwellings Surrounded ~
Mixture Of Mud and O6al.

Rdnitfve Dwellings Surrounded % .
Mixture Of Mud and Onal.
The houses of the natives are muck
the same in all divisions of Alaska
The dwellings are thus described: A
circular mound of earth. grass grow
ing and Uttered with all sorts of house.
hold utensils, a small spiral coil of
smoke rising from the apex, dogs
crouching. children climbing up or
rolling down, stray morsels of food left
from one meal to the other, and a soft
mixture of mud and offal surrounding
it all. The entrance to this house is a
low. irregular square aperture, through
which the inmate stoops, and passes
down foot or two through low
passage on the earthen floor within.
The interior generally consists of an
irregularly-shaped apartment, twelve
or fifteen feet in diameter, receiving
its only light from without through the
small smoke-opening at the apex of
the roof. which rises, tent-like. from
the floor. The fireplace is directly
under this opening. Rude beds or
couches of skin and grass mats are
laid, slightly raised above the floor,
upon clumsy frames made of sticks and
saplings or rough-hewn planks. and
sometimes on little elevations built up
of peat or sod. Sometimes a small
hallway with bullying sides is erected
over the entrance, where, by this eX-
pansion, room is afforded for the keep
ing of utensils and water vessels, and
as a shelter for dogs. Immediately adj
joining most of these houses will be
found small summer kitchen, rude
wooden frame, walled in and covered
over with sOds, with an opening at the
top 20 give vent to the smoke. These
are entirely above ground. rarely over
five or six feet in diameter, and are lit
tered with filth and otfal of all kinds;
serving also as refuge for the dogs
from the iuclemept weather. In the
interior regions. where both fuel and
building material are more abundant,
the houses change somewhat in APP
pearance and construction; the eXcava-
ton of the coast houses, made for the
purpose of saving both, disappears,
and gives way to log structures above
the ground, but still covered with sods.
Living within convenient distance of
timber, the people Gnland) do not de-
pend so much upon the natural warmth
of mother earth.-Chambers' Journal.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

I'm the southwestern section OF
Nevada is a remarkable cave in the side
of the mountains. In the soft rock
composing the dome are to be seen
sticking the broken-off shafts of arrows.
1t is said that many years ago a party
of Shoshones were driven int this cave
by their hereditary enemies the Piutes.
Their defense was so stubborn that the
Piutes proposed peace, and in this
cave the council was called, and the
peace made was to last so long as a
single arrow remained imbedded in the
rock overhead. Chicago Times.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
The Mexican Government continue

The Mexican Government continues
still to pay pensions to descendants of
Montezuma, amounting to S7,11397,
namely, So, 806.14 to Caunt Mirayalle
and his three sisters, and S3,3OS.S3 to
Mariana Ortiz de Zarate and Dofia
Carmen Garcia Trevilla. The descent
Of these persons from the last Mexican
sovereign is as clearly ascertained Is
that of any princely house in Europe
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

An old bachelor, who is not at a.;
posted as to the fashions, says he would
''like to know what the difference is be-
tween a travelling dress and q walkin.
suit. IN. Y. Ledger.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

PIXIES TOOrHACHE DROPS cure in minute, sc
Glenn's Sulphur Soap heals and beauties. &c.
GERNAN CORN REMOVER kills Corns Bunions.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

"TM we'll backed with silver" as the
looking glass Satisfaction Maverick.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

As "A toilet luxury, Halls Hair Renewe,
never fails to give satisfaction.
Sufferers from Bronchitis will find speedy
relief by taking Ayers Cherry PectoraL
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

60 1svoFds ased By : laay. VIC w.s e
phyLcianG, and left to die. Reduced to .
mere skeleton, pale and haggssd, not able
to leave her bed, from all those DISTRESSING
diseases peculiar to suffering females, such
as displacemant leucorrhHa, innamma
ton, etc, etc. She began taking DIR. Pierce's
Favorite Prescription" and also using ths
Is now, she says, Gas good as new" Price
reduced to one dollar. By druggists.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

A SOFT job-Shaving young man for tho
first time.-FuU Rirer Adeaace
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

If afflicted with Sore Eyes use DIR. Isaac
Thompson's Eye Water Druggists sell it. Sc
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

In another column Of this issue win b
found an entirely new and novel specimen
of attractive advertising. It is one Of tho
neatest We have ever seen, and We think
any one will be we'll repaid for examining
the supposed display letters in the advsT>
tissment Of Prickly Ash Bitters.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

EVERY bonnet has "b" in it-Lo,se1
Cifiz>m
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

WHEN q man is "light-headed" it Is no
sign he is brilliant-Paclfc lester.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

BRONCHITIS is cured by frequent small
doses of Piso's Cure for Consumption.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

GEN. JOHN A. LOGAN will begin q series
Of articles on "Reminiscences Of the War;
in the National Tsibsyne of Washington, d.
c., in the issue of April 2 Subscribe at once
to secure the first number. $1.OO per year.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

The traitor who Is expected to Be loyal
to both sides-The arbitratOr.-N 7. Led
ger.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

How OFTEN you sec q country tavern
With tho sign hanging outside on the inn
side.-N. r Ledger.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-10-20
Mrs, Whites Snake Skin.

Mrs. John White, living fewmics from
this village, has a mounted rattlcsnake
skin, four feet and a half long, with an
imperfect set of rattles in the tail, which
she is proud to show to visitors, while
relating how the snake, when alive, chased
her, although involuntarly, for nearly
half mile, and kept up the chase even
after 1t was dead. Mrs. White was
standing by the roadside one warm day,
when she heard rattlcsnalie sound its
'bells" Immediately behind her, and at
the same time felt tug at the skirt Of
her dress. She looked around quickly
and saw that big rattlesnake had struck
at her, and that its fangs were fast in the
bottom Of her dress Mrs. White started
on run for home. The snakes fangs
were so securely fastened in the dress
that tho snake was carried along. Mrs.
White ran so fast that the rattlcsnako
was whipped and snapped about like the
tail of kite.
The house was almost half mile away,
and when Mrs. White reached her door
she was SO much overcome by the run
and her fright that she tainted on the
doorstep. Her daughter ran out. When
she saw the snake, with It's fangs fast in
her mothers dress, and her mother ly-
ing pale on the step, she supposed the
snake had bitten her mother and killed
her, and the girl ran screaming to
neighbor's, half a mile further on, where
she alarmed the household with the news
that her mother had been killed by a
rattlesnakc. A man ran back to Whites.
Mrs. White had revived sufficiently to
drag herself into the house. The snake
was dead, and still fast in the dress. Tho
threshing on the stones and against the
ground had beaten the life out of it and
broken off the lower part of its rattlcs.
Seven were left, from the size and grada-
ton of which it was calculated that the
perfect set contained at least thirteen.
The snake was skinned and mounted, and
has ever since been an object of great
curiosity in the community. The shock
to Mrs. White prostrated her for several
days. .-NeD Yorb Sun.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-10-20

One-half of the carth's solid surface is
buried in the abysmal regions OF the
ocean, and exists at undulating plains
beneath a watery covering from two to
five miles thick, On this land at the
bottom of the deep sea, the director of the
Challenger publications tells us, the con.
ditions presented are most uniform. The
temperature, near the freezing point of
fresh water, does not exceed seven do
grees in range and is constant through
out the year in any locality. Sunlight
and plant-life are absent, and, although
animals OF the large types are present.
there is no great variety of form or abun-
dance of individuals. Change of any
kind is exceedingly slow. At tho great.
est depths deposits are chiefly red clay
mixed with fragments of volcanic mat
ter, remains of deep sea animals, cosmic
dust, manganesc-ron nodulcs and zcoli-
tic crystals. No analogous deposits have
been traced on dry land, although the
continents are mainly made up OF rocks
which must have formed under the sea
near the coasts. Throughout all geolo-
gical time the deposits of the continent
bordering waters appear to have been
forced up into dry land through the con-
traction of the earth, while the abysmal
regions have remained the most perma.
nent areas of the carth's surfac.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-10-20

An instance out of my own experience
will go to show how fear does not reason.
About ten years ago when | was in Ba-
den near the Black Forest, was in tho
habit of walking alone in the evening
till late in the night. The security was
absolute and l new very well there was
no danger; and as long as was in the
open field or on the road felt nothing
that rcscmbled fear. But to 60 into the
forest, where it was so dark that one
could hardly see two steps ahead was
another thing. ! Icntered resolutcly, and
| went in for some twenty PAGES; but, in
spite of myself, the deeper I plunged
into the darkness, the more a fear gained
possession of me which was quite incom-
prehcnsible. l tried in vain to overcome
the unreasonable feeling, and l may
have walked on in this way for about a
quarter Of an hour. But there was moth
ing pleasant about the walk and l could
not help feeling relieved when l saw the
light of the sky through gap in the
trees, and it required strong effort of
the will to keep from pressing toward it.
My fear was wholly without cause. l
knew it, and felt it as strongly as if it
had been rational. Some time after that
adventure, l was travelling at night,
alone with guide in whom l had no
confidence, in the mountains of Lebanon.
The danger there was certainly much
greater than around Baden, but felt no
fear. -Popular Science Monthly