davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

wanted perfectly unbiased opinion of
them. so l promised to give them to you
without telling you who wrote them,
but pretending they were mine, as if 1
could write poetry! And l didn't tell
you, Mr.. Woodbird, how pleased he
was with them. He said they actually
showed-what was it. uncle?-' sny-
thetic imagination?' Oh, you dear
uncle, did You really think 1 had any
synthetic Imagination I'm afraid
you will be so disappointed with mer'
So this was the secret of my uncle's
conversion! 1 looked at Woodbird,
who was sitting with comical twinkle
in his eye, intensely relishing the situa-
ton. AS for my uncle. his face was a
study: A battle was going on in his
heart between the hobby and his affec-
ton for Rose and myself. Science and
love together puckered up his face into
the most grotesque complex expression
of annoyance and satisfaction. But
his kindly nature proved too strong for
the resistance of his crotchets, and he
submitted. He rose from his seat, and,
going up to Rose, kissed her upon the
forehead and said:
Il shall never be disappointed with
you, dear Rose. You have won my
heart, as well as Reginald's."
And so the hobby was vanquished.
When told Rose the whole story, she
was at first rather concerned at her in
nocent part. in the conspiracy; for it
appeared to her feminine sensitiveness
cruel thing TO deceive my uncle in
any thing, and she was not satisfied
until he had been informed of Wood
birds wickedness. But my uncle was
so pleased with the result that he read
lily forgave the means by which it had
been obtained. CUR marriage took
place after a short engagement, and
we have taken up our quarters not far
from my old home. We do not forget
when we are obliged to listen to the
kind scientists discourses, which be-
come longer and more prosy as the
years press over his head, that we owe
all our happiness to '.My Uncle's Hob
Bye. j. BiIlsoa. in Home Chimes.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
WHAT TO BELIEVE.

He has no jOv who has no trust.
The greatest faith brings greatest pleasure
And believe because must
And would believe in perfect measure.
Therefore | Send
To you, my friend,
This KEY to open mines of treasure:
Whatever else your hands restrain,
Let faith be free, and trust remain.
Believe IN summers sun and shade,
Although to-day the snow be falling:
Expect glad voices in the glade
Though now the winds alone are CALLING,
Have eyes to see
How fair things be:
Let Hope not Fear prove most enthraliing:
And skies that shine will oftenest be
Stretched lovingly DER thine and thee.
Have loyal faith in all thy kin,
Believe the best OF one another;
One Fathers heart takes all men IN,
Be not suspicious of tiny brother.
If one deceive
Why diSbelieye
The rest, aud so all kindness smother?
Who the most looks for love Will ind
Most certainly that hearts arc KIND.
Regard the age with hopeful thought,
Not il, but thou thyself art debtor:
Behold what wonders have been wrought,
Believe the world is getting better.
Oh. Dc thou brave
TO help and save.
And free mems hands from every fetter.
Yet know that CHEEKY hopefulness
Is the great factor in success.
Above all things, in God believe.
And in His love that lasts forever:
No changeful friend thy heart to grieve .
Is He who will forsake thee never.
In shine or shower
His blessings dover
The souls that trust with strong endeavOr;
Believe, believe. for faith is best,
Believe and find unbroken rest.
--Hdrtdnte birmingham, in Christian World.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
VALUABLE LAND.

Expensive Real Estate in New York, Chi.
cagO and Other Large Cities.
1.-The most valuable land in New
York City," said a real estate agen,
who stood one sunny afternoon look.
ing at the heretofore vacant lot in
front of the Grand Pacific Hotel. sis
used as graveyard. 1t is the Trinity
Church lot, valued at S125 square
foot. That would make each grave
worth $4,000. l was in New York q
few weeks ago, and so far as could
learn, the highest price ever paid fox
ground in that city was Sl01 per squarc
foot for some lots on lower Broadway.
The Equitable Assurance Company
claim that its block, bounded by
Broadway, Nassau, Pine and Cedar
streets, is worth S112 square foot, but
doubt if anybody would be willing to
pay that much. l have heard of GER
tain choice corners in Boston bringing
$50 and $40 foot, and think it
quite likely. In Chicago we haven't
reached the hundred dollar mark vet,
though there are corners which could
not be bought for much less. This lot
we're now looking at, 2l7 feet on
jackson street by 80 on Clark and Pa
ciiic avenue, cost the Phoenix Insur-
ance Company 100000, OF $36 q
square foot. For 20xS3 feet on the
west side of State street, forty-six
feet north Of Monroe. $1,000, or moro
than $45 square foot, was paid last
summer, which is good deal of
money, considering that the property
is not corner. OF course the value
of the building (not very greaD must
be deducted. The West Side Railway
Company paid about S42 foot for the
corner of State and Randolph, where
their Office is. l don't believe any
ground was ever sold in Chicago for
$50 a square foot, though there is
good deal worth more than that. The
Tribune pays the school board per
cent on an appraisement of that cor
ner equal to nearly $50 foot, and l
guess if it were offered for sale at SO it
would be taken in five minutes. Prob
ably the most valuable ground in Chica-
60 is the southwest corner of State and
Madison, belonging to the school fund.
The corner. 4SxSO feet, is appraised
at 1882, 900, or more than S65 to the
square foot. l think it could be sold
for more than that; and there are other
corners on State street worth quite
as much. So you see we are not so
very far behind New York, and doubt
less in ten years there will be more
ground in Chicago worth 500 square
foot than in New York. And just
think, fifty years ago we could have
purchased a farm right around here
where we stand for $50 or $40 an acre.
HeraN.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
HAVANA BAY.
a GRAND and Incompatible Sight Viewed
from q Vessels Masthead.

| HonS u scSScAS N1aStneaO.
All you who are able to travel to
Cuba in luxury would arrive by steamer
from New York or Tampa, Fla, be
hustled from the boat in tug, and
gathered with your luggage in such
CELEBRITY to your hotel that perforce
you would never enjoy Havana Bay
as l did. Beng poor man of leisure.
from motives of necessary economy
which held pleasant compensations,
our little schooner's cabin, with its sea
smells and perennial meals of Gods
tongues and sounds, salt beef and dried
apples, became for a time my Cuban
home. and because of this, perched
comfortably at the masthead 1T all
hours of the day and in all moods Of
the weather, | came to know the city,
bay and shores something as the man
| IN Moro castle tower or the old bell
ringer up among the cathedral bells
must have known them all-wlth 4
quiet fancy of elated retiracy yet loving
sense of possession. From up aloft
there, the hundreds OF vessels discharg-
ing or receiving cargoes and all the
extraordinarily active maritime life of
the bay seemed still and far, and the
heights which encircle the harbor and
city possessed friendly ncarness. Lay
your left hand upon your table. back
downward, your fingers pointing to
the south, and if your thumb was twice
its size and stood out square from your
hand you would almost duplicate the
shape of Havana Bay, which must
be two miles long and quite rs wide.
The city. a rare study in Moorish, Sar-
aeon and Doric architecture, and rs
startling in its pink, yellow. red, Law
ender and blue cOlOrs and decorations,
lies to the west, while ferries ply to the
villages, stations, steamer landings
and warehouse communities of the OBJ
posite shore. On the east side, where
the harbOr is narrow, and clambering
up the half-mountain side where stands
Moro Castle, in Casa Blanca, with its
queer villas and structures, each one
of which when contemplated. separate
ly standing out in this wonderful light
of the tropics so clearly, distinctly.
and with such strange seeming OF
approaching and growing proportions
'Hoo' III So'l SiSHi, tIc nOlScS lliulNlu-
ualiy become great pi!lared temples.
In and over and through this dreadful
spot, away up the side of the mount
ain, thread and run such indescriba-
bic wealth of vegetation that, as you
look again and again, the clustered
homes seem like great white grapes
bursting through a glorious wealth of
prodigal vines and leaves. On this
mountain side, with old Moro Castle
also in picture, if you think with your
travel and books behind your thought.
in architecture, in scenery. in grouping,
in color, in that unreliable something
which to countries is all that complex
ion and eyes are to the revelation in
faces, you will see all that is Spanish
in Spain.-Edgar l.. Wakeman, IN CHI
cago NeaCs.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
AN APES DEATH.
Touching Scenes at the Death-Bed of q
Wcll-Behaved Monkey.

In his recently published treatise on
the anthropoid apes Prof. Hartmann,
of the Berlin University, tells touch
ing story Of large monkey which be-
longed to the Geological Gardens of
Dresden. Mafuca, as she was named
by Herr Schopf, the director of the
gardens, was a parsonage of polite
manners. She would blow her nose
with handkerchief, put on her own
boots, wiring out the linen, steal keys
and open locks. She had cup of tea
every morning and one of cocoa every
evening, and at any time would Fill her
own cup or tumbler without splitting a
drop-suggesting at once a sense of
sropriety and of appreciation of the
beverage. Her death was quite pa
thetic. After some years experience
of the climate of Dresden she showed
symptoms of consumption: and, if un-
able to realize the progress of the dis
ease, she was quite conscious when il
was drawing to close. She would
scarcely allow her friend. DR.. Schopf,
who nursed her throughout her illness,
to leave her sight. When the end APP
preached, feeling her forces ebbing,
She threw her arms around his neck,
kissing him repeatedly. held out her
hand to grasp his and fell back ifeless-
London Netcs.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
MISSES COSTUME.
A Pretty Suit for Misses from Eight ts
Fifteen Years OF Age.


Fifteen Years OF Age.
Very stylish is this costume. both So
regards its materials and fashiOning
Canvas cloth and Surah are combined
in this instance, and a anticipating
of the Surah trims the bottom OF the
four-%ored skirt. Upon the front-gorc
is a fan of the Surah which extends to
the belt and is laid in six forward turn-
ing plaits that flare handsomely to-
ward the lower edge. The side edges
of the fan are sewed to position and
overlapped by the hcmmed front edges
OF Side-draperies, the right side-draperv
extending TO the side-bact seam and
having its back edge draped high by
deep, upturning plaits. The left side
drapery is slightly uplifted at the back
edge by three p!aits below the hip, and
its back edge is overlapped by the
hemmed front edge of another draperv.
which is about the same depth and
similarly draped at its back edge. The
back-drapery falls in straight kilt-plaits
below very doaBant pout' formed by
downward-turning plates in the front
edges OF the drapery, Upturning plaits
at the center and tackings to the
breadth.
In outline and tashioning the basque
is jaunty and noticeably pretty. The
fronts open with gradual flare over
vest of Surah, the vest being laid in
Overwhelming plaits between them
and extending under them to the un-
dcr-arm darts. Single bust darts taken
up in the fronts and vest together, I'M
der-arm darts and center and side-ba
seams fit the basque beautifully; the CEN
ter seam terminating at the top of an I'M
derfolded triple box-plait. and the side
back seams finishing at the waist
line. The front edges of the back
skirt are draped by three upturning
plaits. The fronts have their lower cor
ners cut OF in front of the bust darts,
so as to be shorter than the vest, and
their front edges are decorated with Il
row of buttons. The closing of the
vest is made with hoops and loops
The standing collar is of the Surah,
and its ends meet at the throat Shall
low cuffs are simulated with Surah on
the coat sleeves, and ruffs of lace are
worn in the neck and wrists.
One material may be used through
out and a pretty decoration of braid,
lace. embroidery, etc, added, with
quite elaborate effect. All kinds Of
seasonable dress goods will be devoted
to such costumes. and even in cotton
textures very handsome results may be
achieved by the union of plain with
figured or embroidered goods of the
same texture. Pongees. nun s-vailings,
foulards, serges, China and
Surah silks will be especial f;.vorites
for such costumes, AMI lace, embroid-
cry. velvet ribbon or any preferred gar
niture may be added. -ButtericE's De-
ii,aeGtOr.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
HOME, FARM AND Garden.

The idea that sandy soil is best for
gardens is based on the universal de-
mand for earliness.
An old Scotchman saws smooth
eyed potatoes quickly run out, while
deep-cyed, rough potatoes are long.
lived and hearty.
The Juice of half lemon in a
teacup of strong black coffee. without
sugar, will often cure sick headache.
Boston Budget.
The best way to brighten a carpet
is to put q half tumbler of spirits of
turpentine in basin of water, and dip
your broom in it and sweep over the
carpet once or twice.--Chicago Iflb-
URe.
Chestnut culture in this country is
an industry which is still in its infancy,
and the profits and possibilities of
which arc not yet fully realized; but
the subject is one worthy of careful in
vestigation by practical men.-PrG:rie
Farmer.
Prof. Bartholomew, the successful
horse trainer, says that the hearing of
that animal is more acute than Il man s,
and yelling ut him only tends to make
him harder to manage. You can lay
it down as certain rule that the louder
man shouts at a horse the less he
knows about horses.-tlOntredi Hitness.
To save stair carpets, nail several
thickneSses of canvas or old carpet
over the edge of each stair. 1t is a
good plan to buy more carpeting than
is needed to cover the stairs, and move
it each season, SO that the whole will
wear evenly. If stair carpets can not
be changed in this way they will not
wear long.
Progressive market gardeners con-
slider stable manure one of the best
possible manures to have and save all
they can. supplementing any deiicien-
cies in quantity by judiciously selected
commercial fertilizers. These garden
ers compost the stable manure pre-
vious to applying it to quick crops
ClerclGnd Lcader.
-Hominy: Soak cup of small
hominy for two hours in enough cold
water to cover it. Drain. put over the
fire in a farina kettle, with 4 quart of
warm water slightly sailed, and cook
for half an hour after it reaches the
boil If it has not soaked up all the
water, pour it Off and supply the place
with a cup of warm milk. Bring it to
a boil and serve. Eat with sugar and
cream.-Cincinndti Times.
TO have & fine crop of large. rich
currants, enrich the ground. make it
clean and mellow, and thin out the
brush. Cut away the old stunted wood,
and leave the vigorous young shoots
Let them occupy equal distances from
each other, and give the bushes in
some degree 4 regular form. No fruit
is more neglected than the currant, the
bushes being allowed to become en-
veloped in weeds and grass. and the
enfeeblcd bushes allowed to grow into
a mass of brush. The difference in the
size of the berries raised by the two
modes is about as one to four. Chica-
90 Tribune.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
TIMELY HINTS.
Suggestions to HOusekeepcrs for tn
House-CIeaning Season.

| suggestions to HOusekeepcrs for the
housekeeping Season.
Mortar and paint may be removed
from window-glass with hot, sharp
! vinegar.
Grained woods should be washed
with cold tea, and then, after being
wiped dry, rub with linseed oil.
Remove ilower-pot stains from win
dow-sills by rubbing with fine wood
ashes and rinse with clean water
Strong BRINE may be used to adyan-
! tage IN washing bedsteads. Hot
alum-water is also good for this pur-
pose.
Drain-pipes and all places that are
sour or impure may be cleansed with
lime-water or carbolic acid or chloride
of lime.
Cayenne pepper blown into the
cracks where ants cOngregate will
drive them away. The same remedy
is also good for mice.
HellebOre sprinkled on the floor at
night destroys cockroaches. They eat
it and arc poisoned. 1t should be
swept up each morning.
Plush goods and all articles dyed
with aniline colors, faded from expos
ure to light, viii look as bright as ever
after spOnging with chlOroform.
If the wall about the stove has been
smoked by the stove, cover the black
patches with gun-shellac and they will
not strike through either paint or cal
Gimme.
Carpets should be thoroughly beaten
on the wrong side first and then on the
right side, after which spots may be re-
moved by the use of ox-gall or ammo
MIA and water.
Whole cloves are now used TO exter-
inmate the merciless and industrious
moth. 1t is said they are more effect
uah as destroying agent than either
tobacco, camphor, or cedar-shavinps.
A good moth-powder is made of
lupulinc Ground hops), l dram; Scotch
snuff, ounces; camphor-gum. / ounce;
black pepper. l ounce; cedar sawdust,
ounces. Mix thoroughly and strew
among the furs or woolens to be pro-
tected.
10 remove wine, fruit, or iron stains
from linen wet the spot with solution
OF hypO-sulphite of soda and scatter
some pulverized tartaric acid upon it:
then wash out as usual. Strong vine
gar can be substituted for the tartarIc
acid.
Furniture needs cleaning as much as
other woodwork. 1t may be washed
with warm soap-suds quickly, wiped
dry and then rubbed with an DIV
cloth. To polish it rub with rotten
stone and sweet oil. Clean off the oil
and polish with chamOis-skin.
To cleanse spots FROM broadcloth or
wooden goods take half an ounce each
of giycerine, alcohol and sulphuric
ether, two ounces of aqua ammonia,
half an ounce of powdered CASTLE soap.
and add water enough to make one
quart of the mixture. Use with brush
or sponge and rinse with pure water.
To clean marble the following ia
recommended: Common soda. two
pounds; powdered pumice-stone and
finely powdered chalk, one pound each.
Pass through fine sieve and mix to a
thin paste with water. Rub it well all
over the marble and the stains will be-
removed; then wash the marble over
with soap and water and it will be a.
clean as it was at frst-CAicagO Necs.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

"You must give up writing poetry,
my dear. when you're married." said
my uncle to Rose, as We We're taking
coffee in the drawing room.
'-Oh, l could never wife line of
poetry she answered, blushing. I'm
cle-for l must always call you uncle
l see l must make confession. Will
you ever forgive me? 1t was all Mr..
WOodbird' s doing. Those verses which
l showed you this morning were never
written by poor me! Did you really
think that l could have written them?
1t was little conspiracy between Mr..
Woodbird and me. He wrote them for
the Grosrenor Magazine. and said he
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
-"Here. stranger" shouted a poli

Here, stranger" shouted police
man on one Of the recent hurricane
days. what cher tryin' to do with that
coal hole?'' Goal holer' exclaimed
tine stranger. swell, 1 am half-breed
from up the river if l didn't think it was
some new-fangled entrance to cyclone
pit. ~ T. Times.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

-The'rabbit pest in Nevada, which
has assumed such proportions as to en-
danger the stock ranges, is the result
of the wholesale slaughter of coyotes,
wildcats and Chicago Herald
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

Mr.. George Hearst, the new Cali
fornia Senator, is said to have an in
come of two thousand dollars a day.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

down glass of claret, and produced
the Ms. from my pocket. My uncle
| took them with a smile which really
tried my strong affection for him. prom
| ising to look at them before bed time.
He had evidently no faith in my poet
ical genius.
Rose was more fascinating that even
| inc than she had ever been before. She
sang MY mother bids me bind my
| hair" with SO sweet manner that the
tears came into my eyes. How I
wished that had expressed myself bet
ter in that "Ode to the Great Bearr'
And yet I cherished a secret hope of
my uncle's conversion. Alas! / was
doomed to disappointment.
Il wouldn't waste any more time
over this sort of thing" said the cruel
critic, handing me back my precious
MS. Its not in your line, my boy.
Try trigonometry. BY the way, my
dear" he added, turning to my aunt,
81 shall be glad if you will drop note
to Woodbird, and ask him to come to
lis on Tuesday,
Then | lost my temper. I told my
uncle that | had sworn by the nine gods
to marry Rose d'Agincourt, and that
nothing on earth should prevent my
proposing to her. least of all a ridicu-
lOuS subServience to crotchetS that
We're ali moonshine. She was the only
woman / could ever love, and l would
never marry any girl to point a theory
or adorn 4 scientific treatise.
"You should not speak of science in
that way, my boy" said my uncle,
very gravelv. "When you are older,
you will see matters in another light"
and all my wrath broke in vain upon
his placid front.
Before went to bed that night was
firmly resolved to propose to Rose the
next day, ''before that warbling idiot
Woodbird comes upon the scene" l
muttered to myself. The next morn
ing. however. brought less precipitate
counsels. felt that could not offend
my uncle. Not only was to some ex-
tent dependent upon my guardian, but
| was deeply attached to him, and l
was aware that the only proper course
to pursue was to endeavor to alter his
wish. The hobby must be attacked.
After the pitiful failure of my poetic
illusions to alter his opinion of me,
any further efforts in that direction
would be useless. longed to startle
of my creative fancy, but found myself
quite unable to concoct any. And so
drifted on irresolutely, until Tuesday
came, and brought Tom Woodbird to
stay with US.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

"A sample carload of Alabama
coal has been shipped to Brazil.