davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Skins Of q Thousand Horsc<..

The interesting fact was learned by re..
porter that tho hides Of about 1000 horses,
and the skins of ut least ten times as many
sheep are cut up into coverings for baseballs
in this city every season. By one manufac-.
turcr alone three tons Of yarn are used year
for the insides of baseballs. The hide and
skin used is perfectly white, being. alunr
tanned, and comes from Philadelphia. Out,
Of one horses hide the coverings for twelve.
dozen balls are cut, and out of ono sheep;
skin three dozen. Two strips Of the leather:
arc required for each bail, cut wide, and.
rounding at each end so that they fit into
each other when put around the yarn ball. !;
Each piece, for league ball, is seven inches
long by two inches wide at the rounded ends:
The pieces arc cut with die. Old-fashioned
blue Shaker yarn is used for the inside OF, a
League ball, which is wound tightly around
small rubber ball weighing exactly one
ounce The improved League ball has now
double coverings of horsehide, which is re-
garled as a great improyement.-New York
Mail and Express
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
The French Government Printing Office.

This establishment possesses the finest print
fng material il tic world, end an annual
budget of S14O0,0D insurcs its constant re-
newal, as well as tho salaries OF the mana
gers, clerks and wor,inlcn. Most OF the workers
arc paid by the piece. The higher Official staff
comprises q gcncralmana3cr at :3,NDa year,
en- under nlci.l,Tcr at 81 ,G2o, superintendent
OF tic interior department. work Ct 81 ,s%2o, nn
assistant to the latter ct $500, and a score of
others, such cs cashiers, oycrscclS, clerks,
etc, with salaries ranging from $500 to S;'3300.
Tho establishment is divided into three
great services, named respectively first d.
vision, second division Gnd reserve, with SUI
pnrabundance Of overseers and clerks. The
personnel of the Office consists of-clcrlis and
officials, 30; labo"ers, 50; boollfoldcGs, sew
erS pc.foratolS, gl,mnlcrs and females coz
rcct2l with the drying room, $40; bookbind-
c.s, 1l0; typcfoundcrs Is males and 10 fe-
malcs), -; clcctrotypcrs and stercotypels -;
Elachincmcn, pointers GalGie and @einalc) and
machine boys, l2o; prcss:ncn, no; colnpo:i-
tors, 200, showing total of about 1, 200 per-
sons occupied exclusively i'll the printing Of
government work. Tho working day of tho
Skilled wc.kors is ten hours, but laborcl.s have
to work eleven. The male workers receive
si:; cents cr hour extra for overtime; the fc-
males have to be content with four cents
Rcvcl TypoSraphiQuc.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Improvement Needed in Park Benches.

Improvement Needed in Park Benches.
OF course these benches arc inadequate to
the accommodation Of the mlltittides that
visit the parks. and who, sooner or later, are
anxious to sit down and rest But man and
woman will stand up or walk around long
time before they will sit down alongside peo-
pic whom they do not fancy. The park
benches are ell as long as if intended to hold
q geography class ut o common school, and
what usually happens is this: One tramp
takes q scat ut one end Of bench, and soon
afterward another tramp takes seat at the
other end, after which everybody avoids it as
carefully as if it were newly painted. never
saw park bench twenty feet long yet that
would accommodate but two, or, ct tic most,
three persons. .....
The seats provided for visitors should not
be longer than will accommodate two per-
sons. Instead of one long bench there should
be three short ones, ten feet apart. Bette
still would be six chairs, six feet apart. A
still greater improvement would be the sub
stitution Of mere stools for the benches An
excellent stool could be made of iron at q
very trihing EXPENSE and would present
many advantages. a. gentleman or lady
could sit OH it without without being in Ir-
pleasant jiuxta position to coarse and ill-be-
haved people, and it would not be so COM
Portable that they would wish to occupy it
hours ut a tinle. Moreover,.it could not DO
defaccd with knives or pencils, and it would
last almost tforrvcr.-ChicaSo Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Tho IrussIans, English and Nussialis.

The whole character of tho Prussian i
above all governmental. IN this lies our
strcngtil-as well as TIC reason that VIC Pl,ls-
slams end tho north Germans generally, who
arc Influenced by Us, Grc rarely attractive to
others. In the English and il the Russian
this governmental stamp il less predominant.
The English ere, notwithstanding thcir pccu-
liar manners and customs, tho frce:it nation
in all the civilized world. Their social laws
tend to lay down firm hut convenient laws for
human intercourse. A mans position iu
society depends upon the Judgment of society
only, not Oil the Judgment Of the government,
and the idea of "geEtlelnan" is the measure
by which tho English II:c:a.slTc ilan, i is
otherwise with tho Russian. He has no ilca
Of Cantlemanliness. But there is 4 small part
of Russian society which il rs free from the
influence of tho government rs tho English
themselves, anil where tho social laws Gro also
sclf-imposcd. OF Russian society in general
it must be said that it bears neither tho gov
crnmcntal stamp of Prussia nor hardly q
trace of the order of English society; it is
loose, shapclcss mass, which, however, hy i'll
dividual arliability, is astonishingly attract
i've. But tho ono thing which is peculiar to
us PrusSians--ilanlcly, the governmental
character of sucicty--can be found neither
among the English nor the Russians. If we
want to he anything in society we must Ls
soldiers or officials, otherwise we arc nothing.
German Newspaper
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Tho Blind C.a1!ain's Modern Devil.

The devil Of to-day is n polished, Travelled,
geAtlcmanly appearing individual. He has
bccn in London, and Paris, and New York,
and Washington, and San Francisco. He
know; all about tho grand sights. anil is well
posted Oil the gossip and news of the day. He
moves in tho best society and i nluch oil
mircI here. He dresses il faultlcss style
Ills cold, gray eye looks steadily at you and
fascinates you, perhaps. IIc has thin, deli
cate lips and fine nostrilS that arc easily
curved in scorn.
Ono great feature of tho modern devil is
that he never becomes enthusiastic over any
thing. You may show him tho most beauti-
full sunset or natural views. the most rare
and valuable painting or piece of statuary;
and with his cold, gray eye ho will look
steadily at it and make some disparaSing re-
mark. You can not point out 4 man or wo-
man that he will not disparago lie is q
cynic, Mcphistophclcs. lie enters your
drawing room and your churches. He
causes trouble and dissension everywhere
He disrnrages the brethren.-Rev. Dr.. Mil
burns Sermon.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Test of wnt.r-Ti-ht ompartmcnts.

Warned by the fate of the Oregon, the
Russian government has been inanguratiIg
al exhaustive test Of water-tight compart-
mcnts, which it conte,nplates applying to all
now vessels, and probably to older ones as
we'll The mall-of-war selected was the corr
vctte cruiser Vitiaz, which was finished last
autumn, and is under sailing orders for the
Pacific. Some weeks ago al intimation was
conveyed to the doclyard authorities at
Cronstadt that the watT-tight compartments
would be tested iii succession, ai!d Instructions
were given to survey them afrcsh and make
good any defects that might be discovered.
If the Official report is to be believed. every
effort was made to meet the wijhcs OF tic Gd-
miralty; vet when the compartments were
actually filled with water the fluid grs,ed
through numerous apcrturcs which had
escaped the eye, and i'll some cases to an cx-
tent which would have been troublesome at
sen after q serious accident. To secure per-
fec.iol several CT the compartments were
filed two or threo times, and it was Only
after deal Of door adjustiay and leak stop
ping that the corve:tec was pronounced 1T To
proceed to sca.-Chicaso News
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Tho Tomb of Abelard and IIcloisc.

News comes from Paris that NJ. Gounod is
about to compose an opera founded OH tho
story of Abclalu onl I1rluiso. Wnnher if be
will weave in anything about tLo!r .omb in
Pcro Ii Chaise, to which disappointed lovers
make pilgrimngcs, decking 1t va farercal
wreathSi In an open space aho7, sue tomb
rcrlin. s~o marble figures side by side. whirh
are SAID 20 he from tho original tomb Of those
unfortunate lovers. But they were not. The
cold, uErornantic fuct is that the clligics arc
from different tombs in all old Paris church
that WINS destroyed by tho rcvolutionSts near
ly 100 years ago, and they did not even he-
long together. The tomb itself is constructed
of the remains of other tombs, and nothing
about the monument ever had any connection
with Abelard and llcloise until brought 20
Pere In Chase and rcchri5tcncd. Texas Slit
iDrS
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
A Rich Mans Tailor.NIade Clothes.

A Now York tailor who makes clothes for
fashionable young men-and fashionable old
men; too; fuf that r1atter.-says that
marked change 1as como over tho methods Of
soino of his customers during the past year
or two. 1t used to be the proper thing for
rich men to make contracts with their tailors
for years supply of clothes, at so much per
year. They got a now suit, and wore it Us
long as it looked fresh; then they would take
it back and obtain new one in its stead,
and SO they were able to go through the year
in q well-dressed way. It was an English
custom that the gentlemen imported, and it
was considered quito the necessary way for
several years, till suddenly somebody began
to suspect that it was not quite as economical
as some other plan might be. Tho samo
thing dawned on lots of other people soon
after, and that ended tho custom. A rich
mans tailor-made wardrobe on this plan used
to cost anywhere from 81 200 to $1,000 per
ycar-in exceptional cases, of course, mount
ing much higher. 1t wns bonanza for the
tailors, whose hot fatirons seldom failed to
make creased suit returned by one GUS
toner look bright and fresh enough for
another.
Now rich men are paying for their clothes
as they buy them, at so much per suit. The.
old style, which did not amount to much
moro than renting of the clothes, and which
went under on tho score of economy; makes
way for new scheme, which, if tho tailols
are to be believed; is q g5od deal more expcn-
sive. The average swell in New York society
is spending now from 81, 500 to $4,000 a year
on his tailor, if lie is cutting any figure at all.
Men do not Show much about tho cost of
clothes and expenses of manufacture. Show
O man q coat that costs SEQ and another that
costs $40, and he will seldom hesitate to pay
the $50 difference to get the higher priced
gurment- York Cor Argonaut.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Some Eeautiful Designs in Watches.

. The new watches of smallest size exhibit
the dead white silver covered with.
unique designs, with IN open scroll
work studded with tiny rubics; the ball
watches. Again oxidized, with foliage and
COG in high relief; frog seated in graceful,
attitude is playing on q banjo and evidently
singing, also in high relief. Another bcauti-,
full little watch has an oxidized hammered
case, with horscmcn in high relief leaping o
fence, trees and hunting lodge in the distance. !,
Others are oxidii:ed and exquisitely enameled
with flowers and vines. Another design con-
sists Of shells OH water leaves i'll black enamel,
with stray of oxidized waves and spider in ,
gold. Tho chains, just four inches long, arc
6f variou; styles. hammered, filasree, chased,
chain,nlai, iish-scalc, having curios in tho,
way of pendants that promise to circulats:
through the whole encyclopaedia Of natural
history. These are suspended with other de.
vicc5.-Ncw York Tribune
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
A Superstition of tho Chinese.

l saw a ChinalnaR burning paper in his
doorway recently when CHANGED to be pass
iny bis house late at night, III Il back street in
Brooklyn. and had the curiosity the next
day to ask an explanation from an Intelligent
Cf f~istianized MonSolian- Hc said that de-
vout Celestials, particularly those who have
lust arrived from China, always burn paper
in each doorway of the house before retiring
at night. They believe that the proscnitors
of the present Chinese dynasty were dissatis-
fed with the Chinese customs which grew UP
at the close of their dynasty, of permitting
aliens to enter the Flowcry Kingdom, and at
tribute the success of tho TartarS to that Gus
tom. TO mark their displcasure they placed
in the sky star of death -dealing influence.
which, if it Should shino Into their doors Or
upon the floors ten nights in succession,
would cause tho death Of ell ~lo inhabit the
house. Red, which to tue Chinese mind,
typifies all that is good AMI righteous, is tho
mtidote; hence the red curtains hung beio.o
every Chinese house and laundry. Fire,
which produces a red light, e2pels the
demons, hence the customs Of burning paper
in Goorwcys-New York News.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Tho Secret Of Sanguinary Duels.

NJ. Aurclen Scholl, the witty French au-
thor, devotes an amusing chronique to the
late DR.. Thevcnet, whose notorious readiness
to magnify the merest sword prick into q
dangerous wound brought his services into
great request OH such occasions. NJ. Scboll,
indeed, goes so far rs to assert that the excel
lent doctor adopted the prccaution Of
bringing vial of blood with him, when hc
was asked to attend com5ata1t into the
field; and lie contrived, by dcxterouS use of
its contents, to give such n ghastly appear
ance to the slightest scratch that some AZ
parently sanguinary ducls at which he as
sisted did not cost solitary drop of blood
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
What n Spruce Gum Merchant Says.

"Therc's only one Kind Of spruce gum,
though they advertise medicine made from
rcd spruce gum, just rs if there were blue
gum or any other color. There's no use talk.
in, spruce gum is good for the stomach, an
1 advise everybody to chew it. 1t don't need
any preparing, only just scraping the bits of
bark OIL, an then it ready to be sold and
chcwed. Spruce trees is gettin' scarcer'n
they used to be, an you have to travel good
ways rurthcr'n you used to to get much gum.
foot it on SHOW shoes-some that L made
myself. In winter havo some help, mcn
an boys who hain't nothin' to do. an pay
'cm for what they pick" ."-Boston Globe
Intniyi1M
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
Engineer, Fireman, brakeman and Flag.
man,

Tho traveller who pulls fragrant cigar in
t:lc smoking car, or scans tho daily papers in
the filst-"lass coach, or reclincs with pillow
under his head in the sleeping car, rarely
thinks of tho engineer, tho fireman, tho
brakeman or the flagnlan. He is thrown in
contact with the conductor, whom be either
plaques with useless questions or hoEors by
calling "captain;" but the silent mail at tho
throttle lever, or tie others have mentioned,
never slip into the travellers mind, unless tho
train is behind time. In that event they arc
remembered only to be abused. But these
rlon are deserving of moro consideration. As
rule, they aro sober, steady fellows, also-
lutely fearless, and possessed of patience that
even Job might have eavicd. a blne uni
foral, be it ever so dinsy aiid buttonlcs', or q
greasy suit OF engineers ovcralls, when worn
ly It's owner is IL thing TO be adlIircd.-At-
lantl Constitution.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
A PHosPHoREscENr CEMENT.
Tho Manifold Uses of Luminous Con
c-ctc-Guides and Te.cons.


crctc-Guites and Bemcons.
A mcthol Of utilizing tho luminous powder
prepared mainly as Sulphidc Of calcium for
aflmixture with ceInents, plaster OF Paris lnd
concrete has been recently invented by cou-
pie OF London men, the object being to pre-
parc the articles with u sclf-containcd phos-
phorescent property instead of coating them
with luminous paint As eli example, tho
patentecs take of cement, such as is known as
kccn's Parian or other suitable make, IN
varying proportions, as, for instance, two
pounds to five pounds to ono pound of the
luminous powder; mi; the same with water,
and then mould it to required shape Ill the
usual way, OF lay it Oil to ceilings on walls by
means of 4 trowcl.
The patcntccs attach Importance to placing
the moulded articles as soon rs they havc
beer; dried, i'll bath Of parafIinc wax and
bcnzolinc Or other suitable weather or water
r-ooting substance. In tho case Of using tho
luminous cement upon C wall or ceiling, they
sponge or brush the surface over with soiu
ton Of pardfIinc wax and bcnzoline or other
suitable damp-proofing solution. The uses OF
n luminous cclneut are manifold: Fer tho
carCen-ltlnlinous concrete as cdging to
garden paths and carriage drives, for guides
and bcacons at tho entrance gates Of drives.
insides of stables, the base of balustradcs, o,
the entirety of baiustradcs. For roads-as
luminous beacons at corners of dark country
lanes, and at tho ends of bridges, ends Of
walls, and curbs Of footpaths. For docks
for Cd l;iag of piers ard wharves. Tor watcr>
works-for tho safety and dispatch Of night
work by the erection of luminous guides and
boacons and for fro plug notices " walls. Ii
short, for any places whcro the light of day
will sufficiently excite tho rhoSphc: escert
property as to render tho cemcrt OF concrete
work luminous by night. entitic Amer
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
WHY MEN CONTINUE SMOKING.
An Inquiry Into the Alleged Reasons
for the Masculine Habit.

IOr the NIaScuiinc (1aDit'
A number of literary men smoke simply to
make an income They have learned that
with pipe in their mouths thoughts not only
come more readily, but in better order, and
that, while it is often difficult to get the
proper word if they are not smoking, it runs
to the point Of the pen the moment they
Slight up" Psychologically this is the most
interesting, and the reason %Smankind can
not grasp it probably is that psychology is
not, unfortunately, taught in ladies' semina-
rics.
Smoking is a great safeguard against infec-
tious diseases. 1t is only by reading up the
subject scientifically in medical treatises that
ono thoroughly gets to understand the
thousand risks Of this kind that we
run every day. III the country dur
ing the summer months, when men arc on
their holidays, they look forward to having
temporary respite from smoking. Then it
does not so much matter how the tcrpera-
ment is; living SO much in the open air the
smoking Of other persons has little effect on
them and there is less danger of infection.
1t is to keep OFF the flies that men smoke ut
the seaside and on the hills. Their own
weatherbeaten countenances can stand the
flies; but these little demons would not only
spoil the summer for susceptible wives and
sisters and children, but would disfgure
them as well. That is what man cannot en-
dure. You may have seen picnics on the
river or among the fields, with oil the mon
smoking and the ladies standing quite hear
them. With many men smoking is merely
all excuse for staying at home. A man looks
foolish of oil evening doing nothing, yet he
is too tired to do much. A cigar supplies the
amount of labor be requires, and he docs not
mind the trouble Of smoking it so long as it
enables him to stay at home without loss Of
dignity, and took admiringly and yet un-
demonstratively at his wife. Should man
with small income be an epicure, or natur
ally of IN irascible temper, it will add greatly
to the happiness Of bis home If he compels
himself to smoke. And at present. when
times are SO hard ns to affect every one more
or less, cigar is cheap and excellent sub
stitutc for expensive amuscments.- James
Gazettec,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10

A DYING REPORTERS SPECIAL.
Pathetic Story of n Railway Accident.
Tony E.-'s Last Scoop.

Pathetic story or halfway Acclieh.'
Tony E--'s Last Scoop.
It is not so many years ago that Tony
B, the attache of central Iowa paper
now dcfunct, rode out from southern Iowa
city, one bright morning, pcrched darinsly
Oil the brake of fiat car that was attached
to "wild freight" and loaded with iron rails.
lie was like other reporters, made up of vices
and virtucs-only the first seen by the world,
the latter best known by his intimate friends.
lie hal been in newspaper work for about
six years, was thoroughly capable, and
scored moro scoops than was ever recorded
AGAINST him. This, in the eyes of the city
editor, insured his entrance into paradise.
To make the story short, forty miles out
from its starting point the "Wlld" freight,
with leap of madness and q terrible crash,
went through bridge, down sixty feet, and
Tony sitting on the brake beam. 1t was over
in an instant. Such things don't wait for
time to catch up with them When tho COLI
ductor of tho train (thc only one uninjureD
crawlcd out of the wreck, bis eyes fell first Oh
Tony, lying across the side of dlsmantlcd
box car, on his chest q heavy rail, his legs
crushed, and dying. Beyond him lay dead
brakeman; tho engineer was buried under his
machine, and by large bowlder was the fire
man, with broken back. Tony was con-
scio;rs, and, when the conductor reached him,
asked for paper and pencil. They were found
in his pockets Unable to write himself, ho
dictated this, angrily ordering tho men who
had como up to let him alone:
&c E, Managing Editor Star, -
Iowa: Train through bridge at -. Was
Oh board and ain hurt Will send full par
ticu,ars ct once. 4. b."
A farmer was secured, who conveyed it to
the nearest station Then this boy, true to
lis duty and rot flinching BEFORE death, suf-
fcring flightful agony, end while willing
hands sought in vain to release him from his
position, dictated special" of fifteen hun
drcd words to his paper. Wkat no suffered
no ore can ever know. It was with difficulty
that he could breathe, and every gasp cost
him wrench of agony. But he held death
bac! down to the last few lines, "Thc killed
wcrc-' end so on, ending with tho name
Of "Tony B, reporter" AS he ended that
Lis cycs filed with tears, and he looked up
wistfully to tho conductor, who had written
Tic telegram for him, ard who himself corN
not keep lis tears back. s'Tcll my mother"
said Tony, "that did my duty; and, boys,
rush that over the wires for G!c. It's a
SCOOP" 1t went over the wires all right, and
it was a sscoop;" but before it was printed
Tony was Gead."-St. Paul Pioneer Press.