davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
The Wind Lifts a Train.

Mr.. C. w. Woodward. a travelling
man hailing from New York, related an
interesting story yesterday of trip from
Buffalo to this city in the storm Thurs
day night. lie is guest at the Forest
City house, and narrated his experience
to small circle of friends. ''After
leaving Dunkirk," he said, ''the wind
was so severe that we proceeded along at
snaiI's pace. At times the force of the
hurricane lifted one side Of the train
several inches from the track, and then
it would descend to the rails again with
a startling thump. We were asked by
the conductor to sit on one side Of the
cars to balance them. A number Of
Cleveland passengers left the train at
Erie, preferring TO remain in that city
over night rather than to risk riding any
further. 1t was the first time in seven
teen years travelling that l was ever
alarmed In railway train. - CIevetand
Iea,ler.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
WASHINGTON
GOSSIP FROM UNCLE SANS CAP
ITOL
What our Busy LAW Makers are Doing
Congressional and Other News.

Congregational and Other news.
Orders have been issued for the dis
continuance eff a number of signal SER
vice stations. Pensacola, Fla, is the only
one in the South. The remainder are in
the North and Northwest. The scarcity
of money is the cause.
The bill to appropriate an additional
$75, GOO for the Chattanooga public
building has passed the committe OF the
whole. This gives Chattanooga an ap-
preparation in all of $275, 900. There are
now only five public buildings on the
calendar ahead of Mr.. Grimes, and his
will be voted on in the house about Tues
day or Wednesday. Mr.. Grimes has
many friends in the house and, this to-
gether with the true merit in the bill
makes its passage doubly assured.
The civel service commissioner gives
notice that it will hold examinations for
applicants for positions in departmental
service at Washington, who, in addition
to ordinary clerical attainments, have a
knowledge of stenography and type
writing at the following times and pla-
ces in the south: Birmingham, Ala,
Thursday, March s; Chattanooga, Tenn,
Saturday, March 10; Knoxville, Tenn,
Tuesday, March 10; Nashville, Tenn,
Tuesday, March 13; Memphis, Tenn,
Thursday, March 10.
The President has signed an order
placing employees of the civil service
commission in the classified departmental
service. This is the first act of the Pres
idenl under the new rules and regula-
tions, and it is understood to be prelimi-
nary to an order placing under civil ser
vice rules the Interstate commerce com
mission, the Indian school service and all
other commissions and bureaus which
were organized independent of the exec
utive departments at Washington, as
contemplated by the new rules.
The will of the late w. W. Corccran
has been filed and admitted to probate.
The only public bequests are 500, 600 to
the Corcoran art gallery, to which Mr..
Corcoran had already given 81, 500, 600;
$50, 600 to the Louise Home, to which
Mr.. Corcoran gave in his life half mil
lion dollars; 50, 900 each to the three
orphan asylums of the district, and $3,-.
900 to the Little Sisters of the Poor. He
makes many bequests, ranging from 800
to $15, 900, to relatives, personal friends
and servants. The remainder of the es-
tate is left in trust for his three grand
children.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
HUMOR OF THE DAY.

Risings are treated so summarily in
Russia that even yeast is afraid to do its
duty.
When a physician loses his skill it
naturally follows that he is out of prac-
tice. Merchant TrdUeter.
How would it work for the women suf-
fragists to colonize and govern the terri
tory of No Mans Land2
Schools of herring are striking in to-
ward the American shore. They obeyed
the orders of the swimming delegate.
After all, it is perhaps appropriate that
physicians prescriptions should be writ
ten in Latin, dead Language. PittsJurg
Chronicle.
In view of his preference for a "shining
mark" it is a little strange that death
doesn't capture more bootblacks. Dams
ciUe Breeze.
When a washerwoman changes her
place of residence one may ask her
''where she hangs out now" without
using slang.
An Illinois man who went fishing with
Lincoln fifty years ago threatens to sue
tilC OcftUfI 4huyu~tftt ioi hOt li iieAns5 Lis
picture Life.
Now does each side in Congress
Declare in hot ferment.
That the other eyes the surplus
With burglarious intent.
-Tid-Bds.
A burglar in Harlem took, among other
things, cornet belonging TO an amateur,
and the neighbors are trying to raise
fund of $500, 900 to bribe the thief to
return some night and carry off the
amateur.-Mta0 York Time.
Oh. sad is the touch of a vanished hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still;
And sad is the winter without any ice
The ice dealers house to fill.
But saddest of all the things | know
Is the toboggan slide without any snow.
-COmrieI-.jOurndl.
Chicago Lady Ito husband) -'My dear,
did YOU think to order a ton OF coal to-
dayY Husband-"Y Chicago Lady
-"And my shoes" Husband-"Y
and" (peerng out of the Window 'there
is truck backing up to the door now,
but it's too dark to see whether it has
the coal or the shoes. ."-Hwper's Bdaar.
Why wouldn't it be good idea if
somebody should get up code of signals
showing how people feel, thus saving
much wind in asking "iiow are you"
and kindred questions? There might be
awhile lapel button for "Pretty well, a
red one for "So-sc," and blue one for
81 feel like the deuce" They could
easily be made quite as trustworthy as
the weather signals, and would gil a long
felt want.-Bost0R 1rdnscript.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
THE SONG OF THE FOOL


Within my sanctum snug sit,
And watch the world go round and round;
My ink is dry, my pen is split,
My zen and scissors can't be found.
Ali joy for me, my work is dropped,
For who can work without his toolsi
True, as you say, my pay is stopped,
But money is not good for fools.
So foolish here | sit and dream
Within my sanctum's scanty bound;
touch no pen to thought or theme,
But watch the world go round and round.
With sweat and struggle, toll and pain,
From dawn of day to set of sun,
With lust of power and greed of gain,
With battles lost and victories won,
With hate and fear and bitter strife,
With treacherous blow and angry wound,
While l, the fool. in happier life,
Just watch the world go round and round.
-IiObert J. BuTOlette
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
About Canary Birds.

How many of our readers are aware
that canary has four notes to his soug2
Indeed. according to the DefT0t Free,
Pre- <, dealers, after listening to the sing
ing for moment. are able to tell whether
the singer is German or American.
These four notes are the water note,
which is a rippling, attractive bit of
warbiiHg like the murmur of a rill; a
flute note, clear and ringing; the
whistling note, of the same class, but
very much finer, and the rolling note,
which is a continuous melody. rising
and falling only to rise again. 1t is in
the last named note that the American
birds fail. They cannot hold it.
Another difference between the two is
that the German canaries are night sing
ers they will sing until the light is ex-
tinguished. But American bids put
their heads under their wings with dark.
hess.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
NORTH. EAST AND WEST

The sheet mill of the Reading Pa. iron
works has suspended, throwing 275 men
out of employment.
Smallpox is reported as raging in Ha-
vana. Two thousand deaths occurred
from the dreaded disease between May last
and January, 1888.
1t is rumored at Washington that Gen
eral John Newton, superintendent of
public works, is to be appointed super
intendent Of the coast survey.
Work on the new gunboat Yorkton
and dynamite crusier, at Cramps ship
yard, Philadelphia, has progressed so
rapidly that they will be launched with
in a month.
Eighteen men were injured by the ex-
plosion of dynamite in rock cut on
Fourth street, Duluth, Minn.
The roof of nearly completed hotel at
Kansas city, Mo-, collapsed and crushed
through eight stories to the ground. One
workman was killed and about dozen
injured.
At Salamanca. N, Y, the second larg-
est fires that ever occurred in the town
broke out at 1870 o'clock yesterday
morning. The buildings burned were the
Opera House block, post office, Mess
block and other buildings. Loss, $75, 900
insurance, $35, 0O0
Five shares of the New York Sun Pub
fishing Company, par value 81, 600 each,
were sold at the New York Real Estate
Exchange for So, $50 each.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has de-
clared imperative the law enacted by the
last Legislature, which permitted habit
ual drunkards to be confined in an asy-
lum not to excede two years.
A slight shock of earthquake was felt
at San Francisco, Cal, the other day.
The shock is also reported from several
points north of that city, where it was
more severe and caused persons to rush
from their houses in alarm.
Governor Green, of New Jersey, has
vetoed the local option high license bill
which the Republicans had passed as a
caucus measure.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
Big European Armies.

''The bloated ornaments of the great
military powers of Europe" display their
proportions in a very striking manner in
Colonel Vogt's work on .'The European
Armies of the Present" The mobilized
strength of France is set down at 2,05l,-
ASS troops, exclusive of the territorial
army, which is equally large; that OF
Russia at /, 922, 400; Germany, J ,4J3, $50,
and Austro- Hungary, i,035, 955. The
military strength of Italy has now at
tanned proportions that would have been
deemed incredible ten years ago. In
cluding militia, it is all ged to amount
to 2, 3Si, 1872 men If, however, a similar
inclusion be made in the case of Russia.
the military strength Of that power will
probably be found to exceed even that
of the French Republic. Compared with
these figures, the numerical proportions
of the British army is small. Including
the militia and volunteers, as VS. as the
Indian army, that nation can Just muster
'7S1, ,679 troops; and these have to serve
for the defense OF territory distributed
over very much wider area than thai
ruled by any of the other powers.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
A WhistIing Language.

At meeting OF the Berlin Anthropo-
logical Society, Lieutenant Quedenfeldt
lectured on the whistle language used
on the Gomero Island. During some
months stay in the Canary Archipelago
the lecturer was able to learn the nature
of this language, which is sort of pen
dant to the drum language of Camaroon.
There are no fixed whistles or signals.
The Gomero can carry on any conversa
tion by means of whistling, aud be un-
derstood by the person with whom he is
conversing n mile off, The whistliDg is
quite articulate, and is a kind of trans
lation of common speech into whistling,
each syllable having its peculiar tone, so
that even foreign words can be whistled.
The vowels {, ! and are more loudly
whistied than a, and u; and if con-
sonant, is at the end of a word, for ex-
ample, Juan" the is wh'stled in a
rising tone. The Gomero either uses
his fingers or his lips when whistling.
The practice is only common on the Co
nero Island, and is not found in the
other six islands of the Archipelago.
The reason may he the peculiar geological
construction of the island, which is ira
versed by many deep ravines and gullies,
which run out in all directions from the
central plateau. They are not bridged,
and can often only be crossed with great
difficulty; so that people who live very
near to each other in straight line, have
to make a circnit of hours when they
wish to meet Whistliig has therefore
become an excellent means of cOmmuni-
cation, and gradually assumed the pro.
portion of true substitute for speech.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
HONORING A GOOD MAN.
Funeral Of MIR. COrcOran-Mrs. CIeveia nd
Attends the Services.

The funeral of Mr.. w. w. Corcoran
took place late from his residence
in Washington. ID. G. In accor-
dance with the wish of the de-
ceased the ceremonies were simple and
devoid of all ostentation. Amorg the
floral tributes was a large pillow sent by
Mrs. Cleveland. The services were CON
fined to the form laid down in the Epis-
copal ritual There was no address.
Rev. DR. Leonard, pastor of st. Johns
Church, conducted the services with the
assistance of Bishop Parel and Rev. DIR.
Stuart, of Christ church, Georgetown.
Mrs. Cleveland was present during the
services and her carriage was in long dra-
perry, which followed the remains to the
grave. She was escorted by Secretary
Endicott and stood during the services
in the house very near the head of the
casket. Chief Justice Waite, Senators
Barbour, Eustis and many other persons
Of note, were assembled in the parlors of
the. mansion during the service. There
was large representation present Of va
rious organizations with which the de
ceased was connected, and which he had
aided Upon the arrival of the funeral
cortege at Hill Cemetary, the casket was
placed in the chapel, and it
will be placed in the vault, next to
one containing the remains Of Mrs. Cor
coran A touching incident was the
presence Mt the grave and the singing Of
the children of the City orphan asylum.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
Capnibal Island Currency.

Mr.. Walter Coote has described some
curious moneys of the New Hebrides and
the Solomon Islands. On one of the isl
ands he noticed neatly-kept house,
which he was told was the money house.
Entering it. he found number of maps
hanging from the roof, beneath which
fire was constantly kept up, under the
effect of which they become covered with
q black, glistening coating and adorned
with festoons of SCOT. 1t was mans
business to keep the fire always burning.
and 50 low as not to scorch the maps. A
well-colored map is worth about as much
as well-grown, vigorous boar. This is
the straneest of all kinds of money, for
it must never be taken from the money
house, even when the title of it Is trans
ferred from one owner to another. The
inhabitants of Santa Cruz Island use for
money, rope-ends, about an inch thick,
and ornamented with scarlet feathers,
which are worn about the waist. Tho
traveller could not obtain new ceins of
this kind, but found them current every
where. The specimens he bought were
already old, and the feathers grown
dingy. The money of the Solomon Isl
ands consisted of neatly-worked pieces
of shell of about the size of our shirt
buttons. They are strung on strings
about four yards long, and are distin-
gulshed under the names of red and
white money. Dog-teeth are of higher
value, and comparable to our gold coins.
They are usually worn on a string around
the neck Mr.. COOte saw necklace of
this kind that was valued at about 800.
Marble rings are also worn for orna-
ments, and as valuable money.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03

The Norh China HenG of recent
date says that persons who doubt the
barbarity of some of the Chinese punish
ments " haze only to walk into the city
of Shanghai this morning, a few minutes
task, and they will find one of the most
revolving Of these punishments in full
operation, and its inhiction applauded
bv all the Chinese who know of it," The
criminal, one Koh, is hardened ruffian,
who has rassed the greater part of the
past ten years in jail. The specific
offence for which he was being punished
was his habit Of blackmailing the new
prisoners who were put in Jail with him.
He was suspended in cage about five
feet high. with his head through the top
in a wooden collar, so that he could not
reach it with his hands. His feet, which
were loaded with chains, were SO far
from the bottom that he could only just
touch il when standing on tiptoe. Here
he was condemned to stand, without
food or water, just inside the outer gate
Of the magistrates yamcn, the sport oil
hundreds, until death put an end to his
suTerings. The writer suggests that a
photograph Of the cage and its occupant
would be telling frontispiece to the
Marquis Tseng's recent article on tho
awakening Of China"
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03

In every country there is some special
drawback to the sheep industry. Here
we have dogs and wolves. In Australia
rabbits eat nearly all the grass, and leave
the pastures as bare as Old Mother Hub
bard's cupboard. In New Zealand the
great enemy of sheep is large green
parrot. 1t lights on sheep and devour
its living flesh. After it has eaten itsfill
it flies away. But, as a rule, the wounds
II makes never heal.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
The Proud and univalrous Japs.

The nature of the soil is such that il
produces most luxuriantly. The skies
are rich with rains and dews. The yields
of rice, tea and cotton are often more
than sixty fold. Surely nature has smiled
propitiously upon this land of 100, 000
square miles, with some thirty eight
millions of people. The sea, land and
sky conspire to render it romantic and
sublime. But as the soiourner comes in
contact with the people, hearing their
myths and fablesas to their pedigree, and
learning from history whence they are
believed to have sprung, he is soon con
vinced that they are a race of romance
and chivalry. They delight to dwell
upon the past, recouuting their heroes.
Wonderful stories they will tell you of
their Mikados. Nearly every city of any
size will point you to its written history,
and every province to its encyclopedia Of
the treasured past. Neither will they
fail to inform you of their first written
Bible, produced in the sixth century,
consisting of three large volumes, the
first treating of the creation, the events
and centuries of the holy age; the sec
ond and third of the history of the Mi
kados from $50 to 1883 of the Christian
era Then with enthusiasm they will
recount the victories and achievements
of Iylyasu from the sixteenth century
and on TO the present time. They will
refer you to Jcmmu Tcnno, their first i'm
perial ruler or AHkado. who was the fifth
in descent from the Sun goddess, and
therefore divine, as all the other Mikados
have been, from the fact that they have
descended from him. making the pres
ent one the 123d in direct lineage. BIS
ton JcuinGi
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
SOUTH CAROLINA.

George Sims, who is wanted by the
Atlanta officers far larceny, has been ar
rested at Greenville by Detective Schlap-
back.
About six miles from Abbeville
a negro about twenty-one years old,
named Jas Wharton, shot a small negro
boy 10 years old, named Nathan McClin-
ton. The ball went in at the right shoul-
der, but it has not been found yet by the
attending physician The doctor consid-
ers the wound mortal. There was no ap-
parent cause for the shooting. A war
rant has been issued, and it is thought
that Wharton will be arrested.
A curious complication has arisen in a
murder case pending in Lexington cOun-
ty, in S. G. Dixon Addy was con
victed of manslaughter in killing Joseph
Swygert at political barbecue in 1886
He appealed to the supreme court and
got a new trial. When the case was
called up at Lexington, it was
discovered that the Indictment and other
papers were lost. The case cannot be
tried without the Indictment, nor can a
new Indictment be written out until a
nolle prosequi be entered and written on
the old paper itself. 1t looks now as if
Addy can never be tried again, and there
is considerable talk about it. Nobody
undertakes TO guess who abstracted the
papers, but the suspicion is that some
friend of Addy did it to help him out Of
his very bad case. His lawyers are men
Of high characters, and there is no sus-
picion whatever Of them.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
She Brought the Road to Terms.

The second railway built in this coun-
try, we believe, was short line of twenty
miles from Niagara Falls to LOckpOrt,
the track made of wooden scantling or
string pieces with strap iron laid on top
for rails. By the way, these often turned
up one end and, catching above the
wheel, came piercing up through the
bottom of the car. The engines CT those
days were of course very weak in power.
On this railroad was light grade for a
few hundred feet. Near this lived a
widow woman who had large fat hog
which one day got upon the track and
was killed. The railway people refused
to pay her Cor it. on the ground that the
hog had no business on the road. She
had the lard tried out, aud after failing
to get anything from the railway, she
spread this lard liberaIly upon the rails
for considerable distance along the as
cending grade. The engine having then
no ''sanding" arrangement, it was unable
to climb the grade; and as often as they
sprinkled sand on the track by hand and
had passed by, she swept it off and APP
Piled more lard. The result was, the
railway company paid her all she asked
for the hog. Prairie Farmer.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03
The Retort Courteous.

"Come and dine with me to-day,
Grindstone, +" said Kiljordan, 4" the bill Of
fare will Just suit you. Calves brains is
the principal dish.'
''l'll come, Kiliordan," said Grind
stone, Sin order that you may have one
man at the table who can eat calves
brains without making a cannibal Of
himself. ~ Chicago Tribune.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-03

1t is the custom of people who live III
the Northwest 10 declare that although
the cold of that region is extremely
severe when measured by the ther
mometer, it really causes less suffering
than the variable temperature of lower
latitudes. This is all very well as mat
ter of humorous conversation on a warn
summer day, but its force as an argu-
ment is materially injured by the nimblt
blizzard which destroys hundreds Of
lives.