davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
Something About Cats.

1t is estimated that not less than nine
million kittens are annually brought
into this sinful world. OF these the
great majority are miserably drowned
"a practice which is destined shortly
to be done away with by the recogni-
ton of the cat as a fur-bearing animal.
Rugs of selected Maltese aud tortoise
shell are already quite expensive, and
excellent limitations of various furs are
made in this material. Taxidermists,
too, are advertising for kittens by the
thousand TO stuff for ornamental pur-
poses. At present the only purpose
to which they are applied in this coun-
try is the manufacture of carriage
robes, but vast numbers of them are
sent to Europe, whore they are in great
demand for coats and hats, dressing
gown lining. and other garments.
The pelts come in from all parts of
the country. They arc gathered by
professional collectors, who supply
them by the quantity at regular
schedule rates. A common cat skin Is
worth cents, pure Maltese 10 cents,
and Il black one % cents A carriage
robe of the best cat fur is worth from
$40 to $50. There are always plenty
of stray cats running wild in the rural
districts. TIE Maine woods are full
of them. They breed wonderfully fast
and it is good sport popping them off
the fences and stone walls along the
roadside. boston Herald
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
sleep.

The baby sleeps the greater part of
his time because he does not know that
| there is anything better to do. The
Old man mods away the closing years
OF his life because experience has
! taught him that there is nothing in this
world that is anywhere near as well
worth doing as sleeping. Ii is ouly ia
the fever and folly of youth ami the
less respectable avarice of middle age
that men are willing to rise carly ana
sit up late, and eat the bread of sorrow
thereby
Sleep Is the protest of nature against
the work of organization; it is the pres
sure of the environment on the atom;
1t is tile manifestation of the eternal
tendency to disintegration aud hoR0-
geueousness.
Thus it follows that the sleeping man
has for the nonce forsaken his wariike
attitude of resistance TO circumstances
and aggressiveness. He has melted
back into the universe; he is uncon-
scious OF the limitations of time and
space, the laws of gravity and morals.
lt Is not merely that he moves fr0a
place to place with inconceivabls ra-
pidity; he is everywhere at every in-
slant, and for him there are no coudi-
tions of being.
Now. to have to leave all this at the
sound of an unmusical bell, to awaken
to inward strife with hunger or dys-
Pepsia. as the case may be, aud to ex-
ternal warfare with pack of bowling
wolves. who are rivals in the fierce
struggle for existence in che business
world. is undeniably a disagreeabls
experience. The baby contrasts, in =
general fashion, the delights of his
dreamy paradise with the harshness of
a life where milk bottle is always out
of the way when it is wanted. and pins
pursue contrary policy and are in
the way where not wanted, and be
protests with a cry. Whereas, the
business man at once thinks of the note
due next week. and philosophically re-
iieves his mind by growing at his wife
During sleep the soul flies away from
its prison, and nature repairs and
strengthens it. and purifies it for re-
occupation. But no regilding, or rich
hangings, or cotton nesting can make
the bird forget its flight in the sky or
fail to be ready at the door when the
hour arrives to try its wing again.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

pail. Then we'll go off to bed and get
up early and 90 a-iishing.
Il didn't say Il word, but | went out
to the barn, beddcd down the horse.
broke up an armful of shingles,
pumped Il pail of water, filled the
woOd-boN, and then all went to he'd.
Father called me at $50 in the
morning, aud while he was getting II
cup of coffee I skipped over to tne
depot aud got my best brass rod.
Father took nothing but Il trollinc-
line and spoon hook. He rowcd the
boat with his trolling-line i'll his mouth.
while stood in the stern with silver
sinner rugged on. Now, John. never
saw a man catch fish like he did. To
make long story short, he caug"t
four bass and five pickerel and Tnerer
got bite
.At noon we went ashore, aud faith
er went home, while went TO the post
office. got letter from Chicago
with check for $1,000 in il. WITH
some trouble got it cashed. getting
paid in s. and $40 bills. making quite
Il roll. then got roast joint of beef
and Il LOT of delicacies and had them
sent home. The ioiut vas in the oven.
Mother had put on her only silk dress,
and father had donned his Sunday-go-
to-meeting clothes, none too good
either This is where | played a Joke
on the old folks. Mother was in the
kitchen watching the roast Father
was out to the barn, and | had clear
coast. dumped the sugar out Of the
old blue bowl, put the 81, 900 in it, and
placed the cover on again. At last,
supper was ready. Father asked il
blessing over it, and he actually trem-
bled when he stuck his knife in the
roast.
"'We haven't had a piece of meat
like this in five years, Jim,' he said,
and mother put in with And we have
not had any coffee in year, only when
We went a-yIsitin'.'
Then she poured out the coffee and
lifted the cover of the sugar bowl, ask.
ing as she did so: How many spoons.
JimmyP'
''Then she struck something that
wasn't sugar. She picked up the bowl
and peered into it. Aha Master
Jimmy. playing your old tricks on
yonr NANNY. eh? Well, boys will be
boys.
Then she gasped for breath. She
saw it. was money. She looked at me,
then at father, and then with trem-
bling hands she drew the great roll of
bills out
''Ha! ha! ha! can see father now
as he stood there then on tiptoe, with
his knife in one hand, fork in the
other, and his eyes fairly bulgcd out
of his head. But it was too much for
mother. She raised her eyes to heaven
aud said slowly: Put your trust in
the Lord, for he will provide.
''Then she tainted away. Well,
John, there's not much more to tell.
We threw water in her face and
brought her to, and then we demol-
ished that dinner, mother all the time
saying: My boy Jimmy! My boy
81 stayed at home a month | fixed
up the place, paid off the debts, had
good time, and came back again tn
New York. l am going to send $50
home every week. tell YOU. John,
its mighty nice to have home"
John was looking steadily at the
head Of his cane. When he spoke he
took Jim by the hand and said:
Jim. old friend, what You told me
has affected me greatly. haven't
heard from my old home Way up in
Maine for ten years. I'm going home
"-Ne,0 YOr& San.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
How Paper Boats Are Made.

The building of a paper boat as de.
scribed is conducted rs follows: The
boats are made of ordinary maa;ila
paper of good quality, usually of five
thicknesses, in all only nue-siXteciitii
of an inch thick. except in uarrs where
there is the reinforcement of one or
two strips. The process of making
them is simple. A model of soft pine
is made the full size of the boat. the
bow being of two pieces, which can be
detached. The paper is delivered in
lon% rolls. The model is turned up
side down on a large frame; one uar-
row strip OF paper and then a second
are first laid on where the keel would
be, aud then, one, two, three, four,
five sheets are successfully laid along
and moulded close to the model. each
as 1t is put on being coated with shell
lac aud with glue to attach the next
sheet closely to it. Thus done up in
papers, the models are taken into "A
drying-room. where II heat of about
l4O degrees Fahrenheit, continued for
tive days. consolidates the glued paper
into solid mass. The movable pieces
OF wood at the bow are unscrewed and
taken out, and with this place for a
9Isli 1 IL IL easy W peel the DOdC OH Ln8
model. as peach-skin comes off a
fresh peach A keel is now fastened
inside the boat, several extra layers of
shellac are put on outside and inside,
a strip of wood is fastened in for q
gunwale, and the shell IL presently
ready for its fittings. seats, and out
riggers. They are mostly racing shells
from single scull up to eight-osr, but
one boat has been built as large as
forty-two feet long by four feet four
inch beam, to hold forty-two persons.
this, of course, being stayed by wood
ell ribs; and steam launch nineteen
feet long, worked by one-horse power
oil engine. boat and engine weighing
about 430 pounds. was last fall sue
cessfully run at speed of about ten
miles per hour on the upper Hudson.
The cost is something above that of
wood. The single scun twenty-one
and one-half feet long by ten and one
half inches beam cost from $65 to 500;
the eight-oared shell, about sixty feet
long by twenty-four inches wide, cost
S400. The racing shells of Harvard,
Yale. and Columbia in 1856 were all
from the same model from one shop,
so that the contest was entirely one of
skin on even terms. The patent for
this method of building boats has Just
expired
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
AGame Little Irishman.

"Did you ever hear about the adven-
ture Charley Mitchell had in Leadville
a few years agoP" remarked a vender
Of shoes on Clark street the other day,
and how he got fooled by little
sawed-of miner there9 Mop Well,
I'll tell you about It. Billy Madden
was managing Charlie Mitchell then
and the pair had been meeting with
great success all through the country.
Arriving at Leadvills Madden offered.
as usual, to give the sum of 800 to
any maR who would stand before
Mitchell for four rounds. Among the
miners there was little man named
Mike Hays, who had the reputation of
being a pretty tough man to get away
with, and he was egged on by his
friends to attempt the feat, and finally
consented to do do so.
"'He can't knock me out with a
club he said confidently, as he walked
on to the stage.
"The theatre was crowded, and
probably in the whole crowd there
were not ton men who believed that
HAYS would succeed in his undertaking
as he stood before Mitchell in an
awkward attitude with his gloves on
anu Se0uleu dtulOst Ike - suWdII.
Mitchell played with him for a. few
moments, and then his right shot out,
catching Hayes under the ear and
knocking him clear into the scenery
in the further corner. No one eX.
pected to see him come up again. but
up he came. and smiling, too. as the
sporting reporters have it. Time and
time again did Mitchell knock him
down, and just as often did he turn up
ready for more. Mitchell grew more
and more vicious at every failure. and
during the last round he knocked the
little fellow all around the stage like a
shuttlecock. but when the round was
over Hayes was still on deck, and,
marching proudly OFF when the fight
was over, he said:
"'Begorra, he kicks like mule, thai
fellow does. an I'll bet right now hi:
hands is sorer than me head, and me
head is pretty sore at that
Madden promptly paid over tc
Hayes that 800 that he had won. and
50 pleased was he with the little irish
mans gamsness that he bought hin
handsome suit of clothes besides.
1t was long time, however, befor,
Mitchell could use his hands again, h,
having knocked them out of all shape
against Hays cocoanut. - Chicag'
inter Ocean.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
A Sight to Feast the Eyes.

There was II sight in Buckskin
Gulch yesterday that would have made
the oldest placer miners heart leap
with joy The surface gravel had
been washed of. aud the large cut in
the Jagged bedrock for over 100 feet
was mass of glittering gold. In
places where it had lodged in the
crevices it could be picked up by the
spoonful. About IA pint of nuggets,
from $50 to $50 in weight, were
picked up in the forenoon by Charles
Dudley, and about twenty pounds Of
gold had already been taken to the
bank. which had been scooped out of
the potholes. No very large pieces
had been found, the largest would
probably not go over three ounces.
The cleanup, which will probably
take two or three days yet to
make complete, will be by far the
largest even made in the camp. 1t is
estimated to reach fifty pounds, or in
the ncighborhood of 50, ,080.-Cear q
Aiene Sun
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
How Thieves Pick Up Points.

Two gentlemen neighbors happen
ing TO sit next to each other ou the
street car on the morning trip to their
offices. one remarked 10 the other that
he should be bothered all day because
he had left his watch nnder his pillow.
Then they naturally fell into CONVEX
sation as to how they disposed of their
vaipables at night. AT the next street
corner man got of, went back to the
house of the owner of the watch, whom
he knew by sight and reputation, and
represented himself to the lady of the
house as a messenger from her husband
sent for his watch left under his pillow.
She finding the valuable in that place,
unsuspectingly handed it to the thief,
vino ran no risk whatever of detection.
and deliberately walked away with his
booty. Another case was that of a
lady, some years ago, who, while as
cending on the elevator of one of our
largest dry goods stores, suddenly dis
covered that she had left her silver.
portemOnnaie at some counter A
cash boy was in the elevator going up
to the top floor with them. ''Send
this boy to the desk for it." said the
lady's friend. Thereupon the lady de-
scribed the purse, its contents, and it's
inscription. The boy left the goods
he was carrying at the destination, re-
ceived his return instructions, and
then went to the desk. He was Just
moment or so too late. III have lust
given that purse to woman who de
scribed it accurately" said the clerk
The owner of the purse should have
bethouSht herself how many auditors
she had in the elevator
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

Victim OF His Ova joke,

Ar amusing incident occurred to a
Washington street firm this week,
which pleases me, because ! like TO ses
practical jokers come TO grief. Prac-
teal jokers rank in my mind with book
agents. who have no professional rights
which one is bound to respect The
firm in question deals in foreign rugs.
and has its rooms up one flight The
entrance from the street is q wide one,
and in this it Is accustomed to hang
specimens of their wares as bait for
passers who may be possible custom
ers. Unfortunately, these displayed
rugs proved as attractive to sneak
thieves as to purchasers, and the firm
found itself out Of pocket by frequent
depredations. To remedy this evil q
stout cord was attached TO each rug.
and in turn fastened to bell
rope. The porters were instructed at
the sound of the bell to precipitats
themselves as swiftly as possible oa
the thief; and on the very first day that
the new arrangement was made a
sneaking little Jew was captured ia
the very act of attempting feloniousiy
to possess himself of one of the rugs.
Not only was the unlucky wretch much
bemauled by the irate porters, but TO
save himself from prosecution he was
forced to pay for all the rugs that had
before been missing, although be pro-
tested volubly that he was innocent of
their most damnable taking of. Soon
another pilferer was also seized, but
as he was penniless he was unable to
buy himself off, and met the fate of
other poverty-stricken malefactors in
being sent down to the island to re-
fleet on the vanity of appearances and
the cruelty of the human lot.
By this time the junior partner of
the firm, who invented the thief trap,
was so proud of the success of his de-
vice that he Dragged of it inccssantly;
and one of his friends decided that it
would be extremely amusing to play
the self-satisfied man of rugs 4 practi-
cal joke. He accordingly sauntered
| into the vestibule one noon and gave
the largest rug vicious jerk. In
stantly pair of big Irish porters pre-
cipitated themselves down the stairs
and seized him by the collar, giving
him, before he mad even time to pro-
test, a most thorough shaking In
vain as soon as he recovered his breath,
be protested that he was friend of
one of the firm; but they laughed him
to seorn, and dragged him upstairs
in a manner which will leave him with
shins black and blue for weeks. The
senior partner. into whose presence
he was tumbled, knew him not. and
was inclined to be as skeptical as the
porters, who grinned at his diseomft-
ure, and popnced upon ii he so much
as looked at the DOOR The junior
partner was at luncheon. and until his
return the practical joker was kept in
duranee vile. guarded by the porters.
and viewed with sneering suspicion by
the senior partner. When at length
tue Junior member of the firm did re-
turn, OF course there was an instant
explanation, but the victim of his own
facetiousnss does not, in looking back,
regard his adventure as the merry jest
it promised to be when he looked for
" ard 20 it with gleeful anticipations
Of hsisaling his tsisna. .-Esstesa Ls.tI,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
Hanged Two at a Time.

A Potisville, Pn., correspondent SAYS:
hunted up an old Jail official here to-
dav VINO was on duty when the six
Mollie Mcguire murderers were hahged
in the Jail yard here on june 2l, 1877,
for the murder of number of coal
mine bosses, whom the order of Mol
lies had doomed to death.
oh, YES, | remember it well,' said
the old man; .'iust rs If il happened
Yesterday. | have been thinking Il
good deal about that scene SINCE the
anarchists have been hanged. |
saw much of the six men in Jail here.
They were McGeghan and BOYLE, Car
roll and Roarity, and Munley and
Duffy.
1T was pleasant June day a trifie
damp after a rain. that the hanging
took place. The Jail was strongly
guarded by Coal and Iron police, heav-
ily armed. Several hundred visitors
were inside the jail yard. Among
retary. Col. Farr. / knew he had Il
reprieve for one of the condemned men
provided certain confession would
were ordered to be hanged by Sheriff
a
any confessions were to be made they'd d
have plenty Of time. The condemned
men did not know who were to go first.
The gallows was a double one, in the
southern end Of the Jail yard. The
first two brought out were McGeghan
and Boyle. The procession appeared
at II a. m, and emerged from the Jail
down the brick walk to the gallows.
Both were dressed in black and wore
red roses on their coat lapels. They
were very cool on the gallows, said
nothing. embraced each other, and
made no confessions. They knew not
whether they were the last or the first
to hang The drop fell at 11:12, and
| when their bodies writhed in the air
the two red roses dropped to the
ground, having become loose by the
jar of the fall. They were dead in Is
minutes.
flames Carroll and James Roarity
were next brought our. Carroll was
a big, weil-formed man. IL was at his
mountain inn that the Mollies held
their murderous meetings, aud it was
proven that he knew all about it. The
parting with his most estimable wife,
q tall, grand lady. was the most heart
| touching scene | ever experienced.
Roarity was the joker of the six. He
had funny remark to make at all
times. he made Il brief speech oi
thanks to Mr.. lie Velle. his lawyer,
but confessed nothing. They wore red
roses. and when the drop fell at 1924
the flowers tumbled to the ground.
Their bodies were cut down at 1916
:'Col. Farr then knew that all was
over. and that the other two must
hang. The reprieve he had in his
pocket to stay the sherif's hand wa,
of no consequence, and the two Toms
Munley and Duffy, were led out anC
hanged at 1:l0, and by 1:30 p. m. the
six dead bodies. In rough coffins, were
lying side by side in small room in ;
stone building near the galiows. Be
bind the gallows, about fifteen feet
was a screen made of bagging along
the prison wall. The rope was pulled
by man behind that screen when thu
sheriff gave the signal. That was ;
sad day of my life, and could no
drive it out of my mind for weeks af
terward.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
A LittIe Misunderstanding.

\ housemaid, after being short
time in her place. gave warning. Her
mistress asked her what she had to find
fault with -was the work too hard, or
what? No: she had nothing to COM
plain of on that score, but she could
not stand being prayed at by the mas
ter at morning prayers.
Mistress Qoqutur) wv hat on earth
do YOU mean. Mary? Your Master
does not pray at any one"
20, yes, he does, nlarm; he prays at
me every day, and won't stand it any
longer"
What does he say, then?"
why he says. 20 Lord, who batest
nothing but the houSemaid.
Mistress. after little reflection and
further inquiry. ascertains that Mary
has thus interpreted % Lord, who
hatest nothing that Thou hast made. F"
London SOcteLg
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
Ii L. Well TO Remember.

That happiness is not perfection nn-
less it is shared.
That great possessions may bring
great misfurtunes.
That foolish friend does more harm
than a wise enemy.
That the hardest thing to empty out
of the neart is conceit.
That it is not necessary to be mean
because one is a man of means.
That good temper, like sunny day,
sheds brightness over everything.
That one of the causes that leads US
to misfortune is that we live accord
ing to the example of others.-Good
housekeeping.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
PhiIadeIphia's Last Gag.

The latest gag is, ''Who is that man?'
with the accent on the '.is" and very
strong. "For imam" you may substi-
tute girl or kid" as it Is equally
Ineligible. 1t is also very exasperat-
ing, because among adopts it is accom-
panied by stare and general quiz
zical expression calculated to make
sensitive person feel all pins and nee
dies. Where it came from or what it
exactly means no one knows, but it
is heard all over town among that clAs.
who love gags. If you don't like it
your only protection is to feign not to
near il when somebody looks into your
face and cries. Who is that manP"-
IIb,I,,fsIrLIa CoU
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26
When Thou Art Near.

When thou art near the cares which on Inc
prey,
And seem my very soul to overweight.
Vanish as swift as Nights dark clouds,
which steal
Across the skies and Dawn's glad portals
seal.
Blown far ami wide by winds OF newborn
day.
Some hidden grief, now long remembered,
may
Remain, but holdeth not that sovereign sway
OF years gone oy-for peace and JOY feel
When thou art near
And dear one, If, while being far away.
From me some unknown sOrrOw come and
lay
Itself hard on my heart then / would kneel
And pray to Him TO send thee back to heal
The wounds which pain me, but no longer
stay,
When thou art near.
William Bartlett Tyler.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

Socialist-Among other things am
opposed to the immigration of the
Chinese. Anti-Socialist-As you ad-
nit you won't work, in what manuer
do they conflict with you? ''Coufound
them. they rob me of a living. ''Hows
BY doing the washing my wife used
to get."-Bia.gha'ntosa { N. ~ Repa6li-
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

Old party-Tve got sure tip on the
first race; YOU can have it for V.
Young party-Why don't you play it
yourself instead of selling it? Old
part-WeIl. you see, young teller, I've
got a ter-r-rible thirst on me, and the
race amt to be run for two hours yet.
--J7tG0s
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

1t is sad to see family relies sold at
auction, but the most painful thing
the hammer is generally your thumb
nail. .--Bostea BQltetia.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

A hog with six feet interests SEeT-
wood, Mich. One with only two can
timss by crossing his legs in horse
|ese'~f fAissxs3RGs xsSasH
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

Omaha dame-I am sure you never
tell stories, do you9 Little girl--no,
indeed. We have servant to do that. "
"a servantP" "Yes'm. His name is
johnson. He tends to the door
oRaRha Wefi&
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-01-26

Does your husband swear as much
as ever?" ''Sweara Why, can't keep
. parxst tive wsska u 30 Asssen