davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
Diamond Covered Boots.

Few persons would think of looking
for fresh knowledge in the simple
blacking of boot; but it is neverthe-
less Il most interesting subject.
s.Did it ever occur to you" said
chemist, what remarkable and unique
process the blacking of boot is? You
see, we smear the boot with prepara-
ton of bone-black, which is entirely de-
void of luster; and then by the friction
of dry brush, make it shine like the
sun. There is not another process
like this anywhere in the arts so far as
l know. and never read anywhere
any scientific explanation of the pro-
cess. l have theory of my own,
however, which l will give you for
what it is worth.
1.-The key to the mystery lies in the
fact that diamond is nothing more
than crystalized carbon. The blacking
is little more than carbon paste, and
the friction of hairbrush being one of
the most efficient methods for generat-
ing electricity has the effect of crystal
liZing the carbon of the backing. As
soon as this is done the boot is covered
with millions of infinitely small dia-
monds, and of course begins to shine
rs mass of diamonds would. OF
course this is not Il perfect eXplana-
ton of the phenomenon. What part
the other ingredients play, and especi-
ally why it is that the backing must
be moistened, l cannot tell; perhaps
some one else can. But | feel pretty
sure that the bootblacks are engaged
in turning backing into diamonds. -
NeW YorE Graphic.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
Railroad Stations in Germany.

The railroad stations all over Ger
many are models of convenience and
pretensiOn. The smallest local train
on German railway receives a degree
of consideration and honor that would
stagger the engineers of the Chicago
limited. The railroads are run entire
ly by the government, and everything
connected with them shows the i'm
press of military rule. A letter from
Berlin to the New York San says:
''The stations are surrounded by
small parks, in which there are fOun-
tains, flowers, and dartistically lly-arranged
hedges. The station building is often
the most prPtentious one in the town,
and there is usually attached to it a
large restaurant with several walters
in the conventional claw-hammer
coats. Broad walks made of granite
and marble and relieved from monoto-
ny by designs in mosaic stretch along
on either side, and there is an air of
spick and span brightness about every
thing in sight. As the train draws into
the station the walters stand in an or
derly row at the entrance to the din
ing-room. They have all been soldiers
every man in Germany has served
number of years in the army, and they
stand in a military attitude with their
hands at their sides and their chins up.
Directly in front of the main entrance
stands the captain of the station. His
rank is indicated by a red cap. His
uniform is exceedingly snowy, and Of
ten becoming-for the men as a rule
are stalwart and well formed. He
wears high-heeied boots, dark-blue
trousers, relieved by red stripe, a
double-breasted military frock coat,
with gold belt and rows of brass but
tons. Ranged behind are the guards,
who are also in uniform, but whose
caps are dark blue. After the train
comes to a halt, the chief guard jumps
to the ground and salutes the station
master. Then the other men step for
ward, and the work of loading and un-
loading the train goes on with conven-
tional Teut"nic stOlidity. 1t is the duty
of one of the guards to walk along the
train and rub all the dust from the
door handles and other brass work, SO
that in the course of the journey the
metal becomes brilliantly polished.
When the train is ready for departure
the guards salute the station master
again, and he takes a whistle from his
belt and blows it twice. Upon this
another guard, who is stationed at the
further end of the platform, rings a
huge bell three times, and then, with
another salute by way of courtesy, the
train moves on its way. This is only
an indication of the military spirit
which pervades Germany in every di-
rection
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
The Smallest Screws in the World.

The smallest screws in the world are
made in Il watch factory. There can
be no doubling that assertion on any
score. They are cut from steel wire by
machine, but as the chips fall down
from the knife-it looks as if the opera
ton was simple cutting up the wire
for fun. One thing is certain, no screws
can be seen, and yet screw is made
every third operation. The fourth
Jewel wheel screw is the next thing to
be invisible, and to the naked eye it
looks like dust. With glass, however,
it is seen to be small screw, with two
hundred threads to the inch, aud with
a very fine glass the threads may be
seen very clearly. These little screws
are 4-1OO0 of an inch in diameter, and
the heads are double the size. 1t is
estimated that an ordinary lady's
thimble would hold 100000 of these
tiny little screws. About 1000, 900 of
them are made month. but no at
tempt is ever made to count them. In
determining the number 100 of them
are placed on 4 very delicate balance,
and the number of the whole amount
is determined by the weight of these.
| All of the small parts of the watch are
counted in this way, probably fifty out
| of the 120. After being cut, the screws
are hardened and put in frames, about
| one hundred To the frame, heads up.
This is done very rapidly, but entirely
by sense of touch instead of sight, sd
that blind man could do just rs well
us the owner of the Sharpest eyes. The
heads are then polished in an automatic
machine, 10000 ut time. The plate
on which they are polished is covered
with oil and grinding compound, and
on this the machine movest them rapid
ly by reversing motion. until they are
fully polished.-Afsatyst.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11

, cred, and had thus chosen his oppor-
tunity to come in and conceal himself
in the cellar
The first idea that suggested itself to
her was 10 creep under the steps and
remain there until Mrs. Collins re-
turn.
Ere she had time to do this, however,
a mans form became Visible in the dim
semi-twiIight that was shed from the
kitchen door above.
Lucy, with desperate instinct of
self-preservation, put up both hands,
exclaiming:
Have pity on mel Oh, have pity
and spare my life!'
Upon this the burglar drew back,
very much surprised.
Miss Hildeburn!" he exclaimed. as
he struck a match. ''What are You
doing here, and how can | serve yOu?"
Now poor Lucy, completely unncrved
and dreadfully ashamed of herself, sat
down on reversed cOal-scuttle and
burst into fit of weeping.
Then Mr.. SangStcr kuelt down be-
side her. and a confused Interchange
of explanations of various kinds en-
sued
The result was that at the expiration
of half-hOur Mr.. Sangster took Lucy
in his arms and. kissing the tear-stained
face. murmured:
God bless you for this promise, my
own darling!"
When Mrs. Collins came home two
hours later the house was. very quiet,
the furnace i'll good order, and neither
Mr.. Sangster nor Miss Hildeburn visi-
BILE. But the following day Lucy con-
iided to her a secret. and Mr.. Sangster
absented himself fmysteriously for about
three weeks. After that, Miss Hide
burn also disappeared.
'GOne to visit her aunt at Swath-
more" Mrs. Collins explained to the
other boarders.
But a fortnight later the carrier
brought some wedding cards to the
house.
at was all brought about through
the furnace" said Mrs. Collins. with
gleeful chuckle.
But Miss Jane was infinitely dis
0uSted
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
Henry Clay and the Goat.

The following anecdote of Henry
Clay has just been published for the
first time: As he came out of the
Capitol at Washington one day, seeing
a frightened woman in the street striv-
ing to ward Off the attacks of a sportive
goat, he gallantly, in spite of his years
and office, seized the goat by the
horns. The woman thanked him and
sped hurriedly on. Mr.. Clay would
have liked to move on also. but the
goat had its own views about the in
reference with his innocent amuse-
ment. As soon as the woman's de-
liverer loosed his hold on the two
horns the animal rose majestically on
his hind legs and prepared for a
charge. In his own defense Mr.. Clay
now took the animal as before by the
horns, and thus for time they stood,
while Il crowd of street boys gathered
about, immensely amused at the un-
usual spectacle of Senator and goat
pittad one against the other in a public
street. As long as Mr.. Clay held the
goat by the horns all was well. but the
moment the quadrupcd was free came
fl.4Sh preparation for charge. Not
a boy offered assistance, but after a
while one vcntured To suggest, ''Ihrow
the billy down, sir" Mr.. Clayat once
accepted and adopted the report that
committee, and tripping the goat up
essayed to pass on. Before he could
fairly turn away, however, the goat was
up in lofty preparation for new
charge. MIR. Clay gave his enemy the
floor of the pavement once more, and,
keeping him there, turned to his new
adviser with the question. And what
shall do now?" "Cut and rum" re-
piled the lad.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
The Individual Soul.

You fancy that You are inseparable
from your husband, your wife, your
child. Yet after all, how near one
another are you? Apart you are by
all the breadth and spaces of individu-
ality. You sit before each other, and
if you were walled up alive and alone
you could hardly be more inaccessible
to each other, more remote from each
other. Have you the least idea of
what is passing in that brain before
you-what memories in which you have
no share, at this moment sweep
through it? What old sorrow, gloom
ing again at some chance encounter of
sound or scent, casts it shadow over
the eye for an instant, and you have
no sympathy with it. What old jov
makes the heart beat more quickly and
you know nothing of it! With the
best desires for union, for complete
knowledge of each other, for absolute
confidence, for life melting into life.
thousand inextricable, inexplicable lit
tie threads catch and hold you in their
meshes, imprison you, lead you and
keep you apart. The mother, too.
who thinks of her little daughter is
utterly at one with her, has never a
thought unshared with her, might find,
could she but penetrate the recesseS of
the child's heart, life as distinct
from the outer one, lived all uncen-
sciously. but necessary fact of identity
and individual development and
growth. as the ripening seed is distinct
from the corolla of the flower. Many
of these souls desire and long to APP
proach each other, to be known, to
become a part each of the other, to
lay aside this loneliness. But vet it is
in loneliness they must tread the wine
press of their sufferings. only in less
loneliness must drink their draught of
joy-a loneliness that can only be laid
aside with life, if even then. And the
most awe-inspiring fact of all this
loneliness is the loneliness of death at
last. the going down alone into the
depths of the dark river, the proof of
its cold waters, the moment when
neither plying face nor loving lips nor
helping hand can reach us, the entrance
into the unknown; alone but for the
trust that as we came into this world
only to be met with loving arms. it is
loving arms again that shall meet us
there; alone unless great hope walks
with us, hope which must also have
walked with us here if we would have
its companiOnship when the waters
close around us, without which the
loneliness is indeed appalling, but
with which it ceases to be known, or
to be felt, or to eXist.-Ha1per''S BdzGr.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
Organized Mendicants i'm Russia.

An illustration of the results of in
discriminate charity is furnished by
facts reported from Russia. 1t seems
that whole villages have resolved
themselves into orders of mendicants.
They stay at home until they have
reaped their harvests, and then all
start out on begging tour. They are
divided Systematically into guilds of
ten TO twenty persons each. These
scatter here aud there, begging
through the towns, and gather at stat
ed intervals to divide their gains and
consult on further operations. The
women take along their children to
excite pity, and the old draw attention
to their deerepitude. The cash returns
are said to be exceedingly large, and
from the bread gathered they not only
feed themselves, but fatten their horses.
In this manner several months of each
year are spent.-St. Louis Giobe-Demo-
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
An August Reyerie.

Lying supine on the soft matted grasses,
Gazing up la3ily into the blue
OF the sky, when the wandering wind as il
passes
Opens the branches for me to look through
Idly ponder, and ponder, and ponder.
Thinking of nothing, yet happy and free;
Careless of every ything, idly wonder
Al the immensely opened to me.
Looking up, lstlessly, thoughtlessly dream
ing,
Mimi vacuity, life full of joy,
All the dull world seems with happiness teem-
ing,
With nothing to worry, or fret, or annoy.
II.
Earth seems a paradise. Why should trou-
BILE
Or toll to win heaven? Why, heaven is
here!
Fortune is worthless. and fame hut a bubble;
scorn them both. looking into clear
Deep blue of the sky, while the wild bees are
humming
Above and around me in harmony deep,
And over the meadows the breezes are com.
ing
To fan me- and soothe me. and lull me te
sleep.
This. this is happiness. perfect, unmeasured; !;
Long shall this day without hlemish or heck
Stay in my memory, lovingly treasured
Lord! There's Il wasp down the back of my
neck.
journal of Education.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
Where Courting Must be Done Before
10 O'Clock.

The Viennese spend much time at
cafes and beer gardens. and conse-
quently they do not return to their
homes until rather late in the evening.
Every one who is out after 10 o'clock
d. m. in Vienna is fined four cents, and
by an old law the porters of the houses
are authorized to collect and keep this
fine, which must amount to a good sum
in such city of pleasure. The young
men in Vienna have never been able.
to get this law repealed, for the ma
iority of the men in the Legislature
are men of property, who, on account
of this fine. can get pOrterS to take
care of their apartment houses for
nothing. There are no latch keys to
the outside doors. so every person who
returns after 10 o'clock at night must
get the porter to open the door and
paw him four cents. 1t is an amusing
sight to see the porters all standing at
their doors, keys in hand, toward 10
O'Clock waiting for the clocks to an
nounce the hour of closing, so that they
may miss no fees from late returners.
When young men are making calls
they become uneasy toward 10 O'Clock,
and they can be seen to revolve in their
minds the problem whether to stay
longer and spend eight cents each in
fees-for they have To pay TO get out
of the house where they are as well as
to get in their own-Or leave at once
and have two glasses "f beer each at
the expense of porters. Austrian girls
have to have a good many attractions
to make the young men give up their
beer for them, for what do Austrian
men like better than their beer-noth-
| ing, but themselves.--P Pienna Letter.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
Old Tonahauqua's Spirit.

In pretty little neck of woods
about mile and half back from
Point Chautauqua there is an old but
well-kept farmhouse, in and about
which it is said the spirits of Indian
chiefs and princesses who one day in
habited the shores of the lake fairly
revel. The occupant of the house is an
old man, still vigorous, despite the fact
that three score OF Northern winters
have combined to silver his hair and
bend his back until it is almost the
shape of the horseshoe which hangs
over his door as Il sacred emblem of
good luck.
According to the Pittsburg Penny
Press. however. it is the spirits that
haunt the little farm house in the
woods that give to Barney Bowman.
the owner of the cabin, his popularity.
| Several years ago, when the oil fever
was raging in Northern Pennsylvania
and Southern New York. some capita
lists We're stopping at Point Chautau-
qua. Barney heard them talking about
the prospects of getting oil in Chau-
| tauqua County, and offered to show
them where they could strike q well
that would flow a lake of the greasy
fluid. He had been sleeping at his
home. he said. when the spirit of an
Indian chief came and beckoned him.
He followed out into the open air, over
the fields and through the woods many
miles, to where there was hill in the
midst of big field. There was a
stump on the side of the hill, and under
that stump, far down in the earth's
crust, the spirit said that there was
water that would burn. The old man
knew that it was oil.
The capitalists were little dubious
about the story at first, but, after hold
ing consultations said that they would
sink well if the place was shown
them. The old spiritualist was much
excited, but he escorted them through
the woods to the scene near the
stump.
A week or so later the old stump had
disappeared, and in its stead a tall,
stately derrick looked skyward. Then
the engine came and the drill began to
work. Down through the sandy soil
and soft rock it wound its way swiftly,
100, 500, 1000 feet; still there was no
sign of oil, and the prospectors were
commencing to look at each other in a
sheepish sort of way and murmur
something about meddllng spirits. At
1,j00 feet, however, the indications
changed, and it was very evident that
a vein of the greasy fluid was near at
hand.
The excitement grew intense. The
old spiritualiSt himself could not sleep.
He watched the drill day and night
with feverish interest, and when at
last at depth of 1,600 feet the oil sand
was struck and the well commenced to
gush hundred barrels day. his de-
light amounted almost to delirium.
The prospectors were happy. From
the day the well was struck they look
ed on Barney as sort of supernatural
being-something entirely out of the
ordinary and above the common run
of humanity. A purse that was heavy
with gold was presented to the old
man, and his house became the rem
devious for all the oil men of the dis
trict.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
A Japanese CoIIiery.

Among private enterprises the most
remarkable in Japan is unquestionably
the Takashima cOlliery which takes its
name from the rocky island on which
it stands. In its early days, and these
are but twenty years ago, it was petty
affair. producing a few hundred tons
annually for the use of Japanese salt
manufacturers and occasional steam
ers. Now its yearly output is, says
the Japan Weekly Mail, about 500,OOG
tons-the sales last March amounted
to 50,OO0-and its vicinity to Nagasaki
has the effect of bringing to that port
a large number of vessels, some to OBJ
tain supplies of fuel for themselves,
others to carry the mineral thence to
Shanghai, HOng-KOng, and Singapore.
1t seems that a certain MIR. Fuka kei-
kichi. who is treated as the agent OF
people recently dismissed from the
cOlliery, has been ''raving of the mine
as though it were an inferno of min
ers and suffering" and ''lamenting
over the wOrk-peOple as though among
Gods creatures none were so wretched
and forlorn, and as a consequence the
Japan MdIprOceeded to give quiet and
comforting, though deeply interesting,
account of the great Japanese colliery.
But first the writer affords a glimpse
of an extraordinary feature of the col
liery work at the port of Nagasaki, a
few miles distant from the mine. Not
less than five thousand women are
kept upon the staff of the enterprise
for the purpose of filing the bunkers
of vessels there arriving. The method
pursued is peculiar to Nagasaki.
Lighters carrying the coal come along
side the ship to be supplied, and with
each of them is a regiment of women
and girls. These form themselves into
the loop of a chain connecting the hold
of the lighter with the deck of the
steamer. In moment the hands and
arms of this chain begin to move with
surprising rapidity and the precision
of long practice; and little bags full of
coal pass up one side of the loop and
the same bags descend the other side
empty. There is not a seconds delay.
The business goes on with lightning
like nimbleness, amid the laughter aud
chatter of the cheerful workers. The
results achieved are most remarkable.
Under favorable circumstances as to
receiving capacity, vessel can have
four hundred tons of coal put in her
bunkers in an hour, and the neatness
of the process is scarcely inferior to its
celebrity. Such an organization would
scarcely be possible outside of japan.
About year ago syndicate of New
Workers set out 1000 acres of land in
Florida as an experiment. in growing
tobacco. Two kinds of Havana, Su-
matra, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and
| Connecticut and the old Florida broad
leaf tobaccos- were planted, all of which
have grown luSuriantly. and it is ex-
pected will average from 600 to 1900
pounds per acres. There are now only
about 5000 acres in Florida under cul-
tivation for tobacco, butif success shall
crown the present experiment a great
increase in acreage may be expected in
a few years.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11
The Drying OF Mosses.

The power of the MOSES to endure
repeated desiccatiOn has recently been
experimentally treated by G. Schroeder,
who obtained the interesting result
that many of these plants can not only
resist months of dryness without any
harm, but also that they do not perish
even under the strongest desiccation
carried on in drier with the aid of
sulphuric acid. Plants of Bdrbula
nlurdlis, which were exposed for eight
wettings resumed growth in all their
parts. Other species of BdrbUla be-
haved similarly. A curious expert
ment was performed with GITninlid
puiUiilntG, in which stock which had
been cultivated for some time in a
moist atmosphere under a bell-glass
was suddenly exposed to q warm and
perfectly dry current of air. 1t be-
came so dry in short time that it
could be pulverized. Then it lay in a
drier for ninety-tive weeks. But the
quickening moisture was still compet-
ent to awaken it to renewed life. The
most rapid drying which could be per-
formed in the laboratory could not de-
strOy the plant. 1t even showed great
er power of resistance than would cor
respond with its real necessities, for
50 speedy and complete drying out
as was effected in the experiments
never occurs in Nature. The fact that
property acquired by adaptation is
so plainly manifested in excess is some
times otherwise demonstrable and is 4
hard problem for the theory of selec-
tion.-POpuIar Science Monthly.