davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28
INDIAN GHOST CHARMS.
offerings Employed to Appcase the Rancoi
of Miscellaneous Spirits.

1
| OF Mischievous Spirits.
The dread OF ghosts is common TO
Ill the aboriginal races of India, from
whom it has been very generally
adopted by their Aryan conquerors.
and even by the lower classes of Mo
lammedans. Ali ghosts are believed
20 be mischievous, and some of them
bitterly malicious. and the only means
employed to oppose their rancor is To
build shrines for them. and to make
Them offerings OF a fowl. pig. or, on
grand occasions, of a buffalo. ANY Sc
we're illness, and more especially any
epidemic disease, such as smallpox or
cholera, is attributed to the malignant
" of certain Of these spirits, who must
De propitiated accordingly. The man
tiger Is, perhaps, the most dreaded OF
all these demon ghosts; for when I'll
ger has killed man. the tiger is con-
sidered safe from harm, as the spirit of
the man rides upon his head, and
guides him clear of danger. Accord
ingly, it is believed that 1.-The only sure
mode of destroying tiger who has
killed many people is to begin by max
ing offerings to the spirits of his vic
Tins, thereby depriving him of their
valuable services" The ghosts most
propitiated are of those who have met
violent or untimely death. whether
by design or by accident, includ-
ing poison and disease. Even
women who die in the child-bed
pang, or wretches who are hanged
for their crimes, ara believed to
have the same powers of causing evil
to the living as those who have been
killed by tigers. or by lightning, or by
any other violent cause. All these
1eified spirits are often distinguished
by some term denoting the manner of
their death; thus, the ''Toddy-Ghost."
the ghost of man who was killed by
falling from toddy (palm) tree; the
''Tiger-Ghost," the ghost of man who
was killed by tiger; the lightning
Ghost" the ghost of a man who was
killed by lightning; the ''Snake-Ghost,"
and so on. The ghosts of women who
die during pregnancy or in childbirth
are supposed to be specially powerful
and vindictive. Most of the deceased
persons whose spirits are now wor-
SHIPPED were the ancestors of some OF
the aborigines; and as General Cum
ningham. the head of the Archaeological
Survey of India, says, their worship is
generally local, and confined to the
limits occupied by the respective tribes
to which they belonged. The cere-
monies observed in propitiating the
ghosts consist mainly of the offerings
of goats, fowls, or pigs, as well as
flowers and fruits, of the recitation of
prayers. and of the singing of certain
or charms; the last being the
most important of all. These charms,
which are always sung by men at the
different shrines, are of two different
kinds; the Sahara charms" (Sabara
being the name of one of the aboriginal
tribes) and the mystical lamentations"
The former are addressed to the deified
ghosts of the dead, the performances
being generally carried out in the
country, or the place where the corpse
was burned; and the latter are used for
the purpose of compelling spirits to
appear and receive the orders of the
performer.-LondOn Graphic.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28


question:. Hardly any one spoke beyond
slight and almost inaudi6le greetings to
their friends. The clergyman stood near
the entrance of the Enclosure, leaning against
the palisade; he bowed his thanks fc-r their
attendance to those who came in. He looked
more worn than ever in the glare OF day
light.
There was moments pause after every
one was seated; then across the green in =
closure walked alone the tall figure of 1.-The
accused" Without looking either to the
right or to the left she sat down at the fur
Their end. near the bath-house. There was
no conscious shame visible on her still face:
no anxious gaze upon the faces of those who
could, perhaps, save or STAY her With her
hands slightly clasped together, and her eyes
fixed on the ground, she sat still as statue
Mr.. Holdfast left the door and came toward
us. then remarked another popularity of
his His eyes, which were very deep set,
seemed to have the power of comprehending
a whole scene and every Individual in il at
aglance. One felt certain that had he closed
his eyes after an absolute momentary SURVEY
he could have distinctly described every
person IN 1t, even down to their minutest
article OF clothing. He repeated twice, only
TWICE, IN low tone as he walked along the
line: when go into the bath-house have
the kindness to follow me" yet every indi-
vidual understood distinctly whether the
words had or had not been addressed, with
out his even having apparently looked di-
rectly at any one noticed afterward those
thus chosen Were those on whose self-control
ne could probably place the most reliance
He began an address to US by reminding
Us OF the solemnity of the occasion and Of
the difhculty of the duty before Us in rather
set fashion, as if he felt some hesitation
over his unwonted task and took refuge in
mannerisms. This, however, was soon
shaken on; his words flowed freely and his
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28
THE BABY ANARCHIST

Around the house all day he goes.
BY baby fancies led:
He sometimes stands upon his toes,
And sometimes on his head
He takes the flower, pot and all,
And puts II in his lap:
He spills the syrup in the hall
This naughty little chap.
Your silk umbrella spick and span,
He sticks in deep rat-holes:
And with his mothers rarest fan
Hammers your frailest bowls.
He ties the pendulum with a string
While singing baby songs:
Hes always sure 10 put one thing
Where something else belongs.
He'll take match and light the cat,
He'll paint the poodle's head:
And pour frail crackers il your hat
And leave them in your bed.
Adown the register he'll throw
The spools with nimble wrist:
He's often wished in Jericho
The Baby Anarchist
But never war uron him wage,
Nor whip him till he roar
Suspend him in a roOmy cage,
Five feet above the floor.
PUCK
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28

q Any person who taxes the paper reeuIab
- rom the post-ot3cc. whether directed Is I.is
name or whether he is o subscriber OF not, Is
responsible for the pay "a
{ The courts have dscioe FIAT rei 4sn4 10 take
newspapers from Tho iyns t-oftc,. or -,I!:ov;2g
and leaving them unca < | for. j, p-!taa facb-
evidence q INTENTIONAL. F-SAI,D-
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28

"A countryman from Northern New
York. after visiting the ice bridge at
Niagara, declared it was the greatest
swindle he mad ever seen. Said he,
ME and my wife went down there.
and twan't nothin' but an old ice jam,
sech as we have all winter long III the
creek down to hum. Jest plain sheet
o. scrap Ice stretchin' acrost an moth
ing more. It's fraud; that's all it is. :"
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28

Maiden (forty and romantic)-'1
suppose it must appear very lonely to
you when all the company leave the
seashore?" Fisherman = Dreadful,
marin. But you see it givesus a chance
to rest our minds, and be ready to an
swer questions next year."
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
He Rallied Round the Tree.

A gentleman who lives near Augusta
tells an interesting story about VIII
liam Henry Russell, the great English
singer, who was all the rage forty
wears ago. 1t was in 1913. The com
ing of Russell had been heralded for
weeks in advance of his visit, and
when he reached Augusta the people
were eager to hear him. The hall was
crowded. IN the audience was Col.
Ben Harris, who had come fifteen
miles to attend the concert. Russell
sang s'Pm Afloat," s'Ivy Green" and
several other of his famous songs.
His success was overwhelming. His
great triumph, however, was his sing
ing of "Woodman Spare that Tree "
When he finished the third verse, Col.
Harris jumped up and shouted:
"'Tll be id il it shall be cut down.
I'll give one hundred dollars out Of
my own pocket to save it,"
This interruption Of course created a
sensation. Col. Harris was an ele-
giant gentleman. Recovering himself,
lie made an elaborate apology for
what he had said and done, but lie
could not conceal his notification
There was a short pause. Russell
broke thcsilence
Ladies and gentlemen" he said 81
have sung that song in all parts of the
civilized world. l have been compli-
ment9d by the crowned heads OF
Europe and the potentates of the East.
But. believe me, have never received
so fine a compliment as that just paid
me by the gentleman"
This incident was frequently refer.
red to by Russell, but it has never be.
fore been published. atlantic ConSti.
tuition.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10

SHILLING TIE TROUBLED WATERS. -
In the north of Scotland the kilda
fisherman obtain a sort Of calm, which
they call tioum, by casting into the sea
the oily Iivers of the fish they AVE
caught. ct Gibralter and other parts of
the Spanish border the fisherman are
accustomed to pour a little oil Oh the sea
III order TO still its motion, that they
may be able to see the oysters lying at
its bottom, which, its seems, are very
large and luscious. Another observation
worth attention has been made by the
seal catchers. When seals are devour
ing Very oily fish, which they always
do under water, the waves above are o.
served to be remarkably smooth, aud by
this sign the fishermen know where to
look for them,
! This property Of oil is known particu-
]arly TO divers, who make use of 1t IN
order TO have a more steady light
at The bottom Of the sea. The Bermud-
iaus, when they would strike fish, which
they could not see if the surface of the
water were ruffied by the wind, pour on
the waves little oil TO smooth them.
The Indians of the Pacific ocean use
cocoanut oil to render the water transpar-
ent when fishing for pearl oysters and
other SHELLS. Again the divers in the
Mediterranean, who when under water
in their business need light which the
rippling Of the surface interrupts, let q
small quantity of oil now and then ont
of their mouths, which, rising TO the sur
face, smooths it and permits the light TO
come down to them.-George CLIQUE in
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
HABITS OF THE OSTRICH. SUI

HABITS OF THE OsTRICH.-The sup
position that an ostrich lays but one egg
annually, and drops that carelessly in
the sand, is nonsense. So also is the
familiar story that the bird is in the
habit of pOking his head i'll the sand,
thinking that it may thus escape the
observation Of its pursuer. The ostrich
is no such a fool. The female lays as
many eggs annually as any goose or hep,
and all the birds in the flock use the
same nest, which is hole dug in the
sand in some secluded place where they
are safe from disturbance. When there
are twenty or thirty eggs the male bird
matches them, sitting upon the nest
continually for thirty days, and is fed
meantime by the females. During the
period OF incubation the male bird is in
an ugly mood and attacks fierceIy with
his bill and feet any man or animal that
approaches him. AS the chicks are
Matched their mothers care for them, the
brood being divided among the flock by
some instinct, and the cock is free to at
tend to his own affairs again. Very
often eggs are found on the paEpas, but
such have been dropped in the chase or
by hens that have been unable to
reach the nest.-Philadelphia Times.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
THE WEEKLY WISCONSIN,

The WEEKLY WISCONSIN, published at
Milwaukee, Wis, is the best family news
paper and has the largest circulation OF
any newspaper in the state. 1t is print
ed from new types and is always clear
and legible. The subscription price is
only $5l.00 per year.
The proprietors of this journal have
made arrangements whereby they can Of
fer their patrons the beautifully illustrat-
ed atlas published by Rand, McNaliy &
Co, containing 1872 pages. bound in the
best English cloth binding (and which
alone sell for $500 with the WEEKLY
WISCONSIN one year upon payment OF
only $3.50, expressGge free.
They also offer $500 barometer and
thermometer combined, which is very ac-
curate in foretelling changes in the
weather, particularly high wind, storm
and tempest, with the WEEKLY VISION
SIN one year for S1.30, express free.
A photo etching OF Munkacsy's grand
painting, Christ Before Plate" 21x30
inches in size, and most perfect repro
duction, is given with the WEEKLY WIS
CoNsIN one year for only S1.15.
Send all subscriptions to CRAMER
AIKENs & CRAMER, Milwaukee, Wis.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
Keeping Cats Small.

Certain Brooklyn young ladies have
lately been seized with mild mania
for keeping cats small. One young
lady let the reporter into the secret,
and solemnly declared that it didn't
hurt the creatures even ga little bit"
You see," she said, sit is done very
easily. Now, here are three cats.
Yes, l know they look like kittens, but
they are not all the same. Nellie, the
one with the blue ribbon around her
neck, is 4 years of age, but you
wouldn't think she was more than 6
mouths old. Here is old Tom, Z years
old on Washington's birthday, yet he
is no larger than Nellie No, they
don't belong to the dwarf family"
well, how is this accomplished"
Il give them gin to drink How?
Why, hold their nostrils with one
hand, and pour tablespoonful of the
spirits down their little threats with
the other I repeat the dose three
times a day for two weeks. 1t makes
them very frisky, and they cut up
some queer capers at times. Often,
however, they go to sleep and hug the
fire all day. They don't get any big
ger and that's all l know about the
matter. "-NeI0 YORK. Telegram.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
Inside a japanese Home.

was privileged, in company with a
couple of friends, to visit the home OF
japanese lady in Yokohama, which
/ was assured was very much like all
the japanese homes. The lady had
acquired fair knowledge of English
and was able to make herself under
stood. The house was divided into
six or eight rooms by sliding partitions
of light wood and paper. There was
not a swinging door about the estab-
lishment, nor a chair, nor table. Nor
did l see ally of those wonderful Jap
anese curios that adorn many Ameri-
can homes, and | was subsequently in
formed that they were not to be found
in the japanese homes, but were made
strictly for export to England and
America The walls were almost en-
tirely devoid of ornament and the
floors were covered with straw mat
ting, well padded underneath. Scrup-
ulous cleanliness was plainly apparent
everywhere. We were ushered into
one of the rooms by very polite little
Jap woman with an exceedingly pretty
face who spread blanket on tie floor
for US to sit upon, and WHO dropped
upon her knees and Frustrated herself
before US until her forehead touched
the floor. Then the lady of the house
entered, Frustrated herself before US
and with her own hand served us with
tea in diminutive cups accompanied
by rice cakes. After We had chatted
for few minutes she proposed to
give us special treat, inasmuch as
we were Americans, whom she al
WAYS admired. She called for a
stringed instrument which remotely
resem bled a banjo with a long neck,
and played some native music for us
which made up in novelty what it
lacked in melody. Then her sister en-
tered and danced for US to the alleged
music of the stringed instrument. The
dancer was the personitication OF
grace and used her fan with marvel
Vicious dexterity. Size swayed to and
fro, swung around easily, moving her
head, and arms, and fan with bewitch-
ing grace, and occasionally sang a
few notes in melancholy strain, in
tended to depict the heart-aches OF
love. The dance was pantomimic
illustration of soul-harrowing nara
tive which was related by our hostess
as follows:
"A young musician, who worked a
flute very clearly, fell in love with a
young lady whose heart was in the
right place, but she didn't know it
that is, she was coquettish, and while
she hadn't the remotest idea of ever
marrying the fellow. she thought she'd
have little fun with him. When he
asked her if she would be his'n she
told him that she would upon condi-
ton that he would come and play the
flute under her window every night
for 100 nights. He accepted the con-
tract at once and went to work on the
Job. 1t looked to him as if he'd struck
soft snap and that he'd win his
charmer if the flute didn't break, but
on the ninety-ninth night he caught
cold and the next day he died. Then
the girl discovered that sue really
loved him and his death almost broke
her up"
The dancer depicted all the princi-
pal points in the story, together with
the grief of the heroine, very effective
ly.-JaDQn Letter.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
How Frank Stockton Works

At dinner the other evening, says
q Washington correspondent of the St.
Louis Gl05e-Dem0crdt, | sat across the
table from Frank Stockton, the de-
licious story writer rather than novel
ist. At his left elbow sat Senator In
gals, a great reader and student, and
one of the most scholarly members of
the Senate.
What are your habits of work."
asked the President of the Senate;
chow many hours day,for instance?"
Two" sad Stockton.
"Two?"
Two"
Two hours?"
Two hours"
You confounded sybariter'
why sop said Stockton. "How
many hours would you have me
work?"
well, I'd have you loaf as much
as you can on general principles, but
| work about sixteen hours day. and
think myself lucky when l get off with
twelve hours"
Il work eight hours a day." said
Senator Spooner, who sat next, land
l think that is enough"
Il liud by experience" said the au-
thor of ''Rudder Grange" THAT two
hours day is about as much as | can
work effectively. And even then l do
not do physical work. l dictate either
to my wife, who is a careful writer, or
to a secretary, and then | sometimes
run over it with pen and smooth it
mp In these two hours | produce
about 1000 words-say a page of the
Century. 1t is enough, for it results
IN two large books a year"
| asked Mr.. Stockton how many
Americans he knew of who were earn
ing their living entirely by pure lit
erature-that is, by the creation OF
works Of the imagination.
There isn't anybody" he said, sex
cepting, perhaps, myself. And, IN
less we have an international copy
right, the number does not bid fair to
increase. However, there is f. z.
Roe" he added dreamily.
Yes" | assented; 81 have seen the
statistics of the book stores of Milwau-
kee, which reported having sold in one
year of L. P. Roe's books 1000 copies.
of Ann S. Stephens 27O copies, of How.
ellis, Aldrich, and Stockston fourteen
copies each"
He laughed and said he thought
very likely it was true.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10

ANCIENT GAUL's CURIOUS Com
''yhere is curious shaped cOiu," con-
tinued Mr.. Proskey, placing Oh the table
a small bronze affair resembling dim.
inutive horseshoe or letter U. 1t was
about a quarter of an inch thick and two
inches across. The ends were oval and
fattened.
sit was in use in ancient Gaui," ex-
planned Mr.. Proshey, ''about 2,0G9 years
ago. It is said to have been used in
Africa and Ireland. It was a very con
venient shape, You see. You could
string dozen of them on stick or car
~ them in your belt or hook lot Of
them together. There are not many of
them found, but there is 10 demand for
them, and specimen is only worth
about S10.--New York World.
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-10
RIDING IN MEXICO.
LIGHTING CIGARETTE WHILE SITTING ON
A BUCKING HoRSE-THE SECRET OF IT.


The great feature of all Mexican rid
ing is looseuess of their seat. LIZ is all
done by balance. And when say 'alf'
it means a wonderful deal. / have seen
a Mexican named Louis-to be sure he
was accredited to be the best rider out
there, and for my own part cannot con-
csive that there can be better rider
in the world have seen that man cross
his legs ever the horn of the big Mex
can saddle. aud, throwing the relns on
the neck of the horse, calmly roll chg
arctic while the horse bucked up and
down with him.
/ know it is ssking great deal TO ex-
pect credeDca for such q feat as this, but
vet when we consider the pitch of per
lection reached by circus riders among
cur countrvmen, the very much higher
degree of excellence attained by one re-
markable man out of anation whose mem
bers We may also say are born on horse
back, is not so altogether beyond the
prospect of belief-though there is of
course an enormous difference between
riding the trained things il circus and
the mustangs caught wild upon the pra
ries. The Mexican saddle, with Its
great stirrups and the horn on which the
iasso hangs, gives, of courae, very many
good points d'appui; but the pertorman
ces of these Mexicsns on bare back are
wonderful enough. You see q herd of
wild horses driven through the narrow
pass Of the corral. Your Mexican, with
a hair rope IN his hand, viii drop from
the beam above npon the back of the
horse il is wished to reclaim to domestic
use.
In an instant he is away, snorting,
believing, positively shrieking with ter
ror, in the midst of the laundering
stampede of his fellows, who are scarce
less terrified than himself. He cannot
buck, while the herd presses closely
upon him. The Mexican leans forward
with the rope in both hands, passes it
over the horses head into the wide open
mouth, and forces it behind his teeth.
Then he takes turn with it under the
lower jaw, and there he has him bitted
and bridled. After a little over half all
hour he comes back with him-brokea;
not $50 that a child could ride him" but
SO that Mexican can. Of course they
are small horses. / cannot say how the
Mexicans would fare with one of those
big Australian buckers. They maintain,
however, that this loose seat of theirs
does not irritate horse in the way o
grip with the knees does; aud this | full
ly believe. Further than that, / fancy
the solution of the mystery about those
horses which will go quietly enough
with lady, though a man can handy
ride them, is to be sought rather in the
method of the lady's seat than, as is
commonly thought, in the superior deli
cacy of her fair hands .-Murray's Mag
azine.