davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
Crafty London shopkeepers.

The other evening a native born Lon
doner, during discussion of the mys-
terious Whitechapel murders, fell to talk
ing of Petticoat lane. cit is" said he,
''merely another name for one side of Mid
dlesex street. The street forms the
boundary line Of old London town, and
while the side next the city is known by
its proper name, the opposide side is
called, from the large number Of second
hand clothing stores, Petticoat lane.
Very crafty are those dealers down the
lane. A man may stroll past their shops
and, seeing handkerchief hanging out
side that he fancies, step in and purchase
it, then il he will turn and walk back on
reaching the end of the street he will
find the identical handkerchief in its old
position. The thrifty seller has in his
employ one or more small boys whose
sole duty is to follow purchasers and
pris' from them their newly acquired
property. - Chicago Mail.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
Is the Route Practicable?

Notwithstanding the emphatic WARN
ings of all experienced Arctic navigators,
and the difficulties encountered on the
Alert expeditions, the projected route
from England through Hudson strait to
Fort Churchill continues to be discussed
In England and Canada; and quite
recently the establishment of line Of
steamers on this route was advocated by
no less an authority than Commodore A.
II. Markham, in lecture delivered before
the Royal Geographical society. As he
failed, however, to disprove any Of the
objections raised against tho practicability
of this route, which are chiefly founded
on the always imminent danger Of Fox
channel ice, his remarks fail to con-
vince us.
There is no doubt that powerful but
small steamers can accomplish the jour-
ney annually with comparative safety,
but this is far from being sufficient to
make the Hudson Strait practicable
trade route. The premium on this route
would have to be enormously high on
account of the great number Of dam
gers to navigation, and at all seasons
the steamers would be liable to long
delays. Sir Charles Topper, who was
present at this discussion, did not take
as favorable view as Markham,
while DR.. Rae condemned the plan as
wholly untenable 1t seems somewhat
surprising to see it again revived after its
impracticability appeared to have been
proved by the results Of the Canadian
Hudson Bay expeditions. Science.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
The ..rn,rers of silence.

Sir Jamsadji Jijibhai, Persian
banker, has sent model of Tower Of
Silence to the Archaeological museum
at Berlin. The Parsees, or Fire Wor-
shippers, hold it to be sin to pollute air,
water or earth with dead bodies. They,
therefore, build high towers on hills, 800
feet in circumference. At the top is a
platform sloping toward the center,
where a cistern, $50 feet in circumfer-
ence, is placed. This platform is divided
into three sections, one each for men,
women and children. Corpses placed
here are at once bounced on by vultures,
which soon leave only clean bones.
These are swept into the cistern, and the
water, after the bones are dissolved, is
carried through series of canals and
disinfected. The Parsees have never yet
been surpassed as a race of clean, pure,
manly, energetic people. They reside
now mostly in Bombay, but are few in
numbers. Globe Democrat.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
chilcat Woman of Alaska.

The civilized woman when she wants
TO be wooed attempts to make herself as
attractive as possible. So does the Chill
cat woman, but she has q different idea
of what is attractiveness. One evening,
after all the fishing canoes came in, saw
q young squaw, robed from head to foot
in deep red blanket, sitting stolidly on
the end of great spruce log few rods
away from the cannery and at short
distance from where the fishing canoes
were moored, and where the fires OF the
Chilcat fishermen had been lighted.
When, out of curiosity at her singular
costume and position, approached her,
found that she had blackened her face
until it was blacker than that of the or
binary negro minstrel.
There was not trace of her native
duskiness, but the artificial black shone
as if it were composed and put on from
an article of good French backing. In
addition 10 that long silver pin was
stuck in her under lip and extended out
from the chin a couple of inches, while a
heavy silver ring hung from her nostrils
and host Of massive silver bracelets
adorned her wrists. She was simply q
belle of the woods and of Chilcat Inlet
endeavoring to make known to the young
bucks around that she was in the matri-
monial market according to native Gus
tom here. After sitting for an hour or
more and not attracting any more atten-
ton than that prompted by my own curl
osity, she left her twilight wooing place,
shook out the folds of her red blanket,
and walked with an air of indifference to
an old tent on the beach, which appeared
TO be her habitation, and disappeared.
Sitka (Alaska) Cor. New York Times.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
His Bodily Presence Was Weak.

remember case where small city
congregation that had among its mem
bers scarcely a man that was even fairly
well educated, heard man preach sew
eral Sabbaths. He was a graduate of
New England college and of one of the
best of our theological seminaries, man
of good address, scholarly and gentle
manly in his pulpit manners, careful,
thoughtful sermonizer and fluent
speaker. He was disliked; and when
some CT the chief men were questioned
as TO the cause of dissatisfaction. they re-
piled, HE doesn't have commanding
presence. "
The readers of this letter will recall one
of old of whom it was said that his
bodily presence was weak and his speech
contemplate; but they will be forced to
admit that Paul was, after all. something
of preacher. This congregation in
search of commanding presence were
/; feeble folk, numerically and financially;
and though the Lords people, however
poor and weak, ought, theoretically. to
have the very best in the way of spiritual
food, vet as things are in the church. as
we'll as in the world, it is a question
whether they were wholly wise m looking
for perfection in the Lords vessel. and
whether they were not too slow In APP
preciating the Lords grace contained in
it; and although ministers ought not 70
be rated by the amount OF salary that they
receive, still this incident will remind
many of the man who said, concerning
an underpaid servant girl, .'You can't
expect all the Christian virtues for So
week. The Century.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
True TO Her Traditions.

Boston remains true to the traditions
and practices of the fathers in some
things, at least. l met one of the most
prominent bakers of the Hub the other
day. We talked of pork and beans.
is the consumption of these falling OFF,
asked. s'No, indeed, he replied. 1--WE
are selling more every year, because our
population is increasing Everybody
eats them. Strangers may hold off in
scorn for awhile, but the first thing we
know they are booking orders for the
usual Sunday morning supply. 1t is a
practice that no one who remains with
us any length of time can resist. We
are trying to get the people to take the
beans and brown bread on Saturday night
instead of Sunday morning, but they do
not take kindly to the proposed change"
New York Tribune.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15

The Thirteen club, of New York city,
may be set down as Il practically useful
affair in the way of breaking up ten
dency to superstition. Where the inher-
itance of sacred days and days of evil
omen comes from, with the belief in GER
tain numbers as fortunate and others as
associated with danger, does not SO much
concern US as how to get rid of the no
ton. One of the judges of New York state,
and we believe two or three elsewhere, no
longer sentence criminals to be hanged
on Friday. Tho Thirteen club was de-
liberate attempt to break the popular de-
fusion that u gathering of thirteen i'm
plies disaster to one or more of the party.
This club lately enjoyed its seventy ninth
dinner in Chinese restaurant. A Mon
golian meal was served and eaten with
chop sticks Globe Democrat.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15

We infer from some Of the letters re-
ceiyed by US from our young readers that
q number Of them cherish the ridiculous
opinien that to have small hands and feet
is q sign Of noble descent aud high
breeding. We can assure these deiuded
dansels that race and breeding have
nothing to do with the size Of the ex-
tremities. The biggest hand we ever
saw attached to human arm WAS THAI
of a young officer. the scion Of "A family
ennobled six centuries ago. and We have
seen hands Of the most delicate size and
texture belonging to persons Of the low
Hest origin. Witness, also. the chubby
paw Of her most gracious majesty, Qusen
Victoria, whose race las been Of royal
rank for fifteen hundred years. Nature
proportions the hands and feet, with the
utmost exactness, 10 the other parts Of
the body. Consequently, the hands and
feet are always just right. To change
them would be 70 destroy the harmony
OF the frame 10 be dissatisfied with
them argues real vulgarity Of mind. a
want OF good sense, and. we may add. 4
ihankless impiety. New York Ledger.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15

1t has been the fashion To assume q
strong Indifference toward strangers, even
if one does not feel it, and net only
toward strangers Is this manifested. but
toward those who are associated together
in business, and the ones whom one
meets every day. Il il not necessary for
two people T. fall upon each others neck
every time that they meet in cfdcr % be
civil. hut in the short life that We hvc
here why not give and receive all the
good that We cant Strangers upon set
ting ii a rev place feel this stony and
hard exterior. and when the CHEEKY
faced. really Christian man OF woman Is
met with. what blessing. and how one
loves TO remember the meeting and the
kindly look II is like perfect june
day, or the bursting out Of the sun after
days Of cloud and stqTz Springfield
Union.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
From the Great pipestone quarry.

There is much to indicate that the In
dams for many generations have highly
priced the pipestone for the manufacture
of their pipes, and that it has been ex-
tensively used by the red man for pipe
sculpture throughout North America.
Chips of the stone, beads. arrow points,
hatchets and pipes of this material have
been taken from graves, mounds and
wells, even plowed up from fields, in the
various states, from Massachusetts to
Georgia. The Dakota Indians employ
seventy-five different patterns in as many
materials, but the calumet is the one
venerated. Mr.. Edwin A. Barber says:
The fact that this stone has been taken
from Indian graves in the state of New
York, and that others were found on an
ancient site of q village in Georgia, at
opposite points, 1900 miles from the
pipestone quarry in Minnesota, reveals
the great extent of intercommunication
which formerly existed among this North
American people. There is certainly
strong presumptive evidence that the
stone of the Coteau DIES Prairies has been
used for centuries, and perhaps a much
longer time. Helen Strong Thompson
in American Magazine.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
MARTINSBURG HERALD, SATURDAY, DEC. Is, 1873.



w. T. Chamberlain, an American en-
gineer residing in London. paid visit
to Woolwich in connection with new
explosive which he is introducing to the
war department. He is the inventor of
the newest and most powerful explosive
known, namely, chlorine OF nitrogen,
whose destructive effects are terrible in
the extreme, very small quantity doing
infinitely more damage than q much
larger amount of any other explosive in
use. It is very sensitive, very slight
concussion causing it to explode. He
has more than once been injured and in
danger of being blown to pieces, but kept
at it, determined to conquer or die in the
attempt.
He has completed method of charg-
ing or filling shells and projectiles with
chlorine nitrogen so that they may be
fired from gun using powder with per-
feet safety. Military men competent to
judge in regard to the invention declare
it to be one of the most remarkable in
yentions of the age, and are Of the
opinion that if any country had the mo-
nopoly of this invention it could defy
the whole world. The invention, it is
thought, will cause complete change
or revolution in warfare. while for blast
ing or mining purposes it will probably
never be equaled. Mr.. Chamberlain has
had offers from parties ON the continent
which he will probably accept in the
event of not coming to terms with our
own government. Woolwich (Eng.l Ga
zeffe
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
A Now Calculating Machine.

A resident of Chicago, Mr.. D. c. Felt,
has invented machine which will add,
subtract, multiply or divide without
error 1t is said to work perfectly, and
will secure saving of time in CONNER
cial operations, quite like type writer
in the hanos of letter writers. Babbage's
calculating machine, which for genera
tons was the wonder of philosophers,
would, if invented now, be only nine
days talk. Mr. F'elt's invention will be
of vastly more use than Babbage's, but
will draw less oratorical attention. Mean
while Edison turns from machinery to
sanitary discoveries, and proposes by
science to Gordon yeAow fever. Science
is emphatically king. Globe Democrat.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15

III motherhood alone does the Chinese
woman find protection and honor. Yet
even here Chinese customs and laws are
peculiar, and even grotesque. A mother
can claim absolute obedience from her
children, even when they are gray headed
and themselves fathers of families, but
she is still only servant and drudge to
her husband In the event of her death,
her sons must, by Chinese law, wear
mourning, and go about with unshaven
heads for hundred days; but her hus-
hand would render himself an object Of
ridicule among his friends il he put on
mourning for her. Chester Holcombe in
YOnth's COMPANION.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
The Dinso and the kangaroo.

We had just rolled up our blankets,
after camping out, preparatory to max
ing up the fire and putting the billies on
to boil, when we heard the heavy thud
of a kangaroo leaping rapidly in neigh
boring scrub. lit was the work of
moment" as the old fashioned novelists
used to say, to get out our rsvolvers on
the chance of a shot; but we paused to
watch an interesting sight A dingo was
stealing swiftly along the edge of the
scrub, parallel to the course of the kan
CARGO, and in ordinary circumstances a
leaden messenger would have been
promptly sent after him, with all the
more probability of stopping him, as he
paused occasionally to listen; but possible
kangaroo steak was just then uppermost
in our minds. In minute or two the
kangaroo suddenly broke from the open
country, and the dingo, for whom he
was evidently unprepared, made SPLEEN
the shoulder. Almost instantly after
ward second dingo, who had no doubt
been driving the game toward his COM
panion, rushed out of the scrub and took
the kangaroo on the opposite side. In
spite of the poor beasts violent bounds
hither and thither, he soon rolled over,
and in an astonishingly short time the
dingoes had put an end to his struggles.
IA fresh feed for certain now" whis-
pered the stockman, and we began crawl
ing on our hands and knees toward the
spot, about 100 yards away. for shot at
the dingoes, who had been too much
occupied in the excitement of the chase
to notice us. The slightest noise, the
chance breaking of dead twig, or per-
haps the motion of tall blade of grass,
sufficed to alarm them, and though the
revolver bullets cut up the earth close TO
them, both went away unscathed. The
kangaroo was quite dead. How they
had mauled him in those two or three
minutes! His chest was torn open under
the foreleg, and his neck bitten through
and through. These wild dogs seem to
know instinctively where the great ar
teries are situated, and, unlike our do
nestle hounds, understand perfectly
well how to kill q kangaroo without in
curing the risk OF fatal stroke from its
powerful hind legs, armed with those
formidable chisel like nails. Some fresh
cut steaks off the loin put us in good trim
for the days work. Chambers Journal.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
Mexican Demand for Candy.

Mexico clamors for. candy" said
manufacturer of long experience.
They'll eat anything sweet down in
that land. They like it better if it Is hot,
with wintergreen, peppermint or some
thing that burns as it goes down. The
States are not supplying the Mexican de-
mand for sweetmeats, and are missing q
good trade by not trying to do it. Ger
many or some other foreign power viii
step i'll and get hold there. 1t will
serve us right. We are neglecting our
interests in that section.
Speaking of peppermints, can show
you an italian preparation that's got
more penetration to the square inch than
anything else ever saw. 1t sells at IS
q pound. Here is some," and the
speaker produced a small box filled with
tiny square waters about half the size OF
six months old baby's thumb nail.
They are made in Italy," lie explained,
''and are the celebrated essence of pep
pernint. Chicago Herald.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
The Rabbits Must Go.

Pasteur is, according to recently pub
lshed accounts, In fair way to win the
big prize to go to the man who would
hanish rabbits from the big island of the
southern Pacific. The Frenchman has
made his lancet more potent than 10, 200
shot guns, tons of poison or million
snares He inoculates rabbits with the
virus of disease fatal to the little beasts.
Before death overtakes them these rab-
bits beget host Of other rabbits, and
these become the parents of millions.
Heredity does the rest. The descend
ants inherit their progenitors' disease,
and the second and third generation Of
rabbits die off even more surely than the
inoculated first. If this method operates
successfully with rabbits, why might not
a somewhat similar process decimate the
armies of bugs and worms that make the
life OF the American farmer one long
warfare against things flying and creep
ingg Pasteur, if he has solved the rab-
bit problem, will be the st. Patrick Of
the great island. If he can vanquish in
sect pests he will find immortality
Pittsburg Bulletin.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
The Earth slowly Changing.

In the universe everything is chang
ing and everything is in motion, for mo-
ton itself is the first condition of vital
ity. The firm ground, long thought to
be inlmovable, is subject to incessant
motion; the very mountains rise or sink.
Not only do the winds and ocean cur
rents circulate round the planet, but the
continents themselves, with their sum-
mits and valleys, are changing their
places and slowly travelling round the
circle of the globe. In order to explain
all these geological phenomena it is no
longer necessary to imagine alterations
in the earth's axis, ruptures OF the solid
crust or gigantic subterranean downfalls.
This not the mode ia which nature gem
orally proceeds; she is more calm and
more regular in her operations, and,
chary Of her might, brings about
changes of the grandest character with
out even the knowledge of the beings
that she nourishes. She upheaves noun
tains and dries up seas without disturb
ing the flight of the gnat. Some revolu-
ton which appears TO us to have been
produced by a mighty cataclysm has,
perhaps, taken thousands of years to ac-
complish. Science.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
N.l,na,.on faoine- to Pieces.

Malmaison, the famous chateau of the
Ill fated Josephine de Beanharnais, 10
simply going by piecemeal to the dogs.
or rather to the rats, and it has been adj
mirnbly suggested that the place shouts
be converted into museum containing
historical relics Of the first empire. 10
the beginning Of the present summer
Malmaison was offered for sale at an
upset price Of $40. 900, but no bidder
could be found. The park is now let out
in small lots to builders, and hideous
villas are rising around the chateau. The
two facades of the mansion-that Of the
courtyard and Of the garden--are intact,
but the interior is like barn The salon
of Josephine still exists, with its mural
decorations of birds and gilt flowers, and
so do the dining hall, the council cham
ber-shaped like tent--and the library;
but the furniture is all gone, and the
pleasure house" of old is a melancholy
wreck.--Paris Cor. London Telegraph.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
Ten Hours Of sleep.

James Payn. the novelist and CORE.
spondent, has come 10 the conclusion that
the only salvation of our writers and
literary classes in general lies in going TO
bed early, getting ten hours Of sleep, and
understanding that brain work needs
more complete and certain recnperation
than ordinary physical labor. The office
and necessity of sleep is getting to be bet
ter appreciated. Little is heard nova
days about burning midnight oil. Obedi-
ence to physiological laws, alone, will
enable a man to escape mental break
down at an early age. Genius cannot
override nature. 1t is impossible to turn
night into day, or to habitually do two
days work In one. Common sense and
method are better than brilliance, and
Judgment is in the end ahead OF genius.
Globe Democrat.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
A Business Like Young woman.

There is g young girl down in MissiS5
sippi who is destined TO make her mark.
Some one gave her cents one day. She
went at once TO dry goods store, bought
q yard of calico, made it into sun boz
net, and sold the bonnet for 40 cents. She
invested the 40 cents in more calico,
madeimore bonnets, sold them. reinvested,
made other garments, and pretty soon
had $40, With this $10she bought a lot
of potatoes. planted them. paid for their
cultivation, harvesting and marketing,
and came out with a clear profit of $40.
Let the young men Of the south look out
for this girl. That $40 is still growing.
1t may run into the millions some Of
these days - Columbus Dispatch.
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15

The terms in which these ancient
rulers addressed each other resemble in
their bombastic style those employed in
royal households in our own days TO a
striking degrees. One begins: ITO MINI
murija "a surname Of Amenophis I'D,
the great king, the king of Egypt, my
brother, my son-in-law, whom Hove and
who loves me. speaks as follows: ''Dush-
ratti, king Of Mitanni, thy brother, thy
son-in-law, whom thou lowest and who
loves thee. Peace to me, peace to my
brother and son-in-law, peace to thy
house, to thy consorts, thy mobiles. thy
people, to thy chariots, thy horses, thy
land. "-Harper's Weekly.