davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20
"rAKeS the CAKE"
Origin OF This Erstwhils Popular Express
sion and Its Ancestry.

Origin OF This Erstwhils Popular Express
sion and Its Ancestry.
This expression-applied to one who
does a thing pre-eminently we'll, or.
sarcastically, and more usually. to one
who fails conspicuously-undoubte
had its origin in the negro cake-walks
common in the SOuthe, n States. and not
unknown in the Northern. The walk
usually winds up ball. Couples,
drawn by lot, walk around a cake
specially prepared for the occasion.
and the umpires award the prize to
the couple who, in their opinion, walk
most gracefully and are attired with
the greatest taste. Hence they are
said Ito take the cake" an expression
which has attained its wide currency
through the burlesques in the negro
minstrel shows.
Yet the negro cake-walk has respect
able ancestry in the medieval past.
Gorard's HERBAL =" Q633) informs
us that lin the springtime are made
with the leaves hereof newly sprung
up. and with eggs. cakes or tansies.
which be pleasant in taste and good for
the stomacke," and a contemporary,
speaking of the strictness Of the Puri-
tans, says ''all games where there is
any hazard of loss are strictly forbid
den; not so much as game of football
for tansy." According to Brand, in
the Easter season, fOot-courses were
run in the meadows, the vlctors carry
ing OF each cake, given to be run for
by some better person in the neighbor-
hood. In Ireland, at Easter and Whit
suntide, the lower classes used to meet
and dance for q cake raised on top of
q pike decorated with flowers, the prize
going to the couple who held out the
longest; and in some parts of England
custom prevailed of riding for the
bride-cake. This riding took place
when the bride was brought to her new
habitation. A pole three or four fest
high was erected in front of the house
and the cake put on top Of it On the
instant that the bride set out from her
OLD home q company of young men
started on horseback, and he who was
fortunate enough to reach the pole first
and knock the cake down with his stick
received It from the hands Of q damsel.
This was called taking the cake
The fortunate winner chem advanced to
meet the bride and her sttendantA-
Amerjcan Notes Smd Queries
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

The Encyclopedias Britannica saws
that Longfellow was born lat Port
land. now the capital of the State of
Maine"
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps first liter.
airy venture was story written when
she was thirteen years old. and pub
lished in the Youths Companion.
The most famous of the Wisconsin
poets. according to the Chicago Nesos.
are Horace Ruhlee. representing the
medieval, and Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
representing modern times.
j. 7. Headley, in his Travels in
Italy," says that Byron's Italian
teacher told him that Byron always
had four books lying on his table, no
matter how many others came or were
taken away. His curiosity prompted
him to look at them. and he found they
were the Bible, Shakespeare, Machia-
velli and Alfieri's tragedies.
Miss Martha A. Mcconnell was
elected deacon in the McKeesport Pa.
Reformed Presbyterian church. but the
presbytery refused to ordain her. as
there was no precedent for such action,
and referred the matter to the synod.
The synod turned the question over to
the Committee on Discipline. which re-
ported in favor of ordaining women as
1eacons.
-Talleyrand's memoirs would
have been published thirty years
after his death. but in 1868 Napoleon
Ill obtained from the heirs a further
postponement of twenty-five years
more. This term will expire in May.
1890. The manuscript is in the hands
of the Duke de Montmorency, second
son Of the Duke de Talleyrand, grand
son of the writer. Prince dc Talleyrand.
MIR. Lewis G. Clark, the George
Harris of "Uncle Toms Cabin" was
not long since on exhibition at q
museum at Minneapolis. MINI. Speak
ing OF the author who made him
famous he said: lin 1914 l went to
Portsmouth, and it was there that l
met Mrs. Stowe. She would talk to
mo for hours about life among the
slaves, and each day she would write
down what l had told her. Then she
had never been South, and l can say
without vanity that had it not been for
me Uncle Toms Cabin would
never have been written. Nearly all
the incidents in the book told her."
Augusta Evans. author OF "St.
Elmo" and other lurid Southern stor-
les, ranks with Browning in at least
one respect-she will not contribute to
periodicals. She has repeatedly re-
fused the most tempting offers to con-
tribute to magazines and newspapers;
on one occasion she was asked by the
proprietors Of Lippinco!fs Magazine to
name her own price for q story, but the
offer was promptly refused. as well as
another from a wealthy firm Of a check
for $25, 900 for the privilege Of issuing
a cheap edition Of her works, the same
not to interfere at all with the regular
bound edition. She received check
for $4,000 for her novel, "Infelice."
before it went to press.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20
HUMOROUS.

"A man who attended a beer-hal
dance and couldn't get his hat on the
next morning, said he couldn't stand
these swell hops.
-"How Is that butter sent you?'
asked q Warwick grocer Of a transient
customer. Better, thanks; gains
strength every day."-WarUick Dis
psteh.
Says . novelist of to day, describ.
ing an interview between lovers: "Be
tween them there passed an ecstatit
kiss" And neither of them got it
Aw. what muffs they must have been.
-Burde.te.
-Countryman Cat Coney Island)-
II wouldn't 60 in swimmin' in such
burned water as that" Stranger
"Why not?" Countryman (who has
been shaking his thirst)-''Why, jest
taste it. "-Epoch.
How doth the little frisky ny
Improve each shining mipote!
BY seeking out the sugar bowl,
And dissipating in it.
Some one is advocating gardens
on the roof. This will be convenient,
at least. When your wife wants a
mess of potatoes for dinner, all she
will have to do is to go to the garnet
and pick them of the ceiling.-Yonk-
erS Statesman.
Jones Coming from a party given
by temperance host)-" Brown, feel
between my shoulders. Is there a
hump there?" Brown Why?'
Jones' think they took me in there
for q camel that can go week without
drink. "-New Rduen Ne,os.
"A city young man who, while sum-
mering week in the country, fell in
love with a pretty dairymaid. pro-
posed. and was rejected. told his friends
when he returned home that he only
got one milk shake" while he was
Norrist0son Herald.
"Gee Wilkinsr' exclaimed young
Bacon. as he hurriediy withdrew his
hand from Miss Fussanfeather's waist,
where he had encountered the busy end
of q pin. '.now know what they mean
by saying that you have a wasp-liks
waistr'- Yonker's Statesman.
- Do you see that sign. No smok-
ing allowed sir?" said the custodian
of the library to an offender against
the rules of the institution. 'Yes,
see it." was the reply. I'm not
smoking aloud; I'm smoking very quiz
etly-no one can hear me. "-Hdypey's
R0z0r.
Won Balcony dropping on one
knee, ardently)-"Ah, dear Miss Vio-
let. might / but dare to cherish the
hope that my professions of love may
some day win . smile from youi
lips, would indeed be the happiest Of
men, She (chokingly. behind her
fan)-"Rise. rise, Mr.. Won Baboony.
Il il impossible to listen to you with
out smiling. '-Tezas S11;n0s.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

-Wife-'.Henry, who is this Callie
Graft l have heard you talking about?'
Husband (astonished)-''Callie Graf?
don't know anybody of that name. !"
Wife-..Well, l heard you talking
about her anyhow. and 1 want to know
who she is" Husband recovering
consciousness)-.'Oh. yes, know. It's
my typewriter. That made matters
worse; but a half-hour's explanation
and the promise of a new dress made
it all Washington Critic.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.

SCHOOL, AND CHURCH.
1T is hard to please some church,
goers. II the preacher Stops over they
kick, and If he is so dry that no can't
slOp over they kick.-N y. Tribune.
What the church wants is the un-
der-propping of solitary prayer. the
strength that comes from secret COM
munion with characterization At
Work.
"A man said to me the other
night: Jones. / wouldn't have missed
your sermon for ten dollars" and yet
when the plate was passed around that
man put in q copper cent-Sam Jones.
The Catholic RerieU of New York
estimates that there are now about
10000 colored Roman Catholics in the
United States. and that the number of
converts from communions varies from
five per cent. in some dioceses to
twelve per cent in others"
1t was DR.. Barrows who told-in
illustrating the confused knowledge of
missionary matters in some peoples
minds-Of the man who said to ono Of
the society's officers II don't believe
much in foreign missions. I always
give money to the american Board!"
"A messenger boy was seen to walk
up the aisle of church during service
and call out a prominent physician.
The pastor, who was about to begin his
sermon. hesitated a said: Brethren.
let us pray for a sick man who is in
great danger. DR.. Grosgrain has been
called to see him."
The institution of class Of work.
ers to be known as "deaconesses" by
the Methodist general conference is re-
garded by the lions Herald as great
these consecrated women will do" it
thinks. evil be an inestimable adjunct
and relief to the pastorate."
The total number of city mission
aries in New York may be set down at
266. who probably make 800. 900 visits
ayear. Besides these there are hum
dreds Of tract visitors and hundreds
Of poor visitors and other voluntary
agents OF various churches and socie-
ties. who are going about continually
doing good.
Bishop Fowler. of the Methodist
church. began his career as lawyer.
but after he became converted he stud
led for the ministry. q calling for
which he has shown marked ability.
His early training in the law. however.
has stood him in good stead. for a
Bishop must be man with a judicial
as we'll as theological turn Of mind.
Tho following advertisement recent
ly appeared in an English religious pa
per: Wanted. before Advent. unmar-
ried priest Earnest Evangelical High
Churchman). for small country church.
the congregation of which is large
ly composed Of men. The six points.
Choral services. Open-air preaching.
Cricket. football and working-men's
clubs. No mustachcd or lawn-tennis-
playing priest need apply"
-Swinton's history has been with
drawn from the public schools OF Bos-
ton. on the ground that it misrepre-
sents the Roman Catholic doctrine of
indulgences. The following is the pas
sage which was objected to: These
indulgences were, in the early ages
Of the church. remission Of penances
imposed upon persons whose sins had
brought scandal on the community.
But in process Of time they were rep
resented as actual pardons Of guilt.
and the purchaser of indulgence was
said to be delivered from all his sins"
United Presbyterian.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

MIR. Gladstone says that he really
should like to live q while longer for
two great objects: ITO settle the Irish
question; and to convince my country
men OF the substantial identity between
the theology of Homer and that OF the
Old Testament"
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

be confessed she discharges her hlnc-
ton with complete success, for in sim
gle day her progeny often amounts 70
many thousands
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

The sister OF Keats, the poet. is
living in Madrid. Spain, and is in
good health. She is trying to obtain
from the English Court of Chancery .
fortune which belonged to her grand
mother.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

AN excellent furniture polish Is Of
equal parts of shellac varnish, inseec
OIL and spirits Of vine.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20

to these well-drilled banditti. who for
age about in every tropical forest in
unnumbered legion. But at the critical
moment. like Goliath from the Philis-
tines, the soldier termite advances to
the fight. With few sweeps Of its
scythe-like jaws it clears the ground,
and while the attacking party is carry
ing of its dead, the builders, uncon-
scious of the fray. quietly continue
their work. To every hundred workers
in white ant colony, which numbers
many thousands of individuals. there
are perhaps two of these fighting men.
The division of labor here is very won
derful, and the fact that besides these
two specialized forms there are in
every nest two other kinds of the same
insect, the kings and queens. shows
the remarkable height to which civili-
zation in these communities has at
tanned.
These mounds are built into mesh
work of tunnels, galleries and cham
bers where the Social interests of the
community are attended to. The most
spacious of these chambers, usually
far underground, is very properly
ailocated to the head Of the society, the
queen. The queen-termite is a very
rare insect, and as there are seldom
more than one. or at most two, to q
colony. and as the royal apartments
are hidden far in the earth few persons
have ever seen a queen, and indeed
most. if they did happen to come across
it. from its very singular appearance
would refuse to believe that it had any
connection with white ants. Her sole
duty in life is to lay eggs, and it must
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
Hard on the Governor.

GRAND FORKS, Dakota, September s.
a committee appointed by the Day
faction of the two-headed Democratic
Territorial Convention has completed
its work anu will send formal charges
against Governo1 hLrcb to the Presi-
dent some time this nth. The Gov
ernor is charged WI packing
and illegal methods to secure control of
the Territorial convention the use of
his veto power to intimidate the people;
appointing persons unfit to hold Office
lille gally appropriating notary fees to
his own use; violating the militia Jaw
squandering the proceeds of stock in
demnity funds; bad management OF
the publication OF the laws of the Ter
ritory. The charges are supported by
affidavits.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
The Cyclone S till Raging.

CITY OF MEXICO, September s.
Vera Cruza dispatches state that a
cyclone struck there three days ago
The wind was from the north and go
continued until this morning. when it
turned around to the southeast. Three
large vessels were driven ashore and
wrecked last night and several smaller
crafts were lost. AS the morning grew
the wind increased in violence and now
shows no signs of abatement. All
steamers are detained and work on
all wharves suspended. A large freight
bark has been wrecked just off the
shore. The crew are still on board and
are in perilous situation. Assistance
cannot be sent to them.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
nstaiIa of 1he skirmish

BERLIN, September S.-The following
official dispatch is g5ceived The Ger
man gunboat MoeaOe went to Tonga
where the Germans are about to assume
the administration of affairs, and sent
a boat ashore with a accommodating
party. The natives fired on the party
and compelled them to return to the
ship. Next morning two boats were
dispatched to the shore, and they were
also attacked. The MOeweS guns were
then opened upon The place, and a de-
tachment of marines landed, which
succeeded in dispensing the natives.
The Sultan OF Zanzibar has dispatched
troops to punish the insurgents who
fired on the German boats.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
Astounding Ignorance

About twenty miles out from Chicago,
or little farther, writes the Topical
Talker" of the Plttsburg Dispatch, who
was attending the convention, a couple
of nice old ladies with mittens and wells
and bonnets of gray and elab crate sand
colored busters, who were seated across
the aisle from me, got into terrific
state of excitement over something
they had seen from the window. One
of them called Conductor" as loudly
as she could. The official ruler of the
car-who, by the way, was magnif-
Gently built young man--came at a run
down the aisle.
whats happened, man ?''he asked,
breathlessly.
Look out of the window, here" and
the old lady dragged down the conduc-
tors head, and, directing his gaze to-
wards a large white house standing
alone on the prairie, continued: Who
lives in that house2"
II really don't know replied the
conductor, politely.
swell, declare to gracious-and you
air the conductor, air your" asked the
old lady who had not spoken before
You don't know who lives that
house that big white house with red
barn and the rail fence all around it?
And you air the conductor, air you
Ny, my, but it is astonishin' how little
some folks does know! !"
The old ladies thought they recog
nized in the white farm house the abode
of a cousin of theirs who lived in
Indiana somewheres. in white house
with red barn and rail sence around
IT,"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
EYE, EAR AND CATARRH
SUCCESSFULLY TREATED.
Judge Cartoons Letter.
SALT LAKE CITY, August Z, 1888.

SALT LAKE CITY, August 7, 1888.
Dear Doctor:-Before leaving for the
east l wish to express my appreciation
OF your treatment of complicated case
of the eyes. I have tried for several
wears to get far-seeing glasses, and |
had concluded that could get none
that would be of any benefit to me. But
after l saw the wonderful benefit OF
your system, l take pleasure in saying
that the glasses furnished by you have
restored my vision both for reading ard
far-seeing to the same condition as in
nv boyhood. l resolved to have you
furnish me glasses after witnessed
your system to a beautiful young lady
of sixteen years, from Summit County,
afflicted with a complicated condition
of the eyesight. She told me she had
never been able to distinguish ones
face at distance of six feet. With
DR.. Prentice's glasses she could see as
well as any one. AS she looked up and
down the street, and for the first time
in her life saw the distant mountain
tops, she was greatly delighted, and
inquired with childish simplicity, do
other people see this way?" 1t seemed
that new world was opened to her
view, as novel and beautiful as "Eden's
rosy bowers" appeared to our first
parents.
Yours truls,
A. B. CARLTON,
Chairman Utah Commission.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
A Challenge to Jem smith.

NEW YORK, September 8.-Ricnard
K. Fox, received the following dispatch
this morning from welI-known sport
ing nan: The San Francisco, Cali
fornia Athletic Club, announce that
they will put up purse of $1,000 for
Peter jackson, heavy weight champion
of Australia, and Jem Smith, champion
of England, to fight, the battle to be
fought at San Francisco in three OF
four months from the signing of the
articles. They also offer similar purse
for Charley Mitchell and Jack Dempsey
to fight for on the same terms. The
offer has been cabled to Jem Smith.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
ALoNpON HORkoR
The Boy OF "a Woman Found Terribly
Mutilated.

LONDON, September S-The horribly
mutilated body of Iewd woman was
found early this morning in a yard at
tached to a common lodging house in
Spital6elds. Her throat was cut from
ear 10 ear, the body ripped open at the
bowels and the heart lying on the
ground and portion of the entrails
lied around the neck. This is the
fourth murder of similar character,
committed in this neighborhood. All
the victims were women of the lowest
character. The author of the atroci-
ties remains undiscovered. The ex-
element in the vicinity borders upon
a panic.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
An electrician Dead.

New YORK, September S.-Frederick
E. Beardslee, the well-known electri'
clan, was found dead in the rooms OF
the Denison Auto Telegraph laboratory.
this morning. He had evidently com
mitted suicide. Deceased had been in
the service of the electrical companies
of this country and Europe. He super
intended the work and introduced the
electric light in Mexico, and was an
inventor and the author Of works on
electricity.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
Is Consumption Incurablep

Read the following: MIR. G. II. Nor
ris, Newark, Ark, says; WAS down
with Abscess of Lungs, and friends and
physicians pronounced me an Incarahe
Consumptive. Began taking DR.. Kings
New Discovery for Consumption, am
now on my third bottle, and able to
oversee the work on my farm. 1t is the
finest medicine ever made"
Jessie Middlewart, Decatur, Ohio,
saws: Had it not been for DR.. Kings
New Discovery for Consumption
would have died of Lung Troubles. Was
given up by doctors. Am now in best
of health Try it. Sample bottles
free at a. G. Smith & Co.'S. Drug
Store.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
That Heathen Insult.

WASHINGTON, September S.-While
the State Department has received no Of
fetal Intelligence of the rumored attack
by natives on the American Consul at
Canton, Assistant Secretary Reeves
said to-day that he saw no reason to
doubt the truth of the statemen
There has been feud in Canton, grow
ing out of the treaty trouble.
Nothing can be said as to the de-
tails of the affair."" he added, but
such things have happened before and
are likely to happened again"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
ON a ROUGH SEA.
Six Vessels and Their Crews Lost Off
the Coast of Ireland.

GLOUCESTER. Mass. September =
Captain Ryan, of the schooner A D.
Storey, which arrived from Ireland last
night, reported great destruction among
the French fishing feet during Apr on
tie south coast OF Ireland. AS this is
the codfshlng ground for the French,
the whole feet was coucentra ted at this
locality. A terrible storm came up and
engulfed six vessels and their crews.
One other vessel WIS lost with her captain
aud three men. The number lost Is
1877. Many vessels are so badly dam
aged that they had to be abandoned.
IN Ireland until steamer carried them
away. They endured many hardships
the supply of food being limited.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
MADE HANDSOME.

Mr.. B. H. Shelter, of lions Savings
Bank, has bright and intelligent little
daughter nearly 9 years old. but she has
II her life of being badly cross-eyed.
oath to trust any one to operate on he1
eyes. But they had faith enough to
Eust DR.. Prentice, and he has made the
eyes perfectly straight, which was done
in less than minute, and Susie
Shelter is cow handsome little girl,
while her parents are well pleased.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
A Meat OF Counterfeiters.

EDwARDsvILLE, ILL.,, September s.
The authorities have captured gang
of expert coanterfeiters. A family
named Russell, consisting ofe mother
and two sons, and three daughters,
with a full counterfeiting outfit were
captured, together with bucketful OF
spurious S. gold pieces, of which they
made speciality. They also worked in
connection with counterfeiters of paper
money.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
SATISFIED AT LAST.

George A. Smith, of Salt Lake City
is g young man well and favorably
known throughout Utah. He has been
troubled with bad case of cross-eyes
all his life. Several years ago he had
an operation performed by an ooulist,
but it was not successful and did no
good, consequently his faith was very
much shaken about its ever being made
straight. But at the Continental Hotel
on Nc nday of this week, DR.. Prentice
n ade it straight in less than half a
minute. Mr.. Smith is delighted with
the result and his many friends
s.tonished. Mr.. Smith said it caused
him practically no pain.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-09
Mr. Thurm IN.

NEW York, September 8. Thurman
slept nearly twelve hours last night
and rose refreshed in his usual good
health this morning. He will speak at
Newark tonight and then return to
Columbus.