davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

The fall recruits have been mustered into service
and the awkward fellowG arc having their first ex-
perience with the German Army machine on salary
Of five cents a day. Tbs drilling Of the awkward
squad IS favorte subject for the patrons OF IN
santaneous photography. and the positions and atu-
tudes taken are often ridiculous I'm the extreme one
pities the poor men Their legs will not stretch nor
their arms bend the right time or in the desired
direction Many Of them, with hands pinioned 10
their Sides are started the parade ground com
peed to take strides Of such length and stand upon
one so long they fall from sheer exhaustion
Frightened BY the stcntOran tones Of the commander
and the laughter which echoes beyond the gates over
such mishaps they soon become like dumb animals
and repeat their mistakes from the stupidity Of fear
But this condition is not lasting. After few months
the stopped crooked fellows have become straight
as arrows, and the shutting gait is changed TO a
swim giny military tread. Soon after their arrival
the troops are introduced the sights Of the city.
Placed in charge Of sergeant they are led from place
to place and listen TO Baedeckerllke lectures upon
the sights within. A few days ago squad of this
kind stopped in front Of the National Gallery. That
said the sergeant IS the National Gallery inside OF
which are moro pictures than all the nickels which
you will receive during your three years service.
advise you visit it the first opportunity. And
building is the monument OF His Majesty, Frederick
william " whom you should all endcavor TO
emulate Butt asked voice from the ranks,
why Is the King horseback without his helmet -
"stupid one" answered the sergeant who dare never
10 be at a loss for If he desires to retain
the respect Of his troops, His Majesty probably
rushing TO battle upon his charger, and IN the hurry
forgot his headgear but grasped his sword The
recruit was satisfied and the squad moved
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

1.-THE Musical Courier " OF this city furnishes an
entertaining SEQUEL to incident which happeheu aV
a rehearsal of the Berlin Philharmonic Society iast
season and caused deal Of comment at the uthe.
Rubinsteln's Ocean" symphony had been announced
for performance but at the rehearsal Won buoio"
threw the score on the floor with the words ouch
an ncoherent work this VIII not conduct ~
rerform such stuff one must be a longhalred con
duotorn "The Musical Courier" now prints letter
sent by Rubnsteln TO a Berlin editor, who haa con
demned the action of Won Buelow. In this letter
Rubnsten says:
If II IS the same SIR Or. Hans Won Buelow' "hom
7 have known these thirty years, who, after per
formance OF my opera. Nero, In Hamburg Kissed my
hand at Strelt's Hotel ana who repeatedly sang my
praises In the news papers his expressions in reference
to nv composition a matter OF indnerehce 10
me- and | can stlu cherish the hope that what ne
dcnounces to-day he will tomorrow proclaim good ana
grand lust as he did with the compositions OF
Mendelssohn Brahms and Reinecke What l wonder
at. however IS how with his numerous occupations
he sin found time to measure the length OF my hair
II didn't occur to me 10 measure his cars 1t might
perhaps be advisable
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

BOSTON musicians are RECALLING their friends with a
story OF wasted elopucnce on the part OF New-YorI
conductor who directed a concert in the Hub Re"
weeks ago It was at a rehearsal and the WORK IN
hand was familiar panoforte concerto In me III
PRODUCTION to one Of the movements occurs DAINTY
triangle effect When this was reached the con-
ductor raped for silence and addressing the triangle
PLAYER said in a lecture tone:
"That must sound like Mayhower struck Dy an
elf
Now the triangle PLAYER IS matter-offact Yankee,
who carries the poker chips for the Boston orchestra
and who never heard the music made when fairies
ring lniesof- thevalley (which Is the smile that the
conductor tried to use). So he exploded In manner
that made HIS neighoors fear for his life Ana now
the Boston musicians want TO know II that Is inc
wav all New-York conductors convey IDEAS 70 thelr
men at rehearsal They have heard that MI. IhohiaS
Ian usad 70 he more direct and less metsphorica1
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

Herr Rosenthal IS sed. by those who have mec
him to he an extremely well-read man, with rafher
causrc tongue in his head He has likewise so gooa
an opinion Of himself that OF the enthusiastic
praise which the newspapers have bestowed upon
him has quite filed the measure due him In his own
estimation This, at least seems fair inference
from the following anecdotc, which is well vouched
for: During pause between numbers at his second
recital in steinway Hall an acquaintance went 10 inc
-, oor, 60 corg,a.ulats the pIaver You
nlaved sunerbv,p said the caller iastcally.
"No more % inquired Roscnthal dryly.
"You PLAYED like a godl'
"No morcl"
"Isn't that enough There's no being higher
than god"
40, yes, New-York critlc!'
This conversation in German OF course, and
the story loses in translation but the point Is not
dulled.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
GOSSIP FOR THE MUSICAL.
SOME ANECDOTES OF THE SEASON.


The sumpiuousneSs with which "BAfricaine' has
boon decked out at The Metropolitan opera House and
the Importance which Mcyerbcer assumes IN the list
for the season suggest the thought that the manage
ment has its eve on the Paris Grand Opera as
model II NAV be that this IS not the case ana
that the draft the Partisan roper
tory is simply the result OF Herr
pcrotus engagement, but in either event the pohcy
IS good one from financial point Of view inc
time will come when the public interest In the opera
will flag. ard It will he a lucky thing to have the
Wagncran operas I'm reserve with which to stimulate
popular enthusiasm. Nevertheless the generosity
which marks the expenditure Of money In trcklng
out so idle a spectacle "a LAfrcane,7 while WORK
like DIE walkuere" is compelled to make SHIFT with
scenery that IS positively shabby, has not faed 10
call out comment from the friends OF German opera
There IS a tree IN each opera whose duty IL Is 10
serve as a canopy for the slumber OF the heroine
Meyerbecrs tree is tho famous MaDcanilla, whose
odors bring surceasc OF to seka and transport
her to regions not down the charts OF the neon
slant vasco. WagneTs tree is the spreading hr,
under which the valkyr goes TO sleep surrounded by
her wall OF fire.. Tho same scene is used In " Die
Walkueres siegfied" and Die Goetterdaemmerung,'
the dramas whose success last season saved German
opera 10 the York public yet It is perhaps the
poorest scene I'm the OF the Metropolitan
Could the lovers of wagners music be blamed II they
wcrc TO petition Manager stanton the Stage Com
mttee of the directors for Wagner fiji, at least
as effective as the Meyerbccr Mancanilla!
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

One Of the morning journals recently puohsheu
statistics showing the growth OF Berlin during the
last seventeen years. Removed, It IS, far from
tho sea coast. and situated upon river which Is
only such IN name, the rapid development OF tho
Prtssian metropolis IS Of the marvels OF the
age. From 1870 to 1857 Berlin almost doubled us
population adding 630.1OO to its numbers, averaging
81 .592 each year. During the same period he
number Of lots built upon grew to 6157 or an annual
increase Of 364. In the year 1870 there were nifty
six persons to every lot upon which house stood.
In 1873 this had Increased to sixty. in 1879 to sixty
one in 1888 sixtynve. and in 1887 to seventyone
The density Of the population has constantly Increased
The average rent OF dwelling in 1870 was 4'0
marks, which, in 1887, had risen to 649 marks, or
about s16O. Berlin has over 100000 inhabitants
az the present time
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

About the opera house good deal Of credit Tor
the realistic effects I'm the third act Of "LAffcainc'
IS set down to the experience which Stage Manager
Habelmann gained years ago as an omcer III INC
German Navy Our recollectIons Of the genial ana
capable gentleman do not 60 back to that period OF
his career but only 10 his exploits as lyric tenor,
when as George Brown in La Dame Blanche' ana
Fra Diavolo in Auber's opera, he used nightly 10
wreck more hearts than his crowded galeon carries
at the Metropolitan. At the Grand Opera in Paris
the ship in "EAfricane" represents the highest
achievement in stage mechanism. 1t IS more
stupendous structure than that at the Metropolitan
and is built on a trap deep as the stage so that
its course can be changed in obedience to Neluskos
command. 1t also heels over to starboad but only
once and there is no good reason for believing that
the singers get seasick a. used to be tod
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
PHASES OF GERMAN LIFE.
THE TRANIPS' HOST-GROWTH OF BERLIN
THE AWKWARD SQUAD DUKE MAN
nerlln- Dccember

IN.
An interesting character has recently died III DOT
lin, In the person Of Fraulen otto the keeper oi ho
Prenzluner Inn" Berlin has few places. such as loh
don Is full Of, where the criminal poor seek lodging
at poverty-srickcn rates and subjected 10 regular
inspection by the police But Frauleln otto owned one
Of these. Half OF Berlin know the little old woman,
to whom the hooked nose low forehead. wrllhlou
face and shawlcovcrcd head gave the appearance oi
the traditional witch OF few centuries ago INC
house which she presided had stood for sevei"i
centuries. and had succumbcd to tho ravages OF I'm,
In many places The sunkon walls and tile-covcrcu
roof were in strange ncongrulty with the rows Oh
palaces which Joined them either side. Within u
so filthy that the polite visitors call was not
apt 70 be repeated Frauleln Otto nearly eighty
years old. and had lived all her lie In the Olu
Barraclss as the place was disrespectfully called
Capitalists had tried in vain to purchase the house.
and the beer monopols;s Of Munich, who arc last
securing the available property in the rapidly grow
Ing city, shook their gold pieces in her face without
arousng the least temptation 10 Yield. She dleu
worth several hundred thousand marks. Her hclr
was former nurse In the city hospital, where Old
Fraulen otto was once taken the plea OF insanity
The nurse was particularly kind TO her and when
the day Of examination came instructed the old dsho
TO answer quietly and deliberately. In consequence
she was restored to her home. and out OF gratitude
Installed the waitress mistress. Her death places
the whilom attendant in ailucnt circumstances ana
Will probably lead 10 the razlng Of the pile ana me
erection Of building worthy Of the street ana heish
borhood.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-07-27
FETISH WORSHIP.
rhs Terrible Belief Held by the Native
of the Dark Continent.

rhs Terrible Belief Held By the Native
of the Dark Continent.
The African believes that there are
everywhere evil spirits who are amen
able to charms or incantations or, as
be calls them. sfetishes," and that GER
tain unknown or half-known persons
whom he calls wizards are acquainted
with these charms and use their occult
knowledge for nefarious purposes. He
believes further that certain other per-
sons are gifted with the power of track
ing or smelling out" the offenders.
So universal is this belief that almost
every village of pagan Africa. partie-
ularly toward the west coast. has its
fetish house. grim and ghastly build.
ing. often ranged round with human
skulls in every stage of decomposition,
and fetish man, who is its high priest,
No human being. surely. crer had n
more terrific power committed TO him,
and few have used it more unsparirgly
or unsorupuIously. The fetish man is
bound by no law; he recognizes no
rules of evidence. Any thing which
happens. even in the most ordinary
course of nature. he may pronounce
TO be the work of fetish, or wizard,
and to need hisr assistance TO ferret it
out. A heavy rainfall or drought, a
murra among the cattle. pestilence
or a conhagration. a child devoured by
wild animal. an illness or death
each and all of these may be pronounce
ed to be '.fetish" h"-somebody has done
it, and he must be detected. So pos
sessed are the natives by
this belief. IL so forms part of
their being. that it never occurs to any
of them, though he knows his own turn
may come next. to question the reality
of this uncanny power; and, in the
panic terror of this fetish man and his
decisions s:ie negro loses for time
some of his most essential and amiable
characteristics. his frivolity. his light
heartedness; even his family affection.
A son will join in putting his father to
death; brother will help to tear In
pieces brother. Ii the accused dares
TO deny the eharge-which he seldom
does. however preposterous or impossi-
BILE il may be-he has to submit to some
terrible ordeal. such as the running al
full speed under an avenue of hooped
arches about half his height. when. il
he stumbles. or rather, as soon as he
stumbles. he is hacked tn death; or the
drinking of some deadly decoction,
such as the casca bark. when his one
chance of escape is handsomely t.
bribe the fetish man to give him the eN
act quantity or quality which viii make
him desperately sick. before the poison
has well begun its deadly work. II
Ashantee and Dahomey. at Bonny ana
| Calabar. in the Fan country ant
throughout Angola this terrible belle
prevails. and. IS may well be i'm
/ agiued. it ramifies out into every kint
of villainy and crime. -Nineteenh Cen
/ f,Ir,L
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-07-27
AN INGENIOUS DEVICE.
The Invention OF a California Physician foi
Taking Chtoroform.

The Invention OF u California Physician foi
Taking Chtoroform.
One of the most peculiar cases Is that
of doctor who was formerly ono oi
the finest practitioners of the West
Coming from an excellent family. pos.
sessed Of large wealth. he received q
liberal education. and, deciding to
become a physician. studied at one 81
the best Eastern colleges. and gradu-
ated with unusual honors. Many years
ago he came to San Francisco, and
aftor having been established here for
short time began To acquire fine
practice. In Il few years ne had among
his patients some of the most promi-
nent and wealthy men of the city. He
had occasion to use large quantity Of
chloroform in his treatment. and when
he began To be troubled with insomnia,
the result of repeated attacks of neu-
ralgia, he also turned 70 the .lnasthetic
! tor RELIEF But the remedy subse.
quently proved to be worse tlian the
disease. for with repeated applications
he found that he was unable to discon-
tinue its use, and soon became con-
tiIrned user of the drug. He would
frequently return to bed during the
early part of the day for the purpose
of enjoying the drug. and not night
passed that he did not avail himself oi
its sleep-producing powers. The Gun.
ming of an insane mind began to devise
means to add to the enjoyment of the
body, and finally evolved an idea which
must be admitted 10 be certainly orig.
inal.
Obtaining n long rubber tube, which
could be easily stretched. he attached
FIRMLY 10 the ceiling at spot which
would be directly over his head when
in bed. To the other end he fastened
u medium sized sponge. After getting
into bed he would pour three or four
ounces of chloroform over the sponge.
often using half :. pound during the
night, and then pulling it down TO his
face would hold it To his Hostrils until
Inconsistencies ensued. When his
hand fell To his side. the tension on the
rubber tube being relaxed. the sponge
naturally flew upwards, leaving the
victim to continue his sleep without the
possibility of receiving an overdose
If he awoke duSing the night the
operation would be repeated lit was
great scheme" TO use slang phrase.
but it is not known if the doctor ever
applied for patent on the invention.
| Il is possible, however, that the prac-
| tice continued until he had been 3
user of the drug for some time, and so
! continued until he had merely patients
enough to enable him to preserve a
proper appearance of responsibility.
Although practically slave to the drug
/ for years. il Is said. but with what
| truth can not be readily ascertained,
that of late he has begun to see the
handwriting on the wall, and realizing
what the end must be unless the habit
is abandoned now uses the drug TO but
small eXtent.-!Sdn Francisco Ctro,s-
/ Sole
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-07-27
TRUTH OF wEATHER-LORE.
The Reverence for Tradition Fntertaine
by the Average Mortal.

The Reverence for Tradition Entertained
by the Average Mortal.
The persistent survival of weather.
lore in these DAYS of intellectual eman-
cipation is not Mt all remarkable when
we consider the extent to which the
vulgar sayings embody real truths A
few years ago Messrs. Abercrombv and
Marriott embarked on an extremely
interesting inquiry with view to de-
termine, by actual comparison. how far
the popular proverbs express relations.
or sequences, which the results of me-
teorological science show to be real.
The investigation proved that some
thing like hundred of the more popu-
lar savings are, under ordinary con-
ditions, trustworthy. Such being the
case, we need not be surprised that
simple country folk prefer familiar
couplets to all the ''isobars," ''cy-
clones,n and ''synchronous charts" in
the world. If .'hills clear, rain near"
means the same as 'the presence of a
wedge-shaped area of high pressure,
accompanied by great atmospheric
visibility, is likely to be followed by
the advance of n disturbance with
rain and southerly winds, which
for all practical purposes it does.
The preference is justified on the mere
ground of breath economy. The thir-
ty-one words demanded by science
stand no chance against four.
But it is unfortunate that, along
with the limited number of folk-say-
ings founded on truth. there has sur
v.ved very large number founded on
the grossest error. These latter have
borrowed credence and respect from
the proved credibility of the others,
and apparently they are all destined
to sink or swim together Hammer as
we will at certain favorite proverbs
/ which we know to be based upon error,
it is all in vain. The reverence for
| tradition is too much for us. And of
| all the superstitions, pure and simple,
which defy our attempts at destruction,
the most invulnerable are those ascrib-
ing certain effects TO the influence of
the moon.-John WeStWOod Oliver, in
Popular Science Monthly.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-07-27
FOREST GUARDS.
Pooriy-Paid But Enthusiastic Servants o
European Governments.

Poorly-PaId But Enthusiastic Servants Of
European Governments
The forest guards. both of France
and Germany, a sort of half-military
public servants. of a description un-
known in this country, where the pub
lie forests have nosystem OF protection.
The European forest guards are mostly
old soldiers. who are likely to be re-
called To military service in case of war.
They do not take care of the trees;
that work is performed by the forest
ers, who belong to the civil. not the
military. service. They simply act as
sort of police for the public woods.
The forest guards of France are
remarkable body of men. In order to
qualify themselves for the service, they
have TO spend two years in study at tho
forestry school at Nancy. and their pay.
after they are sent 10 their posts in the
forests. is only so francs-si6D-a
year. The foresters are much better
paid. and have. besides. the privilege
of cutting all the wood they need for
fuel. and Of cultivating one acre OF
land.
Each forest guard has a certain dis
trict which he looks after, and ifis said
that, So familiar do they become with
the ground. and so accurately do they
know the aspect of the trees. they at
once miss limb that has been cut
away.
This love Of the forest" said an old
guard. lis sort of fever; il comes
over you little by little. but it comes
fast, and when it has once got you there
is no getting over il. IL doesn't make
any difference about the wages or the
hard life You have got to lead it,
Several old forest guards in the
French service have declined promo
tions which would take them away
from the frontier. so eager are they to
do good service as scouts and guides il
a war should break out. They are, Tor
| the most part. the bravest of men.
An old guard was attacked one day
by poacher. who. setting traps in the
woods. heard the guard coming. lay in
wait for him. tripping him up. and
leaped upon him. The poacher was
of gigantic stature. and succeeded in
nverpowering the guard Seizing him
/ firmly, the poacher put his knife to the
/ old guard throat.
Swear TO me-" said the poacher.
''that YOU viii not inform against me,
or you are dead man.
''lf [ am = dead man." said the
guard. Il shall not inform against you.
But if yeu do not kill me 1 shall GER
tainly bring you to trial"
The poacher. taken aback by the
mans extraordinary GOODNESS. and
ashamed of his threat, let his knife
| drop to the gronnd and took to flight
The guard was as good rs his word
He informed against the poacher, who
/ afteTward. however. settled down to an
honest life. and told the story of the
guards brave response to his threat
The guard himself had never relsted
bis own defiant speech. Cor. Chicago
l heu.S
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-07-27
"MAN OVERHEARD"
A Cry which o ,Iy Those Who Have BE en-
at Sea Can Comprehend.

at sen GNu iItfChchu-
One dav. wind fresh aud abeam. the
ship staggering along under topgal-
liant sails. the cry was heard: Man
overheard" Those only who have
been at sea know what this means It
has been written up many times. bnt
no writing can express just what the
cry and the fact convey. You stand
on deck and watch the ship cutting
and sheering through the boisterous
waves. You smoke the pipe of peace
and thank your lucky stars that you
are not on shore, exposed to danger
from horse cars, policemen. fire en-
gines and the like, but safe on board
n COOL ship with strong breeza and
clear sea But look. if you please.
beyond the Ice bulwa and picture.
If you can. the small chance man
would have IL tossed into that churn-
ing mass of fierce waves. They seem
to leap up and grasp out for a victim.
They would seize you. If they could.
and toss and buffet you about twist
every int and limb until it ached.
and dash their mad foam across
your face until no more free
air could fill the poor. gasping
lungs, no more free action could
be had from the tired limbs. and the
wave fiends would dash over you and
engulf you in their mad triumph.
Every sailor knows all this, whenever
he goes aloft or pursues his calling in
any par of the ship. and so he is care
I full and alert, and tries for safety all
\ the time. But when the running ship,
! towering on the crest of lofty wave.
/ dashcs suddenly onward and down,
burying her head booms in the boiling
4 sea. and tears them out again with a
terrible strain. rs was the case on Ibis
occasion, no living thing can hold on.
and so our poor shipmate was dashed
/ into the sea, WIS struck and passed
ovor by tho ship and was never seen
more by any living man. 1t occurred
instantly aud was over In n second.
1t was seen and the cry raised: MAN
overheard. Sailors must act prompt
| ly at all times. In less time than ]
can write about it life buoys were
thrown over. the ship hove TO and q
boat was overheard manned by de-
| termintd men, resolute to rescue q
shipmate if possible. The effort was
vain; the boat returned. was hoisted
again with difficulty and we proceeded
on our course one man less. -ForeSt
and Stream