davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-31
THE OLD MAN" STEPS IN.

The two military gentlemen glared at each
other in manner that BODIED serious cul
mination of the scene. when the commander
of the boat stepped to the front and said
Gentlemen gentlemeuI this is all wrong
What does it mean!"
Mean, sir: means Why, it means that
that fellow has dared insult this entire com
pany, sir, by writing the letters c. S. A. OPP.
pOsite his name, and insist he shall erase
them, and mean to make him do it."
The Confederate captain said, addressing
the boats commander: II have InSulted no
body. Nobody but the gentleman who has
just spoken pretends to be insulted. Ger.
tainly meant no insult; but the title have
written was honorably won by me, and.
having written it, refuse to erase it. am
a passenger on your boat, and | claim your
protection from that fellows brutality If
you do not or cannot protect me- will have
to protect myself"
The Federal officer was fairly beside him
self with rage, as he rejoined: 81 will put
you in irons, sir, if you do not at once apollo
gize for your insolence."
Then the commander of the boat took his
turn you'll do nothing of the kind, sir
That gentleman, | do not care what title he
uses, is a passenger Oh my boat, and as such
is my guest and entitled to my protection,
which ! will certainly give him.
do you presume to take issue with me!"
exclaimed the Federal officer. ''Do you know
that am an officer and have enough soldiers
at my command to selze this boat and make
prisoners of everybody here's"
This made 1.-The old man" mad, and that
he didn't care who knew it was plain from
his response Il know you're an asst and
know you haven't enough soldiers under you
to take one person prisoner on my boat 1t
is you who are insolent, and if you continue
80 will land this boat and put you ashore"
The Federal captain half way drew his
word as he said, IL will call the guard, sir
aud arrest youl"
You'll do no such thing Why, if you
Jared mike any such foolish move, would
lrn my crew with capStan bars and chase
vOu and your soldiers into the river. Ii you
were not crazod with anger you would know
that on a vessel the commanders authority
y suprH;ne, and it is mutinous to resist it.
now. don't make any further spectacle Of
yourself, but retire to your room, and If |
'atch you out Of it wearing that sword again
,esOre we reach Louisville will put shackles
md handouts on you and chuck you down
,le scuttle in the forecaStlen
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-31
Not Embarrassed,

Doesn't it embarrass you to be kissed by
your husband before car load of peoplem
"Embarrass mel" replied the lady, who
was starting Off on a journey, as she seated
herself in a seat and looked at the questioner.
ibid John kiss me when he said good-byf 1
declare didn't notice it. Is my hat on
straight .Lauraf"-San Francisco Post.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
Cheap Restaurant Slang.

$50 if were to give the cook you1
order as stated by you, and say, Zone
porterhouse steak, the cook would
broil himself to death on the Goals in
establishment. I'd simply say, brown
stone front, and your order would be
served to turn. So fried ham is re-
duced to one in the pam and boiled
eggs to two in the water Poached
eggs, in our vernacular, becomes
'chippies on the fence and if desired
on toast, three on horseback Scram-
bled eggs signify 'shipwreck, and milk
toast is furnished by ordering grave
yard stew Spare ribs are 'hoopskirts'
and sausage in the kitchen takes the
name of cable line. And to summar-
ize, soup is shouted bowl up; hot
cakes, stack 'em up; biscuits are life
preservers'; tea is Chinese fluid, milk,
essence of cow and water simply
float Summer time is the call for
oatmeal. The delicacy Of frogs legs
is known as song and dance men with
out body, and evidence of Boston
culture, pork and beans, calls for the
patriotic synonym, stars and stripes.
Now, what's your order? 'Pates de foie
gras.' Oh, heavens! Let me make
the cook commit suicide. Omaha
Herald
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

ahead, parallel with the horse Our
Mcclellan saddle would be as good as
the Mexican saddle if it only had the
stirrups placed couple of inches fur
ther back. As it is, a man riding in a
Mcclellan saddle has to bend his leg
at the knee in the English style. Now,
with the knee bent it is almost impos-
sible to keep your feet pointed straight
ahead.
"The position of the feet" the i'm
promptu riding-master continued, after
pausing moment to allow his casual
pupil to absorb what he had already
said, "is very important thing in
learning to ride properly; in fact, it is
the thing. And yet nine-tenths of the
riders you see about the streets and
country roads every day have their toes
at an angle of forty-five degrees from
the sides of the horse. AS conse-
quence, these riders can't have firm
seat, and don't enjoy the exercise half
as much as they would if they rode
more properly"
Glow is it the way the toes point has
so much to do with good riding?"
To sit firmly on horse and at the
same time to have the body erect and
free to give with the horses motion"
the cavalryman said, you must grip
the animals sides with your knees.
Not with the calves of the legs, mind.
Now, if you don't keep your toes point
ing straight ahead, or nearly SO, it is
impossible to get this grip with the
knees. Turn your toes out and you
will find at once that you grip the
horse with the calves of your legs, and
that your body is thrown forward from
the hips, instead of being erect. Ex-
pertinent q little when you get on your
horse, and you'll see it works just as I
say: But if you keep your feet straight,
hold tight with Your knees and sit
erect. you will find you can accommo-
date yourself to the motions of the
horse more readily and gracefully, your
seat will be tirmer, and riding will not
tire you near so quickly.
If you will notice old cavalrymen
when they walk" the gentleman con-
tinued, "you will see that instead of
spreading their feet apart they keep
them parallel. This is the result Of
their riding, and it often makes them
very ungraceful on their feet. The
best and most graceful rider I knew
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
THE MEXICAN STYLE,

was General Ashby, who was killed
during the late war. never saw any
man who looked so handsome on horse
back. Off the horse, however, he
walked like duck and was so clumsy
that he couldn't get into a parlor with
out falling over all the furniture in
sight.
"A Mexican astride his high-curved
saddle with his legs hanging straight
down, rides as easily as if he were sit
ting in rocking chair, and at the same
time it is almost impossible to unseat
him. He is clothes-pinned on the
horse and the latter can't get from I'M
der him. But man riding on a fiat
English saddle with short stirrups, his
legs bent at the knee, and his toes
turned out, has no chance when his
horse jumps suddenly. He is in a
cramped position, and is almost sure
to be thrown forward on the horses
neck or over his head"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
the Marriage of Near Kin.

There is widespread idea that con- {.
sanQuineous unions produce either de-
fectiye offspring or none at all. When
a marriage between cousins is spoken
of, sterility or deaf-mute, idiotic or
deformed progeny is predicted, and ex.
amples are always Mt hand to cite in
support of the prophecy.
Does this opinion rest upon positive
and we'll authenticated facts, or is it
erroneous3 This is question that
was examined few years ago by Mr..
G. ii. Darwin, who, after a profound
study of the subject, came to the con-
clusion that, in the present state of
sciences, there is nothing to Justify the
common prejudice that exists against
the marriage of near kin. More re-
Gently, the subject has been further
examined by Mr. A. H. Huth, who has
Just published an exhaustive work upon
it. in which he arrives at the same con-
illusions that Mr.. Darwin did.
Mr.. Huth thinks that consanguinity
OF itself plays no particular role in the
union of individuals of the same stock.
In the descendants it increases the
tendencies common to the two progeni-
tors. By reason of their relationship,
the closer this is and the closer the re-
lationship of the ancestors, the greater
is the tendency of the descendant to
exhibit the same dispositions. If these
are good, consanguineous unions will
be advantageous, in that they fortify
and intensity them. If, on the con-
trary, they are bad, such unions should
be avoided, in order to prevent re-
orfo,oo,oo,>% of -nfovorob1o %op1op
which should he suppressed. But the
case is identical where it is question
of unrelated persons. No reasonable
person would urge two homeopathic in
dividuals of different family to unite,
because he knows that the neurosis has
every chance to become intense in the
descendants. On the contrary, union
between consanguineous individuals,
equally healthy and we'll favored,
ought to be encouraged. What
may be urged against marriage
of near kin is the facility with which
unfavorable tendencies are trans
mitted, and the relative rarity of the
circumstances in which such marriages
can be advised. But, this admitted
and explained, consanguinity of itself
presents no inconvenience, especially
if we consider how remote, by reason
of the existing laws upon marriage, is
the degree Of consanguinity between
individuals capable of uniting legiti-
mately.
Upon the whole, consanguinity &C.
cumulates and intensifes tendencies.
If these are bad, the marriage of near
kin should be avoided; if good, it may
be favored.-Scie,atiJic american.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
A Crocodile Volcano.

One of the most interesting chapters
in Charles Frederick Holders new
story book Of natural history. called
"A Frozen Dragon" tells how animals
and reptiles spend the winter. He saws
In Ceylon the crocodiles hibernate as do
many fishes during the dry season. ".
ing in their hardened caves sometimes
for two seasons without evidence of life,
and their sudden appearance has often
given rise to stories of spontaneous
generation. Thus, travellers have
camped on dry, barren country that
did not show the slightest signs Of life.
A shower comes, covers the depression
with water, and in half an hour The
air is resonant with the hoarse cries Of
frogs, while the splashes tell of larger
forms that have been aroused by The
welcome rain. A party travelling in the
East once came to camp in such a SPOT.
A fire had been built and was blazing
up, when suddenly the tent and its
contents were thrown aside as if bv a
small volcano, and it was found that
the fire had been over the cave Of a
alternating crocodile, to whom the I'M
usual heat was an unwelcome sur-
prise.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
University Of
The Purpose Of All Industry,

1t is a curious thought that all the
huge value of traffic, production, dis
tribution, and conversion has for its
end and objective point the supply of
each inhabitant with few feet of
boards over his head, sustained by
bricks or timber; about ten pounds
OF wool, sixteen pounds of cotton con-
verified into clothing, barrel of flour
and two or three hundred pounds Of
meat each year, and little sugar, a
glass of beer, about five pounds OF solid
or liquid food per day; these consti-
tuting the necessaries of life. Some
one has said that life would not be
worth living except for its luxuries,
and that time would not be worth hav-
ing except for the hours that could be
saved for leisure How much Of luxury
and how much of leisure can the aver
age man get out of what fifty to tiftv-
five cents day will buy for his shelter,
food and clothing ?-Forum.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
Basely Ungrateful.

An old fellow sat on rail fence. His
hat lay on the ground; his long hair
was tangled and his face wore revenge
full expression. A traveller, noticing
the old fellows hardness of counter
ance, stopped and thus addressed him:
"You seem to be worried"
"Am."
whats the matter?'
"Got duty to perform"
1T must be an unpleasant one"
mo, the duty is pleasant enough, but
the waiting is tiresome."
why do you waltz"
"See that house up yonder?"
YES"
well, thes fellow in there that I
am going to larrup as soon as he comes
out"
He has done you an injury, !
suppose"
"He has,"
"What did he do?"
"Well, I'll tell you. He came into
this neighborhood about six months
ago and began to practice medicin-. I
have been practicing physician III this
community for thirty years, yet tre..u-
ed the upstart kindly How did he re-
pay me? With the basest ingratis,. lie.
sir. I'll tell you how it was. About two
weeks ago old Peter Nolan was taken
awfully sick. He was as sick man as
l ever saw in my life. Why, he had
swamp fever, rheumatism, pleurisy,
and number of other diseases. l was
called in. As soon as I looked at him
! saw that he had no show, and I told
him that it would not be honest for me-
to give him medicine and take his
money when knew that could do
him no good"
THAT was surely commendable, "said
the traveller.
"Of course; but mark the difference.
That young snipe was called in, What
did he do? Act with corresponding
honesty? No, sir, he pitched in and
gave old Pete lot of medicine"
And killed him, eh?"
We'll, no; the scoundrel has about
cured him."
Yes, but that proves him to be a
good physician"
"A good physician!" the old fellow
exclaimed. "Why, blast him, he knew
that I had said old Pete couldn't live.
no AAe" tnat my professional repu-
tatlon was at stake. Why didn't he let
the old fool die? Why did he want to
cure him and ruin me? 1t was an un.
professional act, sir, and just as soon
as ne comes out of that house Tn going
to whale him. I am not going to be
1nsulted in my old age, and above all,
! am not going to allow young popin-
Jay to ruin the profession. Wait till he
comes out and you'll hear something
drop. "--Arka7lsdW Traveller.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

the sacque was given into the hands OF
seamstress, who ripped open the back
seam and made the sacque into two
packages, weighing about three pounds,
and they were mailed.
A large bicycle was recently taken
apart and sent piecemeal through the
mail with the two heaviest bars, or
backbone" which weighed trifle
more than four pounds.
Some persons use little discretion in
mailing frail articles. Almost daily a
bonnet, or a birthday card, or some
wedding cake inclosed in alight paste
board box passes through the office.
What wonder is it that when it arrives
at its destination it is found scattered
promiscuously through the bag when it
is known that in transit ton of heavy
merchandise and papers have been
resting on it?
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

HERE, says the Boston TRANSCRIPT
is the truly mouse story, sent in by q
friend, which has moral for mothers
II went to my chamber one evening
lately and turned up the light, which
was burning dimly, and I thought ]
saw something dark under littly Daisy's
chin. And on going nearer a little
mouse sprang from there and away like
flash. He was certainly taking a
warm, cozy nap under her pink little
chin: She had been eating oyster
crackers in bed (the naughty girD
which accounted for the attraction mn
der her chin"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

then thank God for His mercy on you
if your children do not take to Danger
GUS or wicked pleasures when they are
older. =,
Don't demand respect OF your chill
dren or endeavor to enforce it by your
authority. Respect is paid not to those
who demand, but to those who de-
serve it.
Don't neglect your children's friends.
Invite them to your house. Show your
children that their friends are your
friends, and your children's friends
will be such az you will approve:
Don't be jealous of your children's
friends. If you make your society de
hghtful to your children, they will al
ways prefer you to any other compan-
ion. If your child prefers every one
else to you, stop and ponder whether
you have not compelled him to seek
elsewhere the companionship, love, and
sympathy he ought to find in you:
Don't be afraid to let your children
see your love for them. Let child
feel that no matter where he goes or
what he does, no matter whether
friends forsake or foes SANDER him, his
parents love and trust will always fol-
low him, and that child is not only safe
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

Cut No. l shows the Vesuvius in
motion, the fastest vessel afoat. She
is a steel ship of 725 tons displacement,
252 feet long, 26t feet wide, steered by
steam, and drawing maximum of 8
feet, though her main draught is 81.
Her engines are of the four cylinder,
triple expansion type. The Vesuvius
on her final trip at Philadelphia steam
ed at the rate Of OLGA knots per hour,
whereas the contract called for but 90
knots. This speed lacks but Cloths
of being % statute miles per hour. On
this occasion the vessels total horse
power was calculated to be LAS. The
contract demanded but 5000.
Cut No. 2 shows the position of the
dynamite guns in the ship, as we'll as
the arrangement of the pneumatic sys-
TEN wherein is generated the propul-
sive force applied to these extraordi-
nary guns. AS shown in cut No. 1, the
ship has three fixed guns projecting
above her deck near the bow at an
angle OF about Is degrees These guns
are 81 feet long, Is inches in diameter,
of thin cast iron, and are not rifed.
The air for discharging the projectiles
is compressed by two compressors
into reservoirs consisting of number
of tubes. These are made of wrought
iron, sixteen inches in diameter, and
thirteen-sixteenth inches thick. The
firing reservoirs contain 30 cubic feet
OF compressed air, the storage reser-
voirs contain 40. It is proposed to
store the air at 1000 pounds pressure
per square inch, the compressor being
able to deliver 40 cubic feet of air at
that pressure every hour. The firing
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
1ox14 feet in circumference. the weiph,

10x14 feet in circumference, the weight
is recorded. It is then loaded into
trucks by men in waiting, who cart it
into the center Of the basement, where
each bag is Immediately inspected to
see if the addresses run to any particu-
lar State or locality. If the addresses
run to one State only, as Iowa, for in
stance, it is taken to the clerk who dis
tributes mail for that State. Should
the mail be mixed-East, West, North
and South-it is taken to the clerk
whose duty it is to separate it.
The third and fourth class mail, or
that which bears stamps, is received in
the southern chute and is stacked up
in the stamping-room. This room is
partitioned off from the rest of the
basement by heavy wire grating. A
force OF about ten men work in this
room: As the stamps are cancelled the
mail is dropped into bags, which, when
filled, are taken out into the distribut-
ing department. One can hardly con-
ceive the great diversity of the mail of
this character. Everything magma
BILE, from piece of an old door-key to
bass-drum, is handled in this depart
ment Old door hinges, pieces Of
stoves, CRATES, single screws, stove
llfters, banjos, overcoats, old socks.
parts Of sewing machines, old pieces Of
iron bolts, newspaper cuts, picture
frames and feather pillows are few of
the articles which are daily handled.
One firm alone sends every day two
horse wagon-load of catalogues and
general merchandise. This merchan-
disc is usually sent to towns which do
not possess an express Office and which
may be easily reached by post. No
piece (unless it lie a single book
weighs less than four pounds which is
the limit to this class of matter. Some
queer expediencies are resorted to in
sending articles of overweight, as, for
illustration:
A woman purchased a sealskin
sacque and directed it sent to small
town out West, No express Office being
IN the town and there being danger of
damage or loss in sending it by freight,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
What She Heard Through the Tele.
phone.

The wife of business man was in
her husbands house one day when he
was discussing through the phone an
important matter of business with an
other gentleman. There was some adj
wee given back and forth, and the con-
y ": was Of quite spirited order.
finally the husband of the lady, think
ing the last word had been said. called
ms wife to the Instrument and request
ca her to try it. She put the phone to
her ear and was startled by the re-
mark, coming from the other end of
tne WIRE. We'll, you might as we'll keep
your sh1rt on" Whether the lady was
SATISFIED that the telephone is great
inventlon l have not heard. st. Paul
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

reservoir is to be maintained at pres
sure Of 1000 pounds. Each shot at
one mile range reduces its pressure $50
pounds. The deficit is Immediately
supplied from the storage reservoir.
Under the rear of each gun are placed
two "revolvers" in line with each other.
Each contains five chambers, for hold
ing as many torpedoes. To load a
gun, it's breech is dropped, swinging
downward on a pivot at it's extreme
rearward end. The opening points
forward and comes directly opposite
and in line with the lowest chamber of
the after revolver. BY hydraulic
ram the shell is pushed into the
breech, which is at once swung up
ward, again completing the continuity
of the barrel. The revolver is then
turned one division, SO as to be ready
for supplying a second shell. When
the after revolver is empty it is filled
from the forward one in the same way.
ALI these maneuvers are executed by
hydraulic power. Each gun will have
about ten projectiles.
In the light armor-covered tower is
the real artillerist of the ship. since
from that point will the desirable
range be obtained and the ship man
euvered, as field artillerist moves his
gun carriage to determine his fire.
The figure above No. 2 shows the
formidable projectile of this sea terror
Vesuvius. The full-sized shell for the
Vesuvius' guns is 144 inches in diane
ter, and its body is about Z feet long.
Back of the body is tail fitted with
spiral vanes, which secures its align
ment and rotation. The body is made
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08

work from noon until midnight, sur
rounded by four stone walls as solid
and grimy as any PRISONS. The only
time they see daylight is while on their
way to work. In this basement, under
the glare of innumerable incandescent
electric lamps, the bulk of the mail is
handled. The manner in which it is
worked is as follows:
In the western side of the building
are two large chutes or slides. These
are for the reception of the mail. The
one to the north is for second class
matter, which consists of newspapers
and regular publications. The other
is for third and fourth class matter,
such as books, papers, bundles or pack
ages of merchandise bearing stamps.
The mail begins to arrive in the morn
ing and gradually increases until be-
tween the hours of and o'clock any
day may be seen string of wagons
often reaching from the chutes clear
around to Clark street or further.
waiting for their turn to dump their
loads OF mail. To give the reader some
idea of the vast amount of mail matter
which is thus received into the Office.
the following figures, taken from the
weighmaster's books, are given, show
ing one week 8 receipts: