davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24

Perhaps few who have heard of the '.Black
Hole of Calcutta" know the terrible facts
that have rendered the place famous and
made it the synonym of all that is to be
dreaded from foul air and overcrowding.
At 8 O'Clock or the evening of June 20,
1855, l46 prisoners, officers and men, black
and white, and of different nationalities,
we're thrust into a room eighteen feet square
with two windows on one of the four sides,
heavily barred with iron-giving to each in
mate forty cubic feet of space. In ten hours
1913 were found dead-only t~wenty-three
being alive!
Another instance is where, in l742, the high
constable of Westminster, London. committed
tw~enty-eight persons to prison, where they
were thrust by the keeper into n hole six feet
square and five feet ten inches high-the win
dows being close shut. In a very short time
four of the inmates were suffocated. These
facts show the poisonous effects of the human
breath-or of respired air. Professor Brown
Sequard has recently made some experiments
that are not only highly interesting, but show
why the expired air Of man and animals is
SO deadly. From the condensed vapor of the
expired air he produced a liquid SO poisonous
that when injected beneath the skin of rat-
bits it produced almost instant death. This
poison he found to be not a microbe, but an
alkaloid. His conclusions are that the ex.
pired air Of all animals contains n poison
more fatal than carhonic acid
1t is we'll for the people to understand these
facts. They cry aloud for better ventilation
and purer air-for less crowding in home and
church, and hall and school room.-Board
Of Health Bulletin uowa).
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
A Snake Forty-seven Feet Long.

A few whispered words notified half the
party to aim at his head and the other half
at the central part of his body.
The second volley produced the desired Of
feet. The colossal snake leaped wholly out of
the pool, and with n few terrible convulsions,
in which he dashed the water and the floor of
the cavern, he sank quivering to the ground,
a third volley for a quietus insuring his Ger.
tain death. This fact was then made sure
of, and the caves were soon invaded by the
pursuers.
The monster was dragged out into the level
and found to measure forty-seven feet, the
thickest part of his body having a diameter
of two feet six inches. In color he was vel
low in the upper part of his body, dark above,
with dark rings encircling the body, between
which semi-lunar gray disks served as spots
to variegate the skin.
He was opened by the machetas of some
cocoa primers, under the direction of Mr..
Mccarthy. In him there were found the
half digested body Of a deer and a number of
forma paupelis forms, probably swallowed
by him with the body of some unknown and
unfortunate cocoa contractor.
By $50 p. IN. the joyful c%oncourse, drag
ging the monster, reached Arima, where the
necessary steps were taken to preserve the
carcass for display in the council hall of Port
OF Spain. The exciting occurrences connect
ell with the monster are still the subject of
general discussion and gossip. The island
has not for a long time been disturbed by
tragic incidents Of this extraordinary nature.
Port of Spain Gazette.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
The Champion Cyclone Story.

E.. S. Wilson, a blacksmith of Ozark. has a
relic of the Marshtield cyclone. which oc.
CURED on Sunday, April IS, 1850. that is a
very remarkable curiosity This witness of
one of the freaks of the great storm is a black
quart bottle, bent by some mysterious force
into all elliptic circle. without a crack or
break in the glass that the closest scrutiny
can discover. The neck of the bottleactuallv
touches the edge of the bottom, and the fact
that the glass was not broken in any way bv
the strange force of the storm is shown by
the test of its holding water or any other
fluid. BY gradually turning the bottle as the
water is poured in it can be nearly filled to
its full capacity, so as to show the perfect
soundness of the material. This bottle was
found by Mr. Wilson the day after tue
Marshfield disaster and examined by Profes.
sor Tice, who soon came to the scene of
destruction to study the phenomena of the
cyclone from a scientific standpoint. The
famous meteorologiSt attributed the bending
of the bottle to the force of electricity, and
considered this one of the most wonderful
results of the mighty agency at work in the
storm cloud. The bottle was found in the
wreck of one of the Marshtieli drug stores.
Mr.. Wilson has been offered e~xtravaeant
prices for the curiosity, but declines to part
with the relic. = Ozark tMo., Cor. Globe
Damorrat
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
Happy Husbands.

1t is a mans own fault if lie is unhappy
with his wife, in nine cases out of ten. 1t is a
very exceptional woman who will not be all
she can be to an attentive husband, and a
more exceptional one will not he very dis
agreeable if she finds herself w%illfully neg
lected 1t would be very easy to hate a man,
who, having bound a woman to him, made no
effort to make her happy; hard not to love
one who was constant and tender: and when
a woman loves she always tries to please. The
great men of this world have often been
wretched in their domestic relations. while
mean and common men have been exceedingly
happy
The reason is very plain. Absorbed in
themselves, those who desire the worlds ap-
plause were careless of the little world at
home, while those who had none of that
egotism strove to keep the hearts that were
their own, and were happy in their tender
ness. No woman will love n man better for
being renowned or prominent. Though he be
the first among men. she will only be prouder,
not fonder; and if she loses him through this
renown, as is often the case. she will not even
be proud. But give her love, appreciation,
kindness, and there is no sacrifice she would
not make for his content and comfort. The
mar who loves her well is her hero and her
king. No less a hero to her though he is not
one to any other; no less a king though his
only kingdom is her heart and home. Helen
Fletcher in Herald of Health.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
BICYCLES.

The supreme court of Indiana was called
to recover damages for being struck down on
sidewalk by a bicycle rider. The trial court
had held that bicycling was a form of pedes-
tFianating, and that the bicyclers had as
much right on the sidewalk as any pedestrian.
The appeal from the %non-suit was argued in
the forenoon. When the court adjourned for
dinner, Judges Coffey and Berkshire started
to walk to their hotel, and as they were pass
ing out of the capitol grounds a clumsy BIZ
cycle rider ran into them, knocking both
down and badly bruising the former. This
practical argument had such a convincing
effect OF the minds of the learned judges that
they Immediately overruled their %unrendered
decision and filed an opinion setting forth
that q person who "rudely and recklessly"
rides q bicycle against a mar standing on a
sidewalk b responsible for damages for as
anft and battery.
After quoting an Indiana law forbfdding
persons from riding or driving on the side
clusively for the use of footmen, then bicycles,
II they are vehicles, must not be ridden along
them, since to affirm that sidewalks are ex-
duAdvely for the use of footmen necessarily
implies that they cannot be Travelled by bicy-
cles. 1t would be n palpable contradiction to
affirm hat footmen have the exclusive right
to use the sidewalks and yet concede that
persons not travelling as pedestrians may also
nghtfully use them. We think, however,
that a bicycle must be regarded as a vehicle
within the meaning of the law .n-New York
Law Journal.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
Pasta,s SarYant.

People who have seen SO much of the world,
and especially those who nave participated a
great deal in its fashion and frivolity, often
carry their simplicity Of life, if they retire
from the active world. to the point of afrec-
tation.
The famous singer, Nine. Pasta, in her later
years lived very obscurely in a villa on Lake
Como, in Italy. One day Nine. Alboni, an
other singer, who had just made her appear.
ancc, paid u visit of respect to Pasta in her
Lake Como villa. She was met at the door
by a wretohed serving woman, old. unkempt,
frowsy and badly dressed.
Can | see Signora Pastal" the visitor ill.,
quired.
"In a few minutes, if you will wait" said
the servant, conducting her to the parlor.
In a short time Signora Pasta made her ap-
pearance, and the visitor recognized in her,
with no little establishment, the same un-
kempt servant woman who had just admitted
her, though somewhat ''spruced up in ap-
pearance. In fact, Alboni's establishment
was so great that she could not help showing
1t in her face.
~ understand" said Madame Pasta, smil-
ing. You are wondering whether this can
be La Pastal Well, what else can | do! l
have u horror of those mercenaries that are
made ervants of hereabouts, and so l do INV
own work. | have, at least, the satisfaction
of knowing that | need not be any worse
served than am now!"-Youth's Companion.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
THE AEApeEAR OF ROYALTY.
A Partisan Modiste Recounts the Fancies
of Her Titled Customers.

1 number a great many royal ladies among
my customers. For instance, I have fur.
nished for years past the hats Gnd bonnets
worn by the princesses of the Orleans family.
The Comtesse de Paris dresses in q severe
and simple style. and always wears round
hats never bonnets. Her hats are small
and of a special variety OF the toque shape,
which is prepared purposely for her. Dark
brown and black are her favorite colors.
Her married daughter, the DuchesSe de Bra
CANA, shares her mothers simplicity of taste.
The Duchesse de Charities, the sister-in-law
OF the Comtesse de Paris, is one of the most
elegant royal ladies in Europe. She is famed
for her graceful carriage, and it has been
said of her that to see her sit down was in
itself a lesson in grace. Her. usual style of
headgear is the capote bonnNt in black and
gold or cream white or red, all of which
colors or combination of colors are very be
coming to her. Her daughter, the Princess
Waldemar Of Denmark, prefers a style of
headgear which is gotten up especially for
her. 1t is of the toque shape in front, curry
ing down at the back i'll something of the
capote form. She likes straight high trim.
mings set in front of the crown, never wears
strings, and particularly dislikes hanging
ends, whether of ribbon or lace. As she has
a fresh, fair complexion she delights in deli
cate shades of pale blue or of silver gray.
The empress of Russia has been for some
years past one of my customers Like her
sister, the Princess of Wales, she never wears
high crowned or large brimmed hats, which,
indeed, would be unsuited to the delicate type
OF her beauty. Everything must be small
and neat and compact, whether hat or bon
net Her favorite colors are pale blue and
mauve, and several of the new shades of
green, such as Nile reed and varnish green.
Her sister-in-law, the Grand Duchess Vladi-
mir, who was n princess of the ducal house of
observation-disclosures, is one of the royal
leaders of European fashion, being ex-
tremely stylish in manner and possessing in
finite taste i'll dress.
l have carried out for her an idea of her
own, which was to combine in a toque a
crown in real seal skin with trimming of
white silk gauze. This union of fur and
gauze, of dark brown and white, was daring
and novel, and perfectly successful. She de-
lights in wearing flowers, her favorites being
chrysanthemums and violets.
The wife of her second brother, formerly
the Princess Elizabeth, of SAKE Weimar, also
has much taste in dress. She wears compact
capotes, with close bordering and strings, the
bow under the throat being very becoming
to her. When she was married | furnished
the bonnets and hats of her trousseau, COM
prising some thirty in all. Every costume
was made with a hat to match, and every
carriage or reception or theatre dress had the
bonnet to correspond in materials as well
as in color.-Paris Cor. Pail Mall Gazette.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
Clever War Strategy.

Senator Spencer had an excellent record
for shrewdness in the army. An illustration
of it was found in his conduct when placed in
Il critical position during the march of Sher-
man to the sea. During that famous march
he commanded a brigade of cavalry in the
division OF Judson Fitzpatrick. In some man
uer, how it is unnecessary to explain, the
command of Col. Spencer became separated
from the rest Of the division, and Gen.
Wheeler, who was ~endeavoring to cut off
part of the Federal forces, came between
him and his friends. There was a very strong
prospect that if word was not conveyed to
Fitzpatrick of the condition of affairs the en-
tire command of Col. Spencer would be made
prisoners of war.
In this emergency Col. Spencer conceived
a plan of escape. AS it happened there had
been, shortly before that time, continued dis
regard by Confederate troops Of the custom
of war which made a Federal soldier, when
captured, a prisoner of war, entitled to ex-
change. A number of Federal prisoners had
been seized and strung up to trees in disre-
gard of all usage of war. Col. Spencer sent
a dispatch to Gen. Wheeler asking a flag of
truce and a conference on the subject of this
luwlesslless, saying that retaliation in deeds
of like character might be expected of Federal
troops unless some action was taken by the
Federal and Confederate commanders. To
this dispatch he signed the name of Gen.
Sherman.
Gen. Wheeler agreed to the flag of truce
and Il conference. Some of the officers of
Col. Spencer's brigade were dressed up us
general officers and sent out to meet the off
GERS detailed by Gen. Wheeler BY this de-
vice Col. Spencer held Gen. Wheeler and his
troops two DAYS. or until he had time to com
municate with Fitzpatrick, who arranged to
relieve him, and eventually got him out of
the perilous position in which he and lis
troops were placed. Gen. Sherman. when
told of the trick, laughed very heartily. and
he has frequently spoken of it since as one of
the cleverest that he knew during his war
experience.-Pittsburg Dispatch.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
The Price of a Leg.

A widow, whose husband had lost his life in
a railway accident, received from the com
pany 10000 francs by way of compensation.
Shortly afterward, she heard that a traveller
who had lost a leg on the same occasion had
been paid 10000 francs The widow at once
put on her bonnet and shawl, and trotted off
to the oficeso the company.
"Gentlernen, how is thisy" she said; 'here
you give 10000 francs for a leg, and you have
only allowed me 10000 for the loss of my hus-
band!"
MADAME" replied one of the clerks, "the
reason is quite plain; 10000 francs won't pro-
vide the poor man a new leg, whereas for
10000 you can any day get another husband,
perhaps a better one"
We are informed that the lady, who is still
young, after a moments silent reflection,
walked away apparently satisied.-Etoile
Beige.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
Little Prairie Dor.

Maj. Benteen, who is spending his retire
ment in Atlanta, was one of the bravest from
tier officers, and led part of the Custer expo
dition, which ended 50 fatally He is a great
observer of natural history, and his nara
tive of stories about animals is quite us bril-
liant as are his recitals of army incidents.
mot a blade of grass will grow" said he.
where a prairie dog takes up his abode.
THE prairie dog lives in burrows. The
burrows run down TO a depth of five or six
feet, then they turn upward running near
the surface of the ground for several feet.
The reason they make this turn in the bur
rows is to prevent water from drowning
them out, and to take more precautions they
work the dirt up around the mouth of their
burrows to the height of a foot. sometimes
more.
There are a great many mistakes concern.
ing the habits Of these ingenious little ami
mails. Some claim that if one is shot near
his burrow he will crawl back into his bur.
row before he dies, but that is all a mistake.
l have shot them while they would be in the
mouth of their burrow and then took them
out. Some think that a prairie dog enters
his burrow at the coming of winter and re-
mains there until spring calls him forth, but
that is another mistake. have seen them
walking in the snow hunting for something
to eat. They live on grasses and roots and
prickly pear, or cactus, as it is called by some.
THE prairie dog is about the size of a fox
squirrel, and Is almost the color of one. They
are very destructive to crops The farmers
poison thousands of them, but it seems as if
the old adage of killing one fly ten will take
his place. has reference to the prairie dog.
Another tale is told of the prairie dog-that
the rattlesnake, the prairie owl and the
prairie dog all live in the same burrow, but
that is the greatest mistake of all. The owl
and the rattlesnake do live in the towns, or
rather the rattlesnake dies in the prairie dog
town, for no sooner does he enter a burrow
than the dogs collect and commence filling
up the burrow, and if the RATHER has gone
too far to hear them HIS doom is sealed, but
if he is near the mouth of the burrow he will
come out as soon as possible. When the owl
takes up his abode in n burrow thedog leaves
it and goes to another burrow. They never
try to fill up a burrow when an owl goes in,
probably because they think there is not so
much harm in an owl as there is in a rattle
snake. Atlanta Constitution.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
Inquired at Headquarters.

A little rosebud blooming in the wilds of
New Jersey appeared one day, dolly in her
arms, at the house of a friend living q few
blocks away from her own domicle.
Tan l tum in and muse myself and 'ou a
little whilef" she inquired
Kisses and a hearty response gave her as
surance of welcome. An hour or more went
by, when her father appeared searching for
her.
"Why did you do so. Rosebudy" he asked,
r%eprovinsly. You must not go out without
permission; you must inquire of your mother
if she will let you go visiting"
"oh. knew she'd say no. replied Rose
bud, coolly, 80 l just 'quired of myself
Daughters of America.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
l could not love thee, dear. so muck
Loved | not honor more
A Bruno Anecdote.

1t would hardly be reasonable to expect a
martyr to he extremely prudent in language
while TIE fagots were being set alight for
him. and for that reason just before the burn
ing must be u had quarter of an hour for 81
cret ~accomplices. At least that is the idea
suggested by a story Of Giordano Bruno. As
he was being led to the stake he cried ont to
his friend and co-beiiever- My ideas will not
perish with me. To thee. Nentimigla. | adj
dresSa last appeal. Forget not our projects,
continue my work" On hearing his name
thus publicly proclaimed V~entinislia. who
WIS in the crowd waiting to see the spectacle.
was sorely agitated and hastily stole away
f-om the scene. the Campo del Flori, and.
after hiding for a few days, managed al last
to get away from Rome. He did not quite
appreciate the distinction Bruno was confer.
rirs on hin.-Lordon Globe.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
The Misch,evous Roy.

One of a squad of three telegraph line
men was observed on a North end street,
throwing a long rope over a string of a dozen
wires attached to high poles. His repeated
attempts to lasso a particular wire attracted
the attention of a number of passers by.
Having accomplished his object, he adjusted
the rope so that a short end dangled. Then
with a dextrous twitch, he caused the rope
to be fastened to the wire as securely as if it
had been skillfully knotted. At the same
time he formed a large slip moose around the
wire. Next he dragged the rope to a near
telegraph pole and collected in a bunch mis-
cellaneous articles, consisting of remnants of
kites, kite tails, rags, small stones hanging
by strings, and other unsightly objects with
which mischievous boys delight to cucumber
telegraph wires. Another man then climbed
the pole, detached the rubbish and threw it
into the street. The rope was unloosed, and
operations continued on other wires that
needed attention Boston Herald.
The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24

In these days every one is bitten with q
desire to see himself in print. Everybody
else writes, why not wei Our stories are
every bit as good as Smiths, our ideas per-
haps better, but our early education has been
neglected, our punctuation is uncertain and
our spelling shaky. To send Ms. in such a
condition to a publisher is to waste our
stamps. The copy will be returned by the
next mail and fame and fortune with which
we would so gladly have shaken hands pass
us by without SO much us a nod.
One puts the MS. in the fire and burics his
golden dreams in its ashes. while another
writes to n literary bureau, as it is called, for
terms, circulars, etc. These being s~atisfac-
tory, the unlucky article is sent to the
bureau to be revised, corrected, partly re-
written and copied out on the typewriter. 1t
m back as the young girl returns from
boarding school. the same and yet different,
with a polish, a finish which can be seen and
admired, though it is hard to say exactly
where the difference lies. The copy is now
as good as anybody's, and very often the trust
of the author is justified by the acceptance
of the article.
These bureaus also advise one as to the
best market for literary goods, what pub
fishers to address and what avoid, and for
another fee will place" the article. OF
course by the time one has paid oil this his
own profit is very small, but next time the
writer will walk alone and deal with the
publisher unaided-the bureau has furnished
the foothold, the Introduction needed.
The managers of these bureaus are writer's
themselves or the readers of the publish
ers, who increase their salaries by working
after hours. Each publishing house has at
least one of these "readers" and some two or
three, whose business it is to read and decide
on the articles sent to the house, so that they
have a good knowledge of the public taste.
and their opinion is of practical value.
As women write more than men it is only
fair that the best Known and most successful
bureau in New York should be that managed
by a woman. Indeed, SO successful has it be-
come that a new branch has been opened
plays arc read, criticised, altered. adapted
and recommended to theatrical managers.
These occupations are fair samples of the
many departments which have been lately
opened up in New York. There are many
others which would, perhaps, seem more out
Of the way, for those given are remarkable
chiefly as being the newest, that is in the
United States, for, strange as it may seem,
the old world is far ahead of the new in this
respect.-New York Letter.