davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05

est in his welfare than the naturai- 1e lire
that he may SO far prosper in worldly af
fairs as to be able to pay her weekly bill,
but loss of relish for food portends illness,
and she has nc time to waste in nursing sick
boys. The kindest matron who presides
over the table of the young ladies' institute
is neither surprised nor uneasy when the
boarders play with or reject their food. Nor
has ; he the presumptive right to insist that
the scanty modicum of provisions they do
accept and condescend to swallow shall not
be raisins, pies and pickles.
The girl who openly enjoys bread and
butter. milk, beefsteak and potatoes. and
thrives thereby, is the object Of many a
covert sheer, or covert jest, even in these
sensible days among sensible people she
who brings up the tone of her nerves by a
cup Of coffee and sustains the organ Of
which she is asian by morsel OF toa-t
lifted to listless lip, by dainty thumb and
forefinger, and barely nibbles strip of
boiled ham; who cirriss bon bon box in
her pocket into the school-room, and has a
private bottle Of olives in her desk to re-
lieve faintness, is Interesting" in the eyes
OF her little cOurt-a soulful creature who
looks as if she fed on air. Whatever her
elders may think the popular sentiment of
her congeners encourages her in the cult.
patton of the fragilty which is our material
curse and SHOULD be her own and her pa
rents sorrow
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
DIAMOND JOE ReyNol ID
= "aiiroad That Pays 800, 900 q Year a
an Outlay of $500. 600.

. naiiroad That Pays $780, 900 . Year a
an Outlay of 93OO,OOO.
mere Is at least one railroad in thu
country that pays more than a fair re-
turn upon investment. 1t runs from a
point on the Iron Mountain railroad.
IN Arkansas. to Hot Springs, in that
otate. 1t is twenty-five miles long.
ana 1t cost $3OO.0 in the usual way.
IL was narrow gauge when it was
Dullt' seventeen years ago, and it is
narrow gauge to-day, though it is the
intention of the owner to change the
gauge soon, as Hot Springs loses that
sort OF patient who is too weak tn
stand the fatigue of even a single
transfer.
On the front of each locomotive on
the Hot Springs road is the coat of
arms OF the owner, Joseph Reynolds.
IL Is large diamond, inside of which
is the letter 81" To the South
western public, and large portion of
the West also. Mr.. Reynolds is known
as diamond Joe." not on account of
the diamonds he doesn't but is able TO
wear. but on account of his coat of
arms, or. as he calls it, his trade
mark Before he was known as
Diamond Joe the owner of the title
got his start in life from the man who
first put Jay Gould on his feet. With
the money advanced by Zadoc Pratt,
late of Prattsville, this State. Jaw
Gould went into the TANNING
business. not in Wall street, but in
sullivan County. and Joseph Reynolds
emigrated to Wisconsin and undertook
the raising of wheat. He raised lots
OF 1t and gave his wheat a market
reputation by marking the sacks in
which 1t was packed with a large
diamond inside of which was slammed
81" The name he thus got
Diamond Joe, has stuck to him. and
he is evidently proud of it, for such
property of his as will stand it is
marked, to this day. in this way:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
ABOUT MUSICAL SAND.
A Deposit Recently Discovered at Stud
land Bay, DOrsetshire.

A Deposit Recently Discovered at Stud
land Bay. DOrsetshire.
The existence of the phenomenon of
musical sand has recently been discov-
cred at Studland Bay. Dorsetshire. and
reported npon by Mr.. Carus-Wilson,
F.G.S., to the Bournemouth Society of
Natural Science. Studland Bay mu-
steal sand is composed chiefly of quartz
grains. more or less rounded, and to
some extent polished. but many are
angular At various points between
the Ferry and Studland there are
patches of sounding sand which have
been separated from the finer grains
both by wind and wave action. When
the foot is drawn over the surface,
these sands give out a musical note.
In walking over it in the ordinary
manner tingling sensation is felt, as
OF vibrations communicated to the
body. Some OF the layers are far more
musical when the surface is rubbed
than when it is struck. The coarsest
grains are found to emit the deepest
note. This musical sand is to be dis
tlnguished from the bedded sands,
which. in the same locality, are SIM
ply sonorous, and not musical, as also
from the rock known as phOnOlite, or
''clinkstOne. In a ''singing-beach,"
the musical notes are produced by the
friction of the separate grains, and not
as in the phonolites from the solid
rock. 1t may be remembered that
about thirty-five years ago Hugh
Miller drew attention to his discovery
of musical sand at the Bay of Laig, in
the romantic Isle of Eigg. Hugh Mil
Ter described the Eigg musical sand as
being derived from the disintegratiOn
of the beds of oolitic sandstone. To
the ordinary observer, musical sand
presents the same appearance as any
other white sand, the musical and the
mute being frequently indistinguish-
able when placed side by side on the
sea beach; but under the microscope
it is seen that the grains of the mu-
steal sand have had their angles
rubbed off by natural attrition, their
surfaces having become beautifully
polished; that they are more or less
uniform in size. and that. unlike other
sands. they are perfectly clean and
free from fine particles or any
coating of adherent substances which
produce the friction and consequently
the sounds -Leisure Hour
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
VOCAL M,MtcRY
An Account If the ART Of ventrilOquism
and How 1t Is Performed.

An Account of the Arr Of ventriloquism
and How 1t Is Performed.
Ventriloquism is kind of vocal
mimicry by which an illusion concern
ing the origin and direction of the
voice is produced. The etymology OF
the word. from venter, the belly, and
loquor. to speak, indicates the idea
formerly held concerning the manner
in which the sound is produced. 1t is
now. however. we'll known that the
sound does not proceed from the abdo-
men. The art was known to the an
clients. but not being understood Oy
them. it was supposed to Indicate the
presence of familiar spirit, or de-
mon. which resided in the internal or
ganism of the speaker. The prohibit
tiOnS against the use of familiar spirits
in the law of Moses are believed to be
directed against this practice. and
the Hebrew phrase translated. 'having
familiar spirit" signifies in the orig
inal,. speaking from the belly" The
famous responses of the oracles among
the Greeks were most probably
produced by ventriloquism. BY this
trick the OWNERS and soothsayers
obtained great influence over the
ignorant populace. and in spite of the
death penalty pronounced against
them by the Levitical law. they -four
ished among the Hebrews as we'll as
among other nations. 1t was sup
posed for many years after the old
superstitiOns concerning the art had
passed away that some peculiar con-
formation of the vocal organs was
necessary for ventrioquism, but it
has been ascertained that in reality
no such popularity is needed, and that
the ventriloquist speaks. in practicing
his art. in precisely the same manner
as in ordinary calculations THE
only difference. says DIR. Hammond.
sis in the mode of respiration. A
very full inspiration is taken, and then
the air is expired slowly through "A
narrowed CLOTHS. the diaphragm being
kept in its depressed condition and
the thOracic muscles alone being used
to empty the lungs" This can be done
without moving tbe lower jaw and
with but slight movement Of the, lips,
ai,a if at the same time She attention
CT the nearer is directed by skillful
and natural gestures away from the
ventiilOquist and toward the point
which he wishes to have regarded as
the source of the voice, the deception
is usually complete. To quote from
Dr. Hammond again: ut is at all
times difficult to determine the source
of sounds by the hearing alone, and
the only means by which the unassist-
ed ear can form an idea of the distance
of sound is by estimating it's intens-
ity." 1t is therefore said that for sue
cess in this art the ventrilOouist only
needs keen perceptions, an ear deli
cately attuned to the variations of
sound produced by distance or direc-
ton. and strongly developed talent
for milnicry. With these qualifica-
lions any one can develop skill in ven-
triloquism by practice. Chicago Inter-
Ocean,
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
NEW YORK FASHIONS.
How the Fashionable Woman of To- a
Heralds Her Appearance.

How the Fashionable Woman of To-day
Heralds Her Appearance.
The coming of a fashionable woman
of to-day is heralded by rafting OF
beads which begin at her bonnet, drop
to the fringes on bodice Or wrap, cling
to her sash-ends and draperies, and
glitter on the tips of her natty French
shoes. The elegant and wholly novel
galloons and gimps used in new mil
linery are richly wrought with bead
ing. and brims, corner pieces, and
deep points. pyramids and arches are
ablaze with these gem-like garnitures
Some of the superb Venetian and Ro-
man pieces are actually worth their
weight in gold, pure metal threads
being used in the wondrous embrOid-
cry. These trimmings are worked on
foundations as thin as crepe lisse.
which is next in lightness to the air
itself. leaving little to be seen but the
sparkling pendants and rows of finely
cut beads. In less expensive millinery
adOrnings, but still more charming, is
a tidal wave of deliciously perfect
French flowers, which have sent far
into the shade the manned and abnOr-
mal-looking birds and bird-wings,
breasts, heads and feathers, these
dull, stiff effigies being voted passee
and unreasonable. The lovely flower
bonnets in princesse and capote
shapes, and the picturesque shepherd
ess hats wrea'hed with rare-tinted
rose garlands and foliage, look as if
they had been imported direct from
Arcadia.
The number and variety of small
wraps that have been invented is truly
wonderful. All sorts of small visites.
pelerines, and shoulder capes are made
with silk and black lace One model
shows close plain corsage made of
black Chantilly net, very long in the
waist and belted, with sleeves of the
same pattern. but made of flowing lace
just deep enough to reach to the
elbows. In front the bodice turns
back in wide lace revers over belted
shirt-front of the silk net, but beyond
the belt the fullness forms two scarfs
that fall below the knees on the dress
skirt. There are host of French
wraps made of very costly black nets
and laces that are overburdened with
bands, pendants, shoulder pieces and
panel ornaments of real cut Jet. Ac-
contemplated pelerines for slender
women are exhibited, these with cape
collars of jet and long Able Gallant
fronts. There are besides many SIM
pie shaped fichus and shawl capes of
black or white lace, crossed at the
front with medium long tabs or ends.
Small visites and mantillas of all
shapes are also made of black lace
combined with repped silk ribbon and
beaded in gold, steel or jet. In place
of lace, in combination with the rib
bon, one of the many varieties of OPEN
work silk tissues which are used for
dresses and wraps. is also employed.
These are trimmed vito double rushes
of lace set along the edges and around
the neck.-N. Y. Post
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
Parkyns. who Iiveo tor .

Mansfield Parkyns. who lived Tor 4
long time in Abyssinia. was on one
occasion completely deceived by some
narauding Barea. a tribe which is
very thorn in the side of the more civ
ilized Abyssinians. He was travelling
over plain which had shortly before
before been devastated by bush re-.
when his guide suddenly warned him
OF the presence OF the Barea. ..All L
saw was a charred stump of tree.
aud few blackened stones lying at it's
foot. The hunter declared that neither
the tree nor the stones were there the
last time that he passed, and that they
were simply naked Barea who had
placed themselves in that position to
observe us, having no doubt seen
us for some time and prepared
themselves. Not believing the
guide, Mr.. Parkyns ordered
his party to move on slowly while he
dropped into the long grass with his
rifle, and crept toward them. When
he was within long range he fired
shot at the disputed object. and was
considerably startled at the result.
The tree came to pieces and ran away,
while the logs and stones jumped up.
took to themselves legs, and made
after their comrades. IL was never
more surprised in my life, for so COM
piete was the deception that even up
to the time that | fired l could have
declared that the objects before me
were vegetable Or mineral-any thing
but animal. The fact was that the
cunning rascals who represented stones
were lying fiat. with their little round
shields placed before them as screens"
A still more ludicrous instance of de-
ception took place in India An officer
was surveying the country, and. find
ing his helmet uncOmfortably heavy,
he hung it on the branch of tree
stump close to where he was standing.
To his unutterable surprise, the tree
turned a somersault, and, shrieking
with laughter. went off with the
helmet. The fact was that the SEEM
ing branch was the leg of a savage
marauder. The man was standing on
his head, and had disposed his legs in
such a manner that, aided by his
spears which did duty for the small
boughs, he had completely meta
morphosed his dusky body and limbs
into the semblance of a dead tree
trunk. -Chautauqaun
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05


Birds are the close and persistent
friends of farmers. and farmers ought
to be grateful and constant protectors
of birds.
"A tizen of Carthage. Mo-, has in
his possession an original price list of
slaves. the property of Jeff Davis
brother before the war; The list en-
braces LOG names of both sexes, rang
ing from infants to the aged patriarch.
Babies are quoted at 500. children of
twelve years at 5000, able-bodied wom-
en- $500, and thrifty farm hands at
81, 100. A man fifty years of age was
worth but 5000. while an old blind
woman was set down at zero. Hus-
band and wife are quoted separately.
The document is queer reading to the
present generates
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05

The story told Of the German
maiden and the boss plumber who
spent their cOurti:,g nights in inno-
cent slumber in their chairs. was par
alleled in my experience for one of the
young women in my list of sweet
hearts used to tell me that her sister
had beau, a farmer, who always fell
asleep soon after he had come to see
her, writes Julian Ralph in the Epoch.
lie had done hard days work on the
farm, and she had been tiresomely
employed in the house. Neither one
had any thing to converse about, so,
when he fell asleep, she settled her.
self for nap, and whichever one
woke first awakened the other. where
upon the young farmer babe the young
lady good night and went await
might be eleven o'clock or it might be
three o'clock in the morning.
Howard Chafin. of New Holland,
o.. whose domestic relations are not
OF the pleasantest, lately attempted to
brighten his wife by sending her the
following note: when you get this
you will be widow. You will find
my body in the stable" Mrs. Chaffiu
received this startling news with con-
siderable nonchalance. and, it is al
legged, got out her husbands best
clothes and began to brush them for
the funeral. She sent her daughter to
The stable. who returned. saving he
was not dead. but looked lawful bad"
fastening to the st.ble, Mrs. Chaffin
ound her husband suspended from the
rafter. In her efforts to release him
ihe discovered that he had passed the
cord under his arm. and that there
vas not the slightest prospect of death
'nsring from stranguIation. Securing
= good, stout stick, she belabored him
until he cried for mercy and begged to
be released from his awful position
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05

,,air OF green love Uirus: -fhe seeos'wnfcn
rhey eat are held in silver cup; Trey drink
from little bowls of Bohemian glass The
bottom Of the ca ge is sprinkled every morn
ing with the saw-dust of scented wood in
place Of sand.
Lastly, the rarest AMI most beautiful hot
house flowers are attached between tn, bars
of the cage for the birds to smell and pluck to
pieces with their bills. To what extrava-
gance will fashion next lead her votaries!
The cost of keeping whole family mo Ter.
ately is trifiing in comparison with what is
now wasted on pets.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
How Society Customs Differ.


The ideas and customs of society people in
the different cities of the Union are widely
different There is an affinity between the
young ladies and gentlemen of Baltimore
that does not exist SO extensively among the
best people of the other cities of the east A
Baltimore girl will go to ball alone with a
man with every sense of propriety and with
out shocking anybody's sensibilities while a
girl of the same social position in New York
would not
New York girl will only go to ball
when she is properly chaperoned. l know
of young lady in this city who was even
timid of the comments of those around her
when she went to the theatre with her
brother. She said to him: "Some people
may know you are my brother. but great
many will think you are not therefore dc
not care to go to the theatre with you unless
there is another lady in the party"
TIE difference between Baltimore and a
Philadelphia society girl is slight Where
the former will go to an entertainment alone
With young man the latter will only &C.
company him when there are more than one
of her own sex with her. AS to Boston
young ladies, they have about the same
ideas as those of New York in going to OF
from dance alone with young man. In
Philadelphia you are asked who your grand
father was tut in Baltimore they inquire
only concerning your qualifications for
dancing
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
A BEARS VISIT.
He Hunts for Eatables in Kentucky
School House.

He Hunts for Eatables in a Kentucky
School House.
Miss Sarah Jarvis teaches the Mount
Welcome school in the northwestern
part of the county, twelve miles from
here, says a letter from Barboursville,
KY. That region is mountainous and
wild and the school building is pitched
at the foot of a high mill covered with
den Sc forest. The old-fashioned spell
ing bee is still popular in this part OF
the State, and it is also a practice at
the school Friday evening to divide the
pupils into two classes and allow them
to spell against each other Miss JAR
Wis has adhered religiously to this
custom. One Friday evening there
was the usual spelling match at Miss
Jarvis school. The building in which
she teaches is of logs, with several
windows coming down within two
feet of the ground. The match
had been of more than usual
interest, the strength of the two
sides being pretty nearly equal. One
of the pupils had just spelled such a
long and difficult word that the others
had applauded. As the noise ceased
there was scratching sound at one OF
the windows in the rear of the house.
60 drive that dog away" said Miss
Jarvis to one of the boys. The boy
walked back to the window, showed up
the sash, and leaned out to strike at
the animal. When he thrust his head
out ne gave yell and rushed back to
the middle of the room.
Startled by the boys action Miss
Jarvis herself ran toward the window
to see what was the matter Before
she reached it a black, hairy head was
thrust into the aperture. and she plain
ly recognized a black bear The
pupils. too, saw the animal There
was a stampede at once. ALI rushed
for the door. and in moment were out
of the room and the school-house.
Miss Jarvis is cool woman, and
she retained her GOODNESS. She
took care of the younger children and
kept the crowd together. When she
saw that they were not followed by the
bear the alarm subsidized.
Jake WoOdson, farmer, lives about
a mile from the Mount Welcome school
building, and Miss Jarvis informed
him of the raid of the bear. Jake
shouldered his rifle and, followed by
his nineteen-year-old son Henry, who
had a double-barreled shotgun, went
to the school-house. He found the
door open and the bear on his launches
in the middle of the room placidly
chewing several spelling books and
first readers. A single shot from
Jake's rife dispatched him. The bear
was not large one and was also very
thin, evidently having been on short
rations for some time. Woodson, who
is an old woodsman. says that the bear
had been forced by hunger to come
down from the thick forests on the
hill.-Louisville Courier-Journal.
10 lately published story book
for boys the author has boy thirteen
years old capture three burglars, save
four persons from drowning. discover
and put out fire. save a city from
inundation and find fifty thousand dol
lars in an alley.
AT Adrian, Mich. a lady saw an
engine-house with steeple, and inno-
Gently asked gentleman attendant:
What church is that?" The gentle
man, after reading the sign, ''Deluge
No. g." replied: Il guess it must be
Me Third RaRtist.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
Nerves, Diet and Study.
iMarion Harland's Book.l


More of American dyspepsia proceeds
from violation of the two plain rules have
''atet'. 10 wit: Never to eat heartily when
very tired, and never TO fast to exhaustion
IMAM trom climate and i'll cooked vituals
"ea1:Dg solid" hooks ar ataidvinr st meal
.mes is lmost as injurious Heated dis
.uSlons and quarrels. fretfulness and sullen
aciturnity while eating, are as unwhole-
SONS as they are unchristian. Oblige both
Uoys and girls to observe these principles
ms Is especially advisable with her whose
constitutional" is now by walk, instead
y. run. and who passes less than one-third
ers do.
mat school or college boy is 1hollow
Town to the heels" is proverb, the truth
~ winch no mother will gainsay. Nor could
cue sSe after the fact thus expressed, had she
sue power to do it, Even the Billickins OF
so'lege town is disquieted, if her ledger
t 4ss what she would call Specking appe.
~''' She may have no other human inter.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-05
Care of Race Horses.
IChicagO Trib,rnel

Crack race-horses have their meat and
drink more carefully attended to while
travelling than royal personages. The Eng
lish runner Paraday on bis late trip to Paris
had his own particular brand of water car
ried over with him in cases like monarch's
private champagne