davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
4 st~y Il White aaA DSAek.

Were you ever. reader, in that
dubious state of mind wherein you
could not tell whether = story, lark
ing in your memory, had come
there through your eyes, through .
dream, or BY your own deliberate
invention? There i II this blessed
moment = bit Of = yarn in our mind
and to eayp oux Efe Ne could not
FteH With ceytSinty vbethsF some
body told It to M or We read it
somewhere, whether We really saw
it enacted or dreamed it, wbetherit
is an old story that has come down
through the ages or new one that
We ourself have evolved from some
thing akin TO it or manufactured
out Of whole cloth. The yarn itseK
is really of less interest than the
study of that state of mind into
which one may fall when he has
been about to the different head
quarters of the various candidates
for the speakership and let the di-
vers brands of breaths seep into
him. 1t runs thus
A famous PoiiticA orator-let us
say he vas famous, since that adds
interest to the tzle-was to address
a meeting of colored voters There
was not a white man in the hall be
sides himself. The chairman af the
meeting, fully conscious Of the dig
nifty of his position and the demand
for eloquent eulogy on this moment
Gus occasion, gravely called for OF
der, aud, stepping proudly to the
middle of the platform, said in
tones almost too loud to be heard :
FELLUH CITIZENS: / has lie du-
bitable honah on dis suspicious oc-
casion to intefduce you to one oh
de creates orators dat has flourish
ed since de millennium. While l has
nebah had de distinguishment te
meet him personally befo' dis eben-
lin, has heard dat his eloquencs
am so convincin' dat it don't make
no offence to him which side b,
hab to argy on; he allus carries hi.
aujience with him An, felluh cit
liens, I is proud for de sake oh M
race to assure you dat while his Skin
am white, he comes amongst Us di:
ebenin' wild as black heart as ebaf
beat in any mans hreast-Wash
lington Post.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
The Mercantile Agency Fraud.

In its issue of November 4th the
New York World has an article
showing the workings of that gigan-
tic fraud, the Mercantile Agency,
which takes very much the same
grounds as did the Newsletter
some time ago. That there are
merchants who will submit to this
species of blackmail and have their
business insidiously nlisrepresented
by set of private detectives is sur
prising, but the only reason that
can be advanced is that men sub
scribe to this agency through fear
that their business will be ruined
through their false reports. There
seems to be no action too despicable
to which the Mercantile Agency will
not resort in order to gain their
ends. 1t is well known that, through
their endeavors, every copy of the
book published by Thomas F. Mea-
CHER, entitled IAN Expose of the
Commercial Agency System of the
United States and Canada" was de-
stroyed because it contained a ter
rible arraignment of this institu-
tion, which, without let or him
drance, can secretly blast the repu-
tation of a man, ruin and drive him
into bankruptcy, and still be ex-
empt from all legal consequences.
Its very representations smack of
fraud, for it proposes to give the
merchant correct information as TO
the financial standing of other men,
their worth, and whether they are
good for certain sums. Now, in
plain reason, how can one person
or set of persons have any actual
knowledge of the financial standing
of any individual or firm? By what
means could the Mercantile Agency
come into possession of such infor-
nation as would enable it to arrive
at any definite conclusion as to the
money firm has or whether it l.
!. good for $1o0, 900 or $40, 900? The
, Mercantile Agency itself, in self.
damnatory circular which it issued
to their managers under the seal o
secrecy, admits this. This is what
it has to say: I'm giving informa
, ton never say man or firm is gooo
!, for any amount. Rather substitute
for it a form of expression mors
; guarded by saying they are thought
to be- or supposed to be- or 'oul
! impression is they are so,' etc. Il
, is very essential that the question
; of liability should be discussed a;
little as possible. We do not wan
, public attention, or the attention o
our subscribers drawn to it unnec
! essarily, and therefore desire yo,
J to keep this communication as mucl
, as possible to yourselves" In plair
J words, this general order is a com
, mand to its agents and clerks, whicl
, are scattered broadcast Throughout
( this land and Canada, to enter up
: on systematic course of deception
Ito the agency's subscribers. Thi
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
!, IDAHO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER IA, 1889.

precious agency confesses its ina
bility to give reliable information,
and therefore instructs its agents to
lie to the man who employs it un-
der the belief that its reports are
exact statements. AS Mr.. Meagher
says in his book, "They concede
their incompetency by stipulating
to eyade responsibility. They adj
NIT their ignorance by providing
for its expression in the most self
protecting words. They say, in
effect, all we can say of them they
are willing and anxious to get the
public money, and what to return
for it except facilities for fraud BY
third parties, must remain q pro-
found mystery to themselves and
the public" 1t is nionstrous that
an institution whose directors them-
selves declare that they, o. nohoAV
else, can estimate the financial
standing Of any man, should be al
lowed to engage in the business of
vending mems regulations and
characters. 1t is notorious that
firms have failed which, even pre-
vious to the day of failure, have
been noted by mercantile agencies
as sound. 1t is a disgrace TO our
government that firm of this char
acter, which will 80 traduce man
that it will ruin him, or bolster up
falling concern SO that it will ruin
others, for money, should be per-
mitted to exist. We have reason
to be thankful that there are men
public minded enough in the state
of Massachusetts, who intend to in
troduce bill in their Legislature
which shall make these mercantile
agencies legally responsible for their
slanders and their false reports. As
it is now, the mercantile agency can
slander a man, destroy his reputa-
ton and character, declare him to
be in an insolvent condition, brand
him as untrustworthy, wreck him
financially and otherwise, and all
under the garb of legitimate bust
ness. The sooner that some decided
action is taken upon this matter
and this sort of business is sup
pressed, the better it will be for the
community at large. We do no
hesitate to say the business com
munity have no need for this agen
CIV, and that other motives exeep
that OF self-protection from fraud
ulent parties, impel merchants t.
subscribe to this baneful organiza
tons. F. News Letter.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
AGED COUPLES cARfp FOR.
Brooklyn's Unique Home on walnut
Avenue.

The Home OF Aged Couples Is
one of the most deserving institu-
tions that we have, as we'll as the
most interesting 1t is unique at
least in this country. The Listener
believes there is but one other
Home for Aged Couples in the world
and that is in Australia or some
other far-away country. There are
plenty of homes for aged men and
aged women, but until this one was
founded there was no institution
where Darby and Joan could go
together and live out their days in
idyllic companionship- How very
strange it seems thai it should
never before have occurred to the
charitable that separation, to many
old people, was worse calamity
than extreme poverty. In the lovely
home on Walnut avenue, near
Franklin Park, where the Aged
Couples are now established, they
can live in contentment, and Dig
nifty, too, exemplifying the sweet
saying that 'they who grow old to-
gether never grow old to each 9TH
er." The Aged Couples are in the
home by virtue of s4O0 paid by
them or by their friends upon their
entrance, and this sum secures to
them for the remainder of their
days all the comforts of the world
without any sense of living upon
charity. Passing up Walnut avenue
you may see them almost any dag
sitting in the windows, and their
presence there must be an inspira-
ton to the generous to assist In
the maintenance of the home.
The Listener heard the other
evening at the kettledrum an incl
dent which oddly illustrates the
pride in the home which the aged
people who live in it feel. A Ger
tain old lady there who ia totally
blind is very fond, notwithstanding
the infirmity which prevents her
from enjoying the pretty panorama
on the street, of sitting at one o
the windows. The other day this
old lady fell into rather fretfu
state, and finally insisted to th'
matron that she really must hav'
q silk dress.
"a silk dress !" exclaimed tn
matron, why do you feel the neet
of silk dress, Mrs. -?"
"Oh, you know I'm at the windoS
so much, don't you think it woul'
/ look better if l had a real nice sill
dress on?'-Boston Transcript.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
DeflD M DtaTI.
Facts That 0een to Prove That xsn
Do Hot YeAr 70 Die.

Sir Lyon Playfair, in a letter to
Junius Henry Browne, author of a
paper with the above title, says:
Having represented = large con-
stituency 1.-THE University Of Edin-
burgh) for seventeen years as .
member of Parliament, naturally
came in contact with the most en-
inent medical men in England. /
have put the question to most of
them: Did you, in your extensive
practice, ever know . patient who
was afraid TO dieT With two ex-
ceptions they answered Mo-
AOns Of these exceptions Was Sir
HoAiAuAin Rrodis, Who Gid hs had
'oee9 ooe CO. 4he ether W1S S7T
Robert Christian, who had sesa one
case, that of a girl of bad character
who had sudden accident. / have
known three friends who were par
TALLY deyoured by Wild beasts under
apparently hopeless circumstances
of escape. The first was Living
stone, the great African traveller,
who was knocked down by . lion
which began to MUNICH his arm.
He assured me that he felt no fear
or pain and that his only feeling
was one of intense curiosity az
to which part of the body the lion
would take next. The next was
Rustem Pasha, now Turkish En-
bassador in London. A bear at
tackled him and tore off part of his
hand and part of his arm and shoul-
der. He also assured me that he
had neither pain nor fear, but that
be felt excessively angry because
the bear grunted with so much sat
isfaction in munehing him.
"The third case is that of Sir
Edward Bradford, an Indian officer
now occupying . position in the
Indian Office. He was seized in q
solitary place by tiger, which held
him firmly behind the shoulders
with one paw and then deliberately
devoured the whole of his arm, be
ginning at the end and ending a
the shoulder. He was positive tha1
he had no sensation of fear, ant
thinks that he felt little pair
when the fangs vent through hi
hand, but is certain that he fel
none during the munching of hi
arm.n-New Idea.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
Clever Work with TurkeyA

In Woodford county, KY, John
D. Burns raised large drove of
turkeys this year, and by placing a
bell upon the old mother that led
them, he accustomed them to fol-
low the sound. When the time
came TO work his tobacco fields he
removed the bell, placing it on his
own waist, and while working his
crop with the hoe the hungry tur-
KEYS followed the familiar tinkle of
the bell, picking the stalks clean OF
the worms as they followed him up
one row and down the other. The
turkeys have done the work OF
FIVE men and saved the crop.-Lou-
isville Courier-Journal.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
PUSSY JUMPED INTO THE SOUP.

At a popular clearinghouse in
this city there is a fine cat which is
made a pet of by the patrons of the
establishment. A day or two since
this favored feline was seated on
table by q window, basking in the
sunshine, and watching the arrival
of the boarders as they came in to
dinner. On the same table was a
sheet of hy-paper, also basking in
the sunshine, and laying low for a
chance to "catch on"
As the cat saw particular friend
coming toward the house it began
to sway its caudal apIendage to and
fro after the style of the feline race,
and at length brushed it across the
sheet of ily-paper, which immedi-
ately froze to it and stuck tighter
than brother. When puss resum-
ed the waving of her tail, the fly
paper rose to the situation and
tried to wave, too. but there was too
much tly-paper for so little tail, and
the wave was failure all around.
The cat, noticing that her tail was
hampered, looked around, at the
same time contracting the muscles
of her back to raise her appsndage
when it saw the tly-paper apparent
ly coming after her the animal made
terrific leap, landing on all -four
feet in the tureen of soup which
had just been placed on the table.
As might be supposed, it did not
stay there long, but charged down
the length of the table like cyclone
knocking everything endways, ther
started for the garret, three steps al
a time, the fiy-paper trying to grasl
80 .et evorV inmN. hNt fail
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
Afker the Dissxibusion.

Foreign Guest tat grand receP-
,ien)--Evidences Of vast wealth aIe
everywhere. Who is that hand
some woman ablaxe with diamonds2
Hostess-She is the daughter of
3 Bonanza Prince.
II understand. Aud that other
by her side?"
"Her husband owns a gas we'll"
"Yes. And the one now talking
with her2h
"She belongs to the Standard oil. >
"Yes. l understand that, too.
Here comes another young lady in
rich attire. Who is she?"
"oh, she's the wealtbiest girl IN
the room. She's a Johnstown SUI
ferer. IN. Y. Weekly.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
Lsshed Into Fortune

John James Mago is a Guate-
malian millionaire, who lives nine
months of the year in Paris. FIf-
teen years ago he was British Vice
Consel at San Jose, Guatemala, and
a poor man, says an exchange. One
day a drunken native Comandante
ordered him one hundred lashes as
q punishment for fancied insult.
The British Government ordered
Guatemala to pay $500 for every
lash. The money was paid. and
Mago w:s made q comparatively
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14

The KxYsfoNR has long been acknoWl-
edged 70 be the sole Representative Of the
Great Upper Wood River and 6swtcptA
mining regions, and, located - it h In the
very heart Of The most promising mining
country on the fare Of the earth. and Ieav-
ing nothing undosse 70 present its readess :
complete synopsis Of al mining news and
developments, ~ well ~ matteys of local
importance in the growth Of KeAchuau. Ne
future metropolis Of Idaho, u Il m invslua-
bic guide for capital and informant 70 the
settler M every cnaft and position Gu6-
scribe for ii, rod il, and lei y0uT friends
read Whst may benefit them
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14

rich man in one day. As be had
more coin than any one in the
country then, PresiAent Barrioa en-
tered into partnership with him.
Mago became one Of the largest
coffee planters. and alse secured
the exclusive franchise for bailding
docks in the port HIS fortune
now Is estimated At $5D DOOM COO
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14

ing TO "get left" The cat roamed
over the upper regions like lost
spirit till thoroughly exhausted be-
fore it could be caught and released,
and now all that is necessary to
secure pussy's absence from the
room is to shake piece of paper
at her.-Portland Welcome.
The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-14
r. G. MESSERLY,
ToNsoRIAL ARTIST
Main Street, next door below Cornucopia
Restaurant.
Sharing, Haircuitiag and Shampooing
DONE IN FIRST CLASS STYLE.
Notice for Publication.
land Otlicc at HALEY. Idaho,
lime N 1850

land VtlCC At IIllINN. INnNu,
June ~. 1850.
Notice is hereby given that the following
named settler has iilcd notice OF her inten-
iinu to make final proof in support of her
claim, and that said proof will be made be
fore the Register and Receiver at HALEY,
Idaho. on July ~. 1880. viz; Mary A.
Richie. for the lot 3, block 10. and lot 8,
block Ss, town OF ketcham, Idaho Terri
tory.
She names the following witnesses TO
prnve her continuous residence upon, and
cultivation Of said land, viz; Geo. ]. Lewis,
Emil Rasmussen. John L. Holman, l. /.
LOWS ~ ns Ertrhuw, tdahu,
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04
Monkeying With q Bsboon.

In the ST. Louis Museum we had,
among other attractions, a baboon
called Dick He was solid chunk
of a fellow, good-tempered, and a
great favorite. He had one peculiar
ity, though, which We had 10 cater to.
He took short maps twice day, and
if aroused before his time he was as
ugly as sin all the rest of the day.
We had him dressed up as little boy
and when the time came to take his
nap he creptinto an nold-fashioned era
die, and the fat woman generally rock
ed him of TO slumber...
One day, soon after Dick had closed
his eyes, a half.drunken chap entered
the place and created considerable dis
turbance. He went by the name Of
Awful Peter, and was hard slugger
tried to reason with him and get him
out, but he unfortunately caught
sight of the sleeping baboon and at
once demanded that animal be arous-
ed and put through his tricks. l
sought to explain, but he wouldn't
have it, saying:
l paid to see the bah, and I'm going
to see him or bust the b'iler"
But if you waken him up he'll
fight"
Then I'll wiring his neckr
Before could stop him he lodged
under the rope and lifted Dick out OF
the cradle. The animal woke up and
took in the situation in about the
tenth part of second, and then he
fastened his hands into Peters hair,
got a grip with his teeth on the slug
gers nose, and we had museum,
menagerie, and circus combined for
the next five minutes. Peter roared,
and whooped, and pranced around in
pain and terror, and the bab pulled
handfuls of hair from his head, and
bit and scratched like a wildcat
When we finally got him of that slug
ger was a sight to behold, and had to
be taken to the hospital at once. Two
hours after he had his wounds dress
ed | went in to see him, and as soon
as / spoke to him he began crying
and asking:
WAS it a baboon which did thisf''
Yes"
big as lion?"
"Oh, no. He weighs about twenty
six pounds. Why do you weepr"
Hadn't orter weepr' he savage
~ demanded as the tears came afresh.
I've had thirteen fights and knock
ed my man out every time, and now to
be downed by aweazen-faced monkey
in one round has broke me all up"
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04
Consumption Of Ties.

Assuming the entire railroad sys-
TEN of the United States to be 100, 900
miles as appears from "Poor's Man
ual," with the addition Of the lines In
construction during the current year,
and taking 2,640 ties per mile Of track
we have in use at least 422, 400, 900 ties
This estimate, large though the total
appears, is under the mark, as no rail
road uses less than 2,640 ties per mile,
and many OF the roads with heavy
traffic have 2,S16, and in a few cases
more.
The life of these ties varies accord
ing to their quality and the climatic
conditions; but in the East, where on
ly the beet ties are employed, the av-
erage life is found to be about six
years, while in the West, where poor
quality OF timber has to be accepted,
and other disadvantages have to be
contended with, the average life is
from three to five years; so that even
after allowing for a few exceptional
cases in which ties may last ten years,
the average life of ties all over the
country can not be counted as more
than FIVE years.
1t follows, therefore, that the an
nual consumption must be about a.
500, 1000, which, with steady increase
of railroad building must soon exceed
100, 900, ,O00-a gigantic demand to be
satisfied from our forest each year,
when we consider the many other calls
upon them, and the fact that at pres
ent virtually nothing IL being done by
the government or the people to re-
plenish our source OF supply.
The certain rise in the price OF wood
en- ties, when these facts come to be
fully appreciated by the lumbermen
who control so large part Of the
available timber area, will force the
railroads to seek the best solution OF
the question In the adoption OF a
metal tie.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04

movements of his troops. Not far of,
and waving her handkerchief in the
direction of the late Union headquar-
tiers, well mounted on a spirited charger
while behind her waved the colors OF
the victorious forces, was the young
lady to whom our commandant had
given the fatal pass. 1t was the dar-
ing, handsome spy Of the Virginia
Valley, Belle BOYD.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04

The plan OF store keepers having an asking
price and a taking price for goods. charging
one more than another and not refusing a
reasonable offer is a bad plan for buyers.
The store keeper alone knows The lowest
price at which he can sell his goods. Buyers
never get them for less and often pay more.
This plan Is justified on the ground that
some people won't buy unless they get some
thing knocked off or thrown In, and some
will only buy where they can get credit,
some never pay and that must be made up by
charging more to those who do pay.
Our one price cash plan avoids all such
methods, marks in plain figures the lowest
cash price on every article offered and moth
buyer gets the advantage Of the discounts We
make In buying for cash and the expenses
and losses saved in not selling Cn credit.
The saving on these two items being a salts
factory profit in live business and accounts
for some merchants saying We are selling
gOnds n cost
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04
Never Take . lsdy's Arm.

THE question IL often put TO me-
said lady, whose opinion In matters
Of etiquette is wholly competent,
whether ii is ever permissible to take
lady's arm In acting as an escort on
a promenade. Unhesitatingly and
peremptoriIy, no. Not after night
fan, nor by daylight, nor at any other
time. An invalid may lean upon =
young woman's arm q grandfather,
if he Is infirIn, may avail himself Of =
support, and a Broadway policeman
seems TO have acquired the right to
propel bis charge in petticoats across
the thoroughfare by a grasp upon the
arm, but these are the only persons 90
privileged. For an acquaintance. q
friend, or one who aspires TO q stiii
nearer place, to take the arm OF .
young woman when walking with her
on public highway is inexcusable.
You may be sure that nothing will 70
quickly offend. To see young wo-
man pushed along, little infront Of
her escort, by his clutch upon her arm,
reverses all preconceivsd ideas Of gal
lantry. Offer her your arm, young
man, every time, and do not commit
the offense Of taking hsrs.--Hsr Yrk
St<u f.t ss,t ~
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04

GOODNIGHT.

Good-night-the little lips touch ours,
The little arms enfold us;
And oh, that thus through coming years
They might forever hold us.
Goodnight! we answer back and smile,
And kiss the dropping eyes;
But In our trembling hearts the while
The wistful queries rise.
Who, In the weary years to come,
When we are hid from sight,
VIII clasp these little hands and kiss
These little lips "Good-night?"
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04

Boggs-''I read something In a pa
per about idiots Are they human
beingsf"
Mrs. Boggs-"Certainly; they are
human beings like yourself"
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-10-04
ID. s. RENTCH,

Justice Of the Peace, Notary Public,
and Agent for the Mutual Life In
surance Co. of New York.
VIII give attention to all business con-
pected with the above Offices. Being bonded
ofiicer, will give special attention TO collec-
tions Of notes and accounts received, with or
without process Of Law. Charges moderate
and prompt returns made. q.