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


mind, he is a prairie marmot, a chubby,
fat-paunched ground-squirrel, with .
short tail He is the jolliest little ro-
dent under the sun; he is as lively as
cricket, as watchful as a weasel, and,
to all appearances, as happy as the day
is long.
While You are still some distance
from the town you see the inhabitants
running freely about nibbling at roots
and blades of grass. and foraging at
quite a little d stance from their re-
spective dwellings; but as soon as you
show yourself within a hundred yards
of the municipal suburbs, the alarm is
quietly given and every dog scampers
FOR his burrow as fast as his stumpy
little legs can carry him.
On reaching his open door. which il
a six inch hole running down through
the center of a little mound like a
miniature volcano with bottomless pit
for crater. he poises himself On the
rim. stands up on his hind-feet so high
and so straight that he looks uncom-
monty like tent peg. and views the
landscape DER.
When You get fairly into the town the
holes are found to be as thick as apple
trees in an orchard, and on each of the
mounds, excepting the very nearest
there viii be a prairie-dog, yapping
away at you as if his whole life depend
ed upon his bringing out a hundred and
twenty yaps to the minute Perhaps
twenty dogs will be barking indus
triously at you in concert. with twenty
tails jerking spasmodically in unison
and twenty pairs of eyes watching you
with keen interest
As you slowly walk forward and cross
the imaginary dead line that the near
est dog has drawn around himself, he
dives head foremost into the bowels of
the earth, and his tail wrinkles merri-
ly from side to side as his hind feet
disappear.
When You run forward and apply
your ear TO the hole your hear an indis-
{ ncL shutting sound, which grows
fainter and fainter, until it finally
ceases. and then You hear his jolly lit
tie bark .-Chit-tit-tit-tit!" come like
a smothered laugh from the regions be-
low.-You1h's Companion
Tired wife-.'John, wish you
would bring in some woOd" Husband
II would. my dear. but have the
lumbago again" Tired wife-..You
haver Husband-.Yes. the pains up
my back are just terrible" Tired
wife-.-Why- what have you been
doing2 Husband--There were no
seats left at the ball ground and / had
to stand up. Boston Beacon
-.Lawyer-..Arey you the brother
of John Smith, of Nebraska, STRIP
SMITH am; but haven't heard
any thing from him for years. y
Lawyer We'll. he died last month :"
Smith-..Indeed. Did he leave any
thing?n Lawyer-s.Yes; he left every
thing he had In the world to you =
Smith Thank heaven! How muchg'
Eight children and the
mortgage on the farm Burlington
Free PresA
, 1889-08-23

DIR. McCresswell is troubled with rats
that is to say, rats infest his drug
store. Every now and hen he will find
n large rat in the trap. The other day
an unusually large one was caught. 1t
was not killed, for the doctor is too ten
der hearted to kill anything. Mr.. Rat
was chloroformed, and while asleep q
tiny silver bell attached to a piece of silk
was placed round the rats neck. After
painting the day and date of capture
on the rats back restoratives were used,
and the rodent was oon in n condition
to walk about the cage trap. The merry
tinkle of the bell produced n queer sem
sation on the rat. It's a fact, the coun-
tenance of the rat assumed n livid hue
and it became SO nervous that its teeth
chartered. Then the rat was freed, and
darting in its hole disappeared. What
effect the tinkling of the bell had on the
other rats can better be imagined than
described, but all the rats nave left the
drug tore.-Washington Capital.
, 1889-08-23
Cannon Ball Capeu-

Capt. Meredith, John Richie and
George Shields, known as "old HOSES"
and "old timers" sat around in the Press
club one afternoon recently and talked
about the times of the war and told of
the funny capers that cannon balls and
musket balls cut. Capt. Meredith said
he once found a dead Confederate be-
hind a tree. The dead man was resting
on one knee, in a position to shoot. His
musket was in his hands, the butt of the
gun was against his shoulder, and one
eye was open, squirting along the gun
barrel. There wasn't a mark OF the
body, but the man was stone dead.
There was n ten pound cannon ball
buried in the tree. The man had been
killed by the conclusion.
Mr.. Shields said that he saw a cannon
ball go into the ground about 200 yards
In front of where he was standing. He
thought that was the end of the matter,
but in about three seconds the ball came
out of the ground fifty yards beyond the
place 1t struck. 1t then in its flight
struck a stump, carromed off, broke a
soldiers leg, and, rolling on a few yards
further, upset a camp kettle and scalded
n mans hands.
John Richie said he saw a man hit
with a spent" cannon ball. He walked
over to where the man lay to see what
he could do for him-give him a drink
out of his canteen, or n chew of tobacco,
or something but all that was visible
was a mass of about 100 pounds of flesh
and blue cloth, mixed up like sausage,
with an eye and two teeth sticking nj
on top.
Capt. Meredith said that, speaking of
cannon balls, one of the most novel
sights he witnessed during the war vas
a cannon ball about as big as n lour bar
rel going through n horse lengthwise-
that is, lengthwise of the horse. There
was left of the horse its head, its four
feet and the lower six inches of its tail.
When it reached this stage / saw that
there was a disposition to break down
the ropes and let everybody take a hand
in the lying, so 1 got away before I was
crippled.-Chicago Mail.
, 1889-08-23

Three or four men were sitting on the
piazza Of a seaside cottage smoking. 1t
wa evening. The stars were MS thick in
the sky as freckles on n red headed girls
face. The waves came in on the beach
with a swish-swash-swosh just as they
nave lone aver since the second day of
the creation.
More piercing than the song of the
waves were the notes, and more multi
tudinous than the stars of heaven the
number of the mosquitoes that haunted
that piazza, and every one of them was
Choking for blood" The men had ceased
smoking for fun. They now pulled their
pipes and cigars to keep the mosquitoes
away.
Something funny about mosquitoes, Z"
said one rather absent mindedly.
Eyes, rather" was the drawing reply.
Funny how much blood it takes to fill
one of them up"
"No, but honest, now; do you know
that if n mosquito d get his bill down
into your hand he can't pull it out while
you hold your breathe"
Don't believe it."
at is true, however, for | nave tried
it."
"Bet you the cigars a mosquito can
take his bill out at any time he wants to
do it, and we will try it right here. Is
1t a goy"
at is, and I'll let them try" a lamp
was lighted, the cigars put out and all
waited. In less than a minute n mos
quito had placed himself on Toms hand
and begun operations.
'Now," said Tom, and placed the fore
finger of his other hand down close to
the mosquito. 1t did not bulge. He
placed his nail against the abdomen of
the insect and whirled it around. Still
1t remained fixed.
"You can do it every time" said Tom,
as he killed the mosquito and drew a
long breath.
1t is a fact. Go and try it.-Boston
Globe.
, 1889-08-23

A tabby cat belonging to the family of
David B. Paul, Wallingford, is reported
to have committed suicide while griev-
ing over the loss of her family of five
to keep down the cat population. When
the old cat missed her offspring she went
tearing over the house, showing her
great distress by loud mewing. Failing
to find the kittens after a long search,
she went up to the third story and DELHI
erately jumped vi on the porch roof
below. When picked up old tabby was
dead, her neck being broken in the fall.
PHILADELPHIA Press.
, 1889-08-23
A safe Investment

Is one which is guaranteed to bring you
satisfactory results, or in case of failure a
return of purchase price. On this safe
plan you can buy from our advertised
druggist a bottle of DR.. Kings New Dis
covery for consumption. 1t is guaranteed
to bring relief in any case, when used for
any affection of throat, lungs or chest,
such as consumption, Inflammation of
lungs. bronchitis. asthma, whoopIng
cough, etc, etc. 1t is pleasant and agree
able to taste, perfectly safe and can al
ways be depended upon. Trial bottles
free at DIR. w. n. Hunts drug store.
, 1889-08-23
JVo. =. CARROLL. EDITOR
IT SHOULD BE T o

Mayor Riner has intimated that he
will probably not sign the ordinance tax
ing vegetable peddlers s25 a year and we
believe he will act 10 the best interests Of
a majority of the people should he de-
cline to do so.
One very great stumbling block for
Cheyenne is the reputation which it has
acquired Of being an expensive place in
which to live. One OF the very FIRST
thing a man of family inquiries about
when he ccntemplates a change of resi-
dcnce is as to the cost of living in the
place he expects to locate. A reputa-
ton for expensive living very naturally
deters immigration. In the past there
has been some excuse for the high prices
charged for the necessaries of life.
Freight rates we're exhorbitant, wages
were high and credits were long. But
everybody wa then making money and
if a man was charged high for his grocer
les he could in return charge the gro
ceryman a high price for any service
which he rendered him. Besides we
were strictly n%onproduceis in the agri
cultural sense and were therefore forced
to import our vegetables and other neces
sarics.
But things have changed. Inflated
values no longer exist and the price OF
living has reached normal proportions.
Changers aud gardeners, knowing the
local demand for the truck which they
raise, have sprung up all around US. They
find that on their investment they can at
ford to sell very much cheaper than the
prices which used to prevail. Therefore
the question is should we discourage the
gardening industry by placing a special
tax upon the produce, thus REFRESHING a
growing industry and tending to maintain
a price upon garden products away be
yond the means of the ordinary run of
people?
We think there is no chance for an ar
gument as to what the mayor should do
under the circumstances He should veto
the ordinance.
The Suns argument on this subject
willie a very proper one, is still very
amusing looked at from certain stand
points. For instance, it says:
The proposition is a very simple one.
The market gardener must 20 out OF bust.
ness or add enough TO his prices to make
the consumer pay his tax. The eight or
ten thousand OF Cheyenne arc
the sufferers and they will not relish the
fact that, in order to protect two or three
merchant dealers in their business opera
tons, the interests OF the whole people are
ignored. There should certainly be free
trade in the necessaries of life and our
people should have the privilege OF buy
ing where they choose and as chcaply as
they can. -
This argument. applied to n local stu
alton, might be expanded to fit the nation
al case. A tariff is a tax on some one
whether applied locally or nationally yet
the Sun, a high proection organ. places
itself in a queer position Of %denouncing
n local tariff for the protection Of local
merchants, while it at the same time vir-
ulently upholds a tariff involving exactly
the same principles but of infinitely more
far reaching consequences when it is ap-
piled nationally. Either one or the other
of its positions is not teuable. We are
inclined to think its position on the local
question is.
, 1889-08-23

In MANY years the crosswalks of the
city have not been in such an extraordi-
nary condition as they now are. The SIR ct
crossings are Uttered with broken and
splintercd planks liable at any moment to
cluse dangerous accidents and render the
city liable for damages. Some attention
should be paid to this matter at once.
, 1889-08-23
ICE.

Lake MahpMutah ice. J. l.. Murray,
Ferguson street.
, 1889-08-23

Saysit Anyhowe-How did you ever
come to marry Mrs. b?
Grinand Barrett (franklyGI married
her for her money, she said she'd be
worth a million on her wedding day
estimated me at that figure, you know.
Saysit Anyhowe-Why, she deceived
you shamefullyi
Grinand Barrett Well, l was de-
ceived, that's Il fact, but Great Scott
man, just think how she got leftl =
Ennch
, 1889-08-23
StraYed OIL Stolen.

From the stable of the subscriber on
the night of July II a pony mare about
4 years old. dun or mouse colored, white
stripe in face, weight 400 pounds, branded
~ connected quarter circle under. Ad-
dress G. w. Clark 5ll, w Seventeenth
street, Cheyenne.
, 1889-08-23

In addition to the uneaualled dining car
service between Council Bluffs and Dem
yer, the Union Pacific, THE Overland
Route, will on Sunday, Aug. IS. and
daily thereafter, run dining cars between
Council Bluffs and Portland, Ore, on
The Overland Flyer" leaving Council
Bluffs at 1855 p. M. Omaha S:i5 D. m.
These cars are models of excellence, and
the best meals the market affords will be
furnished at Is cents
, 1889-08-23
BurkIen,s Arnica saIye

The best salve in the world for cuts,
bruises. sores, ulcers, salt rheum, fever
sores, letter, chapped hands, chilblaius
corns and all skin eruptions, and positively
cures piles or no pay required. 1t is
Guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction or
money refunded Price % cents per box.
For sale by DR. W. N. Hunt.
, 1889-08-23

nc largest stock of fine brandies, old
WHISTLES, choice hQueurs and superfne
cigars at George Masten's well known
house, corner Sixteenth and Ferguson
streets.
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20

rainfall Saturday afternoon started the
river to rising and the sheets of water that
fell all the evening and part of the night
augmented it till by 2 o'clock Sunday
morning the river had spread out all over
the bottom lands and was rushing down
the main channel a roaring torrent. Cat
tie, hogs, lumber, wood, wheat, and debris
of every kind was carried down IN large
quantities All of the inhabitants OF the
low ground who had not made their escape
before the rising of the water had 10 be
rescued yesterday morning by means of
boats. The water at 2 o'clock Sunday
morning was within foot of the plank
ing on the south bridge, and was running
through Longs Touring mill like a mill
race 1t carried away the scales food
gates and bridges across the mill race and
otherwise devastated the premises, At
the Missouri Pacific railroad shops the
water was about foot deep all around
the buildings. The track east of the east
railroad bridge was washed off the road
bed for half mile from the bridge to the
bluffs near the poor farm. Passengers on
the westbound train were transferred from
the east side to the west side by means OF
boats
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
A RIVER THAT NEVER oVERFLows

The recent floods in this and other
states calls to mind fact that is perhaps
not generally known, and that is, that
the Great Arkansas river never over
flows its banks. This may seem strapg e
in view of its uniformly low banks and
great length. and the further fact that
it drains considerable portion of the
Colorado mountain region, but it is
easily explained. In the first place the
fall of the stream almost its entire length
is greater than any other of equal length
on the continent, while Its bed is broad
and even; then, the greater portion of
/ the country traversed by it has deep
alluvial and sandy subsoil that absorbs
vast quantities Of water-formlng the
system of subirrigation that has often
been spoken of in the prints. Then.
again, the valley proper of the Great
Arkansas is broad, the land in the main
being very level with gentle slope
towards the river. This surface forma-
ton necessarily causes q very gradual
precipitation of the excess of rainfall,
even during the heaviest and longest
continued rains, into the run of the
stream. Add to the reasons given, and
some other minor ones that might be
mentioned, the rapid evaporation from
the broad surface of the river and we
have conditions that would cause an
overflow of this grand stream more a
matter of wonder and surprise than is
the absence of such occurrence, which,
as before stated, characterizes no other
American river of which we have any
knowledge.
The foregoing accounting for the alb
sence of overtlows in the Great Arkansas
| embodies, in the main, reasonable and
satisfactory explanation of the remarka-
bic fertility and proiuctiveness of this
marvellous valley, and at the same time
establishes the practical exhaustlessness
of the land for agricultural purposes.
Nor does it initiate against the health
of the people resident upon it. for it is a
notable fact that the valley of the
Arkansas is unsurpassed for health bv
any quarter or section Of the world.
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
PER TON PER MILE.

The Atchison Champion and several
other papers, in discussing the freight
rate question, caught on to and advo-
Gated that deceptive proposition that all
freight should be handled on a common
basis Of SO much per ton per mile with
out reference to the character of the
shipper or the difference of tonnage Or be-
tween places or between individuals. AS
the EAGLE said, while there is an appear
ance Of justice in it, and while it sounds
nice it is completely fallacious The city
Of ten thousand cars per annum-the
number handled by Wichita last year
must command lower rate per ton per
mile than the side-track station which
handles but a few cars in the course of a
year, and so on. But a writer by the
name of w. S. Cain takes up the Champ
ions position and in long article COM
pletely overthtows it. Speaking of Atch-
ison he makes this simple proposition,
which the Champion nor any other paper
can negative.
AS an illustration of the rate "per
mile per ton," wheat is now handled
from Western Kansas points to Chicago,
200 miles, for 25 cents per 100 pounds.
This covers ordinary time to load and
unload. Will any expert, or honest man,
ask the same company to haul this wheat
% miles for 1 cent per 100 pounds, or IA
miles for one-half cent per 100 pounds,
with ordinary time to load and unload
to be charged in each case? Would it
help the situation to raise the very low
rate now made from Western Kansas to
Chicago, while Kansas City and Atchi-
son have the benefit of the same rate,
with stop over?
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
AN OLD EANSAN GONE.

The Atchison Champion announces
the death of William W. Ross on Satur-
day last at Los Angeles, California. He
was printer by trade and came to Kan
sas in the spring of 1866. In 1856 he was
associated with John Speer in the publ
cation of the Lawrence Tribune, and in
1859 started the Topeka Record. He
was delegate to the Leavenworth con-
stitutional convention; a delegate to the
national convention of 1860, that nomi-
mated Abraham Lincoln; agent of the
Pottawatomie Indians from 1861 to 1864,
and mayor of Topeka in 1865. He made
his home in Topeka until about two
years ago, but has since spent most Of
his time in Florida and California. He
was a brother of E. G. Ross, late gov
ernor of New Mexico.
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20

Joe Il Johnston, worthy colored man %
Richmond county, lost steer, aud Wills
searching on a neaghbo-ing farm for the uias
ing animal wa caGght in q rain storm and
took refuge under al inviting tree IN a grove.
Cattle IN tho adjlcent Geld also sought refuge
under the troes The rain lasted some time
and Johnston WIS worrying himself ahog; his
loss. Glanci1g at the animals, be noticed
that soEnc dark spo;s wore being washed from
one Of tho steers Steadily big black blCtches
were disappsaEing under the s;1sdy dovD-
pour, and ia half an hour Joe had b. Icxs
stscr on the way home Il bad been S:ulsn
and disguised with shoe backing. Atlanta
Journal
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
FROM THE GOLD MINES.
ASPEN, Colo. June II, 80.


To the Editor of the Eagle.
There was day when Aspen felt
proud to be called second to Leadville,
but now the tables are turned and Aspen
leads as the richest mining camp in the
entire state. Her daily output and daily
increasing richness of the mines oper-
ating and prospects developing are evil
dence of this fact. Men of wealth are
pouring in on every train seeking inter-
ests. Every prospect on the contact"
finds ready leasers; none so begging.
Recent developments are proving past
theories falsities and prove that pay dirt
exists where heretofore experts claimed
otherwise. This has infused new life in
prospects lying idle outside of the lime
belt-worked only enough to keep up
the yearly aSSesSments-and now are
being rapidly developed.
As low grade ore as twenty ounce can
be mined with profit. Heretofore, before
the Denver q Rio Grande and Midland
railroads came in, it cost the producers
$50 and upwards a ton 10 freight out,
and left hole in the producers pockets
who attempted 10 ship less than 100
ounce ore.
The shipment this week was over 1000
tons, and rainy week at that, making
bad roads on the mountains for the
haulers.
will write you again shortly and
give description of the beautiful little
city of Aspen, nestled at the foot OF
Aspen. Smuggler and Red mountains on
q beautiful mesa"
enclose Colorado ranchman's little
piece on irrigation. Evidently he is a
'MiSsourian."
by the way. when a man here wants
TO insult another he calls him ''Missou
rian;" q kIockdown follows.)
Respt., F. II. WoSDERLY.
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
MAKE CHILDHOOD SWEET.

Wait not till the little hands at rest
Ere YOU iii them fun OF iowers;
Wait not for the GROWING tuberoee
To make sweet the last sad hours;
But while Ia the busy household hand
Your darlings still need your guiding hand.
Oh, I'll their lives with swectuossi
Wait not I'LL the little hearts are still
For the loving look or praise,
But while you gently chide a fault.
The good deed kindly praise.
The word You would speak beside the bier
Falls sweeter lar on the living ear;
y I'll young lives with sweetness,
All, what IRE kisses on cold clay iiI@
To the rosy Inoptt We pres.
When car wee one fIsa 10 her mothers arms
Tor loves tenderest caTesst
let never c worldly babbie kecp
Your heart from the JOY each day should reap
Circling young iiyss with sweetoess.
Give thanks, each morn. for the sturdy boys
Give thanks for The fairy giTis;
With n dover # wealth Ike this eft home
Would you rife the earth Tor IeariAf
Wait not for Death 20 gem Loves cru~n,
But daily shower LIES bie<sangs down,
And I'll young hearts with sweetDesz
Remember the homes where the light hns ed
Where the rose has faded away;
And tho love that grows in youthful hsartA
o cherish Il while you fasyl
And make your home a garden q fowsrA
Where JOY shall bloom through ehildbood's hours
And fll young hearts with sweetnsz~
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20

The great religious revival that has
been in progress in Atchison for several
weeks past closed. as to public meetings,
Tuesday night. In speaking of the effort
rs whole, the Patriot says:
Never, perhaps, in the history of Atchi-
son, has there been such a great awaken
ing of Christian people to the fact that
souls must be saved quickly, and at once.
Never, perhaps in the history of religious
revivals, has there been more zeal shown,
or interest taken than in the one that is
about to close.
With the exception of the Episcopal
church and its pastor, Rev. DIR. Brooke,
all the protestant denominations in the
city have co-operated heartily with the
evangelist IN the work of spreading the
gospel and lifting fallen men and women
out of the depth of shame and degradation
and placing them upon that firm and
solid rock, Jesus Christ.
Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20

The official count in Montana, which
has just been completed, makes it quite
certain that the Republicans failed to car
ry that state at the recent election for del
egates to the constitutional convention.
The Democrats will have a clear majority
Of three IN the convention, which is suffi-
Gent for all practical purposes-Dem.
Ex
The practical purposes alluded to are
the districting of the state in the inter-
est of the party with the bare majority
SO that it may secure majority of the
legislature thereby insuring the selec-
ton of the United States senators to that
party. a bad beginning for new state,
but they may overdo the thing in franz
ing a constitution and thus defeat the
admission of the state in the union. The
president must approve that instrument
before the state becomes a state in
fact