davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
THE ClMEKIlN CLUB.
An Unknown Scoundrel Attempts to Blow
Up Paradise Hall.

Up PARADISE Hail.
The unhung scoundrel who attempted
the destruction of Paradise Hall during
the last three days Of last week will
hear OF something greatly to his adj
vantage by addressing the keeper OF
the museum.
This is the thirty-fourth attempt made
in the last ten years to destroy that i'm
posing edifice, and from the fact that
each and every one has been failure 1t
would seem that some colored guardian
angel made it her special business to
watch over the hall and it's wealth OF
memories and relics. The unknown
villain who made this last attempt
bored out panel of the alley-doOr and
proceeded to crawl through into the
hall, from which stairway leads to the
station of the outer guard. He foun1
one of the Bear-Traps yawning to re-
ceive him. 1t was the trap known as
''The Colossus of Roads, having spread
power estimated at four-horse power.
He must have scented danger just II
time, as his dead body was not found in
the trap. Both his boot-heels, his hat
and piece of his right ear were left be-
hind, however, to show how close the
call must have been. The janitor even
discovered three eye-winkers on one of
justice is one of those mysteries Ovei
which the detectives love to sit and
marvel.
In going back through the hole he
was in such a hurry that he stripped the
buckles off his suspenders. and most of
the buttons off his clothes, and that he
was white man, and red-haired at that,
is proved by the hairs left on the jagged
edges.
''Gem'le said Brother Gardner, when
the meeting had been duly opened, ''dis
am anodder proof of what hev often
told you, dat bein' bad doan' pay. You
kin sot down wild piece of chalk
an figger it right out to any
mans complete satisfackshun dat it
doan'. De bad man may git ahead now
an den, but de fust thing he knows
along comes setback to take off all de
profits. / doan' want you to be too good
-goody-good- III dat case your
fellowmen would allus be expectin' to
see you break out somewhat, but let
badness alone. 1t Pins you de night
mar in de night an dc shibbers in de
daytime. You ar allus expectin' SUM-
thin, no matter how hard you try to be
happy, an dat sunthin' nebber fails to
cum. When it does arrove you is either
blowed sky-high wild spring gun, killed
dead wild policeman's club or smashed
to meat in de jaws of bar trap. De
seckretary will offer reward of fifty
dollars, half in cash an half store pay,
fur de arrest, convickshun an eXecu-
shun of dis unknown assassin. Detroit
Free Press.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
PARIS SNAIL EATERS.
A Hundred Thousand Pounds of the slim
Things Consumed Annually.

A Hundred Thousand Pounds of the Shiny
Things Consumed Annually.
The stories about Frenchnen eating
snails are believed by many people to
lave no foundation in fact, but to be only
a phase of the exaggeration in which
Yankees are apt to indulge in describing
the queer things that are to be found On
Partisan dining tables. Nevertheless.
it is a fact that nearly 100,0 900 pounds Of
snails are sold daily in the Paris mark
cts to be eaten by jewellers in Paris.
They are carefully reared for the pur-
pose in extensive snail-gardens in the
make their flavor finer. One snailery in
Dion is said to bring in to its proprietor
seven thousand francs year. Many Swiss
cantons also contain large snail-gardens
where they are grown with much pains.
They are not only regarded as great
delicacy, but are reckoned as very nu-
tritious. Hygienists say they contain
seventeen per cent. of heterogeneous mat
ter, and that they are equal to oysters
in nutritive properties. Snails are also
extensively used as an article of foct in
Austria, Spain, Italy and Egypt and ,he
countries on the African side of the
Mediterranean. Indeed the habit of
eating snails as food has existed in varl.
gus parts of Europe for many centuries.
Good Housekeeping.
"A Ior house that had been standing
1874 years was torn down in Berks
County, Pa, recently, and most of the
timbers found sound.
"A Litchfield, Mich, couple who had
been married thirty years had misun-
derstanding about two years ago, and
since then they have never spoken to
each other, though living in the same
house.
"A wild hog was shot recently at Oak
Till, CAL, which weighed $50 pounds. 1t
wss snow white and had tusks six inches
long. A pound of lead was found IN his
carcass, the result of efforts of former
hunters to kill him
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
PITH AND POINT.

-Hature has made some men tall, and
| )a,,ue Is has made them short. -Burling'
ton rec Press.
-Self-reliance comes from relying on
self. in the hope that self will presently
become worth relying on.
Hard work is the best cure for the
blues; at least, that is what you always
tell other people.-Solnerville Journal
Every man is his own ancestor, and
every man his own heir. He devises
his own future, and he inherits his OWL
past
Wounds and hardships provoke oul
courage, and when our fortunes are at
the lowest, our wits and minds are com.
monty at the best.-Charron.
Never hold any one by the bttton,
or hand, in order to be heard out; for il
people are unwilling to hear you, you
had better hold your tongue than them.
AS you must inevitably keep COM
pany with yourself as long as you live,
it is of consequence to you to make OF
yourself pleasant, agreeable compan-
ion.
Despair makes a despicable figure,
and descends from mean original. Ills
the offspring of fear, of laziness, and i'm
patience; it argues defect of spirit and
resolution, and oftentimes of honesty
too.-COllier.
When benignity and gentleness
reign within we are in least danger from
without; every person and every occur
renee is beheld in the most favorable
light. -Washington Post.
To be practical not only means to
be energetic-for often the most indus
trious accomplish little or nothing and
make failures of their lives-but it
means to have appreciation of given cir
cumstances and the ability to bring COM
mon, not uncommon, sense and good
Judgment to bear upon them.
If only parents and teachers were
concerning a child of their charge: lis
it we'll with the young man?" while
there is still an opportunity of influence
ing him for good, as they are when he is
already beyond their reach, it would be
better than it now is with many young
mans. S. Times.
Some disagreeable habit in one to
whom we may owe respect and duty, and
which is constant irritation to the
sense of our fitness of things, may de-
mand of us greater moral force to keep
the spirit serene than an absolute wrong
committed against us. In the one case
endurance is all that is possible; in the
other we may sometimes rightfully fight
and there is world of comfort in the
powers of actiOn.-Once Week.
There is much good in the world,
and it will not keep itself concealed
from US; if we do not see it and meet
with it, the fault is with ourselves.
There must be some kind Of fepulsion in
us that drives it away from us, or drives
us in the opposite direction, and what
we need to do is to discover and get
clear of it. There are some souls that
are never without their swarms of an
gels.-United Presbyterian.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
TENTED ODDITIES.
Notes for the Curious on a Variety of In
teresting Matters.

Notes for the Curious on a Variety of In
teresting Matters.
Each square inch of the skin contains
5000 sweating tubes, or perspiration
pores, each of which may be likened to
little drain tile one-fourth of an inch
in length, making an aggregate length
OF the entire surface of the body of DOL
166 feet, or tile ditch for draining the
body almost 40 miles long.
The human skin is composed of three
layers, averaging in all between one
twelfth and one-eighth of an inch in
thickness. and, in extreme cases, as
much as one-fourth of an inch in thick
ness. The skin area of the average
adult is, therefore, estimated at 1000
square inches. The atmospheric press
ure being about IA pounds to the square
inch, a person of medium size is daily
and hourly subjected to a pressure OF
%, 900 pounds.
An ancient and remarkable clock has
been set up in the reading-room of the
municipal library at Rouen, France. A
single winding keeps it running for
fourteen years and some odd months. 1t
was constructed in 1852; underwent
alterations in 1916; was bought by the
City of Rouen in 1888, and has been re-
Gently repaired and set going.
The phoenix, the fabulous bird of
antiquity, in form is described as some
what resembling the eagle. 1t was said
to live five hundred years in the wilder
ness, and then to return into Egypt.
where, having built itself nest, or
funeral pyre of wood and aromatic gums,
and lighting it by the tanning of it's
wings, was consumed to ashes, out of
which rose new phoenix.
The first living skeleton was Claude
Sewrat, born in France in 1899. He was
tall and would have been well-shaped
had there been any flesh on his body; as
it was every bone could be distinctly
seen. His arms were compared to two
ivory flutes, and his abdomen seemed to
cling to the vertebr@. He made a fort
une by exhibiting himself and returned
to his native town to enjoy it, but sud
denly expired soon after his retirement.
st. Louis Republic.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
SOME LARGE THINGS.

A Potato Weighing Fiftv-Five Ounces,
and Other CUriosities.
j. C. Jones, of Albany, N. Y, has
raised potato of the Burbank Seeding
variety weighing IS ounces-nearly
three pounds and half. The tuber
measures Tx inches one way and 11H
the other.
1t might not be Inappropriate to men
ton the sweet potato raised by James
Smith, of Oquawka, ILL.,, in 1886. This
luscious product of the vine weighed
s21z pounds and was IS inches in dame
ter the small way.
The Bodwell Granite Company, Of
Vinalhaven, Me-, have quarried what is
believed to be the largest single piece
of stone ever detached through human
agency. This monster Obelisk is lis
feet long, 10 feet square at the base,
tapering to 3 feet square at what one
would naturally call the apex, and
weighs $50 tons.
The largest Krupp guns weigh 119
tons. They are 46 feet long, have a
caliber of 1914 inches, and fire shot
weighing 2,314 pounds, with muzzle
velocity of l, 800 feet. At distance Of
one mile the ball would penetrate a
piece of solid wrought-iron to depth
of % inches. At distance of three
miles it's striking average is still %, 600
foot tons.
An American engineer, who has made
the subject a special study on the spot,
has calculated that the Chinese wall
contains IS, 600, 900 cubic meters (about
$3.50, 600, 900 cubic feet) of stone. The
material used in the construction of this
stupendous work would be sufficient tc
build a wall around the globe 6 feet
high. 3 feet thick at the bottom and 2
feet at the top.
The most powerful engine in the world
vile, Pa. 1t is fed by 16 boilers, which
give it 5,00O-horse-power. If it be-
comes necessary, the number of boilers
may be doubled, which would give the
iron monster a power equal to 10000
horses. This gigantic engine is used
for pumping water from the mines
Each revolution of the wheel raises IT.
SEQ gallons of water. Tbs fy-wheels
are 81 feet in diameter and weigh 40
tons each Every day the engine works
it consumes % tons of coaL-St. Louis
Repuhlic.
The end of conversation.-"But my
dear fellow, if what you say of this man
is true he's despicable cur" s'You
may rely on its being the naked truth.
As he s a friend of mine you'll under
stand that would not be guilty of slam
dering him behind his back. Judge.
"A native of Mississippi, had a fight
with an alligator in swamp. He killed
him after long struggle, but in trying
to get it home he was caught in quag
mire. He sank to his waist and would
have gone further but he clasped his
arms around the alligator's tail. Ten
days later he was found dead, having
made desperate efforts TO bite through
the gators hide and get flesh enough to
sustain life
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
DANGEROUS WORK.
Poor Folks who Go Cleaning on the New
York Wharves for Fuel.

Poor FOLKS who 60 Cleaning on the New
York Wharves for Fuel.
Among the many odd devices resorted
to by the very poor in their efforts to
gain livelihood is that of the peo-
pie who frequent the various wharves
and other places where coal is trans
ferred from barges to wagons or from
wagons to coal-sheds, and who eagerly
seize upon any stray pieces that may fall
UNDECIDED to the ground.
Of coarse the loss in this way on each
ton of coal is scarcely noticeable, but in
the aggregate it amounts to no incon-
siderable quantity and the aged men
and WORKOUT women who so carefully
watch the huge coal buckets as they
swing in mid-air in their transit from
the coal barge to the wagons on the
wharf are often able thus to secure sui
fcient of the mineral to warm Their
humble homes throughout the winter
Only those too decrepit to execute more
laborious work care to CLEAN coal in this
way, as they are seldom able to gathe,
large enough quantity to sell. But
the activity displayed by these poor old
creatures in their eagerness to secure a
few nuggets is something remarkable.
The pursuit is not without its perils
There is always more or less competition
for the scanty prizes that reward long
vigil, and in order to Guido their com
petitors the old cleaners often rust
recklessly between wagon wheels and
almost under horses hoofs. Then, too,
as the big buckets swing overhead pieces
of coal are sometimes dislodged and fall
heavily to the ground, endangering the
heads of those beneath.
Not long since an old man was pushed
off pier into the river and nearly
drowned through the rush for single
lump that had attracted the attention OF
half dozen cleaners. 1t had fallen OF
the edge of the string piece, and the old
fellow was crowded Off Fortunately he
grabbed and held on to rope that war
hanging from the stern of coal barge.
and some id]ers on the wharf hauled
him ashore.
The greatest danger to the cleaners
lies, however, in their reckless dives
unGor the wagons. The men and boys
who are engaged in loading frequently
chase the old folks away, but they return
with persistence that defies all efforts
to save the coal and prevent accidents
IN. Y. Herald.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
Permeability of Clements.

Experience has shown that brick tun-
nelS and drains can not be made water
tight when exposed to considerable
pressure, as water is forced through not
only the bricks, but the cements and
mortars. In experiments last year b.
Mr.. j. B. Francis, abort fourteen gallons
Of water per square foot of surface
passed through thickness of nearly
sixteen inches of cement in twenty-four
hours, under pressure of seventy-seven
pounds per square inch. Other engineers
have concluded that it is not practicable
to build tight bulkhead of cement-laid
bricks when the pressure exceeds sixty
fsur pounds per square inch.-Arkansaw
Traveller
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10

The largest bar of gold ever cast
was turned out at the United States as
say Office in Helena, Mont, the other
day. 1t weighed 500 pounds, and Ia
worth more than $125.OO0.
"A New York saloon was &c be opened
and the I-oprietor applied to a we'll
known florist to furnish him with stands
Of flowers which should be appropriate
for the occasion and yet have some allie
gorical meaning. The pieces when
completed represented Columbus dis
covering the land of mixed drinks, Bal
boa refusing to take water when he
came to the Pacific, and Ponce de Leon
pouring water from the fountain Of
youth in glass held above his head,
IKE bartender ma king gin dzx. For
some mysterious reason one Of the big
sest floral pieces was scroll bearing
WV words: The Prass. |"
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
AN EXCELLENT PAPER.
1t Suited the Marshal Better Than Any
journal He Ever Took.

1t Suited the Marshal Better Than ANY
journal He Ever Took.
eyes, / have come across some verv
peculiar men during my career in jour-
nalism," remarked well-known editor.
81 was once the editor of a small sheet
published in a Tennessee village.
soon discovered that in conducting nv
paper, affability amounted to every
thing, and that sociable fellow with
out an original idea could gain more
subscribers in one month than genius
could in five. AS it didn't make any
difference what l put in my paper, I
spent the most of my time in walking
about the public square, telling old
jokes and shaking hands with the coun-
try people; but, in spite of my efforts to
be genial, l sometimes offended an over
sensitive acquaintance.
Zone day the town marshal came into
my office, and, in brusque manner, de-
clared that he did not want my paper
any longer.
''But,' said I, you have not been a
subscriber more than three weeks
"I know that, but I don't want it
any longer.
My dear sir, said I, fearing that he
would demand the return of his money,
do you know what the law is on this
question:"
"'The law can't make me read your
paper; know that much
F" of course not, rejoined, but the
law will not compel me to return your
money
Gail right. Say,.T'll tell you what you
do. Send my paper blank every week.
81 did so, and at the end of the year
the marshal came around and renewed
his subscription. Keep on sending it
blank said he. 1T suits me better
than any paper ! ever took. '"-Arkan-
saw Traveller.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
Bits of Abraham Lincoln.

Among the papers of the late John
W. Forney was found the other day a
letter from B. B. French, under the date
Washington, May %, 1866, which gave
fac-similes of some notes written by
President Lincoln relative to his domes-
tic affairs. One. sent to Mrs. Lincoln
on the official paper of the Executive
Mansion, was: 'sMother-Please put
somebody at work now on Tad's room.
A. L." To this Mrs. Lincoln added a
note to Mr.. French, then Commissioner
OF Public Buildings, saying: s'Please
give Tad board and some plank. Mrs.
Lincoln" A card written by the Presi-
dent to Mr.. French, on November g.
1864, said: eff Commissioner of Public
Buildings chooses to give laborers at
the White House holiday, have nc
objection. A. Lincoln" The proposed
holiday" was to be given after the re-
election of President Lincoln.-Phila-
delphia Press.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
FlRESlDE FRAGMENTS

Brown sugar in doughnuts instead
of white will keep them moist and nice
much longer.-The Housekeeper.
"A cheap and good mince-meat can
be made by boiling beef's heart till
tender, then chopping it fine and season
ing it and adding twice as much apple
by weight as meat. Fruit, spices, etc.
can be added as one desires.
Paper or pasteboard may he re,,,
dered waterproof as follows: Mix four
parts OF slaked lime with three parts of
SKINNED milk and add little alum:
then give the material two successive
coatings of the mixture with a brush
and then let it dry.
Honey Cakes: Take quart of strained
honey, half pound of fresh butter, and
small teaspoonful of pearl ash, dis
solved in little milk. Add as much
sifted flour as will make stiff paste.
Work well together. Roll out half an
inch thick. Cut into cakes. Law or
buttered tins, and bake in a hot oven.
Cream Dates: Remove the stones
from the dates, without entirely separat-
ing them. Take tiny piece of vanilla
fondant, the same as preceding recipe
form it into little roll, place it in the
space from which the seed was taken.
press the halves together so that only a
small quantity of the candy can be seen.
roll the dates in graduated sugar, and
place them on dishes to harden. Chris
tian Union.
One great secret of nice cake max
ing is the thorough beating of the batter
after all ingredients are together. Some
have trouble with grarulated sugar
Don't use so much. One-half inch less
fora cupful is enough. The cake batter
takes longer beating than usual, as the
sugar is longer in dissoiving. We think
it the cheapest sugar on the Market
Farm and Fireside.
To use up slices of stale bread
break and cut them in pieces, first cut.
ting off the hard crust, and pour boiling
water on it too soften the bread. Then
for pint of bread crumbs beat up three
eggs and add these with pint of milk,
some bits of butter, little sugar and
raisins in quantity to suit, and bake
1t is good plain, wholesome pudding te
eat with milk and sugar or pudding
sauce.-N. Y. World.
To take iron rust out of white goods
Pour teacupful of boiling water.
stretch the goods tightly across the tor
of it; then pour on little of the solution
of OXalic acid dissolved in water, and
rub it with the edge of teaspoon or any
thing. If it does not come out at once.
dip it down into the hot water and rub
it again. This is quick easy and sure
way to remove iron rust. and should BE-
remembered by every good housekeeper.
Oyster Croquettes: Put two dozen
oysters on to boil in their own liquor
/ Let come to boil. Take from the fire.
drain and chop. Put half pint of the
liquor in saucepan, with teacup OF
cream, thicken with tablespoonful OF
flour and butter each, rubbed together
Stir until the milk boils, add the oysters
The yelks of three eggs, and stir one
minute; take from the fire, and season
with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley.
half of grated nutmeg. little sal,
and cayenne pepper. Mix we'll and
tarn out to cool. When cold, form in
croquettes, roll in beaten eggs then in
! bread crumbs and fry in boiling lard
Ladies' Home journal.