davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
A Cure for Lepresy.

Sister Rose Gertrude in recent letter
from the leper island states that several
patients have lately been cured. This state
ment has been confirmed by DR.. Lutz, the
governor physician, in an interview which
press representative had with him on the
the subject. DR.. Lutz further expressed
his BELIEF that leprosy can be checked, and
that it is not contagious. The cases which
he had cured proved not to be beyond the
control of physicians.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
THE TEMPTER OF EVE.
His Snakeship in Various Manifesta-
tions as Encountered in the
Land of the Free.
OIL CITY TRUTH STRETCHERS.
A Cultivated Serpent Which is a Decided
Success in Fishing Tools From
Oil and Gas Wells.
OIL CITY TRUTH STRETCHES.
ANTICS OF CALIFORNIA RATTLERS
Two Fellows That Heli Mountain Pass Charmed by
the Music Of Violin.


WRITTEN FOR TIKI DlSEAASh'-
Ever since Pete Gruber was bitten oy
rattler, snakes have been a popular topic OF
conversation in Oil City, and a few nights
ago at a social gathering of gentlemen
"only," some OF the most refreshing REM
iuiscences of reptiles one ever listened to
were recounted. The Florida man started
the ball rolling with snake story Of round
proportions. When the Indians were camped
on Auastasia Island, off St. Augustine, a
huge rattlesuake appeared at the entrance
of their palmetto hut in which several of
the chiefs of the Keowas, Commanches and
Cheyennes, all wrapped in blankets, were
smoking the pipe of peace before the dying
embers of the supper fire. As soon as the
snake appeared the eagle eyes Of the Indians
detected ms presence and every man froze
into statue Howling Wolf, handsome
son of the forest, was living picture.
Raised toward bis lips was the pipe, poised
gently between the thumb and forefnger.
The snake hissed, slowly moved toward
the fire and deliberately pulled his sinuous
glittering coils over the naked legs of White
Horse and passed from the tent. As his
head emerged it was met by the quick,
sharp crack of blunt arrow whipped
from the thong OF bow in the
hands of Sitting g-Down-In-a-Bad-P place,
who had skirted the tent and was
prepared for the monster. The big reptile
made the air fairly quiver with his death
song-an ominous and continued rattle in
describable in words, but capable of causing
the hair to rise on the unAedged. Comforting
himself into thousand coils he at last died.
The eommandant in charge measured the
snake and he required 10 feet inches of
tape to string him out. The Indians strung
MIN up in the tent and mad war dance
over his remains. The next day they took
his hide of, sewed it neatly together and
stuffed it with wet sand. The snake stretched
at an alarming rate and when it was carried
to town the aStonished natives beheld
snake bigger than any in the memory of
Sergeant McGuir OF Fort San Marco fame
which IS saying great deal. That snake
then measured 19 ieet long and two feet in
diameter. By the time account of it got to
the papers the snake had stretched to such
an extent that editors secuted the story and
refused it for fear OF running the regulations
OF their journals. But the story is neverthe-
less true in every particular.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Coins Carry Disease.

''You have no idea," says a physician in
the New York Star, ''of the various ways
in which our greenbacks and coin can sow
the seeds Of disease. Silver coins Of every
description and greenbacks pass mpartially
from the hand of the millionaire into that
Of the beggar, constantly circulating
through every condition Of society. The
person of fastidious tastes, who will turn
from his path rather than risk coming into
contact with others Of uncleanly dress or
person, will receive, handle and carry in bis
pocket, without the slightest disgust,
money that has passed through hands
whose contact he would shun.
"Coin is much worse than paper. You,
no doubt, have noticed that blackish coat
ing in the recesses of your quarters and
halves. Immerse that coin in q glass of
water and examine it under a microscope,
and you will find the water swarming with
bacteria and fungi"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Na ture's Freak In q Nose.

Twas talking to one Of the old settlers the
other day, says writer in the Lewiston
Journal, and he said: "Don't know Hen
Jones, do you? Wall, when you see him
you'll know him; he's got the darndest nose
on him that you ever seed on live being.
Tother day see Hen coming down hill
into the village, and he was driving a horse
with one hand and maxim queer motions
with t'other. When he got up to me I seed
what he was doin'. He was pickin' up
pebbles from pile in his wagon, aud was
stonin' mosquitoes off'n the end of his
nose"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Preserves and Good Health.

A great deal has been written about the
unwholesomeness of preserves done in the
old-fashioned way, with an equal amount of
sugar, but it is all notion, a mere fad,
without foundation, says the Boston Herald.
Mr.. Matthieu Williams, who is certainly
good authority, says: "As regards cooked
fruits, I say, jam Tor the millions. jelly for
the luxurious, and juice for all. With
these in abundance. the abolition OF alco-
holic drinks will follow as a necessary re-
suit of natural nausea" There is bit Of
wisdom for the reformers OF various kinds
and degrees to reflect upon.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
A Monster In His Lap.

Henry Bassford, when he was driving
home from Suisun, CAL, the other day, saw
a large bullsuake stretched across the road,
and he thought it would be good joke to
run the wheel of his cart over the reptile.
He did so, and the next instant the
wrigglIng, squirming five-foot monster was
IN his lap. brought up from the ground by
the revolution of the wheel. Henry kicked
and frisked about and the snake Kissed and
struck at everything in reach. The situa-
tion became so uncom ortable that he de-
cided to throw himself from the cart, but in
an endeayor to do he became entangled in
some manner, and horse became frightened
and ran a considerable distance, dragging
Mr.. Basstord and bruising him up quite
severely. When he had stopped the horse
his snakeship was missing.
Narrow Escape.
A crowd at the Stockton depot, San Fran
cisco, last month. was attracted to the rear
car OF the incoming train this noon by the
sight OF man vino could not stand up, but
had to be assisted off the platform by two
others. He had been bitten by rattle
snake. DR.. Besde. who was at the depot in
response to a telegram sent from Milton,
had the young man taken to the CONNER
cial Hotel, where the remedies for the
poisoning, including hypodermic injection
OF ammonia, were administered. The
patient is Juan P. Sosi, Portuguese aged
II years. For the past two years he has
been working as a herder on Juan De
Costa's sheep ranch, the other side of the
Salt Spring reservoir. While berding his
sheep he stepped upon a rattlesnake that
lay concealed in the grass. The reptile.
which was very large one, sprang almost
up to his face. Sosi, upon stepping upon
the snake, mechanically threw up his
hands as he jumped back, and the rattler
bit him on the left thumb. Ke immedi-
ately slit his thumb open with jack knife
and pressed as much of the blood and
poison out as he could. He hurried to De
Costa's house, where a halfpint bottle of
whisky was given him to- drink, and the
wound was bathed with ammonia. The
hand and forearm are very much swollen,
and the thumb is discolored, but the patient
will recover.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
A Stump Failed Horror.

1--WE have some of the most peculiar
snakes down in Alabama" said the Colonel
from Mobile, 'that you ever looked at.
There's the stump-tailed moccasin, sawed
of at the tail about a foot from where he
ought 70 have grown to. de conceals him.
sell in bush by the roadside and for pure
cussedness strikes at everything that comes
along irom a grasshOpper TO a moving
machine Where he strikes he generally
kills, being fully as venomous as a rattle
snake and more of sleuth and more vipdic-
tive than a cobra. On the old plantation we
lived in log house. Ny father killed one
OF these snakes once and knew that he'd
best look out for the mate which would iol-
low his trail and kill him if it could. One
night-I was an infant then-my mother
came to the door OF her room, and, seeing an
immense snake between the logs of the
house over my cradle, almost frOZe with
fear. Her first instinct was to scream. She
suppressed this however, ran back into
another room aud secured an old
fashioned dueling pistol. Women
were taught to shoot in those days
as they should be in these-and she was 8
dead shot; could cut a string at ten PAGES
nine out OF ten. She came back, aud in the
meantime the snake had crawled down
within a foot of my head. Taxing aim with
a rest on the door frame, she fired and cut
that stump tails head off as clean as whis-
tie. ] AN told that the snake wriggled and
fell into the cradle and poured copious guam
titles oil his cold blood over my face, but
dreamed through it all"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
TRADES IN HARMONY,
A Little Incident Involving a Man, n Boz
and Plamber.

and q Rlambers
New York Sum-
A man with box on his shoulder was
making his way along Chambers street the
other day, when it fell to the walk. After
two or three efforts to replace it, he appealed
to man in doorway with:
"Give me lit, please?"
"Can't do ii" was the prompt reply.
"And why not?'
"Because I never mix business. am
plumber, and the man next door is in the
elevator business. It's for him to give you
a lit"
The man with the box thought for mo-
ment, grinned in a good-natured way, aud
by an extra grunt reshouldered the box and
passed on,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
California; Big Fellows.

The snake season in California has opened
unusually early this year, and from valley
and mountain come strange stories Of ad-
ventures with the reptiles peculiar to that
region. For some unknown reason the
California rattiesnake is unusually large.
At Woodsland. the other day, Rob SiDkey
and Charles GammiIl brought 10 the post
Office huge rattlesnake, which they killed
in Nelson's thicket, on Cache creek. Il
measured feet inches in length aud 3.3l4
inches in circumference, had IL rattles anu
button.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
THIS MORTAL FRAME.
Short Talks on Health, Disease,
Drugs, Foods and Habits.
THE PROPERTIES OF CAFFEINE.
Possibilities in the Prevention and the
Cure Of Consumption.
CARE OF THE FEET AMONG SOLDIERS
Steam Viii. ties and Deafaess.


At the last meeting of the British Medical
Association, which was held in Birming-
ham, DR.. Tho mas Barr, aural surgeon of
Glasgow, made an indictment against the
railway viii stle as the cause OF much deaf
ness now prevalent. The organs Of different
persons, as is we'll known, vary considerably
in their "yulnerability," as it is called, to
Injurious influences, and in the case OF the
organs of hearing this vulnerability is in
creased not only by the mysterious and far
reaching influence of heredity, but probably
still more frequently by the actual existence
of disease in the ear. There are many
persons dull of hearing-especially on one
side-and the dull ear being the seat of
disease, the disease usually increases the
vulnerabiltv of the organ to damaging in
fuences. In the case of such dull-eared
person standing near to a locomotive in
covered station, and the steam whistle sud-
denly giving forth note of great intensity
and enormous height of pitch there are i'm
PEELED into his ears and upon his tympanum,
like so many bullets from a gun, intense
and rapidly moving condensations.
1t is species of assault, and whether the
ears are damaged by it depends very much
upon their vulnerability to injurious in
fuences. If the ears are strong. and free
from any hereditary or acquired disease,
nothing more than an unpleasant sensation,
with some temporary dullness and ringing
in the ears may be experienced. If, on the
other hand, there is excessive vulnerabiiity
from hereditary or actually existing dis
ease, the two small sentinel muscles do not
act promptly and effectively, the power of
accurate adjustment or accommodation of
the ear is impaired, leading it may be to
permanent damage to the delicate endings
of the nerves OF hearing. A whistle of
lower pitch would be less injurious to the
ear and equally effective as a signal, a nd
DR.. Barr suggests that it would be desirable
to substitute for the high-pitch whistle one
of much lower pitch.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Blood for Blood.

The question of capital punishment,
brought so prominently into notice by the
recent action Of the Emperor of Austria, is
one upon which it is profitable to dwell.
do not believe It is right to take human life.
Christ forbids 1t. Not from any feeling of
maudiin sentiment would I argue against
killing the murderer. but as a matter of
right and policy. 1t is tact that q large
percentage Of murderers escape the gallows
by one technicality or another. There is
always an equal chance between being hung
and escaping it. When q mans heart is
filled with revenge or lust for money be is
ready to take risks. Recently published
statistics show how few meet with death as
a result Of their deeds Of blood. Insanity,
the ever ready plea, gives liberty to thou
sands oil these human butchers.
When man or woman purposely takes
a human life, sane or insane, they should
be placed in close confinement tor life, the
insane having more care than the sane, but
never again should they be permitted to en-
danger lite. If a person has once been in
sane enough to murder that seli-same in
sanity may very easily assert itself again.
Murders are more rife than ever, alter GEN.
turies OF capital punishment Why not try
some other system for few years? Ii the
criminal could see before him nothing but
solitary confinement, with no ray OF hope
and no opportunity to escape on any plea,
would it not be more efieacioas in deterrlng
men from acts Of violence than the present
system, having to run the gauntlet of
grand jury, which is often grand1humbug.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
The Coming Catnc nclysm.

I was delighted in reading of the "Coming
Cataclysm," OF which Prot. Buchanan is the
advance agent, to notice that Pittsburg is to
escape all the awful disasters. New York,
Philadelphia and all such wicked places are
to, be swallowed up or shaken to death.
Those wicked Southern cities are to be pun
ished, and great tidal wave will push up
the Mississippi as far as Baton Rouge. Car
accas will be entirely destroyed. The earth
will change poles like dancing bear on the
street, the Suez Canal will go by the board,
the Democrats will regain power, General
Grants monument in New York will be an
initiated, the Sandwich Islands Will be in
great danger, San Diego and Coronado are
in the awful swim, but Pittsburg is o. Z.
Won't this be grand news for nv dear old
aunt out West? She thinks we live in the
region of great cataclysms, and that it is
only matter of time N6en we shall be
swallowed up. When house sank into a
mine at Wiikesbarre she wondered what had
become of Us who lived near Pittsburg, and
when hurricane struck Reauing she
thought it was all up with US.
Professor Buchanan deserves the thanks
of Pittsburg in particular. and Western
Pennsylvania in general, for his generous
and friendly bearing towards us as people.
Other cataclysmic prophets have said that
natural gas will eventually doom this part
of the State to abysmai oblivion. but here is
q great scientific predicator, establishing his
grand theories upon the solid foundations of
the laws o, periodicity, which entirely ex-
empts us from these elemental catastrophies.
A good topic for exposition voting next
week would be "shall we, or shall we not,
build monument to Professor Buchanan,
said monument to be erected just where the
Monongahela and the Allegheny kiss each
other and become one great Ohio?"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
In the Children's Playhouse.

John A. Theroux, of Sprague, CAL, re-
Gently built playhouse for his children,
and for the past two weeks the children
have been telling their parents that there
was big snake in their playhouse, saying
that when they were playing the snake
would come out and run around the play
house and then run away again. Finally
Mr.. Theroux's little son james came rum
nlng to his mother, saving: "Come to the
playhouse and see if don't know what
snake is"
Mrs. Therou1 went to the house to see if
there was anything there, and was greatly
astonished to see big rattlesnake calmly
summing itself on the floor in the doorway.
She picked up big boulder and smashed
his snakeship. When Mr.. Theroux came
home he went out and found the snake dead,
and cut of his rattles, OF which there were
seven,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Trained to Clean Sewers,

can old man in ST. Louis" said another
member of the company, Showed me the
first educated snake ever saw. He was a
sewer cleaner and used to send this snake
with one end OF wire in his mouth through
the sewers. A wad of rags was tied to the
other end of the wire, and it cleaned the
sewers
"Wha. was the mans name?" inquired q
tool ishe. from MannIngton.
"Zeph Harrison" replied the other.
"What kind OF a snake?"
coach whip. bought that snake from
Harrison ior $500 L use him In fishing for
lost tools in oil wells. 1 send him down
with a stout wire in bis mouth. He passes
through the eye OF the drill. like a thread
passes through a needle, a bit of wire rope
follows the wire, and the tools come up.
Yes, sir, L am the man that owns that
snake"
"Hold on, gentlemen, this is becoming
extravagant," said the gentleman from
Punxsutawney.
VERY 's!eazy,'" said the msn from Flor
ida. 1--WE are confning ourselves to facts
and we want legitimate snake stories."
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
The Poplar and Rheumn n tism.

How few people there are who will confess
that superstition has played any part in ir-
clining their thoughts or actions to certain
channels, but how many are there whose
minds have aot been affected to degree by
the strange influence which passes for super
stition? George H. Sharpe, q wealthy
builder of Hamilton, Ont, says the New
York Star, who has just returned from trip
abroad, in chatting On the subject yesterday,
said:
Perhaps you have heard the story of the
poplar tree cure for rheumatism. I didn't
believe in such stories. Idon't now; but let
me tell you of my experience in trying this
panacea. For years was a great sufferer
from rheumatism, which incapacitated me
at times from attending to my business.
Several old women advised the poplar tree,
and was instructed to take hold of branch
with one hand, cut the branch from each
side, and bring the piece home within my
grasp and lay it away. I would have no
more rheumatism, they said. said such .
proceeding was nonsensical
"Shortly after this interesting advice was
vouchsafed I was attacked with rheu-
matism, and my wife suggested that try
the remedy. 1t would do no harm, if no
good came Of it, was her argument I
called myself an idiot. but followed in
structions. The incident passed from my
mind, and one day, some months later. my
wife called my attention to the fact I had
not suffered from rheumatic attacks since
trying the old women's prescription. 1t
was so, and since the experiment have
had no trouble with rheumatism. don't
claim that the poplar tree cured me, but
in truth, 1 have suffered no recurrence OF
the trouble. I don't believe in supersti-
tions, but this was my experience"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21

Miss Maud had quite an adventure with a
rattlesnake recently. They were driving
along in q buggy near home, when. it is
supposed, the wheel ran over rattler, and
as the mule they we're driving was moving
at its slowest possible gait, his snakeship
wrapped himself around the wheel and came
up squirming and rattling uncomiortably
close to Maud's face, and acted as II 1t
would like to get into her lap. But woman's
defense-a piercing scream-awoke the mule
from his reverie and caused him to step out
a little livelier, carrying the rattler to the
ground. Not having been invited into the
seat, it did not come up again. The men
were hauling hav from the same locality
shortly alter, and found the snake under
the hay and killed it.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21

cut, ssys the st. Louis Globe Democrat. A
badly shaped head may, by skilliul bar
ber, be made to assume an Intellectual cast,
and in very simple way. The intellectual
top than Just above the ears, and clever
barber, by cutting the hair short over the
ear and gradually lengthening it to the top
of the head, may give the greatest dolt an
appearance of brains and intellectually.
The real shape of the head is concealed bv
the haircut, and 30 per cent of good looks
added to the face. They say the tailor
makes the man, and no doubt be helps, but
the barber does his part, and ii we'll trained,
his part is by no means contemplate.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Doctoring the Feet.

Brigadier General Bengough, G. B., is an
officer of practical turn, says the Pail Mall
Budget, being of opinion, as he says, that
'battles are fought and won as much by
marching as by fighting" he has recently
issued the following orders tor the benefit of
the troops under him in Madras: 'In view
of the importance that attaches to the proper
care of the feet of infantry soldiers as re-
CARDS comfort and endurance in marching,
the Deputy Surgeon General has been de-
sired to arrange for the instruction of two
men per company in the cutting Of nails
and the treatment OF corns, blisters, etc.
These men, when instructed, may be re-
lieved of guard duties. and be held respon-
sible for the care Of the mems feet in their
company, and company officers will make
periodical personal inspections, specially
before marches, to insure that this duty is
efficiently carried out. The necessary in
struments for each company will be issued
by the station staff officer.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Milking D.lt. Look Brniny.

1t is astonishing what difference in per-
sonal appearance may be effected by hair
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
On n Buggy Wheel.

~ R-ouuon+. Cal. Mrs. n. W. Poet end
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
Tobacco and the Brain.

Bulwef, when but STRIPPING among men
of~letters. when so far as to say that "the
pipe ripens the brain and opens the heart;
the man who smokes thinks like sage and
acts like Samaritan" That increasing
years have but confirmed him in his opin-
ion we gather from the following passage
(ungallant, / own) in "What Will He Do
With It:"s9
"Mr. Waite drew long Whit, and took
more severe view of affairs. He who doth
not smoke hath either known no great griefs
or re useth himself the softest consolation,
next to that which comes from heaven.
what, softer than a woman?' whispers the
young reader. Young reader, woman leases
as we'll as consoles. Woman makes halt
the SORROWS which she boasts the privilege
to soothe. Woman consoles us, it is true,
while we are young and handsome; when
we are old and ugly, woman snubs and
scolds us. On the whole, then, woman in
this scale, the weed in that. Jupiter, hang
out thy balance and weigh them both, and
if thou give the preference to woman all
can say is, the next time Juno ruff1es thee
oh, Jupiter, try the weed!"