davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
"A WhistlinS Well.

In the town of Great Valley, in Cat
taraugus County. there is an interest
ing curiosity known locally as the
''whistling WE'LL" located on the farm
of Colonel Wesley Flint. About forty
i've years ago the well was dug by the
colonels father to the depth of forty
five feet, but no water accumulated.
and the we'll was put down rs "a fiat
failure. A strong current of air was
noticed rushing into the we'll at times
and at other times rushing out of it.
A flat stone with l 3-4-inch hole was
fitted over the hole and a whistle
placed in it, which changed its tune as
the air was drawn up or down. This
whistle proved reliable weather ba-
rometer. In settled weather the whistle
was silent. but an approaching storm
heralded by warning shrek of the
whistle as the air rushed out of the
well, but as clear weather approached
the current of air changed and was
drawn into the we'll and the faithful
whistle changed and told its story
by its changed tone.-Albany Arqus.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
Value of Athletic Training.

do you believe in athletics?' was
asked of a well-known business man who
was found practicing with dun.o.bells al
the back of the store the other day.
Certainly do" he promptly replied
'Think it helps your health7"
Il know it does, and it has saved my
bacon once or twice."
PLEASE relate"
''Well, a couple of years ago I took
twenty four lessons in boxing and
worked up big muscle and lots of sand.
/ was going home one night soon after
graduating, when a man jumped out al
me from the alley. In minute he was
nowhere"
Hit him hard. ehr'
mo, didn't Lit him at ALL"
"Trip him up and fall on himr'
mo"
Didn't kick hin1
mo"
well, what did you do?"
''Ou,run himl But for my athletic
exercises I couldn't have done it,
Detroit Free Press
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
A Disappointed Policeman.

"Well. that's the worst liver saw, :"
said Policeman Double X. us he stood
mournfully twirling his club on Il cor
ner on Harlem street ut 9 o'clock one
chilly morning last week.
What's the matter. oflicer?" asked
a synlpathizing and curious newspaper
man.
Matter enough. You see, there's a
new man at the saloon at the corner
beyant. and not KNOWN him well I
tot I'd hit him easy like the furst
tonne. So l dropped in at the family
entrance and SEE to him, frindly like,
We know. Gould you give me drink
av wathcr?' seq /, winking mildly be.
times. 'Ay coorsc l will seq he,
handin' me Il glass trough the GROWER
hole. An pllawt do you tink? 1t wnz
a glass of water. Begorra. phawt some
men don't know would blasht rock. !"
N T. Tribune.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
Elemental Prayers.

When Max O'Rell was qucsting in
Scotland for humor he was told of a
Presbyterian minister who had just cut
his hay. and, the weather not being
very propitious for making it. he knelt
near his open window and addressed
to heaven the following prayer: 20
Lord. send to us wind for the hay; not
a rantin', tantin'. tearin' wind. but a
noughin'. soughin'. winnin' wind. :"
But Dean Ramsay was before Max
O'Rell. says the Gentlenaan's Magazine.
and as the story appeared in his REM
iniscences' due acknowledgment of the
fact was given. We should. however,
submit that the dean was not first in
the field, but that the circumstances
may have crept out of the talmud and
been captured and carried to the Pres
byterian fold, as we find the following
in learned transactions: "Choni. the
circling charmer, was asked to pray
for rain. After his preparations and
prayers drops began to fall. L have
not asked for this said he, but for
such abundance rs to fill wells. bitches
and caves A tempest of rain was the
result. No. said he. that is not what
ask, but rain of pleasantness, bless
ing and free will The rain moder-
ated, but continued to fall till Israel
had to leave Jerusalem for the Temple
Mount on account of the swelling tor
rents. Pray now,' they cried, for
its discontinuance.' Go and see, said
he. whether the water has covered the
Inquiry stone The president of the
Sanhedrim sent him the following mes
sage: Were it any other man than
Choni l would decree his excommuni-
cation. but what can l do unto thee,
whose prescriptions like that of son
against his father. IS met by the eter-
nal one with the fullillment of my
desires.''
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
Mr.. CREELEY's OLD HOME.
An Interesting Relic Of Early Day. 0tiD
Standing In Westchester.

The recent destruction by fire of the
old Greeley homestead at Chappaqus
brings to mind the first homestead of the
Greeley family in Westchester county,
which was located in Purdy's Station.
some miles beyond Chappaqua.
When q very young man Horace
Greeley rented the little house shown in
the picture. paying rent of S. a month
therefor. The house was at that time
smaller by several feet than at present
1t had three rooms, sitting room and
kitchen on the first floor and bedroom
on the second. 1t is about mile and q
half from the depot Mt Purdy's and sets
back about twelve feet from the road.
An old fashion stone wall surrounds the
house. and an old swinging gate, on
which the Greeley children used oft to
swing, gives entrance to the grounds.
Mr. Greeley occupied the house. 50
tradition says, for about two years and
then moved to New York with his fami-
ly. The new tenants of the house built
an addition, but of materials so like the
older part that the improvement IN the
space makes but little difference in the
appearance of the house. The house is
very old, so old, in fact, that the oldest
inhabitant of Purdy's Station cannot tell
when it was built, and it is at present
occupied by poor family, the head of
which ekes out an existence from the
little garden which he tends on the place
and from work on neighboring farms.
While the old homestead has gone to
ashes the older house of the Greeley
family still stands curiosity to visitors
TO the little town of Prudy's Station.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03

serious fall in temperature would cause
sufficient condensation of moisture 10
produce rainfall.
Il have known the thermometer to
register 90 degrees and the psycbrometer
TO record ninety five per cent of humid
ity in the atmosphere and yet no rain
fell. On the other hand, have known
rain to fall with only seventy per cent
of humidity in the atmosphere. The
amount of humidity in the atmosphere
up to the point of complete saturatlon,
which is 100 degrees, does not necessari-
lv produce rain. 1t requires other con.
ditions than that to cause rain. The
humidity must be condensed before rain
can fall"
What is the highest per cent of
humidity you have ever observed in the
atmosphere where rain did not fall?''
Il have known the humidity to be
ninety per cent with no rain. but
there wasla dense fog, which is almost
the same as rain
'Or Il haze?" hazarded.
MOT at all. Haze always means dry
weather. The driest weather we have
is apt 10 be hazy. The haze results
from minute sediments taken up by the
atmosphere. When the humidity is 100
per cent and the psy chrometer is whirled
the two thermometers do not show the;
slightest variation. The evaporation Of
the moisture in the linen sheath does not
have any added effect. No matter how
hard the instrument is wnirled, the re-
gisters remain the same. The normal
humidity at this station is s;xty-two per
cent. When it goes above that figure
we are ant 10 suffer
I'VE have always measured humidity.
in one way or another, but it was only
a few years ago that the psychrometer
was invented. SO as to give all stations
uniform basis of measurement. The
new table of figures we used was made
up year ago. Before that time the OBJ
server had to 60 through a long calcu
lation before he could figure GU; tho
humidity after he had made his obser
vatiOns.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03

POSTURE auu n0loln& ner Almost In my
arms, said:
I'VE are going to send you home to
your mother, where you will have
bright sunshine to cheer you and the
sweet songs of birds to awaken you in
the morning."
Her head leaned to one side until her
eyes were fixed on mine, and peaceful
smile Of happiness filled her face with
q supernatural glow.
Isis John going. too?" she
gasped.
Yes" | replied. The is going home
with YOU"
Lay me down, then, and-and let
me rest. for l will-need all my
strength"
With heart filled with sadness
gently replaced the wasted figure on
the bed and sat down beside her to
wait for John.
1t seemed that he would never come,
and impatiently I watched the fading
woman. praying that her husband
would make all possible speed. for it
was only matter of short time. if
she could be moved at once her life
was saved, for the very mention of her
old home, with John beside her.
| seemed to Undue her with renewed
vigor.
AS sat alone. her head turned to-
ward me and those great, blue eyes
once more opened. and with'a smile of
delight she murmured. so low that l was
forced to kneel beside her to catch the
words: I'VE are going home together;
thank God! l will not have to 20
alone"
Once more her long lashes closed
and she slept peacefully.
Two hours passed and John did
not come, and was getting more wor-
ried every moment, when at last
heard the sound of footsteps entering
the hall below. With a peculiar feel
ing that all was not right, went
to the door just in time to see several
men coming slowly up the stairs with
something between them covered with
white cloth. As they nelred me one
of them approached me and said: "A
few minutes ago. sir, man dashed
across the street in front of the car !
was driving and before l could stop
one of the horses struck him and the
car ran over him. No one in the crowd
that gathered knew him, except man
who thought he had seen him hang
around this building, and thinking
perhaps his folks lived here we have
brought his body on. Please look at
him and see if you know his face. y
With sickening dread I advanced
aud raised the cloth; there I saw what
had expected, the mutilated face Of
John.
He was not killed instantly" con-
tinued the man, for after reaching
him he muttcred something about
him and somebody going home to-
gether.
| did not reply to the driver, but
! taking him by the arm, drew him into
the room. AS we entered the sick wo-
man moved uneasily and a low moan
escaped her lips, followed by gentle
whisper that sounded more like the
last breath of sweet strain of music
than anything else:
Thank God, John, we are going
home together!'
There came short gasp from her,
and realizing too we'll the meaning OF
it. sprang to her side and lifted hel
up.
But 1 held in my arms nothing but
a piece of lifeless clay; they had in.
deed gone home together. "-Edudr0
n. Wood, IN atlanta Constitution.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
AN AMERICAN HelREss.


March 25.-TOm called last night.
Tom is splendid, and he loves me, but
he is too plebeian. He is dealer in
pig-iron. Pig-iron! Father says he il
very rich now and will be millionaire
some day. What care for millionaires!
Pa is a millionaire several times over.
The man who wins me must bring .
foreign title; q coronet shall alone
adorn my brow.
March 28.-Tom has made declara-
ton; he wants to marry me. Marry .
plain American and dealer in pig
iron! The iron crown of Lombardy
might suit me. but money couldnt
buy that. Tom will never be anything
but plebeian. Noble fellow. though.
So manly and so handsome. Poor
Tom! Why weren't you born with .
title?
March 30.-I have met the object of
my dreams! A prince!-a real. live
Italian prince! 1t was at Mrs. Jays
reception last night. All the Jays ir
town were there. The prince paid me
constant attention. 1t was amusing to
see Tom scowl. / couldn't help but
smile, for / don't care. Between pig
iron and prince what girl of spirit
could hesitate to decid
April /. = The prince called last
night. The top of his head doesn't
come up to Toms shoulder, but oh. how
sweetly he talks in his liquid Italian
tongue! But there Is one thing didn't
like. He borrowed nickel of me tc
pay his car-fare back to his hotel.
These princess are so eccentric.
April lowe are to be married, the
prince and I. o Joy! joy! The dream,
of my life is to be fulfilled shall
wear princely coronct. He has just
sent me the most beautiful bouquet
and the bill came with it, but never
mind. Pa has to pay something for 2
prince. I wouldn't have Tom know il
for the world. though. We shall sal
for Italy Immediately after the cere-
mony.
Board Ship, May 1O.-The prince,
my husband. acts very queer. He
asked me this morning for little
change to pay the barber. Afterward
he came down and said he must have
10 cents for cigar. Are princes then
SO pcnniless?
May al am laid up in my berth.
bruised from head to loot. The prince
demanded all the money I had, and
when refused he beat me. He even
asked with sheer what supposed he
married an American woman for if she
wasn't to support him. He is becom
ing insupportable.
May lowe have landed. but am
so lame from the beatings 1 have re-
ceived that can hardly walk. The
prince has carried off my jewelry and
pawned it.
May 10 horror! shame! shame!
The prince has been arrested as thief
and swindler. He is no prince at all.
but a horrid barber, who ran away to
America with his employers money,
and now he is in Jail. have cabled
pa for money to get home. The prince
has gone, but the prints he left viii
| never disappear Siftin0s.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
WITH A STITCH IN HIS SIDE.

tongue plough an set of rope gear
that l whup him befo' the weeks out"
lobe wrote out a confession of faith
on piece Of paper bag, and carried it
In his hip pocket. At night when he
would awake and feel that he must whip
some one or toss sleeplessly on his
wheat straw bed, he would reach over,
grabble his confession out of his pocket,
read it over. take a chew of long. green
tobacco and then worry along as best he
could. One evening while he was milk
ing e-looking cow that wore Il mis-
=. chievous wink, old Bill came up to the
fence.
Brother Tobe." said he. II think
the time for me to whup you have
came"
do you reckon it have?" lobe re-
piled. turning loose the blue cows milk
nozzle and wiping drop of pale milk
from his horny hand.
'Yas, low SO"
''All right" lobe responded. and
taking the confession of faith from his
placed stone upon it and said: Faith
in things that have been an air yit to
come rest thar till maui this sinner"
moments later Bill, with stitch IN his
side and sciatc disturbance of the hip,
limped toward his humble dwelling.
The next evening, when lobe was again
eking a few drops of milk from the blue
COW. Bill came up to the fence aud said:
"Pear to be enjoyin' yo'se'f putty
WE'LL"
''Yas, reasonable SO. Have you got
wellY'
Mot exackly-still got shootin' pain
iu nv hip"
DO you allus milk?"
''Yas, do the milkin' all the time.''
AN you never do let yo' wife milk
none?"
Never tall. Thar air some cows
that wimmin folks kin milk an agin
thar air others that they KANT tech.
You've got ter skeer cow when you
wanter get right good milk. Ell you
don't skecr 'em they let down the poor.
est milk they've got. I'm great mixer.
me. l jest nachuially skeer cow into
cream. bought cow frum Teller
wunst that didn't give nuthin' but what
they call blue John. argyed with her
while. but she KEEP on givin' blue
John. got tired one day an damned
her time or two with q rail an then
you oughter seed the milk. 1t want
nothin' but cream"
DO this here COW allus switch her
tail thiscr way?" Old Bill asked af ter q
moments silence.
"Oh. yes: specially in fly time"
Don't it hurt you when she hits you
inethe face?'
mo, fur am SO ulster it."
"Wall. I must 60 now. Good by.
Whenever think I can whup you I'll
come over agin."
I DO eff you please. an you'll allus find
me handy at grabbin' my confession OF
faith.
The next evening when old lobe went
to milk the blue COW he noticed that she
appeared to be nervous and disturbed
about something. He spoke to her gent.
" at first. but when she began to toss
her head he reminded her of the fac,
that he had often beaten her from dis
nosition Of skinned milk into willing.
ness to give cream; but when he sa,
down on his one-legged stool to strip the
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
HOW HUMIDITY IS MEASURED.


The Whlrling ,Psychrenetsf aad Table
Of Figsrss the Only Appliances.
The PsJchrometsr. a sketch ofwhich
appears In this article IL the ipstrument
used to measure the humidity Of the at.
mosphere. This 10 the way it works.
On each of the iron rods is fastened
thermometer precisely alike saw that
the bulb of one of them is covered with
small linen sheath. The observer vets
the covered bulb in cup Of rain water
that is standing in the room. In half
minute the mercury in this thermometer
begins to fall rapidly. After it has fall.
en- sufficiently the observer turns the
and the two Thermometers rev0lve. max
ing wnirring noise as they beat the
air like the arms OF q windmill. HALF
q minute Of turning is enough. Now It
will be seen that tho wet thermometer
registers lower temperature than it did
before it was m0istened. while the dry
thermometer does not differ in Its regis
tration.
The observer notes the two registers,
aud when he returns to his Office he con-
CuAS0 y toUAO Va AS utVo WAICA kAVCo ulLA
the amount of humidity in the atmos-
phcre at the moment he made his OBJ
servation. On the day that witnessed
this measuring operation says reporter
for the N. Y. Herald. the dry thermo-
meter registered 20 degrees and the wet
one recorded Is. From these two figures
the observer announced tn at there was
forty two per cent of humidity in the
moisture.
1.-The amount of moisture now present
in the atmosphere" explained Sergeant
Dunn, who made the observation just
described, lis in ratio to the amount
when the atmosphere is thoroughly
saturated. which is 100 per cent. Owing
to the expansion of warm air the atmos-
phere has greater capacity for mois-
turc on warm than on a cold day.
That is, the atmosphere can take up
more moisture on a warm than on a cold
day. Our humidity now stands at forty.
two per cent. In case the temperature
should increase and the evaporation re-
main stationary, the per cent of humid.
ity would decrease because of the great.
er capacity of warm air to hold mois-
ture. The moisture would not be any
less, but it would be diffused over q
greater area. If, on the other hand. the
temperature should decrease, the humid
ity would show greater per cent. A
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
The King and tho CobbIcr.

4 cobbler he sat in dirty old stall.
working with elbows, and hammer, and awl.
a King with his mantle and crown came by.
With bis feet on the earth. and his nose In the
sky.
'Ho! hol" auoth the coebler. "Ha! hal
This mighty. important, and fsissy old swell
Would not like his billet one-half so well,'
Come try" said the King land here at on
And 1 to your last will most gladly sit down,
II l can't mend q boot, noise / can make.
Which for work in this life we too often mis-
take
And the wax kept him firm on the seat of the
pail;
At last he got angry. and terribly swore
That mending of boots should be stopped by
the law.
''This crown" roared the cobblcr, won't keep
out the cold:
Like many other folks. I'm deceived by the
gold,
And as for this mantle"-and here he fell
down.
"There are more checks about it than Mar
gerys gown"
They looked at each other, and laughed ut the
(And, had we been there. we had just done
Said the King. LET US both to our stations
Putting things to the proof is the right way
to learn"
The King died in battle, the cobbler in bed,
And as lie WAS dying these last words he said,
hope where I'm going shan't be u King"
John Parnell.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
Better than q String.

Better than q String.
II want something" said q farmer as
he entered Michigan avenue drug store
the other day.
well, what is it?'
Il didn't tie string around my finger.
but guess can get around to it all the
same. What's the lN.me of the lake be-.
low usf'
Lake Erie"
Exactly. What's the name Of the
bay which the boats run tor
Putin Bay"
Correct. Now. then. who put in
there4"
Perry"
STRAIGHT as string. I want 10 cents
worth of perygoric. My old woman
said Id be sure to forget it. but here's
the proof that didn't -Detroit Fro
Press.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
Whipping-Post for Boys.

If there is anything in the old say
ing about sparing the rod and spelling
the child the children of Alexandria,
Va, should be pretty near perfect.
There is whiping-post at the police
station and when boys are arrested for
trivial offenses their parents are sum-
monel thither to whip them III the
presence of the police. The alterna-
live is fine by the court, which comes
out of parental pockets.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
HIS POCKET RELIGION.
&c COULD BE LAID ASIDE WHEN &C.
CASlON REQUIRED.
His Habit Of whipping His Erothef.in.
Law and Everybody E:se-He Meets
His Match.

Tobe Grear had whipped every man in
Poinsett County. To some men fighting
may be only a recreation. but to Tobs
it was necessity. Once he awoke at
midnight. and, unable to go to sleep
again, lay tossing and groaning.
"Whuts the matter, Tobe7" his wife
asked.
"Oh, I dunno; am all outen sorts"
Don't you think it's becaze you amt
whipped no body lately3"
"Yas. that's the very reason"
"Wall. git up an whup yo' brother
in-law, an then 60 to Sleep"
He got up, whipped his brother-in-
law aud then slept like sycamore log.
lobe had whipped old Bill Morgan
once every week for the past ten years.
Bill. extremely elastic disposition, did
not lose hope: he took boxing lessons of
the new circuit rider; and then, with
great confidence, invited lobe to whip
him. lobe did so; and then Bill mount.
ed his gray mare, rode over to the Mount
Zion meeting house and ''whaled" the
circuit rider for teaching boxing under
false pretenses.
One night. during heated revival in
July, lobe was stricken with conviction
and, yielding to the cntreaties of his
wife, went up to the mourners' bench
and placed his repentant head on the
white oak slab. He poured forth a
stream of lamentations-declare after
the manner of great apostle that he
had been a chief among sinners. and
vowed that if the Lord would exercise
his mcrciful pardoning power he would
every year contribute sheep to the
religiouo barbecue, and would refrain
from fighting to the best of his ability.
Suddenly he sprang to his feet and de-
clared that his sins had been wiped out
with tender hand; that he was pre-
pared to meet his friends that had gone
before, and that any man in the congre-
CATION might enjoy the privilege of call
ing him horse-thief without mourning
the danger Of being thumped.
Old Bill Morgan " as particularly de-
lighted with the conversion. and after
shaking hands with lobe turned to a
friend and remarked: Il have got him
on the hip now. an I'll bet you bull
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03

milk from her relhetant uddep, she
struck him on the head with her tail and
laid him out. Odd Bill Morgan dropped
down behind a neighboring log and
roared with laughter. That morning he
had caught the COW in the woods and In
an ingenious manner had fixed . chunk
OF lead in the bunch of hair at the end
Of her tail.-Opis p. Read, in NJ r
World
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03

A jackson county (West Virginia)
school teacher of 80 the other day
eloped with and was married to one of
her pupils of the mature age Of IS
fears.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
An Old Umbrella.

Mayor Job Male. of Plainfeld, N, a.,
who is 80 years old, has an umbrella
that he has carried for thirty-iive
wears. 1t has been recovered four
times, though never lost or mislaid
once.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03

The total catch Of seals by schooncrs
fitte,! out ut Victoria. b. Cup to April
| is reported at 1880
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03

A colored boy of Spudra. CAL. y
named Simon Suckeggs.