davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

head out OF the window of the coach and
waves his hat, and his father returns the
salutation.
While the train Is flying countryward
the father returns 10 his place OF busi-
ness. and as his friends come In he says:
'I've Just shipped my boy on vacation.
There'll be music In the air where he is
going when he has been there about
forty hours" 1852
In two days the city father gets a
stock OF mail which he runs over. He
picks out the envelope on which Is a
chirography which he recognizes from
Its pot style. II there were mo
post-mark on the envelope he would
know who wrote the superscrlption.
IL is the boys first letter and Is brief:
Dear Papa: We are all well. /
thought I'd write that as maybe you'd
want TO know. Ma said you'd be anxious.
We are all well Haven't been 1shin'
yet. Am goin' today maybe. Ma says
for me 10 walt. but Cousin John says it's
good fshin' today. So we're goin'. Ma
says she'll write SO / won't write any
more Don't forget TO send some fire.
crackors--cannons. you know. Cousin
John never saw any. So no more at
HttuNut but Out tVNihkF W.
The father reads the letter to several
OF his friends, puts his hands back Of
his head, looks out OF the Office window,
shuts his eyes slowly afterwards. falls
asleep, and dreamsi The smiles play
across his face. and he Is happy. He
wakes, looks about him. reads the letter
again. puts II In his pocket. and goes To
the club, where he reads IL 10 his old
crony.
The summer days drag along and no
more letters come from the boy for a
while. The father Is kept posted on the
boys health by thoughtful mother and
he Is satisfied. for he says TO himself:
'"rhe boy Is having fun and ! can't ex-
pect him TO write letters. Bless his
hearth was boy once myselfr
The vacation over. the father meets
his family nj the train and there Is re-
union. The baseball suit 10 not what
Ia was. The bat Is gone; the bicycle Is
broken: the boys right arm Is Ia n sling;
assertion OF court plaster adorns one
cheek. and the face Is full counterpart
Of a guinea hens egg 80 far as the spots
are concerned.
BY and by the father learns the story
of the boys vacation. He protends that
he doesn't care, hut he Is dying TO know
Just the same. His good wife tells him
Ia her way. but what mother could ever
relate the experiences OF her boy as well
90 the boy himsclfi
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

"The St. Lawrence river" said q
Clayton mcmbcr of tho Cogburn club
last evening sis most cratic an
we'll as beautiful body of water. You
have probably noticed several items in
the newspapers Of vessels sailing on ID
running aground because OF low water.
just think OF it-low water with tho
almost continuous rains we have had
the last spring. summer. and falll But
such Is the fact. Aud in some other
generally dry seasons the ST. Lawrence
has becn unusually high. Ii is said
that the grand old river has one of
those low spells sinking fits, 80 to
speak-eycr seven years. but can't
vonch fer the truth OF that Tho facs
remains. however hat II Is unlike any
other body OF water / know OF. and
when other streams and neighboring
lakes are high the St. Lawrence is apt
TO make contrary showing. W. lica
Observer.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04


aud there wasn't many boys around.
Seer
I'VE got so we had signs for every
thing. For climbin' trees; for stealth
eggs; for teetcrin' and so on. Aud our
mammas didn't know word OF what
was goin' on. Cousin John told me the
day | left that maybe he'd come to
Chicago some day and be policeman
or a cowboy. he didn't know which, but
whichever had the most fun IN IT, Ihad
been tellin' him about the policemen
in Chicago and about the cowboys Ia
the circus two years ago. And then we
agreed on sign OF how am 10 know
him when he comes here. but | mustn't
give that away"
The city boys father heard all this.
and as the hopeful clambered on his
knees aud said he wished he had gun
the city father stroked the hopefurs
hair and the two repeated the evening
prayer. and the father laid his boy on
his bed and kissed him good night aud
murmured TO himself He'll be Pres.
idcnt IL he lives - Chicago Iri6une.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

whsre the city boy Is going to visit.
There Is new tangled fishing rod with
reel on it--such as the country cousin
never saw. There Is the most improved
bicycle. base ball club and base.ba
suit. At no time in his life does the
heart OF the city father swell with such
swelling as when he has spent about
eS7. 80 on his boy for his vacation.
Then he LOOKS the boy over. and says
to his wife: II guess you had better SO
with him TO keep him straight"
The city father will not admit 1t. but
away down In his heart he chuclSles
over the idea that his boy needs watch
ing just little bit when he goes out
into the country. The day comes for
the departure and the city father heads
the procession to the station and the
family embarks. The boy crowds his
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

left line to mask his. II has been "a
long terrible DAY. Darkness brings =
respite grateful for all. We have vir-
tuaily said to each other over the
neutral ground;
LET US alone and we won't disturb
youP"
At IL o'clock noise In the dark
woods in front sends my blood leaping.
Ii was the noise OF footsteps breaking
dry twigs. There are wounded horses
wandering about. but this was not tho
footstep OF horse. Wounded men
may be seeking our lints. but | listen
vain TO catch groan or low call OF
distress.
"Stepl Stepl Stepl"
The sound is on my left front. Some
one is moving to get the shelter OF the
dark spot directly opposite. He is NOV
ing carefully. but i can follow every
foot Of progress.
"stepl Stepl (HaltD Stepl Step"
(SilenceD
Is it "a ghoul seeking out the dead
and wounded 10 rob themP Is Ii u
picket from the other line seeking TO
locate our posts and report how far
away we areP Is IL some human devil
seeking TO dabble his hands In blood
after the horrors of the dayp Men who
had brothers or friends killed in battle
by daylight sometimes swore fearful
vengeance and went out upon the
bloody field Mt night TO secure IL.
''Rustlc Stepl (HaltD Stepl Stepw
Coming closer.)
If | raise an alarm here Il will 90 up
and down the line aud arouse
thousand .men in moment. III / let
this unknown approach me / may be
assassinated. He can not see me in
this gloom, but he is slowly approach
ing in direct line.
Halt! Who goes thereP"
Deep silence.
IL no was stragglcr from our lines
or wounded man he would make
answer.
'Stepl Stepw And now hear him
sink down TO the earth.
"Who goes thero?"
Silence.
Who goes thereP"
Silence.
am waiting with musket raised. and
finger on the trigger. / have given
fair warning. Friend could ask nc
aACh'f ah0 oh Diuct Attiilt Htr
danger. As wait something makes
blot on the darkness 1t Is only few
feet away, and fire point-blank. There
is one long. shrill scream of agony.
and | hear body fall to the earth.
and then there Is deep silence for
moment.
What Is itPn asks the corporal oil
the guard as he hurries up from the re-
serve stationed scarcely hundred feet
In the rear.
''There-Fvc shot some one"
The alarm runs up and down the
lines TO die away after five minutes, and
then we advance 20 the object. The
corporal is there first. He reaches out
TO touch II, draws back in alarm, and
gasps: Great heavens, but you have
shot womanl"
IL was true. Some poor soul, crazed
by the terrible sounds OF battle-driveu
from her humble home - hiding In
some thicket until darkness came.
Then, dumb as the trees around her.
but guided by instinct. she sought to
make her way back TO the house--nc
doubt the very hut filled with our
wounded and suffering men. And she
was dead at my feet dead Of my own
bullet.--M Quad, Of Detroit Free Press.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

The city boy soon found that his own
mamma was quoting Cousin John as
such good little boy. and that Johnny
didn't want 10 do SO and SO. The city
boy concluded he would initiate Cousin
John and proceeded 10 do so. He said
10 John: "They'rc on TO our racket, aud
we'v got to play IL fine or IL won't be
any vacation. Seer
The city boy found that he must post
Cousin John on sign language. for the
city boys and Cousin Johns mamma
had become such listeners that IL was
dangerous TO falkland they had no
chance at night. for after the second
night OF the vacation II became neces-
sary for Cousin John TO sleep In the
family room, and the boy from the city
had a lounge In his mothers room.
Cousin John was an apt pupil II Is
with the country boy as II Is with the
country legislator. A lobbyist knows
whom TO pick out.
Sometimes, when Johnny's mamma
and the city boys mamma were In the
room with Johnny aud the city boy
right under their eyes. the city boy and
johnny were arranging program for
the following day by means of system
of signals.
The city boy must tell his own story
about this:
lone day when our mammas had us
In the house and had been lecturing us,
Cousin John and put up job to go
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

but one night.
I'VE used TO have
lots Of fun skinnin'
the cat. Did you
ever play thatf You
kctch hold OF a pole
with your hands and
put your feet
through your arms
and pull yourself up
on the pole. Some
ii es you fall.
w hen l wanted
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

when we had TO send
some more lie.
graphln'. and ! asked
Cousin John. let's
go swimmin and he
asked me when. and
| had concluded To
steal out in the
night. i made my
self underst, cd 10
Cousin j o hu by
shuttin' my eyes
tight. That meant.
Go swimmin' at
-
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

ball while / was out
there. Some way
Cousin John didn't
seem TO catch on to
that game. He al
ways got hit In the
n ose and that
would give him
away when he went
home. and get him
kept In the house
maybe two days.
Then I'd have to
braak In A navy how
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

are open ! n the
C ou ntry aud we
could crawl out.
But sometimes our
mammas w Guild
ut a W ay our
clothes a fter we
had gone TO bed,
and we had 10 hunt
around = ours.
One night got the
wrong clothes and
so did Cousin
John. We met In
the orchard and ha
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

90 swIMNIN'. sary TO have II un-
derstood When and where. 'Twasnt
necessary TO have any sign Of yes. for
Cousin John he always was in favor OF
anything put up. We had that under
stood. SO when put up my left thumb
Cousin John he put up his right fore
finger. this way. That meant, 'When'll
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

that would understand. Aud that was
by his clappln' both hands on both OF
his ears. That meant that he was wiilin'
and that he would carry IL.
when we was goin' out swimmin' at
night and we wanted il understood that
the dog had to be tied up Cousin John
would put both his hands around his
neck. We never tied up the dog, though.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04
where we hid cherries and apples and

wniermelous. Some
body always bad 10
steal the melon aud
somebody had TO car
nv II. IL | put my
right hand 10 my
right ear Cousin John
he understood that |
was 20 steal the
melon. Then II that
was all right Cousin
John he was 10 tcle-
graph 10 ma la a way
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

we gof' IL | knowed
we'd have TO steal
away after dinner
dinner In the country
was at 12 o'clock and
not 0 p. IN. then II
stuck my right fore
finger in my mouth.
away up as fnr | could
shove II. just like
this. s o IN Ell IN c $,
though, our mammas
would have somcthin'
for us To- de- and then
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

says. Whose shirt Is that you've got
onY and | says. Whose have you got
ong and then we laughed out loud. and
that made the dog bark. and Cousin
John said he'd tie up that blamed dog
next time we went out That was the
FIRST time / ever heard Cousin John
swear
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

8 w ] m IN ] n right
while our mammas
were tcllin' us we
mustn't. | put up
my sign like this: l
put up my left
thumb TO Cousin
John. That meant
Let's go sw ! IN :
min Course 1t
was always neces-
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

TIE UP THE DOG" Cousin John to skin
the cat I'd put one hand. open. up on
the side Of my head. That meant Wen
skin the cat II is great game in tho
country. We didn't play much base
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

Modern Rome Is said to bo the CITY
best supplied with water In the world
but ancient Rome had a supply Of near
ly seven times the quantity.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

The Lewiston Journal says lisa pref
~ small Maine town that hasn't dry
goods palace" nowadays.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

AFTER DINNER night - they cant
see us IL was like this:
well. we used 10 have TO work II
purity fine 10 get out OF nights. or
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04
ACITY BOYS VACATION.
HOW THE INDUL CENT FATHER PRO.
vIDEs FOR THE EVENT.
In Return His Young Hopeful Explains
How He and Cousin John Tricksd
Their Hammas.
Inc city boys father Is

The city boys father Is
the most indulgent.
the best hearted. and
the best-intentioned.
When the vacation OF
his boy Is about 10
begin. the city father
fixes out his hopeful
with q lot OF things
which will surprise
the country cousin
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-04

WOnIu nhVo sOmCTlIn MEANS. " NEN ID
for us To- de- and then WE cor
maybe we couldn't 20 after dinner. Aud
The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17
POULTRY PICKlNGS.

BOILED potatoes mashed and mixed
with cornmeal and bran makes an ex-
cellent feed for fattening turkeys.
WHEAT, corn and oats are good grain
diet, but fowls, especially the laying
hens. need some green food in addition.
SELL off all of the cockrels not wanted
for breeding. There is no economy in
wintering more than is needed TO. that
purpose.
GROUND or crushed bone is a valusb BILE
feed for poultry during the winter. 1t
can be given two or three times week
with profit
In fattening fowls it is not good econ
omy to feed any thing or the ground.
Provide clean troughs and boards They
will save feed.
Now is the time to remember that %
hens we'll cared for will return a much
better profit than SO allowed to take
care of themselves.
FROM now on until towards spring
well-dressed poultry will pay better
than those marketed alive, but the
work must be carefully done.
SUNFLOwER seed and sorghum seed
make good feed to add to the variety
during the winter and can be given two
or three times week with benefit
THE Plymouth Rocks are compare
lively small eaters and are good for
ayers. They are Of good size, hardy
and vigorous, and are desirable breed
on the farm.
AFTER the poultry are carefully
dressed they should be. hung up until
all of the animal heat is cooled out be-
fore they are packed to ship. A little
care in this respect will often avoid con-
siderable loss.
A RAIL pen covered with straw and
banked up on the sides with corn fodder
will make comfortable shelter for the
fowls during the winter at very small
cost 1t is far better than allowing
them to roost in the stables or stock
sheds.
A HANDFUL Of linseed meal given in
the feed twice a week will be a benefit
during the winter. Mix and let stand
until it is thoroughly soaked. Its bet
ter to feed with bran or cornmeal. Some
use a teaspoonful Of Venetian red
mixed in with pint of meal made into
a stiff dough and feed to the fowls as
preventive Of cholera. The cost is
little and preventive is much better
than any cure.
The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17
COPPER JOE.

Kinder Injun-lookin', an guess 'ut's why. per-
haps,
He got the nickname at he did from all the
other chaps:
Wuzn't nary one of US at cottoned to him, 50
We made il interestin right along fur Copper
Joe.
AL the bigger fellers KEEP a-drivin' him away;
Used TO take a liclIin JUS so reg'lar ev'ry day;
Seems no matter what you did, you couldn't
down him, though
Fur his size never see the beat OF Copper Joe
None Of US I'D chum with him, accuse he wuz
SO mean
JUS about the meanes' little kid you ever seen
Keich him al baseball match, or takin' in .
show
Other fellers done it. but you bet not Copper
Joe.
Sharp, though, as a iack-knife, as you needn't
a. ben told,
ryou'd JUS a seen the STACKS O. papers at he
Never had his eyes shet, an wuz allus on the
Somehow folks a-buyin' looked around fur Cop
per Joe.
An then, all of q suddint, he stopped comm
any more,
Some wuz thinkin' ma ybe at he'd gone into a
store,
Till some one kinder curious, went huntin'
high an low
To try an find whatever had become Of Copper
Joe.
An what now do you s'pose the feller at wuz
lookin' found!
We didn't feel so good, tell you. hen it got
around.
Sick-the little chap wuz sick-an' then We
wuZn't slow
A-goin an a-doin' what We could fur Copper
Joe.
There wuz his helpless mother, an a little gal
beside,
A-both cependin on him ever since his father
died,
An all the time We set him as bein mean, you
know,
Here he wuz s-keepin' 'em-poor little Copper
Joe!
Well, ats purity near all, a-ceptin ever since
Fellers has been treatin' him as If he wuZ
prince;
Let him be, an you JUS bet at he kin hoe his
Some day when he's growed up big you'll hear
from Copper Joe.
Malcolm Douglas, in Detroit Free Press.
The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17
TWELVE GOOD RULES.

II You Follow Them You Can Make
Pouitry-RaisinR . Success.
l. Make hens lay when eggs are
dearest.
. Breed stock when eggs are cheap
s. Keep a non-setting breed to lay
when settlers are Matching, and pay ex-
penses of the latter.
4. Breed as many chick ems as possible
and as early as possible. They all rep
resent so much money.
5. Keep all the pullets. They are
worth two dollars each as prospective
winter layers
6. Kill or otherwise dispose Of all hens
after three years Of age.
Z. Breed the best fiesh-formers for
market Keep them up to as great a
weight as may be possible.
S Well-fattened, well-dressed poultry
will always bring the best prices from
the best customers
0. II not accustomed TO poultry, be-
gin with small number. Learn to
make success of the few. and then go
on with large number.
10. Do not neglect the little essentials
to success, such as lime. gravel, meat,
plenty Of clean water. green food, dust
bath. etc., regularly supplied to layers.
IL. Keep strict account Of every cent
Of expenditure and receipts Charge
the poultry with all expenses, and
credit them with all receipts. The
droppings at seventy-fve cents per bar
rel will go long way to pay for feed.
IL Market gardeners and dairymen
are particularly we'll situated to permit
Of their dealing profitAbly in poultry;
the former have spare time in the win
ter. the latter are among the best Gus
toners in the city every day.-Western
Rural.
The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17
HOMEMADE BOB SLED.

and bench, and keyed. The draw pieces
are three-by-four-inch timber, fitted to
the inside Of the crook and fastened
with an inch-and-a-quarter pin passing
through the rave, runner and draw
piece. and wedged as before. The
tongue is round pole, with head
block of three by-four-inch tim Der with
slots cut in the ends to receive the
brace irons which pass through about
six inches with hook that fastens in
an eye in the draw-piece and can be
taken of. They are coupled together
with chains about six feet long. with a
hook on one end fastened to ring in
the bench of the front bob. and can be
taken up or let out at pleasure. Any
farmer handy with tools can easily
make such pair Of bobs, the use of
which will soon pay him for his work.
American Agriculturisr
The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17
AGRICULTURAL HINTS.
A HOMEMADE SLED.

How to Contract . Strong and Cheap
Pair Of Bobs.
The homemade sled illustrated here
with, after sketches sent US by Fred c.
McConkey. Niagara County, n. Y. has
runners four feet long, natural crooks,
hewn out six inches broad and four
inches deep and placed the same dis
lance apart as those of an ordinary
sleigh. The benches are six-by-eight-
inch timber hewn out in the middle to
four-by six inches The raves are two
by-six-inch plank four feet long. The
whole is fastened together by two two
inch pins on each end passing through
the rave, bench and runner, and firmly
wedged at both ends. A notch is cut in
the top Of the bench at the end two
inches deep and six inches back to re-
ceive the raves, leaving the top per
fectly smooth to receive the holsters
which are fastened on by an inch-and-a-
quarter bolt passing through the bolster
The Globe-republican., 1890-12-17
CATCHING A COLD.
The Trouble Explained and Some of I 10
Games Enumerated.

The Trouble Explained and Some Of ID
Causes Enumerated.
What do we mean when we say We
have taken cold? In a literal sense,
we have done no such thing; and a
modern writer has suggested that what
is called catching cold,' would be bet
ter expressed by the phrase. catching
| heat. What actually takes place is
something as follows: We expose some
part of the body to a draft; the surface
becomes chilled, and the circulation. to
some extent. is arrested; the blood and
other fluids are sent in another direc-
ton. What should have been thrown
out through the surface. is turned in
on the mucous membranes: and as these
parts become congested. sneezing takes
place; there is an abnormal quantity Of
fluids thrown upon the mucous surfaces,
and the system makes an effort to get
rid of It
This taking cold" may be caused
by sitting for a few moments in strong
current of cool air; it may be the back
of the neck that is exposed; or it might
be some other part of the body. Hold
ing the hands in very cold water for q
considerable length of time will often
cause one to take cold. Or sitting with
cold feet viii do the same thing, espe-
cially if the general circulation is fee
BILE. Clothing one part of the body too
much and another part too little will
frequently give one cold. Any thing
that arrests the free circulation Of blood
and sends it in on the mucous surface
may produce this effect.
The most frequent causes of all. per.
haps. of taking cold. is the one stated,
that of catching heat" Sitting for
hours in room where the temperature
is eighty degrees or upward, and then
going out into a colder atmosphere,
frequently produces cod: this is par
.icularly the case where the air is not
only hot but impure. In fact. we think
the impurity has more 70 do with it
than the heat: and the two combined
will rarely fail to cause An influenza or
sore throat; sometimes . full-fsdged
pneumonia BY exposing ones self to
hot, foul air. the whole skin Is for the
time debiiitated: and on reaching q
cooler atmosphere the blood is driven
from the surfsce, and congestion Of the
mucous membranes will almost certain
ly follow, either there is cold on the
lungs" or sore throat or there is IN
attack of acute catarrh.-St Louis Mag.
axinA