davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
DECORATION CRAZES.
Most Housekeepers Have Had Their Heads
Turned by Them.

LuTuou ny Ahcus
1t was really an advance in education
when we discovered that neutral colors,
soft tints and rougher surfaces were
more harmonious and beautiful for tho
walls of room than glaring white
paint, gorgeous paper hangings and
startling fresco; but straightway we
must finish our walls in rough plaster,
whose surface held dust and smoke, and
was wholly incongruous with the ap-
pointments of comfortable home. A
revolt against the absurdly high cell
ings, which made difficult the warming
and lighting Of oEr houses, brought us
return to the low-ceiled rooms with
heavy wainscoting and massive beams
overhead, whore our grandmothers' can
dies shed an Intellectual ray. We can
not reform the floral architecture of our
homes without adopting the walled
porches, small high windows and other
devices which owed their existence to
the presence of hostile Indians and the
tax on window lights. We even ape the
sanitary evils which resulted from ig-
norance of the laws of health, and paint
mould and mildew on our shingles, and
imitation moss upon our roofs that fair
ly chills one with its uncanny green
ness. We are not satisfied with curtail-
ing the sphere of the carpet, abolishing
its tightly nailed edges with their pain
full conformity to the contour of the
walls, but we must dispense with it al
together and slide and shiver on our
polished floors unless we can afford to
strew them promiscuously with rugs OF
all shapes and colOrs. q
We protest against the elaborate finn
siness of our furniture, and we are made
to adopt not simply the solidity of our
earlier days, but its uncomfortable angu-
larity. We begin by attempting to break
up the CHASTITY whiteness OF our glisten-
ing table service and end by replacing
washable linen with silk, satin, en-
broidery and lace, which are completely
out of place for such uses. We discover
that bit Of rich stuff dropping in
heavy folds over the arm Of dark,
carved chair, has picturesque effect,
and straightway, pictures, chairs, sofas,
tables and mantels are draped and BAN
daged, and Uttered with absurd scarfs
and ribbons and decorative nightmares.
Our children are charming in the
straight, simple, long-skirted dresses
and coats of generations gone, but we
must follow our craze until we load
their poor little heads with enormous
hats and bonnets, heavy with piled up
ribbons and feathers, and replace their.
long, sensible stockings with socks that
leave their pretty legs uncovered, that
they may look, forsooth, like a Greena-
way picture. One woman's ingenuity
constructs pretty trifie, and from
Maine TO Florida it repeats itself in all
imaginable variations, until soiled and
tarnished, battered and disHgured, It is
reluctantly banished from sight Call,
II you can, the roll OF the decorative
manias that have successively swopt
through the land; and few of us but
must hang the head at SOME awful
memory of paint, bronze, gildings or
embroidery. Fortunate, indeed, have
been our homes, II their names are not
legion. Home Magazine,
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
THE JAMAICA TICK.
An Unmitigated Nuisance to Human Be-
ings and to Cattle.

| An Unmitigated Nuisance to Human Be-
| ings and to Cattle.
| These tiny pests hang in swarms on
| the blades OF grass, on the leaves and
branches Of trees, on the most graceful
| ferns, and on every green thing. The
lady who brushes her skirt against the
verdure on the roadside, the planter
who is experimenting the work on his
estate, equally with the negro laborer
in the cane pieces or on the stock farm,
| are liable to be practically covered with
ticks at any minute. OF course, people
who are able to do so take every precau-
tion to keep clear of their attacks. and
| this may always be managed with more
or less success; but they are an ever
present source of worry and annoyance,
and even if whole battalions can be
avoided, no care can prevent the occa-
sional inroad of single spies. And a
tick, though only the size of a pins
head, is no despicable assailant. He
crawls, he bites. he burrows under tho
skin if he has time and opportunity,
and if he and his companions have q
fair chance of working their wicked
will, the result of the wounds which
they inflict may be very disagreeable,
and, in some cases, almost dangerous in
fammation.
independently OF the nuisance which
they are to human beings, they cause
serious mischief on the stock farms.
Besides pervading and irritating the
outer cuticle of each individual of the
herds, the cattle, and especially the
calves, take them into their mouths
while grazing. Then they burrow under
the skin of the tongue, palate and air
passages, forming Jumps and sores,
which, of course, destroy condition, and,
if not carefully attended to, eventually
choke the animal. In some pastures
their presence is so marked that cattle
are known to refuse to go in willingly
to Craze, but have to be exceptionally
forced to enter feeding grounds whero
so much pain and discomfort await
them.
1t is supposed that ticks first made
their way to the island on cattle inn
ported from the Spanish main, but
though they have been long more or
less known, it is only in comparatively
recent times that they have thrust
themselves into 4 bad notoriety. The
direct cause of their increase is the
gradual disappearance of their natural
enemies, which, if they did not exter-
miate the tiny parasites, at least kept
them within reasonable limit The
first of these enemies were the bird
tribes. To-day one of the first things
that strikes visitor is the remarkable
absence of the bird life which forms
such distinctive feature in most trop-
ical countries.-B Magazine.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
BOILING LAKES,
One in California That VIII Cook an Egg
in Four Minutes.

| One in California That VIII Cook an Egg
in Four Minutes.
| About one hundred miles north oi
| Oroville, at the foot of old Lassen, there
is boiling lake covering several acres
The depth of the lake is unknown, bu,
its entire surface constantly boils like O
huge kettle. The degree of heat we dc
not know, but we were there about ten
years ago and remember distinctly that
it would scald the skin from the fingers
in very few seconds.
Our party agreed that it would boil an
egg in four minutes. The smell of sui.
phur pervaded the atmosphere about the
lake, and around it's borders something
like sulphur could be scraped up in
handfuls. This lake is near Hot Springs
valley, at the base of Mount Lassen.
Between it and the mountain there are
perhaps one thousand boiling, bubbling
hot springs, and in tramping about these
springs the soles of persons shoes be-
come uncomfortably warm. The North
Feather river. at the base of Lassen, in
its trickling SHOWS and springs, and in
a clear, cold and beautiful stream but a
few feet wide, flows through this COM
munity OF hot springs. b lh,E
Some OF the springs bubble up boiling
water within span of the river. Stand
ing in the midst Of these springs pecu-
liar sensation is experienced. At a
Thousand places the earth emits vapor
of smoke, while under the surface there
is jarring, roaring noise as If hum
dreds of steam engines were in opera
tion, and the ominous trembling of the
earth produces feeling of uncertainty.
A short distance south Of the boiling
lake and noar Willow lake. which is
beautiful, cold and clear, there are sew
eral geysers that shoot up streams of
hot water from five TO ton feet in diam
eter and eighteen to twenty feet high.
That Is q grand and rugged country
about Mount Lassen, presenting every
variety Of natural beauty and affording
unlimited field OF study to the geologist.
Ifitis desired to look into the crater OF
an extinct volcano trip to the summit
Of Lassen will crafty the wish,
The high Sierras OF Northern Califor-
MIA are little known except to pros
pectors and trappers Of o past age, and
their wonders are yet to be described. -
Red Bluff (Cal) Peoples Cause.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
THE DETECTIVES STORY.

A dispatch was received at head
quarters last evening from R, re-
questing the department to send man
down to the station and arrest a young
woman who was on the 10:40 express
from the East. / was detailed for the
work.
waited around the station until
nearly train time, and then heard II
rumor that there had been a wreck
down the road. | investigated and
found that such was the case; in fact,
the accident had occurred to the very
train / was waiting for. l obtained per-
mission to go on the relief train, and
when we had arrived at the scene of the
wreck commenced to look around for
the young woman.
AS could find no one who answered
to the description sent, / made in
quiries of the conductor and learned
that the person | was after had gone
up to C on the engine that brought
the news of the accident to the city. 1t
was after three a. m. before l got back
and made my report, and they decided
not to do any thing more about the
matter until they heard again from
R.
The accident was a costly one for the
railroad company, but a lucky one for
the young woman. Had it not occurred
she would have spent the night in the
station house.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
cident, and I auess that I have not es

cident. and guess that ! have not es.
capped uninjured."
On making an examination found
that her left wrist was sprained and
the forearm considerably bruised. AL
though suffering intense pain, the
plucky little woman had managed to
kce. me in ignorance OF her injuries
until she knew whether her lover would
live or die. did every thing for her
that my skill suggested, and then
forced her to take some rest A couch
was arranged for her in the room ad-
joining Wills, and although she OBJ
tained but little sleep-she was up every
hour to look at him and ask how he was
her condition this morning was much
better than had expected.
Shortly after daylight some one rang
the office bell and when / opened the
door knew instinctively that the man
standing before me was John Godfrey.
He stepped into the Office, told me his
name, and asked If his daughter was in
the house. told him that she was,
and he requested mo to send her to him.
Whatever his feelings toward me were
he did not show them.
went to Miss Godfrey and informed
her that her father was waiting to see
her. She trembled for an instant, and
then closed her lips over her firm little
mouth and went to him without word.
had placed her arm in sling, and the
pain and emotion she had lately under
gone had left their marks on her face.
was sure that the sight of her would
move her father to pity.
What took place during the interview
l did not learn. 1t lasted for over an
hour, and then was called. / was not
unprepared for the scene that met my
gaze Nena was holding her fathers
hand, and Mr.. Godfrey's eyes showed
that he had been shedding tears Nena
turned to me with a happy smile.
"Father has forgiven u.s." she said
Edward WeitZel, in Detroit Free Press.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
ARCTIC BlRCHES.
Little Trees Known as the Lapps of Fol
est Vegetation. e. "a

Little Trees Known the Lapps of For
est Vegetation. q asa
In Norway, as in most northern re-
gions with moist climate, there are
large forests of birches. In the valleys,
where the summers are warm and rea-
sonably long, the birches of different
species grow to be considerable trees.
Farther to the north, or higher up the
mountains, the summer is too short for
the growth of birch-trees, and their
place is taken by birches which never
pass beyond the size of small bushes.
Still higher up there are birches even
where snow falls during every month
of the year, and the distant sun gives
only glimpse of summer in July. Com
petition with other plants is, of course,
not severe in such regions, but the
birches must struggle against the
weather. They can live and multiply,
if only they can adjust themselves to
the conditions of life. They must keep
down their size, they must carry as little
foliage as possible, and their stems must
be tough enough to resist snow, and
hardy enough to Withstand almost per.
petual frost. Their years growth must
be finished in very short time, and
leaves, flowers and seeds must follow in
the most rapid succession. In short,
there is room for birch-trees here, IL
only the trees can be reduced to their
lowest terms. And so birch-trees have
crept up the mountain sides even to the
very edges Of the perpetual snow. But
such trees! All trees requiring sunshine,
or long time for their summers growth,
are rigidly kept away by natural Sc
lection" The cold r .te dwarfs the
individual, and the hard conditions ex-
c.ude every individual not dwarfed.
have before me three birch-trees from a
Norwegian mountain called the Sule.
tind-the little trees known to the No-.
wegian peasants as "Hundsoire," OF
''dogs'.ears." The trunk of each tree Is
barely an inch in height There are nc
branches, and but three leaves. Hall
inclosed by the uppermost leaf is the
single little catkin Of flowers. Leaves
in June. blossoms in July, fruit in Au.
gust and then the little tree is ready
for its nine months sleep These little
trees are the Lapps of forest vegetation.
Prof. d. S Jordan. In Popular Science
Monthly.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
A COMPOSITE ROMANCE.
A Story Told from Seven Differ
ent Stand-Points.
THE LETTER cARR1ER,s STORY.


There is one family on my route that
gives me more trouble than all of the
others put together. Not that they
ever com plain of me or compel me to
walk to the top of fve-story building,
but can't make 'em out. don't usual
ly bother my head about the people to
whom l deliver mail; there is some
thing SO singular about this one family,
however. that i can't help taking par
ticular notice of them.
They live in an elegant stone house
on Kenyon avenue, and consist of a
middle-aged gentleman, John Godfrey,
by name, his maiden sister and his
daughter, girl of seventeen.
Mr.. Godfrey, who is wealthy rail-
Toad man, has hard, stern look, and
his sister doesn't appear to be any too
amiable, but the daughter has fairly
won my old heart. She is as handsome
as a picture, and she always had a smile
for me when she came to the door (the
maiden aunt answers my ring now,
and how her face would light up when /
handed her letter addressed in
bound, manly hand to Miss Nena God
frey, and postmarked C.
At first, when she and the servants
stopped coming to the door, couldn't
understand it, but have arri we'd at the
conclusion that the maiden aunt always
takes the mail in order to prevent Miss
Nena from getting her letters. During
the time Miss Nena came herself l
brought her letter postmarked C
nearly every day. Since then have
delivered only two for her, and the
maiden aunt's face has worn such sat
;sfied look as she took them. that l am
sure the letters are from some young
man Miss Nena is in love with, and her
father and aunt are trying to break off
the match.
met her on the street one day a
short distance from the house, and she
stopped as though to speak to me. She
changed her mind, however. and passed
on with a pleasant Good morning."
but noticed that her lips quivered as
she spoke. think she wanted to ask
me something about her letters. Poor
girl! ] woEder how it will end!
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
II.
THE MESSENGER BOYS STORY.

Las night bout seven o'clock had
ser take message up on Kenyon ave-
nue. 1t was fer Miss Nena Godfrey,
an wen rung tn bell young lady
coined to tn door. i axed her if ther'
yas answer an she tole me to come in
an she would see. She then went inter
the parlor an tore open the message,
an wen she read it she turned as white
as a sheet, an | thought she was goin'
20 faint. Jes' then the boss came inter
tn room an he said to her, awful stern:
"What's the matter! Who's the tele-
gram from?"
She didn't answer, an he said "Let
me see it," but she turned quicker'n a
fash an threw it into the CRATE Were a
fire was burnin', an it blazed up in a
second.
Tn old gent started for her, lool1in'
awful mad. Jes then he seed me an
ne axed what was / waitin' fer. l told
him tn answer He said ther' wasn't
nun an fer me to clear out. didn't
wait fer him to tell me twice. I'll bet,
though, he talked mighty sharp to his
daughter after I'd gone.
sees a good many funny things car
Iyin' round messages, but / never seed
anyshin' like that before.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
W.
THE coNDucToRs STORY.

There was one incident connected
with the accident to my train last night
that did not give to the reporters.
A young lady boarded the train at
R. whom recognized as the dauYh-
ter of John Godfrey, one Of the stock
holders of the road. She had ticket
for c., and noticed when l stopped
at her seat that she was pale and agi-
tated. After the accident she was one
of the first to get cloar of the wreck,
and did not appear to be injured.
Luckily, the engine was not dis
abled, the accident having been caused
by the rails spreading just as the bag
gage-car passed over them, aud / de-
termined to send to c. for assist
ance. was consulting with the en-
gineer when Miss Godfrey touched me
on the arm and begged earnestly to be
allowed to ride on the engine to c..
1t was case of life and death, she said.
She appeared so distressed at the
thought of delay that / told the en-
gineer to take her with him. She was
up in the cab in an instant, and they
'pulled OUT at once, so that one of my
passengers at least arrived at c.
nearly on time.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30

THE TELEGRAPH OPERATORS STORY.
Something rather out of the common
happened at our Office last evening.
The following message was sent from
G.:
-Miss Nena Godfrey, 1893 Kenyon avenue:
Come at once, II possible. WIN is very low.
DR. OTTO SCHMIDT"
The message was delivered to Miss
Godfrey. and about nine o'clock the
lady's father came into the office. The
clerk having stepped out for a moment,
Jgot up to wait on him.
Dir. Godfrey wanted to know II wo
Fad E copy of the telegram that came
for his daughter that evening. told
him that | was acquainted with the
soatents He then wanted to know III |
would tell him what was In it. He
said that he was not at home wnen the
message came; that his daughter had
gone out and had left the message for
him, but that the servants had mislaid
IL.
AS Mr.. Godfrey Is q well-known citi-
zen, complied with his request. The
sontents of the telegram had an en-
aircly different effect upon him from
what expected. Instead of being sur
prised or shocked, it seemed TO make
him very angry. He recovered himself
quickly, however, and, with curt
"Mnch obliged he walked out ]
wonder who vii. "?
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-30
JAY GoULD'S DAUGHTER.
She Teaches n Lesson in Good Manners in
New York Stage.

new 1Ork SChBes
In a Fifth avenue stage an old
and meanly dressed woman uncon.
sciously made the ride merry for three
snowy and fashionably- damsels
First, she fumbled in her rusty skirt a
long time trying to find her pocket;
then she thrust her hand through an un-
expected slit in her gown instead of the
supposed pocket, and the look of intense
dismay on her face, as she imagined
some william had cut off that pocket, set
the young women into convulsions of ST.
lent laughter. Soon the poor creature re-
covered herself, renewed the search and
found the pocket Removing q hand
kerchief. a snuff-box and a pair of cot
ton gloves, she at last produced the
neutrality-suspicious. ever seen, causing
a great number of mods and becks and
wreathed smiles from the trio of observ-
ers. Then she fumbled long time
with the fastenings of her treasury;
these finally undone, she took out a
brass thimble, troche, spool of twist,
a section of paper of pins, and the last
solitary nickel it contained. Then she
peeped about for the proper place to de-
posit the nickel. None seemed to have
been provided. The honest creature
got on her feet, and the thimble, the
troche, the twist and the snuff.box tum-
bled TO the floor, the pins sticking like
an old friend to her skirt Needless,
apparently, of this disaster, she pottered
about the wall b hind her seat, pressing
her trembling fingers against every nail
and button and bit of fringe, but found
no place for her fare. Then she dropped
TO her seat with loud complaint
"There amt no contribution box nor
nothin' for the fare" she said. "Where
] come from there's alters box'n now
my thimble'n my snuff-box'n my troche
is all gone to Joppy," and she began to
cry.
The merriment OF the three damsels
was now almost beyond control, though
they affected well-bred airs by covering
their mouths with dainty handkerchiefs
and looking out Of the window. A slight
young girl, simply attired, but with an
air Of elegance about her, had been sit
ting in corner, a quiet but keen OBJ
server of the scene. She now arose,
picked up the old woman's scattered
property, and, handing it to her. shyly
said:
"Allow me to hand your fare up and
tell me where You want to get off. I'll
ask the driver to look after YOU
After a deal more fumbling with the
ancient pooket-bool1, slip OF paper with
an address was produced The address
and the promised request were given to
the driver, who was charged to take par
ticular care OF the lady, as she was fee
BILE. The grateful old woman was as
sured that she would be, we'll looked
after, and the young girl left the stage.
AS she reached the ground gentleman
raised his hat and said. .t,.'l.i,t ,r.j h.
GOOD morning, Miss Gould"
She was Jay Gould's danghbeN Helen.
m Y. Letter.