davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13


his father. Judge Davenport, was dis
ti1euished lawyer, and Jack his only
son. so he peremptorily insisted on that
sons following in his footsteps, for the
judge had no opinion of painters or
paintings, Jacks taste coming from the
other side of the house
However, this was case of man pro-
poseS," for Jack had not been six
months in Swanfield pretending to
STEADY, but really hirting, fishing and
idling, when his father died suddenly;
he was recalled to New York, and, find
ing himself heir to q large fortune ana
an orphan-his motser having died
young-he settled the estate as soon as
possible and took himself off to Rome to
follow his hobby, to Judge Lambs dis
gust and Laura's despair. For the afore-
said flirting had been done chiefly at
Laura's expense: she was the prettlest
girl in Swanfield, and Judge Lambs
daughter. and tho law office was IN
wing of the house; so that from jack
earliest days therein he could watch her
slight figure gliding about the garden
or resting in the hammock on the lawn,
and his artistic sense rejoiced in her
beautiful head. her slender throat, the
delicate aouiline profile, the dark hair
and ewes that set off so well her whole
somely roseate checks. And when he
came to know her, and found her
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13
LEGERDEMAIN EXPOSED.
Facts That Seem Improbable, But Car
Easily Be Accomplished.

Facts That Seem Improbable, But Can
Easily Be Accomplished.
1t has always been wonder to the
uninitiated how the many sIeight-of-
hand tricks which are performed night
ly by the different magicians in this
town are accomplished. To the mex
perienced the tricks seem hard, but any
body can do many of them provided
they have the necessary paraphernalia.
For instance, the trick of moving red
handkerchief from one bottle to another,
a neat and ingenious illusion, can be
accomplished by the aid of threads and
holes in the bottles, one being pulled
out as the other is pulled in.
The trick of changing water in bot
tie to ink and the ink to water can be
done by twelve-year-oid boy.
This is how it is done: The globe,
which appears to be full of ink, is in
reality full of water, but it is double.
The outer globe is part of the stand,
which is hollow, while the inner globe
is fitted with a cap of black silk ready
to be pulled down through the hollow
center of the table at given signal ex-
posing what is apparently only large
glass globe of water, but which is in
reality two. The change from water to
ink is effected by picking up between the
fingers little diamond (drab) wrapped
up in paper which is punctured with
holes, and quietly dropping it in the
globe while throwing the handkerchief
over it. Those who do not understand
tricks would not appreciate the i'm
portance of a little thing you can do
when down among the audience. In
wrapping up the bottle with the hand
kerchief you can give it shake. The
shake is the explanation of the trick
it scatters the dye in the water and
makes it appear as ink.
1t has always been mystery, even to
those who understand how the mirror
tricks are accomplished, as to how ma
gicians could tell persons in the audi
ence on what day of the week they
were born. Before telling this thew
always ask their questioners to write
down the year of their birth, with the
day of the month. In each case he can
always give the correct days. This can
be accomplished as easy as falling off a
log, and this is just exactly how it is
done. Without going into elaborate ex-
plantations, here is a table:
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

ed Nelly. Il want to write valentine;
l couldn't put in either"
ITO Laura Lamb; bet cent" said
the exasperating Samuel.
Now, Sam, if you tell, Ill'-
1000, What?" asked Sam, affecting
terror.
81 don't know yet; but something
really dreadful"
Then Nelly, rejecting she had be-
trayed herself unconsciously-for Sam
was behind the window-curtain when
she first spoke so she did not see him
thought it was the part of wisdom to
take that bad boy into her confidence,
and prrt him ION honor Besides. Sam
wrote a beautiful, copper-plate, ''busi-
ness hand" such as plenty of other peo-
pie write. quite misunderstanding, legi-
BILE, and calculated to defy any detec-
ton, simply because it was like so
many other peoples
Now, Sam" she went on, Il should
like to have you help me, and I'm sure
you won't betray a secret; so Ill tell
you. do want to write valentine to
Laura, and particularly don't want her
to know where it comes from. She
hoaxed me awfully two years ago, and l
want to pay her off"
Just like girl, exactly. But what
did you want to wait two years for?'
Nelly has got little Yorkshire
blood in her veins, l suppose" said Mrs.
Damon, dryly.
whats that, mammal
Keep Il stun in tina peck six year,
turnin' ont: then heave it at un"
Sam roared.
Now you've got it, Nell. Mother,
you're awful sharp when you set out to
be-
1T isn't that at all.' said aggrieved
Nelly. "Ia's because | hadn't good
chance; and. besides, if I'd done it the
next year So Q would have guessed right
away"
We'll, srpposing that's all square,
why upon earth do you want to write it
now, just at New Years, when you can
send it for six weeks?'
why, you see I'm going to send it to
Jenny Dauvray-she's gone to Italy for
the winter-and have her post it there,
for then Laura will never guess it came
from me; and 1 want to have you copy
it, Sam. I've got some foreign post
paper and envelopes, and you write such
q lovely hand
Sam was flattered: consented to copy
the missive, and promised TO keep the
secret.
But Nelly had not told him or her
mother every thing. She had been
Laura Lambs intimate friend in their
school-days, and though they had not
seen so much of each other since Mr..
Damon died and his family went back to
Traverse to the old Damon homestead,
yet there was still an intimacy. an eX-
change of visits and etters, and, of
course, much mutual confidence. Now,
Nelly knew very well that Laura had
taken great deal of interest during the
last year in certain youth who had
come to Swanfield to study law in Judge
Lambs office.
Jack Davenport was manly, hand
some fellow, with n great dislike to his
intended profession, and an equally
great desire to become an artist. But
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13
THE COBRA DI CAPELlO.
Something About the Most Venomous of
All Reptiles.

The cobra di capello, NYd t1pudadns,
has numerous synonyms in different
parts of India. 1t is sometimes called
the specialized or hooded snake; some
are marked with figure like spectacles;
others have a single ocellus on the hood;
some have no mark. The former are
called by the natives of Bengal 'gokur-
rah," the latter ''keautiah," but they
have other vernacular synonyms in diff
ferent regions. A common general
native term is kala nag or kala samp.
There are many varieties, both as to
pattern on the hood and general colora-
ton, and they are considered natives as
being of different degrees of activity
or deadliness; but the probability is
that in these respects they are all much
the same, any difference being due to
temporary or individual causes.
The cobras are all hooded snakes
that is, the neck dilates into an oval
disk, caused by the expansion of GER
tain number of elongated ribs. The
body and tail are relatively of moderate
length, seldom together exceeding five
or six feet, more frequently three or
feet. The scales are smooth and imbri-
Gated; there is no local shield, the nos
trils are lateral, and the pupil of the eye
is round. The head is short and not
very distinctly separate from the neck;
the fangs are of moderate size and but
slightly movable: there are one or two
small teeth behind them in the maXil-
larry bone.
The cobra is a nocturnal snake-at
least it is most active in the night,
though often seen moving about in the
day. 1t is oviparous; the eggs,
eighteen to twenty-five in number,
are obovate, about the size of those of
pigeon; the shell is white, tough,
and feathery. They feed on small ami
mails, birds eggs, frogs, fish, even in
sects. They occasionally rob henroosts
and swallow the eggs whole, and prefer
to take their food at dusk or during the
night. They are said to drink much
water; but it is certain that they will
live weeks, even months, in captivity,
without touching food or water. They
go into water readily and swim we'll, but
are essentially terrestrial snakes. They
can climb, and occasionally ascend trees
in search of food. Cobras are not infre
quently found in the roofs of huts, holes
in walls, old ruins, fowl houses, and
among stacks of wood, cellars, old brick
kilns, old masonry of brick and stone
or mud among the grass or low Jungle;
such are the common resorts, and dur.
ing the rains or foundations they
collect in such places of refuge, where
they are frequently disturbed by men,
who, stepping on or unintentionally dis.
| turbing them, mostly at night, receive
their death wound.
The cobra sheds the epidermis with
the outer layer of the cornea frequently,
perhaps ten or twelve times year: the
fangs also are shed. The entire slough
is often found marked by a single rent,
through which the creature has emerged,
brightly colored and glistening in its
new epidermis. 1t aids the process OF
exfoliation by friction against some
hard substance, such as the branches of
a tree.-Sir Joseph Fayrer, in Nine.
teenth Century.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

bright, sweet young creature, full OF
sentiment and romance, Jacks rather
mpressioEable nature melted before
such beauty; he thought he fell in love
with her.
Nelly had heard all about the tender
tokens, the flowers, the volumes of po-
etry, the bits of ornamentation, even
the tiny turquoise ring wrought as
forget-me-not; but she did not know, for
Laura had some reticence, that although
Jack had taken many of a lovers priv
ileges, he had never in good set terms
asked Laura to marry him. But, in
deed. Laura thought that he meant as
much. Perhaps. had things been differ
ent. and this gay youth been obliged to
study his full term with Judge Lamb,
he would have drifted into matrimOny.
Perhaps not, but propinquity does Won
ders
However, my dear girls, it is safest,
and. mot to put too fine a point upon
it far more decent, never to let any
man, however devoted he may be, dem
onstrate his affection in Jacks fash
ion. Poor little Laura had given her
girlish heart entirely to this young
scapegrace. when. like others of his sort,
The loved and he rode away You see
he had inherited half million, had got
his kingdom come" as the country
phrase is, and in the full sense of power.
pleasure and ability at last to follow out
his life'S desire, Laura was quite brushed
out of his recollection. He had a superb
studio in Rome now, had his valet, his
horses, his fine lodgings, was 6u0n
cdmdrddo with all the artists, who smiled
at his paintings but enjoyed his dinners;
in fact, he was no longer lazy Jack
Davenport, but John Davenport, the
American artist" Laura, law, Swan
field were all dim shadows; he did not
even sketch her face any more; he was
sprawling at the feet of a massive
blonde German beauty, a sort Of splendid
Glumdaclitch who could have strangled
Laura with two fingers, or tossed her in
| to the Tiber like dead kitten.
Laura did not know all this; she was
| hurt and surprised that Jack did not
write her, but out of her kind heart and
| abundant affection she made excuses for
him: and out of her remains of self
respect forbore to write first; so she
| heard nothing, nor would she have been
| edited had she heard all; it was a case
where Ignorance is bliss"
| Nor did Nelly know it either, or per-
haps she would have forborne her small
revenge, even though she was girl.
Naturally. she took Lauras view of
the case; and, though she suspected let
tiers were at least infrequent between
the pair, she thought if they were the
valentine would be still more of a sur
prise TO Laura and hoax her more sue
cessfully.
SO in due time the verses were con-
cocted. 1t takes very little talent to
write such rhymes. and Mrs. Damon
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

lie THOUGHT HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER.
strongly advised Nelly to eliminate
Lamb from her work of art, inasmuch
as it was not a poetic name, and sug-
gested clam" SHAM" ISLAM" and
various other words quite Ineligible.
Therefore the following sentimental
lines were hammered out and intruSted
to Sam to copy:
I'm going to seal them with my new
seal that's got an old English d on it, -
said Nelly. Laura never saw that, nor
my box with the colored wax, and l
forgot to tell her about it when l wrote
after Christmas. l guess I'll use the
blue stick. Blues true love"
"Fiddlestick." said scornful Sam
"Well, gimme your varses and the
paper and III take EN- into the .lib'ry
and copy em off.
I'm going over to Quantuck with
mother now, so you won't be disturbed. p,
''Bye-bye," calculated Sam. hurrying
into the library and unfolding Nelly's
paper, whore he read:
= Sweet Laura, in these laurel bowers
pine for Swanfeld's fragrant flowers;
Can forget those blessed days
That shine 50 bright tn rough Memory's haze:
d" All, no! when daylight floods the sky
And stars are vanishing on high,
think of thee, my star of dawn,
Amid thy roses on the lawn.
And when at evening in the west
The sun is sinking to his rest.
My heart goes longing DER the sea.
on wings of love to home and thee.
Sweeter than any rose thou art,
Have place within thy heart?
All. Laura! thou art safe in mine,
I'm still thy faithful Valentine
well, I'm jiggered"' roared Sam. ''if
that isn't the greatest stuff. just like
girls. Nell. 1 say, NeIl!'
|. Nell did not answer. Sleigh bells
jingled outside; he ran to the window
and saw the sleigh just passing through
the gate, and speeding out of sight; the
horse was tired of waiting and went off
at his smarteSt trot.
well, l shan't copy that mess any
how" said Sam, with a vicious stamp of
his foot. Its enough to sicken a mail
bag. Girls don't know any thing. l
could write a better one myself; some
thin that snaps, an has go to it. lingo,
l bet l can. I've got time. I'll copy it
and seal it up before she gets here, and
Ill burn this mess up. Real girl talk
With this whitening sarcasm on his
lips, Sam put the luckless rhymes deep
into the stove and saw them burn with
impish glee. Then he set himself to
work. and by dint of perseverance and
reflection devised his own jingle.
x b'lieve the is a Swanfield Teller
over there, somewheres." he said, medi-
tatively, as he plowed his stubby hair
with one hand, and brandished his pen
handle with the other. Seems as
though Nell said somebody Laura
knew, some chap or mother was abroad,
and b'lieve she guessed she'd think he
wrote il. Cr-r-r-ick! I'll give her a
sickener. Won't that be larks!"
So our bad boy at length produced the
short, unpleasant ditty herein given to
the reader as explanatory:
Miss Laura Lamb,
l was sham
When l was eros. the water;
Now I'm out here,
think it's queer
Isparled your fathers daughter.
Ita,isu girls
Have prittier curls
And eyes as bright as dollars,
They'll laugh and glance,
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13
TWO VALENTINES.

Love, at Your door young Cupid stands
And knocks for you TO come;
The frost is in his feet and hands,
His lips with cold are numb.
Grant him admittance, sweetheart mine,
And by your cheering fire
His lips shall loosen as with wine
And speak forth my desire.
He left me not an hour ago,
And when the rascal went
Barefooted out into the snow
asked him whittier bent
Quoth he: ITO her whose face is like
a garden full OF flowers,
To her whose smiles like sunlight strike
Across the winter hours
No more he said, nor need OF more
Had to know. I knew
His path lay straight unto your door
That face belongs 10 you.
"Godspeed," cried, land give her this
When you her face shall see;''
And on his lips I set kiss,
a Valentine from me.
Frank Dempster Sherman, in Century.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13
That is a rather pretty story VIII,

That is a rather pretty story which
is now making the rounds about Con-
gresham Cheatham, the colored Repre-
sentative from North Carolina. 1t tells
that he asks for the retention in office
of a young Democrat in his district on
the ground that in the old days of slave
~ he tthe Congressman was given as a
bridal present to the young mans moth
err If true, the story has many morals
Not only doesit show the Congressman's
magnanimity in strong light, but it
directs attention to the marvellous
change of fortunes which quarter of a
century has wrought at the South.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13
a farmer living near Jeffersonv

"A farmer living near Jacksonville,
O., is the owner of a carniverous horse.
which wants nothing better for a good,
square meal than a fat pig. Whenever
the horse sees pig that it can get at it
grabs it by the back of the neck and
shakes it to death, much az a dog would
shake a rat. The horse then devours
the pig with great relish The owner
is very careful to keep his pigs away
from th,, horse ~ Tar as possible.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

OIHER, W n a I
r h Y m e S t o
lamb?"
DAM cried
out a boy by the
window.
Sam, stop"
IT h @ re are
two rhymes for
20 u, \ G lly,'
l a u g he'd Mrs.
Damon.
" Il u t t h e y
won't do" DOut-
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

Calico over 100 years old was recent
Iy used by Mrs. Spengler, of Catasauqua,
Pa, to make a bedquilt of. The ma
terial had formerly done duty as bed
curtain.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

Now we wish, We'll say, to find the
day of the week on which any certain
date fell. We take this figure of the
month given above, the last two figures
of the date of the year, one-quarter of
the same, emitting the remainder if it
does not divide evenly by four, and the
date of the month. Add all four sums
together, divide by seven, and the re-
mainder will tell the day of tho week,
counting Sunday as l. Monday as 2, and
so on till we reach Friday as G and Sat-
urday 0. Here is an illustration of it.
To-day is the 9Th of January, 1S90-Sun-
day:
Date of year Qast two figures). ............ 90
Quarter of same IGNORING remander)..... ~
Day of the month NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. O5
Ratio of month Gas given above)............ 0s
Divide this by Z, we get II, with re-
mainder of l, which is Sunday, as given
in the table.-N. Y. World.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13

a new railroad in Wisconsin is
called 1.-The Waukesha, Pewaukee,
sOconomowoc & Eastern"
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-13
THE TWO VALENTINES.
Good Mission the One Sent Per-
formed, No Thanks to Sam.

4 N;.z!+.,,ZOTHER, W h a t
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-16
Golden Glory.

Time, the magician Of the age, Is
at work with cunning art. See him
bending above this great, whirling
globe, which is his laboratory. His
flowing hair and snowy beard stray
out upon the breezes like snowy
cloud remnants in the sky. From
his right hand drift and float back
the departing glOries Of the summer.
In his left hand Is the first spark
ling, glistening fore-unnero Of winter.
Behold With mysterious ges-
lures the wrinkled hands approach
nearer together. Now they spread
above the earth as in benediction,
and again draw near together. Hist,
The winter and summer meet. In
the alchemy Of nature this is i glori-
Gus combination. a thousand fam
ing dyes stain the foliage. The hills
are crowned with glory and the
valleys are riotOus in rainbow hues.
Green fields turn to gold. Orchards
cast OF their verdant NANTES and
expose their treasures Of CLEANING
fruit. The hnstandman goes forth
in the crisp dawn and returns in the
mellow twilight laden with the ripe
products Of Industry. IL Is the
time of harvest and busy content.
The clear air is alive with show
er glittering leaves, and the foot
rustles in glowing drifts which have
been builded by the soft winds. 4
sense Of esirl happiness and peace
full fellow feeling with all animate
and inanlmate creation pervades
the soul. Life seems worth living
for itself, even though no future re-
ward stirred to noble deeds. Man
feels his intimate kinship with the
soul Of the universe, be Il manifest
ed in rocks or trees or dumb animal
or Indianapolis .Netgs.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-16
WHY SHE WAS LATE.
A SCHOOL MA'AM DEMANDS THE
REASON AND GETS IT.

School Teacher (who lives at a
hotell-"Mlss, you are five minutes
late this morning, and you were two
minutes late yesterday. Now there
Is no excuse for such tariiness. no
excuse at ALL"
Pupil-"Please ma'am, the alarm
clock stopped last night and IL was
so dark and foggy this morning that
the girl did not wake up until late.
and then, in trying to get to the
kitchen window in the dark, she up
set some water on the kindling
wool; il was the water the mackerel
was soaking in, and It was on a
chair and the wood was under IL.
and then because the wood YVES wet
the lire wouldn't burn, and the other
wood We ordered tie other day
hadn't come, and our neighDOr on
the next fiat hadn't any either, and
the girl had to go TO the store for
some, and she was a good while
getting there, and then the store
keeper told her she needn't bring
II, cause he would send il right
around before she got back, aud
cause she didn't kEow him she
believed him, and when she got
back the wood wasn't there, and
1t was long time before il came,
and then il was all wet from the fog
and rain, cause he didn't cover il
up, and when We tried TO start the
fire again it wouldn't burn any bet
ter than the first time, and then
mamma hurried down TO our kind
neighbor in the next flat to get the
use OF her stove, but they were get
ting their breakfast and we could
only use one hole at a time, aud our
kettles wouldn't fit their stove, and
we had TO wait till some OF theirs
was cleaned, and then mamma tried
10 cook some. oatmeal so could
hurry and get to school, and then
the baker didn't come, and the girl
had to 20 out for bread while
dressed Sally and Johnny and
Mamie, and then the baby woke up
and began TO cry hard rs II he was
hurt, and mamma hurried UP stairs
to see what was the matter, and
while she was finding out, the cat
meal burned, and we had TO wait
until the kettle could be cleaned
and some more cooked, and when'l
that was done / hurried and ate n
little so | wouldn't be late for school,
and had just time to get here. but |
Johnny got the nose bleed awful, |
and | had to walt until mamma |
could get through with him and |
wash her hands so she could write 1
me an excuse for bein' late yester- !
day. "-Nes0 Y0rE Weely.