davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

men to Siberia. And you have the face to
acknowledge it?"
Palkin laughed bitterly.
'This holy indignation is exceedingly be-
coming to your honorable eheyalier. Con-
fess, however, that you would be very glad
to hear something of the kind yourself, in
order to discover behind it grand conspir-
acy. But, no! You are too well known;
nobody would speak aloud in your presence.
We, we have our secret agents, whom no
body fearsN because nobody knows them.
And that is what grieVes your chivalrou' u
head OF division"
ScneIm gave him poisonous look.
ga nice craft, no doubt" murmured
Schelm to himself. "Thst was the way
Kaloff got into the Senate, had high decora-
tions, etc. One of these days Count Palkin
also will make a brilliant career; he will be
made Colonel of regiment in distant gar
rison, where the echo of his deeds has never
reached. After a while his original profess
sion will be forgotten, and then the spy will
be made a General"
And you consider already in your mind,
honoTed friend, how you may denounce me?
l warrant you it will be useless. The Czar
is high above US, as the eagle above the
toad! He knows nothing OF US and if he
ever should hear anything his contempt
would hurl both OF us into eternal obliVionl
Our superiors do not wish to soil their hands
with this profession and bear with u.s. be-
cause they must have tools-tools that are
very vulgar, but also very necessary-tools
that are too much despised to be easily re-
placed. Your possible report passes through
the hands of my superior, as mine passes
through your hands. Where others would
be punished we receive reward. But that
you must know even better than I do"
Suddenly an official interrupted them,
opening the door and announcing:
Count Lanin, aId-de-camp Of his Maj
esty the Emperor"
Schlem and Palkin rose quickly and
bowed deeply.
missive bows with contempt and said IN a
naughty tone:
''Glad to find you here together, as have
important orders for both of you from the
Emperor"
Schelm and Palkin, who had risen again,
bowed once more to the ground.
Too much grace and happiness" they
exclaimed.
The imperial aid, hearing the two voices
blending so closely that no separate voice
nor single word could be heard, could not
keep from laughing.
Colonel Palkin," he said at last, "the
Emperor sends you word through me that
he is well pleased with you. and as token
of his favor he bestows upon you the order
of st. vladimir
"ExcelIencyw was all PaIkin could utter,
so overwhelmed with happiness was he.
"For you, Mr.. Schelm, 1 have less pleas
ant orders. You know nothing of the most
important events and affairsl You are
asleep while the empire is in danger, and
yet the high office which the Emperor has
entrusted to you ought to have spurred you
to be increasingly watchfulP'
Your Excellency, the secret police ID not
in my hands,
The Adjutant did not let him finish.
You are not expected to be a spy-only
watchiull You are not spies, only senti-
nelsl' he added, without concexling his
scorn. "only with this difference, that Colo
mel Palkin has known how to watch. His
Majesty the Emperor has therefore ordered
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
PAGES9 9 TO l6.

cred without your knowledge and your as
sistance''
Schelm turned pale; he was furious, and
entirely lost his self-control.
"Or which you pretend to have discoY-
ered?' he sneered.
''Mr. Schelmp' exclaimed the officer
threateningly.
The head of the division replied in the
same tone:
''Mr Palkinp'
Their eyes glowed with hatred and thus
they measured each other for some minutes.
AT the same time the folds of one of the
portieres moved gently and for a second the
face of curious official peeped in. Tie two
adversaries saw nothing; they were on the
point of falling one upon the other. The
Colonel, however, resumed his seat and
laughed aloud.
"Your insults do not reach me and I
should be foolish indeed to feel annoyed. 1t
proyokes you to find that we are cleVerer
than you'll understand your anger and can
easily explain it!'
"Cleverer!" repeated Schelm; "say, rather,
greater intriguants!'
"Oh, call it what you chooseF" replied
PaIkin, struggling his shoulders; IT will not
discuss that with you. have been ordered
to deliver that message to Count Perowski,
and as this affair concerns you Gkewise-or
rather mainly-I have done my duty as
promptly as 1 could. Your criticism does
not concern me. repeat, therefore, that
have been ordered to report. Last night the
police occupied the house of Prince Marin;
after a long search documents were found
there which strongly commit the Prince as
we'll as Count Prosof. Both have been ar
rested forthwith; the examination will take
place next Monday. The conspiracy seems,
however, to extend over the whole province,
and hence the head of gendarmes requests
the Minister of the Interior to take charge
of this matter as soon as possible. The
papers and documents on the question will
be sent to-day"
"How can conspiracy that never existed
extend to the province? Marin is known to
be drunkard Prosoff philosopher. The
whole affair reminds me curiously of your
last conspiracy, which ended in sending IL
young men to Siberia, who every week gave
a dinner to ballet dancers. Your reports
stated at the time that the regularity of these
meetings looked very suspicious and little
was wanting or you would have convinced
yourself that the ballet dancers talked poll
Tics"
'That was plausible pretext," said Pal
kin. ''The Agent Black himself heard how
one of those men said the Gar ought to give
Russia Constitution"
Schelm clapped his hands in apparent in
dignation.
"And that was enough for you to send II
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

of the lamp showed an officer, who Came up
with hasty strides and now stood before the
old soldier.
He was a man of gigantic stature; his
features were hard and in his eyes resolute
courage shone brightly. His beard was jet
black. The whole face produced an i'm
preston of stern severity. An ominous
ironical smile played now and then around
his narrow, pale lips. In his whole carriage
insolence was reflected; in every gesture
boundless pride.
He saw the soldier in the uncertain light
and called out curtly in tone of command
81 must see the Minister"
The official shrugged his shoulders con-
temptuously.
"The Minister! 1 crave your pardon
A nice desire! Ee Is not here, for the pres
ent moment. Those who have anything to
do with him must demand an audience"
The Colonel looked anything but patient.
As the official spoke to him in somewhat
bold tone of voice and did not by any means
cringe, as many did, his eyebrows twitched
very ominously. Unfortunately the official
smiled. This was more than the officer could
endure; he seized the unfortunate man Of
the pen by the ear and pulled him up vio-
lently.
"I, can see the Minister at all times!
The poor man yelled with pain.
"Heipl helpl Save mel" he cried in de-
spair.
"Hushp' broke in the officer. IT am Col
onel Palkin, aid-de-camp of the head OF the
gendarmes"
The official was silenced instantly. The
name OF the head of the gendarmes. a person
who in the reign of Emperor Nicholas was
omnipotent, was a terror for everybody.
The unfortunate man of the pen turned
deadly pale and tried to suppress his groans
although the Colonel still held his ear. A
whole long minute he continued this torture
and finally he let him 60, saying:
"You see, the Minister must always be at
home for me; make haste, therefore, and an
nounce me, and then you may hope that
shall forgive you'll"
posture.
"Your Excellency," he said, almost cry
ing, "I told you the truth. At this hour
the Minister is never here"
"Then send word to him that I am wait
ing for him."
1--WE do not know where to find him. But
if Your Excellency have very urgent busi-
ness, the Head of the Division for Political
Affairs, the Minister'S alter ego, has not yet
left"
The Colonel interrupted him eagerly.
"That is Schelm, Is it not?"
"Yes, Your Excellenoy."
'sI am not an Excellency. You can show
me proper respect without giving me titles
that do not own"
Every well, Your-Colonelp'
"And now announce me quickly to
Schelm."
The official opened door nearly opposite
the bench, and showed the Colonel into a
large room, saying humbly:
Colonel, condescend to wait q momsnt
here"
Well! Make hastel have no time to
lose"
The aid of the head of the gendarmes
walked up and down in the vast apartment.
chewing his mustache almost fercely.
Three minutes had passed; his impatience
was visibly growing and showing itself very
clearly when the door opened and the man
of the pen said:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
A ROMANCE OF RUSSIA AND SIBERIA.
BY PRINCE JOSEF LUBOMIRSKI
Author of "safar-H -Hadj, Story of Turkistan," Etc
I 81 pray, Colonel -

Il pray, colonel -!
Behind table, covered with documents
and papers of all kinds, sat Mr.. Onophri
Schelm. Head of the Division of Political
Affairs under His E1cellencv the Minister
of the Interior, Count Perowski. His study
was large and comfortable; the furniture
covered with green velvet; thick curtains
and portieres at all the rooms and windows;
thick carpet covered the floor. Two enor-
nous paintings, representing Alexander L.
and Nicholas l., looked down upon a desk
in oak, standing in the center of the room
A mysterious, dim light reigned in the
apartment; a halfcovered lamp ON the writ
ing table and Pickering fire on the hearth
alone lit up these dark walls, out of which
the stern figures of the Cars OF all the Rus
sias seemed to step forth.
Mr.. Schelm was still young; he could
hardly be more than 35, but his features
looked worn, full OF wrinkles and without
expression; his complexion was yellow, like
parchment, and his hair, carefully oiled
and brushed, could not quite conceal q
premature badness. His small gray eyes
looked keen and sharp around him. Herr
Schelm, however, subdued his glance by
wearing large spectacles.
When the head of the division was alone
he frequently took off his glasses to wipe
the perspiration which continually shone on
his face. Then Mr.. Schelm looked posi-
lively fearful; his eyes flashed lightnings,
the red lids opened wide as if they wished
to draw breath; the dark mark which the
spectacles made op his nose turned bright
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

ing word reached us from the railroad su-
perintendent that special train would be
ready to take US and our baggage, OF which
there were many hundred pounds at 6 in
the morning. We arose early and three OK
carts were secured. Tank after tank of al
cohol, boxes of arsenic, Photographic out
fits, rifles, guns and ammunition; quinlne
and other fever preventatives and remedies
were loaded on them to be taken to our
special train which stopped at the crossing
of the street near US.
We are behind, the oxen are slow and
are urged by the goads of the sticks in the
hands of the native drivers. In few min
utes the cars are reached and the unloading
OF the carts and loading Of the cars finished.
But we now notice that there are only two
coaches present for the rest of the special
train has gone farther ahead to receive
freight "a special train, remember).
OF course, you being an American
would say wait for the locomotive
to come back for our coaches; but this is a
Portuguese railroad, in a Portuguese coun-
try, so all hands, including less than dozen
natives, will unite and
PUSH THE COACHES
up to the rest of the train. 1t is up grade,
but we can, by hard work, keep going very
slowly and in time reach the train ahead
This part of our special train numbers over
a dozen cars, some of which are filed with
coal and other freight. At 7:30 we start and
are soon going 10 miles per hour, with mo-
tion which anyone who has ridden in the
caboose of an American freight train will
recognize. The road is narrow gauge, the
rails being three feet three inches apart, and
is 3sw, so not very smooth. The country
along the railroad is mostly level, with
patches of woods here and there and tall
grass everywhere. Many of the trees are
quite besutiiul-the cactus or euphorbIa
tree, for example. Groves of these are often
seen, and vague idea of their appearance
may perhaps be obtained from the cut here
given,
Then there are the famous baobab trees,
with their huge triangular trunks and
whitish bark, distinguishable for consider
able distance. 1t is these trees in which
monkeys delight to dwell and eat OF the
fruit, as l am told. The mango and cocoa
nut, loaded with their splendid fruit, are
common, as also is the cajou or cashew tree.
The fruit of this latter tree is very pleasant
and refreshing, and is much enjoyed by all
people. 1 know of no fruit TO which it can
be compared. Its acid has peculiar taste,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

and is regarded quite healthy. The soil
along the railroad varies in color from a
dark reddish to a black. Much of it ap-
pears to be rich, but almost none is culti-
waited. Many birds, both large and small,
attracted our attention, because OF their
beautiful plumage and sweet singing.
SLAVERY STILL EXISTS.
The first stop that we made was at asmall
village where considerable salt is mined.
Upon noticing large yard surrounded by
high fence and containing as many as 40
small houses arranged in two rows, L in
quired what they were. The reply of rail-
road official present was that they were
slave houses. and he invited me to 60 and
see them.
"But slavery is forbidden BY law in An
COLA, and how can these be slave houses ?''
I asked.
"They don't call them slaves, but they
really are, was the substance of his reply
in rather broken English. "They volun-
tsrily hire themselves by contract for term
of years, said he.
''Are they in any sense free or are they
wholly under the control of the man to
whom they hire 90
The answer was that they are entirely SUBJ
feet to the command of their master, and
have no liberty whatever. Ispeak upon this
point at some length, because of the facts
that the Government of Portugal has passed
q law absolutely forbidding slavery in all of
It's provinces, and that the officials of An
COLA always strenuously deny the existence
OF slavery in this province whenever oppor-
tunitv offers.
Shortly after leaving this station we
reached the village of Quifangondo. Here
we observed a large crowd of natives stand
Ing under some trees several hundred yards
awav, and we Judged it to be market day.
Very soon, however, our attention was
drawn to a number of natives who rushed
up to our car, and with numerous gestures
so characteristic of the West Coast Africans
exclaimed "caymen"-a word which we did
NOT rnen understand. But we knew that
they had something to show us, so we fol-
lowed to the crowd.
A CAPTIVE CROCODILE.
Here we found large crocodile, fully Is
feet long, chained to tree. This creature
had been trapped in some way during the
night, and as the crocodiles are a terror to
the natives and the Government pays
bounty for every one caught, the capture OF
this one was a matter of public interest.
This was evident from the excitement and
pleasure displayed by the natives of the vii
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
BEECHER LOVED JEWELRY,
A Sapphire Ring Which He Admired nm,
Gave to Ellen Terry.

A Sapphire Ring Which He Admired and
Gave to Ellen Terry.
Henry Ward Beecher loved jewels. The
Ladies Home Journal prints an enthusi-
astic letter he wrote in acknowledging
gift Of sapphire ring. II is now among
the most valued possessions of Ellen Terry,
the actress. Mr.. Beecher gave it to her one
day when she and Henry Irving were
dining with him at his Brooklyn
home, after a morning at Plymouth
Church where they had been to
hear him preach. Miss Terry admired the
ring, and he drew it from his finger and
presented it to her. Miss Terry was in
ecstacies. "Why, Mrs. Beecher, does he
mean it ?" she cried in delight turning to
her hostess. On being assured that the git
was made in good faith, she put it on her
finger, and wears it still in memory of a
pleasant day and well-beloved friend, who
is, alas no more.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
A steed Thar Saved His Master.

''I love this old horse" said the Colonel.
81 feel that he saved my life at Gettys-
burg"
"How?"
"He kicked me in the stomach before the
battle SO that couldn't 60 on the field, and
my substitute got shot in the neck"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

The hippopotami spend the daytime IN
high grass and lagoons off from the river,
and at night go to the river to bathe. There
is no difficulty whatever in finding them,
but to shoot and kill them is another thing.
Their skin is so tough that a bullet unless
shot with large quantity of powder Will
not penetrate it, and the bones so thick
that they can be broken in only few places.
The natives here. as in other parts OF
Angola, live in mud huts of the plainest
kind. Their mauner OF living is very SIM
pie, for their only desire seems to be to live.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
The Non. Ma gnetic Watch.

It was discovered recently that the bal
ance wheel spring. which is of steel, is the
part of the watch affected by electric in
fuence. A new metal, known as palladium,
is non-magnetic. 1t makes perfect spring,
and all that ID necessary is to have palla-
dium spring su bstituted for the one in an
ordinary watch, and then it Is non-magnetlc.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

n e OF the klndneSses on
the part of the Governor
of the Province of An
COLA, referred to in my
last letter, was the pre-
sentation of railroad
passes to those of the
scIen tifc expedition,
who remained at st.
Paul de Lounda, These
were available for all
the time we should
spend in the province.
Saturday, December IA,
was the day agreed
when the naturalist and
anthropologIst, accom-
panied by assistants,
should start for the in
terror. At 10 o'clock
on the previous even
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

The average native is content to possess
hut and canoe,.if he lives near river.
They usually raise few potatoes, for this
vegetable. together with -four made from
MANITOBA root, and fish constitutes his bill of
fare. The -four is called ferrenia, and when
prepared by cooking Is "fungi." This
healthy food is used extensively by both
whites and blacks, and the stranger soon
ACQUIRES taste for it.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

MR. LEvELAND'S LAW BUSINESS.
The greater part of Mr.. Cleyeland's in
come is derived from the preparation of
opinions on important legal questions ior
corporations. Mr.. Cleveland also draws up
a great many contracts ahd agreements COW
ering extensive transactions. He has an
office in William street, close to Wall, but
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
into THE INTERIOR,
The Scientific Expedition
PenetrateS Africa.
SLAVERY IN A NEW FORM.
The Vices and Superstitions Peculiar
to the Natives.
LAVERY IN A NEW FORM.
FEROCITY OF THE CROCODILES

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srArcH.l
CAPE Town, S. AFRICA, February %.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-08-27
The Nickel Was Plugged.

A tall man with dark moustsche
and imperial got into south-bound
Broadway car at Twenty-second street
the other day. and took seat about
midway up the car. When the con-
ductor came for his fare the man fished
a nickel from his pocket. The CON
ductor looked at the coin sharply and
passed il back again.
"W hats the matter?" asked the
man.
ats plugged" said the conductor.
The man put pair of eyeglasses on
his nose and critically surveyed the
nickel. lie found that the conductor
was correct, and handed him good
nickel. He was about to put the bad
one back into his pocket when he no.
ticed that every one in the car WAS
looking at him. lie turned red, hesi-
tated, and finally dropped the nickel
slyly on the floor. Every one saw him
do it, but every one tried TO appear as
if he didn't notice II.
The nickel lay on the floor in plain
sight, but no one would look at it.
All seemed to think that they would
appear as if they coveted II If they did.
Every one seemed quite uncomforts-
BILE. Two or three men tried to read,
but they couldn't concentrate their at
tention on their newspapers. The
conductor passed over the nickel once
or twice, and tried not to notice it.
At Fourteenth street man got in
and was about TO sit down, when he
espied the nickel. He picked it up and
tried to hand il 70 an old gentleman
with q red face and white moustache,
saying: You dropped this, sir"
mo, didn't" said the Old gentle.
man, with laugh.
Then everybody laughed, as if
picked up the nickel looked closely at
il, turned bright crimson, and dropped
it again. Everybody saw him, but
whichever way he looked he saw only
averted faces. The people would
glance slyly at him from the corners of
their eyes and then look away again
very quickly. Again no one looked at
the nickel, although every man there
knew to a nicely just where il lay. 1t
stayed in the same place on the floor
until the car stopped just above Cham
bers street. Here the conductor told
the passengers to take the next car, as
that one was going TO switch of and
go up town again. AS they left the
car all the passengers took last glance
at the plugged nickel, but no one
touched it. 1t started up town again,
and all the passengers went down
town with that nickel weighing heavi-
ly on their minds.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-08-27
Large Hands and Beer Drinking.

Attention has been drawn, says the
London Standard, TO the rather curious
fact that, on the authority of carefully
collected statistics, it is proved that the
hands and feet of the women of
America are steadily progressing in
size, so that very soon, If they continue
to grow in Dimensions, there will no
longer be any reason for ladies across
the Atlantic to be vain of the smallness
of their extremities. A person inter
ested in the matter asserts, for instance,
that the gloves and shoes worn by
American women are slowly but surely
approaching the size of those worn in
other countries; and though the reason
for this increase in size is not vet
known, il 10 suggested that it may be
found closely connected with the grow
ing habit of beer drinking.
For, according TO the learned on the
subject, the theory is that the women
of all beer-drinking nations have larg-
er hands and feet than those of cOun-
tries where wine Is the everyday bev-
erage. IL is certainly true that Ger
man and English women have, in the
majority of cases, larger hands and
women. But we do not see that it
follows that this is due to the beer
drunk in the first-nained countries, or
that the feet and hands of the women
of Italy, Spain and France would be
come larger were wine to be discarded.
The latter are generally slighter in
build than their English or German sis
ters, and their hands and feet are in
proportion.