davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Ono Hundred and Seven Years Old.

In small cottage way out in the
suburbs of New Orleans, where the air
is pure and the residences are scarce.
there departed this life recently at the
wonderful old age of 10Y years Glenn
entine Landry, for over 100 years a
resident of New Orleans. This aged
colored woman was born in St. James
parish during the year 1882, and
strange to say has never left her native
state since that time. Her many chill
dren and grandchildren remember
hearing the old lady speak of Gen. An
drew Jackson's great victory at Chal
mette and the enthusiastic manner in
which he was received by the popu
lace, and the many other incidents of
the long ago that are only remembered
by few. During the days of slavery
Clementine Landry was owned by Mr..
Valerie Gaudet, at that time promi
nent citizen of New Orleans. At the
time of death the members of her fam
lily amounted to about fifty persons,
among whom there are at present liv-
ing four of her children, the oldest CT
whom is 70, eleven grandchildren
ranging between the years of 20 and
IS, and twentyfour great-grandchil
dren between the ages of IL and ~
Herald of Health.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
He Chung to His Tormentor.

A friend relates the following ratheI
jocose incident: Proceeding down 10,
street not long since, his attention wa
called to little Eegro boy who W.:
crying piteously, and alternating hi.
outbursts by munching a glowing
hued red pepper. The tears wer,
streaming down his ebony cheeks ans
he was believing loudly about tn,
burning sensation in his mouth an,
throat, totally oblivious of the fac
that the pepper was the cause of hi.
trouble, and that he was continual,
aggravating the pain by endeavoriil:
to masticate the pungent article.
The narrator, noticing his trouble
and its cause, stepped forward ant
snatched the pepper from his hand:
and threw it into the street, where
upon the black urchin set up a mos
vociferous howl and dashed after hi.
treasure, while burly negress rushes
out of a doorway, evidently thinking
her child had been abused. The wei
meaning pedestrian did not linger L,
explain. AS he departed he caught /;
glimpse Of the ebonized gamin agail
In possession of the pepper and yelling
and munching as before. Adapting !:
fragment of a common quotation, i
was case where ignorance is bliss. :
Boston Budget.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
The Race Improving

An English newspaper has been
making collective investigation re-
garding the questions given below: Il.
Does your experience suggest to you
that the race of Englishmen is degene-
rating physically7 Q. Do you think
that the great advance in the healing
art is responsible for keeping alive
much weak life that will in time affect
the whole race injuriously9 8. Do you
think that the increased indulgence in
physical sports has, on the whole, a
good influence on health9 4. Has it
ever struck you that probably the great
attention paid to health in these days
may be producing an anxiety about
bodily ailments which is disease in
itself?" Answers have been received
from a long array of practitioners,
among whom are the names of emf
nent London physicians. The general
view taken, according to The Medical
Record, is that Englishmen are not de-
generating, but that, on the whole, the
race is improving in vigor. -New Or
leans Picayune.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Building Shfps.

The business of building ships has
prospered in Great Britain during the
past year. 1t is noble trade, and en-
ploys large number of the most skill
full mechanics. On the little river
Clyde, in Scotland, 3O2 vessels were
launched in 1888, of which IT'S were
steamers and 127 were sailing ships
Most OF the steamers were built of
steel, which has now become the favor
lite metal among ship owners.
On the Tyne, 1872 vessels were built
during the year, and on the Wear Is.
making total of 500.
These vessels alone would form a
very imposing feet, and nearly all of
them were designed for commercial
purposes. Great as the number of
new vessels was, it does little more
than make good the losses in the Brit
lsh shipping list by wreck and decay.
Moreover, considerable number of
these vessels were built for foreign
firms and governments.
In any part of the world. if anv one
wants a good steamer built, he thinks
first of the great ship building firms
IN the north of Britain, and one of
them is pretty sure to get the contract.
There was time when the United
States took the lead in this magnificent
KIND OF manufacture, and people in
England went down to the docks in
Liverpool and London just to see the
beautiful clippers built on the Merri-
mac, the Hudson and the Kennebec.
1t should be so, and will be so again,
we trust, before many years have
passed. Youths Companion.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Marriage for a Quarter.

A story is told about a ministers
marriage fee that causes amusement
among the clergy. He was paid 81 for
marrying a couple. After they de
parted he was about to hand the money
to his wife when the door bell was
rung. The newly married wife said
she wanted certificate. No marriage
was good without one. 1t cost twen
ty-fve cents for a blank that would
suit her. The reverend gentleman
filled the blank out in the usual form
and she went away seemingly salts
fed. ~
A few days later she again appeared
at the door. Mister" said the wo
man, in an aggrieved tone, 81 looked
through the papers and can't find 2
notice of our wedding. You ought
not to treat us different from otRe,
folks" So the dominic went to a news
paper Office and paid fifty cents to
have q notice inserted. When he
reached home he handed the remain.
Ing twenty-five cents to his wife with
the remark: Here, my dear. hurry
up and take this before that woman
makes another call"
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Killing Cattle Mercifully.

Any one acquainted with the man.
agenient of slaughter houses, and who
has previously witnessed the manner
in which the animals are stunned
must have been shocked by the hor.
rors attendant on the proceedings fire.
quently involved in the admission of
novices to the trade by using the liv-
ing animal as a block ons which to
practice. The amount of torture
caused in this way by unskilled hands
battles description. Young men come
forward each in turn to strike a blow
at the same OK. The AK may some
times fall ten times upon the same un-
fortunate animal, whose eyes are often
put out and his whole skull battered
in a pitiable way before the practiced
blow of the master butcher puts an
end to his sufferings and lays him low.
In order to end these cruelties the
directors of the Berlin slaughter house
have provided practicing apparatus,
upon which apprentices are bound to
learn their trade. They are obliged
to practice upon it till they have &C
CURED sufficient strength and dexter
ity to hit a button in the machine
with the same force as is required to
make strong OK insensible; and they
are only permitted to touch the liv-
ing animal when they have proved
their competence with the machine.
The apparatus consists of two cast
iron cylinders fitting into one another
and pressed by means of two power
full springs. When the button upon
the apparatus is struck the springs are
pressed, and the cylinders slip to-
gether, while the exact strength of
the blow given is indicated upon the
dial. The apparatus hangs in strong
wooden frame and is movable, so that
the button can be raised or lowered
according as the practice is intended
for large or small cattle. A mallet of
forged iron about 7inches long is used
with this apparatus. 1t has on both
sides a rounded surface of about Q
inches in diameter. The handle,
which measures 27b inches long, must
not be used too short, to avoid risk of
breaking. -Freiburger Tagblatt.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Seals Not Signatures,

When Ralph Red bought his fathers
freedom of William lie Butler. William
gave him an acknowledgment for the
money and written certificate of the
transaction, but he did not sign his
name. In those days nobody Signed
their names, not because they could
not write, for | suspect that Just as
large proportion of people in Eng
land could write well 600 years ago as
could have done so forty years ago
but because it was not the fashion to
sign ones name. Instead of doing
that everybody who was a freeman
and man OF substance, in executing
any legal document, affixed to it his
seal, and that stood for his signature
People always carried their seals about
WIN them In purse or small bag.
ana IL was no uncommon thing for a
plckpocket to cut off this bag and run
away with the seal, and thus put the
owner to very serious inconvenience.
Ihls was what actually did hammer
once to William lie Buffers father-in-
law: He was certain Sir Richard
Dollhouse, and he lived at North Tud
denham, near Dereham. Sir Richard
was high sheriff for tho counties of
Norfolk and Suffolk in 1891, and his
duties brought him into court on Jan
20 OF that year before one of the
Judges at Westminster. | suppose
the court was crowded, and in the
crowd some rogue cut off Sir Richards
purse and made off with his seal. /
never heard that he got it back again
Historic Essays. Rev. Augustus Jes
sopp.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
THE BARRING OF THE DOOR,"
The Eastern Incident Which Furnished
the Theme of n Scottish Song

The Eastern Incident Which Furnished
the Theme Of Scottish Song
It is not generally known that the in
cident which forms the subject of the
droll Scottish song, 1.-THE Barring of
the Door," which also occurs in the
Nights" of Straparola, is of eastern
origin. In an Arabian tale block
head having married his pretty cousin,
gave the customary feast to their re-
lations and friends. When the festivi-
ties were over he conducted his guests
to the door, and, from absence of
mind. neglected 10 shut it before re-
turning to his wife.
dear cousin, said his wife to him
when they were alone, go and shut
the street door," 1t would be strange,
indeed, he replied, IF l did such a
thing. Am just made bridegroom,
clothed in silk, wearing a shawl and
a dagger set with diamonds, and am
to go and shut the door9 Why, my
dear, you are crazy. Go and shut it
yourself" "Oh, indeed!" exclaimed
the wife. Am l, young, robed in a
dress OF lace and precious stones, am !
to 60 and shut the street door2 No, in
deedl 1t is you who have become
crazy, and not l. Come, let us make
a bargain" she continued, land let
the first who speaks go and fasten the
door" Agreed" said the husband,
and Immediately he became mute, and
the wife, too, was silent, while they
both sat down, dressed as they were in
their nuptial attire, looking at each
other and seated on opposite sofas.
Thus they remained for two hours.
Some thieves happened to pass by,
and, seeing the door open, entered and
laid hold of whatever came to their
hands. The silent couple heard foot
steps in the house, but opened not
their mouths. The thieves came into
room and saw them seated motionless,
and apparently Indifferent to all that
might take place. They continued
their pillage, therefore, collecting to
gether every valuable, and even drag
ging away the carpet from beneath
them; they laid their hands on the
noodle and his wife, taking from their
person every article of jewelry, while
they, in fear of losing the wager, said
not a word.
Having thus cleared the house the
thieves departed quietly, but the pail
continued to sit, uttering not sylla
BILE. Toward morning a police officer
came past on his tour of inspection.
and seeing the door open walked in
After searching all the rooms and find
ing no persons, he entered their apart
ment and inquired the meaning OF
what he saw. Neither of them would
condescend to reply. The officer be
came angry and ordered their heads to
be cut off. The executioners sword
was about to perform it's Office when
the wife cried out, ''Sir, he is my hus
band. Do not kill him!" "Ohl OH
exclaimed the husband, overioyed, and
clapping his hands, you have lost the
wager; 60 and shut the door," He
then explained the whole affair to the
police officer, who shrugged his shoul
ders and went away.-St. Louis Re
public.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
San Marine.

There are in Europe several states
not larger than ordinary townships in
England or America, yet permitted to
enjoy perfect independence of the
powerful governments which surround
them That which has least ESCAPED
notice is the ancient republic of San
Marlno. SO called, as some say, after
an old monk who was it's founder
though another account is that this
honor is due to pious Mason of Dali
malta in the Fourth century. II is q
craggy tract of country in the hills
near Rlmlnl, on the Adriatic, and in.
cludes about 80 square miles, with a
population of about 5000, and an
army OF ~ men. commanded by sew.
eral generals, " for it is said that of.
hces and titles and decorations are "a
be had for suitable consideration in
dependent of meritorious service
Though inclosed on all sides bv wbot
were the dominions of the none onJ
though it was severely menaced hU
Napoleon in his conquering career,
yet he was induced to respect its ven,
cradle autocracy, and so have all the
powers into whose hands the s,,r.
rounding parts of Italy have fallen
both before and since; so that th;s IT,
tie republic has continued INDEPENDENT
Tor at least fourteen centuries. a longer
period than any other government in
Europe can boast Of
Austria, Prussia and France have
each had LOO years of united ;nde.
pendence, England 800, and Russia
S5O years only. 1t has an unwritten
constitution, according to which the
'?1slatlve power is vested in a council
20, elected by the people. OF these
20 are mobiles, 20 are townspeonle and
20 are from the rural population. The
executive lies with two of the council,
ors, who are chosen every six months
and act jointly as regents.
The judicial power is exercised bv a
doctor OF laws who must be STRANGER
and cannot hold office longer than
three years. The village of /, 500 peo-
pie, which forms the capital of the re-
public. is situated high up on Mount
Titan. 1t has a castle, which was for.
tilted by King Berenger, of Lombardy
and as its principal object of interest
q splendid collection of medals num-
bering about 10000. The PRINCIPAL
inhabitants reside in a more sheltered
locality. The people generally are in
a very backward condition. They
have no printing press but rejoice in
four converts, five churches and q
theatre. journal of Health.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
THE WOMEN OF FRANCE.
Denial of the Claim That There So Many
Madcaps Among Them.

Madcaps Among Them.
Do not trust our newspapers. Above
all shun those journals which pretend
to describe society. The society that
they know, the only society that they
can describe, is not society at all; it is
Bohemia They talk, it is true, of live
duchess, but they have only seen their
duchess from distance. She was in
her box, they were all away below in
the stalls. The woman whom they
really know is Marguerite Gautier, and
and it is Marguerite to whom they as
sign the ducal name.
Most frequently they do not even
take the trouble to find a fictitious
trademark for their wares; they fur
nish you without disguise, with the
scandal of the world of pleasure, per-
feet series of orgies, Bacchanalia of
courtesans. Thereupon you say to your
self. This is great Babylonl Indeed
it is not; it is only a tiny corner of
Babylon, no bigger than nutshell
tiny corner, such as may be found
in London, in Rome or in Vienna
This corner is tride larger in proper
ton as the town is more famous and
attracts more foreigners.
But this is not the immortality of
Paris, it is the immortality of the
world nay, it is not Paris nor is it the
Partisan woman. There is no more
amusing madcap than the Partisan
courtesan, and no more sensible and
charming person than the Partisan
woman. The two exist in two dis
tinct worlds, and have nothing in com
mon except their hats.
We have, at the outside, 1000 or
5000 of the madcaps, reckoning in
that number those who are on the
border line and who have one foot
in each of the two worlds. 1t is
a large number, but only think
what host of foreigners come
to us. And yet the madcaps
attract more attention than our 5O0,.
600 virtuous Partisan women and our
2O,OOO,O 900 virtuous French women.
Foreigners are not the only persons
who make mistake about this matter.
In France itself the novel makes such
a fuss that many Frenchmen fancy
that the one class of women is the
other.
Our excellent little middle class
women are judged by the standard OF
Indiana" Fifty years ago they were
all reading Indiana" with fervor,
forcing themselves to find their own
image in it, just as at the present day
we force ourselves for an hour or SO
to believe that Francois lie Champs
peasants are men of flesh and blood.
Nay, my dear ladies, you are not such
Indianas nor such Francillons as all
that. When you 60 to see Francillon
on the stage you are so charmed with
the happy ending of the third act that
you forgive the improbabilities of the
other two. Meilhac maintains that
your French virtue is steadily di-
minishing quantity; but at all events
you cling to what remains of it. Still,
| am only now speaking of fashionable
Partisan ladies, for the others keep
simply to the old standard. Vice re-
quires little time to blossom, but it
takes long to spread its roots.-Fort
nightly Review.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18

Time was when folks afflicted with
disease were put out of the way, not
as Bergh's men kindly kill a dis
abled animal to mercifully end it's dis
tress, but because deemed unfit tc
live. Now the browning glory of on,
century is its magnificent hospitals.
Time will be when our prisons, the dis.
grace of this grand age, will be
changed to humanitarian institutions
for the control and cure of crime, in
stead of pest places for its punishment
and propagation.
Statesmen and reformers are begin
ming to consider that our system of so
ciety is really accountable for more
crime than it prevents. Judges and
juries are frequently called upon to
condemn unfortunate creatures of cir.
cumstances less guilty of offense
against their fellows than those before
whom they are arraigned. Did all
wrong doors escape detection, as
doubtless the majority do, there would
be no criminals known; while if the
consciences of men were incased in
glass all would be criminals alike.
There would be no honest men to bring
the guilty to justice. Let all who read
reflect upon this.
He who robs you wrongs himself
worse than you. You may recover
your property or purchase more, but he
has corrupted his conscience, ruined
his reputation, assassinated his man.
hood. He has inflicted upon himself
a misfortune, while you have but sus
tanned a pecuniary and perchance a
trifiing loss.-S. H. Preston in Jour
nal of Health.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Continental Strikers.

Early in 1888 the Continental con-
gress was discussing financial ques-
tons. Alexander Hamilton proposed
tofund the public debt and issue GER
tificates for officers pay which were
to bear interest. and in this position he
was supported by Madison. The op-
ponents of strongly centralized gov
eminent insisted that the whole mat
ter should be left to the states, even
the matter of officers pay. On March
10, 1888, an anonymous call appeared
in Washington's camp at Newburg,
on the Hudson, for meeting of the
general and field officers of the army,
including one officer for each com
pany, to discuss the aspect of affairs.
The call was accompanied by an ap-
peal, written in violent language by
Capt. Armstrong, son of Gen. Arm
strong. In general order, issued on
March II, Washington denounced
this call as irregular and subversive of
discipline, and named a day subse-
quent to that mentioned in the call
for meeting in which to hear the re-
port OF the committee sent to congress.
BY personal appeals to each officer he
sought to calm their passions and pre-
vent hasty action. On the 18th the
meeting was held according to the
call, and Gen. Horatio Gates, who
was suspected of being in sympathy
with the authors of the appeal, was
made chairman to prevent his taking
any part in the discussion. A COM
mittee was appointed to draw up reso-
!utions, OF which Gen. Knox, a close
friend OF Washington, was made
chairman. These resolutions were
passed in spite of the opposition of
the authors of the meeting. Gen.
Washington in an address urged the
officers to place implicit confidence in
the wisdom and justice of congress.
Philadelphia Times.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Rapid Building.

The Dayton Democrat relates the
following, which illustrates pretty
well the rapidity as well as extent to
which building is carried on these
days:
Citizen Ito builder)-What are you
going to put up therea
Builder-We're just beginning the
finest row Of fats ever built in New
York city.
Gtizen-rd like a nice fat in this
neighborhood.
Builder-Well, you stop on your
way home from down town this even
ing and I'll show you through; but
get here as early as possible or they
may be gone.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Tho Norwegian Peasant.

The Norwegian peasant has a de.
cided aptitude for trading and for
travel, and is consequently naturally
inclined to knowledge. Education is
making steady progress in the coun-
try; every one can read and write, and
on every farmstead one or more news
papers are regularly taken. The hus-
m@nd tenants or cotters) even are be-
ginning to subscribe to newspapers.
Books they can get from the parish Ii
brary, or very often they buy them for
themselves The modern literature of
the country has penetrated into every
valley, and is now generally bought
BY the well to do among the peasantry.
-Harper's Magazine.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
The London Thirteen Club.

The London Thirteen club, which
has just inaugurated itself after the
example of a similar institution in
New York, is, / believe, exclusively
for the male sex, and l am sure they
are wise, for l fancy very few ladies
would join, even if invited. Women
are naturally much more superstitious
than men, and l would not systematic
ally do all the unlucky things they do
for worlds, and l expect should not
even be eligible, for | am a firm be-
lever in charms and crooked six.
pences. These luckless people under
take whenever practicable to sit down
thirteen to dinner, to walk under lad
ders, to spill salt at dinner (untidy
creatures ,, initiate any new enterprise
on Fridays, and generally to do all the
things which other folks don't like to
do. l suppose to give them a wish
after their own heart / had better say,
May bad luck go with them. LON
don Figaro.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Decoration Occurrence,

Henceforth we must no longer talk
of arranging" our furniture, for the
great apostle of art, Mr.. Oscar Wilde,
has provided us with a new expression
for the negligent way in which it is
the fashion to scatter the numerous
little chairs, cabinets and screens
which sogladden the heart of the mod
ern housewife. A lady, well known
in society, having bought a number
OF japanese screens, was found one
afternoon by the great aesthetic musing
''Oh, Mr.. Wilde" exclaimed she. s.I'm
sorry you should have been brought
into such a confusion. But as you
are here, do be kind and help me to
arrange them" A panied expression
passed over the poet face. .Oh. pray. !"
cried he, don't arrange them. Let
them occur. Philadelphia Telegraph.