davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
CHAIRNEN HAVE MET.
Some of the Strange People Who Have
 Presided at Max O'Relps Lectures.

Some of the Strange People Who Have
 Presided at Max O'Rell's Lectures.
 In my few years featuring experience have como across all sorts and condi-H t1ons of chairmen, and can reooliect very few that "have helped me-" Now what is the office, the duty, of chair man on such occasions? He is sup posed to introduce the lecturer to the audience. For this he needs to be able to make neat speech. Some- times he is nervous: he hems and haws, cannot find the words he wants, and only succeeds in fidgetirg the audience. You don't like it.
 Sometimes, on the other hand, he Is vii. There is danger again. N You don't like that. was once introduced to New York audience by General Horace Porter. There was danger certainly in that, you will agree with me, and will not be surprised when l tell you that after his delightfully."- wit ty and graceful little speech, l felt las if the best part of the show was over.
 Sometimes the chair has to be offered 10 a magnate of the neighborhood, though he may be noted for his long prosy orations. Neither the lecturer nor the public like that. At others, 1t is very popular man who is put in the chair, and gets all the applause. One doesn't like that.
 More than once when announced to deliver a lecture on France, l have been introduced by chairman, who, having spent his holidays in that coun- try once or twice, opened the evenings proceedings by himself delivering Q lecture on France. l have felt very tempted to say to the audience in such cases: 3ssLadies and gentlemen, as one lecture on France is;enough for an evening, perhaps you would rather l spoke about something else"
 Of those chairmen who can and do speak, the Scotch ones are generally good. They have a knacksof startiAg the evening with droll Scotch anec- dote, and putting the audience in a good humor. Occasionally they will also make propos and equally droll littlo speeches at the close. One evening, in talking of America, 1 had mentioned the fact that American dinners were very live ly and that I thought the fact of Americans being able to keep up such flow of wit for so many hours was due to their drinking Apollinaris water instead of stronger things after dessert. At tho end of the lecture, the chairman rose and said that he had greatly enjoyed it, but that he must take exception to one statement had made, for he thought it every deeficult to be witty on Apollinaris waiter" Another kind of chairman is the one who kills your finish and stops all the possibility of your being called back for applause, by coming forward, as soon as the last words are out. of your mouth, to inform the audience that the next lecture will be by MT. So-and-So, or by making financial statement o1 the. Society's posi- ion and appealing to the members to induce their friends to l join, ffst ---,. Z ssEs sss,
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19

reader returned it with tho remark that it was merely 8 catalogue of ships furniture. Itwas accepted by Marston. My friends sometimes try and tempt me ashore. sNo,' I say, q am web footed, and l shall stick to the sea- My object is to keep the standard ele- vated. As rule, sea stories are only written for boys, and yet England, which is great maritime country, possesses no great sea novelist"
 loudly demurred: "Mr. Russell, you are fishing; however, let that pass-are your stories founded on fact tr'-"Yes, very often; for in- stance, once read in the papers of 8 mutiny at sea, in which the steward had thrown over bottle containing an account of it. I pondered over that, until finally wrecked the Gros- venor. 'The Sea Queen was suggest ed by the true story of captains wife, who was on board steamer, and all the crew, except the captain and mate, fell ill. They worked in the engine room, she steered and brought the vessel into the haven where they would be. This sea-novel-writing vocation is very dear to me. All my sailors are.mcn have met in the foc'sle, kept watch with, gone aloft with; they are fast dying type in this age of steamers.
 And how vast distinction there is between the bluejacket and the mer- chantman! The one 1.-the, active as 8 cat, full of his ideas of discipline; the other slow, grumbling, discontented, full of bad food and constant com- plaint. Half the profanity of poor Jack is to be found in the filthy scut- tle-butt and the fouler harness-cask. No, there is not nearly SO much bully ing as there used to be, except in those beastly Nova Scotian ships. They are dreadful. Have you seen this?" plac- ing in my hand the last book-of which there were only twenty-five copies published-written by. Herman Melville, that magnificent Anne! jean sea-novelist. John Marr, and o her Sailors,' he calls it, and he has been good enough to dedicate it to me-"
 With great interest I took up the dainty little book by the author of "Omeo" and other exquisite South Sea sketches. And what had he to say of MT. Clark Russell? Why this "sThe Wreck of the Grosvenor' enti- ties the author to the naval crown in current literature. Upon the Gros- venor's first appearance in these waters II was going to say-all competent judges exclaimed, each after his own fashion, something to this effect: The very spit of the brine in our faces what writer, so thoroughly as this one, knows the sea, and the blue water of it; the sailor and the heart of him; the ship, too, and the sailing and handling of ship?"
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
Paul du Chainu.

It will surprise many Americans to learn that Paul du Chaillu was born in New Orleans (1837) only his great great-grandfather having been a Frenchman. Certainly this country has reason to be proud of him. His extensive travels in Africa have baen of incalculable advantage to natural history and geography. The gorilla was his discovery, and there is little about the men and beasts of thnse ter- rible African jnngles that he has not told us. Ashango Land, Explorations in Equatorial Africa, Stories of the Gorilla Country, Wild Life under the Equitor, Lost in Jungle, My Ap- ingi Kingdom, and The Country of Dwarfs, form a library of unrivalled tropical literature.
 Having wearied of scorching sands ard nerve-splitting adventure, MT. du Chaillu went to Scandinavia and wrote The Land of the Midnight Sun and The Viking Age. The latter work, which in itself would be monument to his memory, is the result of nine years of labor and research. In it he establish ed fact which revolutionizes many theories of hered ty, namely that Britain was originally settled by Scan- dinavians, not by the Ang .es' and Saxons. When his material was &C., cumula.ed, he worked with unabated ardor sixteen hours day, until his book was completed. His secretaries could not stand it, but the tremendous applicatit n made no inroads upon a constitution toughenad by African hardships and Northern snows.
 In temperament, Mir. du Chaillu is 8 re narkable mixture of the English, French, and German. In appearance he is not striking; his figure is small and rather stopping, and his most char acteristic feature, his mouth, is hidden by moustache. He is brilliant and enthusiastic in conversation, however, and has all the fire of youth in spite of his ifty-two years. The English resent his discoveries ill regard to their origin. They are a conservative race and not given to making over their traditions; but MT. du Chaillu has faith that America will appreciate the result of his toll. r.
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
lawyer won the day, and returned home with his maiden charge in tri- umph.
Winter in Switzerland.


 Who would dream of rational be- ings, except under dire compulsion, going to spend the winter at g place twice as high above the sea-levcl as the summit of Heiyellyn? write. a cores pendent. Yet here at St. Moritz, six thousand feet above the sea, in one hotel are 225 ladies and gentlemen, mostly English, but some from the other side of the Atlantic, and several from sunny Naples itself. ; Swi,zer- land, long the playground, is now be- com ng, in it's upland valleys, the hos pital and convalescent home of the world.
 For six weeks we have had perfect weather-skies as blue as those of Italy, and lakes whose deep indigo makes even the sky look pale-hot sunshine during the day, so that per equally found broad-brimmed Ja- maica straw lat with puggaree, the only head-dress in which could with comfort sit out of doors. At night t-e thermometer usually goes down to near the zero of Fahrenheit. For a fortnight we had the most lovely skat- 'ing-skating under absolutely idvllic conditions-combining the charm of an Italian summer with the delights of 8 Canadian win: CT.
 The most suitable costume in which to skate in this glorious sunshine is literally your shirt sleeves. But the characteristic sport is not skating, but tobogganning. Every child ill Switzer- land has his or her little sledge and goes merrily down the snow-covered hill-sides and steep str, cts and lanes. This is unsophisticated tobogganning, but art steps in, and down the steep hillside prepares a path 15 it. wide where the snow is carefully beaten dowa and smoothed, and then watered so -as to make a road of ice, along which the toboggans and their riders rush at the speed of an express train.
 The ills of life remain, it's perplexi. ties still perplex; but you feel an ex. ultant joy in being alive, akin to the almost fierce delight of rushing through the air on q toboggan at nearly mile minute. The influenza has found its way up to these Alpine solitudes, but we are havil g it mildly. and some of us do not intend to have it at all. cannot ciosethis letter without allhdine to the effect of this glorious out-of- doors life upon the nerves. am firm. ly persuaded that al the bromides in the world are incompara.ly inferior to a good draught of Engadine air.
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
TO GEORGE KEENAN,.

O fearless soul whose strong uplifted arm Yielding with courage high Truths naked blade
 Rent Russis's veil, and showed the horrors To whole world in judgment stern ar
 rayed!
 O fender be Tt, forgetful all of self, Striving to succor those that sit in grief, Spending with joy thy strength that thou
 mighcst bring
 Unto the serrowing some sweet relief!- And not in vain thy toil; thy loving words Robbed foul injustice of its cruel smart, And messAgesV'gainst which thou balanced &n Hfe-
 Brought hope to many an agonizing heart, Nor is this all, for yet day shall come Holding an hour of vengeance swift and
 strong,
 When God shall bare his mighty arm and
 sweep - A From of the face of earth this awful wrong. And thy brave soul, waiting this recompense, Whether in heaven or on earth it bide, Shall On that day of it's sore travail see, And in that hour it shall be satisied
 Anna Thaxter Church.
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
A Tender WOOing.

"Plots for stories have not all been used, as some people assert" remarked w. Jennings of Wyoming in the Col onnade last, evening. "A friend of mine," he continued, "who lives out in the cattle country of the Big Horn basin was witness in 1885 to one of the most remarkable weddings of which I have ever heard. At that time few settlers had gathered in and formed the nucleus of what is now a prosperous farming region, but the sway of the cowboy was undisputed. The fir t wedding in that section on Owl Creek was that of Big Charlie and Mcetutse Nance, a native sage-brush belle. The bride ard groom came seventy-five miles on horseback to the Squire's, and in exactly the same fash- ion. When within few miles of the Squire's home they met that official, surrounded by half dozen cowboys. Then the bride got restless and ner- vous, declaring that she wouldn't marry any man on earth. But the Judge, the cowboys and the groom were equal to the occasion. At short distance stood a corral.
 ".Take her over to the corral, boys, and put her in,'. said his Honor.
 "As Meetutse Nance heard thls or der she made wild break for the hills; but her days of freedom were over. She was quickly run down, and amid a yolley of feminine sage-brush eloquence the delighted boys started on lope for the corral. Reaching this, Nance leaped from her bronk and started like scared deer fvr some Ad- jaoent brush; but 1t was no go. 4fUw- ever, she fought vigorously, 'ands'his Honor ordered: ,sHobble her, ibuys.' The boys were in 'ecstasies. A pair-of rawhide hobbies. were stripped from a caYuse's neck, and their twist adjusted about tho sturdy ankles of the strug- RlinG bride. She was taken into the corral, and his Honor, m ,untiHR fhe fence, bade tho groom take his place by her side, and catch on to her hand.
 This done, his Honor assumed the look
 of dignifed importance called for by
 the occasion, and said:
 | "sBig Charlie and Meetutse Nance, you come inter this corral single. I pronounce you . couple. Big Charlie,
 unhobble your wife, . "But this Big Charlie found 1t diff cult to do, and it was not until one of the cowboys had gently cast his lariat over the newly-made wife that the hus- band was able to turn the lady 10 SC. Then the justice called his boys togeth- CT, and saying: Come on, boys, we hain't got no business here now,' led them away. One of the boys looked back, and the happy couple were busy
 unpacking their camping outfit, and
 the honeymoon had evidently begun"
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
A Bird of Esthetic Tastes.

Tho Geological Gardens have just re- ceived' several specimens of the um- brette, which have. not Eeen exhibited since the year 1884. It is, however, fairly common throughout the Cape Colony, and in other parts of Africa, and extends its range to Madagascar. It is one of those birds which have proved a difficulty 10 the systematist, for it does not fit accurately into any 5classificatory scheme. It is half 8 heron and half a stork, with 9 general appearance which is unlike that of either. On the whole, in it's structure it comes nearer to the heron, and it has thesrather melancholy demeanor of that bird. It lives upon fish and frogs.
 Curiously enough it is looked upon by some of the natives of both Africa and Madagascar as bird of evil .augurv. In.Africa it is held to be sa- cred and to posse ss the power of witch craft. There is something portentous and solemn about the behavior of all these herons and bitterns, which easily accounts for the origin of such legends.
 Occasionally the umbrette relaxes the severity of its demeanor and executes 8 fantastic dance with outspread wing. It is also bird of refined and aesthetic tastes which are not shared by it's immediate kinsmen, the herons and storks. It adorns its nest with but tons, fragments of pottery, bits of glass, and any other 6right-looking ob- jects which come in it's way. The nest itself is normous-nearly> six feet across-and its interior divided into three chambers. This is an un- heard of luxury, especially as it lays two eggs and docs not take in any lod0era such an cuckoos
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
Burned City Rapidly Rebuilt.

Seattle has been largely rebuilt since the fire, and the new buildings are much finer than were the old ones. In seventy days after the fire brick ho- tel containing 200 rooms was com pleted. Nine street car lines have been completed, or nearly so; & $500,0O0 rolling-mill has been established, and iron works to cost $3,0O0,o00 are be- ing constructed, while a costly opera house has just been thrown open.
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19
A Romantic Story.

'sThe Coliseum: Shadow in the moo light: A narrow escape" The line is not borrowe.l from & work of fiction, admirably adapted though it be for the pages of thrilling novel. It heads the sober narrative of midnight adventure which, says a writer in the Norwich (England) Argus, recently befell \ orwich solicitor, who found himse f in Rome under peculiar cir- cumstances.
 The whole story is a romantic one. In November lady visiting Yarmouth entrusted the lawyer wi h a delicate and somewhat dangerous mission. He was to go to Rome and endeavor to restore wayward daughter to the bosom of her family. :. The young lady is said to be 20 years old and the in- heritor of 8 fortune, and she had been sent to 8 French convent near the Eternal City to finish her education in music and Italian. The pupil was to have returned home at the expiration of eight months, but at the end of that period she declined to leave the con- vent. Entreaties, promises and threats had alike failed to shake her resolutio !. When the Norwich solicitor undertook the case, hope had almost been aban- doned by the parents.
 But the lawyer saw no reason to de- spair, and, armed with a power of attorney and letter of introduction from the Premier to Lord Dufferin, the British Ambassador at Rome,. he lost no time in setting out for the South. At the end of his journey he found the object of it as unyielding and defiant as ever, and the conscious ness that he was beipg .1shadowed'' wherever he went-by whom and for what purpose was not exactly gathered -did not conduce to his comfort of mind. It was at this juncture that the Engiishman came near being "knifed'' in the Coliseum, whither he had in- cautiously gone to mediate by moon- light. After that the authorities gave him protection. But the girl still re- fused to leave the convent.
 Then it was that the lawyer sought the intervention of the Vicar-General of the Roman Church, and, finally, that of the Pope himself. We are told that his Holiness had to be approached on the knees, but for all that the advo- cate got no redress from the Sover- eign Pontiff, who professed his inabil- ity to assist him in the matter. Al this stage the lawyer grew desperate, and, as last resort, took the case be- fore the Civil Tribunal, where, curi- ously enough, he caused to be cited the order of Lord Chief, Justice Cole. ridge onDr. Barnardo to deliver up 2 lad to his parents. Whether or not that. decision had any weight with the ] Italian Courts does not appear. The
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19

Yonkers has musical prodigy. He is4 twelve years old and hates the sound of tin horn.-N. Y. Commer- eial Advertiser.
Connecticut western news., 1890-02-19

Mary (practica) IA beautiful ring, my dear; what did you give for it?
 Eleanor (peetical )-Myself. life.
Mower County transcript., 1890-12-17

Judge Thomas Buckham of Faribauit was
ia the city yesterday.
Miss Lulu Hunt, daughter of ]. J. Hunt of
Waltham is very sick we hear.
E. H. Wells and Henry Bagley of Lansing
we're down Saturday and called at the TRANS
CRIPT sanctum.
Miss Addie Cook. who Is teaching at Spring
Valley, returned home last Friday, the schools
having been closed on account Of scarlet
fever. .-...
G. H. Stockton, senator elect from Rice
county, passed through the city yesterday on
his way to Grand Meadow. He will return to
Austin today and be the guest of Lyman D.
Baird.
Mankato Register: Robert NJ. Boyd of Aus
tin is visiting his old bunk mates N. L. Dock
erby, for few days Mr.. Boyd is pleasant
gentleman to meet, and he and Mr.. Lockerby
are having q "big VISIT going over army
experiences. - ..s4.-.@ j.. :*.@
Mower County transcript., 1890-12-17
Among the Breakers" Thursday

Among the Breakers Thursday
evening.
Keep your eye on the Austin Furni-
ture Company for sensible Xmas presents
Wanted. Live Poultry for cash at
the Refrigerator opposite the Williams
House.
-Halverson is closing out. 1t don't
look that way. l guess be is slayer
Try him.
Cash paid for I'd hand household
goods, carpets, ETC., at the Austin "a
hand Store.
If YOU want the best and most dura-
BILE chairs made call and examine those
at Malmbergs.
Why don't you go to Halverson's s
and get your moneys worth? Your
nelghbors do.
Mr.. and Mrs F. l. Crane will be 'tat
home" on Friday evening to number of
invited guests.
BE sure and call at the opera house
drug store before purchasing your
Christmas goods.
-Rev. ". E. Stanley tied the wedding
knot for George n. Adams and Lillian
Hitler last Wednesday.
-Clausen & Brown have dissolved
partnership. The business will oe con
tinued at the old and by Mr.. Brown.
School examination paper, map, and
drawing paper, and ink, all ef the best
quality, can be had at the TRANSCRIPT
Office.
"A knife sharpener given away.
Something for nothing. Every lady can
have one by calling on the Austin Furnl-
ture,Co.. 200 for nothing.
james Maltby and Hiss Kittie Wise
man of Oakland we're married last
Wednesday at the residence of the brides
parents, bY Rev. W. e. Stanley.
Il have large amount of money on
hand to loan on farm and city property
At the lowest rate of interest in payments
to suit. FRANK A. l1cKNOR'
The best Christmas present that
could he given is, without doubt, Stan
leys own book, I'm Darkest Africa OF
the Eneyclopedia Britannica, b. Fteder-
ikse is the agent.
Ladies clean your kid gloves with
Mathers glove cleaner. For sale only by
Hail & West. A full line of the Foster
facing gloves in all the most desirable
shades. Also nice quality of undressed
kids. &>
Several dishes left by friends who
generously contributed 30 the Calendar
banquet, are ia the care 1f Mrs. George
q. Wilbour, at the Austin Circulating
Library. where owners can OBTAIN inem
on any Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday
afternoon.
Mower County transcript., 1890-12-17

JeWeed movements. 4 OF, silver case. Q Is
II lcWoled movements, ? OF. silver case....... a 90
!! leWe,ed movements, o. silver 10 80
10 )e"eied movements, or silver II 81
IL ]eweied movements or. silver case. 90. ~ O3
Ladies Elgn Hunting, stem wind, case war
rantnd 70 years ,................. 49,. 12 Is
Ladies Elgin 10 karat solid gold watch. ls 90
Ladies E!gin Il karat solid gold watch..... 2S 10
CLOCKS! CLOCKS! CLOCKS!
day. strike solid black walnut. ut........... 85
day, strike. solid black walnut alarm. ..... rs
s day, = hour strike. ............... rs
day, 4 hour strike alarm. rm.................. 8 90
Nicklc alarm clock (warranted) ........1 90
SILVER AND SILVER PLATED WARE
Solid silver tea spoons (engravel). .......... OU
Solid silver table spoons ,engraved) ......... 10 90
Roger Bros silver plated :easroon eng....... 90
Roger Bros. Double plated teaspoon. eng...... 81
Roger Bros. triple plated teaspoon eng. ........ 50
All roll plated goods are warranted no matter
how cheap they are sold.
Solid Eold pin with alta ching pin.......,.., s 50
Ladies solid gold sleeve buttons, pair. :. 2 90
Ladies rolleo plate sleeve buttons. pair .. so
Ladies' beautiful Jersey pin. SOC upward.
Gents rolled plated sleeve buttons. ........ 50
Rolled plated gents vest chain. ...... 80. &C
Rolled plated ladies' fob chain so
Ladies' oxidized ear rings. per pair. 50
Ladies' oxidized hair pin.......... .......... 80
Ladies' oxodized cnff buttons. ns................ 70
Ladies solid ii karat gold rings set in
Brlants .................. ........ -. 80
Ladies solid IL karat gold ear rings, latest style
with screw. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ! SO
Solid silver thimbles engraved free ......... 80
Violins from g up. Violin bows from Is cents
up. German accordeaus from 81 up.
We keep the finest stock Of razors and cutlery
in the city-raEors are warranted.
spaudng league balls. ls........................ 81