davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

Gov. Curtin tells me the following.
says the New York Tribune: "Rid-
ing over the field ust alter the hat
tie OF Spottsylynnia came across a
wounded /, nnsylynnia solder. lie
was leaning against stump. hold.
ing bloody lex. ] dismountrd and
asked him how Ie was.
. 'ls the hone hruken,' | inquired
ms he explained his injury.
mo he said clieeriniiy; only
bullet through the flesh. Still, no
was faint and thirsty.
What would YOU rather have
just now. my man, sni,i lift yon
had but one wisll2 WAS thinking
OF his home in the Pennsylvania
hills.
i would like to have drink Of
Pennsylvania whisky ho replied
with smile.
"'Then here il is, ! replied. ex-
tending my flask You shall have
il.
''IIc took the flask, held 1t in his
hnnds "A second. then pointed to n
diving confederate solder near by.
BETTER give il TO him, he said; Inc
needs il more than do, poor fellow.
Yes, give IL to him.
I'VE turned 10 the latter. For all
we knew il might have been the very
man who shot him. But we propped
him up and attempted To pour some
liquor down his pnrched throat. He
heard every word and seemed Ca nm
lerSiand the situation thoroughly.
IL wns too late. With a grratiul
look in his eyes as he turned them
a moment on the wounded Pennsyl-
vania soldier. lac sighed deeply and
fell back dead.
81 have seen that Pennsylvania
solder since the war. lie had moth
Ing To begin life anew with. On the
strength OF that deed 10 an enemy
nt uch a time endorsed him for u
sum oI money. He prospcred. lie
now owns two mills and "A couple of
farms and he deserves all he has.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22
Wit at the Cuillotine.

Philadelphia Times.
Some years ago il was still thecus-
tom in France 10 conduct condemn.
ed criminals through gazing crowds
OF idle spectators TO the public gull
lotine. On one such occasion the un-
fortunntes. seated upon his coffin in
the cart, heard would-be wit in the
crowd remark Co Il companions:
well, I'll bet that fellow don feel
much like laughing"
The coarse attempt mt joke stung
the prisoner, and when he arrived mt
the scafiold he asked that the pro-
ceedings he stayed moment, M he
had confession To make.
although / denied il at the trial
had accomplices in the crime Tor
which | have been sentenced, and
there, pointing to the joker, lis one
oil them now
Great excitement ensucd, and the
party designated was seized by the
pendurmes with no gentle hands.
Out of the confusion somebody
managed 10 drag order, and the wit
was placed ON the scafiold besides his
nccuser.
Such n fearful case of abject terror
rs the joker presented was never wit
messed in that somber locality. Aft
er enjoying his helpless fright for "A
few moments the fnted convict said
To the official in charge.
" He tried To make sport of my suf-
ferings, but the man in innocent.
And as soon ns he seemed to be sure
that il was no luughng matter tor
me 10 be here, ] was curious To see
how much such IA funny fellow would
laugh under similar circumstances
himself"
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22
Rats Cleaned Out by Snakes

A novel method OF Kidding steam
boats OF rodents has been successfully
tested at Pittsburg. The youngest
son of the captain of river steamer
was some time ago presented with n
pair of spotted snakes, whichas they
were perfectly harmless, were depos-
tied in the hull OF the boat until they
could be conveniently housed. A few
days ago n great commotion was
noticed among the rats which in
fest steamboats, and barges in great
numbers, and hundreds OF them were
observed scampering ashore ON the
handspring and stern lines. The
evacuation continued all night and
In the morning the captain found
both snakes dead. having been liter
ally torn TO pieces by the Infatuated
animals, but not one OF the latter
was found on the boat.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

Some people imagine enormously saws
Champion Charles Smith Ia the n. Y
Herald that to be contortionist one has
10 be TO tho manner born" and l have
been asked questions that prove thar the
outsider looks upon the contortionist as
irregular wonder Here are some Of the
questions that are put to me every time
that perform
Have you any bonest'
DO you ever eatY"
Where do your meals go II you eatf"
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

have done this trick possibly five
hundred times with all my clothes on.
including collar. and have never missed
IL once. nor have ever had an accident.
IL requires nothing but confidence in
yourself.
To accomplish this trick you will have
TO begin by practising on the floor with
out the use OF your hands. When you
have mastered that part OF IL you can
Try TWO low chairs, and so on until YOU
can use regulation size chair. You
will lind IL Il very easy performance
when once thoroughly studied. just tho
same as all branches OF coutortlonism.
You have TO know how 10 do them. and
practise steadily aud patiently.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22
GROUND BALANCE.


that In order TO become finished per
former | would have To confine myself
20 one kind only. | chose. therefore.
the back bending. ms IL is the prettiest
hardest aud most effective form OF con.
tOrtionism.
The leg exercise shows about the
easiest trick acquired. aud can be learned
la very few weeks The easiest way
10 learn IL Is by lying on your stomach.
take your right foot in your right hand
and draw IL up 10 touch your head.
With n little practice you will find that
In a short time you can do this with
both feet. Then do the same thing
standing mp.
The next trick (lgurc ID consist OF
bending down. touching the floor with
the hand and then twisting the body
around sideways, The irick Is usually
very effective aud we'll received by the
audience.
Figure shows the performer balanc.
Ing lighted lamp upon bis forehead.
and then bending down slowly until he
touches the floor. This trick requires n
great amount OF practice IN order to get
SO steady that you can balance the lamp
safely without risking an explosion. In
practising this trick II is best To use at
first some article that rests securely on
the forehead aud does not break II 1t
should fall Begin by spreading your
legs two feet apart: then fold your arms
and bend down slowly until you reach
the floor You will find. in rising again.
that you need all your strength in order
To come up slowly and keep your lamp
well balanced This is one or my best
aud most effective tricks.
Figure is the grand bend. aud consists
OF bending down and resting the chest
upon the ground while your feet are on
the ground. right in front ~ you. This
can only be done after months Of prac.
tice. and Is u favorile trick with the
audience
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22


Do the boys who for fun have climb
ed the highest trees they could find,
and whenever chances offered, all
kinds of poles and scaffoldings and
roofs and windmills (the higher the
better, know that there are men who
make u business OF climbing? Very
few American boys, probably, have
seen any ofthese men; but in Europe.
especially; where there are so many
cathedrels with heirlofty domes and
spires, and great manufacturing
cities with their peak-like chimneys,
they are quite common.
These men are called "steeple.
Jacks" because n larger part of their
business is to scale the steeples of the
, churches, and perhaps repair a
weather-yane, or reset n broken slate.
or do some other small work which
would be very expensive II scaffold-
ing had TO be built up every time
such work needed TO be done. Not
many men enter this business, for
the work is SO dangerous that only
those with very clear heads and
strong nerves care TO risk their life
hundreds of feet above the earth on
very narrow footings. Sailors are
said TO make the best men for this
work, being so used to furling sails
and running about on the tall masts
of their ships.
Once i'm n while we hear of stee.
ple-jack in America, as we did the
other day at the time Of IA singular
accident in New Jersey. A factory
there has a great chimney 80 feet
high, the largest in the United States,
and higher than Bunker Hill Monu-
ment. During a thunderstorm the
lightning twice struck the top OF
this chimney, tearing off many wag
on-loads of bricks. No means had
been provided for reaching the top
of the chimney. yet it was necessary
to reach and repair the break before
the work could 60 on. A steeple-
jack was called for, and n man was
found in Newark who had once been
engaged in this business in England.
Think of what he had to do--to climb
wall of brick 335 feet high, without
n projection of any kind TO take hold
oil
He did it in this way: taking lad
der, he fastened il to the side OF the
chimney by driving in long iron
hooks, which held il. Another lad
der was then passed up, which he
dashed to the top of the first ladder
with ropes; and then went out to
drive in hooks and fasten this second
ladder firmly. Thus he slowly crept
up the side of the great chimney,
adding ladder after ladder, and
working as cooHy when over 800 feet
from the ground as when only three
ieet. IL did not seem to trouble him
to look down from the dizzy height
or to venture up higher on his frail
and only halffastened ladder. At
the top he had to build out over the
projecting bell by which the chimney
was crowned, and on the third day
stood on the top and waved his hat
to the people.
Thousands of people had gathered
to watch this daring climber. On
hills around the city he was watched
with breathless anxiety, looking, as
was said, like a fly on the top of "A
broomstick. As he hung over the
edge of the bell, between heaven and
earth, he was watched with tears
and prayers and cries; and, when he
decended safely TO the ground, one
brave steeple-jack had achieved n
deed and gained name which peo.
pie will not soon forget.-Selected.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22
An Ungaliant Escort.

A Glasgow man. in escorting some
women from dance. found diamond
hairpin In the bottom Of the cab aud
handed IL to one of the women. The
owner advertised. and the young
woman who had taken Il from her
escort received reward Of fl0. Then
the man applied for share of the
money. and. she refusing TO give him
anything. he carried the question TO
court. The court allowed him Is.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

chair and rest your calves against the
bacK OF II. Have some strong man cit
upon your feet. SO a. 10 keep from over
balancing yourself. then fold your arms
and bend slowly until you reach the
floor You can add to the finish OF the
trick by picking up handkerchief with
your teeth. IL will take all your
strength to raise yourself from the floor.
Another pretty bend 10 10 take two
chairs and place them about two feet
apart, Put one foot In the centre Of each
one. then bend down backward very
steadily until you reach the floor with
out using your hands In any way. Raise
yourself again slowly until you stand
erect upon the chairs IN your first posi-
ton. Ii requires steady nerves or else
you lose your balance aud possibly
alight on your head. Rising up always
requir>. your entire strength 10 all these
tricks.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

An article now going the rounds
advises people TO eat before going to
bed. This is excellent advice. az
there Is nothing more disagreeabIe
than TO have crumbs between tho
sheets. Detroit Free Press.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

II Ia an interesting fact that In Co
lombia where potatoes form the chief
food OF the people. and where potato
disease runs riot very often. the great
CIR the altitude at which the vegetable
Is grown the less Is 1t liable to the dis
ease. aud at 5000 feet above the sea ID
grows In a perfectly healthy state.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22

clever female artists In the profession.
But ~ woman belongs TO the weaker sex
she 10 not able 10 bear the strain as we'll
aud ns long ~ man, and Therefore she
has been obliged TO remain In ,he back
ground.
should like 10 give one piece OF adj
vice to the beginner. DO not eat be-
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22
TYING A LIVE KNOT.
CHAMPION CHARLES SMITH ExPL AIMS
THE TRICK or coNToRTloNlSM.

Description of the Fcats that Make Up tho
Rrpertory ola Crack Performsr-uow
the Crab Trick IL Done.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

of agriculture and the allied sciences will
be best able to direct the farm enter
prise 10 successful result. In
short, the educated farmer, pro-
vided his education has been of
the practical, thorough kind adapted
to his calling. will be best prepared to
conduct all the operations of the farm in
an understanding and practical manner
to successful issue. Agriculture, -
saws recent writer, "presents many
problems often more difficult than those
of the other sciences, by reason of the
completely OF the conditions, demanding
wide knowledge and great clearness
OF Judgment on the part of those
mo would investigate them. For
this reason it presents a field of study
eminently worthy of the attention of
scientific men. With the science of
agriculture fully developed, aud with
farmers possessed of q degree of soien-
tifc knowledge sufficient to enable them
to apply the results of Investigations to
the practical work of their profession the
art OF the husbandman will be raised TO q
much higher position than it occupies at
present.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

kind of grass or some kind of clover. OF
the latter either alsiKa or alfalfa would
be sure to do well on it. The low land
crop should be a perennial that will not
require Resolving every year. Prairie
farms would be largely improved in ap-
pearance at least il these wild low lands
were cleared up and put to good use.
Mr.. Wallace is not much mashed on
the regular hay business, but thinks these
lowlands-ought to produce hay enough
for home use. Agricultural papers are
often telling us to go to grass. he says,
but the fact remains that 'grass is the
poorest paying crop that we can raise on
good tillable land, except as 1t comes in
its place in the needed rotation. 1t very
seldom pays to NOW a meadow more
than one year. The average meadow
does not yield more than two tons of hay
at its best, and frequently not more than
one ton. The hay is worth not enough
in the stack TO pay as much as most other
crops'would pay.
The prairie farmer of the future must
raise more stuff on a smaller Enclosure.
Unused land is so much dead stock on
hands. 1t is taxable property bring
ing IN no returns. We must make every
foot of ground on the farm pay its share
every year. There 10 too much waste
land on every farm. 1t will all be
needed hereafter
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
More ssYnnk,sn Needed.

Mr.. F. E. Roesler of the United States
artesion well commission, who has been
looking over the water supply of North
ern Texas, reports that in some counties
like Eastland, Palo Pinto and q mum Der
of others salt or mineral water is OBJ
tanned at thirty or sixty feet, and water
for household use must be stored in cis-
terms. In nearly all of these counties
there are thousands of locations for
small storage reservoirs varying from
one-half to sixty acres. Many of the
ravines are worthless for agricultural
purposes, and could be put to excellent
use in this manner. As rule the soils
are composed of clay that is excently
adapted to the construction of
dams, and when built of this material
they will hold water like a jug. Tanks
made in these ravines might be used for
purposes of irrigation, thus converting
the region into magnificent
farming country. The rainfall is suffi-
oient to make good farming on
the sandy loans, but the clayey soils
shed more water and absorb less, in con-
sequence of which the crops suffer more
during dry spell than they do on sandy
soils. The wells, where they are situated
on clay lands dry out during drouth
while the wells on sandy soil are lasting.
There are very few farms on the clay
lands where a reservoir could not be built
with a few days labor. II all the farmers
between the ninety-seventh and Tooth
meridans would devote some of their
time to the construction of permanent
water dams they could soon bring about
for the region a marked change for the
better. The water detained in the reser-
voirs during the rain storms would not
reach the hundreds of creeks that are
dry half the year and angry torrents the
other half. Every year several million
dollars are lost through disastrous over
flows, all of which could be avoided.
The seepage from these thousands of
tanks or reservoirs would be apt to keep
water in the wells, and create thousands
of springs where there are none now.
The creeks would in consequence carry
water all the year. If necessary to irr-
gate the water would be at hand. The
matter is one that ought to be looked
into and encouraged. |
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

Do you think Sea island or long staple cotton
could be made to succeed in Northern Texas? A
neighhor of mine, who formerly lived in Geor-
gis, says he feels sure that it would do as well
here as anywhere else. If you think it would
succeed here, where could 1 send for a peck or
SO of seed? would like to give it test If there
is any probability of our being able TO make
anything out of it. FARMER.
Tarrant county, Texas.
We are satisfied that an attempt to
make anything out of sea island cotton III
Northern Texas would amount to simply
labor in vain, as the crop calls for pc
culier conditions which have no existence
here. Chief amoug these conditions is
continuously moist atmosphere, which is
not at all popularity of our region. On
account of this requirement sea island
cotton can be grown only very near the
sea coast, aud never at any great alti-
tude above sea level. The plant would
doubtless make fine showing here,
fruiring to perfection, but the bolls
would never open.
We think it highly probably, indeed
almost certainty, that sea island cot
ton might be made splendid success in
Texas OH the low lands adjacent to the
Gulf of Mexico. Every condition needed
for the crop exists there.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

If you talk TO Texan about applying
laughs at you, holding out the idea that
Texas lands are rich Enough to need
nothing of that kind. We are not en-
tirely sure that he fully means what he
says, in every case, but somehow or
other Texas people seem unwilling to
publicly acknowledge thar their lands
might be made any better than they now
are. This is wrong. No lands can be
naturally so good that liberal applica-
ton of stable manure would not improve
them in some. way, and it affords us
pleasure to state that certain discoveries
we have lately made about Fort
Worth establishes it as a
fact that we are not harbor-
ing this opinion all alone. There are
several large stockyards about the SUI
burbs of our city, and IL you make an
outside circuit around them you will
every now and then strikela we'll beaten
wagon road leading out into the country
that is thIckly strewn with yard manure,
evidently the fallings from overloaded
wagons engaged in transportation of
the material. We have never been able
10 catch any of them at it, though the
evidence they have left Is entirely con-
elusive.
This discovery of ours is one of the
most hopeful signs we have seen lately.
II shows that our agriculture (whatever
its branch) is in intelligent hands. Nov
ing the manure from our stockyards to
tue country is certainly a hove In the
right direction. 1t will pay every time.
The lands NJ Tayps mead ulaQureS
badly as do the poor piney woods lands
OF the gulf coast east of the Mississippi
river. OF course they are highly pro-
ductive without it-moreso than are the
pinelands with it-but they ueed it all
the same to make them still more pro-
duotive, aud to prevent forever any kind
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
Alfalfa Seed.

l saw IN the weekly GAZETTE of a few days ago
an article on alfalfa culture, also an inquiry as
to where seed could be had. Do you think much
in about what quantity? 1 would like the names
OF men who have been growing alfalfa in this
state. II could believe that much seed could
be sold-enough to pay for the transaction-I
would try to find the seed, of good quality and
in quantities sufficient to meet the demands at
fair prices. Any information you can give me
on the subject wo uld be THANKFULLY received
haileen, Tex. L. w. HAYERTY.
We have no encouragement to offer
you in the direction suggested. That
our people would like to buy alfalfa seed
we take It for granted from the fact that
within the last two weeks we have re-
ceived about fifty letters inquiring where
alfalfa seed could he had. In the same
time we have received about dozen let
tiers from parties In Texas Offering to sell
as alfalfa seed, hut since we want no
alfalfa SEED ourself, and since the parties
do no: state that they have any seed to
sell to others, we, OF course, can make
nothing out of their letters. The indica-
tons would seem to put it that Texas is
full of alfalfa seed, aud they also make
out pretty strong case to the effect that
there is no profit in selling it at the rul-
ing prices-not enough 10 Justify the
dealer in advertising his stock; If this
last was otherwise it is but reasonable to
suppose that the persons wishing alfalfa
seed would soon learn where to get It
through the advertising columns of this
newspaper.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
Handling Seed Cotton.

The Georgia Southern Cultivator says
cotton should be picked as rapidly q.
possible after opening, and packed
tightly in q close room or house. The
open raj pen admits of too much light and
evaporation, which evaporation COM
mences on the day the cotton boil opens
Cotton should remain packed securely
for a copsidera bic time; the longer the
better the oil in the seed distributes itself
throuehlthe lint, thereby increasing the
sample weights and turnout of the lint L.
The gain and profits upon this method is
sufficient, II properly managed, to pay
TO the Kicking. There is more profit on
the first cotton or frat few bales of each
crop gathered, because the picking &C.
ours befde there is SO much evapora-
ton. Cation picked after October sell
dom pa!s any profit. 1t seems that
after froi there is an increased amount
of evaporation, and the oil which the lint
contains, Is we'll as the seed, soon dis
appears.
When otton is ginned Immediately
after pick ng the ginner is placed IN an
embarrassing conditions; bad turnout is
the certaiLl result. Cotton picked early
has plenty Of oil in both seed and lint to
pack down well in room, the closer and
darker thebetter.
A scaffoi should be provided at the
cotton houe for spreading wet cotton,
for it shouh not be packed down wet; if
SO packed oloring is sure to be the re-
suit. Cottn remaining unpicked in the
fields until ate should be sprinkled very
lightly wittwater before packing down
in cotton hose before ginning, and this
method plass the seed cotton in case for
oil in the SEQ to distribute itself through
the lint, masing better sample, better
turnout andless breaking of the roll in
ginning thanFould happen without the
sprinkling. Tramp down heavily in the
cotton house and dom be in too big a
hurry to run pur crop through the gin.
1t gains in wight while lying closely
packed in theaght cotton house.