davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
HIS WONDERFUL EARS.
How the Conductor Astonished an Old
Lady Passenger.

How the Conductor Astonished an Old
Lady Passenger.
Every body who travels on the Pitts
burgh division of the PENNSYLVANIA
railroad knows Conductor John Dinges.
He is one of the greatest jokers in the
service, and when not punching tickets
is busy telling stories or perpetrating a
joke. Conductor Dinges' ears are his
torical. They are remarkable not for
their size, but for their wonderful plia-
blI1ty. His favorite trick is to double
up his ears and then stuff them far into
the Orifce- This makes them look as if
they had been mashed with crowbar.
The other night, while the train. was
speeding along toward Altoona at the
rate OF ifty-6ve miles an hour, Dinges
doubled his ears and passed through the
fourth car. Nearly all the passengers
were ladies' They regarded Dinges
with amazement. The conductors face
wore look of superb Inconsistencies.
One old lady with iron-gray curls and a
pug nose could not take her eyes from
the ears. When Dinges passed through
the car again her curiosity was so great
that she could not resist the temptation
to stop him.
whats the matter with your ears,
conductor" she asked.
Nothing" he replied, innocently, as
he elevated his eyebrows, and his ears
few back to their normal position.
The old lady nearly faiuted.-Phila-
delphia North American.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

on the top to wedge the upper stone
firmly in its place, and then filling in
with small stone. This upper filling is
| important, for otherwise the capStone
may be moved sidewise and one of the
bottom ones fall out of place. In taking
up stone drain which had become
choked it was found that by neglect of
this, or by the wrong doing of it, the
drain had collapsed in many places, and
the carelessness of workman with the
neglect of the employer to oversee and
direct the work properly caused an ex-
pense for repair which was more than
twice the necessary original cost of the
work.
When only coarse gravel is to be pro-
cured very good drains may be made in
this way. The ditch is dug narrow, not
more than six inches wide, or even less,
at the bottom; the largest stone is
thrown in first, and is covered with the
smaller stone, which is trampled firmly
with the feet. The more firmly the top
gravel is laid the safer will be the drain.
A drain of this kind will carry large
quantity of water, and will last indefi-
nitely, but the precaution to make the
bottom of the drain hollow in the mid
die to keep the water from cutting the
sides must not be neglected.
With all these drains, as the earth
covering is not more than a foot thick,
the surface water should be kept from
sinking directly into them, by which
the soil would be washed down into the
drain. To prevent this the soil should
be well rounded on the surface and kept
SO, if it is possible, by blowing the land
suitably; at least this should be done for
few years, until the earth becomes
consolidated and firm. 1t is good plan
when field has been drained to seed it
with grass for few years. The grass
does well on newly-drained land, and if
1T has been very wet it will require this
time for the water to find its way to the
drains from the intermediate ground;
after which the land will be full of
small waterways and quite spongy, so
that the heaviest rain will sink at once
into the soil and find its way into the
drains in a very short time, often not
longer than three or four hours.-N. Y.
Times.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
| AGRICULTURAL HINTS.
MAKING STONE DRAINS.


Stone. Being ImperishabIe, Is the Best Of
All Materials for Drains.
There are several ways of making
permanent drains of stone; each of these
depends upon the kind of stone to be
used. Stones differ very much in their
form: the best kind is the hard states
and gneissoid rock, which consist of fat
pieces which can easily be split or
broken, and of such texture that they
will not soften or break down under the
action of water. The worst are the
round waterworn nodules of the hardest
kind of granite or quartz, which defy
the sledge and are almost impossible to
be broken in the ordinary way. But
these may be reduced to a more man
ageable shape by burning them in a
heap with coarse wood mixed With
them. When the heap has b@rned down
and the stones are still red hot few
pals of water thrown upon them will
cause them to split and bring them into
a more manageable and useful shape.
The drains of stone should not be
less than ten or twelve inches in width
and made round in the bottom so that
the water channel may be kept in the
middle, and the cutting out of the
sides of the ditch will be avoided. Then
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

with the fat stones the manner of build
ing the dam will be as follows: A stone
breaking hammer of six or eight pounds
weight will be required, and with this
the stones are broken into long narrow
strips as nearly equal in width and
thickness as possible. These pieces are
placed lengthwise along the sides of the
ditch and firmly bedded so that the
tops are even with each other, and they
will not fall inward. Flat pieces are
then trimmed so as to fit across the
ditch and lie firmly upon the side pieces
as shown in Fig. 1.
This leaves free channel for the
water, with plenty of room at the sides
for it to percolate into the drain. TIC
cover the top joints so that earth will
not drop through, all the fragments are
thrown into the ditch upon the cross
pieces, and if there is plenty of stone to
spare the ditch may be partly filled up
to within foot of the surface, so as not
to interfere with the flowing. 1t is then
filled with the earth taken out in the
digging. A drain made in this way at
the foot of a high slope to cut off the
water from a piece of creek bottom
which was a useless marsh nearly thirty
years ago is still discharging large
and continuous stream of pure clear
water; it is an underground brook, in
fact, and works hydraulic ram, which
has delivered water at the house and
barn to supply all needs since it was
made.
The round stones need a different
method. These should be laid in such
a manner as to wedge them in the bot
tom of the ditch in the manner shown
in Fig. 2, and throwing other stones
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
RANDOM SHOTS.

PENSION attorneys got $500, 900 last
year out of the soldiers.
YONKERs, n. Y, is to have a soldiers
monument to cost about $1,000.
OSE hundred and seventy-five Michi-
gan soldiers are buried at Gettysburg.
T. B. KELLY, of Du Quoin, Ill, wants
the addresses of members of the Eight
zenith Illinois Infantry, for reunion pur-
poses. The reunion is to be held in Du
Quoin in May, 1890.
IT is proposed to incorporate the
Union Prisoners of War Memorial As
ISOLATION and the society of the
Army of the Potomac has already taken
steps to set the movement on its feet.
COLONEL ALFRED RHETT, of South
Carolina, who died last month, will be
remembered for his stubborn defense of
Ft. Sumter in 1853, when the feet of
monitors pounded it with the heaviest
projectiles known in that day.
CHARLES +. GRIFFIN, Commander-in-
Chief Sons of Veterans. has made the
following appointments: Adjutant-Gen-
eral. Chas. A. Bookwalter, Fort Wayne,
Ind; Quartermaster-Genera E. w. Ho-
man, Danville, Ind; Judge Advocate
General, o. B. Brown, Dayton, o.: In
spector- General, Nj. E. Hall, Hinsdale,
Mich; Surgeon-General, E. A. Brack-
low, NJ. D., New York city; Chief of
Staff, J. G. Winfrey, Evansville, Ind;
Chief Mastering Officer, James A. Rice,
Oskaloosa, Ia; aplain-in-Chief, Clay
ID. Herod, Erin, Kas.
DURING the civil war a man, great in
his own eyes, was, by some influence,
appointed a Brigadier-General. His
sense of his own Importance was greatly
increased. He could hardly speak of
any thing else but his new dignity.
Meeting ''homespun" Yankee one day
he accosted him thus: ''Well, Jim, 1
suppose yoI know have been appointed
a Brigadier-General?'' Yes, said Jim,
81 heerd so.'' ''Well, what do folks say
about it?' ''TheY don't say nothin','
replied truthful James; "they just
laugh"
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

his father and mother. His father was
sturdy, good-humored Irishman en-
ployed by the Department of City Works
as a cartman. He had large family
and all were doing well except the en-
bryo confidence operator who had
tackled me, and who gave his family
world of trouble. He had filled his
head with stories like the one he had
humbugged me with, and spent his i'll
gotten gains going to the theater. The
real trouble in his case was that he was
not beaten frequently enough.
studied up the newsbOy question
some time ago and found that while
he is Woodworking, sharp youngster
the average newsboy has any thing but
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

expert be not required to understand
and interpret them to claimant, nor
an attorney to plead for him with the
bureau for the highest of several rates
possible, under different interpretations
of the law.
Agreeing fully with all who are in
terested in pensions to exclude with
care those who wilfully deserted the
service or shirked their duty by any sort
OF continuance, have in this paper re-
lied upon our comrades, as in the war,
for the highest motives of patriotism.
mo soldiers in any country have been
more highly commended for their spirit
Of self-sacrifice and supreme devotion.
Let no subsequent wrangling, self-seek-
ing or any thing akin to begging be
even allowed to soil the soldiers pure
eScutcheon.
believing such to be the general
feeling among the survivors of our last
war am confident of the happy settle
ment of every veXed problem that now
d1sturbs or concerns us.-N. Y. Mail and
Express.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
The Popular Line

To the East is the Burlington Route
(Hannibal d st. Joseph railrOad). The
service by this line has been constantly
improved until it has reached a degree
of excellence surpassed by none, and
equaled by few. The BurlingtOn'S
Eli" is probably the finest and most
popular train running between the Mis-
souri, river and Chicago, being solid
through Vestibule train of Pullman
sleepers and free chair cars. Leaving
Kansas City, AtchisOn and st. Joseph
after supper, the passenger arrives in
Chicago at 9:15 in the morning. HaV-
ing taken breakfast on one of the Bur-
lingtOn's world renowned dining cars,
he is ready for the days business, or in
ample time to make all Eastern con-
nectiOns.
For the convenience of passengers
from Kansas City ''Eli'' takes dining
car out of Kansas City on which east
bound passengers are served with q
supper which is equaled by few hotels.
The BurlingtOn's st. Louis line,
though comparatively new, is becoming
better known and growing in popular
favor every day until it bids fair in the
near future to be the favOrite line be-
tween the Missouri river and st. Louis.
This train, consisting of through sleep
ers, chair cars and coaches, leaves Kan
sas City, Atchison and st. Joseph after
supper and puts the passenger in st.
Louis for breakfast, and ample time to
make all connections.
You are also requested to bear in
mind that the Burlington Kansas City,
st. Joseph & Council Bluffs r. B. is
the only line running through Pullman
Buffet Sleepers between Kansas City
and st. Joseph and st. Paul and Mime
apOlis. This is the short line between
Kansas City, st. Joseph and Omaha.
Through daily trains with sleeping and
chair cars.
In whatever direction you travel be
sure your tickets read over the Burling-
ton Route, thereby insuring yourself
the greatest amount of comfort, with
the least expense of money and time.
Write for all information, circulars,
ETC., to II. G.. Orr, General Southwest
ern Passenger Agent, 800 Main street,
Kansas City, or
A. G.. DAWES,
General Passenger and Ticket Agent,
st. Joseph, Mo.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

a romantic story. In nine cases out o
ten he is one of large family. Thu
father is generally a laborer of somt
kind and the mother is fully engaged il
taking care of the younger members @
the family, to which she makes annua
additions with commendable regularity
The father makes, perhaps, twelve
dollars week and out of that there Is
rent to pay, five or six babies to clothe
and mouths to feed; naturally the
clothes can not be of the best and every
one, as soon as he is old enough, is
obliged to contribute to the general fund
! A ncwsboy requires but small capital
fifty cents will buy hundred penny
papers and there is fifty cents profit on
| the investment. A smart boy finds
! little difficulty in making that much on
the evening papers and as much more
in the morning. A dollar day, six dol
| lars week, is a welcome addition to
the other twelve made by the father.
When the newsboy gets older he Sc
cures place in the circulation depart
ment or presS-roOm of some paper,
joins his father as laborer or possibly
starts a news-Sta nd of his own.
There are dozens of rich men in New
York to-day who started as newsboys.
Patrick Farrelly, the manager of the
American News Company, the brainy
head of one of the most powerful corpo-
rations in America, was newsboy and
his first counter was board set across
two barrels on Ann street. Erastus Wi
man, who practically owns Staten Island
and the head of the great commercial
agency of r. G. Dun & Co., was a news
boy in Canada. But could extend the
list to almost any limits. The newsboys
are the youngest of our business men:
they are energetic, handwriting and on
the whole surprisingly honest. Their
life in the streets is hard training, but
it makes sharp, shrewd, enterprising
men out of them, and larger number
than one would suppose come. through it
unscathed.
To be sure they are a wild lot of
youngsters, and it would be hard to pick
out of the crowd now playing ',craps'' in
the alley under my window the future
1 have no doubt that within the next
twenty-five years there are boys in that
yelling, excited little group who will be
ahead of me in the race for dollars. 1
fancy it will be the one who is yelling
the loudest, for he is thoroughly in
earnest, even over scraps"
Put well-born, well-nurtured boy in
among that slangy, rough crowd, and
the chances are that he would deterio-
rate and go to the bad, but a portion, 1
might say majority, of those young
sters, surrounded by the very worst in
fuenceG, rough, unwashed and I'M
taught, will probably turn out
fairly well. It is unfortunate, but
true, that the "Jamies" do not as rule
make the best men. 1t is the Jimmys
and the Tommys and the Pats who
evolve from the unattractive, humble
beginnings into the men who make
themselves felt in political and business
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
FIG. 2.-plpRovED WHEEL sLEI

never used a sled with them on has nc
idea how much easier they make it run
One like that shown in Fig. runs
even easier than the other. The wheels
are smaller, but in line with the run
ners, and travel in the same track. and
then there is no axle stretching across
between the runners. The wheels are
oak, two inches thick, same as the run
ners, and they may be tired with heavy
scrap-iron if desired. The fore ends OF
the runners are shod with iron or hick-
DRY. Such sled may be used for draw
ing in corn-fodder, hauling manure on
the garden, carrying harrows, plows,
ETC., about, and other similar work
American Agriculturist.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

circles, and the newsboy is getting a
great training. He learns quickness,
self-reliance, energy, and he learns one
thing which it is almost impossible to
teach sons of wealthy fathers. He finds
out early in life that one dollar means
one hundred cents, not two halves, or
four quarters or even ten dimes, but
just one hundred cents. In other words
he learns the value of money and how
hard it is to get it. ALLAN FoRMAN.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
FIG. 1.-MKEEL SLED.

that is, the plank of which the runners
is made is fourteen inches wide. 1t diff
fers from ordinary sleds only in having
two wheels attached, as shown in the
engraving. These wheels are made OF
oak and turn upon an iron axle which
passes through both runners An axle
made of hard, tough wood would do as
well. The wheels drop" two inches be-
low the runners. and a person who has
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

cradle light is thrown on the methods
and habits of a large element of New
York society, so to speak. 1t was also
developed during the trial that in one
instance at least woman's vanity sue
cumbed to her yearning for revenge. 1t
also appears that a photograph can be
used with great effect as a mute yet
eloquent witness for the prosecution.
Some time last fall there was social
gathering, or ball, in the Rue de Null
berry, where the neighborhood is not
quite as aristocratic as it is on Fifth
avenue, but is somewhat more numer-
GUS and de trop.
OF course this great social event did
not come up to the centennial fish
ball at the Grand Opera-House, al
though there were during the latter
part of the evening great orgies on
toast and police interference. The menu
received well-deserved encomiums.
Among other rare delicacies were clam
an 1eatureL, with beer and pretzels of the
vintage of 1888, likewise cheese. Sand
witch de ham, with sauce la tough de
Bowerie, mashed noses, patisserie in
the eye ''if yer give any of yer lip" and
general cusSedness were on tap, al
though not down on the programme.
Among the invited guests was young
man who was a typical New York tough.
His crop of hair was rather short. 1t was
almost as brief as a rabbits tail, because
it had not sufficient time to sprout out
TO any extent since its owner had ceased
TO be the companion of distinguished
personages at Sing Sing.
1t was on this occasion that Teddy
made the acquaintance of a young lady.
She did not know that he had been as
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

The HandsOmest Train in the World
Runs from Kansas City to Chicago over
the Santa Fe route. 1t leaves the
Union Depot every night at six o'clock
and arrives in Chicago the following
morning at nine. This time gives good
connection for all points west of Kan
sas City and for all points east of Chi
cago. 1t carries free reclining chair
cars, Pullman sleeping cars and dining
cars. 1t is Of the Vestibule pattern and
lighted by electricity; an electrician ae-
companies the train to look after the
lights and signals.
JNO. ]. BYRNE,
Asst Gen1 Pass. Agt., Chicago.
III. a. Bonn, Western Pass. Agent.
6l2 Main street. Kansas City.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

ONE of the mistakes in setting hardy
shrubs and roses is that the plants are
often set too deep. AS rule the best
plan is to set about as deep as they grow
in the nursery. taking care always to see
that the soil is well filed in around the
roots
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
A SLED WITH WHEELS.

A Useful Implement to Have About the
Place.
One of the most useful implements
that can be brought upon farm or mar
ket garden is a small sled. The one
shown in Fig. is six feet long, three
feet wide and fourteen inches deep
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16

FEW weeks ago
a youth by the
name of Teddy
McDermott was
convicted at the
court of gener-
al sessions for
beating a fe =
m ale compan-
ion. The case
is interesting
owing to t h g
fact that consid-
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
> Routes {
To New Orleans.

For Tickets, Sleeping Car Berths and further
information apply to nearest Ticket Agent or
j. II. LYON, w. 2. A., 52s Main street,
Kansas City, Mo.
W. II. NEWMAN, Gen. Traffic Manager,
Ii. e. TOWNSEND, g. p. Agent,
TOuis Mo
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
SWEETS LETTER.

The Humor3st Recounts the Ad-
ventures OF Teddy McDermott.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
A Young Tough Who MauIs Woman
Unmercifully-She Has Her Picture
Taken and Uses 1t 60 Con-
vict Her Assailant.

Especial Correspondence
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
The HandsOmest Train in the World

General Passenger and Ticket Agent,
st. Joseph, Mo.
The sun., 1890-08-14
A COTTAGE BY THE SEA.

Has lately been presented to Mrs.
President Harrison by Postmaster
General Wanamaker and other
friends. The distinguished lady is
said to be highly delighted with the
gift Of this summer home at Cape
May Point. The rest of us will
probably not be similarly favored
with sea or lakeside home, but an
equal amount of rest and enjoyment,
with greater variety of scene, can be
secured by taking your summer
outing over 1.-The Burlington, the
fav0rite river line from the North
west to the East and South, and
spending a few days at some of the
numerous charming towns which lie
along the route. For further infor-
nation as to attractions, or for
tickets, timetables, ETC., apply to any
railroad agent, or address W. J. G.
Kenyon, Gen. Pass. Agt. c. B. & N.
R. R., st. Paul. MINI.
The sun., 1890-08-14
REMARKABLE RESCUE.

Mrs. Michael Curtain, Plainfieli,
H., makes the statement that she
caught cold, which settled on her
lungs; she was treated for a month
by her family physician, but grew
worse. He told her she was a hope
less victim of consumption and that
no medicine could cure her. Her
druggist suggested DR.. Kings New
Discovery tor Consumption; she
bought a bottle, and to her delight
found herself benefited from first
dose. She continued its use and after
taking ten bottles, found herself sound
and we'll, now does her own house
work and is as we'll as she ever was.-
Free trial bottles of this Great Dis
covery at Fritz Buckentin's Drug
Store, large bottles SOC. and $1.O0.1y
The sun., 1890-08-14

It makes one weary to hear it said,
"I am republican above all things.
and will vote for t the party nominee,
wh1ever~hhee may be-" God didn't
make republicans but he did make
men, and gave into their hands the
preservation of their manhood.
When>a man says he will support any
republican who may be nominated,
he simply advertises himself man
without the courage of an honest
conviction. But there are republi-
cans in Minnesota who don't how
down to the Molock of party, and
there are enough of them to over
balance the weak -kneed slaves of
the party lash. Times.
The sun., 1890-08-14
THE COMING WHEAT CROP AND PRICE


1t 10 drawing near to the time when
farmers ought to be posted as to the
prospect of the ruling prices of wheat.
From present appearances the crop
will be light both here and in Europe,
notwithstanding the. many early
reports of abundant rains there will
be bad failure in many parts of botli
North and South Dakota. Minnesota
will also be short, we consider
Stevens, as one of the best wheat
counties in the State, and it will not
average over ten bushels to the acre.
We would advise farmers not to be in
hurry disposlng of their crop. The
inflated reports in some of the country
papers are misleading, it is done to
boom their counties; the inflated re.
ports in the city papers are for the
benefit of Spectators.
The farmers of Stevens county are
in a better condition to hold their
grain than they ever were before,
a number of them have unfortunately
lost their crops by hail, which tends
to reduce the average per acre IN the
Hunty. A light wheat crop doesn't
~tthe county SO disastrously as it
would have done, there is
of fax which is
as is oats also; this
good for a good