davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
THE GAM BLERS' CHURCH.
How Ell Paso, Texas, Paid for Its First Place O
Worship.

nOrSnip.
THE first church built in Ell Paso.
Tex, was put up by the gamblers, {"
said Harry WiclSs, frontier sporting
man. '1n the early days of that bor-
der town everybody gambled. 1t was
good-sized town and we had no
church. You see, I'm counting myself
in. Well, along came minister and
said he would preach for us if we would
build him a church. don't recollect
his politics. mean religion.
The boys wanted me to raise the
pot for the building. did all of that
kind of charity work. and few days
before had taken up collection for
the widow of fellow we had hanged
for shooting a man without giving him
show for his life. There were seven
houses and-the population OF the town
was about 1000, not counting the sew
eral hundred cowboys that came in
from the plains at night. So 1 took
round the hat and all the boys Clipped
in from So to 500 each. and soon had
big stake.
81 wanted to give something and did
not have a cent. So when | was pass
ing the hat round at one of the faro
tables l saw that the jack had lost
through two deals and chopped. Well.
that means that on the third deal the
jack won. l always play system, and
just knew the jack would win out, and
as l wanted to give something to the
church l just took 800 out of the hat
and played it open on the jack for me
and the church. 1t won on the turn.
and played the deal out winning $40.
which, with the $500 raised from the
boys, made good stake for the church.
1t is custom among the profession
that when a man stakes player TO
give him half of the winnings. l did
not claim what l was entitled to. but
gave it all to the: church. Chicago
Tribune.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
PITTSBURG SMOKERS.
Four stogics for Cents Enjoyed by Even the
lliliOnaires

Talking about that apology for a
smoke, the Pittsburg stogie, reminds
me OF a peculiar experience had with
that article some years ago." said an
old-time cigar drummer at the Con-
tinental Hotel to q Philadelphia In
quirer reporter. "I was travelling for
a Philadelphia house that made fine
line OF goods only and had met with
only Indifferent success. | was look
ing forward to Pittsburg as kind OF
Ell Dorado and imagined sales OF great
magnitude in the Smoky City.
arrived in the evening and immedi- =
ately started out to interview the
trade. About the first place | struck
was prosperous looking cigar store,
but | noticed that among the stock the
stogie seemed to predominant. l pre-
sented my card to the proprietor, talk
ed up my stock and firm to him in
great shape, but did not seem to be
making any great Roadway.
The proprietor assured me that he
was full up, but said he would look
over my samples the following morn
ing If would stop in. While ] was
talking to him and endeavoring to
prolong the conversation, a gentleman
walked in who Immediately impressed
me as being one of the solid men OF
the town. He had that unmistakable
sleek and well-fed air OF fortune S
favorlte. Walking up to the counter
he selected four stogies and lit one,
laid down 5-cent piece and walked
out.
"'Do you know who that tsp asked
the proprietor of me. replied in the
negative. why, that's Phipps, An
drew Carnegie's partner was the as
founding assertion. | was completely
habbergasted. That was the mutest
and yet the most convincing argument
/ ever had to withstand. Without a
word l closed up my grips and took
the next train out of town. l had
come to the very natural conclusion
that if men worth $4,000, 900 took
their smokes at four for five | did not
stand much show with the plebeiap
smokers"
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
Adams RoYhnnd.

Adam was as mischievous as bows
generally are, probably. Darwin SAYS
he was "a perfect little monkey,n
which, believe, is a synonym for
mischief the world over But unfor-
tunatey for Adam, he had no comrade
in his gambols What fun could he
have ringing door bells at night or
skylarking around all by himself? He
might whistle and sound discordant
calls after dark, but no other little
boy would come dashing around the
corner to join him.
can imagine little Adam. plated
with human nature TWO inches thick
looking about for some way in which
to divert himself and whimperinp
Cant have any funm OF course he
couldn't have any fun, such rs boys
like. No fun running away from
school, cause school hadn't been in
vented. No fun stealing away to "eo
in swimming" all alone by himself.
He couldn't play tag" for he might
yell, I've got the tagn all day and
there would be no other boy to come
and try to take il away from him.
"High-spy" had little charm for him,
because boy soon gets tired of hid
Ing when he is compelled to find him
self.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
The Peacock.

1t is curious that the habits OF s
common bird should be SO iittl
known. We have been gravely itol
that they could not fly, because thei
tails were so heavy. But the drollos
and least pardonable miss tatemen
about peacocks is to be found i
COUGHS Illustration of Instinct,
where we are told that -
"lf surprised by foe the poacoc
erects his gorgeous feathers, and tn
enemy beholds Il creature whose bull
ne estimates by the circumference 0
the glittering circle, his attention a
the same time being distracted bv
hundred alarming eyes, accompanie
by hiss from the serpent-like had i,
the center"
The fact is the peacock closes h
tail at once the moment he is alarmed
and flies off with scream, instead /,
stopping to hiss He will not snrea
his tail at all if under 70 =; and whe
he does spread it, it is either out !,
rivalry with the males or to .attrao
the females.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

furnished this outline of his minisf65s
ial career: II have never beenx W
Bristo', the nearest town TO me,
did | ever see steam car until n ~
months ago, when a South Atlanti ~
Ohio train began TO run in front46f
my house, but l had seen and travel6K
almost every hog-path in four adjoins
ing counties. For thirty-five years.
have been roaming over these mouu-|
tain counties pleading for my Sayiof,'
have never received $50 u year, ~
told, for my ministerial work. Often
have | gone thirty miles to preach 4.
funeral sermon and received not u cont
for it, nor did | expect anything.
When | was converted | could NOT
read, but | felt that | must learn To
read the sacred Scriptures. worked
all day in the fields and at night 1
studied with my mother. She taught
me how to read. i
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
BUCK KILGORE.


"When | was returning home upon
a furlough during the latter part of
the war;" said Congressman Buck Kill
gore of Texas to a Washington Post
reporter, Il pulled up at a little cabin
on the roadside in Louisiana about
night. The sole occupant of the cabin
was one woman. She refused to let
me remain during the night or to give
me anything to eat l had one gold
dollar in my pocket which | offered to
pay her for a chicken which had just
been cooked and was smoking on the
table. She refused to sell the chicken
at any price, but was willing to wager
the chicken against the dollar that she
could beat me jumping, to make the
| first jump starting from the log door
step.
81 took a survey of the very short
woman who had bantered me for a trial
of my activity and then surveyed my
self. / was a long-legged cuss, and |
put the dollar on the table by the
chicken. / then took a position on
the doorstep, swung my. hands to and
fro, plumiug for my flight through the
air. Then | lit out for the tallest
jump on record. By the time l hit the
ground and turned to see the woman
follow she had shut the door and
fastened it on the inside. The only
thing | could see was the muzzle of
double barreled shotgun. supplement-
ed by a firm female voice admonishing
me to move out, and TO move quickly.
l moved There was something about
that voice and that gun which inspired
me with the idea that it would be I'M
healthy for me to linger there longer.
at was now dark, and going half
mile | stopped for the night at the
clubhouse, under which stood q grist
mill no longer in use. | placed two or
three planks on the top of the hop
per, some seven or eight feet from
the ground, and crawled up for a
nights sleep. | had rot been there
long when l heard a peculiar whistle,
not far away, which was responded to
in an opposite direction. Pretty soon
the parties, man and wife, met under
the clubhouse and took seats on the
frame Immediately beneath me. |
soon learned from the conversation
that the man was lying in the woods
to escape the conscript officer, and
That tho HE .,,tf l.. 4
brought him his supper. While she
was spreading the meal for him she
was chatting pleasantly about the in
cidents of the day. telling him among
other things how she had won gold
dollar from simple Texas soldier on
his way home on furlough. and how
he flirted the gravel when she
showed him the gun-empty gun, etc.
| had become intensely interested in
the conversation and was trying nv
best to get glimpse of the couple
over the edge of my scaffold. Leaning
too far the scaffold tilted, when myself
and the whole thing came right down
between them. They did not wait to
investigate the cause of the crash, but
lit out, leaving the chicken, bread,
milk, and other eatables. l gobbled
up the pile and crammed it into my
haversack, went off short distance
and ate until was filled. Next morn
ing l was twenty miles away, with a
full stomach and light heart. hitting
the ground ouly in high places as
headed for Texas"
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
Ths judicial Women.

A clever man the other day was Civ.
ing his opinion of women, andt His Is
what he said: 10 my mind 3iieeiadi-
CT woman is II dismal blot. on the
face of the universe. We don't want
women who can reason and work
things out. We want dear, delightful,
frivolous things who will float by. Us IL
butterfly fashion, making us no end lol
trouble and inducing us TO be Wiling
to kill each other for their salSes.s The
time when woman was at her best Ia
my way of thinking, was in the 0fddle
ages. when she sat up in a winde~ O
q turretted castle, threw her handker-
chief down to one knight, and a hated
rival rushed at him as he gras pod ~
and they flew at each other an
knocked their tin hats of. thel&&te,
rival was stretched out stiff andfoold
and the maiden in the turret ap plauded
her gallant knight, ind believed tha a,
he had done we'll The judicial female
is mentai hermaphrodito,n so say
one man.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

A man was brought before a justice
OF the peace charged with the ofrense
OF kissing young lady "by force and
violence and against her will.n The
young lady, who was very handsome,
gave her testimony in a modest anc
straightforward manner. after which
his honor gave the following decision
1.-The court in this case, sympathizes
with the defendant and will therefore
discharge him without fine imprison-
ment or reprimand, because the court,
while this case has been in progress,
has been obliged to hold on to both
arms of his chair in order TO keen
from kissing the complainant him. self.
[Exchapge.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
HOW THE WORLD GROWS.
The Question Now Is, How Soon VIII the Enxs
BE OrerpeOpleh! aoo(

BE Orcrpeoplcdl toat.
None of the addresses made at.th6s
recent meeting Of the British Asso-
citation have excited more discussisp
than the speech in which Mr. Raveu-
stein estimated tho maximum popu.
lation which the earth can feed aud
the epoch at which that maximum
will be attained, provided the present.
rate of increase continues. Mr.. Raven
STEMS premises are in part derived
from the computations OF the mOat
authoritative geographers. These OK
pcrts aver that the comparatively
fertile land of the earth comprises
%, 900, 900 square miles, the bare gratis
land or steppe 100000, and the bare
desert 1880 making about 46,-
900, 900 square miles in all. They also
say that the present population of tic
world is 1,46S, 000,00O, and that It
increases s per cent. every ten yeas.
Taking these data for granted, aud
also assuming that the average Yield
of all the cultivable land upon the
globe will not exceed the pres1hi
average of European productivena5s,
Mr. Ravenstein reaches the conclusson
that 1872 years hence the populatioAbf
the earth will amount to about
5000, 100000, and that this will DO tho
utmost number Of people which tho
earth can feed.
The objection to this pessimistic
conclusion is that two OF tho assuu}p-
tions are obviously disputable. 1t is
DO no means probable that, as popMa,
ton presses on the means of subsist-
ence, the present rate of increase NH
be maintained. The experienceaioi
France seems conclusive on that point,
and even that of the United SaNs
points in the same direction. St
Mr.. Ravensteins address TO the Brit
ish Association ended with the admis-
sion that we need not worry ourselves
about his calculations, seeing that none
of us will live to see the day wheu
there will be no moro room upon the
earth. We may go further and predict
that 1S2 years hence there will be as
little cause to worry about the dis
proportion of population to food as
there is now. so long as climate condi-
tions are not materially changed. The
state of things is scarcely conceivable
under which the brain of man wotlld
not devise the means OF supportingathe
human race upon this planet
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

1T has been remarked that during
the warm weather of summer John
Chinaman appears to be the coolest
man about town, and probably does
suffer little from the heat His cloth
ing is light and airy, loose and com
Portable, free and easy; his food con
sists OF fruit and vegetables, and he
doesn't patronize alcoholic or icet
drinks. Apparently he does not per
spire freely, and is never subject te
sunstroke. He works long and steadily,
but moderately - deliberately - and
seems never to be in hurry or q
worry. We may learn from John.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
Loved and Lost.
/ loved a simple country maid;
Yes. she was very simnle.

loved a simple country maid;
Yes, she was very simple. W
l praised her eyes, her golden hair,
Her mouth, which was a dimple.
She looked upon mo with regard
And love. really knew it;
And tlattered was l when at last Y
She sweetly confessed to it. 85yf
lived on love. It's awful nice,
But then it is not filling,
And even with years such foodsY
I'd hardly be worth killing.
She was simple country maid,
So simple and so pretty;
knew she'd be enraptured when
brought her to the city.
One day ! fastened to her home;
Alas she was not there,
My little simple maiden had
Fled with millionaire.
Chicago Mail
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
He Was Pretty Well Balanced.

A member OF the society of "Watch
Dogs of the Sunrise" who went home
in Lewiston long towards morning last
week, sank half exhausted into chair.
His wife, who was up and waiting for
him. opened up with the alarming
statement, John William. know
what you are doing, sir. 1 know what
you are doing. You are just simply
shortening your days. You don't de-
serve to come into this house. You
are abusing the life that was given
you. You are out til morning. You
know you are, and you are shortening
your days. You are. you arer'
John William Strengthened up, it is
said, and looked his wife in the eve
and finally said, solemnly, mira.
guess | be. Guess you're right Am
short'ning my days, sure enough.
Can't deny it, Don't want to DENY it.
Bnt know one thing, I'm length min
out my nights good deal, ain't.Ie"
And neither he nor his wife said any,
thing for some time after Lewiston
(Me.) journal.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
RIGID MORAL LAWS.


IHIHtts IhIIIcIed Upon themselves.
Here is an extract from Weeden's
"first One Hundred Years; This was
a period when the so-called blue
Laws" were most vigorously enforced
not only in Connecticut. with which
tradition associates them, but in Mas =
sachusetts. In the former colony no
food or lodging could be given to a
quaker, Adamite or other hereto. No
one could run on the Sabbath day or
walk in his garden or elsewhere, ex-
cept reverently to and from meeting.
No one could travel. cook victuals.
make beds, sweep house, cut hair or
shave on the Sabbath day. No woman
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

The new western states having built
up vast herds OF their own, and the
home breeding supplying them with
most of the young cattle needed to take
the place of beoves marketed, Texas
was cut off from this outlet for its sur
plus, and was forced to rely upon the
beef markets for much of its demands
AT the same time tho western ranches
greatly increased their quota of beeves.
The result was over-production and
lower aud demoralized markets.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
The Small Boy.

Sweet Xmas time is on the wing,
The days grow short and cool;
The small boy with the level head
Turns up at Sunday school.
He does not care about the past,
But thinks of things more pleasant;
In fact, his mind is fixed upon
The future and the present.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

PROGRESSIVE civilization and devel-
opment demand a broader and more
highly educated class OF mechanics, u
more scientific understanding, a wider
power of reasoning, a fuller develop
ment OF the mental powers, which can
only be gained by studying theories in
combination with the practicle part OF
The. uro
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

GENERAL SHERMAN goes about town
almost invariably in the street cars,
says the New York Sun. As q rule
one OF his daughters accompanies him,
and tho old warrior, in jumping on
and off tho steps, is as young as many
men forty years his junior. "Cabs
are all right to look at" he said tho
other night as he sank in the corner
OF Broadway car at Fifty-ninth
street. "but thoy are terrible things to
ride i'm
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18


HERE is no one agricultural interes.
that can begin to compare with that of
cattle growing, and there are but few
men even among those directly inter
ested in the cattle industry who fully
realize and appreciate its scope and
magnitude. With the west and south
west the cattle interest outweighs all
others, and it is the Foundation of much
OF our material wealth. 1t is so init
mately connected and interviewer with
the business and industrial fabric of a
vast section OF our country that its in
huence for good or bad is quickly felt
IN the trade world for good or evil,
ascsrding TO its prosperity or depres-
sion.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
The Eight-Kour System.

An eight-hour man on going home
the other evening for his supper found
his wife all dressed up in her Sunday
best sitting on the front door step
reading a French novel.
''llow is this?" ne angrily exclaim-
ed. "Where is my support"
81 don't know" replied his wife. 81
began your breakfast at six o'clock
this morning. and my eight hours
were up at ? p. m"
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

A GOOD Irish Roman Catholic
priest the other Sunday INDUCED in
some criticisms OF church fairs, in
the course OF which he perpetrated the
following Irish bull; alt may be true,
as some say. that church fairs are
semi-religi but ii is also true that
they are wholly bad"
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

One hundred years ago there were
twenty-five persons living in the coun-
try to every one in the cities. Now
the proportion is only three to one.
1t is easy TO guess at causes, but there
Uust be many.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
Too Much Pure Air.

Too much pure air seems TO be as
bad as too little OF it. The average
life Of mountaineers or sea-shore rest
dents is no greater than that OF the
people OF smoky and dirty town.
The farmer, who has all out doors
lives but little longer than the con
yict shut up in state prison.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

The mails have been transported
from New York to London in seven
days and it is proposed to reduce the
time to six. English newspapers will
then get their American news forty
q. hit hours sooner than they have
heretofore received it, and will be less
than one week behind the times. That
will be great stride in British jour
po1io,r,
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

THERE are thousands Of matters
which it is well to keep to ourselves,
although public mention of them
would be truth-telling OF the most
absolute kind. There may have been
a smirch upon the record of our an
cestors, or even upon our own, but the
truth bawler who reveals it is cow
ard and sneak Reticence is one of
the lost arts.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18
LATTER-DAY. HEROES.
Aged Business nen Who Wear Themselves {
for Their Families

Aged BUSINESS hen Who Wear Themselves Ont
for Their Families.
The heroes of this particular era
are wrinkled, and bald, and gray.
says the Brooklyn Eagle. 1t will do
no good to look for them among young
men. Occasionally conspicuous in
stance of courage, steadfastness, and
self-effacement may be found among
the juniors. but they are very rare.
There is practically no end to the
number OF men of advanced wears
whose lives are veritable poems of I'M
selfishness and devotion to others.
There is no denying the force and
pluck of "old" men. They put their
sons to shame in every branch of
business and professional life. No
one is surprised at the method and
system they exhibit for these are the
natural results of experience. But
there is something unlocked for in the
woIk will-pOwer and self-abnega-
tf.@
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

The record of running and of trot-
ting horses were reduced the past
year. Breeders and sporting men
contend that this reduction of time is
tho result of the development of
equine powers by judicious breeding
and training. Doubtless this has had
considerable to do in increasing speed
but it is not likely that it entirely
accounts for "brealSing the record of
all previous times. Race tracks have
been very greatly improved since the
time the old Fashion Course" in
Long Island witnessed the perform
ances OF Ten Brock. Only recently
have race tracks been constructed at n
COST of $4,000 per mile. Then no
person was paid $1,000 year to train
and take care of horse. Then a
jockey was not better known through
out the country than senator. Then
the shooting OF race horses was not
included among the fine arts.
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

High-salaried ministers will be in
terested in the life-story OF Rev.
Joseph c. Wells, loted Baptist
preacher, who attended the Clinch
Valley association in Wise county,
which has just adjourned. He
The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1890-12-18

BRITISH rule in India has resulted
In some good. 1t has abolished the
custom of burning widows alive on
the funeral pyres of their husbands
except in few places not often visit
ed by the authorities. 1t has also mt
Il stop to the custom of Offering IN
female infants to the spirits of the
waters. The Ganges no longer bears
their bodies to the ocean. The intro
duction Of railways has done much to-
ward abolishing caste distinctions
The members of the different castles
are now obliged to touch each other
In railway ticket Offices and they often
occupy the same compartments in rail
way carriages. They are often oblig-
ed to driak from the same cup or 90
without water which is very hard to do
in country where the climate pro-
vokes thirst 1t has not. however
accomplished much in changing the
religious i~eas Of the people. Chris
tianlty has made but little progress in
India since + h.s haen under British
.f-ule