davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
Thu Largest Perfect Gems.

The largest perfect diamond in the
world Is now the Imperial, that was ex.
hlplted at the Paris exposition last year,
ana Which is valued at $1,000, 900. This
Is the most valuable stone in the world
ana Is owned by syndicate. The big
sest and best ruby in existence is owned
In London and is valued at $1,000 It
mas no parallel, even in the crown
Jewels, and it is related that the Duchess
OF Edinburgh carried it all the way to
81 petersburg for the Gar to have a
look at it. The largest and most beauti-
1ul cat's-eye in the world weighs 40
carats, is owned in London, and is in
sured for $4,000 rupees. The finest pri-
vate collection of pearls in the world is
owned by Nine. Dosne, sister-in-law to
NJ. Ihlers. The biggest emerald in the
world weighs 1850 carats, and is in the
imperial Jewel Office in Vienna. The
largest and costliest cat's-eye in tho
world is owned by Norman of Ceylon.
who dug it up himself from the mines.
de has been offered $50, 900 for it but
necllnes to part with it at that figure,
saying that, If he liked, he could cut Il
up into forty small pieces and sell each
piece for about S., 600, aggregating pretty
nearly $500. 000.-InventoE.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
BRlTAIN'S PARLIAMENT.
AS a Political School the House of Com
mons Is a Complete Failure.

AS Political School the House of Com
mons Is a Complete Failure.
The House of Commons is failing, as
all thoroughly democratic assemblies
fail, in the function it once served adj
mirably, as a political school. 1t fails
doubly-frst, in getting number OF
scholars young enough to learn; and
next in giving them their lesson when
it does get them. 1t may be questioned
whether we have at present, properly
speaking, any parliamentary youth at
all. At the present moment we can
hardly recall any but Sir E. Grey, Lord
Carmarthen and Lord Cranborne, who
poperly deserve that title, and even of
these, the first two will complete their
twenty-eighth and the last his twenty
ninth year respectively this year, and
can certainly not be called boys. We
can not recall single member who
came into Parliament at Pitts age and
though we do not know the average age
of the members, we suspect that it
would turn out to be not much, if at all,
below fifty. Take it all in all, it is GER
tainly parliament of middle-aged or
old men, and by no means as good a
school as the earlier parliaments of this
century have been for youthful states
men.
Almost every thing tells unfavorably
on the election of very young men, be-
cause large constituencies, such as are
now universal, always prefer a known
man to an unknown, and 1t is impossi.
BILE for young man to be known to such
constituencies, except in rare cases as
the son of his father; and al
most every thing tells unfavorably on
their training, because the concentra-
ton of the attention of the democracy
on single questions, like the Irish home
rule question, involves monotony of
political subject, and to insure success,
a vehemence of political defamation
which disgusts young men of any lively
political intellect, and repels them from
politics. Finally, every thing tells un-
1avorably on their oratory, because the
immense waste of time on obstruction,
and the perpetual re-discussion of the
same subjects, render it hardly possible
Tor them to speak often, even if they
are elected, and inspire the leaders with
aversion for those party members who
take up the same house, instead of press
II : Tor division. For the most part,
/ promising young men, of the party
are men OF thirty-eight, at least.-Lon-
Con Saturday Review.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.

The cost of holding chapel services
1T Harvard last year was 81, $50.
Mrs. Grover Cleveland has been re-.
elected president of the Wells College
Alumn@ Association
Mr. W. w. Astor is to give bronze
doors to Trinity Church, New York
which will cost 500, 600, in memory of
his father.
The Chicago Home Missionary and
Church Extension Society has built five
new churches during the past year.
A Norristown clergyman gave his
congregation surprise on a recent SUM-
day. Instead of prosy sermon he read
arhymed discourse in 119 stanzas.
The Plymouth Church (Brooklvn)
membership has been reduced 729 the
past year by revision of the rolls.
The receipts for the year were S44,os2.
Sir Peter Coats, who died the other
day full of years and honor, was an
earnest Presbyterian and built several
churches at his own expense. He also
gave complete public library to his
native town of Paisley. His winter
home was in Algeria, where he had a
fine chateau.
The immigration of Jews into Pales.
tine is steadily increasing, and the
moneyed men of Europe begin to take
an interest in the migration by buying
up land and building blocks of houses.
founding schools and hospitals. IT. is
said of the Jewish population of Pales-
tine that they are tolerant toward peo-
pie of other faiths.
"A minister, belonging to one of
those denominations where the Cos
pei malady prevails in comparatively
mild form, confessed to friend: 81
am at my wits end and haven't come in
sight of good text yet. The truth is
that preached about Holsters last Sun
day. and I shall have to exchange to-
morrow or shut up shopr'
The number of Christian churches
in Constantinople is very large, namely,
las. Fourteen of kthese are Protes-
tant, so Greek-Orthodox, 80 Armenian
Orthodox, 26 Roman, Greek-Roman.
70 American-Roman, 1 Bulgarian. Four
Patriarchs of Oriental churches and a
Eoman Archbishop are residing in the
capital of Mohammed's successor.
The Methodist Episcopal church,
South, according to sta tistics just gath
cred and published, has 4, 1862 itinerant
preachers; 5000 local preachers; 1,161,-
'66 members (white), an increase of
IS, 16S; $40 colored members, a decrease
Of 125, and 8, S33 Indian members, de.
crease of 1,125. The total of preachers
and members LIT, $50, showing a total
net increase of 81, The number of
infants baptized last year was "a, 733, an
Increase of 3, SCI. The value of church
sdifices is reported at nearly ST., 600, 600
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
THE PAY OF AUTHORS.
Facts for Persons Who Think That Liter
ature Is Bed of Roses.

Facts for Persons Who Think That Liter.
ature Is Bed of Roses.
] caught one of our best known au-
thors in confidential mood recently,
and his comments on the revenue of au-
thorship, which he gave me permission
afterwards to print, carry interest with
them. 1 may add that the name of this
author is one of the most widely known
in American literature to-day. 'Seven
years ago l chose between law and lit
erature. 1 had every opportunity to
succeed at the bar, for, through hard
study and my connections, lucrative
practice seemed opened to me. But
turned to authorship. To-day 1 am
what the world calls successful au.
thor. My last novel was bid for by
three publishers, and my royalties, 1 am
told by my publishers, are higher than
those of the majority of their writers. ]
have the pleasure of hearing my books
and name hawked on the trains when
am travelling, the newspapers give me
from quarter of column to column
and half reviews. But what has lit
erature brought me in money? Let me
open my vest-pocket book to you. Here
is my actual revenue for 1889, and in
cludes, as you see, royalties on six OF
my novels, magazine articles, etc., and
every thing is collected. Here is the
total 80, 17O.40 Compare these actual
figures to the paragraph recently
circulated, in which / am reputed to
earn $4,000 from my pen. LIS
it any wonder that the unsophisticated
enter literature with false hopes? Yes,
print these ,cts if you wish; only, OF
course, withhold my name and iden-
titv." l reproduce here the facts and
figures as they were given to me.
ouly wish it were possible, for the sake
of those who think that literature is
bed Of roses, to give this authors name.
However, the facts in general must be
sufficient.
lam constantly asked by literary be-
ginners as to the prices generally paid
by magazines for literary work. Of
course, in my answer, must be under
stood as only referring to beginners. not
those who have, by constant practice,
become experienced with the pen and
know what is most desired by editors.
1t is safe, think, for beginners to de-
pend upon the following prices: Poems
are the least marketable, but where
poem of average length is accepted
saw four verses of eight lines each-the
price is from SIS to SIS each. A short
story of 3. 900 words commands S25 to $50
at the lowest, $50 to 500 at the highest,
every thing depending on the strength
of the story and the magazine to which
it is sold, Prose articles of any merit
whatever range from 81 to $40 per thou
sands words, the average being about 80.
Of course, prices for literary work, as
prices for dry goods or any thing else,
vary according to the quality OF the
goods, but those have quoted are,
think, safe for beginners to depend upon,
provided, of course, that they fall into
the hands of reputable magazines AS
rule the good magazines pay upon ac-
ceptance of manuscriipt--Edward "
Box. in Chicago journal
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
EXPLOSIVES IN DOSES.
The Use of Gun Cotton and Nitro-Glycer
inc in Medical Practices.

The Use of Gun Cotton and Nitro-Glycer.
inc in Medical Practices.
DR.. 81. FL. Burchard, famous Phila-
delphia physician, speaking of the
progress of medical science in these
later years, said to reporter the other
day:
''Have you any idea of how far high
explosives are used in medicines? You
can not get your knowledge from books
unless you Yansack five hundred vol
umes and pick up the scattered items
here and there. 1t may surprise you to
know that they are in daily use and OF
the greatest value in all sorts of dis
eases and injuries.
"There is, for example, gun cotton,
or, as we call it, proxylin. 1t is twice as
powerful as gunpowder, but very much
inferior to Dynamite or nitro-glycerine.
Dissolved in ether, it makes that won
derful compound we call collodion. In
this shape it is employed to protect raw
Or injured surfaces. It dries rapidly
in fact, almost as fast as it is employed
and leaves behind fine, elastic arti-
fetal skin, which is air and waterproof
against microbes and disease germs.
Mixed with cantharides, collodion makes
Tho best blistering plaster known to
science. Mixed with tannin or tannic
acid, it makes a wonderful remedy for
stopping the flow of blood from wounds.
In cases of scalding and burning col
lodion enables the profession to cover
the exposed flesh in manner never be-
fore possible. No secretion of the body
affects it, nor, on the other hand, does
1t exert any unpleasant or Objectionable
influence upon the system.
"But of even greater value is nitro.
glycerine. When used in medicine it is
largely diluted, one part being mixed
with one hundred parts of alcohol, and
one drop of the resultant mixture is a
dose. In this form it is an admirable
antidote in cases of neuralgia Of the
heart and many cases of nervous dis.
turbances of the human body. Thus it
has been used and given wonderful re.
lief in nervous asthma, hiccoughs, head.
aches and similar disorders. 1t has re.
peatedly cut short an attack Of the
chills and fever, and so eminent an au.
VAOA4Vy oo III. AeOOOAV Ddl tAO1OW AOSOLI'
mends it in certain forms of Bright's
disease, and also for that most misera.
BILE of earthly ailments, sea-sickness.
''Thus far we have only begun to know
the medical virtues Of gun-cotton, nitro.
glycerine and amyl-nitride. Beyond
these there are over six high explosives
of which we know little or nothing as to
their real character, and nothing at all
regarding their action upon the physical
organizations. 1t does seem curious,
however, that substances which in
large quantities are dest< ctive Of life
and property should, in small ones. bs
beneficial to the sick and injured. The
gun-cotton which blows man up en-
ables the physician to destroy the pain
of his aw members and to heal them in
less time than was ever before possible
with other remedies" - Washington
Star
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
AN OLD-TiME LOCOMOTIVE.
Rescued from the Scrap-Pile, She Is Still
Doing Good Service.

Rescued from the Scrap-Pile, She Is Still
Doing Good Service.
A large, well-made locomotive is an
object Of admiration to all who have an
opportunity to closely examine the in
tricate makeup of this wonderful
mechanism; but a great many remember
the days when railway engines were not
30 large, nor nearly so handsome as they
now are.
In the '5OS engines were much smaller
than they are at present, and were gen.
orally more decorated with brass work.
A great many of these old timers are
still in use by railroads, despite the fact
that it is commonly accepted that boil
ers and machinery give out in certain
number of years. Many have been re-
built, and are doing switching service;
while others are used in hauling light
suburban trains; but the greater major
ity of them are lying in the ''scrap-
piles" at the companies shops. One Of
these old locomotives, with quite his
tory, although almost wheelless, cylin-
derless, and, in fact, devoid of the essen
tial running gear, can be found in the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul rail-
way yards, giving good service every
day. She is the old Prairie du CHEN,
No. 81, built about 1857; and in her
palmy days she flew over the rails be-
tween Milwaukee and Madison, Wis.
Years of service on the line wore out her
machinery, and with many signs from
old railroad men she was relegated to the
scrap-pile. Here this combination Of
machinery lay until her cab
nearly rotted away. The tender
was attached to another engine, and
all the valves, pumps, gear and
brass-work that could be utilized were
transferred to other engines as repairs
were made. Few suspected that this
old, rust-eaten engine could ever be-
again brought into service. But one day
last fall an order was received to load
her on fat car and bring the old engine
to Chicago. Here she was lodged in the
yard, and before many days she had
sunk several feet in the mud. Ashes.
clnders and yard refuse accumulated
about her, until one would have ex-
perienced difficulty in recognizing her
as locomotive. Cars heated by steam
from the road-engines were to be formed
into trains and backed into the depot.
They must be warm. 1t would be IN
wise to build fires for that short trip.
and impracticable to attach the road
engines to the trains while switching
was to be done. Now, here is where the
old locomotive, shorn of all her fnery,
came in handy. Her old boilers were
utilized to supply the necessary steam
which was conveyed to the heating ap-
paratus OF the cars by flexible pipes.
Wedged in among lot of cars, old, d.
lapidated, and forgotten by the veteran
railroaders, this engine. saved from the
scrap-pile, still contributes it's part to the
operating of a railroad. Perhaps she
has outlived the engineer who first
pulled the throttle and occupied seat
In her cab.-Chicaro NeWS
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
Evolution of the Present "W."

How our letter CIV" was printed in
the seventeenth century, appears in the
little ouarto of Paul Ricaut, secretary
to Heneage, Earle of VVinchllsea, EN-
bassadour Extraordinary" printed in
1868, at Constantinople, by Abraham
Gabai, who requests sthe courteous
reader not to attribute the fault. either
to the printer or the correction, II he
finds some few letters misplaced, or the
letter Wv not SO neatly formed as were
to be wished; for the presse at Con-
stantinople, being but sildome en-
ployed, is not furnished with tne
uarietie OF those letters which are only
proper to northern languages
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
THE PENITENTES.
Barbarous Performances of Fanatics
New Mexico.

BarDarOuS performances OF FANATICS II
New Mexico.
The Penitentes seem to a new conner
In the country to be strange order OF
superstitious fanatics, the old flagellants
of the dark ages, who have come down
by some ecclesiastical legerdemain,
landing in this corner of the terrestrial
foot-stool. Their performances are
touch of baptized barbarism clutching
at the skirts of this nineteenth century.
The horribleness of seeing them at work
dagellating themselves on Good Friday
is akin in the recollection to the heart
rending means of the wounded and
dying in a terrible calamity. They COM
pose secret organization that is fast
dying out, and is not now sanctioned by
the dominant church, and the worst OF
their doings are supposed to take place
in their lodge rooms. They are seen to
outsiders only when marching in pro
cession, carrying each a rough wooden
cross, nearly heavy enough to crush
them under it's weight. Their backs are
usually bare, and as they stagger along
as best they can, weighted down by
their burdensome load in body and their
sins in mind, their brethren beat them
with clubs and prick them with cact'
till, in many instances, there isn't
an inch of the flesh that isn't
torn and bleeding. Not infrequently
they die from the effects of the terrible
punishment inflicted. A doleful chant
ing, in which they specify the particular
sins they are trying to expiate, is con-
tinually kept up. And yet this very
class is usually composed of the rabble
element of the community. Often, when
they get through their penances, they
go straight off and get drunk and run ur
another score of evil deeds done in the
body greater than the last They seem
to hold implicitly to the belief that
every sin committed must be paid for in
suffering, and the more pain one en-
dures here, the less he will have here
after. These poor, deluded penitentes
are not attempting any moral improve
ments. They are merely endeavoring
to shorten their stay in purgatory, and
horrid work they make of it. Any one
who was ever SO unfortunate as to be
locked into one of their lodges must
admit that feeling of uneasiness and
uncertainty crept over him while there.
Perchance dim light, as the scene may
be described, made awfully indistinct
and CHASTITY the rude form of Christ on
the cross; the men stretched out full
length on the ground, more like corpses
than living beings, and the wretched
objects who piled the scourges on them
selves and the others, making the blood
squirt at every stroke, while the yells,
walls and bowls were indescribably ter
rible.
But such barbarous practices will soon
have become obsolete in New Mexico.
Even now it is only the well-informed
who can point out their hiding places
when engaged in their fagellations.-
Las Vegas OPTIC.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27
The Ever-Ready Policeman

1t is not only in the funny columns q,
the daily papers or in the journals en-.
tirely devoted to humor that we find
food for laughter. The following news
Item from prominent New York iour.
nal. in spite of its tragic qualities. is as
delicious bit of humor as one would
care to read: Yesterday afternoon a
large and shaggy black dog was seen
running up Greenwich street. swapping
at the different objects it passed. When
1t reached the corner of Cortlandt and
Greenwich streets it made a SAVAGE
lunge at workman who was PASSING
and bit him in the arm. The man at
once took in the situation, and graspino
the brute by the throat threw it to the
ground and fell upon its BODY. After
he had secured good grip on the dogs
wind-pipe with one hand he seized its
tongue with the other, and held on un-
tai the animal was dead. At that mo-
mont policeman made his appearance.
aud shot the dog in the head three
emek EHas2eg'a Magazine.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27

Social economy-Mrs. Scroogge-
I'm writing to ask the Browns to meet
the Joneses here at dinner, and to the
Joneses to meet the Browns. We owe
them both you know" Mr.. Scroogge-
"But I've heard they've just quarreled
and don't speakr Mrs Scroogge-'1
know. They'll refuse, and we needn't
give dinner party ct an"-Punch.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27

"A wri ter asks: SIS there to-mor-
ROW." Some body should send him An
alnanac. There is not only tomorrow.
but 9 next week, also.-Norristown
Herald
Scranton Wochenblatt. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1865-1918, 1890-11-27
Sta0t uno Gonntb.

b@ 2iebIing Der Sau8frauen-
Piasburp'S 8eit-berfauft BEL sSreb. &.
98iomaper, $50 2ada. &pe.
= 9as @eldiporenenrae fir 1891
ipirb bieien Sreitas NIT 1900 Namen
sefiilt.
: Sin unfebIbares UlitteI eesen
Sebers, Wlasen' unb glierenIeben fint
Or. Ius. &Dnis's Sumburser TrOpfen.
-Sris Martin, 9enn gb.nue, bai
ben san3en Dantiapunsstas Siri6s
Iun9.
: GuspdrfeIn bon Turfebs unt
2un9 beim 8biIip @asner, 517 2ada.
Gpenue, 0littipp4 unb Donnertus.
-Samss g. unb sobn S. SoRe,
frGber an Der SairIapn @rube intereIs
iirt, babeu in Diinerspiae, S9upIfia
Gountp, 8obIenoperationen besonnen.
= Robert 3d., Der Scbn bon ssUI.
u. scranton, berbeiratbete ii9 Iesten
YlittpO@ in SartfOrb, Conn.,, nit einem
SRI. SeIen Sperrp.
-9eutide @ei9porene bieie @ode
PbiIip Sdneiber, gusuit $. @inter,
Sobn 2uB, Iusuit SaaS, Srant 8ob.
ling, ir.
= 9ie Green 8ibse @iien So. muBte
in ben leBten Wp6en pieI lleberaeit ars
beiten, um alien 8etequnsen na&foms
men 3u f6nnen.
: 8ei Der DidIpn gompanie lit Elm
atpeites erobes Sanbrab fir bic @aIu.
met unb SecIa 0tinen 60. in Wi6isan
befeat tporben.
- @Oub. 8attiIon bat ben Ibpofas
ten Sumpbrep .. Gate bon BRADFORD
county au ieinem Priuatiefretdr cts
nannt.
- Wie mir b6ren. Bat 3i6ter Sobn
SanbIep bas &raui9'i6e 8atent sur
Seriteauns bon fiinitIi9em @iIe fur
500, 900 uneefauft.
-Serr 9eter 3iesIer febrte am
Sreitas BON 9ittsburs suriid, tpoIeIbIt
er als Ser. st. 9eidporener biente.
Statt elmer, muBte er stpei @oden ben,
8aterIanbe feline Dienite peiben.
Ser 9ine 9roofer 2neipipirtb
Sobn Mcgiub, Der iid bon bier sefId6s
tet bate, nurbe am Donneritas 9lbenb
in Dufbore bonn Yolisiiten Oabio 8o6e
perbaftet unb ant Sreitas bisrber gee
bra6t unb benz @efdneniB ii6eripiefen.
Die ginridtuns Der McNab'i6en Spes
Iunfe tpurbe am Sreitas 8ormittas
bur9 ben Sdsriff perfauft.
- Sabs Or. 3bomas GeIertrie Del fir
Group unb Grfdltuusen ssbrau6t unb ss fu-
rtrte ppftip.-gDm. aay, $40 pIbmputb Aps.,
Buffalo, q. y.
Scranton Wochenblatt. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1865-1918, 1890-11-27

Gin Mann, Der 40 Sabre Rsbi,in prafti;irt
bat, lCllts Cali BON 3ufer unterf1tipen fUn-
nsn lsl,t, mas CT Iast.
Soltrp, o., San. 10. 1887.
-Sru 8. 8. gbeuss & @O.-Meine 9srren
SD bin felt 40 Sabrsn meif In bsr aase-
msinsn GrStli6sn praris sswsisn, uub mS9ts
Iaaen, Dab In aa msinsr praris unb Grfabr-
uns Id ME Gin prGparat erfeben babe, has i'd
nit 70 pisl 8srtrarsn auf grfcls psrftrsibsn
tcnnis, ale Saa's 8atarrb Sur, fabri,irt bon
Sbnsn. Sabe Fs gar piels Rals psri4rtsbsn,
uub Sbrs @irfuns III tpuubsrOca, uub mD6ts
,um SGub laeen, bae Id nod siutn SAL BON
aatarrb ;u tinben babe, ben fe niht furiren
piirbe, penn man fs ben MuweiIuneen eemGe
sinnGbmr. Sn Wabrbett brr Sbriet
Z 6. @Orlu6, W. D.,
Sfirt 2i5 Summit St.
gBir ppIlsn einbunbsrt DOlars fir iebeu
Sal pOn 8atarrb seteu, Der ni&t nit 5aas
aatarrb Sur ssbeiIt psresn fann. Snnsrlit
esrpmnen.
9. 8. Cheney Co., Gissntb., GOlsbp, ..
B&s~ 8nfauft BON apptbsfsrn, rs gts.
Scranton Wochenblatt. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1865-1918, 1890-11-27
Dunnore.

: tlnfere Sdulbebbrbe tpir6 bieie
Wo4e 8onbS gum 8etraee bon S16,s
600 aus8eben, ipomit bic &ofsn fdr
bas neue @rubsb S6uIsebaube ssbedt
tperben iolen.
> Sn Der SO. 5 @rube Der gennI.
&obIen So. ereilte Der Sob am sSreitas
Wlorsen ben go Sabre aIten 4atrid
. Soro. DerieIbe ipar mad elmer
SprenSuns an ieinen NrbeitspIab su.
riidsetebrt. um bas &eiuItat su ieben,
ais plObIid bic 9ede einitiirste unb ibn
beerub. @rit na9 elmer Stunbe fonute
Der 8brper ausseeraben tperben. D.
Soro binterIdbt fiinf eripadfene 2inber.