davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

the SIDE of hill. AS l went passed
many funeral PROFESSIONS, consisting OF
stalwnrt Japs in blue gowns and bowl
hats, four of whom carried box swung
on pole which rested on their shoul-
ders. This box was much like child's
PLAYHOUSE, and 1t had its roof and its cur
tanned windows. was told that it was a
coffin, and that each party carried q
corpse. These collins were about four
feet long, two feet wide and four feot
high. They were made of thin white
pine, unpainted and unvarnished, and
each coffin is burned Or thrown away Mt
the same time of the burning of the body.
The erematory itself looked much like an
American engine.room; tho furnaces
might have been made in America, and
they were built so that they opened into
an aisle running around Large room.
Wood was piled al their doors and d
furious draught sucked tho air into their
mouths, and tho great flames roared as
they ate up the human fuel which was
piled in the vaults above them. There
was but little smell as 1 entered the
building, but could hear the cracking
and frying of the flesh, and the whole of
the burning could be plainly sen. A
hollow-eyed, bald headed ghoul presid-
ed over them, and he stirred up the fires
az no chatted with me i'll regard to his
business.
I'VE have" said no, FIRST second, and
third class cremations, and We graduate
our rates according to the age of the
body. A man or woman can be burnt
here in first-class style for $3.50. We
will give either q good second-class burn
ing for 81 .25, and we can send man off
in very respectable style for 81. Chill
dren under years nre burnt according
to the class for ST. rs cents, or 60 cents,
and boys and girls flom 8 10 II years of
age are burnt for from S1.50 to rs cents
apiece. We burn the bod es as soon as
they come in, and We average Mt least ten
cremations day. We give the bone
ashes to the families of tho dead after
the cremation is over, and they take
them away and bury them in their family
tombs."
Siam is the land of cremation. 1t costs
moro money to die there than to live, and
the funerals of Congressman, which are
paid for Mt extravagant rates by the Gov-
eminent, cost but little in comparison
with that of Siamese noble. When q
king dies in Siam the whole nation takes
part in the funeral, and $l,009, 600 and
upward is sometimes spent in the turning
Of the royal embalmed body into ashes.
The last queen who died at Bangkok was
seated in golden urn for number OF
months after her death, and the foreign
| merchants iE Siam bought thousands OF
| doll,rs' worth of goods from Europe and
China for the king TO give as presents tc
those who came to the funeral. A great
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

PRESIDENT CARNoT has accepted q
copy of tho Breton Bible, the first and
only translation from the original
tongues existing in this language. The
book was presented by the Rev. DIR.
Bullipger on behalf of the Trinitarian
Bible Society, of London, the publish
ers, and by Pasteur Lecoat, of Tremee,
Brittany, the translator, who were re-
eeived in audience by special appoint.
ment. These gentlemen presented at
the same time to NJ. Carnot a copy of
the first and only collection of Breton
hymns. by M. Lecoat, set to sixty-six
old Breton airs, collected by DR.. Bull
lnger from the lips of Breton peasants
Ind afterward harmopized.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

it be? He agreed at once to assist
Earnest in investigating the mystery,
"How far are the cliffs from here?"
mot more than two miles," Earnest
Tune replied,
"Then, as 1t Is oafly, let Ills go this
very night. Come, let us, load our
guns and be equipped Should any dan
ger menace u.s." Willard said in
cautious way, as they finished hasty
meal.
They were soon capped and equipped
for their adventure.
"Now lead the way, Earnest: l never
saw II ghost In my life, and | ain all
impatient to see one.
perhaps the visionary maiden will
not appear again tonight But I hope
she may. Willard" suddenly chang
ing his tone, chow does it happen that
you never thought to doubt my strange
story? Perhaps / imagined it all.
Your looks and manner convinced
me at once that something unusual had
happened to you. I do not doubt that
you saw what you have related. But
10 discover what It really is, is my mis-
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

,innati, St. Louis and Los Angeles. All
of these institutions, writes Frank Car
pentcr, have been opened within the last
three years, and the one at New York Gre
mates hundreds yearly. Without doubt
more than 1000 persons have been Gre
mated in this country since the building
of the crematofy at Washington, Pa, and
those who desire such a means of decom-
position are said to be on the rapid in
crease. The home of cremation Is in the
East. Siam disposes of most Of it's bod.
les in this way, and l saw dozens of
corpses frying and sizzling on the banks
of the Ganges. visited great crema-
tory in Japan, where the men in charge
told me they burnt between 800 and 400
bodies in month, and l attended big
cremation in Burmah.
This Japanese cremat,ry was on the
edge of kiota. In going to it l drove
throu gh the streets of shops filled with
the beautiful blue china for which thai,
city is so noted, and out through fields o.
rice and tea to large Trick building on
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

PARCELS sent by post are subject t>
hard usage before they reach their des-
tination, and if carelessly tied up the
contents are ait to be lost OF destroy
ed. Whatever the contents they must
be as snugly packed as possible and
tied with strong cord. The narrow
pieces of ribbon that often come around
handkerchiefs, and the bits of nice
Irvine if saved will come handy here.
If photographs, cards, pressed flowers,
ETC., are laid between two pieces of
rasteboard little larger than the
thing sent, and Eotches made in the
center of all four sides in which to
tightly tic the strings, they will, as q
general thing, come out in good condi-
ton. Stout, white paper is the best
for the outside wrapper, and the adj
dress written clearly in some conspicu-
Gus place will help insure for it safe
delivery.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

JEFFERSON DAVIS first became &C.
1uainted with Lucius B. Northrop at
West Point, the latter being one of the
youngest cadets. One day an officer
on duty insulted young Northrep and
the fiery South Carolinian resented it
with blow. 1t was Davis duty as
captain of the corps of cadets, to re-
PORT the metter, but he had noticed the
unrrovoked insult and admired tho
spirit with which the young cadet
promptly resented it, and he passed
the matter over. From that moment
Davis and Northrop became friends,
ard when the Southern Confederacy
was organized at Montgomery, Ala.
with Jefferson Davis as it's provisional
President, he invited Northrop to be-
come the Commissary General of the
Confederate army.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

A TREASURE owned by Mr.. Bernard
Quaritch is the Ms. prsyer-book car
ricd by the first Earl of Shrewsbury
at the battle of Chatillon in 1443, in
which both he and his son was slain.
1t was discoy cred, as is supposed, after
the fight BY some Bretons, who took it
to their province, where it remained
until about forty years ago. There is
some reason to think ii was written
during the Earl's captivity in Franco
and it is probable that it was the work
of his chaplain. 1t contains many
English devotional and patriotic
rhymes in the style of the Benedictinc
monk Lydgate, some of whose poetical
work it includes. BY q fortunate
chance, several missing pages, long
separated from the main work, have
low been recovered.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01
fol- tn ut rapid gait, following closely

fol TIN Mt q rapid gait, following closely
in the rear OF the peter of the cliffs.
Dip.ly through the gloom of the
gorge they followed their odd guide
From what danger unseen WAS she con-
ducti"g them? They never stopped to
ask themselves, but kept on.
She might be leading them into n
trap. So Intent were they on solving
the mystery they neve: gave that fea:
n thought.
On and Oh she led them. Over hard,
uncven, rocky PATHS, cyer da gerolls
chasms where single misStep would
have proved certain death, and on into
the dark mountains they went.
At last the ghostlY gnide Stopped
under a large, shelving c. ag tlat United
ont over a considerable 81 ace OF tn
gorge below. I he pine tees of fincrcai
darkness sighed n d moaEed, like 10 t
spirits, in the niolntail wind. Wild,
Il cary and lonesome tic SPOT VA
Earnest AMI vi lard came also to hall
The Split maiden agail s. oEc
Hcre YOU are safe"
Earnest, who could control his curl
osity no longer, cried through the
gloom that divided them from their
guide:
Are you spirit or flesh? For Gods
SAX, speak, l entreat you"
A low, silvery laugh answered him.
A specter laugh! Oh, horrible!
"Draw nearer, and l shall answer
you," the sweet voice said. The young
men did as requested. They leaned
on their guns ara awaited the informa-
ton almost breathlessly.
"The superstitious Indians and min
ers about this gulch call me the 'Specter
Maiden of the Cliffs, the spirit of an
emigrant's daughter murdered here
several years ago by patty of Nor,
mon Danites disguised as Indians"
The young men felt Thrill of hor
ror run through them.
She went on:
"Such dark deed really did occur
years ago in this very gorge. Taking
advantage of that fact and the super
stition of the natives, my captors have
made me play specter on the cliffs
around this crag."
An exclamation of surprise burst
from the listeners and Earnest asked
Your captors? Who are they
Tell US and we will gladly rescue 2oo.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

Listen. My father and l were en-
camped near here nearly two years
ago. One dark night band of men
dressed as Utes attacked us. They
robbed us of everything, sparinE ouf
lives only on our promise to 60 quietly
with them to their mountain Businesses.
Life was dearer than death, SO we &C
tepted the chiefs terms. Our captors
proved to be band of robbers, white
nutlaws and half-breed fisnds. Most
of the men have Indian wives and live
in the mountains near this gorge. j
was treated kindly, after their rough
fashion. My father has been confined
close prisoner In cave. The chief
agrees to release him only on his word
Of honor to espouss eut1awry and aid
In their dark acts. Of course he re-
fuses.
"The officers from one of the neigh
boring towns, where bank was robbed
q year ago, have been searching for the
robbers quarters. Their guides are
Indians. knowing their beliefin ghosts
and such like spectral phenomena, I
was made to dress in white to scare
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

The natural cunning of the fox was
shown at New Ipswich, N. H., tho
other day. A fox that was started by
a hunter ran directly to pond and
passed around the edge on the ice rs
near the open water as possible. Tho
dogs followed closely, and, coming up
on weak ice, broke through, and but
for help given them would have drown
ed. Meantime Reynard escaped to .
place of safety.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

sion. l never see anything mysterious
but try to ascertain its real nature.
Now lead on
Earnest started to do So But when
he gained the door Of the isn't tic be-
ta,ile rooted to the spot. There, Gid
ing swiftly over the fower-gemmed
valley, in the starlight, brighter here
and approaching the tent, was the
lovely specter of the cliffs. She was
clad in her white robes, bat the strange
light that had surrounded her had van
ished. The young men watched her
approach with strange, spell-bound
woater in their gaze.
What tould it mean? She seemed
to float toward them instead Of walk
ing. The pleasant campfire threw
out crimson reflection across the lit
tie space before the tent and illumincd
the white lady as she came on. Breath
lessly Earnest and Willard awaited
her approach. She drew near and
halted few feet from them. Making
n motion to secure their silence by
placing the Lily fingers of her shapcly
hand over her lips, she spoke
"Not a word-not q question. If
you would save your lives, follow mo. F."
Not like ghosts sspulchral veice.
but like the dulcet ripples of a gentls
cascade among mountain Businesses,
came those words of peculiar import.
Follow me- repeated the voice.
"You will soon be in peril. I will
lead ynu to n place of safety"
Should they heed the rites? The
strange vision, Or whatever it was,
started away across The valley, beck
nning them to follow. 1t was too much
for Earnest Tune and Willard Roller
ton, in the flush and wonder Of thcir
adventurous young .tnahhooa, 10 resist,
They never paused to question tbs
plausibility of the sudden warning.
They shouldered their guns and set
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

THE old adage, that there is no fool
like an old fool, receives fresh illustra-
ton from West Union, Ird. A dis
patch from there says: Paul Hill, an
old resident, over seventy years of age,
was called recently to Pennsylvania by
the spirit of his former wife through q
medium. Taking his earthly partner
with him he went to Hop Bottom,
where he was induced to leave his wife
and live with his spirit affinity. The
medium obtained his moneys, 600
and his wife came back. His eyes are
now opened to the fraud, and he will
try to recover the money he gave up.
1t is said that his wife's spirit wanted
some apples, whereupon he bought and
gave the medium 200 barrels. Silk
dresses and other material things were
offered to the ghost, and appropriated
by the woman of flesh, until he is pan
niless."
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

the bones of all going to the same reser-
voir, and the vultures who to-day feed on
the flesh of Dives make their morrow's
meal off of Lazarus.
saw many cremations among the Him
docs, and / attended not few funerals
in India. The bodies were generally
carried on the shoulders of men, without
coffins and covered with cloth. In some
cases band accompanied the processions
and the burnings were in general very;
simple. At Calcutta they took place in
unroofed sheds on the banks of the Hoog-
ly, but the fires were built on the
ground and little hole was scooped out
below them to make draught. At
Benares the cremations took place in thet
open air, and, after the body had burned
to ashes, the ashes and bones remaining,
were dragged down into the river. The
undertakers of India belong to the dome
or chief caste. These preside over the
funerals and sell the wood and light
the fires used in cremations. They
break tho elbows, wrists, knee aud,
ankle joints before cremating the
body, and ut Calcutta the body isl
placed on the fire with the face down.
ward. 1t is covered with ghee. or clari-
ded butter, to make it burn. and tho
wood used varies with the coat of the
funeral. A rich man will send his soul
to heaven with sandalwood, while poor
man takes what he can buy. The domes
sell everything connected with the crema-
ton, and to lie chief dome of big city
is money making position. One of the
richest men in Benales is the head of the
undertakers, and he made his money III
this way. There is n regular charge for
burning, and the ordinary cost of crema-
ton is less than So Funerals in India
are, however, very expensive, and pres
ents are given away by the nearest rela-!
tives of the deceased to those who come
to the funeral 4 raiah of Calcutta not
',ng ngo spent $25o,0Oo in burning his
father, and rich families often spend
as high as 100000 in this sort Of fire
works.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

THE discovery by M. Pasteur of the
microbe of the silkworm disease ha.
been fortunate matter for the silk in.
dustry of the south of France, which
was beginning to be very seriously of.
fected. Having found ont that the
germ of the microbe passed from the
moth to the egg, and that therefore
when the worm Matched out the mi.
crcbe was in it and it perpetnated the
disease, M. Paste,.y hit upon method
for stamping out the plague. He put
each worm to lay its eggs upon sep
arato piece Of paper, then he examined
the moth carefully, those found to be
diseased were burnt with the eggs they
had laid, and only the eggs of healthy
moths used. This method was so sue.
cessful that in short time the cggi
from the station where NJ. Pasteur wal
experimenting realized the sum cl
e1, 100, 900, and by degrees the disease
has been almost entirely eradicated
from the south of France.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

AN indignant rclict makes her pro
test to the New York Tribune against
the indignity thrust upon widows by
the ungrammatical compiler of obitu-
airy notices. When she dies this par
ticular widow insists tbes she does not
want any fool editor to put her down
as "Mehitable, widow of the late Jona-
than Jones'" This lady very properly
feels that all the facts can DO presented
to the public, and at the same time
with correct grammatical construction,
by saying: "Mehitable, widow OF Jona
than Jones'
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

Ex-QUEEN ISABELLA of Spain, who
was turned out of the kingdom twenty
years ago, thinks the outlook for mon
archs is discouraging. If monarch
is good -natured and liberal, sedition is
encouraged to break ont; if he is Sc
we're in supprcssiog sedition his harsh
ness is made pretext for revolution.
Do what he will or turn as he may he
is sure to be beaten in the end. The
ex-Queen says that her grandson
keeps his throne simply because the
Spaniards are too chivalrous to send
into exile q young widow and father
less child.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

JOURNALISM is looking up in China
There are now three newspapers pub
lished in that country, and there is a
prospect that another one will soon be
started. The prospectors are waiting
until they can find out whether it will
be long felt want. In China, by the
way, if q paper publishes an untrue
statement about any one, not only are
the editors punished but all the read
ers as well.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

GosPATIN AposToHoFF, young Cos
sack engineer, has designed "bateau
plongeur" which will dive into the
Atlantic off the English coast and
come up in New York harbor twenty,
six hours later. 1t is tho old story of
being shaped like fish, with a spiral
ridge on the outside, running around
it twice, which in some way or other
will be made to fevolve.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01
temple CT palace with roofs covered with
gilt paper was built as her bier. and the

temple CT palace with roofs covered with
gilt paper was built as her bier. and the
funeral car was overlaid with pure gold
and set with jewels. This car was six
stories high and it was surrounded by
tiers of golden umbrellas. All the foreign
diplomates attended tho burning, and
there was tiger fight, lion dance, and
a tournament among the celebrations.
The king lighted the fire ~ 6 p. M, and
he gave presents of gold aud silver as
we'll as dinner to the most noted of the
mourners. 1t took a full week to per-
form the ceremonies, and at the close the
ashes were taken in a royal barge and
strewn upon the waters of the Menam
River.
livery man in Siam has rs good a burn
ing Ms his purse will buy, but few are able
to undertake the expense of building
palace in which to DO burned. The aver
age cremation takes place on a pile OF
wood laid c;ossways, and after it is over
the bones are gathered up and tied up in
rag to be kept as relics. The most hor.
rible of funerals are those of the very
poor of Bangkok. The bodies of these
are taken to temple known MS the Wat
Sab Kate. Imagine an Enclosure of many
acres, filed With bushes and whispering
palms. at the feet of which are piles OF
collins, and along the roots of which
skulls are lying. Enter this garden path
il you dare. There arc no men to stop
you, and GU wander in and out through
the trees, snarled at by lean, hungrSS look
ing dogs, until at last you come to a
number of low brick buildings. Here
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

A D1LIaENT deliver has discovered
that the use of "down" as q transitive
verb did rot originate with writer's on
sporting topics, but has the authority
Of Sir Philip Sidney, who, three hun
dred years ago, concocted this line {:
"To down proud hearts that would not
willing die"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

EVEN the much despied tramp ha.
often more honor than he's given credit
for. as witness the following from New
Jersey: Fourteen years ago tramp
knocked at the door of Daniel Palmer,
in South Orange Township, Essex
County, and asked for hat. By mis-.
take one of the daughters gave him hel
fathers best silk hat, discovering the
mistake just as the tramp started away
with it. An exclamation by her sister
apprised the tramp of the prize he had
received. Little thought was after.
ward given to the matter until few
mornings ago, when a clean, new hat
hox was found on the front porch. II
contained q new silk hat, and this ex
PLANTATION within a slip of paper: &c
replace your fathers best silk hat
taken by me fourteen years ago."
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

A MYSTERY of The Attic regions may
be cleared up next year if the season il.
open. This mystery is: Where dc
the whales go when ice begins to set il
along the Alaskan coast? Whaleme1
know they go eastward, and it is sup
posed they congregate about the mouth
of the great Mackenzie River, but thi.
and the region to the northeast of the
rivers mouth are practically unknown
territory. The Pacific Steam Whaling
Company, of San Francisco, has just
purchased strong steamer, which will
be sent 10 the Artic next spring with
orders to push through to the mouth
of the Mackenzie. The reason for this
is that whalebone is rising in price, and
this seasons catch showed that the
whales are rapidly decreasing in thei'
usual feeding grounds.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

AN Englishman mas bought the con-
tents Of the royal castle of Nuremberg,
containing the most complete collection
of instruments of torture extant, cost
ing $4,000 in all. There is a library
of three thousand volumes, giving the
history of crime and torture for many
optI1rioc
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

In unloading bananas at the New
York wharves the stevedores frequent
ly encounter scorpions and snakes,
which have curled up under the banana
heads in search of long nap and sleep
right through the trip to New York.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

RUSSIA is increasing her field artil.
iery. Hitherto each brigade had six
batteries of eight guns each, but now
each brigade will have eight batteries
of eight guns, or total of sixty-four
guns, instead of forty eight as hitherto.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01
THE BEAUTY OF THE SEASON.

ny L, b. w,
10 be the Iirst at bali or hop,
10 have bouquets by dozens;
To " AXE the boyish love of male;
And hate of female, cousins;
To say and do just whit tou please,
And without Thyme or reasbn;"
And yet be pleased-thls is to lie
The Beauty of the Season."
You're witchiDg there's no doubt Of that
Your very smile is winning;
One glance from those bewildering oyes
Sets hearts and heads a-spinning.
But when sutton comes for life.
You flirt beyond all reason
And 80 you'll die mn old mnid yet,
My Beauty Oh the Schaon.'
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-01

THE bear which Squire Schlogg shot
near Bridgeport, N. j., a few days ago,
gave about eighty families their first
taste of bear meat, and furnished nice
rug for the squire's daughter Susie.