davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Gallery Critics.


The well-to-do man who ooes to tho
theatre in dress suit and sits in a how
or in a seat just back of the orchestra
has a good view of the play and the
players, but doubt if he gets as much
pleasure therefrom as the ragged news
boy who sits in the gallery. just under
the roof.
At the boys distance the illusion is
complete. The footlights are not too
bright, and the music becomes low, in
distinct melody. l have heard more
criticism in the gallery of Broadway
theatre during single performance than
could write in an entire day.
"The Silver King" with well known
actor in the leading role, was played on
the east side some time in the beginning
OF the season. My neighbor was lad of
IA years, who answered TO the name Of
Rocksey. His chum arrived at the close
of the first act, but he had evidently
seen the play before, for he knew it by
heart
"Hey, Rocksey, how's he a-doin't it?"
was the first question
sob, he's overdoin' it horribly; he
can't act till he gets tree or four drinks
into i'm. The villains the worst stuff |
ever saw. He just stands around waitin'
for his time for gettin' killed. I'd like
to see play where the villain gets killed
before the curtain goes up"
The gallery gods can furnish an untold
amount of gossip about the personality
OF people on the stage, and the tales have
as much truth in them as the stage
stories which emanate from more i'm
portant sources. New York News.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Disinterested Friend.

The man who never owned a dog
doesn't know what it is to have de-
voted and disinterested friend Do
you know any creature half so faith
full as old Clip, or Nero, or Bruno, or
F1do, or Towser, or Rattler2 When
young you maltreated him dreadfully.
You rode on his back, you pulled his
ears, you twisted his TAIL you kicked
him and cuffed him. But he bore
your abuse patiently and was always
ready to lick the hand that smote
him. He bore no grudge against
you, but forgot and forgave every
thing. When you left home he was
the last one of the family to say good
by; when you returned he was the
first to give you greeting. In youth
ne was your comforter aud protector:
now he is your companion and friend,
New York Tribune, -. ]: n
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Pretty Little Scene.

A boy carrying large bouquet OF
pinks entered Cottage Grove avenue
car yesterday. Among the passenger
inside was little girl of possibly &
years of age. The little one was as
pretty a blondinette as one can see.
and her wooden dress, spotlessly white,
set off her juvenile beauty perfectly
Everybody was admiring the child
No sooner had the flower boy entered
than the car was filled with the per
fume of the roses and heliOtrope. The
little girl soon discovered it and quick
ly gave up her observation from the
car window. She approached her
mother and began teasing for some
of the flowers. Finally when she
found out that her mother could not
procure any Of the much wished for
roses the child went right up to the
boy;
asked
The chances were nine to ten that
the boy wouldn't give any. But it was,
perhaps, because the little girl was so
sweetly charming that he detached a
couple of handsome red roses and
gave them to her. Triumphantly
she returned to her mother.
The roses were pinned to her
bosom. At Twentieth street the boy
got off. Quickly the little girl jumped
on the seat. But it was on the wrong
side from that on which the boy was.
She jumped off, went to the other seat,
and looked out of the window. She
saw the boy, and he, noticing her,
waved his hand. Then she, putting
her rosy fingers to her mouth, threw
him two, three kisses. 1t was so sweet
ly, gracefully done. Then she settled
down and inhaled her flowers.
cage Tribune.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
MET At A REvoLvER's MUzzLE.
Recognition of Old Friends a. They Enter
Battle.

Recognition Of Old Friends ~ They Ente,
was chatting the other night with
well known officer on the retired
list of the navy about the odd way in
which old friends will turn up, and
he related to the reporter what is a
unique experience in that line.
my wife had been very much an
noyed," he said, ''by some boys who
insisted on ringing the door bell OF
my house on All Halloween. came
home rather late in the evening to
find the whole house topsy turvy.
When l learned the cause of the
trouble, l was exceedingly angry, and
| proceeded to lay for those boys.
concealed myself in the shadow of the
house and waited for. some time, but
the boys did not come. Then stepped
out into the middle of the street and
started toward the corner looking for
them. 1t was not long before / came
upon the crowd They were of all
ages, ranging from Is years down.
grabbed the Oldest boy, and wanted to
know what he meant by ringing the
bell and annoying my wife. Of course
he said he hadn't touched my bell
You're liar, said l, and l am going
to teach you not to ring bells any
more, and with that | began to spank
him. He yelled murder, and his COM
panions ran in every direction. The
warming process had been in opera
ton for some minutes, when woman
rame out of an adjoining house, and
running over to the spot where we
stood, told me to let the boy alone.
Have you any interest in the boy.
madame" said l.
He is my son, she replied.
'"Then you ought to have done this
to him long ago, said l, and whack,
whack went the palm of my right
hand.
You're BRUTE said the woman,
and | shall send my husband to you
" / wish you would, madam, | re-
piled, as my right hand kept up the
rhythmetic measure You send him
here to me or you send him to my
house hereafter and III give him a
good licking for bringing boy up in
this way
1--WE had a little audience by this
time, and one man who had come up
to see what the row was about said ::
Leave that boy alone why don't
you hit man..
Il brought down my hand once
more for luck and letting the boy es
cape, l reached for the strangers col
lar, as said Perhaps you'd like to
be the MANI He drew away and put
his hand behind him. l did not know
whether he had a revolver or not, but
[ knew that had one, and before he
could have drawn | had it down on
him. Don't you dare, said.
Are you Lieutenant - he said,
as he looked down the cold muzzle of
the revolver.
81 am, | replied, what of it?'
Why, I'm Johnson said he.
That doesn't convey any impress
ion to my mind, said |.
81 was in your class at the naval
academy, said he.
" Come up to my house, johnson,
and have drink said |, !; and he
came up to my house and drank until
ne was very full. We had not seen
each other for fifteen years. If
any one can match that meeting
want to hear from him. -Pittsburg
Dispatch.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
THE OLD oAKEN BUCKET.

with what anguish of mind remember my child
Recalled In the light of knowledge since gained;
The malarious farm. the wet, fungus grown wild
wood
The chills then contracted which since have re
NAMED;
The scum covered duck pond. the pigsty close
by it,
The ditch where the sour smelling house drain
age fell;
The damp, shaded dwelling. the foul barnyard
nigh it.
But worse than all else was that terrible well.
And the old oaken bucket the mold crusted
bucket
The moss covered bucket that hung In the well
Just think of it Moss on the vessel that lifted
The water drank in the days called to mind,
Ere knew what professors and scientists gifted
In the water of wells by analysis find.
The rotting wood fiber, the oxide of iron,
The alg@ the frog of unusual size,
The water impure as the verses of Byron.
Are the things l remember with tears in my
eyes
And to tell the sad truth. though shudder to
think of it.
considered that water uncommonly clear,
And often at noon when went there to drink of it
enjoyed it as much as now enjoy beer
How ardent seized, with hands that were grimy
And quick to the mud covered bottom it fell
Then reeking with ntrates and nitrites. and
Shiny
With matter organic it rose from the well
OH had but realized in time to avoid them,
The dangers that lurked in that pestient
draught
I'd have tested for organic germs and destroyed
them
With potassic permanganate ere had quaffed;
Or perchance I'd have boiled it, and afterward
strained it
Through filters of charcoal and gravel com
bined;
Or after distilling, condensed and regained it
In potable form. with its filth left behind.
How little knew of the dread typhoid fever
Which lurked in the water | ventured to drink
But since I've become devoted believer
In teachings of science shudder to think
And now far removed from the scenes I'm de-
scribing,
The story for warning to others tell,
As memory reverts to my youthful imbibing,
And gag at the thought of that horrible well,
And the old oaken bucket, the fungus grown
bucket,
In fact, the sop bucket that hung in the well
Christian Advocate
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Dignity Without Fun in the Senate.

Dignity Without Fun in the Senate.
To preside over the senate is one of the
least profitable and least interesting oc-
equations a public man can have, espe-
cially when he has not the right to vote,
but only to sit as figure head-a SYM
Dol Of authority. The dignity of the po-
sition, of course, makes it one that most
any American citizen would be glad to
occupy, but it is seldom the desire Of
either the vice president or the president
pro tenn. to occupy the chair at all times
during the session. For instance, if a
speech is to be delivered by some gentle
man who prolongs the interest of his
topic in diluted quantities through many
hours, the presiding officer has nothing
to do but to sit in the chair and try to
appear to pay attention and to keep him
self from going to sleep.
Ingalls,, it is said, used to stick pins in
his legs now and then on such occasions
when he felt himself getting drowsy. It
is customary, however, when anything
particularly dreary is to occupy the SEN
ate, for the presiding officer to call upon
some member to act as his substitute in
the chair. The older men understand
very well that they are being made a
convenience of when called to preside in
this way, and they are not usually fiat
tered by the distinction, but the new
senator is apt to be a ready victim for
the sacrifce.-Cor. Philadelphia Tele-
graph.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Seasick on Land and Sea.

Gen Horace Porter, in his euloev of
abraham Lincoln, said that the great
war president wasn't much as a cham
payne drinker. The general recalled
q VISIT OF MIR. Lincoln to City Point
On his arrival the general said that
MIR. Lincoln was suffering from the
gastronomic disturbances incident to
most ioiks who have sailed on rough
wafer. A young staff officer. very
previous ne was" said the general.
grabbed a bottle of champagne and
thrust 1t toward Mr.. Lincoln, saving
that ttI that was the very thing he needed
mo, young man, Mr.. Lincoln said i
nave seen too many fellows seasick
ashore from drinking that very arti-
Gle. Detroit Free Press.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18

Il have new story. told by the late
Col Gag Fake. which has never been in
PRINT said the visitor. land which never
tailed to set the table in roar when
The editor opened a drawer and drew
from thence large saw handled pistol
carrying ball that would weigh about
three to the pound DO you want il
printed" he asked sternly. '.or are you
going to tell it?" The visitor turned pale:
u thought you might like to print it," he
said feehly. "Shakei" said the editor
joyously. as he replaced the artillery
write 1t out and take it to the foreman:
wen be very glad to print it. Got any
u,nra2'-Roh Bprdatta.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Cost of Incandescent LIGHT.

Some instructive data concerning the
comparative cost Of incandescent light
ing have been published. The average
cost OF maintaining sixteen candle
power lamp for twenty-four hours was
shown to be $50 cents. A careful study
OF these data should be made by the
owner of every Office building The total
yearly average cost per lamp in a modern
office building should not exceed 81, in
Guiding every possible expense, aside
from electric or combination fixtures
New York Telegram.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Over 1000. 900 for New Churches

Between Jan. 1, 1888, and Jan. l, 1890,
more than 100000 was expended in
new church edifces in this city. Of this
sum 81 ,4S5, 900 is credited to the Protest
ant Episcopal church, 81, 124, 900 to the
Roman Catholic, $480,000 to the Presby-
terrain, $S75,OOO to the Methodist, $780,
600 to the Jews, $S5, 900 to the Lutheran,
$4,000 to the Baptists and the remainder
TO the other sects. and this aggregate
sum does not include the $o50,OOO site of
the cathedral of ST. John the Divine
New York Press.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A HAPPY TRYsT.
With Madge the miller's daughter.

With Madge the miller's daughter.
While song birds were awning,
wandered mid the waving corn,
With its golden tasseling;
And down the crested hillside swept
The yellow sunlight's tide,
And OF the gray old world looked bright
As we walked side by side
With arm around her lissome waist,
WHISPERED words endearing;
And sweet and low her answer came
Almost too low for hearing;
And hide and seek the frolic winds
Play'd mid the rustling corn;
And OF our hearts with love were full
On that fair summer morn
But ali, loves wings are very feet,
And sweetest hours have ending;
Too soon we heard the old mills sails
Beneath their labor bending;
But long before we left the corn
My gentle Madge kist,
And o. me thought its tasseled sheaves
Had ne'er hid happier tryst.
-Ahram Lent Smith
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Vaccination.

Vaccination, which is compulsory
in England, is optional is France
Post hoe whether is be propter hoe
or noD, the smallpox death average
is OBJ per 1000 in the large cities OF
France, as against 004 in this country
during the same period. Of course
this looks conclusive. to the ordinary
man, In favor of our own practice
NO doubt, however, the anti vacclna-
tlonists will give quite another reason
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Money in little Things,

"Oneof the best opportunities for a
young fellow to make money quickly
in these days" said self made mill
ionaire of this city recently, lis to
rack his brains until he has invented
something useful or that the public
wants. A general impression prevails
that it takes a skilled engineer or man
of phenomenal inventive ability to de
velop anything useful to manufac-
turers in this age of machin-
cry. But there is wide field
open to shrewd amateurs, so to
speak, to supply little articles of con-
venience to housekeepers, shopkeepers,
etc., and designers can be had at rea-
sonable rates to execute the idea once it
is conceived. American women are so
accustomed to getting what they want
that anything which lightens their
labors in the household is sure to go
When | was boy on the farm at
home my mother used to make me
clean all the dinner knives on Sun
day with bath brick. Now, scraping
this brick into fine powder without
Jumps in it, used to be the most tedious
part of the whole work. The other
day heard of man who has made a
fortune by supplying the trade with
powdered bath bricks in neat packages.
You know how difficult it is to pick
up small coins from a wooden coun
ter. Yet the whole civilized world has
growled at and endured it since coins
were stamped and counters made. un-
til the other day young fellow in
vented rubber mat with little bris
ties of rubber standing up thickly all
over it. Coins thrown on the mat are
as easily picked up as if they stood on
edge. The public was quick to ap-
preciate it and the inventor need not
work fora living any longer.-New
York Tribune.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Dangers in the Electric Wire.

The insidious character of the danger
lurking in electric light wires in the
street was exemplified the other day in
Baltimore Two individuals cOnversing
close by an iron awning post were OBJ
served to fall suddely to the ground A
broken telephone wire had established
communication between the electric light
wire and the framework of the awning.
The strength of the current was doubt
less divided, and the victims eventually
recovered their senses
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Missed a Good Thing,

Those old time chaps who tortured
people by fire, boiling oil, thumb screws,
the rack and other pleasant methods
didn't know anything about sawdust A
man buried under six feet OF it can live
for about twenty minutes, and he suffers
fully as much as if ton of brick was
piled above him. A Wisconsin, man who
was saved after fifteen minutes says he
would rather be burned at the Stake
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
The Future American Empire,

Queen Victoria, in her speech at the
opening of parliament, said. Il have
consented to take part in a conference
with Germany and America, at Ber
lin, upon the Samoan question. Here
is curious example Of the complete
surrender which has been made to
this country of the word America. Ii
is now applied by the people of other
nations only to the great Union of
American states To be an American.
therefore, one must be citizen of the
most powerful republic that ever ex
listed. No one thinks of calling resi-
dent OF Canada or Mexico an Ameri
can. The people of the United States,
by their achievements, have made
themselves stand for the entire con
tinent. Perhaps this is an unconscious
admission on the part of the rest OF
the world that it is the manifest DIES
tiny of this country to rule all the ter
ntory, from the pole 10 the isthmus
and from ocean to ocean
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Bad Bow.

THAT boys a natural thief know
LOT but two things he won't take"
! 'sWhat2"
Advice and cod liver oil. "-Nep
York Sun.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Long Hunt.

Jersey Farmer-Out huntin', be We?
Clty Sportsman (wearily)EY-e-s, been
hunting all day for patch of woods
without lew penalty sign on it.-New
York Weekly.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18

The celebrated tun at Konigstein is
said to be the most capacious wine cask
IN the world-holding 1,669,288 pints.
The top Is rallied in. affcrding room for
twenty persona
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18

The Austrian national hymn has, it
appears, become almost .unrecognizable
In the midst of the orchestral flagree
work with which band masters have
decorated it: so the order has gone forth
that the hymn is to be played through
out the empire only as Haydn originally
arranged it.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Frequent Occurrence.

"The next time l give woman my
seat in car she will have to be old OF
lame or have baby or bundle in her
arms, or look ill, or be in a worse con
dition than ordinary, said well known
politician Il had a choice seat in a
Brooklyn elevated car few nights ago
A big crowd got in at one of the stations,
and | reluctantly surrendered my seat to
a healthy looking woman was dead
tired, and hung on to a strap for sew
eral stations. Then the man who occu-
pied seat next to the woman who had
benefited by my courtesy vacated his
place. Before could wink, this woman,
for whose sake had stood up in jerky
car for mile, pulled her callow escort,
who was evidently her son, into the va
cant seat. This same thing has hap
pened many times, but it will never hap
pen again to me. New York Sum-
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
Imperfect FoOtsear.

mothers are making a mistake in
permitting their children to wear heel.
less shoes" said shoeman to reporter
of The Free Press 1.-THE flat soled shoe
causes the child's feet to run to length
All our girls have abnormally long. slim
feet, and that is the reason"
''But the spring heel shoe prevents
the growth of corns and keeps the foot
perfect, does it not?"
Nothing of the kind. That is all a
mistake The instep or arch of the foot
falls flat when it has no support and be-
comes weak, and often useless. low
heel would support and strengthen it.
In growing children who wear the spring
heel shoe turn their feet over on the side
and learn to walk badly"
''What is the popular shoe?"
1T is narrow toe with a broad, low
heel, either to button or lace in front
And the ladies are all wearing loose
shoes now, extra long. The small foot
has gone out of fashion. All our ladies
who used to wear % and 3s are now
wearing as and 5s. Detroit Free Press
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-18
A Porter Who Sees the seamy Side.

A Porter Who Sees the seamy Side.
cit was dat bald headed ole man wild
de yeller chin whiskers," said the colored
porter of the Pullman Car, with regretful
cadence, as he leaned against the water
cooler and famed his heated brow with
soiled towel "What WASP" asked a
sympathetic passenger.
''De ole wretch wot guy me fo' cents.
He's gwine to git off at Ro'way, and l
seed him dallyin' wild seben quo'ters a
few minutes ago, and done glib him a
harf dollar brush. Deed did. Brushed
his hat and coat and scratched nine mud
spots off his obercoat, and den he pulls
out dem fo' cents, and says he, Sorry
potter, l amt got no mo- change l kin
tell you," added the porter with soul
weary look, "dey talk about de po'ters,
but we all cert'nally sees de seamy side
Yo' git yo' hope way up, and youse gwine
shure huff to git it squashed."
And then, with the air of man whose
reward is not in this world, the saddened
porter went back into the car and told a
little man with red whiskers to stand up
and be brushed. New York Tribune.
Tricks of Horse Car Conductors.
Gwen the best of us" he said, ''some-
times miss a fare in crowd, but it doesn't
happen often, and that is because we have
thing down to a system. On all lines
there are certain streets at which we start
to go through our car to pick up nickels
Often am in doubt as to who has not
paid fare, but don't take chances of
wounding any ones feelings by asking
for it in that case. merely meander
through the car, stopping now and then
before any one suspect of not having
anted up. The guilty person usually has
pricks of conscience when place myself
before him and clears up all doubt by be-
ginning to fish through his pockets for the
nickel. That is one of the tricks, and it
saves many harsh words, for almost az
often as you ask a man who really HAS
settled if his fare has been paid he will
abuse you for intimating that he is try
ing to do the railway company. have
learned by experience that it is better to
chip in nickel ont of your own pocket
than to go around asking for fares when
you are in doubt, and most old time con-
ductors will agree with me- Boston
Herald
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-04

Dispatches from southwest Kansas report
great rejoicing there among farmers over the
much needed rainfall. which has ended the
drouth prevailing over a wide extent of coun-
try. And the rivers there flow into the Missis-
sippi As frequently remarked in these columns
thi. is great country Of ours with wide diver
sity Of local interests
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-04

Prince Bismarck on his birthday publicly an.
bounced his intention Of frequently expressing
his opinions through the press 1t is under
stood that his views in regard to the degree of
freedom which should be allowed the press
have recently undergone q decided moditica-
4,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-04

Gen. sickles is just beginning to discover
how difficult it is for an honest man to act as
sheriff Of New York. The reports coming from
tie general indicate a condition of affairs 90
utterly disgraceful as even to surprise New
XnrE