davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-28

laid down. The swampy portion OF the road
does not extend much farther than the present
end of the track, and within a short time the
work will be on high ground where it will be
executed much faster.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
Using Cats as Clocks.

Every one knows that cats can see in
the dark, and the reason they can do so
is because of the peculiar construction of
their eyes. You ma not have noticed
that in moderate light the pupil or
black part of pussy's eye is small and of
an oval shape, while in the full glare Of
light it becomes narrow. Now, in the
dark it expands to circle and nearly
fills the surface of the eyeball. This pc
culiarity of the cats eyes is turned to ac-
count in a curious manner by the Chinese.
The Able Hue relates that when he was
travelling in China he asked his atten-
dant what time it was.
The man went over to cat that was
quietly basking in the sun, and eXamin-
ing its eyes told the Able thet it was
about two hours after noon, and on being
questioned how he knew that, he eX-
planned that the pupils of a cats eyes
were largest in the morning and that they
gradually grow smaller as the light in
creased, till they reached their minimum
at noon; that then they began to widen
again, till at night they once more became
large. The good Able was filled with
admiration for the ingenuity of people
who could use cats as clocks. But it
must be admitted that this way of tell
ing the time of day is rather loose one,
and could only be trusted in very clear
and serene weather, for temporary gloom
or the darkness of a storm would sadly
dcrange your four-footed clock and put
it all wrong. - Chicago Herald.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
The Writing Rock.

A number of Boston savants recently
visited the famous Writing Rock located
on the shores of the Taunton River, near
Dighton, Mass, and discussed project
for its removal to and preservation in
some great public museum. The Writ
ing Rock is one Of the bases for the
assertion that Columbus was not the dis
coyerer of America. 1t consists of an
insulated mass of fine-grained granite,
lying on the sands of the river few
feet above the low water mark, but COW
cred with water at each flow of the
tide.
1t is eleven feet long and about five
feet high. On the water side it presents
an inclined plane surface, the face of
which, eleven by ten, seems to have been
originally covered with Inscriptions and
sculptures. The inscriptions are hero
glyphic in character, and as the rock is
very hard, those that rise above the low
water mark can have undergone but very
little change from action of the elements.
Antiquarians who claim to have deci-
phered the characters say that they were
made by explorers who reached the New
England coast at least 500 years before
the birth of the famed Genoese navigator.
i New York Journal.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
A Bottles Long Journey.

Burke Elliott, young man prominent
in social and business circles of Lynch
burg, Va, relates a remarkable story:
"On June Z, 1884, l visited the Natural
Bridge. and was particularly interested in
what is known as Lost River but
more suitable name for it would be
Never Found River, for though one can
hear the shock of its waters as they fall
over some subterranean precipice and
even feel the ice-cold spray from them,
if standing close to n small cavity in the
earth, no one has ever caught glimpse
of the stream.
GAS sort of experiment and more from
idleness than any real belief that | could
accomplish anything, wrote out on a leaf
of my memorandum book my full address
and statement of when and how | COM
mitted it to the underground river, to-
gether with request that whomsoever
should find it would return it to me,
stating when and where the finding took
place. This | sealed up in small
pocket flask of thick glass, which l car
ried in my pocket, and dropped into the
hole where the spray from Lost River
rises"
He said he had nearly forgotten all
about the affair, when one day last May
he received from the city of Lyons,
France, the leaf he had enclosed in the
flask and note from one John Penning-
ton, an English resident of that city,
who said that while out sailing in the
Gulf of Lyons he had found the flask and
contents on February 81, 1S90.-[New
York journal.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09

that it was all by chance that she had
won it, and that the prize really belonged
to Madgc. However, Madge utterly re-
fused to listen to this, saying that as
Rhoda had won it fairly it belonged to
her. So, at length, Rhoda consented to
take the box, and on opening it disclosed
to view, lying in nest of pink cotton, a
beautiful gold pin in the form of a racket,
on which lay pretty pearl ball, while on
the handle the words ''Love-Fifteen"
were engraved. While they were still
admiring the gift the guests were sum-
moned to dainty supper, after which
games were played until it was time to
disperse.
Rhoda bade her friends good-by that
night, as she was to start for home
early the next morning. and so the day
ended.
One day about week later Mr.. Trent
brought home long, fiat box, which
had come by express and was directed to
ssMiss Elsa Trent" What was her sur
prise on opening it to find three beauti-
full blazers, the finest and incest she had
seen, while in the bottom of the box was
note addressed to "Madge, Nell and
Elsa" 1t did not take long to call the
other girls, and then the note was
opened and read.
'Dear friends" it began, "when told
papa how good you were to me he
thought it would be nice for me to send
you a remembrance, and | knew you
would like blazers, so here they are.
The red stripe is for Madge, the pink is
for Nell and the blue for you. | hope
you will like them. Your friend,
''RHoDA II. LEWIS"
Though greatly pleased, the girls were
much puzzled as to how her father could
afford such a present, but they could
come to no satisfactory conclusion until
one day late in November, when the
mystery was solved.
The three girls had come to New York
on morning train with Uncle
John and were to do their shop
ping and get their lunch in time
to meet him in the afternoon.
They were in the midst of their shop
ping when some one at their side gave
little laugh and whispered gently, Glove
fifteen" when looking up, to their
amazement they saw Rhoda.
But it was Rhoda transformed. This
stylishly dressed girl was not the Rhoda
they had known, and the lady whom she
presently introduced as her mother did
not resemble in the least the stepmother
they had pictured to themselves. And
when Mrs. Lewis had insisted on their
getting into the carriage and driving
home to lunch; and when they found
that Rhoda's home was stately brown
stone mansion, they had to pinch them
selves to make sure that they were not
dreaming.
"Why, Rhoda," said outspoken Nell,
as soon as they were left alone together,
''we all thought you were real poor"
At this Rhoda laughed merrily.
"Why, no; have always lived here with
papa, but when he was going away he
asked which would rather do, stay here
or go and visit with Nurse Bassett, and
chose to go there. l suppose | did look
dreadfully dowdy, but the housekeeper
always bought my clothes and l fear she
had not a great deal of taste"
doesn't it seem just like story book,
Uncle Johnl" exclaimed the girls that
night after telling him all about it,
New York World.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
Remarkable Somnambulism.

A remarkable somnambulistic feat was
performed a few nights ago by Christie
pher Midway, of Cave City, Ky. Mr..
Midway is a prominent lawyer and a
scion of one of Kentucky's oldest famil-
les. In 1861, at the breaking out of the
war, his father packed up his silver
plate, which was very valuable, and hid
it in the Mammoth Cave.
This was done in the midst of great
hurry and confusion, and owing to some
oversight the place was left unmarked,
and when, in 1865, the Medways wished
to dig the silver up no one could recol-
lect with any certainty the spot, and
though it was sought for, off and on, for
years it was never located, and the nu-
merous excavations resulting in no dis
covcry it was finally believed that some
! one had stolen the box and refilled the
hole.
Mr.. Mcdways father died convinced
that it was so, and for more than ten
years no one gave further thought to the
matter. But recently Mrs. Medway re-
vived the subject by relating the story to
some friends in her husbands hearing,
and that gentleman says he went to bed
wondering if his fathers belief in the
theft of the box was correct, and that
on falling to sleep he re- enacted the scene
of the removal and burial of the silver
at which he was present, though only a
boy Of fourteen.
When he awoke he found himself lying
on the ground close to large rock and
in black darkness, except for faint
CLEAN of light in the far distance. At
first he experienced some difficulty in
realizing where he was, but when he did
concluded, on remembering his dream,
that he had managed to slip
by the night watchman, into the cave,
and, his memory, singularly aroused in
his slumbers, had found his way to the
spot where he had seen the silver buried
twenty nine years before.
After marking the rock, he made his
way to the gate through which he saw
hemorning light stealing, and as he was
in his night dress, called to the watch.
man and despatched him after his
clothes. He then hired workmen to dig
in the spot where he had found him
self on awakening, and soon had the sat
isfaction of seeing them lift out the case
of silver, which being opened was
found intact. : New York Telegram.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
The Rarest Metal.

Aluminium is now the rarest metal in
the world, although it is the most useful,
and the earth from which it can be re-
duced is found all over the globe-in
Ohio as well as far-off India. The larg
est piece of aluminium in the world is the
cap of the Washington Monument. Thss
weighs 100 ounces. A larger piece of the
metal has never been produced. Not
many years ago a Washington chemist
discovered process for the production
of the metal. He thought it was perfect,
and found no difficulty in getting $780,
900 to back him up. A huge plant was
erected in Tennessee and work was COM
menced, but no aluminium was produced.
The professors theory and experiments
were all good enough, but they did not
work upon a large scale. There have
been dozens of like experiences, and
thousands of men are to-day trying to
discover the perfect method that will be
commercially practical.-LNew York
Telegram
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
AN AUTUMN SONG.

All the summers worn and old;
The sun has ceased a-wooing it.
Trees are dropping blood and gold
Blood for murder of the right,
And gold to hide it out o. sight;
Eut for all they are so bold
think they'll fail for doing it
Till the careful sun is cold.
Till the watching stars for dread
Go out, and cease to tighten it,
Cruel earth drinks up the red,
Wrung by lust of greedy gain
From the broken sweaters pain,
From the dying and the dead,
Till never moon may whiten it
With her silver pity shed.
Ye who tread golden way
With hearts of Others paving it,
Harkl the autumn voices say:
"The yellow leaves lie ankle deep,
But through them still the crimson peep,
Ruddy drops to stain the day.
No after rain-drops, laving it,
Wash the purple from the clay"
NINA F. Layard in Harper
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
The First "Spouter."

In the salt wells on the upper Cumber-
land, about Burkesville, Kentucky, in
1929, was opened the first of the great
fountain wells which have constituted
the most wonderful phenomena in the
production of oil. In Niles's Register
for 1929 will be found short notice of
this fountain well, which was described
as one of the wonders of the world. In
boring for salt, at depth of about 300
feet, a reservoir of gas and oil of great
dimensions was struck. BY the elasticity
of the gas the tools were thrown out Of
the well, and a jet of oil was produced
which rose as high as the tops of the
trees. This formed rivulet, which ran
down to the Cumberland River, where
the oil covered the surface for many
miles. About forty miles below Burkes-
vile the film of oil was accidentally ig-
nited, and for some days the strange
and interesting spectacle was there seen
of a burning river. The inhabitants were
naturally greatly alarmed, for that task
of proverbial difficulty, Setting the
river ON fire. had been there accom-
plished; and supposing that the confag-
ration which had attacked the river
would naturally spread over the more
combustible shores, general panic was
produced, and it was thought that the
end of the world had surely come. For
tunately, after about three weeks, the
flow of oil stopped, and no more damage
was done; but no one regarded the loss
of millions of barrels of OIL since it was
then entirely valueless. Some years after,
an enterprising citizen pumped oil from
this we'll, and sold it over the country as
in Kentucky during the war, l still found
bottles Of it in the drug g-stores, where it
was sold as american OIL" and was
held to be valuable remedy Har-
per's Magazine.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09

en- uprights. The whip line enables
those on the boat and those on shore to
draw the buoy to and fro, and the
apparatus has been the means of saving
many lives.
The llfecar works on the same prin-
ciple. 1t is made of tin and is about six
feet long and as round as small hogs
head 1t runs along the hawser as easily
as does the breeches buoy, and as many
as six women and as many children can
be placed in it at once. When the top is
fastened down it is sent spinning over and
through the waves to the land.-IN New
York Sun.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
NOT IN HIS LINE.


bills have portrait of General Meade.
Friend-How in the world do you
know that9-[Brooklyn Life.
THE FAILED CROP.
Young Lady--How much is this ribbon
yard2
Clerk k-Ten dollars, madam, and going
up every minute.
Young Lady-Mercy mel 1 didn't
suppose it would be over fifty cents.
Clerk with dignity)-That ribbon,
madam, is peach color.--[New York
Weekly.
VIRTUE REWARDED.
"Hcre, my son." said kindly looking
old gentleman, meeting boy. who was
whistling along the avenue this morn
ng, "here is a dollar"
eyes, sir" replied the boy, taking 1T
hesitatingly, "but what must l do with
it?"
''Keep it, my boy; keep it, and may
Heavens blessing go with it and with
you"
"But, sir, what for?" questioned the
boy in a very natural amazement.
s'Because, my boy" and the tears were
in the old mans voice and in his eyes,
''because you were not whistling Little
Annie Rooney ~ Washington Star.
NOT AFTER DAY JOB.
Past Commander James S. Fraser, of
the Grand Army of the Republic of this
State, told some friends, the other night, a
story about a man he sent down to the
custom house to get II job as night-watch-
man. Collector Erhardt sent the man to
the civil-service board to be examined.
The man was quite intelligent, and an
swered the questions put to him until
he was asked what the distance was be-
tween the earth and the sun. He hesi-
tated for time, and finally acknowl-
edged that he did not know.
"You don't know 2" said the commits
! sioner, severely.
"Mister," said the applicant, 'T didn't
think I'd have to answer question like
that. Pm looking for night job. y
New York Star.
TOO VISIONARY.
"Your father refuses his consent to our
union?n
''He does, Harold"
"Nothing seems to be left for us, then,
except elopement. Do you think, Myrtle" "
said the young man, swallowing sob,
'that you could leave this luxurious
home, forfeit all the enjoyments Of
wealth, Danish yourself forever from your
parents hearts, and go to the West
with a poor man to enter home of life
long poverty9"
81 think could, Harold"
1 1,o, ~, e,,1
have taken you to be-" said Harold, with
deep detection, as he rose up wearily and
reached for his ., hat.-[Chicago
Tribune.
Philanthropist-I suppose this laziness
is bred in you fellows.
Tramp-Not by big sight. Pm as
empty as vacuum.
CLEAR CASE.
''I'm now convinced Cora don't love
me-"
"Why so2"
"Because she begins to laugh every
time l try to have quarrel with her."
THE BRIDGE OF SIZE.
She-You remind me of the Brooklyn
Bridge.
He-Why2 Because I live in sus-
pense?
She-No, but because of your sighs. -
New York Herald.
AN UNoBJECTIoNABLE FAD.
Minnie-Even though it was my las
chance, never would marry man who
was devoted to fad.
Mamie-No? Yet that is just what
expect to do shortly.
Minnie-And what is his particular
hobby, please3
Observation-Disclosures Journal.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
WHAT WAS THE MATTER.

He-Do you think there is anything
effeminate about me? Miss Willets told
me last evening that my mannerlsms put
her in mind of herself.
She-Miss Willets is fool Epoch.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
A MIsAPPREHENsIoN.

Hisnibs-What did that auburn haired
girl snub you for just now2
Hisjags-I can't imagine. waited
for her at the cloak room door, and
when she appeared l offered her my arm
and said, "Ready" and she went off as
though I'd insulted her.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09


bowed as he passed by2
Miss Klceks-It was my brother.
Miss Bleeks Why, didn't know you
had a brother.
Miss Kleeks-He only proposed to me
last week. Minneapolis Journal.
HISTORY FAILED TO RECORD THIS.
"Good Morning, Mr.. President" said
Thomas Jefferson to George Washing
ton one day in the summer of 1899.
"Good morning, Mr.. Jefferson" re-
piled the Father of his Country; sit is a
warm day after the reign. ~ Chicago
InterOcean.
AN NFELIcIToUs QUOTATION.
elbow good of you to come, doctor. 1
didn't expect you this morning."
"No; but l was called to your oppo-
site neighbor, poor Mrs. Brown, and
thought [ might as well kill two birds
with one stone. y Punch.
HIS STATION.
Emma met charming man at the
beach to-day, mamma and he asked if
he might call.
Mamma Did you find out what sta
tion he occupies in life2
Emma-Oh, yes, mamma; he told me
all about himself. He occupies the gov
ernment experimental station at Geneva.
N. Y. Ledger.
PLEASANT DREAMS.
"Woman is a delusion," we have heard
The ones well schooled in worldly
knowledge say.
And this is why it has to us occurred,
The men still hug delusions day by day.
= Chicago Post.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
DESERVED A LIFE SENTENCE.
SIZE WAS A SUMNER GIRL.

Jack-Why are you so cold and in
different to me, Amy2 and only a few
weeks ago you told me that l was the
sunshine of your life
Amy-But remember, Jack, that this
is the season when the sunshine loses its
wer.-I MunSey.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-09
TIE COFFEE SUPPLY.

THE COFFEE SUPPLY.
Customer-Give me a pound Of Java
coffee.
New Boy diving with scoop into a
coffee bin)-Yessir.
Customer-Wait, I've changed my
mind. I'll take Mocha instead.
New Boy diving into the same bin)-
Yessir.
Customer-See here, you started to
get the Java out of that bin.
New Boy-Yessir. No difference in
th' coffee, sir, only difference is in th'
price.-[Good News.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-06-07

child. He begged and prayed, but TO nc
purpose. The two stone-cutters backed
up against one of the willows, and
then proceeded to bind him to TIE trunk
of tree. They lashed his hands be-
hind him, then lashed his ankles to-
gethor, and then they bound him to the
tree at the shoulders, wrists, knees and
feet, and they did itsecurely, too, After
this they took the flreboard and placed
1T against the tree above his head, Sc
curing it by nails which they had brought
for that purpose.
"Mercyw shrielsed Sam, ''you aren't
a-goin' to leave me hereP"
"Yes, sir, answered Jerry. "You have
had your share of joking long enough,
and now we'll have ours. would rath-
| er have you tie my wife as you arc tied,
than to have had her frightened as you
came near frightening her. Mind you,
Sam, we only mean this for joke"
And with this the two men went
away, taking no heed Of the joker's cries
and protestations. But they did not go
far away until they were sure that there
would be no more passing on that road
for the night
On the following morning Jerry set
the news a-going of Sans present stu
alton, and in half an hour after sunrise
a hundred people were collected around
the willow tree. There stood Sam, just
as he had been left the night before,
shaking and shivering with cold. The
ox-skin had been fixed so as to fit him
nicely, and he did really look like an
OK fastened up there. He had sewed up
the hide so that his legs and arms fitted
into the skin of the ox's legs, and his
own head was where the original caput
had been, while the horns arose majes-
tically above the whole. just above him
appeared the broad fire-board, and it
bore the following announcement in
characters which could be read with
ease, even at great distance:
This is Sam Peabody, the great
joker. And this is one of his own jokes
in which he got trapped himself"
Jerry took down the board and let
Sam read it, and then put it up again.
"Ha! ha! ha! Vot joker cried one.
''He came out here in that rig to
frighten poor women" said Tyler.
''Sam, how's beef?"
81 say, Sam, can't you give us horn?"
"What long tail"
"Who ever seed a hox year boots
afore?"
These, and like exclamations, issued
from the crowd, and all the while poor
Sam was begging for some one to come
and take him down.
SIN the name of mercy!" he groaned,
"won't somebody let me go?"
"Can't think of it yet" returned Jerry
Smith. "Your joke is too good to be
lost. You have taken good deal of
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-06-07
DISTINGUISHED MEN.
Their Personal Appearance and Thei
Modes of Life.


Charles Louis Freycinet who has just
become Prime Minister of France for the
fourth time, is a furtive-faced, insignifi-
cant-looking little man of enthusiastic
manner. He is sixty-two. He is also
the clever husband of an ambitious wife.
He has perpetrated several works on
mechanics and political economy, and
his intimates call him the "White
Mouse"
Professor John Tyndall, the famous
scientist, has sparse, gray beard, but
shaves his upper lip. He is cantan-
kerous controversialist, who does not
care always to be polite, but lives in a
comfortably contrived house, walled off
from the public gaze by ungainly fences
the height of the house, constructed by
himself of scaffolding poles covered with
wattles and dead heath. He does not
believe in miracles, knows more about
the glaciers of Switzerland than any
half-dozen other men put together, and
is married to dukes niece, who is
young enough to be his daughter. He
is an Irishman by birth, and his years
are seventy-one.
Edmund Clarence Stedman, the poet
banker, wears full beard, has rare
collection of autograph letters, and gives
Sunday evening receptions to which the
elite of the literary world delights to re-
sort. He is a mble-footed, bright-eyed
man of kindly manner, and divides his
time about equally between literature
and banking. He can talk of books and
authors at length without being fatigu-
ing and brings the double acumen of a
student and man of business to bear
upon his analysis; but the idea never
occurs to him of talking on any subject
on which he is not thoroughly posted;
and when he quotes any thing, which is
frequently, he does not quote something
else by mistake. His reading imper.
ceptibly leaks out in his conversation,
for he has a great memory, and he Ia
one of the most accurate men that ever
capped story. He is fifty-seven.- Once
o Week.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-06-07
GRAND ARMY NOTES.

THE Grand Army of Ohio is organ
lied into battalions and brigades, and
are now holding battalions and brigade
reunions.
The State of Rhode Island is to have
q Soldiers Home to cost $125, 900. 1t is
to be built on the cottage plan, with ac-
commodations for 1876 veterans
The membership of the Order OF
Sons of Veterans is now 125,0O0. OF
this number 40, 600 are uniformed, armed
and equipped, ready for field service.
HARRY LEE Posi-, No ., Brooklyn,
N. Y, each week for the past two
months has presented beautiful flag,
all complete to one of the Sunday
schools.