davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
FEEDING A BIG SNAKE.
The Appetizing Meal os Rabbits That a
Boa Constructor Delights In,

Boa Constructor Delights In.
Three corpulent rabbits OF Belgian
breed were Gagged in soap box quietly
awaiting their fate. They were the meal
for which the snake was anxiously await
Ing. He had not tasted meat in four
months and his voracious nav yawned
like bottomless pit for tho unfortunate
trio In the soap box. Manager Bell ap-
peared and drew forth one of the rabbits.
After stroking "bunny" on the back for
q moment he opened the door to the
snakes den and thrust him in. The huge
boa adcoiled himself up in corner, but
at once reused himself for action. He
was fully twelve feet long, and having
recently shed his winter coat his skin
glistened and shone like satin. He raised
his head n foot OR so from the floor and
viewed the first course of his quadri-
annual meal.
The rabbit showed no signs of fear,
but rather seemed to enjoy his new
quarters. The snake slowly lowered his
head and cautiously began to stretch
himself along the side of the den. He
never once took his eyes off the rabbit,
which was still unconscious of his dan
ger. Suddenly the rabbit began to act
strangely and to cut all sorts of ridicu-
lous capers. He would leap back and
forth over the snake and then rub up
against 1t, and appeared to be fascinated.
Slowly and stealthily the snake turned
his head about until it was within foot
of the rabbits launches Then, quick
as flash, he darted forward, seized the
rabbit in his mouth and in another in
stant there was nothing to be seen Of the
little animal save the tips of his ears,
which protruded from between the folds
Of the snake.
The huge serpent then raised his head
full two feet from the floor, darted out
his forked tongue and hissed horribly at
the motley group watching him. If
there was any struggle on the part of the
rabbit it was not visible. The snake had
him in his awful coils. Then the coils
slowly, but with q strength which was
terrible to look at, began to tighten till
every bone in the poor rabbits body
must have been broken. This done the
coils relaxed, and the limp, lifcless body
of the sportive rabbit of few moments
before lay ready to be swallowed. First
the serpent nosed his. victim all over.
The eyeballs of the dead rabbit were
protruding from their sockets, and by
way of beginning the boa licked them
with his tongue. Once more he coiled
about his victim, leaving its head and
shoulders free. Then he opened his
monstrous jaws and, taking "bunny's'
head therein, began to swallow. Soon
the head and shoulders were out of sight,
and in less than fifteen minutes the hind
legs followed. Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
The Natural Advertising Medium.

AAAS ->AsAA "a 1AASCEtlSAAS NACuluuI
Tho local weekly is the natural medi-
um for reaching the vast number of peo-
pie who live in the small towns and vii
lagos. Advertisers who wish to reach
this class of people should not make the
mistake of supposing that the ground is
thoroughly covered by the big daily and
weekly publications of the cities. While
it is true that the metropolitan dailies
are being more generally taken than for
merly among country people, it is also
true that they do not receive the careful
reading that is accorded the homo paper.
The latter is in some respects like let
ter. 1t gives the small and insignificant
items Of news, which are sometimes
made the subject of ndicule, but which
are just what the people want. Where
the daily will be SKINNED over in half
hour and tossed aside, the local weekly
will be passed from one member of the
family to the other and be eagerly read
by each. The city daily is taken by the
storekeeper, the lawyer and the doctor.
perhaps, but all the other people In the
place take the local paper.-Pnnter's
Ink.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26

The monks and cures of France have
dcne as much for their country in the
preparation of savory delicacies as tho
most renowned chefs. 1t has been sue-
gested that during the long session Of
Lent these holy men have been in the
habit of relieving their privations by en-
ploying their ingenuity in the invention
Of pleasant foods and drinks in readiness
for the return Of the days of feasting.
Whether there is any foundation for this
Inference is not positively known, but
the fact remains that the clergy, from
whatever cause, are capital inventors of
all sorts of comestibles.
One Of the largest oyster parks in the
country was started by Able Bonnetard,
the cure Of La Teste, whose system Of
artificial cultivation is SO successful that
of the number of oysters distributed
throughout France every year perhaps
a quarter are produced by the abbe.
Canon Agen was the discoverer of the
terrines Of Nerac.
Tho rillettes Of Tours are the work of
a monk Of Marmoutiers. The renowned
liqueurs Chartreuse, Trappistine, Bene-
dictine and others, betray their monastio
origin in their names, and the strangest
part of their production is that they
should be the work of the most severe
and ascetic of religious bodies.
The elixir of Garus is the invention of
the Abbe Garus The Beziers sausages
were first prepared under the direction
of the Prior Lamoureux. The popular
Bergougnoux sauce was first mingled by
the Abbe Bergougnoux. The delicate
Flognard cakes are the invention Of the
Abbe Floguard. Even the immortal
glory of the discovery of champagne is
attributed to monk. To these may be
added the innumerable delicacies in
bonbons, confectionery and the like,
which owe their origin entirely to nuns
in the French converts scattered through
out the land.-Paris Cor. Chicago Inter-
Ocean.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction.

Seventeen years ago lived with my
father and mother on the banks of the
Stranger river, in Atchison county, Kan
sas. Twas only z years of age, and one
day my youthful fancy was caught by
the pretty colors of blacksnake.
pulled a small ring off my finger and a
string out of my pocket. Placing the
ring over the head of the snake, 1 started
home in triumph, dragging the snake at
my heels, and feeling as much con-
Queror as the Roman emperor who
dragged the captives behind his char
lots. In climbing over q fence my cap
tive made its escape. Ring, string,
everything disappeared.
I shed few tears at the time, but had
forgotten the matter until lately. Ire
turned to the vicinity of my old home
in Atchison county for the purpose of
buying some sheep. While crossing a
small creek that flows into the Stranger
river my attention was called by the
barking of my dog to strange some-
thing in tree. I investigated and
found there an immense blacksnake,
fully ten feet long. Between the dog
and myself we succeeded in killing the
snake, though was obliged to use in
the warfare both club and revolver.
The dog finished the snake by giving it
shaking and tearing 1t in pieces.
You will hardly believe me, know,
but you can have my head if 1t wasn't
the same identical snake that got away
from me seventeen years ago. How dc
l know? Simple enough. That little
blacksnake had grown to be monstrous
big one; the little silver ring around its
neck had grown until it was as large as
n lady's bracelet, and tho piece of twine
had grown until it had become good
sized rope. But the strangest part of all
was that the dog had shaken out seven.
teen little blacksnakes, and that each one
was the exact counterpart of the snake
that made it's escape from mo in the long
ago, while around the necks of each Of
the seventeen young ones were silver
rings, and attached to these rings were
short pieces of twine. And upon each
ono of these silver rings you could plain.
ly distinguish the initials of my name.
just as they had been stamped in the sill.
YER ring that wore when years DID,
Kansas City Times.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
CROWNED TOO LATE.

Long time he stood beneath cloud Of sin,
And wrong and sorrow still upheld by pride;
And he grew wasted, hollow eyed an,l tfn
With toll without and fighting fierce wis.iin,
And bowed himself down into the dust and died
Long time the fury of the storm he braved
And 'ga1nst its r1,dest peltngs barred his breast
And thristing from his lips the cup he craved
ie cast away the joys he might have saved,
Till weary of the strife he sank to rest,
Stern and unyielding to tho vsry last,
Ile hurled defiance to tho wintry sky;
And struggling madly with tie bitter blast
He scorned the future and ignored the past
And caring not to live hc dreaded not to lie.
No womans love was his, :io man his friend,
He stood alone upon the sands of time;
No other love or life with his did blend,
Suflicng to himself even to the end
In nature proud, III intellect sublime.
unoved, unlovins, passed he OH his way
Stern, naughty, careless Of his mighty strength
Still working onward to the better day,
Cnaidcd and alone till prone he lay
Stripped of his glory In the dust at length
And then the world his mighty genius found
And all conspired his pean loud to raise;
And his cold brow with dcathcss bays they
crowned
And shouted out his name with such u sound
That oil the earth re-echoed with his praise
William Woodson IIendrce
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Money Spent for Show

Ten thousand carriages in Central
park have coachman and footman. AT
least 5000 moro have coachman.
Twenty-Five Thousand people ride there
simply to wait on tho rich, to minister
to the luxury of the opulent. Ten thou.
sand of these people are lackeys. The
gorgeous and impressive uniforms-tall
hats, rosettes, top boots, buttons-of the
coachmen and lackeys are furnished by
the owners Of the carriages. They buy
uniforms for the coachmen and lackeys
just as they buy harness for the horses,
and the cost is about the same. The
uniforms cost about $3.50 per carriage.
For the 5000 more modest turnouts,
with a plain, old fashioned coachman,
the uniform costs about $50.
1t costs 81, 900, 900 to make the coach
men and the lackeys look like monkeys.
1t costs $3.50, 900 more to dress up tho old
fashioned coachmen. The aggregate is
81, $50, ,000.-New York Journal.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Struck by lightning.

Sailors are proverbial for their big
yarns, but they can't get much ahead Of
river men. The other day Capt. j. D.
Parker got hold of Capt. Gibson, and he
said:
Dave, you recollect when I was mate
ON the Yazoo and that streak of lightning
struck me as stood near the jack staff,
in that terrible storm, and you all thought
| was dead for sure?"
"Oh, yes, very well; but where did the
lightning go to, anyhow:"
"Why, it went right down into my
boot"
"And you never were hurt:'
"No, sir, not bit. l just took my
boot off and poured the lightning out on
the deck"
And the two worthless went to look ut
the weather rmap.-Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Be Careful In Speech.

Carefulness and exactitlde in speech
are sometimes characterized as affecta-
ton and mere pedantry, but, say what
some people may, it is unquestionably
the unfailing mark of culture. No one
Thoroughbred lovingly acquainted with
the literature of his language can regard
propriety in its use with contempt. The
purity and harmony and rhythm of his
native tongue are as precious to him as
the perfect rendering and Interpretation
of music are to the musician; and to the
preservation Of the English language in
its integrity it should be the duty and
pleasure Of every individual lover of it
to contribute.-New York Ledger.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
MANY A Lire

HAS been saved by the prompt use of
~ Ayers Pills. Travellers by land OF
sea are liable to constipation or other
arrangements of the stomach and bowels
which, if neglected, lead to serious and
often fatal consequences. The moisture
means of correcting these evils is the use
of Ayers Cathartic Pills. The pr,,-
dent sailing-master would as soon 60 to
sea without his chronometer as without
a supply of these Pills. Though prompt
and energetic in operation, Ayers Pills
leave no ill effects they are purely
vegetable and sugar-coated the safest
medicine for old and young, at home or
abroad.
"For eight years I was afflicted with
constipation, which at last became so
bad that the doctors could do no more
for me. Then 1 began to take Ayers
Pills, and soon the bowels recovered
their natural and regular action, so that
now am in
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
He Really Loved Her.

A young lady of this city who is said
to bo worth not less than $50, 900 in pros
pective was the object Of the attentions
of a young man with whom she was very
favorably impressed, but who, with every
encouragement, continued to pause just
short of q proposal. The young lady
managed to put in circulation what ap-
peared to be q reliable report that her
pecuniary expectations were simply in
the public mind, and in two days the
young fellow had proposed and been ac-
cepted. 1t is not often that $50. 900 con-
stitutes an obstacle to young lady's
matrimonial success, but it did in this
case, and the lady in question doesn't
feel in the least put out about it.-Bing-
hamton Leader.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
The ncro,nes of Young Writers

A woman with q turn for literary
work who notices that she is distanced,
as far as success and admiration goes,
by rivals inferior in mental capacity tc
herself, flies eagerly to tho society of hel
own fancies and makes her pen he1
greatest friend. 1t is the lot of many
girls to pass their childhood or youth in
somewhat monotonous round of do.
mestic duties, and frequently in a
narrow domestic circlo with which
they may have no great intellectual
sympathy. 1t is delightful consola.
ton for the shortcomings of tho social
life around them to build up an imagin-
ary picture of social life as it might be
full of romantic adventures and pleas
ant conquests. In manufacturing he1
heroine the young recluse puts on paper
what she would herself like to be, and
what she thinks she might be if only
she had golden hair and wider sphere
of action, or if men were wiser and
more discerning.
In the sights offered to her favorite
ideal she paints the Sights that might
be or have been offered to herself, and
she glories in imagining the triumphant
way in which (under more auspicious
circumstances she would turn upon her
enemies and tranple them under foot.
The vexations and annoyances she is
usually able to describe with spirit and
accuracy. The triumph, being the rep
resentation of her own delicious dreams
is apt to be little too spectacular; it is
too complete; rivals and enemies are toe
effectually crushed; the world looks OH
and applauds with rather unnecessary
vehemence; the underrated martyr of the
first portion of the book has somewhat
too magnificent an apotheosis at it's close.
illustrated American.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Several New York sipn,

If one wants to he fully convinced
that competition is the life of trade he
need only take walk over on the east
side of town and read the signs on the
shop windows: customers, attention!
A glass of delicious soda water given
free to each and every customer" This
is what Madison street druggist offers
to attract custom to his place, and there
are Others like unto it. The composition
and orthography of some of the signs
are equally interesting. Painters
suplys" is the wording on a blue painted
sign in front of paint shop in Division
street. "Private Restaurant" in He
brew and English letters is the way the
signs read before dozen eating saloons
north of the Bowery and east of Grand
street. ga Pure Carpenter" is the word
ing on a sign in Hester street. A., it is
needless to state, stands for Abraham.
There is no period after the A and no
comma after the Pure.-New York Press.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26

In the new audio-telephone that has
recently appeared in England the princi-
pal characteristic is tho mouthpiece, the
particular advantage Of which is that it
intensifles the sound waves, making it
possible to carry on q conversation In an
ordinary tone Of voice.
Waiting for Brother William.
A trembling old man entered John
Mulvihill's saloon in Front street. Said
John:
"Well, Pop, who are you looking fory''
"My brother. He is pilot on the
boat Edward Blunt. He'll be here by 2
o'clock. His name is William. He's
older than me-"
The old mans name is Edmund John
son. Twenty-Five years ago he was a
policeman in the Tenth precinct. He is
II years old. His brother was drowned
of Sandy Hook SO long ago that the old
est pilot cannot remember the date. Yet
every day "Pop" johnson walks up and
down Front street cheerfully awaiting
Williams return. He is perfectly sane
in every other respect.-New York Sun.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
The Profits of Authorship.

l caught one of our best known ali-
thors in confidential mood recently,
and his comments on the revenue of au-
thorship, which he gave me permission
afterward to print, carry interest with
them. l may add that the name of this
author is one of tho most widely known
in American literature today. "Scven
years ago chose between law and lit
erature. Ihad every opportunity to sue
ceed at the bar, for through hard study
and my connections lucrative practice
seemed open to me. But l turned to
authorship. Today lam what the world
calls successful author. My last novel
was bid for by three publishers, and my
royalties, l am told by my publishers,
are higher than those of tho majority of
their writer's. l have the pleasure of
hearing my books and name hawked OH
the trains when l am travelling, the
newspapers give me from quarter of a
column to q column and a half reviews.
"But what has literature brought me in
money? Let me open my vest pocket to
you. Here is my actual revenue for
1899, and includes, as you see, royalties
on six of my novels, magazine articles,
etc, and everything is collected. Here
is the total, $2,170.4O. Compare these
actual figures to the paragraph recently
circulated in which 1 am reputed to earn
$4,000 from my pen. Is it any wonder
that the unsophisticated enter literature
with false hopes? Yes, print these facts
if you wish; only, of course, withhold
my pane and identity" l reproduce
here the facts and figures as they were
given to me. 1 only wish it were pos
sible, for tho sake of those who think
that literature is bed of roses, to give
this authors name.-New York Letter
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Dimcu,ties of chaperons in New York,

Difficulties of Chapcrons in New York.
Another woman from Colorado-one
of these big, Bartholdi statue creatures
that one sometimes sees-insisted upon
having her woman guide replaced after
dark bya Il messenger boy, because she
did not feel herself safe in company of a
woman only. 1 dispatched messenger
to her-physical stature unknown, of
course-and in an hour she trundled her
colossal proportions into my parlors, fol-
lowed by the tiniest, most abject look
ing specimen of the genus messenger it
has ever been my lot to see. "See here"
she snorted, "what do you mean by send
ing me such protector as this? Is this
an insult? may be large. but l want
you to understand that l am Il perfect
lady, and l need just as much protection
as any other lady. And as for this mis-.
cradle little whiffet''-here she looked
large and threatening, while the "miser.
able whiffet' shrank and looked smaller
and more self despised each moment
81 would as soon have clothespin in
trousers to attend me. Why, the very
first thing he did was to fall down, and
had to pick him up and brush him off
and see to his bruises, and the next thing
did was to yanlS him out from under
the heads of some horses, and here he is,
and no more messenger protection for
me, if you please. ."-Interview in New
York Evening Sun.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26

Customer-You are quite sure that this
is genuine diamond?
Salesman-Absolutely positive. It will
scratch glass or the hardest steel, and,
finally, 1t left mark on the cheek of nv
friend Neverwynce.
Customer-Well, what of that?
Salesman-He is the society reporter
Of The Daily Scariier.-Pittsburg Bull
letin.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
He Got the Lower Berth.

The smallest man in the state is not
Superintendent Thomas jefferson Carl.
ton. All reports to the contrary, he is
one of the heaviest men in the west. His
weight is not altogether in his diameter
either. He is big up, big iii brain and
heart and every way. When he has
sport it is colossal. One night he board.
ed sleeper to start for the Baltimore
conference of charities. All the lower
berths We're taken. There was one up.
per berth, and Col. Carlton engaged it.
He had the conductor point out to him
the posscssor of the ticket of the lower
berth, same section. He was slim, dud.
ish young man.
"My FRIEND" said the big man, ap.
proaching the youth, II am glad to be.
come acquainted with you before bed
time. Are you Christian?"
"Well-er-I don't know. Why?"
"Fhe last man that slept under me was
not, and always felt some measure Of
rem0rse."
"Why:"
II ought to have told him that ]
weighed three hundred and fifteen
pounds. However, he carried accident
insurance. l hope, by the way, that you
carry large policy in a good company.
These upper berths are not insured.
Still, it is only about three foot drop.
What word shall send to your friends:'
care you-can't l induce you to ex.
change berths with me? Really, never
could sleep in these close lower berths. y
The dicker was made, and the hefty SUI
perintendent peacefully slept in the
lower story while the slim young man
made scarcely an impression on the
berth above.-Indianapolis News.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
chanticlecr Does Up an Owl.

A young man from the country says
that he had game rooster that kept
every other fowl off his beat, and Mon
day night he heard futtering in his
chicken house. The next morning he
investigated it and found the rooster
and very large owl on the floor Of his
hen house The rooster had driven one
of his spurs clear through the owls head
and it hung there, while the owl had
death grip on the ROSTERS wing. The
owl was dead, but the rooster, as soon as
released from the talon of tho owl,
stretched his neck and crowed Justify
American Herald.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
The woodchuck in New Hampshire

Up in New Hampshire a few days
ago l paid IL visit to the birthplace of
Daniel Webster, in the hope that l
might find out some new facts about
that woodchuck which "the great cx-
FOUNDER defended SO successfully.
found that few had heard the story,
and said it was wholly fiction, while
most of the residents thought Daniel
must have been a fool to let such an ami
NAL go, having once got hold Of it.-Bos-
ton (i1oho
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
Cheapeninx Ocean Fre,rht., $,

1t has been computed, as an illustra-
ton of the great cheapening of ocean
freights which has taken place in recent
years. that half sheet of note paper will
develop sufficient power, when burned
in connection with tho triple expansion
engine. to carry a ton mile in an At
lanac Observation-Disclosures Record.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
The Mirror Superstition plspollea

An actor at one of the dramatic agen-
cies was in great distress. He had
broken the mirror in his room, and he
felt that his luck must leave him. He
was consoled by a brother actor. "My
dear fellow" said this second, comfort
yourself. There is nothing at all in the
mirror superstition. Mary Anderson
told me that she broke seven hand
glasses one season, and this season turned
out to be the point at which her success
began. Reassure yourself" New York
World
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
A Ghost In I,Onfion

The story goes around in London that
a ghost has really been seen. A we'll
known woman, just before appearing in
some private theatricals, saw an old
friend standing near the entrance of her
dressing room. She greeted him, but he
only shook his head and walked away.
She learned the next day that her friend
had died the day before she thought she
saw him.-San Francisco Argonaut.
The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26

R. W. Wrenn, general passenger agent
of the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia railroad, was telegraph opera.
tor during the war, and took from the
wires the message from Gen. Lee to JEFF
ferson Davis announcing that Richmond
must be evacuated.