davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

wheeled in a perambulator to the housa
of a neighbor every evening to sleeps
Her husband, who was a shoemakers
died about thirty-five years ago and shA
has lived alone ever since. A gentleman
who recently visited the old lady thus
describes his call: 49,. ,.j.s. -
''Is Mrs. Morfew inT' I asked, and
knocked gently at the open door. Nd
answer. Thinking that there might ba
q back room to which the old lady had
retired, I knocked again, and againa
each time louder than before. For soma
time all remained silent, and then sud-
denly the heap Of greyi.h clothes on. the
old tumble-down four poster began to
move, and some one said in a far-awayS
unearthly voice, "Eh2"' and once agaihss
as, somewhat staggered, I remained al
the door, "Eh2" Then from the tangled
mass there rose q small head, with q
widows cap pushed on one ear, with
hair as white as the finest fax, and with
q face of million lines and wrinkless
but still with little flush of life, not
unlike an apple that has once besH
"pleasant to the eyes," but has now
been "asleep" in the straw for many
days, and has become shriveled up and
vrinkled. Chica10 Herald. -
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

O cliff or precipitous ice hummick, hurl
the missile against the head of a walrus-
and enormous brute, twice the size of
the bear on an average-and so stun him
that bruin could rush in and complete
the destruction at leisure, and thus Sc
cure months rations at q single coup.
Many of the Esquimaux of my acquaint-
ance also spoke Of this curious but
effective way the polar bear uses when
circumstances are favorable.
The most common food of the ice.
bear las the Germans very appropriately
call this beast) is the common seal of the
Arctic regions. This latter brute is the
wHariest animal of the north, and both
Eskimo and polar bear have to display
their keenert strategy to catch it. In the
summer, when the snow is off the ice of
the oceans shore and islets, the seals can
be plainly seen as black dots on the level
ice, probably asleep, but always near
their holes, which lead down through
the thick ice to- the water
below, and into which they can
throw themselves by the least move
ment. Bruin, seeing one afar, walks up
as near as he deems it safe, and then be-
gins crawling on his wary prey. The
seal, if it be sunny and pleasant, takes
short maps, relieved by shorter moments
when it is scanning the vicinity for signs
of any enemy's approach. During these
times the bear is very quiet, and if not
behind chunk of ice or snow-nummock,
which screens him from sight he is rest
ing still as death itself, with eyes appar-
emily closed, though really corner of
each is kept open, and in this way he
hopes that the seal will take him for a
hummock of snow, and which his white
coat readily helps him to assume. Dur.
ing the maps he bitches forward with
greater or less rapidity according to his
nearness to the seal and consequent feal
or being heard or seen. When quite
close to his prey his approach is very
slow, and when but ten or twelve yards
away and Mr.. Seal is in the depths of q
good nap Bruin makes rush and with
a single stroke Of his powerful paw
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

knocks the smaller brute senseless and so
far away from the hole ia the ice that it
cannot escape by that way, even if the
blow is not fatal at once.
In the winter time the ice is covered
with snow, and this is "hollowed out" by
the seal into little snow-house covering
the hole through the ice, and connecting
at the top of the dome with an aperture
about the size of silver quarter, called
the :sblow-hole," for it is through this
that the seal breathes when in want of
fresh air. Here the polar bear watches
for many long hour if necessary, end
when the first few puffs or snorts of the
seal are heard, he crushes in the fragile
dome of the seals snow-house with his
paw, impaling the creature on his curved
claws. and proceeds to show how polar
bears, at least, can subsist in the Arctic
winter.
The seal, on its part, lives oa fish, and
one who has ever had occasion to come
in contact with the countless school aud
myriads of fshy creatures that swarm in
the Polar seas can readily believe that
the seal is we'll provided with its faVorite
food.
What the fishes live on no one knows
altogether, but that they have enormous
supplies on which they can live, even in
the perpetual ice-cold water of those
dreary regions is we'll attested by the
immense numbers that are known to ex-
ist there, making the Arctic and sub
Arctic seas truly the fisheries Of the
world.
The sea-horse or walrus lives on clans,
fish and an occasional seal, but if the
favor of the meat is to be taken as q
criterion twoShirds of the diet Is clans.
No one has ever seen the walrus at the
bottom of the shallow northern seas dig
ging for these bivalves, and just how he
does it is not we'll known, but that their
long tuaks are employed in this work in
some way is undoubted. Captain Hall
says that they come to the surface after
digging each clam and spit the shells out
of their mouths, as those shells have been
found on the thin, recently formed young
ice in the fall of the year where the wal
ushas stuck his head through to breathe;
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

In summer, as would be expected, the
polar beasts and birds have the easier
time in procuring their food compared
with winter.
The polar fox then finds an abundance
of eider-duck and dovekie eggs, and oc-
casionally catches the birds themselves,
while in the winter time he has to skir-
mish around pretty lively among the
ptarmigans and polar hares to keep his
appetite down to zero. If ''hensed"
whale, or one that has had its blubber
stripped from it by the crew of whal-
ing ship, floats ashore there Reynard is
sure to be in for royal feast, while he is
usually surrounded by perfect polar
menagerie of white bears, wolves, wolv-
crimes and others. all living.in compare
tive harmony, for the simple reason that
in the huge carcasses there is enough for
all and ample to spare. But, as usual
thing, if such an enormous chunk of
meat as that floats ashore in the Eskimo
country the people are remarkably dill
gent about camping alongside of it, for
then the problem of dog food for the
winter is settled, while if tight pinch
comes in their own diet they are not
averse to whale meat iD the least. But
usually when the Arctic whale is"fensed"
of its blubber, or fat, of foot or two in
depth it sinks and only floats ashore
when the gases of putrifaction are de-.
veloped, and then its flesh is decidedly
"gamey," if not worse.
The polar whale, on its part, lives on
a small marine creature not longer than
a grain Of corn, millions of which are
needed to make a meal or even mouth
full for this monster. This minute clio
borealis, as the scientists call it (not near
so long as its nane), or ''whale grit" as
the whalcrs, less POLITICALLY, style it, often
a5ounds in such enormous quantities as
tu change the color of the sea to n deep
olive-green. Through this mass the
whale lashes its way, right and left, the
back part of its teeth (Which furnishes
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

but this seems too much like horse
walking down to the river for drink
after eating each grain of corn in his
crib; both would starve to death on this
plan, and not for want of corn or clans
either.
The musk OK and reindeer live on
moss about the whole year. In the
summer this is easy to get at and in pro-
fuse quantities, especially in the low, fiat
valleys Of the Arctic streams and their
tributaries, as we'll rs in the rocky
portages that lead from one lake to the
other, in this country that is SO thor
oughly studded with lakes and lakelets.
In the winter time the problem is not so
easJ, for much of the ground, and
especially that very part of it where the
moss is in the greatest quantity, is
covered with snow. The tops of the
hills and ridges are kept more or less
clear OF it by the fierce gales that rage
in the fall and spring when the SHOWS
arc falling, aad this gives sparse picking
to the reindeer and musk oxen at this
season of the year. This is enough to
keep them alive, evidently, but certainly
they do not grow fat on it. In the fall
of the year the reindeer are literally
as fat as pigs, and great masses of TODD
moo (as the Eskimo call the reindeer fat),
sometimes weighing twenty to thirty
pounds, caa be stripped from the carcass
at this season. But in the winter all
this has disappeared and the meat IS of
blush slate color that is not inviting at
all by comparison with the tender, juicy
steaks of the autumn months, when the
red meat is fairly marbled with fat. The
musk oxen do not vary so much as the
reindeer, however, and they are never
very fat in the summer or very lean in the
winter.
The wolves live On hares, ptarmigan,
.eindeer and musk oxen, but on the
after only when they are old or decrepid
,r have been wounded or disabled by
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
A Glorious River.

The St. Lawrence is a phenomenon
among rivers, says Natures Realm. No
other river is fed by such gigantic lakess
No other river is so Independent of the
elements. It despises alike rain, snow
and sunshine. Ice and wind may be
said to be the only things that effect if
mighty flow. Something almost az
phenomenal as the St. Lawrence itself is
the fact that there is so little generally
known about it. It might be safely
affirmed that not one per cent. OF the
American people are aware of the fact
that among all the great rivers of the
world the St. Lawrence is the only abso!
lutely foodless one. Such, however, is
the case.
The st. Lawrence despises rain and
sunshine. Its greatest variation caused
by drouth or rain hardly ever exceeds q
foot or fourteen inches. The cause OF
this everlasting sameness of volume Is
easily understood. The st. Lawrence ig
fed by the mighticst bodies of fresh
water on earth. Immense as is the
volume of water it pours into the oceac,
any one who has trayersed all the imss
mense lakes that feed it, aad for the
surplus waters of which it is the only
channel to the sea, wonders that it is not
even more gigantic than it is. Not one
drop of the waters of the five great
lakes find its way to the ocean save
through this gigantic, extraordinary and
wondrously beautiful river. No wonders
then, that it should dcspise tho rain and
defy the sunshine.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
ARCTIC ANIMALS.
HOWTHEY LIVE IN WINrE AND
IN SUMMER.
The Polar Fox and His Prey-Arctic
Whales and Bears-The Musk OK,
Walrus and Reindeer
Seals and Fishes.

"And why not tell how they live in the
fall and spring." one may ask, queries
Lieutenant Schwatka in the Brooklyn
Citizen, but when say that in the cold
est parts of the polar regions there is
hardly any fall or spring, but summer
rushes into winter at rate we can hard
ly comprehend, while winter jumps into
summer with suddenness that would
sprain the back of the clerk of the
weather if he attempted to follow its
changes in these cold regions; when ex-
plain this fact it is clear to see that no
one would be called upon to give a
spring and fall catalogue of Arctic diet
for its wild and savage denizens.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
The rifle with which the regular ant

The rifle with which the regular and
citizen soldiers of the country are
equipped is much inferior to the
rifles used by the soldiers of the
chic: countries of Europe and will be
displaced by another pattern of modern
power very soon. Experiments upon 8
new rife are now making by the Gov
ernment with gratifying success. Its
caliber is thirty instead of forty-fve
and the velocity Of its bullet is 2,2Oc
feet per second, almost twice that Of
the present bullet, while its penetrative
power is much greater. At distance
of 500 yards it will pass through six
teen inch pine boards one inch apart.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

Modern science has demonstrated that
the dew of which poets have sungsl
likening it to diamond drops, is III
reality not dew at all, but the exhalation'
of healthy plants, true dew being evenly,
deposited tpor the surface of the plantss'
the under surface receiving more moisj,
ture than the upper. Vapor rising from
the earth is condensed by the cooler at-I9
mosphere and deposited in the form OF
dew in summer and of hoar frost in winsa
ter.-Brooklyn Citizen. ~ =. ,...l ~
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
CHAPTER XIV.
FIRE IF YOU DARE!'

Captain Griffith Alton always remem-
ber-d that night rs the most trying Of
bis life. In those few hours of darkness
dc seemed to live ages-ages IN narassing,
tormenting vexations, doubts, md fears.
lie did not know to a certainty that
the cry he heard was uttered by Ola
Gatrell. In fact, it seemed impossible
that it could be her voice, for he had left
her at her home, safe from all harm. He
had even detailed special guard 10
watch her fathers house. and had no
doubt but they were still there.
The Captain did not dream that they
had left their post and joined Oh expedi-
ton to scan the woods TO- the spies.
And yet, try as he would to assure him.
self that all was safe, he found it almost
impossible to do so. That strange, wild
cry, that voice which. despite the fact,
was wild and unnatural. had about it
something which resembled the voice OF
Ola, ard be felt within his soul that it
was Ola
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
CHAPTER XIII.
GRIFFITH ALARMED.

Cspt. Atoms course was, beyond doubt,
open to criticism. No man of much
military experience would have taken the
great risk which he did.
He was one of those impulsive, dash
ing fellows whose success as military
men is dash and audacity. There might
be ten or thousand foes before him, he
knew not, and vet with half dozen raw
recruits he plunged on, perfectly needless
of what was teforc him. or into whose
hands he might fall.
The ground was rock and une1en. His
followers stumbled over the slippery
rocks and fell at every few PAGES.
Come on-come on!" he called, every
few moments. we must take them in
and learn something OF these spies"
For half an hour tho little band of
brave but reckless heroes raz, tore, and
plunged through the wood, over the rough,
uneven stones made slippery by the re-
cent rains.
-Griff," said Jack Hatchet, who had
kept at our hero's side, them fellers o
our'n ar laggin' behind. l think ye ar
goin' to wear 'em out.
Griffith paused, for the struggle through
the darkness, brambles, and slippery
rock had cut his own wind short.
Jack" he said, after painting mo-
ment, we can't be far from tie beach.
mo, Griff, I reckin not; eff yell jest
listen yell hear the waters roar and dash
sgin the rocks
The surf-beating waves could be
plainly heard from where they stood, but
nc sound of their companions reached
their ears.
Jack. they have stopped"
Il guess 80, Gritf, unless they fell so
far behind they can't catch up."
How far are we from the works. Jsck7'
we must be bout four miles.
What, SO far?'
Yes, Griff, it's TINT fur anyway. Eagle
Rock is jest out on that pint o land, and
it's a little over four miles from Msnos to
Eagle Rock
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
his DEAD SELF.
By MARY SHAW,

Dn long-seed hopes he is still irtent
In the dear old home where once we played;
Tis who shrink, he is tnnocent-
Tho sad-taced young dreamer betrayed.
BE comes and goes along darkened ways,
Sings the old songs VIC together sung.
Dreams the foolish dreams Of long-dead days
When hope yet lived and was young
4 fitting ghost OF that lone.lost time,
He dwells back there with lite's fairest things.
Dark eyes. soft lips-oh, dear God o. mine
Loves sweet promise and exchange Of rings.
In that world lost nook bless'd hope still lives
Faith, love- and truth abide with him;
All have lost fond memory gives
Safe refuge in that lone Eden dim.
MkR1oN, n. G.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
Market or Marsh Gardens.

In some of the earlier European works
on agriculture the name market gardener
is said to be derived from marsh garden
er, probably because the principal vege-,,
table gardens near the great cities were,
located on low, moist or marshy ground.i
Our modern photographers, however, do,
not, so far as we have observed, recog.s
nize the ''marsh gardener as the original
of our market gardener, the latter beingl
one who raises vegetables to be sold in a.
market.-Me,o York Sun.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
The Oldest Woman in England.

Mrs. Morfew, "the Oldest widow In
England" Is now one hundred and four
years of age and lives alone ina little
cottage in the outskirts of London. She
still enjoys good health, has not, as she
says herself, 'tas much as an ache in her,
little finger" and, with the exception Of
being little deaf and having poor sighta
is still able to enjoy life. She can eas
anything, but her meat must be tscookeG
to death" because she has only one tooth
She spends her day in her cottage and i
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

hunters. They also occasionally catch y
fawn or musk OK calf that wanderst too
far away from the herd. The reindeey
protect themselves by fright from q pack
Of wolves, while the musk oxen form q
circle, the calves and weaker ones insidei
and keep them at bay. Wolves arc also
very destructive to Eskimo dogs whens
ever they are desperately hungry, but not
nthprppien ....s. l.-s ~ *. Z
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

MES are --LATEST i'll the morning,
can DO their best work three or
hours after thev get up. The wo
on the contrary, can do better VOL.
Grst three or four hours after &c
up than they can do at any other
Of the day. If anything hap2eI,
interfere with the first part OF
womau's day, the whole day Is lG
hor as far as worl IL rnnnnrrad /
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

James P. Scott, son of Thomas A..
Scott, late president of the Pennsylvania
railroad, proposes, by way of experi-
ment, to plant 1000 acres of rice near
Kissimmee, Fla. J
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

To DEVOTE ones Boz. 20 some
higher than ones self, this is tn
swer of the ages to all who woalc
perpetual interests, and live ID
energy which is immortal -
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18

IT is n wonder any OF us ever &C.
plish anything. Until noon each
we think what lots of work we int
ed to do to-day. Afternoon. we.
horing for to-day, and spoil the re
the days work in hoping and plan
for tomorrow. Not one man in
does more than half a days work
dav, and vet We complain and v
every dar that We work SO hard. ,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
The deepcst Iake in the world is

HE deepest Iaae III VEle WVFl
Lake Baikal, III Siberia. Its ar
over 5000 square miles makes it 9
equal to Lake Erie III superficial,
tent; its enormous depth Of
tween 1000 and 400 feet n
its volume Of waters almost elui
that of Lake Superior. Although
surface is 1850 feet above sen leve
bottom averages over 1908 feet r
the same level.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18


very verge of the precipice, where he
halted to reconno ter and listen.
Long he gazed into that dark abyss, and
by degrees his eyes seemed to become
more accustomed TO it. He saw family
outlined one or two objects, but whether
they were men or animals he could not
determine.
They might only be massive pieces OF
stone.
But, no; they were moving. His hand
was on his pistol in moment, and he was
in the act Of sending shot among them,
bit on q second reflection he decided not
to 10 so. He might be facing foe ten
times his own number, and there might
be others near enough to surround him
and l>revent his reaching the fort.
The fort is now the place for me, " said
our hero to himself. Il must get there
before they concentrate their forces for
an attack.
Griffith Alton had enough military
knowlea,. to know that surprises are
usually effected just about day break,
where the attacking party may have the
advantage cf the night to get position,
and the advantage Of daylight to do their
fighting. The British could not concen.
tfate their forces Mt the fo-t before dawn,
and he had yet two or three hours to reach
his post and get the militia ready to re-
ceive them.
1t is needless to say he was almost mad
with anxiety. Several times he was on
the point of bursting all bounds Of pro-
priety and rushing headlong through
every obstacle at all hazards, Int his
better Judgment controlled him, and he
! listened and watched until the dark forms
| had gone down the ravine.
How many there were of them he did
not know. He saw but four, and was not
even certain he had seen so many, for the
shadows were very indistirct. When they
we're gone he touched his companion S arm
and bade him rise.
Where now. Griff?" asked Jack.
we Will follow t1Is ridge Tor some d:s-
tance, as it leads in the direction Of the
fort"
All right, Griff, but take keer ye don't
tumble into the ditch; it's dark as q stack
o black cats along here
I shall carefully feel my way with my
sword" said the officer, who took the
lead.
They could travel but slowly at best,
and Griffith, having missed his footing,
fell into one Of the bitches, SO tanning
his knee that for few moments he vas
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-28
Shoes and Leather.

The current number of the Chicago Shoe
and Leather Rerie,o has this to say of the
outlook for the trade in leather lines:
There is general revival in all lines of
traffic, and boots, shoes and leather arc feel
ing the inspiritng effects. Shoe manufact-
urers are fairly busy turning out fall and
winter goods and have their spring samples
we'll distributed. Jobbers are well repre-
sented throughout the West and Southwest,
the forwarding is unusually active to meet
urgent wants of retailers. The radica |
change of weather the past week has ten
dency to check operations somewhat in
medium lines but only temporary. During
October buyers are looked for on tho mar
kets in greatly increased force for leather
and footwear, and all signs pointto an active
trade throughout the fall and winter.
One very encouraging feature in the
leather and boot and shoe market is that
manufnc ncturers are not disposed to extend
their lines of credit as formerly, and that a
stand is to be taken against dating bills
ahead. Would it not be in accordance with
the conservative spirit they have mani
tested of late in the purchase of material to
also take stand against placing contracts
for spring goods on the present basis of
leather values? Shoe manufacturers and
iobbers had bitter experience last year,
having placed orders for fall goods on the
basis OF spring values in leather, and during
the summer and fall prices of leather adj
vanced from to cents per foot and
pound.
In reply to the above it may be said: eve
have no fears of any material advance in
leather values during 1891, at least, as the
stocks in hands of tanners and dealers are
ample for all practical wants. but the effect
OF the big crops and big prices obtained may
be sensibly felt next year" Values in oil
kinds of merchandise will naturally sympa-
thize with wheat, corn, oats and provisions,
even though the present supply is in excess
OF the demand.