davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
England Seeks Ideas In America,

A late issue of London Engineering,
the foremost journal of its class in the
world, contains an extended editorial
upon the proposal to hold an international
congress of engineers in Chicago during
the Columbian Exhibition. England's
debt to American mechanics is thus
acknowledged: "The time is gone
when even the most ill instructed Euro
pean mechanic could venture to sneer at
American machinery. We have copied
it too extensively for that to be possible
now, even though in copying it we have
greatly modified it to suit our own re-
quirements. 1t is probable that in the
future the value in the rise of labor and
the decrease in working hours will
render it still more necessary that we
should adopt every labor saving appliance
that is possible, and nowhere can such de-
vices be better studied than across the
Atlantic.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
The Decay In American nhooa.

1t can not be denied that symptoms are
appearing in our public and private life
of decay in the character of our people.
The only question is, Are they the results
of the influence of immigrants, or of
other causes which corrupt the native
born citizen as we'll as the immigrants7
The tendency toward the Capitalization
Of wealth and power is the most charac-
teristic symptom that has appeared in
the development of our public and eco
nomic life during the last 80 years. 1t
has undermined the self reliance of our
citizens and induced them to look to the
Government as paternal power for help
and assistance. 1t has induced them to
engage in vile chase for success, ire
Bpective Of principle and virtue. 1t has
beguiled them into aping foreign customs
nnd habits. 1t has made them forget
that American citizenship is the highest
type and has caused them SO far to lose
their self respect that they importune
our Minister in Europe for introductions
at court, and consider it their greatest
ambition to splurge in all sorts of ex-
travagances. This generation certainly
can not be traced to the influence of inn
migration. A dozen titled adventures
coming over here from Europe, who are
introduced into the best circles, who
turn the heads of the bellies of society,
and who induce our -dudes" to initiate
their snobbish follies, contribute more
to corrupt the habits and customs of the
nest classes of our people, who consider
themselves prominently American, than
q million of poor immigrants.-Oswald
Ottendorfer, in the Forum.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
African Darknes. In virginia.

A correspondent of the New York
Evening Post, describing trip to the
Dismal Swamp of Virginia, says one can
look for miles down the canal which
passes through it, and the scene suggests
the heart of Africa. A solid wall of
verdure is on either side-gum trees, wild
magnolias, occasionally juniper or a
cypress-and always the burning sun
above aAd the strange, black water below.
Now and then shrill bird cry, now and
then water snake, always the most
beautiful shadows and reflections. Negro
cabins occasionally, and glimpses of
wide clearings, and at one of the locks a
group of little darkies with great punches
Of water lilies, making most effective
combination. Among them is an ad-
mirable young characterization, who has
stuck on the side of his ragged hat a
single magnificent lily, whose whiteness
shines, star like, against the background
of his woolly head.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
APARTMENT HOUSES IN PARIS.
They Are Vast establishments, Swarm.
ing with Life.

They Are Vast establishments, Swarm.
ing with Life.
We self satisfied Americans boast OF
our great buildings, and think nothing
approaches them, or any other feature of
our modern Development. Yet the first
thing that impresses an American in
Paris is apt to be the great size of the
buildings in the residence portions of the
city. The people live in fats, to be sure
and these great, tall half blocks and
whole blocks, faced with yellow stucco,
harbor the population of villages, but
how tiny our New York dwellings are
beside them! How small most of our
apartment houses appear by contrast! In
the great honeycomb in which tenanted
one cell got an idea of how this mode
of living is ordered. Ientered the build
ing by carriageway that led into great
court.
There was side entrance to the court,
which for some reason was in use after
o'clock atnight. On either side of either
portal were stairs leading to the upper
stories-the ground floor being taken up
with stores opening on two streets. Ex-
dCblJ ODHOolbt5 tue lilcln GAOIdAC0 was tL6
Office or headquarters of the concierge,
commanding view of the court and of
both entrances. saw an old woman
there always, and she made my acquain-
tance for the purpose of asking me to
call out the name of the family with
whom had taken lodgings whenever
came in after nightfall. wish now that
had once failed to shout my landlords
name, in order that might have known
what would have happened in that event.
saw few finer looking, or larger es-
tablishments than this, and yet will not
say that it was typical. Speaking for it
and no other, I will simply say that grand
as its exterior was, and clean and tidy as
it looked from the street and from the
court, it was none the less perfect trap
for sewer gas and mine of untidiness,
The condition of the closets on every
floor was execrable. can never be
brought to believe that should have es-
capped typhus fever if had not kept
my windows wide open all the time that
was indoors. The stairs were rude,
narrow, uncarpeted. dark, and dirty, and
the odors of neglect and carelessness
weighted the atmosphere in the public
parts of the house.
Let those who have been in other Latin
countries say whether this is general
condition in them. have been in Cuba
and France only, and every breath Idrew
indoors in Paris reminded me of my tour
through Cuba. 1t was the same in the
hotels as in the houses in both countries.
-Harpers Weekly.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
The smoke Nuisance in cltle..

Boston has always been clean city,
but there's bitumen in the air and tho
mischief to pay since several huge Chin
neys have been pouring out uncomfortable
volumes of smoke. There are two posi-.
bic remedies for the evil. One is the ex-
elusive use of anthracite as fuel, and
that costs too much. The other is the use
of smoke consumers on chimneys.
Doctors of the smoke nuisance disagreo
about the merits of the various smoke
consumers on the market. Certainly
fortunes have been made by inventors Of
smoke consumers, and some of their ap-
pliances have been more or less success
full in London and Chicago and Pittsburg.
Boston Transcript.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
LnnIs 70 IN. Rad.

Beware of the beds There is a sani-
Fary enthusiast at Huddersfield, Eng
and, who is warning the world of the
.'rightful consequences of neglecting this
maxim. 1t has been estimated, he says,
That 10000, 900 beds are in use in this
country, of which 10,000, 900 have not
been opened for 10 years, and have dur
ing that time remained wholly unpuri-
lied. AS this apostle of bedroom sani-
tation" puts it, sall sorts and conditions
Of people have used them.
Sometimes they have been beds of sick
ness; deathbeds vast number of them
have been, some many times. But, as
he mournfully observes, "as soon as
vacated they are again ready to do their
iusidious work" Seriously, the common
neglect of the duty of opening and
cleansing the beds can hardly fail to be
productive of disease. We might do
worse in this regard than follow the
practice on the Continent. where the
bed cleaner, with his two sticks for beat
ing the contents Of beds and mattresses,
after exposing them to sun and air, is a
regular spring visitor in all well regulated
households.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
The Wonderfu, xinetograpl,.


Mr.. Edison's latest invention, the kin
tograph-from the Greek words kinetos,
movable. and graphe, writing, and
meaning, therefore, an instrument that
writes or pictures motion-combined with
the phonograph, furnishes striking ex-
ample Of the marvellous and seemingly
supernatural effects that can be produced
by the ingenious use of the simple powers
and forces that nature has placed at our
disposal. Every one knows how pho
nograph repeats the words and musical
sounds that have been pronounced or
sung in its presence. The kinetograph is
just as simple.
1t consists of Photographic camera SO
arranged that a st.ip of gelatine, which
has been prepared SO that photographs
can be taken upon il, is made to pass over
rollers behind a leLs to which is attached
shutter capable OF making 46 successive
exposures in one second.
If, then, the lens is focused upon a
stage containing company of actors, it
produces upon the gelatine strip series
of photographs of the actors, each sue
cessive picture being separated by an in
terval of only one furty sixth of a second.
Suppose that an actor has just raised
his arm to make gesture when the kin
etograph is turned upon the stage; if the
gesture occupies one second 46 photo
graphs will be produced, showing the
actors arm in just SO many successive
positions, and the intervals are SO short
500 = sod fo
pass in quick succession before your eyes
the actors gesture will be reproduced as
if the living man were swinging his arm
in your presence.
The principle employed is the same as
that of the optical toy called the zoe
trope.
AT the same time phonograph, COM
bined with the kinetograph, records the
words spoken by the actors while they
are making the motions that have been
photographed. 1t is only necessary then
to cause the series of photographs to pass
at regulated speed through a magic
lantern in order to present upon screen
not only a perfectly plain picture of
the stage and the actors, but actu-
ally to show the latter moving about,
smiling, frowning, and gesticulating, just
as they did in the real play, while at the
same time the phonograph repeats the
words that they uttered.
This invention has not yet been entirely
perfected. but working model of it has
been exhibited by Mr.. Edison, showing
that the machine will certainly do the
things we have described.
What would the old story tellers of the
Arabian Nights, with their magic per-
spective glasses and enchanted carpets.
say if they could pay us a visit and be-
hold in the broad daylight of this prac-
teal age these astonishing products of
Yankee ingenuity.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28

The construction of the worlds longest
railroad is progressing rapidly along the
river valleys and across the steppes of ST.
IBERIA. The western extremity of the
road is the mining town of MASK on the
eastern side of the Ural range, and its
eastern terminus is at Vladivostok, on
the Sea of Japan, making total length
of 4,7o5 miles, which is nearly twice the
length of the Canadian Pacific. Its cost,
including surveys, grading, building,
stations, rolling stock, and, indeed, every
thing needed for its construction and
equipment, is estimated at $1S3, 1926 ,000-
an enormous amount, but profitably in
vested, and far less than the cost of a
useless European war.
The country through which the road
will run presents no great engineering
difficulties, and, across the vast plains, it
will hardly require the grading of aroad-
bed. 1t is also for the most part fairly
populous, much of it being very fertile
and the rest rich in minerals; SO that
along its entire route the road will open
up and develop a country Of magnificent
resources and of almost inexhaustible ag
ricultural and mining wealth.
The various results which will eventu-
ally follow the completion of this great
work can not, of course, be fully esti-
mated in advance, butsome of them may
be partially foreseen. One of these is
that by means of this road Russia leaps
at a single bound into the indutiable
position of the most formidable of Asiatio
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
mILITARv ExEoUTroN IN INDIA.
The Calm bravery OF Man About to
Be HIewn Frem Cannon's Mouth.

The Calm bravery OF a Man About to
BE HIexvn Frem Cannon's Mouth.
Uzman Afzul Khan, being strict No
hammedan, was sentenced by the general
court martial to be executed by being
blown from the mouth Of gun. Sat
nrday, the day following their Sabbath,
which is our Friday, was the day ap-
pointed, subject to the approval of the
finding" by the commandant. The
commandant approved of the finding of
the court, and the execution parade took
place the following Saturday. Thenative
troops, all unarmed, formed two sides OF
square opposite to one another and fac
ing inward. The white troops formed
one side. They paraded with fixed bay
onets and loaded with ball cartridge in
view of the Sepoys. On the fourth side
of the square a 10 FOUNDER gun was
posted, the muzzle pointing inward, in
charge of the European artillery. The
commandant and staff stood in the cen
ter of the square. Presently the con-
victed subadar major was marched into
the square and halted in front of the gun
facing the troops. The charge, finding,
and sentence were read by the adjutant
in English and Hindustani, and the COM
mandant asked the prisoner to say his
last words.
The prisoner, who was, to do him but
justice, a brave, soldierly man, said in a
firm voice that he was justly punished
for his gross breach of military disci-
pline, and exhorted the Sepoys to adhere
to the British Raj, which he said would
be successful as it had always been.
He was then tied securely to the muz-
zle of the gun, his oack to it, facing the
parade. The gun was loaded with an
extra charge of powder, with clod of
grassy turf lightly rammed home. The
mans face was pale as death, but he still
had resolute look and did not tremble
one whit. He certainly died brave
man. The word was given by the COM
mandant and the lanyard pulled. A dull
wretch was launched into eternity, blown
into fragmentsl He, however, had
certain revenge even III death, for his
right arm, being tightly drawn back on
the gun, on the latter being fired, was
violently projected back, striking with
force stalwart sergeant of artillery on
the throat and hurting him to the earth.
The sergeant was six months in hospital
before he recovered sufficiently to join
his corps. A party of the deceased mu-
tineer's regiment picked up the pieces
very carefully, as to miss any of them
would entail much suffering in future
state, and carried the remains off to be
buried by his friends. .-Courier-J Journal.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
HOW TO KEEP HEALTH.
DON'T Worry About Diseases That You
DO Not Have.

DO Not Have.
Ono Of the best ways to keep in good
health is not to think or worry too much
about it. If you feel strong and well
don't imagine that some insidious dis
ease may be secretly attacking your
constitution. Many people are like the
inexperienced traveller, who anxiously
inquired about the symptoms of seasick-
ness and how he should know when he
had it. One generally knows when he is
sick, and frequently many supposedly
alarming symptoms prove, upon investl-
CATION, to be either perfectly natural
occurrences or of very slight import
ance.
Eat and drink what you desire, as
long as it agrees with you. Your stom-
ach knows pretty well what it can digest.
Plain, simple food is desirable, as a gem
eral thing, but the luxuries Of the table,
in moderation, will do no harm.
Alcoholic beverages are not fit for
habitual use. They are true medicines
and should only be used like any other
medicines-under the advice of ply
sician. AS regul r beverage they can
do no good, but will almost certainly do
harm.
Take all the sleep you can get, but re-
member that the necessary amount varies
greatly for differnt persons. Some must
sleep at least nine hours, while others
thrive under six. Only don't rob your
self of what you really need. The mid
night oil is terribly expensive illumin-
ant to burn either for purposes of labor
or study.
Always treat common cold with great
respect. Ninety-nine times out of hum
dred it will get well any way, but the
hundredth cold, if neglected, may lead
to bronchitis, pneumonia, or consump-
ton. 1t is best to take no such chances.
If you are sick enough to need any
medicine at all, beyond the simple RENE
dies familiar to all, you are sick enough
to need the attendance OF physician.
BY all means take as much exercise
as you can and be in the open air as much
as possible. Outdoor life is the natural
condition of mankind, and the more ono
can have of it the better.
Fresh air, sunlight, good and sufficient
food, pure water, outdoor exercise, tenn
perance in all things. and cheerful dis
position are the chief remedies in natures
dispensary, and are worth more than all
the drugs and medicines in the shops.
DR.. Holmes has truly said that if nine
tenths of all medicines, patent, proprie-
tary, and otherwise in the world were
poured into the ocaaY, If would be all the
better for mankind and all the worse for
the fishes, and the best physicians can do
little without good nursing, and thus aid
nature in throwing off disease. Monthly
Rulletin
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
A FUNNY THING IN RATTLE.
A Confederate Survivor Who Led =
Federal Charge.


Major ]. w. McClung, of San Fran
cisco, tells Globe Democrat CORE
spondent: / think 1 am the only sur
vivor of the Confederacy who led Fed
eral charge. This singular thing / did,
and here's how it was It was at the bat
tie of Selma. was carrying orders and
had to pass straight through the town.
1t was terribly hot and had my coat off.
We had captured wagon train few
days before, and out of the spoils had
appropriated brand new Federal cav
airy hat, so did not look unlike a YAM
kee officer
In the main street of Selma / met an
aid named Brown-a gallant fellow. He
shouted to me that our line had been
broken and that Armstrong was falling
back, and told me to get outor I'd be taken.
just then Armstrong and his staff gal
loped past, and the general recognizing
US called out: "You must hurry out of
this, gentlemen. They are close on our
heels.
Brown had a dispatch for Colonel John
son, and he said he would wait and de-
liver it if he died for it. While we were
talking, pistols in hand, column of
Federal cavalry swung into the street
where we stood, coming full tilt. We
were SO taken by surprise that we could
not get away. Brown had on new uni
form that had just run the blockade, and
he was a good target Half dozen
troopers dashed out from the line to
catch him.
We were riding for our lives, Brown
little in the lead, SO that it looked as
though was chasing him. The pursuers
passed me and overhauled Brown, and /
caught a glimpse of him as passed,
down on his back working his revolver.
with group of the enemy about him, all
shooting down at him and cutting at him
with their sabers.
By this time was at the head of the
column, which had not slackened its
mad pace. For at least mile rode at
their head, exchanging remarks about the
retreat of the "rebs and joining in the
cries of Hurry let's catch Armstrong.
As we came to size street that ran right
down to the river l dashed out and
swerved sharply, and then / rode for
dear life. In second they were after
me, and the bullets sang all around me.
| never halted, but plunged off a low
pier into the water and swan straight
across to where our people were trying to
form new front. The water was torn by
a perfect rain of bullets, but was not
scratched, and my horse was only slightly
wounded. I would like much to know
the name of my Federal commander.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
roRTuNEs 1N rnospHArEs.
A Trade Whose story Recalls ths
Arabian Nights.

The history of the development OF
the phosphate industry by Americans
reads more like romance than
the truthful record of q mining pur-
suit. In Florida alone, where an ex-
perimental venture was made only two
years ago, the industry is already estab-
lished on such basis as to involve mill
lions of capital and employ thousands Of
men, adding thousands of dollars daily
to the country's wealth and challenging
comparison in prospective magnitude
with any of the great industries of the
world.
The worlds consumption of phosphate.
which must be an indispensable article
of commerce until that probably distant
period when the chemist shall manu-.
facture in the laboratory what the agri.
culturist now grows in the fields, is now
rated at 100000 tons, and increases
annually at the rate of rs to 80 per cent.
In five years 1000, 900 tons will be re-
quired to supply the markets for the sea-
son, and in 10 years 10000, 900 or IS, ,000,.
900 will be required.
The old sources If supply, South Caro-
lima, Canada, and the West Indies, have
probably all reached the point of maxi.
mum production, and 1t is to Florida
that the world must look for its increas.
ing wants. What untold riches lie under
the soil of the Peninsula State may be
imagined from the fact that one Of ita
richest tracts Of phosphate land is 1,00e
miles square. Over most of this land
the thickness of the deposit varies from
three to 80 feet or more, the average
depth being about 10 feet.
A cubic yard of the CRUDE stuff win
wash out from 600 pounds to half ton
of clean, dry nodules, and q recent sur.
vey has given the contents of single
section of land (640 acres) at 1900, ,00G
tons. An acre of phosphate land, il ths
deposit be only three feet deep, win con.
tain 4,S40 cubic yards of stratum, yield
ing 1900 to 1000 tons of clear phosphate
nodules.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28

Every once in while the African
mind will evolve an expression that has
a wealth of grotesque poesy in it. An
elderly man who is employed about one
of the public buildings in Washington
was heard to remark:
Il dunno what Use gwine ter do for
close foh all OBJ my fanilyf"
Have you large family, uncle 2" said
one of the clerks in quizzical tone.
"Deed is-seben chillun."
"Are they all of the same color az
your"
No, sab; dey varies, rangin' all de
way fun dusk ter midnight"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
Death i'm the vice prs.,a.n.v,

The fact that the present occupant of
the Vice Presidency of the Republic is
the only living man who has ever held
that office is remarkable. The few Amor
ican Presidents that remain (three in
number) is in itself singular, but that
of the seven Vice Presidents of the last
2s years that being the period for which
those have been elected who have sue
ceeded Hannibal Hamlin) there is but
one survivor, and he the man latest
chosen, is almost appalling. There is
something like fatality following the
men who have filled the office Boston
Herald.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
FILTERED Fog for the House of Conn


A good idea of the foulness of the fogs
of London can be derived from the means
that are used to purify the air in tho
house of commons in foggy weather.
All openings are closed, except that
through which the air is taken. The air
is passed through jets of water so that
the heavy particles may be deposited, and
then it is filtered by blowing it through
layers of cotton wool six feet thick, after
which it passes into the house. In a
short time the wool becomes black and
full of an oily and sooty substance, smell
ing like very bad fog. On one occasion
48 hours of fog so fouled the wool that it
had to be changed. Last winter it had
to be changed three times, costing 500
each time.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-28
A TALE WITH A MORAL.

l.
The weather never suited Mr.. Jones.
If it was hot,
He wasted all his strength in futile Groans;
Ifit was not,
lie said it froze his marrow bones,
And swore a lot.
II.
But Mrs. Jones would never make complaint.
If it was cold,
She shivered, but stood 1t like saint
In times of old;
And though twas hot enough to make her
faint,
Shed never scold.
III.
They're both dead. now, this worthy pair
Il knew them welDi
And Mrs. Jones is very happy where
The angels dwell:
Where Mr.. Jones is, don't care,
just now, TO tell.
-Somerville Journal.