davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
TIE WHIP SCORPION.
A venomous insect Which Frequents
Mexico.


Mexico and other Central American
countries are afflicted with q remark
able number of the scorpion family,
locally known by the various names of
'sscruncher,' devils bull driver or
stwhip scorpion" The scientific de-
scription of this branch of poisonous
insect states, says the St. Louis Repub-
lie, that they have an elongated body,
divided into seglnents, the last six OF
which are of equal size. The tail is
flexible and ends in a sting. The chel-
icora, or fangs, are short and end in a
pincher-lilze appendage. The jaw ap-
pendages, olpalpi, are also finished like
perfect forceps. Respiration is effect
ed by two pairs OF pulmonary sacs,
which communicate with the all
through four openings.
A curious thing TO be noticed sobout
the whip scorpion is that the poisonous
fangs above referred to take the place
Of harmless feelers or antennae, such as
are found in beetles, butterflies, moths,
etc. A cognate change is remarked
in spiders, in whom the antennB are
replaced by poisonous jaws. The an
terror pairs Of legs of the whip scorpion
are also peculiar. They are much thin
uer than the others and the feet are
many-jointed, SO as to be capable of
being used as flexible organs of touch;
so, you see, this ugly-looking beast has
turned ais feelers into poisonous jaws
and his feet into feelers. The 'Swhip''
of the whip scorpion consists Of thin,
vicious-looking tail, which, when angry,
the scorpion lashes about in a surpris-
:,nca
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
Tardy Delivery.

A letter nine years on it's travels is a
rare occurrence nowadays. On Septem-
Der 6, 1882, Herr L., living in Prenzlau,
sent a letter to his brother at the Well
ington hotel, Christchurch, New Zea-
land. The letter arrived safely, but
never reached the hands of the person
to whom it was addressed; and now,
after nine years straying, has been,
through the post office in Berlin, re-
turned to the sender. Numerous Ger
man, English and French postmarks
and remarks cover the envelope, and
apparently it was for long time I'M
noticed in the letter box at the Yelling
ton hotel. The envelope bears the
English postmark October 8. 1882, the
date of it's arrival at the hotel. Another
date is June s, 1891, with the inscrip-
tions, s.Non reclame" and ''Not called
for" It then went back to Germany.
On August Is it fell into the hands OF
the sender at Prenzlau. His brother,
to whom it was sent, died long since.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
ELKs WRECK A CABIN.
Exciting Experience of q Settler I'm th
Mountains of Oregon.


Exciting Experience of a Settler in the
Mountains of Oregon.
Edward Donaldson, who has a home
stead claim in Tillamook county, five
miles from Glenora, was surprised at
five o'clock one morning by large
herd of elk, which for some cause had
stampeded and came dashing down the
mountain side across the little clearing.
His frail cabin was wrecked and DON
aldson himself narrowly escaped As
soon as he could recover from fright
and extricate himself from the debris
he seized his rifle and shot four. After
running quarter of mile the ami
mails turned and dashed back up the
mountain. This time Donaldson
slaughtered seven more, including 3
monster white one. He came to Glen
ora to get men and horses to carry back
his elk meat. a pack train returned
with nearly five thousand pounds Of
choice meat. While leading q pack AMI
NAL along. 9 narrow path the horse
stumbled and fell, and while endeavor-
ing to save him Donaldson was thrown
over cliff and his left shoulder dislo-
Gated. ne was taken e Tillamook for
medical nd
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
THE KEY OF DEATH.
AN Object Of Curiosity to the Visitors OF
Venice.

AN Object Of Curiosity to the Visitors OF
Venice.
About the year 1900 "a stranger named
Tebaldo established himself as a mer-
chant in Venice. Soon becoming infat-
uated with the daughter of one of the
most ancient and wealthy families he
asked her hand and was rejected, the
young lady being already ah6anced.
Half crazed and thoroughly enraged he
planned revenge. Being an excellent
mechanic he soon evolved a most forn1id-
able looking key. The handle of this
unique weapon could be easily turned.
Being turned it disclosed a spring with
a missile in the shape of a needle Of ex-
quisite fneness. With this weapon Te-
baldo waited at the church door until
the maiden he loved passed in on the
morning of her marriage.
When the bridegroom appeared the
desperate lover, unperceived, sent the
slender poisoned needle into his rivals
breast and within an hour he was dead
of ''strange battling disease" Again
Tebaldo demanded the hand of the
maiden but was refused. Within a few
days both her parents had died in e. very
mysterious manner. Suspicion being
excited examination was made and the
smalllsteel instruments were found in the
flesh in both cases. One day the maiden
allowed Tebaldo an audience but told
him that she would never be his bride.
Within an hour she was a corpse. Te-
baldo was suspected, the key was dis
discovered and the culprit hanged. The
celebrated ':key of DEATH is still shown
to the curious visitor Of the Venice
museum.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
MISTAKES OF THE PRESS.
They Are Comparatively Few If tho Real
i Truth We're Known.

They Are Comparatively Few If tho Real
Truth Were Known.
The press makes many mistakes. Tho
wonder is that in the rush of it's pre-.
:senting an epitome Of the worlds daily,
!!doings at each breakfast table it does
not make @ thousand errors for oney
writes Gen. Boynton in the Century. Is
makes very few deliberately. And
many of those statements concerning
which loud-mouthed and quibbling de-
malls are often accepted are TRUE in their
essentials.
: Three examples will serve to throw
light on this branch OF the subject.
Said man of national fame who had
commanded one of the union armies and
had been the governor of his state, and
had served with distinction in congress-,
in furnishing some sensational but true
statements for publication: t"This is ex-
act; but If you ever give me as author
ity will publicly deny your dispatch. I"
Said a. former dean of the diplomatic
corps, in presenting a story of deep In
terest: eff you allow this to be traced
to me will promptly deny any connec-
ton with it over my official signature
and leave you in the lurch."
Said senator Of many years servics
both in and out OF congress, after talk
ing at length for publication: eyes,
write it up and print it. But be care
full If don't like it will deny tho
whole of it,
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
Gracious, a. Beautiful

{ stWhile recently at the Royal acad-
envy in London, .. lady correspondent
Of the Baltimore American writes, "a
very beautiful woman kindly offered
me her catalogue and expressed her
critical opinion Of various paintings.
She was a tall brunette, with finely
chiseled features, a rose-tinted com
plexion and pert expression, combin-
ing q face which was strikingly IA
miliar. Her robust figure was envel--..
oped in q long brown plush coat Dor
aered with fur, and it was not until we
had made our adieux that it was dis
covered that the fair stranger was the
duchess Of Leinster, the rel ning beauty
of Ireland, whose photo phs are more
extensively sold than those Of any other
member Of the aristocracY. = ss
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
Names First Hanging.

The first execution in what is now
the state Of Maine took place on the
Limestone hill, in the town Of Thomas
ton, Ia 1850, when jeremiah Brown was
hanged by order Of Gen. Wadsworth
for blending aid and comfort to the
enemy" Brown was hauled to the top
Of the hill il an OK cart and strung up
to an old pine tree, having first been
bindfolded with pocket handkerchief
borrowed from one Of the spectators
Being the location Of the state prison,
Thomaston has seen 9 great many exc
cutions since, the last having been that
.of Daniel wilkinson, in 1885. There e
10 capital punishment IN Maine now. u
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
NATURAL BAROMETERs.
Rocks in Mexico Which ForeteH tbs
Weather.

Rocks in Mexico Which Foreteu tn.
Weather.
A traveller who has just returned
from a tour through Mexico, during
which he visited many of the out of the
way places usually passed over by trav-
elers, gives an account of a singular
rock to be found near the little village
of Chilpancigno in the Sierra Madre del
Sur. This rock he describes as being
possessed Of the property of being able
to foretell rain, and is said by the ma
tives to be infallible. The traveller in
question was able to witness several
which repeatedly foretola shower
twenty-four hours before any other
warning of it's approach was given.
The rock stands alone in little valley
unusually fertile and green, and seems
to protrude from the ground rather than
rest upon it's surface.
1t is irregular in shape, about five
feet in height and ten feet about the
base, and in &air weather is Of a dull,
grayish tint, and as smooth as polished
marble to the touch, but unnaturally
cold. On the approach OF rain it loses
it's neutral color and begins to turn "a
dingy red, deepest about the base, and
light pink about the summit. Its
temperature increases to about sixty de-
grees Fahrenheit, and it presents the
appearance of being slowly heated by
an internal fire. This heat and crimson
color increases rapidly as the atDaos-
phere grows heavier until the rain be-
gins to fall, when, according TO it's de-
scent, the rock CLOVIS and becomes
lighter in hue. ...
When the shower is over the warmth
and color gradually depart, and the
gray tint is resumed and the rock be-
comes cold. During electrical disturb
ances this mineral barometer often as
sumes highly heated appearance,
emitting pale blue light, and is so
strongly charged with electricity as to
be unapproachable. Mineralogists who
have examined the stone declare them
selves at loss to identify it. -....
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
ANIMALS ARE DRuNKARDS.
Vegetable Saloons Of Gu2temala One Of
tho Curiostties of Nature.

Vegetable Saloons Of Guatemala Ono Of
tho Curiostties of Nature.
Hugh Tracey, an Englishman touring
the United States before returning to q
branch of his house established in
Guatemala, talked in q novel way the
other day at the Leland apropros Of
the DR.. Kelley cure, says the Chicago
News. .....
s*The doctor has recently visited Lon
don,'' said Mr.. Tracey, "and was
amused at some phases Of the discus
sion which his visit brought up. For
instance, the responsibility of animals
in regard to strong drink was frequent
~ held up as an example to human
Beings. Now, as q matter of fact, al
most all animals would be drunkards 1t
they had the chance to contract the
drinking habit. In Guatemala we have
plants which live by eating animal
flesh, and to obtain this they intoxicate
their victims. Some of them are in
themselves vegetable whisky shops,
since they contain large pouches filed
with liquor equally as powerful, and
into which little animals and insects
Jump and proceed to drink themselves
to death. Their dead bodies are then
gradually absorbed by the plant. Some
of the larger victims attempt to leap out
of the place before they are too drunk
to move, but they find that the vigor-
Gus saloon-keeper has barred the way
by turning downward two sharp spikes,
which pierce the body of anything at
tempting to escape. ...
ssThe wonderful plants of Guatemala
are absolutely unknown in England and
the United States. I hope to arrange
for an adequate display of them to be-
made in connection with the Guatemala
exhibit at the worlds fair"
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
A Cargo of Snakes.

! A curious live cargo landed in Ham
burg. It consists of collection Of
snakes and serpents made by the agents
of a gnaturalist in that city. For the
purpose of transit they were placedin.
long coffin-like cases, with holes bored
for ventilation and feeding. When un-
packed they became much excited
Some of the assistants, in endeavoring
to recapture them as they wound them.
selves round posts and stair balusters,
sustained bites, which, however, have
not proved serious. Some of the larger
ones also took to swallowing the small
err fry, The demand for them from
geological societies, -charmers
and others appears to be considerable.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14

$4I ss posed u !
Va western maidens who reteiye the e
slavish alteration 81 admirers who
court Won ii the parlor apart from ~ y
prying eyes, listen to this from sunny J.
italy:, cat the far end Of Naples, "
saws the Catholic Union and Times,
..lies the church Of Santa MARIA
Auntiata, which once q year, on the
day Of Our Lady, wakes up into Dr1e1
life and excitement. In silent row
before the high altar kneel thirty
girls, all in black garments, with
folded hands and eyes fixed on the
picture Of the Madonna before them.
These are orphans from the neighbor-
ing founding asylum; and once q year
all those who have reached the age OF
eighteen are brought here to the
church and may be chosen IN marriage
by any honest man whose papers are
in order and whose character is good.
At the door leading to the sacristy
leans a gray headed priest, the head OF
the asylum. By and by man makes
his way from the back OF the church
and hands him little packet OF papers.
Then the priest reads carefully, and
being evidently satisfied, he gives back
the papers and leads the candidate
toward the row of girls. All eyes are
fixed more steadfastly than ever on
the altar, all their hands are clasped
tighter together, their faces turn
shade paler, their hearts beat quicker
as the young man walks slowly along
the row. At last he stops. His choice
is made. He stretches out his hand
with little smile. The girl rises, puts
her hand into that of the stranger and
together they disappear into the
sacristy. The ice being thus broken,
other suitors come forward
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
ENGLISH PEERS.
Some of Che Mental Offices Which They |
Perfornas

PGr}OTn.
L have always thought, says Henry
Labouchere in the Forum, that it is
somewhat unfair that moneys expended
in buying peers should be credited to
the civil list of the sovereign. 1t the
business Of the house of lords can be
carried on only by such means, it should
be openly avowed, and parliament
should be asked TO vote the necessary
ssreptile fund" Whenever it is sug-
gested that members Of the house OF
commons should be paid, the proposal
is denounced by the party to which
the vast majority of these greedy rep
tiles belong, as something degrading to
the dignity of parliament; and yet these
very peers snarl and quarrel over the
distinction of highly paid court posts
among themselves, whenever their
party comes into power, like pack OF
hungry ours over some bones that are
thrown into their kennel. What would
be thought, in the United States, of the
senate, were each incoming president
able to distribute salaries to some thirty
senators for performing ceremonial
duties about his person or about that OF
his wife? Would the senate be deemed
independent of the executive were it
possible to give a senator from the
north many thousands Of dollars per
annum for walking backward before
the president with white stick, sem
ator from the south a huge income for
looking after the presidential dogs, and
the wife of senator from the west
big salary for presiding over the gowns
and petticoats Of Mrs. President?
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
\ ri IA. 49,. 80 Z, 8 8. !,
SSfiSabi OF HuInGI


ssY.ehnanswlll no IL the proprietor Of an
infant with d premature sense of hnmor
is deserving Of allopathic quantities OF
sympathy, says the New York CONNER
cial Advertiser. Such a man with such
an infant, accompanied by its doting
mamma, rode up town in a Sixth av-.
enue r train at about eight o'clock last
night. The man was Of digniied pien,
and wore pair of old fashioned specta-
Giles with all the gravity Of a Heidelberg
professor. His heir-apparent was IN
deep mental stress, and uttered piercing
wells with the precision and accuracy
of rapid-dre gun. From the hand Of
the heir-apparent dangled a small and
highly farcical straw sailor hat
''Let baby put it on you, William
whispered the doting mamma to the in
fant's paternal progenitor; sit pleases
him SO much, and he'll stop crying for
minute
do you want your husband to look
like an absolute ass before a car load OF
people?' answered he OF the spectacles
ooh! William, how can you speak to
me that way?" And she threatened for
g. moment to indulge in a weeping
match with her offspring.
Sadly the man removed his tile and
sadly bowed his head. With a g11rgle
of glee the infant carefully fastened his
little white hat over his fathers right
ear. The infant was not alone in that
gurgle; everybody in the car joined IN,
for the father, when he raised his head
again, looked extremely like penny
comic valentine done in four colors.
He Immediately turned beautiful
vermillion tint, but the way in which
he stood the grins and chuckles Of those
about him would have done credit to
the traditional major. Every attempt
on the part of the father to covertly
slide off his infants weirdly absurd
headgear brought renewed yowls from
the young one, who finally laughed
himself into sound sleep.
1t was then the harassed parent
stealthily resumed his tile and buried
his beetlike countenance behind an ex-
pansive newspaper.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
NAPOLEON as A SMOKER.
One Trial Of the Weed Was Enough for
Him.

Ono Trial Of tho Weed Was Enough for
Although In later life Napoleon was a
votary Of the snuff box, he was never
known to attempt smoking but once.
The Persian ambassador having pre-
sented him with magnificent oriental
pipe, he wished to give it q trial. After
being instructed how to proceed, he de-
sired his attendant, Constant, to light.
it. 1t was accordingly properly charged.
and lighted. But scarcely had he.
drawn mouthful, when the SMOKE.
which he did not know how to expef
from his mouth, turned back by his
palate, penetrated into his throat and
came out by his nose, nearly binding
him. AS soon as he recovered breath
he exclaimed: ''Iake that away.-what
an abomination! The brutesl My
stomach is quite upset!' In fact, he
was so annoyed for more than an hour
that he renowned forever all desire TO
try the experiment. again. .
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
No Illiterates In Bavaria.

According to the late military statis-
tics there are no illiterate persons in
Bavaria. Among 2,722 recruits enlisted
in the army in the Palatinate there
were only three individuals who could
not read or write. But that district
forms no exception to the rule. The
general number of recruits from the en-
tire population was 20,584, and among
them were only six illiterate persons.
OF the three iliterates of the Palatinate
one came from Lower Bavaria and two
from Upper Franconia. Oberpfolz,
Central Franconia, Lower Franconia
and Swaben did not get single litter
ate into the army.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
SBKBYs PLE4SuRE.H BETs ON
10. 81. ,sls III

Less Indis iduaIly. ass ~
quite 50 obable TINT there are
just now no men who gamble quite 50
heavily, except in stocks, as did the
''plungers'' in the early part Of this
century, says writer in the Forum.
There were in England a-dozen men
who made S25O,OOO books on the
derby alone, and as late as 1856 q
s.bookmaker" bet 100000 to 5000
against each of three horses in one
race. In 1s43 the owner of the derby
favorite backed" him publicly to win
$3.50, 900, besides his private bets. The
ring of sbookmakers'' paid to one circle
of betters million dollars when "Lec-
turer" won the Cesarewitch.
The owner of more than one derby
winner collected 100000 on the next
settling day, and in several other years
would have pocketed 100000 if their
colts had been first past the post.
Most men who now have money and
the ''nerve" to make such enormous
bets have given up horse-racing in favor
of another game which has still higher
possibilities, and, instead of wagering
100000 on a horse and calling it
gambling, they deposit the same
amount as margin in stock specu-
lation and call it business.
Although individuals do not lay such
heavy wagers as were sometimes made
by the ''plungers" of old, much more
money is wagered now than was
risked fifty years ago. The difference
is that, while then one man bet $10o, 900,
now ten men each bet $40, 900, and the
total amount wagered is doubled. OF
single bets made On American horse
races the following instances are taken
from the records: Haughton bet Wal
ton $4,000 to $1,000 against Girode;
Haughton bet Kelly $4,000 to $4,000
against Henlopen; Appleby & johnson
bet ?. Lorillard $1,000 to $4,000
against Pizarro, and $4,000 to S., 900
against Leo in the same race. In each
of these cases it is probable that the
owners risked ten times these amounts
OH each of the races, as the bets above
stated were only made with one ''book
Maker
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
Queer Chinese Ways.

The Chinese have queer ways Of do
ing things. They boil their rice in flat
iron boilers so thin that they burn
through very quickly. Some English
makers thought the boilers should be
thicker, and sent some thick ones there,
but the Chinese refused to use them,
saying that they were too thick, be
cause, to get the rice boiling, they
would have to spend more in fuel than
II would cost to renew the thin boiler.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14
a GOOD SETTER.
He Kept 3 Close Watch Upon tho Biroa
without Results.

He Kept Close Watch Upon the Biraa
Without Results.
4 He had the reputation Of being q
fguitless setter when bought him and
! told all my friends about his wonder
full ability, says a sportsman in the
Nashville Herald. j talked of him so
mnch that they would begin on the sub
tsca themselves when they saw ms
po,ning, as If by natural association.
FINALLY they tried to depreciate the dog
sa,d said they didn't believe It was any
ching like the setter said it was and
asked if I believed in him SO much why
I didn't show it up some time and let
them Judge for themselves. was thus
I'D to inviting half a dozen ont quail
hunting with me, though wasn't quite
xure of the dog after all. We went on
D little camping tour and found things
h pretty fair condition for good hunt.
There was plenty of quail. For the
first day the dog did very wei Ind be-
gan to feel triumphant about him. We
hagged dozens of birds and were jubi-
liant.
The next day, however, when we
STARTED out rather late in the morning
he dog was Of no account whatever.
We took Dick, the colored cook, along
with us to help carry the game, and we
aouldn't get the dog away from his side.
We tried every way in the world to
urge him to begin operations, but he
refused to do anything except sit and
hook. pitifully at Dick. He followed him
wherever he went, and il he stepped
the dog would sit down and begin look
ing earnestly at him again. Finally we
sent one Of the boys back to the tent TO
ret some Of the dead birds. said !
Thought that would act as a reminder
Is the dog. The boy came back and
raid he couldn't find bird. He had
looked through our tent and the cooks
tent bnt there was not 9 sign OF one.
III said. s'what has become a
those BIRDS? 85s
n The pa' trid gees, sab e
q q
n thought; yon M had Is much
/ You an took de- rest. s'ss
a, them q
lII y |, s. Il'llt -