davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
NAMED ASSISTANCE.
aow 9 Knight of the Road Attacked Q
 Meeting of peacons.

a
 Meeting of DeacOns.
 The trustees had just begun the busi- ness of their monthly meeting, and Deacon Smith had the floor, says the New York Evening Sun. They were legIslating for enc of South Norwalk's most prosperous churches. Two of the members had late business engagements in the city, and Deacon Smiths shop on the main street, near the station, had been chosen for the meeting this month for the sake of convenience. The deacon was well under way when the outer door was seen to open slightly and he paused to note the cause of the interruption.
 Connecticut is famed for the extensive variety of it's tramps, and one of the most ointeresting type now appeared. His entrance into the room was made in a thoroughly original manner. When tho door was sufficiently ajar to admit of his head it popped in on the aston ished deacons, surmounted by most diIapidated hat and complemented by smiling face and full, ragged beard. When he became assured that no tan gible obstacle was on it's way to meet him he opened the door wide, and, with another glance of satisfaction on the benevolent faces that surrounded him, he softly closed the door behind him and stepped jauntily forward, with his hat in his hand. His hair hung down over his face in rakish way, but with a graceful sweep of his long arm he caught up wad of it in his hand and laid it back from his forehead. He had on long frock coat fastened close ly around his waist by a thorn, and from the flowing flap above oozed out the ends of a much-soiled handkerchief. His closelyftting trousers, through numer- ous portals of which protruded his in teresting self, seemed to run without any dividing line into the shoe and boot which respectively incased his feet.
 The deacons had time to note these peculiarities before the stranger broke the silence. His voice seemed to em- anate from that particular boot and emerged with a most pronounced French accent, which will here be omitted.
 "Gentiemcn," he began, 'yOur pardon for disturbing you, but I am very sick"
 He paused after this announcement to note the effect.
 'I went to the doctor" he soon con- tinued, ''and he gave me the piils-see, the pills" and he held up to view small bottle which he had in the palm of his hand.
 'He said take the pills, three after each mel. and would like very much to have some assistance"
 Well, why in thunder don't you take your piiis, then, and not come bother ing here!" interposed deacon who was becoming tired.
 "Gentiemen," replied the tramp, with much unction, "I can not take the pills; I have no meal"
 He got that meal.
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
4 sHO7-ciRL's PROTEST.
She Doesn't Want the Sya apathy of HIii
 guided PhilanthrCpIsts.

She Doesn't Want the Sya lpathy of HIis-
 guided PhilanthrCpIsts.
 The Chicago Tribune recently re- received the following from a retail house on State street:
 ''I want to protestagainst this twaddle about the poor shOp-girl. 1 have heard 1t rung in my ears for weeks, day and night. And from people who know nothing about our business and really care less. 1 am tired of being pointed out as weary shop-girl. l am tired of being asked the question by people whom never saw before and probably will never see again until 1 run up against them in the next world, and then l shall expect them to say to me: You poor, tired thing. You look too weary to twang your harp
 ''Let me tell these sympathetic creatures something. We do get tired. So do the bank clerks. and 1 suppose there is such thing as newspaper men tiring. But they are never singled out as we are as objects of sympathy. You may think I am ungrateful. I am not. I don't want any so-called sympathy from strangers. Besides, I would like to inform the sympathizers that the average shop-g;rl of to-day is better off for being such. She is we'll treated by her employer. Of course she has to work. She is not employed as picture. I know one manager in Chi cago who never allows a girl in search of work to leave his place without one days pay in her pocket. If she is worthy she may be retained. During the crowded season just passed know of many shop-girls who were not only given extra pay and furnished with lunches and dinners, but given valuable presents, and their home people were, in some instances, remembered by man. agers and employers. Many did not re- ceive such consideration, and 1 have no doubt that in a majority of such cases they did not receive it because they did not merit it. If the shop-girl attends to her business she will get along all right and won't need so much sympathy"
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
POOR HOTEL-kEEPING.
The Noble Work Done by a ReformeF
 COOn-Skin Cap.

The Noble Work Done by a ReformeF In
 COOn-Skin Cap.
 One night a year ago, writes a New York Sun correspondent, there were half a dozen of us to go up to the village ho- tel in the rickety old bus, and among the crowd was 8 solemn-looking old chap, dressed in very plain goods and wearing a coon-skin cap. It was the typical village hotel landlord in the bar-room, a very fresh young man be- hind the register, mighty little for sup per, and that poorly cooked, and there was more or less growing. The man with the cOon-skin cap was treated very brusquely by the clerk, and the frowsy- headed waiter girl didn' tseem to care whether he had any thing to eat or not. He didn't say much, but it was evident that he was mad.
 After supper the landlord and "Coon- skin" had a private confab. When it was ended the old man came downstairs, opened the front door, and then turned to the clerk, and said:
 "You git!'
 "What do you mean?"
 ''I have rented this hotel. Skip!'
 The clerk put on his coat and hat and walked out. Then "Coon-skin" sent word to the cook and waiter girl to be out in half an hour, for the hostler to be gone by midnight, and for the bar keeper to vacate by noon the next day. He kindly allowed us to stop over night, but we had to get our breakfast at a bakery By noon the doors of the hotel were nailed up. signs of closed" posted, and as we footed it down to the depot the solemn old man thawed out sufi- ciently to observe:
 ''I'm after seven more of 'em along this line of railroad, and if I can shut 'em up the public will be in my debt. I have figured 1t out to my entire satisfaction, and l truly believe that three-ffths of the crime in this country is melted by poor hotel-keeping.
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
DERIVATION OF CHICAGO.
The Name Seems to Come from an Indian
 Term Meaning Skunk.

The Name Seems to Come from an Indian
 Term Meaning Skunk.
 A. F. Chamberlain writes this in Notes and Queries, on the derivation of Chicago (Vol. iii, p. 273). The usual etymology given for this word is that adopted by LacOmbe ("Dict. ct Gramm. de Ia La4>-ue des Cris," 1s74, p. 7O6): "ChicagO (Cris) pour: chGtak, ou, Sikak, betepuante, putois, qui au locatif, fait chikGk0k;:" Cuoq. ("'Lexique de la Langue AlgOnquine," 1886, pp. SS, S9): "ChicGgO pour chicdcOng, Ia bete puante;;' Mclean (''the Indians; Their Manners and Customs" 1859, p. 23): "ChicGgO, from chicag, Q skunk" Petitot (''En Route pour Ia Mer Glaciale," 1888, p. SO): "Chicak0uk, en hilline un trou de putois, est, de fait, un bien sale nom, ma foi! pour une si belle ville;" Captain Kelton (''Indian Names of Places Near the Great Lakes," 1SSS).
 Dr. D. G. Brinton (American Anti quarian and Oriental Journal, Vol. xii, p. 6S) says: ''This popular etymOlogy is worse than doubtful. In Chipeway tc2iEakam Gin which the final syllable is nasal, sounding to English ears like an obscure O), means simply near the shore, and this is the real origin of the name Chicago"
 Another suggested derivation is that given in the 1880 edition of Chambers Encyclopedia, from an Indian word, meaning "wild onion" Gin Algonkin, cikak2cack; Cjebways, Shegauguh,ounzh).
 In the account of La Sale (16S2), in Margry's Voyages les Francais sur les Grands Lacs, etc." Q8S0), ''la riviere de CAIcGgoua' is mentioned (p. 55O), and afterward it is stated that "Les Cicaca ou ChicGtha sont au sud de cette riviere," and notice is also taken of tune petite riviere que les CAicacha, ap- pellant ChicAachG" (p. 552.) There is further mention (p. 593) of tune certaine petite riviere que Ton appelle ChicagO."
 Schoolcraft (p. 573) says: "This word is derived from the odor of the wild leek, formerly abundant on Chicago creek, and the local termination of the words in O.
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
RUINED BY A CIPHER.
A Mans Life Wrecked by Moment of
 EOrgetfulness.

There goes a man whose life was ruined by forgetting the simple charac- ter O. said prominent railroad man to a San Francisco Examiner reporter, pointing to ragged, besotted man shambling along the street, unmindful of the rain.
 He was train dispatcher on the Ohio & Mississippi railroad once, having worked up to that position from messen- ger boy in the telegraph office. One Sunday he had only two trains on his division, an express train Westward bound and a fast stock train running East. The day was warm and sultry, and Bill, for that was his name, had hard work to keep awake. He knew that as soon as he made the meeting point for the two trains he could doze, and he impatiently awaited the time. When the trains were close enough to- gether for him to figure meeting point he sent an order to the passenger train to meet and pass the stock train at little station called Willow Valley, fixing the time at 12:5O. To the stock train he sent an order that it could have until 1:25 to make Willow Valley for the passenger. See the mistake. He forgot the o, and hence gave the stock train thirty-five minutes more than he should. Bill saw his mistake ten minutes after he had made it, but there being no telegraph station between the points where the trains were given the orders or at the meeting point he could do nothing to rectify it. He sent for the superintendent and ordered out the wrecking crew, then sat at the key pale as death, the cold precipitation running down his face in streams, awaiting news of the collison.
 It came. The passenger train reached Willow Valley on time, waited the re- quired thirty minutes under the time card rules for the freight train and then pulled out. Three minutes later the two trains met on curve, both run ming at high rate of speed. Fourteen lives were lost in the collision, besides S100,00 worth of property destroyed. Bill resigned at once, and the next day disappeared. For a long time it was thought he had committed suicide, but met him on the street here one day just as you see nina total wreck"
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
A WOMAN'S FOOT.
What Its Dimensions Should Be, and
 How It Should Be Used.

What Its Dimensions Should Be, and
 How It should Be Used.
 A wOman's foot should be in length little less than one-seventh of her height; it should be arched on the top so that the line is that of one-half of Cupids bow, and underneath so that if it is wet and set on the floor it will leave in the middle onlya slender water mark, broadest across the ball; the rosy toes, of which the second should be the longest, should spread flat upon the ground at every step. The heel should be rosy and descend almost Tn a straight line from behind, the ankle delicately rounded. The soft and cushion-like in- step should be marked by faint blue veins.
 The foot, says the New York Journal, donctes character, as well as the face.
 Ladies of Spanish descent have the smallest feet. For long time Spanish etiquette forbade a woman's foot to be seen. Hence the old adage that ito know the length of a wOman's foot was to enjoy a great degree of favor"
 Women should walk from the hip, the waist being still, except from that gentle wiliOwy motion which accompan- ies the most graceful figures.
 One of the best wodes of attaining this walk from the hip is to practice walking with something poised on the head. The graceful Hindoo girl can carry pitcher on her head unsupported by her hand, because she moves from the hip, not from the waist or shoulder.
 Most American women walk badly. A peculiar fact about many New York women with very small feet is that they walk with heavy, humping step, as if they were club-footed. This may be due to the fact of tight shoes, for it is almost an invariable weakness of ladies with naturally small feet to pinch those members unmercifully.
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
CONCERNING CATARACT.
A Disease Of the Eye Which Usually Att tacIxs Elderly Persons Only.

A Disease Of the Eye Which Usually Att tacIs Elderly Persons Only.
 The crystalline lens of the eye is sit uated just behind the pupil, and lies be- tween two fluids, the aqueous in front and the vitreous behind. Its object is to focus the rays of light which pass through the pupil upon the retina be- hind, where they act upon the terminal ends of the optic nerve, and thus give vision. This lens seems to get it's sus- tenance from the fluids in which it is immersed, and when disease of it's structure occurs it probably arises from some lack of proper nutrition from these sources.
 Perfect transparency of the lens IS es- sential to good vision. When any DOT tion of it becomes opaque the entrance of light is obstructed, or it passes through in an irregular manner, and loss of vision, more or less complete, re- suits. The condition of OpaquenesS con stitutes what is known as cataract It may affect only portion of the lens, or the whole may be so dense as to pre- vent the perception of any object, though it can never of itself be so com plete as to shut of entirely the sensa- tion of light. | Cataract may be congenital, or it may come on in youth or in adult life, but by far the majority of cases occur in persons over fifty years of age, in whom it takes the name of senile cataract. Generally there is found some embar- rassment in the use of the eyes for longer or shorter period before the opacity is visible to the eye.
 The cloudiness usually has a definite starting-point, and from that place it may progress until the whole lens is in- volved, or it may be arrested spontane- ously in any part of it's course. Such cases of arrest have given rise to the be- lief that certain nostrums will prevent the formation of cataract, or will re- move it.
 In reality no means is known of stay ing or preventing it. The only hope lies in removing the mechanical ob- struction by surgical methods.
 The form of cataract which follows an injury is explained by the fact that the capsule which surrounds the lens is ruptured, and portion of the fluid en- ters the lens and produces 8 sodden con dition at one point, from which the dis integration may continue.
 There seems to be a predisposition to the formation of cataract in some people, for in elderly persons, when one eye has become affected, the other is very likely to pass through the same experience. While it is best, Tn order to get the most satisfactory result, to delay the operation until the cataract is ripe" that period being the time when it is most easily removed, one should never wait until the sight is entirely lost, for there is danger that the process may go So far as to render any operation entire ly fruitless. Companion
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
NEWSPAPER FAKES.
A Name Applied to Imaginative Pieces of
 News.

A Name Applied to Imaginative Pieces of
 News.
 Many interesting stories could be told by some newspaper writers if they choose as their subject the significant little word flake
 Years ago, observes the New York Commercial Advertiser, when the ''moon hoax" was printed in the Sun, ''faking" was known as "hOaxing." As it became more and more common in certain news papers, particularly during the war, flake" was called canard. At last an apparently suitable name has been found for falsehood clothed in truth ful type. Imaginative pieces of news are now called simple flakes"
 Fakes are often killed in their infancy or before they appear in print to go be- fore the world as genuine news. An in- stance of this kind occurred recently in the editorial rooms of a morning paper. It was midnight when a newspaper writer of note hurried into the city de- partment and whispered hurriedly into the ever-ready ear of the night city editor
 ''It must be good beat to be worth S50," said the editor. What is it?" There was more whispering by the newspaper writer, low whistle from the editor and nod of approval. Half an hour later the copy of ''an exclusive sensation" lay on his desk and the news paper writer was hurrying to the count ing-room with an order for $50 in cash.
 But the story never appeared, although it had narroT escape. The plot was laid in Washington, but through one small error tho hoax was discovered. While tie writer acknowl edged the fake he unconcernedly ex- cused it by saying that he arrived in town without his pocket-book and had to raise money immediately"
 Other less daring fakers confine them selves to bogus interviews with promi- nent persons in stories that are published as rumors in one edition to be con- tradicted in the next. Some fake writers delight to write wonderful yarns about actors and actresses. Jay Gould has furnished columns of clever fakes in his eventful career, while MT. Cleveland, General Sherman, Chauncey M. Depew and a numher of other not able men have been victims of fakes, many of which have almost passed as facts into history of their lives. As specimen of the genuine flake" the Hayes chicken-raising story may be cited. Many persons believe to-day that Rutherford E. Hayes, once President of the United States, is raising chickens for pleasure and profit at his Ohio home. That story was an amusing lake," and it lived
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
SlSRANDS.

Post office: Show Low Arizona.
 Range: Show Low creek, Silver creek, lagun6 Ortega and Laguna Salada.
 Horse brand C C left shoulder.l
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
IA LITTLE NONSENSE"

A Common Cause. Briggs -"}yon- der what possessed him to jump into the river?' Braggs-'There was 9 woman at the bottom of it, I believe. "-Terre Hsute Express.
 Western Visitor-"Just add some stewed tomaytOes to my order." Boston Waiter-"I suppose you mean tomab- toes" Western Visitor-"Well, maybe I do, and while you are about it bring me some fried potahtoes. ."-American. Little Brother-"Mr Poseyboy, won't you go and stand before the window" Poseyboy-'Certainly, my little man, but why?" Little Brother ''Oh, ma says she can see through you. I want to see if can. ."-Burlington Free Press.
 Physician ito Mrs. Colonel Blood, of Kentucky)-"How did your husband pass the night. Mrs. Blood?" Mrs. Blood-''He seemed quite comfortable, sir, and asked for water several times" Physician (with grave loolz)-'H'm- still fighty."-Boston Beacon.
 Farewell, farewell, o faith less one; dis heart am yoah's no morep Chloe-''Git outl git out! yo' silly chump; yo' see dat open door?" 'I leab yo' now; wifi darkened brow seek der midnights black expanse!" ''Well, go; but watch da d's terrier-he might catch on 70 pantsr'-Texas Siftings-
 Henry" cried Mrs. Smythers, ''there are burglars in the house! Get right up and go downstairs" ''No, my dear" returned the reverend gentle man, 'T hear them in the study now. Perhaps they will get away with Q few of those dressing gowns and pieces of knitted bric-a-brac we have received. l don't know what else to do with them" --Harper's Bazaar.
 2 Young Husband Gnspecting pair of newly-mended stockings)-''Why, this darn" Young Wife Gnter rupt- ing)-"Oh, Charles! Please don't swear about it. Don't use such language. 1 did the best knew. Oh, boo-hoo! boo hoop Young Husband (comforting the distressed) )-"Why, Myrtle love, what's the matter? only started to say this darning was simply superb "-Drake's Magazine.
 -Wife-'Henry, fear we shall have to look out for another house." Illus band-'Why, I thought you were well pleased when I secured this one." Wife -"So was, and it still suits me just as we'll" Husband-"Why, then, this no- tion of changing?" Wife-"Well, the cook and chambermaid both object to the arra npernent of the houea and to it's being off the beat of their favorite po- liceman. We'll have to move back to the old locality. y."-Boston Budget.
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
A Numerous Family.

There are some good-sized families in Maine to-day, but probably none so large as one mentioned in the histories of old colonial days. It is told on the authority of Cotton Mather that the first royal Governor of Boston was one of family of twenty-six children, and was born in the woods of Maine near the mouth of the Kennebec in 1851. His mother was left a widow when he was a child, and is said to have mad all she could do to provide for the wants of her family. It is hoped that when the Gov ernor got s1OO.OOO, knighthood and 8 goblet valued at s, 600 as a reward for finding a Spanish treasure-ship that had gone to the bottom half century before, he remembered his mother and made her last days easier than her earlier ones had been.
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
UNDER RECOGNIzANCE.
How a Georgia Judge Disposed of {
 Tough Boarding House Ham.


 Tough Boarding House Ham. ''We had all been attending court on the blank circuit, said an old lawyer to an Atlanta Constitution man, "and old Judge Wisdom had presided with his usual dignity. Tn the town of Hardluck we had finished the weeks business, and were all seated at the table of Mrs. Edgecut's clearinghouse, finishing the farewell dinner.
 Mrs. Edgecut had been very kind and attentive to Us all during the week, and that day she was more considerate than ever. On the table reposed cold boiled ham, as hard as a hickory maui and as stale. We had cut, and hacked, and clipped from it's callous surface all the week, and still it came up fresh and smiling, tho center dish ol the table meal after meal.
 'Gentlcmcn, ahemr said Judge Wis dom; conduct yourselves with proper deportmert now Then, rising from his scat, he began: To all and singular, the shcri.TS, c0nstables and other off cers Of tho county aforesaid, greeting: recognize this ham, and do hereby cOmm&n1 sad ham to be and appear at the fall term of the honorable superior court in and for said county, and to ap- pear from day to day and from term to term unul properly dismissed by the court
 Great guns! Old Mrs Edgecut had stood in the corner, arms folded and smile of pleasant anticipation on her face when the judge arose, but as he proceeded she stood mute and paralyzed for q moment, and then burst forth such a torrent of abuse and invectives as we had never heard before. Judge Wis Iom's conclusion was drowned in the Itorm of her wrath"
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
Why the Barber Pole Is Striped.

Anciently barbers performed minor operations in surgery, particularly bleeding. To assist in this operation the patient would grasp staff or pole which was always kept by the barber surgeons. To this staff was tied the tape used in bandaging the patients arm. When not in use the pole was hung outside as sign of the duties per formed within. Later. the identical pole used by patients was not exhibited as a sign, but instead a painted pole was placed beside the doorway. Atfrst surgeons poles were painted red and white striped, while those of mere bar bers were required to be white and blue. This law was enforced in England up to 1T92.-St. Louis Republic
The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-22
4 Curious Calculation.

Justice, a London paper, has been giving the results of some curious calculations, which, if correct, will make fellow little cautious about guessing on the size of a crowd and offering to bet his last dollar that he is right. According to the calculator on the staff of Justice. all the people in the world, about 1,400, eco, O0O, could stand in field ten miles square, and, by the aid of telephones, could be addressed by single speaker