davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
A Gigantic Wooden Statue.

In the japanese capital there is a
gigantic image of woman, made Of
wood q and plaster, and dedicated to
Hachiman, the god of war: In height it
measures tifty-four feet; the head alone,
which is reached by a winding stairway
in the interior o, the figure. being large
enough to comfortably hold twenty per-
sons. The figure holds huge wooden
sword in one hand, the blade OF the
weapon being twenty seven feet long,
and q ball twelve feet in diameter in the
other. Internally the model is fitted up
with extraordinary anatomical arrange
ment which is supposed to represent the
different portions of the brain. A fine
view of the country is obtained by look
ING through one of the eyes OF the
figure. The admission to all parts OF the
structure is two cents.
Japanese tradition says that during the
time of the Te-S homeng rebellion, IN
500. hundreds of cords of wood were
niled around it and fired, but that the
sacred object itself failed to burn or to
even be scorched by the t1ames.-lst.
Louis Republic.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
Dried Human Heads.

The National Museum does not go in
for horrors, but some gruesome things
are to be found there nevertheless.
For example, there are two human
heads from the upper Amazon. dried in
weird and extraordinary fashion. The
natives on the high slopes of the Andes
delight in chopping off the heads of
their enemies and preserving them for
ornamental and other purposes. Their
method is to make cut with knife
around the lower part of the neck and
draw the skin off over the head, taking
care to preserve intact the nose, mouth
and other features.
Next, the skin is turned right side out
and the lips are sewn together with
coarse Irvine, such as grocers use, leav-
ing fringe of the string hanging down
for length Of two feet from the chin of
the departed foe. Finally, the head,
thus bereft of its skull, is filled with hot
gravel, which makes it shrink. The hot
gravel is renewed as often as may be
necessary until the head has shrunk to
quarter the size of that of q newborn
child. ..u.. -=..
The appearance of head thus treated
is grotesque beyond describing. Its face
is that of human being reduced to a
scale of four-months' embryo. The
features are perfect and the nostrils and
lips are as in life, though the color is
inky black. Perhaps the lips are knit
together SO that they may not reply
when spoken to, for the custom is to
hang these cheerful trophies by their
long black hair from the rafters of the
family domicile and address to them
vituperatives and jibes on occasions Of
festivity.-[ Washington Star.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
sac san flooring. These pebbles ar. ~.

s Sac noorlng. These pebbles an, M,
. .als, garnets. chrysolite, and oths, h uss-
htol materials. They are nacksd dn ta. nea !.
ike ena' a INC surface composed of them Is
;nte = moor, and they look rs If pressed
~ o"'o ~ with roller. AZ rule. thew Arc
VI nearly uniform size, aud each ,,ne 10
nnshed brilliantly, as if oilad and
ruooed. Most of them are narsact
spheres, and the reflection from them of
sne suns rays is gorgeous beyond d.
scrlpt'on. Each convex s,rf,ce o;vee
oack ray of light, and the oro,,nd fnr
gems. Thus the surface is a combinn.
ZION OF myriads Of rcAectors.
everybody knows, without LOOKING
AZ .ne map, how Lower California runs
south from the Pacific coast like . sort
oi tail, separated from the United States
Tor 1t is part of Mexico. 90 some
people are not aware-by long arm of
the sea called the Gulf Of California
Once the gulf extended in a northerir
alsection goo miles beyond its present
aaland limit. Into that northern extern
SION the great Colorado River emitted
mlliions OF tons of detritus annually.
anml the deposit accumulated in quantity
sufficient to shut off the upper part Of
the gulf, which was thus transformed
into lake. To begin with, of course
1t was salt lake, but it grad. ally be.
came fresh through the influx Of water
from the Colorado. Thereu,on fresh
water fishes, mollusks, and other crea-
lures not of the brine were developed in
1t, and in this way it happens that the
dry bottom of to-day is covered with
their fossil remains.
However, the Colorado, like ether
rivers, has been steadily diminishing in
volume as centuries have gone by: so
that its supply of water was at length
cut Oft from the lake, only dry channels
remaining where once torrents flowed.
One of these old channels is known as
the New River. Within the memory of
tradition of man there has been no flow
worth mentioning through this New
River; but in 1853 a gcologist, Prof.
William G. Blake, attached to a party of
United States engineers which first eX-
plored this region, said in his report that
the desert would again become lake
for time, it there should be an unusual
rising of the Colorado. Now that is
exactly what has occurred recently. A
large tributary of the Colorado, called
the CHA River, has been affected by such
flood as has never been heard OF there
before. Consequently the Colorado,
augmented in volume by this swollen
stream, has poured a part of its overflow
through the New River channel and the
ancient lake bed has become inundated.
Necessarily the water will soon dry up
Boston Transcript.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
Who Were 'Hook and Crook"

There have been many attempts made
to explain the origin of the phrase, SPY
Hook or Crook" The Boston News
Letter of January, 1910, explains the ex-
preston thus: "Hook and Crook were
the names of two English Judges at
the beginning of the last century.
They were both men of eminence in their
profession, but not more remarkable for
anything than the perpetual diversity of
opinion that prevailed between them on
matters of legal jurisprudence. Be the
case what it would, every sutton was sure
to have either Hook or Crook on his
side"
Wilson's "Origin of Familiar Words
and Phrases says that it probably
means "foully like thief or holly like
bishop" the hook being used by burg
lars, the crook being the Bishops GRO
zier. sThe Hand-Boo of Fact and
Fancy" gives the following story under
the heading of "By Hook or Crook"
."rhe great fire at London in 1866 de-
stroyed 10. 200 houses, and in many cases
obliterated all the boundary marks re-
auisite to determine the sites occupied
NY Uullu1uSS pAGSAOAo w enS iAAS. w AASA~
the rubbish was removed, disputes arose
among the people as to the position n, and
extent of their landed estates. These
contentious promised not only iutermina-
bic lawsuits, but also delayed the re-
building Of the city until they could be
settled. Accordingly two of the most
experienced surveyors of the day, Mr.
Charles Hook and Mr.. George Crook,
were called upon to act as arbitrators in
the matter, landowners entering into
compact to take the decision of Hook
and Crook as final and binding. From
this fact arose the famous phrase which
heads this article"
As fourth and last solution of the
mystery, an old London legend tells us
that the numerous families of Hook and
Crook formerly did the ferry business for
the whole of the British metropolis. No
odds on what boat you crossed the
Thames you were sure to ride with Hook
or Crook. st. Louis Republic.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
He Liked the Family.

Governor Jackson, of Missouri, was
great favorite among the fair sex. His
first wife was a Miss Sappington. His
second wife was Miss Sappington, sis
ter of his first wife. His third wife was
also a Miss sappington, sister of the
first and second wife. When he came
the third time to ask old Colonel Sap
pineton for his daughter the Colonel
said: =,
times now. and haven't anything left
hut the old woman. suppose you will
come for her next, but I give you due
notice that she is my own private prop
erty, and you can't have her"
Governor Jackson laughed immoder-
ately at the Colonel's joke, but he never
had occasion to make fourth call upon
the sappington family.-lst. Louis
Republic.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
Furniture Pain ting


There is another craze which is hover
ing over us and threatens to drop on US
at any momcnt-and that's furniture
painting. 1t has made its way into the
art stores, where women buv their china
outfits and that sort of thing, where
enamel paints appeared fully two years
before they struck the furniture and up
holstery trade proper. The craze has
for some time prevailed in England, and
we wall undoubtedly be but a short
while free of it. The wood is selected
in the plain, and is in screens, over
mantels, cabinets, clock cases, tables,
cupboards, corner brackets, hat rails.
and articles of light ware, and the idea
10 to paint them in frivolous styles or APP
ply to Them poker work. gesso wstk. or
other aecorctions.---l Upholsterer, .
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
A Voracious Fish.

In water trough in front of Sullivan's
Hotel on Chelten avenue, Germantown,
there is a black bass that has attracted
the attention of hundreds of people be-
cause of his peculiarities and the degree
of intelligence exhibited on many occa-
sions, says the Philadelphia Times. The
fish is the only inmate of the trough and
has occupied it for two years, to the ex-
clusion of 200 others which had been put
in it for propagation purposes, but the
bass killed them one by one until the en-
tire number had fallen victims to his
voracity. He not only killed the fish
but ate them. He swallows flies by the
dozen, which the boys of the neighbor-
hood gather for him. and the more they
give him the better he appreciates them.
He is fed almost daily on cheese, Holsters
and choice becf-steak, and after he re-
ceivcs his morning complement of the
latter he rises to the surface and splashes
the water furiously with his tail. This
is presumed to be his method of return
ing thanks.
He also eats mice, and several times
during the past week John Leithead, of
engine 10, provided him with this
quality of bait, only to be swallowed
without any ceremony. He likewise eats
birds, and hardly q day passes that he
does not dispose of at least two sparrows
and two chippies. The fact that the
feathers are upon the bodies of the birds
makes little difference to him, and it is
only when the legs have not been re-
moved that he refuses to touch them.
Otherwise he gulps them down with
great rapidity. Although he measures
eighteen inches in length and weighs
about five pounds he causes no trouble
to horses at the trough, and never has
been known to modest one OF them, ex-
cepting Joe Ladley's gray mare, and
! several times he has risen out of the
water and snapped at her while she was
drinking.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
Gold Dollars are Very Scarce.

The act of Congress abolishing the
coinage of gold dollars was approved
Sept. 20, 1890. The reason urged for
its passage was the Inconvenience of
handling the coin because of their small
son, and the fact that silver dollars and
paper currency would answer every pur-
pose for small transactions, says the
Philadelphia Call. Congress saw the
force Of all this and promptly passed the
bill. In anticipation of such action, and
to prevent as far as possible speculation
in the coin, none were struck off last
year at the Philad, lphia mint, and all
paid into the Treasury were recoined
into larger denominations. With the
abolition of the gold dollar, So gold
piece and nickle Scent piece also
passed into obscurity, their coinage be-
coming illegal by the passage of the
same act.
During the forty years that the gold
dollar was in circulation, from 1849 to
1889, 19, 400 1897 were issued of VIII CHI
tS, 223, 439 were coined at the mint in
this city. The New Orleans Mint, which
was engaged in their coinage only from
1849 to 1866. q period of six years, issued
1904, 900. The facilities Of this mint
are now devoted almost exclusively to
silver dollars. The San Francisco Mint
coined but 80. 232, beginning in the year
1854, and continuing at spasmodic in
tervals until 1870, when they ceased en-
tirely. The Dahlonega, Ga, and Char
lottc, N. G., minis, both of which sus-
pended operations in 1861, at the begin
ming Of the war, coined respectively
$72, 500 and $109, 1873 worth of these
minute coins.
From these figures it will be seen that
the great majority of the gold dollars
were coined in this city, the amount du-
ring the fiscal year 1888 being upward
of $50, 900.
Despite the efforts of the Government
to prevent speculation in the coin and to
gather all of them in, many are held by
operators and dealers in rare coin, and
command premium Those of earlier
dates are much more valuable, however,
as shown at recent sale of coins, when
a gold dollar of the date of 1864 sold for
$19.75. This date is very rare, and the
coin was exceptionally perfect On the
same occasion one of the year 1868 was
purchased for $12, and another of 1915
was regarded as cheap at $1G.50.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
ART OF THE srLKMAKER.
The Department Established by tho
United States Failure.

The art of silkmaking and embroidery
10 80 ancient that many OF the finest
features are lost to modern times. When
it il considered that America last year
imported silk fabrics whose value was
over $21, 600, 900, and on the same paid
. duty Of $10, 600, 900 more, the annual
consumption of silk appears startling.
But this is only half of the amount &C.
tually consumed, for the importation of
raw silk in 1889, free Of duty, was valued
at nearly geo, 900, 900, which, being
manufactured into fabrics aud sold at
the enhanced price, duty added, makes
the total consumption Of silk manufac-
lures in the neighborhood of 800, O00,-
900.
The interesting silk culture depart
ment at Washington under Philip
Walker has been closed, on account Of
failure by Congress to appropriate
money to continue it, the claim being
made that recling by machinery has
proven unsuccessful, and reeling by
hand is too expensive. The department
was established in 1885. Nine. Vsccar-
inc, French woman, whose husband 10
an Italian, was brought from Lyons and
remained in charge until the enterprise
was discontinued.
The process of silkmaking,, as de-
scribed by Miss Sara Sweeney, a most
skillful reeler, is full of interest. The
silkworm eggs, the size of faxseed, are
imported from Italy, and about April
Is they are placed on mulberry or Usage
orange leaves in room of proper tenn
perature. In fifteen days the worms are
Matched, almost the size of small ants.
They are then fed on leaves. Within
thirty days the worm has grown from
two to two and a quarter inches, and has
wrapped the silk tilarnent about it,
forming the cocoon. If allowed to rest
undisturbed the worm becomes a moth
and escapes from the small end Of the
cocoon, destroying its value. To pre-
vent this the cocoons are steamed and
baked. Three colors, white, yellow and
green, are produced. When brown spots
made by butterflies appear, they are re-
moved by sailing. The next step is to
cook and brush the cocoons.
Miss May Dolan, who has been in the
cooking department since 1886, is ma
tive Of Washington City She, with
Miss Sweeny. occupied large share of
attention from the ladies who visited the
fair at Cincinnati in 1899, where the silk
exhibit was given during four months.
The first reeler employed in the de-
partment was Miss Nena Grain, native
Of Baltimore. Another reeler is Miss
Gertrude Rlggles of scabrook, Nd.
After the silk is reeed it is done up in
hanks and sent to the factory, where it
is bleached and colored to suit the pur-
poses of the manufacturer. A very high
grade of silk is made in America. its
value being SIS pound, producing a
fabric sold at from IS to $40 yard.
In the department, now closed, remain
as clerks Miss Helen Gardner and Miss
Fannie Barthols, her assistant. 1t Is the
present intention to take the silk exhibit
to the Worlds Fair.--[M Mail and Elk
press.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
Chinese Love Pork.

The principal article Of meat Idle, diet with "a
the Chinese is pork. 1t is to them wnat
heef is to the true son of Albion's isle.
I've Chinese butcher having only the
one species of animal on which to exer.
o on his skill, has become by practice q
l t.sa anatomist in the full sense OF the
VOID A fat porker as soon as it is
nlaced on the block in a retail Gn nt ayl
butcher shop is scientifically rio OF 49,.
Nv homes The carcass is expcrtly cut
into strips, so that every customer a gHtn
~ en ~, quantity of fat and lean win \
a. a. nrrchase. It is sold salted, smekeo
o. or roasted ready for eating.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16

Every housewife imagines she knows
how to make lemonade, but the feeble,
insipid concoction SO often offered is .
convincing argument to the contrary.
Good lemonade requires plenty of lemon
and sugar, and is improved BY the addi-
ton of other fruits. A good rule calls
for three lemons to one orange, one
scant cupful of sugar, and one-third of
cupful Of strawberry juice; add pint
Of pounded ice, stir we'll, then add .
quart of iced water. Free
preas.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
wH1srL1No ANIMALS.
Strange Creatures That Infest the
Olympic Mountains.


The Whatcom tWash.) Reveiile has
the following: After lunch we passed
through a beautiful piece of bottom land,
teeming with flowers, red and yellow
monthly musk, fringins the banks of the
stream where it spread out over the
meadow in dozen different channels.
Charlie wanted to stop and take up 100
acres. but Campbell told him, ''Too
much plenty snow in winter, and after
vainly trying to drink the creek dry, we
passed on. Another turn brought us to
the base Of steep, bare, stony mountain.
Skirtlng this and climbing over some
big rocks we suddenly came into lovely
grass country. Like the prairie in SUM
mer, every conceivable flower seemed to
bloom and blossom in the grass the
place was ablazc with red, blue, yellow
and white
We must have passed through 500 or
600 acres of it, and every here and there
q rippling stream ran wildly through it,
The place was u perfect paradise, and,
thank goodness. we had got out of the
dark wiley and stood in the bright,
warm sunshine. We were now close to
the head Of the Quilccne, and we eagerly
pressed gu. Presently we met dog.
and close after him his master, who
turned out to be Mr.. Ransom, going from
the head of the Dungeness Of Port
Townsend. He gave us cheerful ac-
counts Of the elk, and also kindly took u
letter into town for us. At $50 o'clock
we camped under Sentinel rock, about
mile from the divide This rock stands
boldly out alone like massive fortress,
guarding the entrance to the valley OF
the Dungeness.
Suddenly the mountain sides seemed
to be alive with men whistling to one
another. when--and one would turn
sharp around only to hear another and
shriIier whew--on the other side; and
soon we saw lots OF animals, about the
size of Il fox, with long, bushy tails, run
Mug about from rock to rock, sometimes
lying down, but more often sitting bolt
up, erect, as a ferret does. We shot a
couple of small ones that night, and
afterwards shot several more larger ones.
Campbell called them whistling dogs,
and declared they were good to eat: but
the smell was enough for US. Their odor
is peculiar, but not fragrant They have
two long teeth in front like beaver, and
feet almost shaped like squirrels feet.
l believe their right name is mountain
beaver.
Wherever we went afterwards in the
mountains, as long as there was grass, we
saw these whistling dogs, as we got to
call them. j liked to see them; they
seemed to make the place cheerful and
lively, and were very amusing to watch.
In winter they have long burrows under
the snow, and their coats get dark
grey; in summer they are yellow; Their
skins should make good fur. and l think
would pay for being trapped in the vim
ter months. Our altitude this night was
$3.50 feet, and we cbristened the place
"Stone Camp" from the terribly stony
ground we had to sleep on. The night
was warm until about 4 O'clock a. N. :,
when it got fearfully cold, and we were
almost frozen
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
WENT ON WITH HIS DYING.
Pathetic Story Of q Hod-carrier In.
jured Unto Death.

@0soesAc story OF q 6od-CArrier In.
jured Unto Death.
a bod carrier had been badly crushed
oy the fall Of a soaffolding while he was
At work on tall building in Wall street.
Has fellows he'd picked him up as ten.
derly as possible and had borne him
bleeding and dusty to shady spot to
wait for the ambulance. 1t was long
wait for the man in torture, for the day
was an intensely hot one, and people
were being Frustrated by the heat all
over the city, and the ambulances had
been on the run all day. An hour is not
. long time for an ambulance to set out
from hospital, bring back . patient
ana then reach another one, but to those
who watch man slowly bleeding to
death for want Of medical assistance, it
seems an age.
Big, rough men stood around the fall
len hod-carrier with tears in their eyes,
uttering low curses at the hardness Of
the ambulance. But the victim of the
contractors greed or carelessness was the
most patient Of them all. As the num-
utes passed along he uttered no word Of
1mpatience, only he looked wistfully on
those about him. After about half an
hour of this suspense doctor who was
passing was called over. He knelt down
by the man, felt his crushed in side and
examined his fractured skull. Then he
shook his head and asked softly:
HAS he any friends among youa"
"None of us knows him. sir, said the
foreman. HE struck me for job this
morning, and as I was short -handed I
put him to work without asking him
any questions"
"Well, if any of you can get any in
formation from him about his people
you'd better do so at once. He'll soon
become unconscious and will die, with
out doubt, before night, no matter If
fifty ambulances came for him. Nothing
can save him. It's only question of a
few hours"
A flask of brandy was procured and a
few drops put between the sufferers
lips. They seemed to revive him, and
he opened his eyes and looked around,
but to all questions as to his name, his
home, his parents, his wife, his children,
ETC., he gave no answer.
"Well, old man." said the foreman at
last, tenderly, 1--WE can't do nothing at
all for you, the doctor says, though you
know we would if we could. The day
is wearing on and our job must be
finished. The ambulance will soon be
here, SO you won't take it hard if we
leave you now, will you2"
The hod- carrier looked up at him slow.
ly and spoke with great effort.
give got to die, eh2"
doctor says So"
''How soon2''
''Before shutdown, my boy"
''No help for it,"
'No."
"Well," with long sigh, "you go on
with your work and I'll go on with my
dyin'," and he turned his head-shut his
Observation-Disclosures York Tri.
bune.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-16
The Name of Deity.

The name of God is spelled in four
letters in almost every known language.
In Arabian it is ALA; East Indian, Zeul
or Esgi; Egyptian, Zeut or Aumn;
French, Dieu; Vaudois, Dioa; Mahitian
Atua; Hebrew, Adon; Irish, Dich; jap
anese, Zain; Latin, Deus; German, Colt;
Malayan, Eesl; Persian, SYRIA; Peruvian,
Llan; Tartarian, Tgan; Turkish, Add;
Scandinavian, Odin; Spanish, Dios;
Swedish, Oodd; Syriac, Adad; Wallach-
ian, Seue.