davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
RIDING a BRONCO.
did Tooties Prefers Sudden Death &c
Another Such Trial.

Another Such Trial.
Ever hear how Tootles rode John.
sons bronco?" Bill Flagg asked me one
day. says Figaro.
| told him had not and he thereupou
cleared his throat and launched into the
following:
II knew that the little bronco was a
regular fre-eater the mint | laid eyes
on him. One of them quiet chaps, You
know-st0od with his head down an
looked as if he didn't have friend in
the world. Innocent critter, he was,
Why, | wouldn't a trusted him no
quicker'n ] would an Indian; no, sir.
But Toot-oh. Lor! He had taken two
or three smiles at Rattler's, an he told
me he could ride anything on hoofs-
Ole Nick included. Johnson was great
joker, an he jest nagged loot on to ride
that sorrel bronco.
''Well, sir, mebbe you won't believe
it, but they had to tear down the barn
around that bronco to get him out, an
then it took every able-bodied man in
Skytown to put bride on him. All
the while they was gettin' the critter
ready, TOotles was steadying himself
against the barn. At last Johnson
said: All aboard, loot, an loot walked
right up to Mr.. Bronco an got on him,
an the boss never shook an car or
moved a muscle. But I'll beablazed if
he didn't wink at me, that critter, as
much as to say: You watch me, Bill
Flagg, I'll fix him Then I said: 'Toot,
I'd get off that piece of lightning if !
were you. It don't look healthy But
loot said: Dry up, Bill Flagg. rode
broncos before you was born After
that l didn't care a rap what become of
Tootles.
-'As I said before, that boss never
moved an l began to think he want
goin' to.
"'He's petrifed,' said Johnson, touch
in him in the flank with a pitchfolk
''But you bet he want petrified by n
long shot. When he moved he moved
SO quick we couldn't see him. Then he
jumped in the air bout fifteen feet an
come down stiff-legged, l1er-bang. After
that there was pause Of about two
seconds, when the bronco started all
ways to once, an left loot everywhere
The last we seed of that bronco he was
skedaddlin' over the prairie like all
possessed, an we commenced picl1in'
up Tootles an putin him together.
When we had got enough of him in one
pile to talk. he said: u
'Wh-wh-where am ~
''We told him.
'Wh-wh-what did he do?'
''We couldn't tell what the bronco
did, cause he did it 50 quick we couldn't
see him.
"'Say, Johnson, was you ever shook
up by an earthquake?'
"'Can't say that I ever was said
Johnson.
"'Never had any bildin's fall down
on you or anythin' like that, I don't
suppose?' ~.
Nope
"'Then yon don't know how I feel.
Got any more critters like that one?'
A whole corral full
''Then loot turned to me. @--v-~7-~-"'
"'You hear that, Bill Flagg; he save
he's got lots of 'em. If you ever see me
tryin' to ride another one you just shoot
me on the spot. I'd rather die that way
than linger along. Now help me
hOme.''
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
The Story of a Ruby.

Mr.. Frank Work, says the New York
Morning Advertiser, tells q remarha BILE
story about a ruby lat he once owned
When young ma ne invested six hun
dred dollars in a ruby in this city. He
had it set in a bird claw by the son of a
well-known jeweler. Shortly afterward
he attended a Tamm any hall ball, and
the ruby disappeared from its setting,
A week a two ago the jeweler, happen
ing to meet him, said: Come down to
my place and I'll show you an old
friend" Mr.. Work dropped in at the
jewelers. place last week, and was
there shown his identical ruby of fifty
years ago. 1t had been left to be set
and the jeweler had recognized it. Mr..
Work also recognized it. All that he
said was: 'How much is that ruby
worth now?" Between six thousand
and seven thousand dollars said the
ieweler. Besides the remarkable cpl
sode itself, one can learn from this par
agraph how much rubies have appreci-
ated in value in the past half century.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
SAND AUGERS.
Singular Conduct OF the Sands of INC
Western Deserts.

S1ngulaf conduct OF the sands OF
Western Deserts.
One of the most curious wind phenom-
epa is the ''sand augers' which are
observed on wide plains where the
atmosphere is hot and dry. When the
Union Pacific railway was being con-
structed the workmen had frequent
opportunities of witnessing the forma-
ton and progress Of these sand
auger' whirlwinds. They were
especially frequent in the Lodge Pole
Creek valley, through which the rail
way, leaving the Platte river, runs in q
northerly direction.
The first indications of the near ap-
proach of one of these "augers," says
the St. Louis Republic, would be the
formation here and there in the valley
of little dust whirlwinds or baby
cyclones. These would be whisked
away by strong currents of cool air,
coming from no one knew where, but
all drawing across the valley toward
the eastern range of hills, their places
being almost instantly occupied by a
fast-advancing, funnel-shaped cloud,
like that observed hanging over water
spOuts which are forming at sea.
From under the surface Of this low
lying cloud a swaying tongue of lead
colored vapor would prolong itself
toward the earth, from which, as if to
meet the monster of the air, would rise
a cloud of dirt and sand. This earth
column would rise higher and higher,
with a swift, whirling motion, becom-
ing more compact all the while, until
the blueblack vapor from above and
the brown mass from below would
unite and form the typical ''sand
auger of the plains"
The diameter Of these augers seldom
exceeded fifteen or twenty feet at the
ground, but their bulk increased with
their height, until they were merged
into thd broad surface of the thick,
murky vapor of the cloud above. When
this occurred, lightning flashes would
sport about the upper stratum Of the
clond and immense hailstones be
formed in the dark point beneath.
When all conditions were favorable
these hailstones would be thrown, by
centrifugal force, out from the reyolv-
ing cloud. These hailstones We're al
most invariably of fiat disk shape,
from three to six inches in diameter, an
inch to an inch and half thick, and
made up of alternate layers OF sand
and ice.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
Decorations OF RoyaIty.

The decorations on the late Emperors
William and Frederick have been
placed in the Hohenzollern museum ct
Berlin. William possesses no fewer
than fifty-one stars and crosses, includ-
ing the insignia of seven Russian orders,
and one Of the very few stars and rib
bons which exist of the short-lived
Mexican Order Of the Eagle, which was
founded by the Inflated Archdul1e Max
inilian. His star in brilliants OF the
Prussian Order of the Black Eagle is
the same which was worn BY Frederick
William Ill, and his star of the unique
order, Pour lie Merite, has a portrait on,
it of Frederick the Great. $3.50,
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
TEACHING a GIRL TO SWIM,
Advice to Those just Acquiring the Use
full ART


full art.
in deep water. under the care of an
experienced person, a young girl may
be taught to swim in much shorter
time than by practicing in shallow
streams, says q good authority in the
August Ladies Home Journal. A rope
can be fastened around her breast in
such manner that it will neither
ugnten nor unlOOse, and if courageous
enough, she can, thus prepared, plunge
IN mead first. The teacher will show
Aer the proper way to use the arms,
and, finding herself protected by the
rope, she will feel more faith in the ex-
erjlon made. The aid of the hand is.
however, far better than this, as it can
oe reilnquished insensibly. The best
method of teaching on this plan is for
d good swimmer to carry the learner in
me arms into the water until breast
ngh, laying her nearly fiat upon it,
anu supporting her by placing one
4and under the chest, at the same time
GIVING instruction as to the proper
MOTION Of hands and arms and feet.
ID lew days the hand may be grad
uaIIy withdrawn, and the girl-swim-
lner able to DO without it. There are
ever so many ''don'ts about swimming.
mike Punch's, they begin after the
act IS signed, sealed and delivered and
you are a swimmer. The most impor-
'dht piece of negative advice is, don't
ever lose your presence of mind. With
tilaJ You are mistress of the situa-
uoh, AMI other things not over
"ne.Lmlngly against you, can reach land
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
ADn!LI.E a TheOrN-.

The Smart Man was walking along
the street when his hat blew off.
Vow" said he 10 his companion. Il
shall not take the trouble 10 chase that
derby. Some good Samaritan viii save
me thc;trou5le. There. That little col
orcd bootblack has caught it already.
He's even Urushing-hi, there! Hey,
you. Where's that internal niger 20
ing?'
Then the Smart Man started 70 run.
but by the time he reached the alley up
which his good Samaritan had He'd the
&. S. was out Of sight. Also the hat
IF you ever say word about this. 8"
said the Smart Man as he returned To
his friend, IN paralyze you. Lets 90
and take something = after ! have
bought another hat. - indianapolis
Journal.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
DANGEROUS MOOSE.
some Hard Fights with the Farlike
animals.

some HARD tlGttS Win INC
Animals.
Stories are tOld-of killing moose with
an az, after running them down in the
5ecp snow. This may have been done
In Maine OF Canada" writes the author
M an article on Moose Hunting in the
Rocky Mountains" contributed to
The Big Game of North America,
"5ut. if 50, it proves to my mind that
tie moose there do not possess the same
Wild savage, pugnacious natures as
those found in the Rocky mountains.
No sane man would dare to attack one
Of our vicious mountain moose, single.
handed, with any weapon short of a re-
pcating rife" The writer tells this
story to support his assertion:
"A party of river-ren wounded a
large moose near the bank of Clear
Water river, in Idaho, and it took to
the water. The eager, but unslzilled
hunters rushed upon the wounded ami
NAL with a bateau. 1t was a large
boat, and was manned by six strong
and fearless men. They were either
without a gun, or scOrned to use it, and
determined to kill the moose with axes.
cant-hOohs and other woodsman's i'm
PIGMENTS.
"Ihey bore down by the side of the
swimming moose, which was kept in
the current by walls OF rocks, and dealt
him blow. He turned to fight. The
men rushed to the battle with shouts
Of defiance. The moose struck the boat
with his antlers, raised it clear out of
the water, and turned it upside down SO
quickly that the men were all fright
ened, and two of them were either
killed or drowned. The other four were
rescued by their companions on shore
after the moose had been shot several
times.
The writer himself once narrowly
escaped being killed by a moose he had
shot and thought dead. He had chased.
on snowshoes and down a decline, two
large moose. and, at thirty feet above
them, fred at the larger bull. He stag
gercd, and kept on; but a ghastly line
Of blood on the trail told of the deadly
effect of the shot. The second shot
was aimed at the smaller moose. He
fell at the crack Of the rifle; but the
bLIttI SLL " S.CtA OIL DICculuE, S11OrLlnP
from a deadly shot through the lungs.
-Four shots were fired into him before
he fell and buried himself in the snow.
The hunter, standing exhausted above
the fallen moose, gave no thought to
the animal that he supposed to be lying
dead three or four rods back. Suddenly
he heard loud snort and felt a rush
from behind. As he lodged to one side,
the moose he had thought dead charged
upon him and buried him in the snow.
His rush carried the moose past the
fallen hunter, but he turned to charge
again before the man could shoot. His
broken shoulder failed him, however,
and he tGmbled dOwnhill. Again he
rose and charged again; but the hunter,
having recovered himself, placed a bull
let between his eyes. Although the
snow was seven feet deep, and the
moose had 4 broken shoulder. it was
more good fortune than any advantage
the hunter had that saved him from be-
ing cut to pieces by the enraged ami
mails feet"
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
HE COULDN'T TELL a LIE.
PENNSYLVANIA g1-.Iicr Fnilwhtrns the In
hshGtants oT NyosnlzE.


The following story was printed in
the Casper Wyo Derrick and shows
that the Pennsylvania driIlcr may L.
miles from home, he retains his charac-
teristics and DOES not allow any mi
crobes u veraeity that may inhHh.t far
away regions TO get into his magma
ton and injure it, 4 wcsternrr tells
the story n : man from Bradford told il.
lie said that one time several years
avo he was engaged in drilling IN oil
wei near Bradford. Pa When -
depth Of 1873 feet the cable hrol5c. let
ting the tools down in the hole ami they
had q serious fishing Job on hand After
various throws and 9 slsillful man!pula-
tion of the reel, the boblc began 10 bob
and the too> were safely landed Ii
appeared, however. that just shout the
time the cable broke the drill had
reached small vein Of water, aud the
force of the drill falling broke through
the cap rock ana the hole filled up SO
that 1t was Necessary To case IL of. He
said he was standing over the hole
when he took ont his watch. fine gold
stemwinder, a present from his wife,
which he carclessly carried without
chain - and his hands being greasy
from oil the watch slipped through his
fingers and dropped right down
in the hole. He at once under
took To fish it out. but though hc
tried every known means. he was uu-
successful and gave up the attempt. He
cascd off the water and set the drill 70
work, but carefully examined the con-
tents of the sand pump, hoping To get
some small portion of il To preserve
as q keepsake, yet never trace Of
gold could he find. Several months
later he drilled another hole on an adj
joining farm some three miles distant.
going of course, through the same for
nation, and at the depth Of 1879 feet
he again struck the creviee of water.
lie put the sand pump TO work, and in
the sand and water which he brought
up he found his watch, which lie had
lost several months before in the other
hole, three miles away"
WAS the watch running?" asked
Uncle Mat, the Peruvian chief, with a
twinkle in his eye, as he relit his pipe
which he had neglected SO interested
was he in the narrative.
YES, repIled BRAD. as he looked
around to assure himself that the rear
door was not locked. That is the
strangest part Of the story. The watch
was going and had the correct time. 1t
was accounted for in this way: The
watch had a very fine water-tight case,
and it happened that the water was
flowing through thin fiat crevice or
vein in the rock, and the force of the
water carried the watch, which evil
IDENTIFY laid on its side, the side of the
stem resting on the bottom Of the rock,
slowly with it, and there was just
enough friction on the stem to gradually
wind it up as it moved along, thus keep
ing it going, and though it had moved
three miles under nearly two thousand
feet of earth during the period Of several
months, it had never lost a second"
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
beGeneraCY OF French Peasants.

=, he French peasant is said to be
: managing d, for the worse. He is losing
ooIn ms thrift and sobriety. He has
.'Nch To drink like the Inhabitants of
! ,"1 city Slums, and his thirst is for
u ".%ndy, In The villages the women are
pr lured as obIiged-lilze the wives Of
INT "orhmen in the cities - to hang
ao31c inc public houses on pay days
1 o-lI llgnt Tor money to buy bread. In
! 'o''' u putting his sous and silver in a
t ,2's stocking the countryman spends
o ,aF-ll IN the tavern. Formerly he drank
on-y on holidays; now he treats himself
T Il5'' ms friends every day in the week.
4le wives Of married peasants soon fol
i H." their husbands in vice. Strong
n II, are cheap; there is no Sunday
y even early closing, and no blue rib.
ION army in the country.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
VANILLA CULTURE.
A Native of Mexico, but Now Produced In
Various Tropical Countries.

It is Mexican orchid, with long,
climbing stems and thick, fleshy leaves,
says the Garden and Forest. The
earliest European travellers in Mexico
found the vanilla used as q condimcnt
with chocolate. The Spaniards intro
duced it into Europe, and the first ac-
count of it appeared as long ago as 1908,
and was published by ClusiuS in his
"Exorticorum Libri," who received 4
specimen from Morgan, the apothecary
of Queen Elizabeth. Plumier called the
plant vanilla, adopting the name used
in Mexico by the Spaniards (thc dimin-
utive of the Spanish vaina, a pod.
Toward the end of the seventeenth cen
fury the vanilla reached France by the
way of Spain, and was used TO flavor
chocolate and to perfume tobacco. In
England it was not until after the idea
of its medicinal value was exploded that
it came into general use in cooking
The supply Of vanilla, which is obtained
from the fruit or seed-pod was origin
ally derived from Mexico, but Of late
years much attention has been given to
cultivating this plant in other parts of
the tropics, and it is now produced in
Bourbon, Java, Mauritius and Central
America in large quantities.
Shoots about three feet long, having
been fastened To trees, and scarcely
touching the ground, soon strike root
on to the bark and form plants, which
commence % produce fruit in three
years and remain productive thirty CT
forty. The fertilization Of the flower is
naturally brought about by insect
agency. Morren, the director of thc
botanical garden Of Licre, showed in
1897 that it might be efficiently per
formed By man, since when the produc-
ton of the pods has been successfully
carried on in all tropical countries with
out the aid OF insects. Even in Euro
pean forcing houses the plant produces
fruits OF fnll size which for aroma bear
comparison with those 81 Mexico. In
vanilla plantations the pods are not
allowed TO arrive at complete maturity.
and are gathered when the green color
begins to change. According TO the
statements Of De NricSc they are dried
by q rather circuitous process: namely,
by exposing them 10 heat alternately
uncovered and wrapped in wooden
cloths, whereby they are artificial :
ripencd and acquire their ultimate aro-
ma and dark hue
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
The COraanS' Hair.

The Corean wears his hair braided
down his back, it being considered un-
holy to cut IT. or to even wear it loosely
around the neck and shoulders. After
he gets married. and not before, the
law permits him to wear it curied up
on top OF his head. To tell married
Corean that he ought to wear his hair
down is equivalent 70 telling him that
his wife is the better man of the two.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
Fond Of Cote

sl -at ": has a most eccentric woman.
las .'s sb rs old' and is said to be just as rich
ion s''c - eccentric. Her sole cornpar-
s 1n> are eats, and the house fairly
tb ..''l.' with thcm. She holds an idea
tba '~ alT feline pets are more honest
tho ,- -'-1,iI' and therefore, she rolls up
Sman money She receives from rents in
|ca+ ,,.'i packages and gives them to her
ave. saying; Here pussy, put this
VII Tor me-" Her home is Uttered
oat -,' none it is said. Under the car
|pvo oo, III the corners, in rat holes and IN
lara :. 90, SsmnGelyable place bills and coins
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15

A Berlin daily tells story which has
local significance. y young officer in
a horse-car gave young woman his
seat and she took it without q thank
you" The officer stood on the rear
platform. A few blocks further and
the young woman stepped from the car.
The officer saluted ard said: Pardon
me. madam, but you have forgotten
something" The young woman hurried
back into the car, but found none of her
property. She looked inquiringly at the
officer, who salutcd again and said
ooh, l meant only that you had forgot
ten to thank me-"
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
HTHE OLD TINE "SAND GLASS;"
Sand Took the Place of Slate In the
School Of Long Ago.

Sand Took the Place of Slate In the
School Of Long Ago.
''Sixty years ago / taught the sand
class in the schools of this city in the
grand jury room of the old courthouse, -
said a gentleman to a Harrisburg Tele-
gram Reporter the other evening. "The
sand class!" exclaimed Gossip. 'What
in the name of Socrates was a sand
class?" And then the ancient pcda-
gogue proceeded to say: Sixty years
ago the schools of the town occupied
the old courthouse, and | was one of the
scholars. In the grand jury room there
was long table about eighteen inches
high with a strip Of board fastened on
top all around the sides, thus making
the center lower than the sides. This
center was filed with fine sand an inch
deep.
cat the end Of the table was a wheel
on which the letters of the alphabet
were printed, so that but one letter
would appear at a time; around the
table the smallest children OF the
school were gathered and each fur
nished with a stick. ! as a pedagogue
appointed by the head teacher would
take my stand at the end of the table
and alongside Of the wheel, and as
moved it would announce the letter
that was brought to view, which the
children would proceed to make in the
sand with their sticks. When ell had
made that letter l would level the sand
with comb and the wheel would be
moved on to another letter. And these
little ones were called the sand class
1t was an interesting sight The sys-
tenn was something like the kindergar-
ten of the present day, and it was GER
tainly an economical mode Of supplying
writing material" This was the sand
class of sixty wears ago ....
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
ROISl HOrSRHOnan

The queen of Portugal, who is a splen-
did horsewoman, rises early and may
often be met riding in the country about
Lisbon at an hour when many of her
subjects are still asleep. Of late she
has been accompanied in these matnti-
nal rides by her sister, the Princess He
lena Of Orleans. The princess will ac-
company the queen to Cintra when the
court removes to the beautiful rural
palace of La Pena. -
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15

GIN glad 70 testify mat | us,d 70. se-
nigs Nerve Tonic with tts u.-t sl-.ts far
sleeplessnrs8, aud believe t5I. 3: .3 :. H#.Ify
great rcl.c' FOR suffering humanity.
T. FRANZ. Pastor. \, ylest3u, r. O., Pa
NhIpota. Mo-. OCT w.. .sf
About FIVE years ago o5eauIo aifee. e.. ti..... "a
excessive smoking. with g "el.oH. s'as...'a
trouble dyspepsia. ~ A.atlh tfoAg ,l.s4 -.
completely, / le-- uy HFHca.s, eaa t# .arss
qucree became very u.at.. cea.d Eot sfa.0 -
al and nervous suffering sud ryHsi .fUEHR $3.50
innumcrrDlc -Four doctors alI lusrss q fs..t-
sie remedies aud alsU electricity a'aEt.t 10
reiicf A = laBt resort, sHst ge-w ga., sEs
de.e1 some Of Pastor haoniGs as~rl ~ o..
Tho second dose reliovod my pr,nH rr# s'@-
using only fev bottles sI1 cHtltsi. eaf.t
certify th.t Pastor E0c.ia's .are# +4..e nr.
proven not only srcat ana bouoaee.i iHa#.eo +.
but al entirely harmless.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
ESh ia r5-


Needing q tonic, or children that want building
up. shO;id take
BROWNS II.t;N 8ITTERS.
It is pleasant 49, '~>>~ria, Indiges.
ton, and Bile ,sS
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-15
IE YlAk RICK ACHES

Or you are all worn out, really good for nothing
it is general debility. Try
BROWNS IRON BITTERS.
It will cure you, and give good appetite. Sold
by 81 a.oRnrs IN Ensssssane