davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
THOMSON AND HIS RATS.
Was Going Co Have Fun Seeing Them
Swim, but They Saw Him Swim Instead.

Was Going TO Have Fun Seeing Them
Swim, but They Saw Him Swim Instead.
The question is frequently asked
whence the name Of Thomson pond, a
sheet of water in western Maine extend
ing through four towns and lying part
" in three counties. Tradition says IT
was named from the first settler, Joe
Thomson. During his sojourn he was
seriously troubled by rats, He first pro-
yided himself with n stout leather bag
of the capacity of four bushels. He then
placed an empty hogshead in his log
howell, leaving the bunghole open,
through which he dropped small guam
tity of meat scraps and crumbs.
Bag in hand he retired outside to
watch proceedings, peeking through "a
small crevice between the logs. Pres
entity he espied an old, gray veteran APP
preaching the bunghole. He takes u
peep, then shifts, looks cautiously about
and then enters. He soon emerges from
the hogshead and quickly disappears.
In a trice he returns, followed by a
drove amounting to hundreds, which one
by one disappear through the bunshole.
"Now," chuckled Joe, sis my fun, as
he skipped calmly through the door and
adjusted the open mouth OF the bag to
the small aperture, at the same time rap
ping the hogshead with the toe Of his
boot, which produced n loud, ringing
sound. With loud squeals and fierce
struggles the frightened rats began to
scramble through the bunghole, all land
ing in the bottom Of the bag.
His first thought was 10 drown them
by sinking the bag in the pond, bat be-
ing in a rather gamesome mood, as was
often the case, he concluded TO put the
bag in his boat, and after rowing TO a
good distance from the shore then release
them, and with his OK goad have a good
time knocking them in the head.
Rowing out several rods from the
shore and being in high glee at the
thought of wrealling vengeance on the
"varmints" which had given so much
trouble, he without hesitation united the
bag. expecting to see the frightened crea-
lures at once leap into the water, but he
quickly found himself mistaken.
Instead of fleeing or even retreating
the rats charged in a body, and with
teeth and claws so severely lacerated his
face, neck and hands as to cause him to
leap from the boat and swim for the
shore, leaving the craft in the possession
Of his one time yictims.-Lewiston Jour.
nal
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16

When the common geometrical spider
has made up its mind to spin a web, it
commences operations by inclosing a GER
tain area with the foundation lines. To
these radiating lines are fixed, generally
about thirty in number, and all joining
in the center of the snare. When the
radii are finished the spinner proceeds
to weave the concentric lines, stretching
them from one radiating thread to an
other, and forming them Of the silk
thickly studded with viscous drops.
Starting from tho center of the web,
however, the first few concentric threads
are without this popularity, the reason
being that the spider likes to sometimes
sit in the middle Of its web, and natural
" does not care to be incommoded with
the sticky matter which it prepares foI
the special benefit Of its prey.
When the snare is finished, a task
which often does not occupy more than
forty minutes in spite of the complicated
nature of the work, the spider weaves q
cell in some secluded spot close at hand
connecting it with the center of the wei
by means Of a special thread. This, by
its trembling, gives intimation of the
capture Of any insect in the web, and
also forms pathway by which the
snugly ensconced spider is enabled &c
proceed on an investigating expedition
-Cornhill Magazine.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Feryent Lightning.

Quite a strange freak of lightning was
witnessed at the home Of Mr.. William
Henry Morton in Athens. During the
rainstorm that came up about noon q
fash of lightning struck the rod over the
house, melting it instantly. The cur.
rent was not content with this, but leaped
to the tin gutter and melted it all around
the house, pouring the molten metal in
heavy streams to the ground below. The
lightning then flashed through one corn.
er of the house, paid visit to the people
in the room below, ran out along an iron
pipe to tin basin on the back piazza and
melted it completely, and followed an
iron pipe to the well, fully fifty feet from
the house. The damage TO the wood
work of the house was very slight. but
all of the metal with which it came in
contact was melted.-Atlanta Constitu.
ton
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
A Little Girls Experience in
a Lighthouse.

Mr.. and Mrs Eorcn Prescott are keepers OF
the Gov. Light House al Sand Beach, Mich. and
are blessed with daughter, four years old.
Last April she was taken down with Measles,
followed with dreadful Cough and turned In
to a Fever. Doctors at home and at Detroit
treated her, but in vain, she grew worse rapidly
until she was q mere handful of bones."--
Then she tried DR.. Kings New Discovery and
after the use Of two and one half bottles. was
completely cured They say DIR. kings New
Discovery is worth iis weight in gold, yet you
can get trial bottle free 81 b: s. webp's Drug
Store. Is
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
WOMANS WORLD.
oeMEThiNo ABOUT THE YOUNG
WOMAN WHO cOMPOSES.

4 Fad IN Corsets That Costs Mosey.
secret OF Real Beauty-A Woman OF
Badness Ability-Parisian FAncies-A
Rassian Reception.
Il Is most remarkable that though
music Is part of the education of most
women, and with all their aptitude for
the art and ability in Interpretation, the
sex has never produced "A great COM
poser, and comparatively few compost
tons that have attained any great pop
ularity. Miss French, young Irish.
woman living in Paris, is an exception.
and another is Miss Hope Temple, a
young Enghshwoman. The most popu.
lar of her compositions is entitled "Mem
cries." which is a song of great depth of
feeling. 1t is a pretty glimpse that we
have Of Miss Temples childhood when
we hear of her living near Dover, where
the gallant i'll starred Twenty fourth
regiment was quartered.
She loved the soldiers, and they, one
and all, loved her and treated her as a
little daughter of the regiment. Her
very first composition was a waltz for
the band to play, and as she taught it TO
them herself we may be sure that full
justice was done to the young conductor
and her melody. 1t was great sorrow
to her that this idyllic episode was fol-
lowed by the grim realities of war, and
that the disastrous battlefield of Isandhl-
wana, in Zululand, was the grave Of
nearly all the brave men who used to sa-
Lutte her SO gayly when she went in and
out among them. She had little musical
education, and always hated the piano
rs an instrument, but success in song
writing has caused her to advance step
by step. She is at work on an operetta
Philadelphia Press.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Shot the Horses to End the Runaway

Deputy Marshal Tom Smith has re-
turned from the territory and tells of a
thrilling experience of his few nights
ago. He and Deputy Marshal Booker
were driving across the prairie between
midnight and day. In crossing a ditch
Booker, who was driving, pitched head
first over the dashboard on the ground.
The horses became frightened and ran.
Smith was in the buggy helpless, as the
lines had fallen outside. He had nc
knowledge of the country and did not
know what moment he would so over a
precipice or into barbed wire. He was
afraid to jump lest he should break his
neck or limb. So he leveled his Win
chester and began firing at the horses,
and three or four shots brought them
down. The horses cost Smith $3.50 apiece,
but he got the man he started after
Dallas News.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Prairie Cattle Are Well.

The fifteenth annual convention of the
Northwest Texas Cattle Growers asso.
citation was held at Dallas recently. The
range cattle country all along the line Of
the plain from Montana to the gulf was
represented, and the report from the
whole range country, with the exception
Of few drought stricken spots, was
that the range cattle have been partic.
ularly well preserved during the past
season. Very little suffering has been
occasioned by storms, and the grazing
was good all through the winter. 1t il
predicted that if cold weather holds off
for the rest of the season range cattle ali
along the line will be fatter and in bet
ter condition generally than usual. Cor.
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Not Cast Down.

81 have always held" said cheerful
man, that happy disposition and am
pie wealth would enable one to bear UP
pretty well under the ordinary misfor-
tunes of life. Riding up town the other
day on the elevated railroad l sat next
to fine looking couple, evidently hus.
band and wife, and evidently possessed
of abundant means. AS they chatted
along pleasantly together he mentioned
incidentally the fact that he had that
morning lost 81 900 on stocks. She said
Did you? and then they didn't bother
about that any more, but branched of
on something else. New York Sun.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
A Woman of Business Ability.

Mrs A. II. Perrine, the Alabama worn
an who helped capture the Fulton coun.
ty murderer, Jim Richardson, in Ala.
bama, is a remarkable character. She
owns and runs plantation Of ZOO acres
In Randall county, Ala, in the very
heart Of the negro belt. Her executive
power is something wonderful. There
are few men who could successfully and
proftably take her place as manager.
She rules like a dictator. Last year she
ginned 600 bales of cotton, running the
engine herself. She is notably hand
some woman, superbly made, with a
face indicating intelligence and mascu-
line determination and nerve.
She never has serious trouble with the
negroes upon the plantation, is thorough.
!y familiar with every detail of farm
work, works herself and personally SUI
perintends all the labor and makes one
Of the most successful planters to be
found in the state. Her promise is good
for an order of s. 900 at the store, and
her business obligations are always dis
charged promptly. -Atlanta Constitu.
ton.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
"Too Nina Reda Shoea.u

II make from two to tree dolla' day."
said an Italian bootblack with two chairs
under the Elevated stairs. "Bisna no
good. No good lasta yeah. Foa maka
tree, TO-, fiva and sometimes ska dolla'
day"
Whats the reason business is not %
good now"
"Harda times, reda shoes and pata
leatha shoes; too many mena in bisna
Ny besta custama no NOR blacka shoes.
Weara reda an pata leatha shoes. See'
Lasta yea, dis yea, same. Ipaya man
dolla' day helpa. an boarda him. Maka
no mon"
What did you do before you came to
this country"
II farma Ny man he farma, my son
he farma. Parma no good, Italy.
maka dolla' week. Sacrer'-Nsw York
Herald.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
The First Step.

Perhaps you are run down. can't cat can't
sleep, can't think, can't do anything to your
satisfaction, and you wonder what ails you
You should heed the warming you arc taking
the first step into Nervous Prostitution. You
need Nerve Tonic and in Electric Bltters you
will find the exact remedy Tor restoring your
nervous system to its normal. healthy conai-
tion, surprising results follow the use Of
this great Nerve Tonic and Alternative. You
appetite returns, good digestion is restored,
and the Liver and Kidneys resume healthy
action. Try a bottle. Price soc. at ID. S
VEINS Drug Store.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16

DKOBATE ORDER.-State of Michigan,
Il county of GratiOt, SIS AT "A session OF the
Probate Court for said County. held at the Pro-
bate office in the village of Ithaca on the 3Uth
day OF September in the year one thousand
cis ht hundred and nincty-one. Present, j. Lee
Potts, Judge of Probate. In the matter of the
Estate OF Elmer J. Steward,
y Minor. On reading ana fling the petition,
duiy verified. OF William IL. stewurd praying
tor license To sell the real estate OF the SAID
ward and to rXpend or invest the proceeds in
some more productive pro perty, said wurd be-
ing the son of SAID petitioner. Ihereupon II
is ordered that Monday, the 10Th day OF Octo-
Der next, at ten O'Clock in the forenoon, be
assign, tor the hearing of said petition, and
that the next of Kin heirs at-law OF said de-
ceased, and all other persons interested in
said estate, are required TO appear at a session
of said Court, then to be holden i'm the Probate
othce in the Village of Ithaca and show cause,
If ahy there be. why the prayer of the petit
toner should not be granted: And il is fur
ther ordered, that said petitioner give notice
10 the next OF kin and all persons Interested IN
this estate, Of the peudcncy % said petition,
aud the hearing thereof. ty causing copy of
TINS Oruer 10 be published IN the Alma INC.
Okp, newspaper printei ana circulated IN
suId county, tntee successive weeks previous
To salG uHy Ot hearing.
\ true copy j. LEE POTTS,
lsEAI.l tJi-iw Judge OF Probate.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Erance,s Executive.

The president of France is chosen By a
majority vote Of both branches of par
lament sitting together as joint as
sembly, and his term is seven years.
Usually, however, he is compelled to
step down from Office by pressure from
parliament before his term ends. The
constitution gives him the authority to
select a ministry, which must comprise
members of parliament; to conclude
treaties with foreign nations, to appoint
to the chief military and civil posts, to
pardon offenders. and in concurrence
with the senate to dissolve the chamber
of deputies and bring about new cleo
ton. These are the chief powers of the
president. The present executive-Car-
not-was elected on Dec. 3, 1ss7.-St.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
A Fad 4. Corsets That Costs Money.

A recent bride distanced all of her
contemporaries in the value of one item
of her trousseau, and it is said by her
friends that she thereby set fashion
that must henceforth be followed by all
brides of any pretensions in the world of
society. While it is, of course, the rule
for the expectant wife to have her bridal
corsets made far more deliberately and
extensively than has been her former
custom, often having them embroidered
most dehcately, it is declared that this
instance is the FIRST where gold was used
In the place of steel, both for the clasps,
the eyelets and the lacing tips.
The few intimate friends of the bride
who were permitted to gaze upon the
mysterious portion of her outfit had
their attention called to this feature Of
the beautiful corsets, and they say that
examination showed the metal portions
TO be composed of gold as described.
One young woman had the temerity
to ask what the advantage of gold was
and she was informed that it did not dis
color and was in every way preferable
to steel 1t was generally agreed that
the idea was an awfully clever one, but
at the same time it was regretted that
the world at large would not know
about the gold. No one dared to ask
how much the corsets cost. The price,
however, was 800 pair, and the bride
had three pairs, one in white, another il
pale blue and the third in black. New
York Sun.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16

George A. Clarke, an experienced iron
worker of Boston, claims to have dis
covered an ore in the Rocky mountains
which he believes is new to the world
He says of it;
81 took specimens Of the ore to AZ
sayers in Cincinnati, Chicago and Boston
and no one of them could tell me the
name Of the mineral. Then | began
here Il series of experiments myself, mix
ing it with molten iron. 1t combined
perfectly with the iron, and | found
that only n small quantity was necessary
to increase the fluidity Of the metal. 1t
rendered the iron ductile, and in low
grades acted as purifier. The product
of the alloy was a homogeneous metal
of very fine pores, capable of higher
finish than before. The Stag expelled
by its use contained no metal, and was
very light In the treatment of iron
with only one per cent. of this new ore
the formers tensile strength was in.
creased from 10 to % per cent.
Using only half of one per cent oi
this or in mixture with copper, found
that it gave the metal greater density
and a great increase--from 60 to 100 per
cent.-Of tensile Ch. The result
ing metal, too, is capable Of a high polish.
In word, found that the ore increased
the tensile strength and the fuidity
under heat of bo' these metals and
makes them both of finer grain. 1t is
non-corrosive."
Mr.. Clarke produced handful of the
ore-a substance that looked like fine
sandstone, save that it was black, and
many pieces of it presented highly pol
ished surfaces as smooth as a bit of glass.
Mr.. Clarke refused to state the location
of the field, which, he said, was exposed
over the space of an acre, as he is trying
TO get control Of it first.-Cor. Chicago
Tribune.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Partisan Fanoies.

Some present Partisan fancies should
be described, if only to emphasize their
Stiffness. 1t is gravely announced that
Scotch terriers are the fashion of the
moment, because their color accords
with the caprice for gray gowns for
spying wear. The dog has bit of scar
let ribbon on his collar, and thus, when
he In abroad with his mistress, the bit OF
color she would not wear gives the needed
effect to the gray tones.
II is also stated that language OF
stamps, which 1t is important should b
understood, prevails In Paxisian society,
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16

MORTGAGE SALE.-Default having been
III made in the conditions OF a certain mort
gage bearing date the 18th day of August, 1870,
made by Hattie T.. Nesbit, to the Alma Build
ing and Loan Association, of GTatiot county,
Michigan, u corporation duly organized and
doing business under the laws OF the State OF
Michigan and recorded III the Office OF the
Register OF Deeds, in and for Gratiot county
ana state of Michigan, the 18TH day OF August,
1890 AT $3.50 a. H.. IN LlDer 20 OF mort
cages on page 4;}2 and in which said mortgage
IL Il provided that should any lnstalment OF
monthly payment of principal, premium or
interest be ana remain unpaid Tor the space OF
SIX months from and after the time when the
same is made payable by the terms OF said
mortgage, II shall becOxc lawful Tor the mort
gaRCc to declare the whole OF the sum secured
by said mortgage remaining unpaid 10 be due
as the sand unOrtgagcc may elect, and default
having been made In the payment OF the m
stallInents of principal, premium and interest,
due aud payable Oh the 2nd day OF
March, 1891, aud of each successive monthly
payment TO the present date, the moItRa gee
does therefore elect 10 declare the whole IA
mount to be due and unpaid and claims the A.
mount due to be -Four Hundred Ten Dollars
and siXty-seVen cents (S4lU.61) and IL TURNER
sum OF tftcen dollars attorney fee provided 10y
statute, ana no euit or proceedings having
been instituted at law 10 recover the debt re-
III aiming secured by said mortgage or any part
thereof whereby the power OF sale contained
in said mortgage has become operative. Now
therefore notice Is hereby given that by virtue
of The said power OF sale, and in pursuance of
the sta ute in such case made and provided.
The said mortgage Will be fOrcciOsed by sale
or the premises therein described, at public
auction 10 the highest bidder, at the front door
OF the court house in the village OF Ithaca.
Gratiot county. state OF Michigan, that being
the place of holding the Circuit Court in and
for said county, on saturday, December 10Th,
1891. al one O'Clock p. IN. OF that day, which
said premises are described in said mortgage
as follows, To wit: Lots number twenty-seven
va and twenty-eight (2S) in block number
twenty (2Ul in the village of Alma, according
10 the recorded plat thereof.
Dated this second day OF October. 1891.
The ALMA BUILDING AND LOAN AssOCIA
TION, Mortgage.
FRANCIS PALMER, Attorney for Mortgagee.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
Not m Rad Idea.

Remember, boys" said the teacher,
who being still new at the business,
knew not what else to say TO make an
impression, that in the bright lexicon
of youth there's no such word as fail.
After few moments boy from Dos.
ton raised his hand. well, what is it,
SocTatcsP asked the teacher.
81 was merely going to suggest" re-
piled the youngster IA he cleaned his
spectacles with his handkerchief, "that
if such is the case, it would be advisable
to write to the publishers Of that lexicon
and call their attention TO thss omission
--Ma1txnsl Star.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16

DEOBATE ORDER State of Michigan
j County of GrutiOt IS. AT session ct the
Probate court for said county, held at the pro-
butte Office in the village of Ithaca OH the 9TH
day OF September ~ the year one thousand
eight hundred ana ninety one, present Lee
Potts, Judge of Probate. In the matter of the
estate of
Stephen w. Hamblin
Deceased. On readihg and filing the petition.
duly verified OF Alice Iiumhlin the admins
tratriX OF said estate, praying tor certain
reasons therein set forth that she may be Ill
low, Il 10 sell the real estate Of which the said
stephen W. Humblin died seized, for the pur-
pose of paying the debts outstanding aguinst
said estate IbtrCupon IT Is ordered, that NJ, IL
day the 18th day of OctoberneXt, at ten O'Clock
in the forenoon, be assigned for the hearing of
said petition and that the hers-at-law of said
dec eased, and all other persons interested IN
sand estate, are required to appear at session
of said court, then TO be holden IN the Probate
office in the village OF Ithaca and show cause,
il any there e,wby the pray cr of the petitioner
should not be granted And IL il further
ordered, that said petitioner give notice To the
persons interested in said estate, of the pend
ency of said petition, and the hearing there.
OF. by causing copy Of this order to be
published in the ALMA RECORD n newspaper
printed and circulated in said county, four
successive weeks previous TO said day of
hearing.
"a true cCpy) J. LEE PoTTs,
lseal $50 5wk. Judge Of Probate.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16

Berlin university faculties will offer Ia
the 5000 students enrolled for the sum.
ner term TIC courses lectures TO choose
from. Forty-six of these courses are
theological, n legal, 237 medical, 800
philosophical. Professors Koch and
Mommsen will not read.