davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
BoERs AND DIAMONDS.
Some Very Interesting Information from
the Transvaal.


the Transvaal.
''The Boer is diamond III the rough.
He is a sort of ancient patriarch; q
fanatic who sees good in everything, no
matter how trivial He prays and sings
and assumes even more religion than he
feels. He is q farmer by nature and is
satisfied with his calling, His two great
ambitions are to have the finest horse
in the colony and to know how to ride
him, and to have the finest rifle in the
colony and to know how to use it. The
Boer loves the English civilian and
welcomes him, but hates the English
soldier. He is tall, fine looking speci-
men of mankind albeit little greasy
and dirty, with long beard that the
razor has never touched. The charac-
ter of Waldo's father, which Miss
Schreiner has drawn in THE Story Of
an African Farm, is a perfect type that
you see quite frequently.
''The English are quite content to
have the Transvaal remain under the
Boer government. In fact, they would
hate to see it otherwise, as those who
live there feel very harshly toward
England for not having come to their
assistance when they were defeated"
Speaking of the diamond fields, Mr.
Searelle said that the Kimberley mines
have been consolidated by that Won
derful young genius, Cecil Rhodes, the
great friend of Lord Salisbury and the
Beers alike. Rhodes has amalgamated
all of the companies into one vast cor
poration that controls the output of the
world. The Brazilian mines were
bought out by it and closed down DO
cause they did not pay, Outside of the
II per cent. of the diamond supply
from India, the remainder comes from
the Kimberley fields. The white stones,
called the Brazilian stones, that are SC
rare and costly, come from the mines
in the Kimberley fields called the
Jagersfontein and the Bulfentein.
Cecil Rhodes and his associates made
the calculation that the worlds month
ly supply of diamonds was &400,0 OO
Thereupon they limited the output tC
9350,000 and put the price up one
third. They contemplate a further re
striction and an added cost.
Mr.. Searelle exhibited several speci
mems of diamonds in the rough, which
it is necessary to have permit to carr!
in the Transvaal. He also showed tn,
permit. Among his curious collection
is a large specimen of what is callet
'the blue"-that is, the matrix of tn
diamond. 1t is a blue stone in which
the diamond is formed. When frs
taken out it is as hard as the diamond
itself, but exposed to the outer atmos
phere and the rain it grows soft, crum
bles into dust and yields up its treas
ure, the rough diamond, that come
forth in its wonderful octohedron form
The climate of the Transvaal, MI
Searelle said, is simply perfect, and ma
ture, in addition to the vast store Q
treasures which she has accumulated
has made the soil such that the rares
vegetables and plants will grow i
} the richest professionalism FranciSc
Chronicle
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10

Occupants of the Finest London Houses.
Who are the occupants of the finest
houses in town. asks O London gossip.
Take the grand London houses, SO
many of which have changed hands of
late years: Northampton House is in the
hands of brewer, Chesterfield House
the same, Hamilton House in those of
the son of great Welsh ironmaster,
Bath House in the family of railroad
contractor, Landsdowne House in those
of an American lady, the Duke of
Leinster's late mansion is tenanted by
an American "silver king" and Strath-
eden House is occupied by Manches-
ter man.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
.JeSuit Obedience.

Here is a story of the Jesuits that is
worth the telling. A young man, an
acquaintance of the writer, was admit
ted to an audience with the aged gen
eral of the order at Rome. On the
study table was a map of Africa, and
the general, pointing to spot on the
Dark Continent, said: Twenty of our
missionaries were killed there last
March. We must send others soon."
"But will they go"
go, my child9 Why, shall send
them. Seattle Post-Inteligencer.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
HE WAS "upD ON COIN DATES.
Still He Couldn't Stand Prosperity and
Killed His Golden Goose.

Still He Couldn't Stand Prosperity and
Killed His Golden Goose.
'I'll bet that l can tell the date on
any quarter or half dollar which you
can produce" said a man the other
evening in barroom not a thousand
yards from the New York end of the
Brooklyn bridge.
A dozen patrons looked up anxious
to take the bet offered.
'Not the exact date" interpolated
the young man, 'but within two years
of it,"
Even at this he had many takers,
although he made the condition that
he should have a chance to look at the
coin, tail up, as it lay upon the counter
One after another the men produced
coins of the denominations mentioned
from their pockets and bet the young
man fifty cents a crack. He made no
attempt to read any ones mind, but
simply scanned the eagle on each coin
with special care and then called the
date, being within two years of it nine
times out of ten, and very often hitting
it exact.
When he was about ten dollars ahead
of the game the young fellow was good
natured and proceeded to explain his
trick to the crowd, which was only too
willing to listen attentively.
"You see," said the man, who in
sisted on killing his golden goose,
''that this CON-" pointing to quarter
which lay tail up, 'has kind of scroll
over the eagles head. This being an
old coin, you can't see anything of the
scroll, but think there are the words
e Pluribus Unum' on it.
"Any way, whenever you find q quar-
ter or a half dollar with that scroll
over the head of the eagle you can bet
considerable Doodle that the date of
the coin is 1876 or within two years of
1t. You will slip up occasionally, but
you are sure to win four times out of
five, unless the other fellow knows the
game and has loaded up with q lot of
coins which you don't meet with in gen
eral circulation.
"Now, if that same quarter did not
have that scroll above the eagles head
you would be safe in calling the date
1856, making the same allowance that
you should win if you were within a
couple of years of the exact date
"But if the coin had no scroll, but
showed a kind of blaze or lot of fine
feathers showering down from the top
of the coin over the eagles head and
wings, you would want to shout aloud
that the exact date of the piece was
1853, and bet q house and lot that you
were right too.
'That is all there is to the trick by
which I won your money, except, OF
course, if q man showed me q coin
which showed on its face that it had
just left the mint would be fly enough
to say something about 1890"
If you don't believe the young man
told the truth just watch your own
quarters and half dollars. -New York
Herald.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
A Most Embarrassing Occasion,

"Will not this first tete-a-tete seem
embarrassing2" asked one belle of an
other who was about to receive q call
from an aspirant to her hand.
"And why should it3"
ooh, because there is everything to
say"
''Not half so embarrassing as my last
tete-a-tete with Ralph yesterday, when
everything had been said," said the
er.-New York. Recorder.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
From Fall Branch.
o R, DUNCAN, CORRESPONDENT.
FALL BRANCH, Tenn, !
Sept. 7, 1891. (

Sam'l Baxter of Cedar Lane, passed
through town last Thursday
A. X. Mullenix was in town attend
ing to business last Friday.
Miss Daisy Duncan who has been
visiting her grandmother at Morning
Star, returned to this place last Satur-
day.
On last Saturday Rev. w. A. Keen
was the guest OF DR.. Duncan and wife,
Alvin Dolen, of Butterfly, was in
town on Saturday last
Several of the students who contem-
plated entering tchool at this place,
moved in last week. From persent
prospects the school will be large.
Jno, Duncan, of Hawkins county,
was in the city last Saturday.
Geo. NJ, Murrell, of Clover Bottom,
was in the village one day last week.
Tom N. Hale, of Johnsons, was in the
village Saturday working up insurance.
Jas. Haws, of Haws' X Roads, was
in the city enc day last week.
G, B. Thomas, of Jonesboro, spent
| the night with DIR. Geo r. Duncan last
Friday night.
Misses Fannie Marion and Blanche
Baker, who are assistants in the school
here have arrived ready for work.
Mat Campbell, of Leesburg, and
Jno. Crouch, of Greefeld, Ill.,, were the
guests of R. NJ, Hopper last Friday
night
E. A. Moody'S little daughter is on
the sick list.
Jno Roller, of Limestone, was in the
village last Thursday and Friday buy
ing horses.
Miss Lizzie Keys, who has been visit
ing Mrs. W. Z. Taylor, left for hel
home in Jonesboro last Saturday.
c. c. Dillow, of Glover Bottom, was
in the city on Sunday last.
Floyd Drummer, Of Meadow Brook
was in town last Friday.
"The Proud and Wicked Gang
went out to camp meeting last Sunday
]. w. Moulton made a business triI
to Jonesboro lest Thursday.
Everybody in the town and sur
rounding country wentto the CAM
meeting last Sunday, and report gooC
time.
Miss Tonic Duncan, who is visiting
: at Dr. Duncan's, took very plessan
trip among relatives near Shipley'
Ferry last week.
A. David, Of Knoxville, was in tn
village last Friday buying produc
from the merchants.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10

Mr.. William Thomason, near Win
ford, has a hens egg that is somewhat
of a curiosity. Besides being the usual
shape, it has from the small end a
growth about one inch in length and
the size of lead pencil, which is folded
back toward the larger end, resembling
the arm and hand of an infant. Cor.
Atlanta Constitution.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
Oh. No.

Penelope There is one thing about
us. Jack, that like. We are sensible
lovers. We don't use that idiotic baby
talk.
Jack--No; and we never viii, either,
will WEI
Penelope-Nopey -Harper's Bazaar.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
A Plausible Explanation.

Miss Calumet-Why is it that you
New York lnen always crease your
trousers9
Cleverton-They offer less resistance
to the wind and we can get around
faster. e lothier. and FurnisheI.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
TO OPERATORS OF MACHINERY

We now carry in stock all sizes of
gum betting of the New York stamp
and can furnish without the custom
airy delay of ordering.
356.tf SEAvER & SUMMERS.
We have 1000 Yellow Locust Posts
for sale. SEAvER & SUMMERS. If.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10

clog cholera has abated, and stock
of all kinds is in good condition, and
on the whole the general outlook is
encouraging"
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
Accommodating.

A sign on railroad restaurant not
hundred miles from Detroit reads:
DINNER READY
You don't have to waiti
We have men hired to do thatl
Detroit Free Press.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10

We offer liberal reward for a bet
ter wagon than the cold Hickory
cost considered.
SEAvER & SUMMERS.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-09-10
EVERY GARNER SHOULD READ THIS.

We can now sell you the Farmers
Oliver Chilled Plow for 5000 former
price $1,000. Take advantage OF this
reduction.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
WELL WORTH READING.

TIE following states have no state motto: Indiana Mississippi, New Hampshire. New Jersey, North Caro- lima. Ohio and Texas.
 IT costs five cents to swear in a cer- tain Grand Rapids factory, and the box which contains the fines and which is now nearly full is soon to be sent to the heathen.
 THERE is just one-fifth as much nutri- ment in quail on toast as the same quantity of weak mutton broth; and there is even more difference in the price of the two articles.
 TIE proprietor of leading American menagerie says that his gains by the birth of wild animals in his show are annually about s50,0O0 greater than his losses by the deaths in the collection.
 IS hotels the life of napkin is put down at three months, provided it is of extra good material sheet lasts six months and tablecloth depends for its existence upon the care that is taken of it.
 TYPEwBITTNs machines are the ia vorite objects of thieves who sneak into offices and make way with them while the owners are out temporarily. \ large number is yearly stolen from the offices of professional men.
 THE senators' barber shop contains seventy shaving-mugs and seventy-two shaving brushes and one pair of clip pers-sufhcient for the many senators who shave and the few who are not bald. while the employees barber shop has no mugs at all and only two shay ing-brushes.
 INFORMATION comes from lady mis- sionary who for the last ten years has been working among the half-ssyage women of India that the boxes of cloth ing sent from New York last year con tained 2,000 pairs of corsets, TOO pairs of rubber garters and 8, 500 dresses ribbed with whalebone and steel
 A WRITER makes an ingenious calcu- lation as to the restoration of the po- tato crop, supposing it to be so reduced that only one tuber were left in ex- istence. On the assumption that this solitary tuber produced ten sets, their products the same, and so on, in ten years the total product would be Io,- coo, coo, GOO, quantity sufficient to stock the whole world.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
WAYS OF cROCOoILES.
Some Of the saurIxn's Habits Ex-
 eosdIngiy Interesting.

Some Of the ssurfkn's Habits Ex-
 ecsdingiy Interesting.
 As Artemus Ward says: The croco- dile is not handsome, but be has very open counGenance;" and some Of the habits of this animal, as lately de- scriOed by M. VOeltzkog, in Nature, are exceeding interesting. Travelling in Wituland he obtained, in January last, seveaty-nine How-lsid eggs 0: tho ami nal, from a nest which gas five or six
 -s from the bank of the wagogona, tributary of the ooi in East Africa. For a space of some eighteen feet in diane ter. spot had be- cleared of plants in circle. apparenAy by the crocodile having wheeled around several times 4 few branches had been laid here and there, but there was no nest-building proper. The, nest tso-called) lay open so she sun, with the exception of couple of bushes at one part Four pits dug in the hard, dry ground. about two feet obliquely down, held the eggs, about eighty-fve or ninety in number, including those broken in digging out The natives told the traveller that the crocodile. having selected and prepared a spot, makes pit in it that day, and lays about twenty or twenty-five eggs in it, which it covers with earth. Next day it makes a second pit and so on. From the commencement 1t remains in the nest, and it sleeps there till the hatch ing of the young. which appear in about .So months, when the heavy rain period ss>s in. The egg-laying occurs cnly 70 in th ear, about the end of Janu- sry = beginning of February. Nj. VOeltzkez disturbed the crocodile on its eggs. and saw it drop into the water; but fro- the look he got of it it seemed to be the CrOe0dilus rulgaris, so common i1 East Africa Magazine.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
Slept lnn l.lf--Pr-..rr.r.

An amusing instance illustrates the extreme of oyerearefulness which some persons exhibit in their eagerness to avoid the danger of drowning while on steamboat trips A young woman who was passenger with some friends on one of the steamers leaving Boston for a Maine city was asked in the morning whether she had comfortable night, and she replied tbat her sleep was dis tnrbed because she had not got used to the life-preserver, which prevented her getting into an easy position IL turned out that she had fastened one of these bulky eontrivanses round her body on retiring for the night, and, imprisoned in is folds, she had become black and blue from the pressure of it's hard can vas covering upon her This exzmpls of extreme precsution in the use of life preseryers Is a striking commentary or. the need of ampler diree tiOns for thsiI application
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

"I want two dollars worth of ten cent pieces" said 8 young urchin of about nine summers, as he walked in to sn Allen street saloon and planked down two dollars. He received the change and hurried oil ID the direct ion of crowd of boys who had wor- ried the amount out of bridegroom but few minutes before. Each one received ten cent piece and were just as happy with it as the minister was with his sl0.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
TIE RIGHT TO vors.
It Docs Not Make womzn's Lie Easier
 Nor Her Labor Lighter.


 Whenever n woman enters the polisr teal arena she sacrifices that charm of xomanhood, delieaey of manner. which can not be kept pure under the eoarser oontaminating influences, observes the Dcs Sioines lIa.) Register. We do not assert that politics is in every degree de grading to woman, but we do think i' not eievating; neither do we think women wield the purifying influence al the polls suffrage advocates claim. We have not observed a case in years of observation where the voice of woman Is felt in the primaries, the conventions or as representatives, either municipal or executive, though a single female delegate to county convention may be sn exception. The better class of wom. en care little for the ballot or political honors, feeling that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" that the mother who gives to her State half a dozen manly votes aecomplishes more for her country's good than the woman who neglects home, children and duties 10 voice the sentiments Of women who never knew nor can know the meaning of motAarhood, love, or home. Women IS mass do not pine for the ballot, and ~s-@ it left to the ladies of Wyoming to decide ~oman suffrage would be lost by A large majority. While it's influence is not degrading to She lords of creation, yet we can not learn that they are par tieRlarly purified by meeting mother, wife and sister al the polls; and there are but few men. while they might not 1.- 4s,1 teel q disgust at the thought of those .ney have always held up as emblems of purity becoming contaminated with politics
 Woman, as an official candidate, will pander to the low and degrading to se- cure votes just as men dol Is this ele- vsting or purifying? The condition rt woman is no better nor is life made easier, or labor lighter. where she has right to vote. The woman who performs her natural labors-be they in the home Or outside as & toiler-if she al the same time keeps herself informed in all that interests her as dury socially and po- dtically, must accomplish more than the strong man, and by harder work. Man has accorded to woman equal rights s1- perior tO those of the ballot; she may walk side by side with him in the battle of hfo; she may even outstrip him, ss there is no avenue rot ROW open to the woman who wishes to enter the profess sional arena against her maie cOmpeti- tors.
 The true woman who would make the most Of her every Gcd-given attribute asks Dot for the ballot but for love and Some, where the carols of babyhood are sung vs the sweetest of babies, where home is heaven, and where the weary husband may fnd rest and aching hearts sympathy.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

An applicant for a pension, Mir. Carter of Tombstone, returned from Tucson today, where he was obliged to go for examination by U $ medicine man. Itwould seem that an officer Of the government in this position, should make the rounds just as s district judge does, instead of compel ling applicants to spend s20 to hunt him up.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

ssAhundance of the finest honey ever brought to Tombstone is produced on the river. The comb simply melts in the month and the faTor is superior to anything made from more aromatic flowers than mesquite blossoms and alfalfa. MT. Herrick strains much of his product, which is pure, and snoth CT advantage it has is that it is an Arizona production.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

Seversl heavy eastern capitalists are due in Yuma today to investigate the Yuma pumping and irrigating project If fayorabiy impressed they will take 8 big block Of stock in the enterprise and give t boost Those Tombstone chaps who ridiculs ! Harry Carpenter when he went to Yuma, are still eat ing free lunches while Harry now laughs out of both corners Of his mouth and -ubs his stomach ss he drops two bits for q mint tulip.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

The effect of no in the shade can be better understood after reading the following from the Phenix Herald:
 An old California "forty-niner" a few days ago guiloped down in the darkness of a somewhat dry night something that he said tasted nor like the old time whisky of '5z than anything be had tasted fer 35 years. It proved to be q glass eI sweetsned water into which 8 handful of bees hsd tunbled and were wiggling about
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
AN ODD LIBRARY.
Books on Botany Bound in the Bark O
 Trees and Plants

frees and ftautS-
 At Warthenstein, in Germany, there is perhaps one of the most curiously original collections of books extant This consists of botanical collection. outwardly the books present the com mon appearance of a block of wood. and that is the first impression: but a minute examination reveals the fact that each is complete history of the particular tree which it represents. At the back of the book the bark has been removed from space which allows the scientific and common names cf the tree to be placed as a title. One side is formed from the split of the tree, show ing it's grain and natural fracture; the other shows the wood when worked smooth and vanished. One end shows the grain as left by the saw, the other the fnely-polished wood. On opening the book it is found to contain the fruit, seeds, leaves and other products of the tree. These are supplemented by a well-printed description of its habits, usual location and manner of growth It fact, every thing which has bearing upon that particular tree secures a place in this wonderful. useful and valuable collection Here is a preee- dent for the botanical societies to adopt, and although doubtless expensive. yet it will certainly repay in its utility Christian at Work.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

A large number of beautiful speci mems from the mammoth cave in the Copper Queen mines at Bisbee will be shipped to the worlds fair. Some of the specimens are immense and were taken out after the expenditure of much time and labor.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
of July.

Judgment by default was entered in the district court yesterday in the cases of Taggart vs. Nardini < Co and Folkmsn vs. the same. Execution was issued and attachment followed upon the Turquois property of the de- endsnts. The Volkner judgment is for SI706.47 and Taggart S220.55.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

"It's new style of dress" remarked one man. "Ips patch" said another "It's April Fools day" said an urchin, but il was only square foot of sticky hy paper sn the seal of her dress.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

A Pinos Altos paper says that N. Bell, returned Saturday from Arizona where he has been taking out ore from the Golden Rule mine. A test run on & couple of carloads of metal will be made. This mine is located near Drs- goen summit.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

Peter Johnson of Bisbee killed 64 head of beef cattle at Bisbee during the mrnths of April and May. This was all the news the recorders office afforded today.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

About all the money has been sub scribed to take the Tombstone boys to Huachuca on Sunday next and bring the soldier boys over here on the 4th of July.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28

The regular meetingof the Thimble League will be held in the Presbyter- ian church Friday June 26 at ? 80 p. m.
Tombstone epitaph., 1891-06-28
WORK OF INVENTIVE GENIUS.

A MACHINE for making shoe-strings out of paper is recent Philadelphia invention.
 ANoSe modern inventions is named 8 birds wing of diamonds with the least possible setting of gold visible.
 A RAILROAD engineer has inverted a pump with which to squirt hot water on deaf persons who walk on railroad tracks
 IVAN NIKoLAEvITcH ZYKoFF of St. Petersburg has discovered a method of baking rye bread direct from the grain. The rye is washed to clean it and imme- diately afterward it is turned into dough and baked.
 A STEAM phaeton has appeared in Paris resembling an ordinary phaeton- 1t carries under the body of the carriage 8 boiler which cannot explode, with a