davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
NEWS FOR FISHERMEN.
A Clever Coutrivance ." H"Eu''r the IN
nocent Miunnw Int" Acting hs bait.

Many q time what promised to be q
line dav'S fishing has been spoiled by a
long and tedious hunt for the proper
kind of bait with which I" angle. A
pair of boot-hcels sticking up through
the grass hv the side OF brook, and
one long. rumbin@ @r""I oI profanity
issuing seemingly from under tho
earth. is Il familiar Indication to
large number of pcopte VINO have
been there themselves that some
ardent aud irritable fisherman is lying
there on lis face. trying /" keep out OF
SIGHT of the timid mInnowS he wants
to scoop ip out OF the stream mt one
dash. and then he oil. But the little
minnows are in no hurry. They dart
away at the sight Of his unfamiliar
scoop net. and lie under the farther
bank wriggling their little tails tantal-
zinglv. Now the fisherman wishes
he had taken time by the forclock and
secured his bait on the day before he
was to start on his expedition. He
reviles his procrastination as the min
utes slip by. and the hot sun beats on
his back and he resolves never to do
il again. Bat this does not mollify the
minnows in the least and the scene
generally ends by the angler going OFF
furious with only few miserable lit
tie fellows in his can.
An ingenious inventor has come to
the relief of fishermen lately. by pro-
ducng n minnow trap that is hard to
beat First of all il j. wholly COM
posed Of transparent. colorIcSs glass,
and is in shape much like Il big cart
81 I,,lf IA
is about two and one-half feet long.
and as biz around rs a mans leg
above the knee. 1t is hollow, of
course, and what would be the fiat end
of the cartridge is punched in, like the
bottom of a glasS bottle and there is a
small round hole in tn" apex of the
cone ihu~ made. The other and the
pointed end OF the tiap is fitted with
little sliding door. This big glass
cartridge j. intended 10 he set on its
side in the bottom of II brook where
mnnows abound. The cautions ones
soon become accustomed To it, and the
reckless fellows don't see it till they
bump their noses against it. Some
nice bait is put inside the trap. and
the miuunwS soon find their way into
il. through the hoe in the puuched-in
ruI. The it'll" door at the othc" end
is shut. ui course.
The minnuN> are unable tn find
their way out. brcau>r they follow the
sides of the trap and this leads them
into the culdc-SaC AT the flat end. all
| around the bottom OF the cone. They
are easily poured out. however. with
t.r water III the trap by holding the
tnin" up. poiutcd end down. and open
| ing the little slidr-d"ur. Wire Is
! twisted around the out>il" Of the trap.
and forms II handle by which it is con
veniently carried, and the wire also
protects the glass from injury.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12

By far the deepest lake known in
the world is Lake Balkll. in Siberia.
which is every way comparable to the
great Canadian lakes a. regards size;
for. while its area j. over ZOO square
miles. making it about equal to Erie
in superficial extent. its enormous
depth Of between 600 and 100 feet
makes the volume of its waters almost
equal 10 that of Lake Superior. Al
though its surface is l. $50 feet above
the sea level, its bottom Is nearly 5 900
feet below il. The Caspian Lake. or
sea. rs il j. usually called. has Il depth
in its southern basin OF over ) OOO fcct
Lake Magminrr is 3. OOO feet deep Lake
Como nearly 1000 feet. and Lrgo-di-
Gar,a. another Italian lake. has 4
depth in certain places OF l.9OD feet.
Lake Constance j. over |. 900 feet deep,
aud Huron and Michigan reach depths
OF 900 and 1000 feet Geographical
NctcS.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
AGED INDIANS,
Remarkable Longevity Of the Natives of
Southern California.

The early inhabitants of southern
California. according To the stateuen,
of Mr.. Ii III. Bancroft aud ether re-
ports. were found 10 br living in Spar
tan conditions as to temperance and
training. and in a highly moral condi-
tion, in consequences of which they
had uncommon physiSl endurance
and contempt for luxury. This train
ing in abstinence and rd'hip. with
temperance in diet comoincd with the
climate To produce the astonishing
longevity to he found here. Contrary
TO the customs of most other tribes of
Indians. their aged were the care of
the community.
DR.. W. A. Winder. of San Diego. is
quoted aS saying that in Il visit to Fl
CajCn Valley some thirty years ago he
was taken TO house in which the aged
persons were cared for. There were
half dozen who had reached an ex-
tremc age. Some were unable to
move. their bnuy frame being SEEM
ingly anchyloscd. They were old.
wrinkled, and blcar-cyed; their skin
was hanging in leathcry folds about
their withcrcd limbs; some had hair rs
white rs snow. and had seen some
seven score Of years; others, still able
to crawl. but So a"cd as TO be unable
to stand. went SLOWLY about on their
hands and knees, their limbs being at
teuuated and withercd. The organs
o! special sense had in many nearly
lost all activity some generations
back. Some had lost the use of their
l.,,, g.. a. H..
eration; but the organs Of life and the
great sympathetic still kept up their
automatic functions, not recognizing
the fact. and surprisingly Indifferent to
it, that the rest of the body had ceased
TO be OF any use generation or more
in the past.
DIR. Palmer has n photograph (Which
| have secn) Of sqnaw whom he esti-
mates to be Que hundred and twenty
six Years Old. When he visited her he
saw her put six watermelons in Il
blanket. tic it up. and carry it on her
back for two miles. He is familiar
with Indian customs and history. and
Il careful cro>>-eNamination convinced
him that her information of old Gus
toms was not obtained by .tradition.
she had seen practised. such as the
cremation of the dead. which the mis-
sion fathers had compelled the Indians
TO rriinquish. She had seen the Ind
ians punished by the fathers with fog
gings for persisling in the practice of
cremation.
At the mission of San Tomas in
Lower California. is still living m
Indian (a photograph %. whom DR..
kemondino shows), bent aud wrin-
kled. whose age is computed at one
hundred and forty wears. Although
blind and naked. he is still active, aud
daily -o"S down the beach and along
tine beds of the creeks in search of
drift-wo0d. making it his daily task tn
gather and carry to camp "A fagot uf
wood. d.-Charie& Dud'ey If"rw.r.sA Har-
per'S Ntya2iae.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12

convince the puplIc Dy ncr production
Of ---. in which she should open
the week following.
But none of her recent performances
have equalled somewhat earlier
achievement There are gossips who
still laugh rs they remember how.
after her marriage with Damala, the
rumur got about Paris that. owing to
domestic duties Beruhardt would he
unable to finish her season. Fashion
writers vino visited Worth discovered
that in good truth Bcrnhartlt had or
dcred complete outfit of new stage
dresses designed with the view OF hid
iag her figure. Ii became the fashion
Ia 80 and see the actress in those
gowns. Bets were up rs to how many
more nights she would play, when sud-
denly. without warning. rs the inter-
est reached its climax. the special
wardrobe WAS thrown aside BnrThardt
laughed and Paris laughed with her as
ii saw how we'll it had been fooled.
There is only one Brrnhardt. She j.
unique. unapproachahc. But with
ali her quackcry Paris remembers TO
her credit that she sincerely loved
Damaa. She pulled him ont of the
gutter. and, in spite of much. ut the
end Sh" mourned him. -Pdrts Letter 10
SaUdRRuh Na,CS.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
why He Kept The Oats.

II was Saturday-a pleasant Satur-
day afternoon in II small country town.
Th" oat crop was just coming in and
" string of teams stood in line. taking
their turns at unloading their oats at
the only elevator in the town. 1t was
run by Yankee. whose personal char.
aCtcristics were known to every man
in the country around except new
conner The newcomers load stood
third from the last in the line. 1t was
late when his turn came.
What are you paying for oats to-
dayP' he inquired.
Al this question the two men behind
him heaycd hopeless signs and drove
away in apparent disgust.
Wall. now. I'll tell We" said the
Yankee. rubbing his pointed chin he
tween his thumb and forciingcr. 'Ye
see, a-h-ye know, a-h-ye'r stranger
here amt YEP"
Yes"
Wall, I'll tell yc-ye see. a-h, we
clean oats-an' oats ain't his year what
they wuz last-got struck with the
blight. ye see, but"
But what do You pay for o--p"
Yes. ycs-jus, rs wuz sayin': Oats
ain't No. this year. an the YEAR be-
fore they lodged. an the wear before
that they miIdewed. an. ies 81 told the
icller that in the place you're on, the
crops ben failure fur nif-an'-on five
But what will you pay for these
o-pn
The stranger was not permitted TO
finish his question. The Yankee had
shifted his quid. braced against the
haN-scalcs, and begun with fl sh vigor:
just aS wuz sayin'-we clean our
oats an -~-'
For Heavens sake. man, how did
you ever manage to propose TO your
wiir9"
Wall, now. I'll tell ye." began the
Yankee. with smile" "Ye see, a-h-
We know -"
Yes We seen good many Yam
KEGS and I've known Il good many
slow-combnStion liars. hut III eat all
the oats yon ever told the price of If I
ever saw such II one rs YOU in all NV
daNs!'
with this he cut his team with his
whip and started home with his load.
The last thing he heard. as he drove
away. was:
Say. now-fll tell ye--"
But he never did. aud after that when
the stranger heard man begin n
story WITH We'll. I'll tell YOU" he
moved on.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
THE TRICK LIONS.
An Interview with Mr.. Darling. the Lion
Tanner.

The lion tanner is a highly intell-
gent Young man. who. born in the
Omitted States. went to Germany in his
south. In Hamburg he associated
with II leading firm. the Jamrach of
Germany, and SO, having animals in
his charge, became familiar with hand
ling them. Travelling for the buSi-
ness, he made frequent visits To Africa
and Asia. collecting animals. In IA
commercial sense. considering lions
and tigers rs cattle to be bought and
sold. he became thoroughly acquaielcd
with their Ways and instincts. Ger
tainly it was the only school whore
such quiet mastery over savage ami
mails could be acquired.
1T il il very long business" said
MIR. Darling; ''all my animals have
been two years in training. Why. il
takes NIL of two mnlths To make lion
sit in ii chair and stay there | can
not vaunt general intelligence in lions;
it Is Rather individual. have had
some fine Young Ions. superb in body,
that had no brains. Not wicked or
cross. but simply stupid. 1t was a
tendency To forget Tomorrow all that
had been acquired for months before.
Bat | can't always tell. Leo is my
best pupil. He never was ugly. hut
oucc ! gave him uD and sent him Off
he was so dull; then took him 10
school again; aud know no lion see
ond TO him now IN intelligence and
doctlity. This is the point A lion
doesn't want to do things. He Just
doesn't want To. Now YOU must make
him. Punish him. and you make him
your enemy; afraid of you. and he
gets worse, not better. | coax him
and talk To him in English. for Eng
lIsh Is the be:t language for command.
The scesaw aud the velocipede are
difficult tricks. Not one lion in n
thousand can be taught to keep his
balance. They mostly tumbled off.
Perhaps IN that performance their
highest intelligence is called into play.
the vciOcipedr requires careful lion.
and l have just the right one. 1t is
nice work To get the exact pose and to
keep 1t; but what gaye me the most
trouble Is the chariot performance. A
lion must have had I'M original con-
tempt for that kind of business. You
see am busy harnessng up one lion
whlle the others are perfectly free.
The art has been to make the rest of
them come up of their own accord.
For months ! had one lion tearing
round alone, and the rest scattered
about. Now they nil come up to time.
They dou't want to. but they must. II
Is patience, kindness. making them
not afraid of me-for | am not afraid
OF them-that has done the business
i have rchearsals all the time. for the
animals must be constantly at work so
us not to forget. The whelps are COM
ing on fast; one. | think. shows great
intelligence. feed them eight pounds
OF beef IA day for the big ones and six
for the smaller ones. and they take
their supper after the performance.
You cannot reward your lions for
good behavior. like you would Il
horse. with II lump of sugar or "A car
rot?n
mo; they despise sugar. but love
beef tea. But ii they behave very
well. give them during the perform
ance little tidbit of meat. and Nero
would think | was not doing the right
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12

A fantastic orgy WAS witnessed at the
town of Loongi the capital OF Bullion,
west coast of Africa, hv a party of
officers from the West India regiment
quartered at Sierra Leone. The peo-
pile of Loongi are Mohammcdans, but
the dancing devil himself is n relic of
not long departed paganism. and so
also probably is the dance itself 1t
takes place in the courtyard of the
chiefs premises. which is entered
through circular hut. The scene
which presents itself To any one COM
ing suddenly out of the darkness into
the noise and glare is decidedly uncan-
ny.
In the center of "A circle which fills
the courtyard the devil. with an
orthodox tail. a great crocodile's head,
and long grass. looking like hair, de-
pending from his body aud legs. and
swaying rs he moves. leaps. beating
time with his feet tn the beat of the
drums. while the women. two deep,
wall chant and strike their palms To-
gether in slow. rhythmical measure,
those in the front row bowing down be-
tween each beat.
IHt iutII, iobcS anu
caps. wall with the women. Both are
under VOWS. the dance being one of
their rites. They look dazed to hegin
with. but gradually work themselves
into a frenzy. and the black faces. the
monotonou> wailing cry, tn" thrnm-
ming of the drums. tine rattle of The
checkers AMI the beat of the devil! :
feet rs he springs up, crouches down
and swings about. make scene to
shock the quiet moon aud stars and
gladden. Gehenna.
North of Sierra Leone. Africa. is
Mohammedan, South Pagan aud the
Southern people have this devil. When
peace is declared between two native
tribes the peace devil. who is fetish.
comes leaping into the town. but if he
stumblcs or falls it is considered a bad
omen aud he is put To death for his
pains. His dress is sacred. but his
person is of no consequence.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
seeing the Empress OF Japan.

"When her Majesty shall pass along
no one must look ut her from tho fro ma
built on houses for the driving OF
clothes. or through cracks in doors or
from any position in the upper portion
OF their houses. Ii anybody wishes In
see her Majesty he or she must Sit
down ut the si'l" of tho road by which
her Majesty will pass. No one must
look at her Majesty without taking of
his hat, neckcloth or lurhan. or what
ever else he may bc wearing on or
about his head. Moreover. no Que must
be smoking while he or she il looking
ut her Majesty, nor must any one carry
st'ck'or cane. Only women wearing
foreign clothes will he permitted 10 re-
tain their head covering. Although il
may ram. no person will be allowed To
put NJ IN umbrella whi-' her Majesty
may be passing. AS her Majesty passes
no one must raise his voice, nor must
any sound be beard. ."-.Iapan Litter.
.tahv ut~sy~
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12

,nIng with him If he Gidn { get his NOR
sci. My whips Indicate the positions
for the animals. Yon could not hurt a
lion. who has tough hide. with "A
lash. but whip acts as ii protection.
Iou might bclabor a lion with "A biz
stick, and hc would not feel it. But he
does not fancy stick, the point of
which. like Il spear. is held in his direc-
ton: 80 IT one threatened me, | could
keep him OH An act hnl to give up
WAS where lion rose and put his fore
paws on my shoulders. The claws are
very sharp. and any display of endear-
ment would cut through my coat and
wound my shoulders. ami new coat
every night was too expensive. All
the lions are foni of me. and we re-
spccl one another. -H0rpcr'S |Ercbiy.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
A DISAPPOINTED OFFICER.
His Belief la the STABILITY oT Indian Char
actor BADLY Shattered.

Soldiers advancing against Indians
often march lor days without seeing II
red man. hut the veterans know that
Il the Indians want to find them they
will be beard from when least expect
"h. a story told in "Narpath and
Bjvuurc" illustrates how suddenly In
u:au> announce their presence.
General Crook : command was camp
ri on Crazy Woman's Forks. aud not
au Indian had disturbed them for sew
"rai nignts. IL was very cold. and all
were impatient for some sort of excite
mcut. One night some officer said.
let us 20 up 10 Bourke's tent" aud
thcy all went.
The lieutenant. n member OF Crooks
~taE. WAS found Studying n military
map hy The light of Il candle.
Hello. B"urkc!' said one of the
visitors. Aren't You afraid the IN
diun> will vcntilate Your tent if you
keep that light burning?'
q no, replied Bourke. The In
lian> that have been firing into us are
II small flying party. You may rely
on it that YOU won't hear anything
more of them this side of Tongue Riv-
~. Tue distance is too great from
their village and the weather is too
cold. Mr.. Indian doesn't care To he
frozen. Now Ill show YOU on this
nap the point where they will most
likely make their first real at"
"Whizz! pop! hna@. zip. came vol
.cy from tlc bluffs above the camp. 4
bullet struck the candle and put ii ont.
Another made large sized hole in the
map. The officers scattered, and
Bourke was left alone IL mediate on
the instability oi Indian character.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
STORIES OF BERNHAaDT
The Wonderful wum,n WHO 4,
Siecier la Everything

Rernhardt's little scheme fork
iny Il live snake To her barred ltN
tue death scene of Cleopatra.
a laugh in the city which has
quite used To be NJ freshly fgN
her on the production Of c:tS
play. When Btrnhardt puts hI,
at the service of her charlatS
result is such glorious andf
humbugging rs only the
could appreciate but which the Ss
her for. Psri>iauS will not iis -r-
get how Bernhardt advcrtiS:a--one
piece 10y going to horse fair. buying
two splendid horses for her sou, re-
turning To Paris after midnight aud
stabling the animals. for lack OF other
Accommodation. in Hcr maguiiicentiy
fitted studio. Next morning all Paris
was agng.
How could you allow such wanton
destruction"
"Ah. said the Bernhard,, her eyes
alight with maternal devotion. how
could deny Maurice anytningP'
Nor has Paris yet done taIkin" of
how she posed rs an angel at Mauricr's :
wedding, ray of light sificd through
stained glass falling softly on her up
lifted face rs She knclt at the altar
wrapped i'm religious ecstasy. This
was almost as good au advertisement
a. the news which not SO very Ion"
ago startled all France Brruharht uad
become insane. No. said monsIcurs.
the journalists and dramatic critics.
YOU nave deceived Us too often; this
time wc positively refuse To- believe
LIZ .F
especially firm in his position. By lae
great gods he had sworn. and he would
stand by his oath, that Bernhard. ;
name should never again appear in
type which he controlled. But private
Information came TO MIN from sources
deemed incorruplible. aud he was
brought to call nu Bcrnhardt To see
with hi| own eyes. Ia her boudoir.
with lights turned down. she kept him
waiting. and then bounced Into the
apartment like one of her own tiger
cats and leaned against the manlel.
hair disheyelled, face haggard. feat
ures blank and unintelligrnt. fingers
trembling. Her complexion was
Chustly. her eyes wandering. Not u
word did she answer TO his questions,
but mumbed To herself in undertoncs.
After little she dropped to the floor
and lay staring into the fire. babhling.
NJ. - was convinced. Next day he
$50 out with lamentations; II great
~ had gone out; Bernhardt had had
aults, but il would loo long ere
TWO ,esss &aon iier like again.
er tteae moment for which
of been waiting. In two
"a iom her was in every
~ In the city. She was
could not imagine how
.,starled; her head had
Asyy. As she hoped to
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12
THE VERY W=E.EST MAN.
A Dwarf Who Would Have Been u Bn.
nanx, Had lac Lived Today.

Bebe is supposed to have been tic
smallest man who ever lived. He was
borne hy "A peasant woman in lorraine
Just $50 years ago. and WAS called Brbc
because the irs. few years OF his life Ap
ceu.d articulate only ''b-b." The day
of hi~ birth B"be was smaller than his
mothers hand.
Ten DAYS aiterward he was taken to
the village cure. to be baptized. in itls
mothers wooden shoe. hecatI~c he Wa
TOO tired to be carried safely in her
arms. Daring the next six months
the snUe wooden shoe served rs Bebc )
crib.
When Bebe was about seven wears
old King Stanislaus Lcscynski OF Po-
land. VINO was then living at Lorraine.
heard what wonderful little fellow
he was and ordered the child's father
to bring him to court. Bcbe, Sr.. car
ried his son Ia the royal palace in Il
small basket. Stanislaus said 1T oucc
that Bebe must become his court
dwarf. Behr'| father was induced To
accedc to this proposal with good
hi, of royal Polish gold, and Bch1 was
made regular follower of the King s
court
At the time of his introduction 10
court life Bebe was just twenty inches
tail and weighed eighty pounds. lie
never grew larger.
He had sweet little voice good
ear for music and nimhle legs. III.
could dance aud sing with the best of
the Kings courtiers He was useful
as "A table ornament at all the King i
great banauels. His most famous APP
pcarauce in this rather peculiar role
took place at dinner which Stanis-
iaus gave to the Ambassador of great