davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
That's the WAY 1 shoot.

An officer in attendance at a shoot
ing competition noticed two men firing
with anything but precision. APP
preaching them, he exclaimed angrily !:
"You fellows don't know how to shoot !;
lend me the rife and let me show you. :"
Bang" and the target was missed.
A broad grin overspread the features
of the two privates, but the officer was
equal to the occasion. Turning to the
first. with frown upon his counter
ance, he remarked, THAT'S the way
you shoot. sir!" A second attempt,
and similar result. Turning to the
other, he continued, "And that's the
way you shoot, sir!" A third shot, and
an inner was fuked. With pardonable
pride the worthy officer returned the
rifle, triumphantly adding, "And that's
the way I shoot!" The men ever since
have entertained very high opinion
of him as marksman.-E Exchange.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
A GLIMPSE OF ETNA.

acter of the workmanship which dates
from the eleventh century, all combine
to render the work nr approachaDie.
Many other localities. many other
churches and public edifices in the in
terror of Sicily are worthy of visit, but
are not often seen by men of other lands,
IN account of the dangers of travel. In
snite of the constant efforts OF the Gov
ernment. in spite OF the Jealous patrols
which day and night pass up and down
the highways, brigands still swarm IN
the mountain districts. The mail coach,
the diligence, on every trip are protected
nv a cavalry escort, and even this Is
sometimes insufficient to guard against
the well-arm and numerous banults >,
The traveller who would see Sicily IN al u
it's country districts must be protected
nv at least full company OF cavairy,
and the expense of such an escort is 100
great for the purse of any but prince.
Palermo is in the west, and on me
eastern extremity of the island IS tne
town Of Messina' situated on Tho s;t my
which equals that OF Genoa Inc situ.
ton is superb; the bay, the protecting
fortresses. the old castles, the moaeIn
honses the scores of churches, the
ranges Of hills in the distance, COMBINE
tn nrodnce a picture of exquisite beauty;
W n il an old new city; time ana
again has it been DESTROYED ~ VIII
in mart by the civil wars and commot, ons'
which have prevailed IN the unn"pp'
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
Remembering His Prisons.

Some people would think it strange
that should still regard that cell-in
which I spent nearly = year of solitary
confinement-with affection. but it is
true. Man is a domestic animal, and
to q prisoner with twenty years" on
his door the cell is home. look back
with fond regard to great many cells
and great many prisons in England
and Australia, which are associated to
my mind in way not to be wholly
understood by any one but myself.
And if ever I should go back to En-
gland (Which is doubtful, for escaped
from prison in Australia in 1869, and
so permanently ended the twenty
years. the first place I would visit
would be one of the old prisons. Re-
member, my name and many a passing
thought are scratched and written on
many small place within those cells,
which perfectly we'll recollect, and it
would be a great treat to go back some
day and read them. And then, during
the time I. was in prison, I got ac-
quainted with thousands Of profession
al criminals, old and young, who will
be the occupants of the English jails
for the next twenty years, and i con-
TESS it would be of great interest to
me to go back and walk the corridor
with all the trimming responsibility
of visitor, and stop when I saw a
face knew of old, and observe how
time and villainy had dealt with it
From the Unpublished MSS. of John
Boyle OReilly.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
MAELsrRoM.

pictures of the giant races of Patagonia.
There are some tall people at Terra del
Fuego, but not above the average height
A race of pigmies has been discovered
more than once, but they have all died
out before modern progress could reach
their place Of residence.
Myth four was the upas tree. Accord
ing to some writer's this wonderful
growth of nature had arms that would
enfold and kill victim, or exude pois-
oned atmosphere that was fatal to pass
ers-by. Poets and orators still use it as
a simile. but the natives where it grows
employ it to kindle fires, with little rev.
erence for its reputation among the civ
ilized nations.
The sea-serpent myth, like the Flying
Dutchman myth. is one that time cannot
kill. This serpent is numerous and
ubiquitous 1t has been seen in nearly
every ocean, upon nearly every sea
coast. Its length has varied from SO
feet, with head as large as house, to
500 feet, with o tail as small as a file.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
Not Pornpo,,s,

The Washington Post credits Secre.
tary Blaine with telling story Illus
trative Of President Lincoln's some
what free manner of receiving dignified
officials.
At the beginning of session of
Congress Mr.. Blaine had been ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives q member Of the
joint committee to wait upon the Presi-
dent and inform him that Congress
had duly assembled. Senator Foot. of
Vermont, one of the most dignitied of
men, was chairman of the committee.
IlOn being ushered into the presence
of the President, Mr.. Foot inyolun-
tarily struck an attitude, and pro-
ceeded to say, in his stateliest manner:
"Mr. President, we have been APP
pointed committee on the part of the
two houses of Congress to apprise you
that they have met and organized, and
are ready to receive any communica-
ton which it may be your pleasure 20
make to them"
Z sAs he concluded, Mr.. Lincoln stepped
up to him, and taking him Familiarity
by one button of his coat, said:
"Now, look here, Foot. if it is mat
ter of life and death with you, I can
send my message in to-day; but if it
isn't, I should Like to keep it till to.
morrow to slick it mp little"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
A KoBBER OUTPOST.

Walter, who by some strange chance had
found his way into this land far distant
from the place of his birth. In the
crypt reposes his body, side by side with
that of the Emperors Henry vi. and
Frederick II. of Germany. Fabulous
wealth is everywhere to be seen in this
great edifice: every altar glitters with
jewels and gold: the shrine of st. Rosalia
is composed of 1900 pounds of pure sill
yer, and not a year passes but on
her feast day thousands of dollars are
poured into the Golfers of the Cathedral,
the willing gifts of devout pilgrims
But the Cathedral Of Palermo Is not
the only shrine in Sicily. Montreale, a
half days drive distant, is now only
country village, the brigandish inhab-
itants of which are kept exercising their
profession by the constant presence of q
large body of soldiery. Prevented from
following their favorite occupation. the
populace are perforce compelled to work,
and at the doors may be seen the tailor,
the shoemaker and other craftsmen OK
ercising their trade in full view of the
passers-by, while others, unskilled in
handicraft, give to the orange tree the
port to the markets Of Palermo donkey
loads of the delicious fruit. Montreale,
though only an Insignificant village, has
cathedral known to artists the world
over. Walls, vaulting, pavements,
arches, almost every portion of the cath
edral within, and much without, are
covered with mosaics. Every sort of
scene is represented in these wonderful
pictures; bits of Scripture. history, trans
fgurations. assumptions, ascensions, and
from the great arch in front of the nave
there looks down upon the congrega-
ton mighty face of the Redcemer
in mosaic, of precious and semi precious
stones. Nothing like this church is to
be found in the world: the wealth of
mosaic decoration, the value of the
materials employed, the marvellous char
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

Our land has had it's myths. Two OF
them are worth noting: Years ago,
everybody believed the story about the
Great American Desert. This western
tract of territory was said to be vast,
arid waste. fairly whitened with the
bleached bones of travellers who had
died in vain attempt to reach Calfior-
mia. 1t was only in 1s49, when pioneers
crossed the plains in large numbers, that
this story was found to be fiction.
1t is only since the signal service has
been organized that the true source and
direction Of storms have been accurately
learned. 1t was supposed for years thai
as the wind blew from the east, the
storms came also from that direction
We know that wind always blows
against an approaching storm, the storm
being the cause, and the wind the effect.
instead of vice versa, as originally be-
| lieved
These are only few of many of the
exploded myths of history. It has taken
the light and intelligence Of modern
thought to gain the truth, where error
prevailed for many centuries.
WELDON j. COBB.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
sulints of Thought,

Beauty and truth combined art.
The fool never does as he says; the
wise man never says what he does.
Wit, like unwholesome sleep, must
come unbidden and unasked.
Three things thou canst not buy at
any price: True friendship, love and
woman's loyalty.
Whenever q new savior turns up
there will also be new Judas.
Happiness is nearly always thing
of the past, or the future, rarely fact
of the present.
Often nothing but our past stands
in the way of our future.
The mind is the Prometheus that is
chained to the rock-body.
Public opinion is like ve1ing'
glass, which reflects things sometimes
too large, sometimes too small, but al.
WAYS distorted.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

the public resorts give romantic air
not otherwise obtainable. Palermo has
al the romance of an Italian CITY. with
all the comfort OF London or Paris. OF
course the Cathedral is the principal at
traction. and it is we'll situated for dis
play, being placed opposite to the great
pupllc square. Its dimensions give II
wonderful grandeur, while it's walls,
covered with interlacing arches, its
Campanlle, giant mass of columns.
towers, statuary, and tracery, make it a
triumph OF combined Norman and Gothic
art 1t was founded on the site of a
Saracenlc mosque, and it's walls were
begun by an Englishman, Archbishop
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

island, but more destructive than wars
have been the earthquakes, which are to
the present day common phenomenon
in all parts Of Sicily, and particularly in
the east. Messina is situated almost in
a direct line with Etna, Stromboli and
Vesuvius, and more than once has been
leveied with the ground by the tremend-
GUS earthquakes which have devastated
this part of the world. In spite of its
earthquakes. however, it is pleasant
place in which to spend the winter, and
is constantly thronged, though the dan
ger is ever present, as may be gathered
from the significant and rather super
fluous hint to the traveller by the hotel
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
that alleged marvel, which later were

that alleged marvel, which later were
proved to be the veriest tictions.
Some of these will readily remember
the old Biographies which used to con-
tain picture Of a wonderful maelstrom,
located off the coast of Norway. This
terrible volume of water was reported
by sailors to actually exist, a veritable
marine mon ter which lowered in space,
ready to engulf and devour any ship
that came near it's broad vortex. 1t has
never yet been discovered by actual on
plorers, and has at last been relegated
to the obscurity whence it emanated-
possibly the exaggerated fancy of some
mariner who witnessed heavy storm
at sea.
Books that were really valuable in
their day may yet be found which have
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

ence, and comprising five cities within
its walls, is now a small. port, the sole
inhabited portion of the city being situ-
ated on an island which was the limit of
the original Greek colony. Almost the
only trade Of Syracuse is with Malta.
The town is dirty, low and embarrassing,
but the neighborhood is the most noted
in Sicilian history. Close by the walls of
Syracuse rises the fountain of Arethusa,
described by Cicero. where once Diana
and her nymphs disported themselves
within the crystal waves. Many years
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

UNCHAUSEN Is
laughed at in this
age Of the world
las a clever weaver
Of marvellous adj
ventures border
ing OH the inn
probable, and yet
llo was nothing
less than a satir-
list OH the popular
superstitions of
his day. Super
stition, however,
is scarcely the
word myths of
history would be
far more appro-
pirate, and the
book 8 of real
travel published a
cen fury since
abound in descrip-
of these as
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
THE MYTHS OF HISTORY
ALLEGED MARvELS THAT HAVE
PROVED FICTlONS.

Tho Mighty whirlpool On the Norwegian
Coast, the Great American Desert, and
the Deadly Upas Tree. tire Existence of
Which We're once Taught in Our School
hooks, We're veritablo Myths 49, Other
Silly Fictions of History.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
A Phtlo.op,,ic Merchant

An Arab water seller who was in
Turkey during the last war with Rus
sic was wandering about the rear of q
battlefield with two freshly filed jugs
Of water, calling out: @Clear, cool
water, 2 piasters a cupful," when q
shot bounding along smashed one Jug
to atoms. The Arab wandered on
without pausing, but he changed his
cry to "Clear, cool water, 4 piasters .
cupful. THE Jester.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

:. was the home of the Cyclops;
e' IN, 'ritans and the gods strove for
el ,ery no doubt the wonderful nat
49, !, nhcnomcna of the volcanic island
|fl' r;sr to most of these stories, for
N. as in later times, earthquakes, lava
ranm y" volcanic eruptions were almost
nnnal occurrences.
, Tourists to Italy and the Mediterra-
,a a"' rarely see more of Sicily than the
coast and one or two of its towns.
"a, The island is worthy of an extended
f'i, for the diversity of its scenery is,
| ~ small compass, wonderful fea-
,ro Its mountains, it's valleys, its
Ilains are IL continent in miniature.
E"rn there is wild sea coast: there
"o island, through almost level sands,
,sonsiby sinks into the waters of the
|,oditcrrancan, while above all towers
In gigantic volcano. which is the
.ost remarkable feature Of it's natural
cencry.
The island OF Sicily has passed through
many hands. Originally settled by the
Pnmnicians, it was conquered by the
;rceks, from them taken by the Romans,
n the fall of the Western Empire was
appropriated by the Ostrogoths, these
rere driven out by Belisarius, then came
h. saracens, after them the Normans,
Men it was independent, and last Of all
mined by the Bourbons. Now por-
ion of the Kingdom of Italy, it is recov-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

keepers, that ain case of an earthquake nc
should as speedily as possible seek the
open air."
Palermo and Messina are cities of the
present. At Syracuse one is instantly
transported to the days of Cicero and
Verres The grand, the glorious city of
the Greeks, fourteen miles in circumfer-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

In shape it has resembled fish, bird,
Q beast. 1t has chased ships and fash
ionable summer resort bathers, and is
only equaled by the Flying Dutchman,
that phantom ship which last century
made ocean travel very uncanny and
unpleasant
The moon myth was another favorite
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

site direction the next night. This was
about as reasonable as that adopted by
the doctors few decades since. who
were wont to cup and bleed their patients
for nearly every Imaginable disease
under the SUM-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

HAL traveller mas
not prayed to see
Sicily. the realm of
poetry9 1t was al
ways the home OF
romance. For ages
before the time of
Christ the pages OF
Homer were full of
the wonders of the
Sicilian coasts. Even
at that time the ISL
and was filled with
mystery: Scylla and
Charyhdis, the de-
mons of the coast.
watched for the ship
nf tt,n unwary frav-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20
Gays SUNNY CLINE.
AND OF THE T'TANs AND
CYCLOPS.

Favored by Nature and Cursed
R's' IFS Fruits. Ruins. and Brigansls
BY MI" or the Greatest European Vol
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

with voyagers. Sailors used to a!lege
that If man went to sleep under the
equator with the moon shining in his
face, the lunar orb would draw his face
awry all to one side. and he could only
get it straight again by lying in an oppo-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

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e Of q
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ch-lgA
Puppos
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Christ
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Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

touseho,
to try |
Ice. n
| Cheerful
I ctionst
nnerly1
aHectio1
santds!9
when "
he fan>I|
b. Soln
s broke
Ill vel q
lind Won
! done |
3 brotbd
that 81
p only viii
Lther sp'
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. be bfH
bve theft
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Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-03-20

dull, |
Gael
'easOn |
fOllowiiI
fstiics 1
|austriiol
N thed
ring !
and 1.q
B wash
. 400 Ltd
of bed
Ter. ]
| 0 poun]
| y, 1,a
oundsl
of q I
nption|
Is of sd
. but VIII
t,iisticiis1
bgetarid
Lt stat
Fren4
gravel
B kiids,|
turkey
ducks, /
bits, al
.@~o on
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27
CHILDREN.

And Their Father Was q Hearty Man
still When Killed by the Cars.
The death near Allentown, Pa, OF Reu-
ben Heffner recalled the fact that he was
one of forty-one children. His father. John
six years ago, at the age of 60 years. At
that time he was still in the vigor of health.
He was a dwarfed ~hunchback. He was
born in Berlin in 1916 and came to this
country in 1S42, settling in the city of Read
ing. Until his death he made a living by
collecting and selling rags and paper. His
family history is part of the records of tho
Berks county courts. it having been told by
him a short time before his death while he
was a witness in q lawsuit. He WAS mar
ried first in 1910. In eight years his wife
bore him seventeen children. The first and
second years of their marriage
she gave birth to twins. For four succee-
sive years afterward she gave birth to triT.
lets. In the seventh year she gave birth to
one child and died soon afterward. Heff-
ner engaged a young woman to look after
his large brood of babies, and three
months later she bee ,me the second Mrs.
Heffner. She presented her husband with
two children in the first two years of her
welded life. Five years later she had
added ten more to the family. having twins
five times. Then for three years she added
but one q year.
At the time of the death Of the second
wife twelve of the thirty-two children had
died. The twenty that were left did not
appear to be any obstacle to a young Wild
ow with II child conserting to become
the third wife of the jolly little man, for
he was known as one of the happiest and
most genial man in Reading. although it
kept him toilin9 like a slave to keen a score
of mouths in bread. The third Mrs. Hef-
ner became the mother of nine children in
ten years. and the contentment and happi-
ness OF tho couple were proverbial. One
day in the fall of 1885 the father of the
forty-one children was crossing a railroad
track but WAS run down by n locomotive
and INSTANTLY killed. His widow and TWEEN
ty-four of the forty-one children are still
living. most of them in Reading. They are
all thrifty and respectable people.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27

b~erlain. professors, her go~verness, and
other attendants. All this concerns the
queen but little. Her chief happiness is to
work in her garden and to look at her pig
cons, which she loves as much as her dolls.
She attends TO her pets herself.
Early hours are the rule for the royal lit
tie lady. She gets up at seven a. m. and at
once goes to kiss her mother. At eight the
first breakfast is servdd, at II the second;
six p. M. is the dinner hour. Between eight
a. M. and IL a. m. the queen has her lessons
III Languages. music, and drawing. After
breakfast she talks with her mother, who
invariably reads a chapter in the bible to
her, and explains it afterward. Then the
queen is allowed to go into the garden,
where she feeds her birds, or rides her pom
and rows in her boat. In her own room she
has heaps of beautiful pIaythings and large
dolls in lovely costumes Of every kind and
design. At eight p. III. Queen Wilhelmina
always goes to bed.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27

feated by . conservative. This illustrates
a reaction in Ontario in favor of the liberal
party and their policy of unrestricted recj-
procity.
AToKA. ]. T., Feb. 2G.-Rev. Hicks, super
~intendent Of the Baptist mission, about ff-
teen miles north of Anardako. writes to the
Indian missionary under a recent date that
the Wichita, Caddo, Delaware and Kichics
Indians are still dancing. About 1000 In
dams are participating. Rev. Hicks consid-
ers the situation serious and critical.
OLYMPIA, WASH, Feb. 26.-The house
committee appointed to investigate the
charges Of bribery against Representative
Metcslf by Representative Clarke during
the late senatorial campaign reported to
finds that Clarke offered the bribe, and re-
guessing the grand jury to indict him. A
resolution WAS introduced expelling Met
calf from the house. No acton wac taken.
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27
HOLLANDS LITTLE QUEEN.

In the Midst OF Pomp aud Cerenonv That
She Does Not Like.
The little Wilhelmina, queen of Holland.
as yet thinks only of her dolls. her pigeons.
and her drives and excursions into the
country. She il q tail. weil-mads girl. fair
ly pretty, who jumps and runs about with
out the slightest regard to etiquette. The
child was educated by a French lady at
first. Mile. Siotard. and she spoke entirely
in the French language until she was four
years old. Then she learned other Ian
guages. but. strangely enough. never Ger
man. her father having a horror Of all Ger
mans. Miss Winter. an English lady, now
replaces Mile. Siotard. and all lessons given
by the various professors are always de-
livered IN the presence Of Miss Winter. who
has absolute authority.
The little queen mas her military house
hold. and her ssrvics includes also 4 chsm-
The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27

STOCKHOLDERS MEETING THE AN
- nual meeting of the stockholders of the In
dian Creek Placer Mining company will be held
at the Helena Office. ~ Jackson street. on Satnr
day, March u, 1s9i!. at ! y. m. for the purpose
Of electing a board OF trustees for the ensuing
year. JOHN MURRAY, Pres,
c. {. ANDREWS. sec'y.