davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call., 1892-11-20

rhythmic. singing sound that filled the still
air all about him-a sound that was yet in
harmony with the silence. Slowly, pain
fully Pablo reached down for the revolver
that he always carried at his belt-reached
down ana found il gone. 1t had been
thrown from its holster in his fall. and lie
could catch just the gleam of its barrel a
few feet below him on the trail. The pinto
was gone, he knew not where. Oh, il the
horse would but go back. rlderless, TO the
ranch house! Then he would be saved. Odd
that be had not thought Of that before.
vi course the horse would go back. The men
at the ranch were good yaqurros. They
would know that something was amiss. and
they would search the hills for him until he
was found. He had but to endure the heat
and the thirst for little time. Again he
laughed aloud. and again the mocking
echoes came back TO him.
Still, always. there was in the air that
rhythmic. whirring sound. coming closer and
closer. Pablo turned his head, now this
way and now that, seeking the source of
the sound. He knew his danger, senior.
though he lay there so still and helpless.
The good vaquerO knew the mountains. and
deadly rattlesnake. The sound grew in in
teDsity. Clearly the snake was coming
closer, though Pablo could not see it.
Then presently, as he rolled his head
from side 10 side. be saw the black sinuou
Douy. marked IN diamonds with spots of
shining white. come creeping down the
trail. It came on, the Shiny monster, but
slowly, as though dreading treaehery from
its natural foe. Still the man lay there
helpless, and the serpent came on and on.
Just out of arms reach it eoiled, waving
its fiat head backwa and forward, and
once more was the air filled with the rhyth-
mic sound of its whirring. Again and again
the Tattles sounded, and into the cold, shin
Ing eyes there came fires baleful as the
flames of hell. The man raised his head,
cursing his foe in the rage of impotence
The morning call., 1892-11-20

wonders, white sheets and piiiow-cases. /
always ,hought soldier slept in "A camp
bed with a gray blanket. | never heard
before o soldiers having sheets and pillow
eases Ike ordinary people, mere ciVIiiahs.
Then we went and looked al tue room
where Justice is dispensed ana dancs 5 are
given. In one corner stood small cannon,
mounted on iron wheels, which the DfncefS
said could be transported by two mules ana
had been used at The battle oi-weil, Ior-
get the battle, but it was pretty little
cannon. at all events.
In the Office where the records are kept
cheerful fire burned in the grase, and the
whole place looked coy and bright. Here
in these old brown books they show letters
and documents bearing the bold. clear sig
nature of Zachary Taylor, one time colonel
of the FIRST Infantry and later President OF
the United States. In another book is
letter from Jefferson Davis. whom Taylor
so reluctantly received as son-in-law. These
signatures, though the ink is brown with
age, are as clear and fresh as though writ
ten yesterday.
what do the men do all day? what
time do they rise and take their meals and
how often do they dril?" ask all in one
breath. Well, they get up at $780, take
breakfast at z, dinner at II 10 and supper at
8. At 10 o'clock all lights must be out.
Three afternoons and evenings a week
there Is drsll and dress parade and when
not working or drilling the men can amuse
themselves as they please. fishing. playing
Billiards. reading. smoking. etc.
As we pass one of the d0rmitories we see
one man lying On his bed asleep and an
other reading; on the verandas groups Of
soldiers are lounging. talking or smoking
and down at the wharf others are fishing.
1t is not hard life, but the monotony is
deadly and unbroken; no excitement. no
change, except such all occasional break as
the trip to Santa Cruz.
The great question Is how to Kill time.
Every day and all day long it Is the same
UNMARRIED routine and the same old time
worn devices to make the hours pass little
more swiftly. This is the plain unvar-
nished side of military life-the soldier as
he Is at home.
HELEN GREGORY FLEsHER.
The morning call., 1892-11-20
role he occasionally assumes. that of a mil

tary prisoner.
1t is no light undertaking this seeiug the
unvarnished side of military life. First
OF all pass must be obtained from head
quarters TO allow you TO go over to the vail
GUS military posts by the little official
steamer. the General Mcdowell, and If you
are a woman permission must also be OBJ
tanned to land on Angel Island, for this
lovely spot is an Eveless Eden. called Angel
Island. probably. because the visits of the
angels" are so few and far between. That
is the first part. but not altogether the most
difficult, for this is case of the early bird
catching the worm. otherwise the steamer.
About the middle OF the night, or so il
seems, i hear a half-sleepy. sarcastic voice
say: pray don't let me disturb your slum-
bers, but suppose yeu know il is o'clock
and the boat leaves in twenty-five minutes"
i am perfectly convinced that il is not
any such hour, but lose no time arguing
the question. / spring out Of bed, dress
and dash breakfastless through the dark,
foggy streets. Ugh! How cold and how
deserted the city looks.
Just in time" gasp, as l fling myself
and my belongings on board
A moment later and the boat steers out
into the dense white fog. The first point
we touch al is AlcatraZ and as we reach
the wharf we see standing near the edge
two sentries OF the First Infantry standing
The morning call., 1892-11-20

march off between four guards, one pris-
oner carrying the days rations in a coarse
hemp bag over his shoulder
Then we go tn the Preside and land the
remaining prisoners. My curiosity is reused
again, and | inquire:
"What do tue prisoners do? Do they
worl ?"
Yes, those under severe sentence DO
hard work - stone b eakng, Quarrying !;
those under light sentence trim trees and
dig or rake. Yon can see some of them
working at the Preside almost any day."
We return again TO Alcsiraz, and for one
hour the steamer pumps water - fresh
water for drinking and culinary purposes
and salt water for the officers baths and
the household needs Of the colony of officers
wives and families.
The fog begins to lift and the sun comes
out Ike great red ball OF fire as we reach
Angel Island.
Here the sun shines brightly and the air
is soft and warm, and a perennial summer
re'gns IN this favored isle, l am told, the
ridge of hills at the back keeping off both
wind and fog
soldier. Colonel Shafter. WHO grants us
leave In his kindly way to go about the
Island; very necessary permission. as
women, unless members of the officers
families. are not allowed either to land or
TO stray about The men are standing in
little groups listlessly about the wharf and
barracks Some with old brown felt hats
on their heads and some with the green
striped trousers and white arm-band with
blOod-red cross or the hospital corps.
AS we follow the path, neatly marked off
by cannon-balls piled row upon row, that
runs past the pretty houses and gardens of
the officers, the men turn to gaze curiously
after Us.
A broad, winding road leads TO a little
wooden church, which has two or three Of
The morning call., 1892-11-20
which seems to our own eyes all fun. fame


when seems to our own eyes all fun, fame
and filtration. '"
Yes, sometimes"
Suppose one of those men climbed over
the ratings and began to swim for free
dOm?"
He would be shot dead As he snrang
TO the ratings the seDtries would crv
Halt? If he jumped they would shoot ~
That Is the other side with vengeance.
/ think TO myself.
The fog Is heavier than ever and nothing
can be seen, except dense white mist. The
foghorD OF the steamer blows continuaIlv
and soon We hear the melancholy long.
drawn toot OF another horn and the dismal
monotonous clang OF fog bell.
The next momenta burst of music star,les
us AID bugle rings cut clear and brisbt'
Nothing can be seen; everything is enyel.
oped In the ghostly white fog, and the mn
sic sounds weird and mysterious. Again
the the horns toot. The bell clangs and the Du-
giles play, but this time the sounds arc
strangely near. THAT was PRETTY CLOSE"
some one remarks as we glide In within n
few feet Of the Fort Mason wharf. Here
some of the prisoners are landed and care
fully counted again, and as we leave they
The morning call., 1892-11-20
Deadly Arrow Poison.
London Lancet.


nj. Dantec has examined and expert
mented with the arrow poison used by the
natives of the New Hebrides. He finds that
it Contains neither vegetable poison nor ser
pent virus. but consists of earth mpregnated
with vegetable matter taken from marsiIy
places and containing Pasteur's vfbriOn sep
tique or bacillus of malignant edema and
also the bacillus OF tetanus. II The arrows
have been kept long time or have been much
exposed to the sun, the vbrion septiQue
may have been DESTROYED. The danger
then Is from tetaDus. When the arrows
have been freshly prepared and the vibiron
septique is still active wound from them
causes death In guinea pig from septi-
csemia in twelve to fifteen hours tetanus.
which takes longer than that period of time
to develop, does not under these cireum-
stances show itself. 1t Is interesting to re-
mark that the horse is unknown in these
islands, consequently the theory Of the
equine origin Of tetanus would seem to be
negatived by these researches
The morning call., 1892-11-20

when he was hot on the chase. And so he
had ridden the pinto. and the pinto had
fallen with him. He remembered it all
he had left the ranch house and
they lad gone along we'll enough
until nearly noon. He recalled distinctly that
he had begun rolling a cigarette, whistling
softly the while a do SpanaTds when idle
and he had thought as he poured out the
tobacco from his bUekskin pouch that the
cattle had assurediy gone long way from
home 10 lock for pasture. That was where
he had turned of from the Pine Mountain
tran to take shortcut do wn to the Guyana
a short cut known to but few OF the vaoueros
on the range. 1t was foolish OF him TO
have thrown his foot out of the stirrup, as
he did, TO light his cigarette. but all good
VaqueT0S gov careless through the famil-
iarity with horses, and who was 90 know
that the pinto would take it into his per-
verse equine head TO stumble just there?
But tile pluto had stumbled. Yes; it all
came back to him. It came back, OH. very
distinctly The quick pitching forward of the
horse-hls own instructive effort to recover
his balance-the Iungiug of the pinto as the
brute felt the great cruel spurs sink deep
into its side-a sensation as of fying-the
sun reVO.Yed into million whiring points
Of light, and then, dar kness.
And now he was lying there helpless in
the sun, with his back broken. With q
shudder the gravity OF his hurt came to him.
That intense agony when he moved, max
ing him cry out like woman, and that
numbness in his legs could be accounted
fer in no other way. 1t seemed as though
the lower part of his body was dead and
only his brain lived, working more actively
than it had ever worked before.
Yes, it all came back to him-all of the
details Of his awkward fall, and OF a great
many other things besides. He had no
notion that one human life, lived as the
generality Of men live out their lives, with
out malice and without emotions stronger
than the animal has, could hold In 1t SO
much of wrong TO the lives of Others.
And DOW, having lived, To die. Dying is
not hard, senior. All things that have life
die somehow, some where-thoagh nothing
dies. But to lie here in the sun, its heat
cooking bis brain, and thus to die of hunger
and of thirst and Of heat, enduring the
agony of thousand deaths before the end
came, To lie so close to human help and
yet so far from human help as would be
man upon another worldi Few of the
vaqueros knew the trail upon which Pablo
The morning call., 1892-11-20

its colored-glass panes broken and presents
a rather deserted, unused appearance.
Service is held here occasionally, but at
tendance Is not obligatory, and only such of
the officers and men go who desire to.
Then the shady. wooded road winds up
and back OF the church, and suddenly we
come upon the battery-cannon upon can
non. with long black threatening muZzles
pointed out over the steep embankment.
We have taken photographs of the church
and one of the batteries, and are returning
when we hear voice behind us:
please, won't you take picture Of me
and my muie?"
| turn and see a good-looking, tall,
bronzed young soldier In blue ''Overalls''
and brown working coat. He holds q
brown felt hat in his hand. and his face
wears a bright half deprecating expression.
Where is the muie?" / say.
''Just round the corner" he answers.
We'll. bring it here and we'll take pho
tograph OF you both"
In q minute or two he comes back, lead
ing a mule attached 20 a two-wheelrd cart.
evidently engaged IN carrying coal from one
part OF the island 10 another.
This young soldier has very decided ideas
concerning what sort of picture he wants,
and while the camera is being got ready
he makes an elaborate arrangement with
the Teins and bis hat and assumes a striking
pose. These little matters. however, are
The morning call., 1892-11-20
A HEN WITH KITTENS.
Peculiar Effort of Barnyard Biddy.
Maternal Inciinatiors.

The maternal instinct is, perhaps. more
keenly developed in the female OF the barn
yard fowl than in any other living creature.
1t Is certain that nature does not urge
others to become mothers with the same
persistency that she does an old hen. From
the moment she commences to 'cluek" 1t
seems as If all the unseen physical forces
were pressing her TO maternity.
she must become a mother at any cost
ana Tor that purpose will sit for weeks on
an old baking-powder can and a piece of
brick in the hope that her persistency will
Cause them to hatch into chicks. But the
average old hen don't care much what
matches. she is very easily fooled, but
never seems TO realize ii, even after her
brood OF ducks take to the water. Quail,
pigeons. geese, ducks and different kinds of
BIRDS are imposed on some faithful "Bddy."
and she generally takes them all thankfully.
She will even adopt or steal them from
another hen in case her own brood has
failed to hatch or met with casualties after
IL has done 81. Such cases are common, but
for a hen to adopt kittens is very rare and
seems contrary TO all the accepted stories
about the hereditary enmty between the
cat and the feathered tribe.
But such thing really happened on the
Peyton ranch in Kern County last year.
The owner made pets OF his poultry and
allowed them to live in the barn and run
around the house garden.
The kittens seemed to be perfectly at home
under the soft feathers OF the old Brahma.
The cat gave birth 10 her kittens In the
barn In which the old hen was setting and
The morning call., 1892-11-20

modified at the suggestion of the artist Of
the party. though not entirely To the salts
faction OF the subject. The mule, though
an army mule. In spite of the proverbiaI
hard reputation OF such. behaves beauti-
fully.
When 1t is all over the young man con-
fdes to us that he wants real nice pic
ture'' for his mother. Aud as i glance at
him again l think what a pleasant, frank
face he has.
AS we come opposite the barracks an Off
Ger appears and offers TO show US the bar
racks where the men eat, sleep aud live
They consist Of eight long three-story build
ings. with verandas running all around
First we GO into the dining-room, with Its
white wood floor and long wooden tables, all
scrubbed and rubbed with fulers' earth
until they are exquisitely clean. At each
mans place is heavy white plate and cup
and saucer. and the knives and forks are
silver plated-not the great clumsy iron
affairs thought good ough for the soldier
few years ago. Then we go into the
kitchen. where the cook gives our guide a
military salute. There is an appetiziny
odor here. ard painful realization of my
breakfastless condition comes over me.
The cook tells US the bill of fare for to-
days dinner.
The morning call., 1892-11-20

Roast beef. boiled pork. potatoes. onions
and beans.
1t does not seem to be etiquette to offer us
any as sample, aud follow sadly to the
larder. where they have apples and all
sorts Of nice things stored.
On Angel Island everything is home pro-
duction. They bake their own bread. deal
out their own justice. and even have their
own shoemaker and barber. The heal
baker Is paid 80 cents and the assistants So
cents day extra over and above their reg
ular pay as soldiers.
When we come back into the dining
room our guide opens the bieadbox and
shows US dozens and dozens of loaves lying
there. This Is just ono days rations. Il
looks light and sweet, and pull off a little
corner and taste it. only to wish / might
have a little more.
The barber and the shoemaker each have
a tiny workshop and earn little money
working at their trade among the men.
Then we glance at the music room. go
and hear the band practicing aud look at
the little cots 10 which the men Sleep In
stead oil hard stats and straw mattresses
they have wire woven mattress and COM
Portable beds, gray blankets aud, wonder Of
The morning call., 1892-11-20

the basket. folding the silk neatly in the
corners; bring up the silk over on the out
side of the basket. sewing it securely to the
wadding. Cover the bottom (outSide) with
sileeia or glazed cambria. TaRe a strip OF
silk wide enough to rearh from the upper
edge to the bottom of the basket, allowing
half an inch at either edge to turn in.
Shir or sew on plain, sewing it to th& silecia
at the bottom and TO the silk al the top.
Take ecrn Irish point or similar lace three
or four inches in width. enough to go round
the up er edge allowing slight fullness.
Tack up the corners of the basket. Finish
the upper edge with ribbon, twisting it care
lessly and lacking in place. Make tiny bows
and fasten one at each corner. Make a
small pinrushiou and shrred pocket and
fastened inside the basket, and il IS COM
plete. Very pretty and inexpensive little
baskets can be made of figured challis and
satines or even sprigged lawns.
BETH BRAMBLE
The morning call., 1892-11-20

paint, such as comes especially adapted for
decorative work, was applied carefully
along the discoored streaks, lightly touch
ing the painted portion. a few touches
were given 60 the heads and wings Of the
birds, which proved effective. The edges
are finished with blue and silver chenille
cord Attached are dainty bows TO two
corners and one in center of the back OF
the saehet.
No. Is Of old rose silk with a lining OF
old blue. The fan is of pale blue satin with
Vatican design upon it. Ii Is made
similar to No. 1, altering the position OF the
fan and bows. Any other mbinations
can be made 10 suit the individual fancy or
The morning call., 1892-11-20
ONLY A MOUSE.
But 1t Scared Clerk Out of His Seven
Small Senses.
Santa Rosa Republican.

Santa Rosa Republican.
One day this week a lady went to a
FouTth-street store TO make some purchases
She engaged a young clerk In conversation
concerning various articles. While talking
to her the salesman CHANGED to look up at
her hat. 1t moved slightly. Then he looked
again. and again the feminine headgear was
perceived to be in motion. The Young man
turned pale and bis tongue did cieave TO
the roof of bis mouth. Like one suffering
with nightmare, he wanted To scream, but
could not. All the time the lady's hat kept
moving in peculiar way. The young 10 an
kent his gaze on the hat-for some reason
unknown to himself he could not do other
wise.
Presently he saw one side of the hat raise
up; then pair of sharp. bright eyes peered
out The EXT instant out from under the
hat jun ped mouse. 1t landed on the pale
young clerks shoulder and he ran out into
the street yelling like Comanche. "Uehl
what was that?" screamed the lady. ''It
was a mouse. and he jumped out of your
hat" answered the pale young clerk be-
tween his chattering teeth. And SO it was.
The lady had taken up her hat carelessly,
put 1t on and worn Ii to the store. On the
way, she said, she felt something moving in
her hat but thought it was the breeze NOV
ing In her hair. She was greatly surpri sed
at The DEVELOPMENTS. but not so frightened
as the pale young clerk.
The morning call., 1892-11-20
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
Life i'm Barracks on ANGEL
Island.
AN UNBROKEN MONOTONY.
A Lady Visitor Gives Her Impressions
of the Boys in Blue-The Romance
and the Reality of War.
Written for THE MORNING. CALL

A soldiers life is not all gIory. dress
parade. smart uniform and heart wreckinp.
1t includes such stern realities as heavy
duties. rigid regulations and severe drill.
When one of the soldiers from AngeI
Island comes over to San Francisco ON
leave of absence he looks as though he had
just stepped out of band box and had not
care in the world. As he swaggers down
the streets he is the eynosure of all ewes
feminine and the ill-coucealed envy of all
the boys and halfgrown lads. That is one
side Of the picture.
Yesterday saw the reverse side, the un-
picturesque, real daily home life of a regu-
lar IN Uncle Sans army. / saw him not
only sborn Of ali the glamour, but In another
The morning call., 1892-11-20
AN ELEGY FOR WHITTIER.

In vain for him the buds shall burst their shield
And chestnut leaves their tiny tents unfold;
In vain the early vloIsts dot the field
his heart is cold.
The rose no more shall meet his ardent gaze,
Like tender bushes OF the maiden June,
Nor summer birds reS5at for him their lays
He hears tune
Fuil-ore7sted Autumn for the luSty thrOny
The harvest feast shall spread with liberal hand; ;
But he no more shall join their harvest song.
Nor understand
when the faint pulsipgs Of the earth shall cease,
And on her max ed form the shr1ud be spread.
He, Ike the snowbound world. shall rest In peace,
For he is dead.
WALTER SToRRs BIGELOw.
The morning call., 1892-11-20

fan. 1t Is understood, of course. that these
sachets are made as usual with wadding
filling, sprinkied with any preferred scent
or sachet powder.
To make fancy workbasket take small
wooden basket. easuring about eight inches
square. such as grapes are frequently sold in.
One with wooden binding is to be pre-
ferred TO one with tin, as In use the tin Is
apt to break. Cover the basket entirely
with layer OF sheet wadding tackng it
firmly Ia place. Take a square of silk, line
The morning call., 1892-11-20
NOVEL CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
New York Press

New YORK Press.
A nice novelty in linen work is night
dress ease and piIlow-sham combined. How
this is done is shown In the illustration.
One style Of embroidery is indicated, but
individual taste may dictate some other.
A mirror motto is something rather new.
Select long strip OF ribbon matching the
bureau appointments of the recipient, and
IL you cannot draw letters plainly and
evenly on it have them stamped. The rib
bon is designed to be fastened carelessly
The morning call., 1892-11-20
A GOWN OF SILK.
New York Commercial Advertiser.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
The new silk gown that is to last for sew
eral seasons must be bought OF the very
latest patterns. in order that the material of
which it is made may not become tiresome
to the wearer. Light patterns in surah
silk are made up into gowns with very
pretty effects and are bound to become very
popular. The material is usually combined
with another or plain silk A stylish gown
may be made of lightning pattern in surah.
in gray with decoration in pink. The
The morning call., 1892-11-20

desired, pretty combination is in mignon-
cite green and heliotrope or a brilliant one
in cardinal and black. In the first men,
toned combination the green would be
used for he material and the heliotrope for
the ribbon. In the latter, the combination
could be made either way to suit the taste
of the Wearer
The morning call., 1892-11-20

basque has very full pulled sleeve high
on the shoulder and with tho fullness car.
ried to the line Immediately above the
elbow. The skirt is OF the same handsome
material. The jacket and deep cuffs are Of
velvet. matching the gray tint in the silk.
The reveres on the jacket recall the Direc-
t0ire style, and are covered with rich
guipure lace of pretty design. The jacket
is bordered with jeweled galloon, of which
the collar and slender girdle are also made.