davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

Of Brazil employ their slaves In collect
ing and preparing them for European
markets, and great numbers are ship
ped from Rio Janeiro, Bahia, and Per-
nambuco. Inmates OF the converts are
supplied with many OF the most richly
colored species for the manufacture OF
artificial feather flowers. Myriads OF
hummers are also used by the natives
of Mexico in making the wonderful
feather pictures for which the descend
ants Of the Aztecs are famous, plumes
of different colors being. employed in
place OF pigments.
American Birds.
The humming- birds constitute the
most remarkable feature of the bird life
of the New World. They have no repre-
sentatives in any other part OF the
earth. About SEQ distinct species are
now known, while others are being
brought to light with almost every fresh
collection made in Mexico, Central
America, or the higher lands OF South
America. They are most numerous in
mountainous countries, their center OF
abundance being among the Northern
Andes, between the parallel OF 10 de-
grees north and south OF the Equator.
The great focus Of this feathered fam
lily is in Ecuador, where more than one
hundred species are found, over half OF
them being peculiar to that country.
Colombia has about one hundred species,
and Peru and Bolivia together have
ninety-six known species. In the
United States only seventeen species
exist, the Valley of the Mississippi and
all. the States east Of that river possess
ing only single kind OF humming- bird.
The geographical distribution Of hum
ming birds is very interesting, some
species having q widely extended range
while others are confined to single
mountain peaks or valleys. One GROUP
Of them frequents the darkest and most
retired parts Of the forests of Brazil
from which fact they have come TO b'
known as the Hermits.
The nests of humming birds ART
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
Took Up His Bed and walked.

The praises Of the hammock have
been sung in almost every tongue
and in nearly every cline, but it has
been reserved for young naval APP
prentice to make Of himself a wan
derng advocate of its many comforts
and advantages.
He happened in at noted resort
IN the Orange Mountains, when the
mercury in the thermometer was
coquetting with the century mark
and asked for accommodations. The
clerk informed him that the house
was even then overcrowded and said,
Il haven't bed to give you, if you
paid me double rates."
"Bed! Bed! don't want any bed, !"
returned the young tar, Il carry my
bed with me. All l want is my sup
per and a place to wash up in the
morning. How much?" The clerk
quoted price which was paid and
the naval apprentice disappeared into
the dining room, his bundle remain
ing in a chair under the clock just
where he put it,
After supper he sauntered forth
and spent couple of hours lounging
about the grounds, smoking, mean
while, queer-looking but decidedly
fragrant pipe. Then he gathered up
his bundle from the chair under the
clock aud disappeared, and was seen
no more until something after mid
night, when every one else in the
house was wandering about in the
ARREST of costumes, vainly searching
for slight breath of fresh air. Then
he was found sleeping sweetly and
comfortably in a hammock swung
from the limb of a fruit tree over a
carriage pathway behind the house.
He had noted the weather vane
carefully, taken his bearings as if
were and decided upon this spot
for his nights rest. 1t was about
the only place on the mountain to
which the breeze had access, and
soon dozens Of weary sleepless people
surrounded him and expressed their
envy IN such a loud voice that he
awoke. Instantly a dozen offers were
made for the hammock, but he re-
fused to part with it. Il always car
ry it," he said, "an1 am therefore
never at loss for the means of en-
joying good nights rest. If / find
one place too hot, simply hunt out
another whether it be indoors or out,
and II there is any breeze stirring
manage eventually to find out and
enjoy it,"
The nextday dozens of people were
seen writing to New York trades
men, and nearly every envelope bore
the line, "Dealer in hammocks, etc.
Mail and Express.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
Limlts OF Natural yl.ion.

The limits Of vision vary with ele-
walton, conditions Of the atmosphere,
intensity OF illumination, and other
modifying elements in different cases.
On clear day an object one foot
above a level plain may be seen at a
distance of 1.31 miles; one 10 feet
high, Ais miles, one 20 feet high, 5. SO
miles; one 100 feet high, 10. ! miles; one
mile high, as the top Of mountain,
95. % miles. This allows seven inches
or to be exact, 800 inches-for the
curvature of the earth, and assumes
that the size and Examinations of
the object are sufficient to produce
an image. Five miles may be taken
as the extreme limit at which man
is visible on a fiat plain to an OBJ
server on the same level.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

rhs Bones OF Fleet Pale Alto 90 Have .
Place In the Stanford Museum.
The skeleton of the once famous
racer, Palo Alto, now yraces the mu-
scum at Leland Stanford, Jr., Uni
Tersity. In company with the skele-
IONS OF Electioneer and Occident.
The bones of Palo Alto are at present
In the Academy of Sciences Building
n San Francisco. w. G. Blunt is
mounting them in the form OF per-
fectly articulated skeleton, which
shape they are rapidly assuming.
Mr.. Blunt is the same naturalist who
prepared the skeletons of Electioneer
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

A Yankee shippers Adventure on th
Canton Coast.


A Yankee shippers Adventure on the
Canton Coast.
Il once had an adventure with pl-
rates on the COAST of Canton" said
Captain Ben Archie, retired ship
master. Il was outward bound from
Boston In the Sarah Lee, and was
carrying an assorted cargo OF consid-
cradle value. lost two men on the
trip out, five very sick, and the six
left were scarce sufficient to work
the ship, much less to fight for her.
We were working along slowly one
lay against light head wind, when
three junks, well loaded with villain
Gus looking freebooters bore down
upon us. Their appearance did not
worry me much, as we had two brass
six-pounders aboard, and had loaded
them myself, and loaded them for
bear. Besides, the men all had side
arms, and had double-barreled
ducking gun loaded with buckshot.
I waited until the foremost junk was
within four hundred yards, when i
trained the bow gun upon Its crowded
decks and applied the match. To
my surprise it would not fire. ran
the printing rod down into the vent
and found that the powder was soak
ing wet. / hurried to the other gun
and found it In the same condition.
We had shipped a coolie cook few
days before, and he had spiked my
battery with cup Of water. 1
caught him just as he was about to
leap overboaod for a swim to the
junks, placed him at the wheel, and
ordered him to remain there under
pain Of death. 1 disposed my six
men around the decks to repel board
ers, and when the foremost junk was
within fifty yards swept its deck
with my big doubled-barrelled duck
gun. A bombshell dropped into the
pulsating heart Of colored camp
meeting would not create such a
panic. The junks all fell off. The
pirates manuvered, gcstlculated and
yelled for an hour; then they tried it
again, all three keeping close to-
gether. l divided the barrels be-
tween two of them, and they again
fell off with shrleking and jabber-
ing that would have shamed pande-
monium. They did not attack again,
but kept along with us. They were
evidently waiting for njghtfall, when
they would make a concerted attack
under cover Of darkness. / tell you
it was not a pleasant outlook. Just
as the sun was going down British
man-of-war hove in sight. l was
never much In love with the union
jack, but tell you was never so
glad to see anything in my life. She
came down with the wind, with every
thread of canvass drawing, and the
junks took to their heels. They did
not start soon enough. After short
squirt tlse Britisher opened with her
bow chasers. 1t required only one
volley. Then she sailed square
through the wreckage and water
swarming with tawny bodies, and
kept on her course, leaving the
wretched buccaneers to feed the
sharks. Globe Democrat.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

and Occident, and, quite recently,
that of the California gray whale now
on exhibition in the academy.
The skeleton of Palo Alto stands
five feet and one inch above its ped.
estal. The bones are perfect in
shape, without a single defect or
blemish, except that the five termi-
nal joints of the tail are ossifled to-
gether and curved upward in spiral
form This is something unusual,
but it was no inconvenience to the
horse during life. The bones are all
smaller in proportion to those Of
other horses, much more porous and
lighter in structure. The skeleton,
as whole, stands higher and looks
shorter than is generally the case.
The teeth are nearly perfect and not
one is missing.
The bones were carefully prepared
by chemical process and look smooth
and white. The iron supports upon
which the skeleton is mounted, with
all the screws and fixtures, will be
nickel-plated.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

sations OF an adult heart being abo,.t
seventy-two per minute; In ascending
heights 1t is much greater. But as
summing 100 beats OF the pulse per
minute, for simplicity OF calculation,
this would give 400 foot-pounds per
minute, or $4,000 foot-pounds per
hour, or 120, 900 foot-pounds for the
five hours supposed to be required
for ascending the 1000 feet. For ex-
pansion and contraction OF the chest
and other muscles further item of
80, 900 foot-poupds must be added.
Thus we hnd the total work per-
formed during the fiyehours OF noun
tain-climbing to be equal to 1885,
900 foot-pounds, not counting other
forces exerted, which DIR. Bucheister
says will run the grand total jup to.
1,Ss0,00O foot-pounds. = st. Louis
Republic. 49,
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
Wonders of Physical Energy.

The physical energy Of force some
times exerted by the human body has
long been known to be OF the most
astounding nature, but no one, prior
to the tabulations made by DR..
Bucheister in 1890, ever took the
trouble to put that excrted force be-
fore the people in figures that could
be understood. The doctor "supposes"
things in this way: Suppose noun
taineer weighing 1913 pounds is max
ing the ascent of a peak 1000 feet
nigh. To begin with, he must cx-
pend an amount of physical force
equal to that fond by multiplying
his weight by the height to be as
cended. In the case assumed,
weight of 1853 pounds, multiplied by
n heighth OF 1000 feet, equals l,l76,-
900 foot-pounds; or, in other words,
], 176, 900 pounds have TO be lifted one
foot. But this is not all. The con-
fractions OF the muscles of the heart
have to be taken into account. which
Is represented by Jour foot-pounds OF
work with each contraction, the oul-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
An Independent Man.

A granger went to lawyers of
fee, says the Minneapolis Journal,
for the purpose of getting deed
made out for some swamp land he
was selling. The listener of woes
heard the old mans request, and
then, picking up pen and paper, he
proceeded to jot down the particu-
lars in the deed. "Your name?"
from the attorney. "Philip Ward,
from the farmer. "What is your
wife's name?" ELIZA A. Ward. "
ELIZA A.; what does A. stand for?"
81 don't know; never asked her," re-
piled Mr.. Ward, unconcernedly.
don't know your wife's middle
name, and you an old man and mar
ried to her for good many years, as
you say? Why, this is rich! What's
the reason you never asked her what
her middle name was?" swell, see
here, young fellow" returned the
uninquisitive Ward, "I'm a pretty
independent cuss, allus have been,
and allus intend to be, and the fact
is, I'm too independent to ask her.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
To oniet the Patient.

A doctor finds it difficult some
times to secure for the patient the
quiet necessary for his recovery. One
doctor, however, was equas to the
emergency. The fussy, worrying
wife Of a man who was i'll came up
as he was leaving the house, asking,
~Oh, Doctor, how is he? How is he
to-day" above everything he must
positively have quiet, so i have writ
ten out a prescription. here for a
couple of opium powders" replied
the doctor. when shall he take
them9 When shall ] give them to
himY" "Him?" said the doctor; 1--WE
prescribed them for you"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
nl. supertluous superlatlve.

She was from Boston-that was
plain-and she was not poor-that
was plain, too.
"Can l borrow money at this bank?"
she inquired of the cashier.
Certainly, madam" he replied,
with bow, "if you give proper Sc
curity.
"Ah, she said, In tone that made
the cashier Vince, Il didn't know
there was any other kind Of security.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
A Giri,s First Shot.

had gone with my brother and
two cousins to the new ground"
where the boys said there was sOIle
S.se bird shooting. We had ridden
over on our ponies, and after we had
disBounted and were climbing g five
rail fence, my brother said:
Lucy, you are only girl, and
girls can't shoot"
/ waited to hear no more. just
slipped to the ground, mounted my
pony, gave him the bride, and in
short time was back home again.
On going to the gun-rack to my dis
may found only heavy, old-fash-
toned shotgun. which was always
spoken of as the kicker" did not
long hesitate to take the kicker, for
/ was fully determined to learn to
shoot. l could not load the gun and
l dare not ask any one about the
house to do it for me lest 1t should
be taken away and / forbidden to
touch il again. / was in despair
until / bethought me of "Uncle Sam, T"
n superannuated negro who lived with
his wife in one of the cabins which
belonged to the old negro quarters.
took the kicker, all the powder and
shot could find, and made bee line
for Uncle Sans cabin.
He obeyed my injunction to put in
q big load, but hesitated before he
gave it to me, saying:
Honey, what is you gwine to
shoot?"
i was stumped. Ny thoughts had
been so busy with the pleasure /
should experience at my brothers
surprise when | had proved to him
that girls could shoot, that had not
thought about what / was going to
practice on. l contided by ambition
to Uncle Sam, and he said:
"Down in desc woods jeS' back dar
is ole fatting pen whar is hog
what is gwine to be killed in de
morning. Now you jest go down dan
and shoot dat ole hog, den young
master will hear all de niggers a.
laffing and attacking about how you
done shot de ole hog, and eff he doan
take back adj dat he, said den amt
no niger. 3IsU f
made up my mind in minute tt
follow Uncle Sans advice. l grew
happy and confident. In less thar
no time l was at the fattening per
where my career as sporUswoman
was to begin. My plan was to sit or
the top rail OF the pen and when the
beast looked up at me to shoot 1t In
tie head, never for moment doubt
| ing should kill him. ,sR
/ climbed up and seated myself or
the top rail facing the inside Of the
pen. The hog looked up; / stilled
my throbbing heart, pulled the trig
ger and-found myself lying on the
ground outside of the pen, and thai
pig still alive looking at me with a:
much curiosity in his face as 1t wa
possible for q pig to have. picked
myself up and hurried home as fas
as l could. met the boys at the
gate, but try as 1 would l could not
smile. My whole body ached and my
heart was sad.
The boys were all smiles. knew
they saw me with the kicker, but die
not dream that they had taken {
short way home and had seen me TAI
from the top rail OF the pen until ny
brother told me Of it as he babe me-
goodnight.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
AmuletS.

:. Certain stones, from their magic
properties, have long been used as
amulets in different parts Of the
world. In India, the "salagrama"
stone is supposed to possess extraor-
binary qualities. 1t is about the
size of a billiard ball, and is believed
to be found only in the Gandaki, a
river in Nepaul. The lucky possessor
of this enchanted stone preserves it
in a clean cloth, from which it is fire.
quently taken and bathed and per-
fumed. The water in which 1t has
been placed acquires sin-expelling
potency, and is therefore drank and
greatly priZed.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
RRbuked.

He was new street-car conductor
running his third or fourth trip, and
he felt very smart in his new suit
and inclined to make the most OF
the authority vested in him as con-
ductor of that car. He was young
and highly susceptible to the blan-
dishments ola couple of pretty shop
girls who were disposed toward a
Irritation. In the middle Of the car
sat a stout, elderly colored woman
who suddenly reached up to the bell
rope and gave it sharp jerk.
"Will you have the kindness to let
that bell rope alone, madam" said
the conductor sharply.
"Will yo' hab de kin'ness den to
tend to yo' bizness, sab, so dat lady
kin git off'n de car when she desire
TO, sab, without the trouble of ring
in de bell her own self? La, chile,
/ was erlive TO- yo' was baum en- tell
yo' yo' got heap ter Farm yit bout
how to treat de ladies. Use rid in
boss cabs TO- yo' ebah glib up yo' nus
sim bottle an know jess what yo
jewties are en- IL yo cayn' tend to
'em yo' ownse'f Use willin' ter her
yo' out little. Goodbye, boy. ]
gifts of heah. Free Press.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

worthy of attention. The demand for
them Is great for ornamental purposes.
Dealers, mostly Frenchmen and Belgi-
ans, have establish ID themselves In
many cities OF South America for the
sole object of buying and exporting
humming- birds. From Santa Fe de
Bogota alone many thousands OF skins
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

is Smithsonian In
|stitption has issued
. monograph inl OF
fascinating infor-
nation about hum
ming-blrds. On o
reason why these
daintiest Of feath-
cred creatures are
interesting is that
they were unknown
10 the white man
until Columbus dis
covered tho new
world. their range
being confined to
the continent Of
America
| II Is not the nat
|uralist alone who
has found them
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
The "Emperor,s Goblet"

The celebrated "emperor's goblet, Z"
valued possession Of the munich
palitv of Osnabruck, has been sold to
the Baron Rothschild OF Frankfort
for c10,000 The proceeds will be
expended in building new theater.
The goblet is of solid silver, superbly
chased and ornamented.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

are annually sent to London and Paris.
The Indians readily learn the art
of skinning and preserving them,
and. because OF the exceptional
profits to be got by this industry, they
often traverse great distances to pro-
cure the birds. Residents OF many parts
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

ened BY spiders webs. and often orna-
mented By an yxtemal mosaic Of small
Tiny Warriors.
Notwithstanding their diminutive
size. pugnaclty IL one Of tho most con-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

THERE is plenty of cholera left in
Europe, and the, guards at all our
ports must not relax their vigilance.
The quarantine service was never as
good as it is to-day, and the high
standard it has reached should be
maintained not only now but all the
time.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

little figure can be seen. But the
slightest demonstration causes 1t to
vanish 80 swiftly that the eye can
scarcely trace the line OF its flight. In
sleeping, humming- birds frequently sus-
pend themselves by the feet, with their
heads downward, In the manner Of some
parrots.
Their Food.
In feeding. from flower to flower the
humming bids, besides obtaining nour-
ishment for themselves, perform in the
economy Of nature the same Office as
insects, by transferring pollen from one
blossom to another, and thus assisting
in the fertilization OF the plants. Prof.
Robert Ridgwny, the distinguished orni-
biologist and author Of the monograph
quoted. states that these creatures do
not feed exclusively on nectar obtained
from flowers, as is popularity supposed.
Insects furnish large part of their diet,
and their crops and stomachs are COM
monty found to be filled with beetles,
boes, ants and spiders. They rob spi-
ders' webs of the insects which those
crafty nrachnids have captured In their
snares 80 industriously spread. 1t Is
very interesting to watch them In the
performance OF this thievery, which
they are obliged TO conduct with great
skill and carefulness, inasmuch as they
themselves run risk OF getting caught
In the webs, and the larger spiders
boldly defend their homes against such
intrusion. The bird will actually enter
the labyrinths OF the web in search oil
entangled flies, where sometimes there
is scarcely ,fDom for his little wings to
perform their office. and the least devil
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
English RnrmaId..

1t is estimated that no-fewer than
10, 900 girls are employed In the pub
lie houses and drinking bars OF the
United Kingdom.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
THE RUNNING BIRD.
CURIOUS. FACTS ABOUT THE
FEATHERED JEWELS

How Thsy Arc Collected nor orn>z.sst.i
and Scientific Purposss-rhclr Nests and
Eggs-Invincibls wNrrsors-whAa Makes
Thar Varied Hucs.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17
HUMOR OF THE WEEK.
STORIES TOLD BY FUNNY MEN
OF THE PRESS.

Many Odd. Curious. and LsnEhsbie
Phases OF Human Nature Graphically
Portrayed By Eminent wo<d Artists q
Our Own Day.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

The announcement is made by a
Topeka (Kansas) paper that quartet
of six pieces has been organized there.
The item ought to be of interest to
musicians, and IL fully confirmed can
hardly fail to supply the mathcmati-
cal world with food for thought
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

GORDON MCKAY, OF Boston, allows
his divorced wife s25, 900 year, and
the income will not fall from her
IL she marries again.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

worn by the Indian women as decora-
tions for the ears. A poet once said
Art thou bird, bee, or butterfly"
Each and all three-a bird in shape am ],
A bee collecting sweets from bloom to bloom,
A butterfly in brilliancy of plume.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

among tae most beautiful examples Of
syinn architecture. They are usually
made very compact. most Of them cup
shaped or turban shaped. tho materials
composing them being chiefly plant
down. interviewer with and strength
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

Inltd. ID Faney Fs.ther.