davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
Wrlt,nr with the Left Hand. .

The number of men who can write
legibly with the left hand is very
small in this country, where the fact
OF being ambidcxtrous is not appre.
ciated at its full worth, says a st.
Louis exchange. Sir Edwin Arnold
remarked while in st. Louis that In
Japan every child is taught to write
with either and both hands, and he
limited that this was not the only evi.
dence of sound common sense he met
with while In the kingdom of the
Mikado.
learned to write with my left
hand some years ago, in consequence
of the impression created in my mine
by reading the arguments of Charles
Reade on the subject, and now ]
change my pen from hand to hand or
the first impression of WEAKNESS.
There have been many remedies
suggested for what is known as
writer's cramp, and many writers al
ternate between the pen and the type
writer, but the simplest plan of all is
to acquire the art of writing with
either hand, and change from one tc
the other ON the first suspicion OF
fatigue.
1t is quite easy for child to learn
to write With the left hand, and al.
though after the muscles have got
set with age it is more difficult, al.
most any man can learn to write with
his left hand in week and to write
as we'll with one hand as the other il
less than year.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

Before Watts, the discoyerer OF the
present mode of making shot, had his
notable dream, induced by over
indulgence In stimulants, the manu-
facture In question was slow, labori.
Gus, and consequently costly process.
Great bars of lead had to be pounded
into sheets OF a thickness nearly equal
to the diameter OF the shot desired.
These sheets had then to be cut into
little cubes, placed in revolving
barrel and there rolled around until,
by the constant friction, the edges
wore off from the little cubes and
they became spheroids.
Watts had often racked his brain
trying to discover some better and
less costly scheme, but In vain.
Finally, after spending an evening
with some boon companions at an ale
house, he went home, went to bed,
and soon fell asleep. His slumbers,
however, we're disturbed by unwel-
come dreams, in one OF which he was
out with "the boys" and as they were
stumbling home it began to rain shot
beautiful globules of polished, shin
ing lead-in such numbers that he
and his companions had to seek shell
ter.
In the morning Watts remembered
his curious dream, and it obtruded
itself on his mind all day. He began
to wonder what shape molten lead
would assume in falling through the
air, and finally, to set his mind at
rest, he assembled to the top of the
steeple of the Church of st. Mary al
Radcliffe and dropped slowly and reg
ularly ladleful of molten lead into
the moat below. Descending, he
took from the bottom of the shallow
pool several handfuls Of the most per-
feet shot he had ever seen. Watts
fortune was made, for from this ex'
plot emanated the idea of the shot
tower, which ever since has been the
only means employed in the manu-
facture of the little missiles so i'm.
portant In war and sport.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

such crowd, 30 the remarkably simple
preparations were quickly made and the
three hunters set oat on foot. The sup
position that firearms were to be used
was negatived. -Oh. no, we never use
anything but lances.' So gums and
pistols were left. and, singularly enough,
when the lances were searched for only
one could be found, and this, OF course,
was taken possession OF by the leader OF
the party. The proposition to take sad
die horses was also submitted and We
toed as not being the regular thing at all,
Finally, amid the half-concealed grins
Of the bystanders, the little party
started. The trail led UP the main val
ley for couple Of miles, then turned
into a narrow canyon and plunged into
the hills. The canyon was thickly
covered with brush and timber and
progress was slow. The trail was only
stock path, and 1t wound In and out
through the chaparral In the most tor
tuous manner.
At last the lance bearer announced
that locality had been reached where
IL might reasonably be expected to meet
with some hogs, and now strict silence
and great watchfulness were necessary.
Not a word was spoken, and care was
taken to make the least possible noise
In walking. Occasionally a rustling in
the brush denoted the presence OF some
hidden animal. 1t might have been a
hog OF horse, but nothing was seen
for upward of an hour after entering the
canyon.
Finally lovely glade was reached.
carpeted with a deep, rich growth OF
grass, brook ripping from the springs
which broke from low hill at one side
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
Is and Isn't.

To any one who does his thinking,
talking and writing in a foreign
language the English must be a
queer one, says the New York Mer-
curry.
A foreigner down on the Cunard
dock yesterday, looking at the steam
vessels coming and going hither and
yon, said, "See what a flock Of boats.
Some one said that flock was wrong,
that "heet of boats" is the proper ex-
preston. Well, lot Of boats to-
gether would be a fleet, a fleet OF
sheep would be a flock, flock of
girls would be bevy, and bevy OF
wolves is called drove, and drove
of thieves is called gang, and a
gang of warriors is called host,
and a host of porpoises Is called a
shoal, and shoal of cattle is called
a herd, and a herd of children is
called a troop, and troop of par
tridges is called pack, and pack
of swans is called whiteness, and a
whiteness of geese is called gaggle,
and gaggle of brant is called agang,
and a gang of ducks Is called team,
and a team of pidgeons is called a
company, and a company Of teal is
called trip, and trip Of snipe is
called whisp, and whisp of herons
is called sedge, and sedge of quail
is called a flock, and flock OF larks
is called an eVltation, and an exalta-
tion OF peacocks is called strut, and
a strut of beauties is called a galaxy,
and a galaxy OF ruffians Is called a
horde, and a horde of rubbish is
called heap, and heap of oxen is
called a drove, and drove Of black
guards Is called mob, and a mob OF
whales is called school, and school
of worshipers is called a congrega-
ton, and a congregation Of soldiers
p called a corps, and corps OF sailors
Is called crew, and crew Of pirates
is called band, and a band OF bees
is called swarm, and swarm OF
people is called a crowd, and crowd
Df-hut this Is enough to show that
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

In the peculiar sports OF the old
timers" by whom fresh arrivals are
taught the ways of the country, the
writer paid visit, once upon time,
to this island that has been men,
toned. Eight hours of misery, pure
and unauthorized, were consumed In
crossing the channel, from Santa Bar
bara. The means Of conveyance was
an ancient schooner, which had been
utilized so long for the transportation OF
sheep and wool that each rope, each
thread of each sail, each splinter OF each
plank was thoroughly saturated with the
decidedly unpleasant odor that is insep-
arabic from everything pertaining to
the woolly quadlupeds. The cabin was
sitting, the deck was damp, but be-
tween the two the latter was prefer
able; so, with a coil Of rope for pill
low, disposed within convenient distance
of the rail so that the urgent periods Of
communion with the Vastly deep might
not be delayed second, eight horrible
hours were passed. Finally Prisoners
harbor was reached, and two weary,
pale-faced, woebegone, hollow-stom-
ached men scrambled up the rude wharf
and thanked heaven they were once
more on solid ground. Their thanks,
however, were tempered by the knowl-
edge that their experience was certain
to be repeated before they could hope to
reach the point from which they had
started in the morning.
But sufficient unto the day Is the evil
thereof. An hours ride through lovely
canyon removed the traces of sea-sick-
ness, and when the great central valley
OF the island was reached, with it's pref
tily located ranch house, surrounded by
garden and orchard, an appetite had
been created that required long con-
ference at the table to satisfy.
Several days passed agreeably enough,
and finally one evening while smoking
the after-supper cigar and chatting
about the various interesting features OF
the island, one of the old residents re-
marked that there were many wild hogs
in the hills. This led the conversation
In that direction, both tenderfeet be-
came interested and finally it was re-
marked in casual way that the young
wild hoes were first-rate eating, and
that IL was a comparatively easy matter
to, get a mess of them. The visitors
were eager for anything like sport and
finally, with much apparent difficulty,
the Spokesman OF the residents was in
duce1 to promise days sport hunting
the wild hogs.
Two or three days passed away and
at last on Saturday night the visitors
were informed that II the next day
Sunday was pleasant the hunt should
be undertaken.
The sun rose clear and bright, and
after breakfast preparations were made
for the hunt. The men employed about
the ranch gathered around, and while
the talk about the hogs was going on
the writer detected the fact that for
some reason the expedition seemed a
source Of considerable quiet mirth
There was good deal OF sly rib-punch-
ing and snickering, and very few min
utes sufficied to convince him that the
hunting expedition was only variation
OF the snipe trick. However, it would
never do to funk I'm the presence OF
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

There were several men on the
train coming eastward from the Salt
Lake region who told wonderful
stories OF the heat of the alkali
plains. / noticed a contemptuous
expression on the face OF an old set
tier who was listening as IL he didn't
wholly believe all he had heard, and
finally he took turn In the CONVEX
satlon. Said he:
@Gentl'men, your talk is all chlld's
play. Heat! l give you my word Of
honor that when my wife wants to
boil eggs she just puts them into a
pan of cold water on the roof, and
In three minutes by the clock them
eggs are boiled"
There was silence for a moment;
then thin voice piped out.
where does she get the cold
water?"
Before this sumner could be dis
posed of, another man took hand in
the confab.
ME and my wife don't keer for
billed eggs-we prefer 'em baked.
When my wife sets the table for
breakfast she spreads out row of eggs
on the window sill, and in two jiffys
they're baked ready to eat. The
only trouble is they're likely to be
overdone."
There was spell of thinking;
then long, lean man with caved-
in chest said, in whistling kind OF
voice:
"That's why I'm leaving the coun-
try"
"On account OF the heat?" 1 sug-
gestcd.
"Yes. Bein' naturally tender-heart-
ed, don't like to live where baked
chickens walks around with the feath-
ers ON. That's all have agin the
climate. l never heard Of but one
place that was hotter"
That wound up the discussion, and
the last speaker remained champion
Of the crowd.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

trap.
But who ever heard of hunting wild
hogs as a means OF assisting in con-
ferring the necessary degree of indura-
ton upon the pedal extremitles Of some
fresh arrival on the coast? y
1t was on Santa Cruz Island, that
lovely stretch of mountain and valley
off the Santa Barbara coast, that the
writer took memorable lesson in the
art Of batting tenderfeet-he himself
occupying the unenviable position Of
one of the two strangers who fur
nished the sport for crowd Of hard
hearted sheep-shearerS.
Years ago some one turned a band Of
hogs loose on this island. AS is their
nature they increased and multiplied
rapidly, ana, free from the restraint of
pen or corral, they rapidly became so
wild that it was seldom they could be
approached, while the boars became as
fierce and warlike as the widest ami
mails.
With companion equally IMMERSED
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
Too Low RaIIIngs.

The story OF drunken man falling
from the gallery OF a New York
theater reminds me Of thought L
have often had when walking along
the front row Of balcony or gallery,
not only in theaters, but in churches,
lecture halls, etc. 1t seems to me
that the railing which is put up for a
guard against such accidents is usual
ly much too low. You rarely see one
which comes higher than the knees.
Often it does not come as high. You
would have to stoop over to clutch
one, II you should become dizzy, with
'the chance that you couldn't catch it,
but would tumble on your head.
When it is remembered how many
people are naturally light-headed and
can not look down, from height I'M
less they have something firm to
grasp it seems strange that there are
not 'fhore such accidents as the one in
New York. These common low rail-
ings are scarcely any protection at
all. They might be foot or two
higher without shutting off the view
in the least. Then they would be
high enough that the giddy-beaded
person could reach them with his
hand, and the mere touch of some
thing firm will usually restore conf
deuce to weak nerves. Buffalo Ex-
nreSs
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

and encircled with an amphitheater Of
trees. A more peaceful, beautiful spot
1t would have been hard to find or even
to imagine.
AS the bold hunters advanced into the
glade there was sound of squeallng
and scurrying, and then a dozen or
more youthful workers hurried from the
damp bog, whore they had been roofing
into the deep grass at the opposite side
OF the glade.
Come oni" shouted the lance bearer.
we've got EN-; well have some fresh
pig for support"
All three hunters made dash toward
the tall grass in which the pig had dis
appeared, and then
@Woof!"
The three enthusiastic pigstick ers
halted. Their interest in the game
evaporated; their appetite for fresh pork
departed; salt beef was plenty good
enough for them.
Just in the edge of the brake stood a
great boar, bis eyes flashing angrily and
his mouth opening and closing vicious
ly. The hair on his back stood up in
great spikes. His fore shoulders were
30 long that his head was apparently
about three feet from the ground, while
his hind quarters were not more than a
foot In height. His horrible looking
head was almost as long as the remain
der of his body, while wicked-looking
tusks crossed each other on both sides
of his jaws.
For a second he stood eylng the in
truders angrily. Then the fright ened
piglets gave another squeal, as il they
saw the gridiron in the distance.
"Woof!" snorted the boar, then made
a sudden dash at the three men. He
only had to cover a dozen feet of space,
but at the sound of the second snort
the hunters made Simultaneous and
altogether unprecedented break for the
nearest trees. Happily there was an
oak which sprang from a hillside at an
angle Of about forty-five degrees, and
up the trunk OF this friendly tree the
men climbed in far less time than the
proverbial three shakes of lambs tall.
Even the pursuing boar himself had not
time to untwist single kink out Of his
caudal appendage while he was cover
ing the distance between his lair and
the foot of the tree. When he saw how
his disturbers had escaped him, how he
did snort and ravel The lance had
been dropped in the wild flight, and
this his boarship espied, and with many
fierce grunt he quickly chewed it into
matchwood. Then he looked up at his
game in the tree, shook his head wicked
ly, CRASHED his tusks and occasionally
emitted another Wool" that evinced
his anxiety to hold closer interview.
But this anxiety was not reciprocated,
and the gallant hunters comforted them
selves as best they could and made up
their minds to remain where they were
until the boar became hungry or tired.
They had long and weary wait OF it.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

too, the only consolation being that the
man who had originated the expedition
had been caught in his own trap and
was. figuratively as well as literally, up
the same tree as his victims.
1t was late In the afternoon before his
boarship was induced by the friendly
squeals OF his harem to disappear In the
surrounding bush, and then three very
weary and very hungry men climbed
silently down from the tree and softly
stole away toward home.
BY mutual agreement the leader Of the
party was delegated to do the lying, and
he solemnly assured the waiting crowd
that not pig had been seen, and that
he had lost his lance in the sea while
olambering over the rocks along the
shore. SO the tenderfeet and their be-
CUTLER escaped the ordeal that had been
prepared for them. But nobody had any
fresh pig for supper.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
The POSTAGE stamp Craze.

Those who do not keep track Of the
postage stamp collection craze can
hardly realize how the fad" runs
away with a mans judgment. At q
recent sale OF rare postage stamps in
London a single British Guinea stamp
of 1856 brought $3.50, and was consid-
cred cheap at that price. Some Rus
sian stamps are so rare that they will
command almost any price, and at
tempts are frequently made to forge
them. The great collection of Phil
lippe Ferrari, of Paris, contains q
quarter of a million of stamps, and is
thought to be worth about 81 900, 900.
Mr.. Philbrick recently sold his col
lection to M. Ferrari for $50, 900; and
Sir David Cooper, the well-known
Australian collector, has sold his fine
collection to the same collector for
SIS, 900. The collection of the late
Duchess de Golima is said to have
cost nearly 5000, 900, and the cost of
the 5000 volumes in which it is con-
tanned was about S65, 200. At the
Paris mint there is remarkable col
lection, while the Rothschild collec-
tion in Paris is of almost priceless
value. Rare stamps sell at from Sl0C
to 81, 900, and the collectors keep q
close watch on all the sales through
out the world in order to secure the
specimens they desire. Altogether
the craze represents a fictitious value
of millions Of dollars.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
Supervision of Mail Matter.

Uncle Sans mails are not more
sacred than the mails OF Russia, as
far as Government espionage is con-
cerned. The rules of the postofflce
department empower inspectors To
open suspicious letters at discretion.
The public appears to be very much
astonished at this, but it is carried
30 a greater extent than those who
know all about 1t suppose. "In fact,
says a Government Official, "under
the rules of the postofiice department
almost any private letter can be
opened and read. This will surprise
some people, but IL is, nevertheless,
true, and a reference to the private
instructions TO postoffice inspectors,
which are in printed form, will con-
vince anybody of it."
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07

That witty Frenchman, Merry, was
careless In his use of money, and was
also inclined to be lazy. With char
acteristic originality he once at
tempted to utilize one failing as a
restraint upon the other. His heroic
scheme was not entirely successful,
but he accepted his experience phil
osophically, and enjoyed telling the
story. 1t happened that he had 1000
francs In 40-franc pieces.
"Now," said he, "if / am economi-
cal l can pass a comfortable winter.
But am not economical; however, /
have an Idea. think can be care
full about using this money"
He unlocked large closet in his
room and had the things taken out.
Then he went to dealer In flrewood,
and ordered two loads Of the largest,
heaviest blocks.
He had the blocks piled in the
closet. Then he took his 40-franc
pieces and dropped them in the cracks
Of the woodpile. "They are safe now,
he said, with a smile of satisfaction
as he locked the door.
Whenever he wanted a piece OF
money he had to pull out six or more
of the great blocks Of wood, and all
went well for time. One day he
was absorbed in writing, when beg
gar, who for some reason had been
allowed to come to his door, entered
and enlisted Mery's sympathies.
With his usual generosity, Merry
turned to the drawer where he kept
his money. 1t was empty. Then he
unlocked the closet
To be true to his resolution to force
himself to spend that money care
fully, he should have attacked the
woodpile himself: but his dislike for
hard work betrayed him into a mis-
take.
There are some gold-pieces in that
wood-pile," he said. Get one for
yourself, and while you are about 1t
get some for me, for l shall be want
ing some pretty soon." Then he
went back into the next room to
write.
For a long time Merry heard the
man throwing the wood about.
Finally he went to the door, thinking
he must have found a good many
gold-pieces by that time. He was
right, as he found out afterward.
The rascal was flushed and breath
less with his exertions. When he
saw Merry he said: Il have only one
gold-piece," and made his escape i'm
mediately. Merry glanced at the
closet The blocks were all in place.
@The idiot replied the wood" he
said, and went back to his writing.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
Important In Baby-FeedIng.

The following valuable suggestions
are gathered from a society discus
sion reported in the Medical Advance:
DR.. Wesselhnft-A very important
thing is the way the milk goes down
into the child's stomach. The bottles
are so constructed that the milk goes
down too fast. Every child who sucks
at the breast has to work for what it
gets. One of the great troubles in
artificial feeding is that the milk is
cascaded into the stomach and i'm
mediately cascaded back again. Most
of the sick babies are made so by
some prepared stuff being cascaded
into their stomachs in enormous
quantities. Quantity is a great ele-
ment in these disorders, and l have
known too much food to make babies
sick, even where the food was per-
fectly fresh milk.
DIR. Bigler-I generally tell the
mother TO put piece OF pure, clean
sponge into the nipple, so that the
child must work with its gums and
lips to draw the milk, and thus OBJ
viate the too rapid flow.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
a California Incident.

-Bagging snipe" has been the favorite
means OF beguillng tenderfeet in every
California town for many years, says
the San Francisco Chronicle. 1t would
seem as II this sell" ought to have be-
come so familiar by this time that no
one would be so foolish as to be taken
In by 1t. But nevertheless 1t affords a
regular source Of amusement, and from
one end of the State to the other the
traveller is sure to hear some sniping
expedition discussed with many a
smoker and giggle at the expense OF the
poor devil who mayhap passed half the
night In some isolated spot, patiently
watching the sack, keeping the candle
burning or occasionally whistling in
order, as he has been solemnly assured,
to attract the wary birds toward the
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-07-07
Foolish sheen.

A Colorado stockman says that
sheep raising is Improbable for the
reason that no animal that walks on
four legs is as big a fool as sheep.
Most animals can be relied on to aid
the owner in saving their lives, but
sheep seem to set deliberately to
work to kill themselves. If caught
in a storm on the plains they will
drift before the wind, and die of
cold and exposure rather than go a
hundred yards to windward to obtain
shelter in their corral. To drive
sheep against the wind is absolutely
impossible. / once lost over one
thousand head because l could not
drive them to a corral not hundred
feet away. In the corral they are
still more foolish. If a storm comes
up they alf move "down wind" until
stopped by the fence. Then they will
climb over each others backs until
they are heaped up ten feet high. OF
course all those at the bottom are
smothered. Not one has sense enough
to seek shelter under the lee of the
fence, as a horse or dog would do.