davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call., 1892-01-24

his patient he pleaded lis affection for
Alison in such earnest, manly tones that he
gained a hearing.
"You may have her, young man." said
Mr.. Denley ut shall never be said that 3
child of mine pinned for such tickle rascal
as that POlsden. Make her a kind husband,
and l shall have no reason TO regret my
gOnd-natuTe."
Mrs. Deney recovered from her attack as
soon as she found that her husband had re
/ linquiShed the idea Of calling P0lsden 10
account and Alison was happy.
But her felicity was brief 1t only lasted
twenty-fOur hours. Her father, riding into
the marke t-tOwn, there encOunt cred MI
POlsden, and demanded explanations.
One look at his face when he came home
sutiiced TO tell the group he found at tennis
on the lawn that something was amiSS; and
Charlie Cuthbert dropped his racquet to
draw through his arm the hand Of his
trembling betrOthed.
stand away from herw vociferated Mr..
Deney; If she would deceive her father
she WOald dupe you l have just seen
POlsdeu; ne did write to her, and only with
drew his pTetenSiODs because no coupled
with her silence a TumOT OF your attach
ment, repeated 10 him by some OtficiOus med
der"
Papa, I never had that letter." Alison
protested. Indeed don't know anything
about IT,.
Mr. Denley wheeled ound to Charlie
Cu;bbert.
rs il. then, your work? Is it by your
trickery have been induced 10 make myself
ridiculous before half a dozen OF my old
friends, aud my daughter deprived of an eX-
Celient match? Depend on il you shall
never have heI, so you may take your de
p3rture as soon az yOu like, and If ever l
catch Alison speaking to You"
"Oh. papa, this Is too cruel.' mOaned the
poor gil, sinking on her knees on tn e
grass,
Little Rose the family pet, ran to her d.
rectly entreatinI her not to cry, and at
TEMPTING TO wipe away her tears with such
ragged handkerchief that the child
Thought II incumbent upon her to apologize
for iis condition.
You'll not mind when YOU know it isn't
my fault, viii You, sister? That naughty
dog Oscar ran of with it yesterday 10 his
kennel, and when Tom got II out again with
the rake there was one of papa's slippers
there, too, and some bits Of paper and the
biz enYelope-loOk a. it
The letter In question was snatched from
Rosie with q startled cry, and held up for
MI Deniey'7 inspection. Ii was directed 20
Alison, and though one corner had been
niObled of, and all the contents bore the
marks of the dogs teeth, they could Still be
decphered.
Il was signed Eyerard Fosden. and no
one was 70 blame for its loss save The owner
Ol the uoS, VINO Iai always pOoh-p0ohed
complaints of its mischeyOus tendencies
and refused t. have it cAauedup.
For once Mr. DeuIey was forced TO
acknowledge himself in the wrong, and he
mutteTed something ike an apology as he
put Aliens hand iu that Of her lover. Nor
ala he raise any objections when Charlie
+ Cuth5ert begged that an early date might
be fixed fer the uuptals, thouga he fret
fully expressed hope that his other daugh-
ters would live and die Old maids. as he had
had quite enough Of proposals Of marriage.
". : L
The morning call., 1892-01-24
NATURAL BRIDGE
OF VIRGINIA.
Visited and Admired by Travellers From
ALI Parts Of The World.
A Young Lady Stands Unmoved Upon the
Stump Of Cedar Overlooking the Terrible
Abyss-A Mendacious Miner.

The natural bridge of Virginia IS justly
considered one of the most remarkable
curiOsities in North America, and has been
visited and admired by travellers from all
parts of the world. Il is situated in the
southeastern corner of Rockbridge County,
in the midst of the wild scenery Of the Blue
Ridge region, and is reached from Lexing
ton, fourteen miles distant, by stage, and
from Lynchburg by canal-boat, thirty-Six
miles.
There are many theories as to how the
bridge was originally formed. The dis
tingushed Marquis de ChastelIuX, Major
General in the French army and member of
the Institute, visit-d it in 1871, and declared
his conviction that the prodigy" was
neither caused by a volcanic upheaval,
cOnfagraton in the heart of the rOck-ribbed
mountains nor by tine attrltion of water.
his final orthodox conclusion being that sit
is to the labor only of the Creator that we
owe the magnificent construction Of the
natural bridge" This brings to mind a
good story, which the writer believes.
The morning call., 1892-01-24

originally by the hard working Moraylans.
or they had been carried on from time inl-
memorial in primitive fashion, as in the
manufacture Of the miIl-stones at Nieder-
Mendig. Now the steamer carries you
through volumes of smoke, between a
double line of eloth-mils, chemical works,
lime-kilns and brick fields-Of everything,
in fact, that is lucrative, unwholesome and
pr0saiC.
Nor does the evil end there. The spirited
propretOrs Of these enterprises have been
rapidly growing rich and have been housing
themselves as behts their rising fortunes.
They have been transmOgrfying and add
ing to venerable castles; they have been
running up sumptuOuS mansions of the
florid composite order in the suburbs of
the cities. and one of the most audaciOus OF
the nouveaux riches has actually seated
himself on the summit Of the castled crag
of the DIachenfes. After that sort OF
thing it would be as hypercritcal as idle to
protest against the Government cutting up
the country for the exigencieS of national
defense. Indeed, the circles of detached
forts around Mayence and COblenZ blend
rather happily with the broken ground,
aud the glaCis in the sequestered poplar
groves on the enciente of Cologne give
character and color to an otherwise tame
and monOtOnOus landscape. Saturday
Review.
The morning call., 1892-01-24
HISTORICAL
ST. AUGUSTINE.
The Oldest European Settlement in the
United States,
Sights and Scenes in Streets So Narrow That
People Can Shake Hands With Their
0veT-the-Way Neighbors.

ST. Augustine Florda) has the dis
tinction of being the oldest European
settlement in the United States. 1t is sit
uated on the Atlantic coast, about forty
miles south of the great river of st. John,
and 100 miles south of Savannah. Ga.
Founded by the Spaniards in 1865. more
than half a century before the landing Of
the Pilgrims at Plymouth, it WAS from the
start place of note and the scene Of many
interesting historical events. BY the treaty
of 1868, which established peace between
Spain and England, Florida was coded to
tie English in exchange for Havana, the
cesSion proving very dstasteful to the
Flordans. nearly all of them removing at
once to Mexico or the West Indies. The
British retained possession of Florida
about twenty years, re-ceding it to
Spain in 17S3 in exchange for the
Bahamas. In 1921 Florida uassed by treaty
from the dominion Of Spain 90 that OF the
United States, since which time there is
little in the history of ST. Augustine to de-
mand special mention Perhaps the most
conspicuous feature in the town is the old
The morning call., 1892-01-24

fort of st. Mark. or San Marco which is
built of cUQuina, a singular conglomerate
of fine shells and sand, found in large guam
titles on AnaStasia Island at the entrance Of
the harb0r. 1t was 100 years in building,
and was completed in 1856. While owned
by the British this fort, with its cas- tellated
battlements. formidable basti0ns, frowning
guns, lofty and imposing sally-pOrt, poTtcul-
lis, moat and dTawbridge, was said 10 be
the most attractive in the Kings domin-
ions.
Several ether buildings in the town are
worthy of notice for their quaintness or
antiquity. Chief among these, perhaps, is
the Cathedral, its chime of four bells In
separate inches, together with its clock,
forming a cross. The oldest of the bells is
dated 1852. The old convent of ST. Mary,
still standing, is a suggestive relic OF the
days OF papal rule. The United States bar
racks, recently remodeled and improved,
are said to have been built as a convent or
monastery and the old Government house.
or palace, now contains the postUffice and
United States court-rOoms ct its rear is
a well-lTeserved relic Of what seems TO
have been fertilization TO protect the town
from inland attacks.
The Cathedral, the old palace, the con-
vent and other fine structures face the
Plaza de In Constitution" fine public
square in the center Of the town; aud in the
center of this plaza stands monument
erected In honor of the Spanish liberal con-
sutution. The old Huguen0t burying- ground
The morning call., 1892-01-24
MEMS THUMB-RINGS.
Some of Those Worn by Ancient Romans
Must HIVE Boon Cumhersnme

Must Have Been Cumbersome
Mems thumb-ringS are no rartles 10 COL
lectors. Some Of the Roman specimens
must have been cumbrOus wear, one in the
MOntfauc0n collection, bearing tile bust of
Traian's cOnsOrt, P0tlna, measuring over
three inches aeroSs. Medieval churchmen
of high degree did not allow " the largest
first and shortest Of the fingers to 90 nm
adorned. A massive gold ring was found
upon the thumb of the supposed skeleton of
Hilary, Bishop of Chichester, who died In
1169; and the recumbent effigy of Rishon
Oldham, in Exeter Cathedral, is remarkahle
for the pTessed-tOgether thumbs being in
closed by a single ring
When the shrine of st. Thomas Racket
was robbed OF its treasures the famous
Archbishop's thulnb-rng, given to him bv
the King OF France, graced with a ruby the
size Of hens egg, found its way 20 the
thumb of bluff King Hal, and as the humor
OF the King is always voted lust the thing
we may be sure the royal hand was mot the
only one so decked at court MAYORS and
Aldermen initiated their betters
when l was about thy years. Hal" saws
the Fat Knight, II was not an eagles talon
IN the waist; L could have crept into an
Alderman's thumb-ring"; and that the
wearing of thumb-rings was pretty general
in the seventeenth century is proved Inv
Brome's remark that good man in the city
carried nothing rich about him but the CONT
and thumb-ring; and for an example
nearer our own day, 1t may be noted that
Dr. THOMAS Chalmers wore "A NUMBERING
once belonging to his great-great-G
grandiather.-Chamber journal.
The morning call., 1892-01-24
In the Nick of Time.

The nick OF time to stop the course of bladder and
kidney complaints is when the organs concerned
exhibit tendency TO grow inactive Thehealthful
impulse toward activity that they receive from
Hostetter's stomach Bitters rescues them from i'm
pending danger, and averts such dangerous mala-
dies as Brights disease and diabetes. SIugglshness
OF the kidneys increases liability TO chronic rheu
matism, govt and dropsy aud since the blood is i'll
tered by these organs in its passage through them
the operation OF the Bitters serves doubIy happy
purpose The medicine acts without exciting. Ike
the fiery stimulants of commerce MaiarlaI dvs-
peptic, constipated and nervous fnyalids sra tbor
oughiy relieved by IL. Since the advent OF thar
shocking malady, la grippe, 1t has been Widely
demonstrating its usefulness as a curative and pre-
VentiVe o
The morning call., 1892-01-24

Virginia, a great belle of her time. and
noted for her gayety and mirthfu abandon.
With party Of young ladies and gentle
men she stood upon the dizzy brin k, gazing
below, when one of the gallantS, pointing
to the broken stump OF a huge cedar,
which had once lowered aloft upon
a jagged abutment now separated
by an intervening cleft from the
main structure, expressed his conviction
that no human being possessed sufficient
daring to stand erect upon it. A gay laugh
echoed the words and the next instant
Miss Randolph stool erect upon the dizzy
pinnacle Her death seemed certain; it
was trying moment for her companions
A wild spirit of bravado had given her the
necessary courage for tie undertaking. but
perched there on her slight footing above
the fTightful abyss she must, thew thought
lose her nerve grow dizzy and ba dashed to
pieces on the rocks beneath. For an in
slant she stood erect, riding whip in hand.
her eyes sparkling with triumph, then, at a
single bound, she Tegained the brink and
with gay laugh asked If any gentleman in
the party could do as much. Tradition re-
lates that the youthful cavaliers exhibited
their good judgment by declining to enter
the liars
The morning call., 1892-01-24

of armies, with their brilliant stats, take
nothing with them, and drink the toughest
country wine or the common brandy made
by the peasants from the skins and stalks
Of the grapes in places where, as is general
in Champagne, water is scarce and bad, and
content themselves with the mutton of the
previous week and the beans OF the previous
year.
The example for the private soldier ID
perhaps the better, and there is much dem
Ocratic wisdom about the attitude OF the
French Generals toward their men. COM
maudeT of armies, when a private soldier
with a letter from an army corps COM
mander comes to him during dinner, pOurS
out wine for him with his own hand, and
sometimes. l have heard, in his own glass;
and the TeserYist from the towns (perhapS
hotel-keeper, a lawyer or a journalist, who
is serving in the ranks and who, while re-
tanning the gold-rimmed eyeglasS OF civil
life. is padding about with bare feet and
bare back in a courtyard full Of filth, feels
less aggrieved if he knows that the brilliant
General is not much better off.-Sir Charles
w. Dixie, in the COntempOrary Review.
The morning call., 1892-01-24

interest and admiration on his face; and
could il be Jne?-Yes, Joe was sitting beside
her. and they were talking and laughing to-
gether as if they had been the best Of
friends all their lives.
Annie gave a little gasp, and her mother
was stricken dumb.
When Annie came into the parIor little
later, Joe sided up TO her and began to
make excuses. He had only intended to
stay little While-he had certainly meant
to visit her that evening-he had no idea
how last time was HyIng-and so on. Annie
stopped him with naughty gesture
I've done with YOU, Joe Ptrkins!' said
she, and walked across the room. Then she
sat down and reviewed the situation.
Annie let the evening pass without exert
ing herself to be agreeable or disagreeable
Halsey Powers and Ben Hight would have
approached her, perhaps, but the express
sion Of her face was such as 10 make q snub-
bling pretty certain.
She was glad TO 60 home; once there she
went to bed and cried bitterly. LISA tried
to reason with her. but Annie got as far
away from her sister as possible. and, hav-
ing cried until she could cry no more, finally
fell asleep.
Joe called the next day and made some
advances toward recOnciliaton but it led
TO Violent quarrel She gave him an I'M
qualified dismissal, and few days later he
proposed to LISA in the face Of the school
teachers attentions, and was accepted.
Now, Annie" said her father, i1c0sely,
'trot out one of the rest of 'em and we'll
have a double weddin'."
Annie smiled rather family, and, putting
ON her hat and cloak. went for walk The
November air WAS bracing and the snow
crisp under foot. After all Joe was not
worth thought and it certainly was
mercy that LISA was going to be married
She had walked a mile or so when a sud
den turn in the road had brought her face
70 face with Mr.. DOOhttle
Annie had given him smile, as indeed
she had done quite frequently of late, and
now she blushed deeply.
It's strange" thought he; AZ was al
most sure that | loved Miss LISA, and now
/ III wondering if it isn't Miss Annie"
Annie kept up a cheerful train Of talk,
and, by the time they reached the house
ana she had given bin parting smile and
tTlpped lightly upstairs, 1t was all over with
Mr.. DJOlittie.
When the sch0Ol-teacher proposed to her.
Annie gave him both her little hands.
Peter DOOlittle' said She "the day that
joe and LISA are married, you may ask me
this. Till that day" with emotion. "let the
matter rest Why, if it was known that
you like me 50 much. they'd come back like
a flock Of sheep, Joe and all, and then it
would all be over with LISA, and neither of
Us could ever get married in the world %
Peter DOOlittle, thinking that Miss Annie
had gone crazy, took her in his arms and
refused to let her go ill she had explained
her strange words. Annie felt a little
ashamed, but she told the truth The
school-teacher laughed heartily.
Il suppose" he said, you thought was
ike a sheep. too, and don't know but that
l was for time; but you were so cross,
and, after all, / have proposed TO you,
though / didn't know till this minute that
you were the belle. boston Globe.
The morning call., 1892-01-24

furthermore to be true. Some years since
a large number Of miners in the employ of
a company were engaged in working the
black sands in the northern part of Calitor-
MIA, and among them was man whom we
will call Bill. 1t was the custom Of the
miners to sit around their quarters
during the evening smoking and telling
stories, in which latter accomplishment, be
it said, Bill had few equals. 1t mattered
not how large a story a man told, Bill would
''gO him one better" In short, be was the
champion liar of the camp. Such men are
sure to OVerTeaCh themselves in time, how
ever, and that is exactly what Bill did.
Reference being made one day to the sub
ject Of the sketch, one of his fellOw-wOrk-
ers turned to him aud said: "Bill. dyer
know anythin' bout the nat'ral bridge Of
Virginny?" Nat raj bridge Of Virginny?"
returned Bill, contemp tuOusly; Cd. yes.
helped ter build it." That sealed Bits
fate as a stOTY-teller. lie was nagged
about 1t. it is said, so numerically that he
left the camp soon afterWaTd.
From the summit to the surface OF the
stream below is 2l5 feet-the bridge, there
fore being ffty-fve feet higher than Mag
ara. No one yet has sealed the rocky sides
Of the great arch and reached the summit.
though a considerable distance has been at
tanned by venture some climbers, who have
recorded their proves by cutting their
names on the surface at the highest point
reached by them. 1t Is reported that high
among these may lie found the name Of no
less parsonage than George Washington.
Of the terrifying character OF the
view from the summit of the bridge, Presi-
dent JefIerSOn's words will give some idea:
Though the sides of the bridge are pro-
ylded In some parts with a parapet of
rocks, yet few men have resolution to walk
to them and look over into the abyss. You
lnv0IuntariIy fall on your hands and feet,
creep to the paraDet and look over it. Look
Ing down from this height about minute
gave me a violent headache; the view is
painful and intOlerable."
OF the daring OF some visitors, however,
several instances are kept alive by tradi-
ton. Among these is that of the unshrink-
ing nerve displayed by Miss Randolph of
The morning call., 1892-01-24
THE FRENCH DETECTIVE.
The Favorite D.sguises That They Otter
Assume While at Work.

The Favorite D.sguises That They Often
Assume While at Work.
Every good detective has TO some extent
his own way Of working, which is varied,
Of course, according to the circumstances.
We may say, however, that as a rule the
Partisan agent has freer hand, and works
in a somewhat bolder, more self-reliant
manner than his English colleague. This
follows from his isolation; he is less helped
by information received" and too badly
paid to buy 1t; so he is forced to acquire it
by his own eXertiOns.
a iayOrite method is 20 assume the dis
guise Of a wOrkiDgman or hawker. And
here 1t may be said that the use of an elab-
crate makeup exists now only in books.
Every Jealous hand has his own little ward
robe, and the simpler the better The most
etfectual DISCUSSES are those which best as
simulate the Wearer TO common life The
Partisan has two in paTtcular-the blouse
ana the w0rkman's apron. "Shadowing"
IS always done by two men, one some little
way behind the other Each wears a change
Of dresS-tO wit. blouse wound sash-wise
round tie waist and q casquette carried
inside the shrt. The moment the first man
fancies himself perceived be gives place to
the second, and, dropping behind, slips the
blouse over his jacket and exchanges bis
felt hat for the casquette. Thus metamOr-
phOsed he resumes lis place.-The Saturday
Review.
The morning call., 1892-01-24
WITH MARGUERITEs.

/ love nook where dreams the while
Pure white blossoms tan and fair,
Where misty hUes OF summers smile
Woo the flowers that whisper there.
on he sweetest. cIearest sound
fingers in the pale soft air around.
81 My marsuerijes-margu erites."
There through the perfect afternoon
Ny snowy flowers nod IN sleep;
The green grass At their feet soon
To wither In darkness deep.
There I stand and look away
Dainty blossoms forget ana stay
Ny marguerites -marguerites.
l close my eyes and wonder when
Life is given to flowers and clay,
Il tail white blossoms VIII whisper thea,
As they do on this warm summer day;
II some sweet fate viii give again
TO auEuished heart aud waiting men,
MarsueriJes-paIe marguerites.
ALMA ALDEN
The morning call., 1892-01-24
THE CASTLED RHINE.

How Different 1t Is Now From What 1t
Was in the Days OF Long Ago.
The whole course of what used to be called
the castled Rhine now looks like the lower
Thames, and smells like Shoreditch or Ber-
mondsey. We see panoramic development
of all the more offensive trades aud guilds
of the middle ages. Formerly the Rhenish
industries were mainly concentrated in the
fourishing principally of WED, cOlOnlzed
The morning call., 1892-01-24
t. LIN a class Of Water.

under your hand, but you would like to
know how this vacuum has been obtained.
In a very simple manner-for instance
Place your glass on table. and on it the
palm OF your hand, being careful to bend
the tour fingers at a straight angle, as indi-
Gated in the lower figure of our drawing.
II now, in continuing to press the palm Of
the hand on the edge Of the glass, you ex-
tend your fingers quickly, and keep your
hand straight, you viii have produced under
it certain vacuum sufficient to permit the
atmospheric pressure to c0unteTact the effect
Of grayitstiOn. And the glass Of water, de-
vorr hand
The morning call., 1892-01-24

Why is it that the egg drops on the
pointed and not the blunt end The reason
for it is this: During the boiling Of the egg
a vacuum is formed whereby the egg has
become com faTatiyeiy heavier atthe pointed
end than the Il lat. In order to harmonic
the center Of gravity Of the egg with its
central axis it must b. Set on IS point
during the boiling process, ana to devise a
method whereby this can De done must be
lett to the ingenuity IF our readers.
Our little experiment requires a some
what deNtercus hand. In the first place the
necessary force must be applied in turning
tie plate then again the movement must
be perfectly horizontal and as uniform as
possible, because a spasm0diC motion would
throw the egg from the dish. A good way
to succeed IS 10 set the plate upside down
on the table In such a manner that il can lie
easily picked up with the hand. The egg
must then be placed in the center Of the
plate, and given a spinning motion with the
thumb and f0reinReT. just as it IS done
with a coin. While the egg is thus spin
ming, the plate is picked up and rotated,
and the former viii keep up its perambula-
ton while the motion Of the latter lasts.
This problem is to lift the glass. nearly
full Of wafer; making il adhere to the palm
Of your outstFetched hand. You know that
the phenomena is due to the partial vacuum
The morning call., 1892-01-24
The Ecrs HID rnrneh Into snnr MIL

10'0I'IIl7'III1 ! ~
a citizen living about three miles from
LOvingSt0n was the victim of a wonderful
Christmas metamoTphoSis day OF two be-
fore the 18th. He started walking from
home with bucket containing six dozen
eggs. which he Intended diSpOSing of at
Lovingston. On arriving he entered a store
and, after haggling over the price for some
time, ne opened his bucket to ind that his
six dozen eggs had changed to a gallon of
sour milk. Some one suggested that he had
taken the wrong bucket, but the unfor-
tunate fellow would hear of nothing but that
spirits had been at work on his pail