davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call., 1892-05-08

as at least 20 ordinary rattlesnakes; and
Indians say il is entirely harmless. The
enormous blacksnake | know is entirely
without venom. In all my life, spent mostly
in the camp. have seen only three Of those
monstrOus yellow wOOds-rattlesnakes: one
in Indiana. one in Oregon and the other on
this occasion here on the banks OF the Nc
Cloud. Such bright eyes! Ii was hard TO
stop looking at them.
Meantime a good many bears had come
and gone. The bear is ii good swimmer and
takes 10 the water without fear. He Is, in
fact, quite a fisherman; so much of fisher
man, in fact, that in salmon season here his
flesh is unfit for food. The pitiful part OF it
all was to see such little creatures as could
not swim clinging all up and down and
not daring take to the water.
Unlike his dOmesticated brother, we saw
several wildcats take to the water promptly
The wildcat. you must know, has DO tail to
speak of. But the panther and California
lion are well equipped In this respect, and
abhor water.
l constantly kept an eye over my shoulder
at the ledge or little bluff of rocks. expect
ing to see q whole row OF Hons and pan
theirs sitting there, almost cheek by jOwl"
with my English friends at any moment.
But strangely enough We saw neither pam
Their nor lion; nor did we see single grizzly
among all the beasts that came that way.
We now noticed that one OF the Indians
ing too intently at the enormous serpent In
our midst. The snakes huge, coffin-shaped
head, as big as your open palm. was slowly
swaying from side to side. The Indians
head was doing the same, and their eyes
were drawing closer and closer together.
Whatever there may be in the Bible story
bf Eve and the serpent, whether a fig
IRE or a fact, who shall say? But it is GER
tainly, in some sense, true.
An Indian will not kill a rattesnake. But
to break the charm. In this case, they
caught their companion by the shoulders
and forced him back fiat on the ground.
And there he lay, crying like child. the
first and only Indian | ever saw cry. And
khen suddenly boom! boOml boom! as ii
heaven burst. 1t began to rain in torrents
The beautiful yellow beast was not al
all Disconnected, but with the serenest
a1ignity lifted her graceful folds, coied and
uncoiled slowly, curved high in the air,
arched her glittering neck of gold, widened
her body till broad as your two hands, and
so slid away over the water to the other
side through the mild, white rain. The
eloudburst put out the fire instantly, show
ing that, though animals have superhuman
foresight. they don't know everything be-
fore time.
"Beastly! I didn't get bIawsted sketch,
y on know"
awful beastly! Neither did I. yov
know" JOAQUIN MILLER.
The morning call., 1892-05-08
The story of a Copy-HoIder.
Philadelphia Times.

John Russell Young's entrance to jour
nalism was odd. The Philadelphia Press
was in want Of ''copyboy" and advertised
for one. Young was one of fifty applicants
The foreman OF the composing room handed
each lad piece of the manuscript Of Colonel
John W. Forney, then editor of the news
paper, and asked him to read it, No one
who has not seen that awe-striking writing
can appreciate the dismay which flied each
youthful heart when those weird hero
glyhics first confronted him. Horace
Greeley's famed attempts at calligraphy
were copper-plate impressions compared
to 1t. OF all the applicants young Young
was the only one who could decipher
the manuscript. and thus began his en-
trance to newspaper life. His salary was
SIS week, but that was reduced TO 81 90
when the Press found that he would not
work on Sunday, an idiosynerasy from
which he has since recovered. In those
days reporters went home, or rather left
the office, before midnight, and in conse-
uuence it happened at o'clock one morn
ing that Copyholder Young was sent to re-
port fire. He did it so we'll that next day
he was made a member of the local staff,
and then-well, the world knows the rest.
The morning call., 1892-05-08

near Concord, in September: "a Slate
pigeon-shooting tournament will take place
at the fair grounds September /, for which
$1,000 in prizes will be hung up, the first
prize being So O. In the country purse
prizes to the amount of $500 will be offered
for competition. the first being $50. In adj
dition there will be given TO the party max
ing the best score, that is without miss, a
purse Of S25. The entrance money to this
tournament will be $50, limited to 90 en-
tries, paid in the following manner: Five
dollars must be paid to the treasurer with
entry before May 81, SIS on June so, S.
August /, and S. on or before September /.
ANY gentlemen desiring further informa-
tion can correspond with j. w. Bussey,
Stewartsville, Contra Costa County, CAL"
As there are several crack shots in this city
who are looking for snap of this kind the
notice will be Of interest to professional
pigeon-p0ppers.
Peter Bogardus, son of Captain A. H.
BogarduS, was severely injured last week
by the accidental discharge of powder while
he was loading shells. The young man
smokes cigarettes, and spark from "the
snlpe" caused al explosion. His face was
badly burned.
If the following account from the London
Field of demonstrating contest between
champions of England is true the sportsmen
OF the old country must be very poor shots.
The Field says: A demonstrating match
for the professional championship of Eng
land and $3.50. between James ShOvelton of
Wlgan and William Pickles of Sowerby
Bridge, 10 birds each, one ounce of shot, q
yards rise and 60 yards fall, came off at
Huddersfleld on April IL. The former won
by q score of 10 to a.
The morning call., 1892-05-08
A CANINE TOURIST.
Railway Mail Agents Entertain . Dog
Traveller.

Traveller.
New York Tribune.
Ownie, the most famous Of American
canine tourists, arrived in the city yesterday
and was the guest of the railway mail
agents at the postoffice building. Ownie is
a bob-tailed gray Scotch terrier, and claims
Albany, n. Y, as his home.
Some six or seven years ago clerk In the
Albany postof6ce owned the dog. and per-
mitted it to follow him to the Office daily.
Before the pup was grown its master quit
the service, but the canine liked the sur
roundings and refused to follow him. After
a ride or two with the railway mail agents
to Boston and to New York, Ownie seems to
have resolved TO become the Stanley of his
species and started out to see the world. He
has made several trips across the continent.
In some cities he often spends month, and
then will go to the station and before the
train starts leap into the maiicaT.
Every mail agent in the country knows
him, ana so do the officers Of the principal
postoffices in the country and many leading
newspaper Offices. He has several scores of
badges of tin, copper and leather, securely
attached to bright leather harness, from
various Offices. all the way from Rio Grande
to Portland, Maine.
Ownie is on return trip from the South,
and his new badges were presented at New
Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta and
Washington, with a bright. large brass one
which he received from the New York Office
yesterday Together the badges weigh four
or FIVE pounds.
Ownie's last trip has extended over five
months, during which he has travelled about
5000 miles He left yesterday afternoon for
Boston, and from there goes to Albany to
spend the month of May with his friends at
the postOffice there.
The morning call., 1892-05-08

as he left 1t when an invitation to re-enter
the Government service was received from
the national capitol.
Immediately upon assuming charge of the
mails of California and Oregon Moore saw
that the duties OF his position were arduous
in tile extreme and daily growing so from
tile rapid increase in population. he looked
about for competent assistant, but a
trustworthy man was hard to find. The
clerks employed in the Office were all gam
blers and spent good portion of the time
for which they were paid by the Govern
ment-S25 a day-in the gaming houses.
Two of them belonged to the notorious
gang called Hounds" that for time gave
chaotic flavor to San Francisco society.
One evening at the Custom-h0use Moore
fell In with young man named John Short.
This is how it happened: Under the old
Mexican laws the Alcaldes had the power
to grant. away public lands at the fixed
American Alcaldes previous to the time
OF Geary. who had been appointed
to the position soon after leaving
the Postoffice, had availed themselves Of
this privilege, and disposed of valuable
property tor mere song. Soon after the
City Council passed resolution directing
the new Alcalde to make these grants &C
c0rding to law.
Geary refused, arguing that 1t would be
disgrace to a man in after years to give
away SO much property at prices far below
its true value. On this question feeling ran
high, and 1t was warmly discussed, soon be-
coming the issue of the hour.
Short took Geary's side of the question.
and was wont to express his views very
forcibly. On one occasion he was giving
vent to his opinions on the veranda of the
Custom-house, surrounded by crowd OF
citizens. Moore happened along, and soon
was an interested listener.
AT the conclusion of his speech Short
turned to Moore, with whom he was not
acquainted, saying, Am / right, partner?"
Moore answered in the affirmative, at the
same time extending his hand The pair
walked away together. and in few weeks
Short was appointed Assistant Postmaster.
The morning call., 1892-05-08

fact we had not yet heard any noise of
any sort except thunder; not even our own
voices There was something more eloquent
In the air now, something more terrible
than man or beast. and all things were aWed
into silence-a profound silence.
And all this time countless little creatures
were crOwding the bank on our side ana
swimming across or floating down, down.
down the swift, wood hung waters. Suddenly
the stOlid leader of the Indians threw his
two naked arms in the air and let them
fall limp and helpless at his slde.
Fmbers living and dead beasts began to
drift and sweep down the swift waters from
above The indians now gathered up the
packs and saddles and made oarrlcade
above for ii was clear that every living
thing would now be borne doWn upon US
The two Englishmen looked one another
in the face long and thoughtfully, pulling
their feet under them TO keep from being
froJden on, Then after another avalanche
of creatures of all sorts and sizes, sort OF
Noah's ark this time, one OF them said to
the other:
"Beastly, you knoww
Awful beastly, don't you know"
As they were talking entirely TO them
selves and in their own language / did not
trouble myself to call their attention to an
enormous yellow rattlesnake, which had
suddenly and DOiSelessly slid down over the
steep little bluff Of rocks behind us into cur
midst
But now note this fact: every man there,
red or white, saw or felt that huge and noise
less monster the very second she slid among
US. For as l looked. even as / first looked.
and then turned to see what the others would
say or do, they were all looking at the glitter
ing eyes set in that ffin-lid head.
The Indians did not move back or seem
nearly so much frightened as when they
saw the drift of embers and dead beasts IN
the river before them; but the ford Eng
lishmen were white! They resolutely arose,
thrust their hands in their pocket and stood
leaning their backs hard against the steep
bluff Then another snake, long, black aud
beautiful, swept his supple neck down be-
tween them and thrust his red tongue
forth-as II a bit Of the flames had already
reached us.
Fortunately this particular "wisest Of all
the beasts OF the field" was not disposed TO
tarry. In another second he had swung to
the ground and was making a thousand
graceful curves in the swift water for the
farther bank.
The world, even the world of books,
seems to know nothing at all about
the wonderful snakes that live in the
woods. The woods rattlesnake is as large
The morning call., 1892-05-08
A THEORY Of THUNDER.
Azoimid, Very High Explosive Formed
of Nitrogen and Hydrogen.

of Nitrogen and hydrogen.
Explosion of azoimid," remarked DR..
George w. Sloan the other day after a ter
rife clap of thunder, following the most
forked lightning that has been seen in
these parts for many a day, says the Indian
apOlis Journal.
"AzOimid?" said the reporter question
ingy.
YES" said the doctor. 81 am evolving
new theory as to what makes thunder. 1t
Is not due to electrical disturbances alone,
for We have these without thunder.
AZoimid Is remarkable compound of
three atoms Of nitrogen united with one
atom of hydrogen. This new compound
has been Isolated by Professor Curtins of
Keil, Germany. The chief characteristic of
this new compound and its salts formed
with the metals is the appalling readiness
and violence with which it expcdes. Pro-
fessor Curtins and an assistant made saw
eral attempts to determine the composition
OF the ammonia salt they examined, and
each time the apparatus was destroyed with
loud defamation, although 0ne-tenth of a
grain Of the substance was used. The
platinum vessel in each instance was torn
to pieces, aud the assistant, at one Of the
trials, was seriously injured.
Have we got here the true source of the
explosive quality of thunderstorms-the
electric current decOmposing a portion of
the IN DISTURB in the atmosphere. the oxygen
goes TO form ozone, while the freed HYDRO
gen, continuing with the nitrogen. which
has lost Its companion, oxygen. forms the
new compound, azoimd. which is instantly
exploded and furnishes thunder. / think /
shall claim the application of this discovery
to my thunder theory, and hold that
azoimid Is the explosive used in the great
guns of heavens artillery"
The morning call., 1892-05-08

would stand no such rents as were asked,
and from the Postmaster-Ge General came the
laconic reply, "Dig a cave"
Finally Geary secured small room at the
corner Of Washington and Montgomery
streets, for which he paid $500 per month,
and commenced preparations for dstribut-
Ing the mail. He had no boxes and was
obliged to draw squares on the floor with
chalk, Which were alphabetical and in
which the letters were arranged Four
clerks were employed under the new system
at $50 per day. The plan did not meet with
a very flattering degree of success. The
room was too small in the first place, being
only about 7x12. and there was confusion
and trouble over distribution nearly every
day. In this condition of affairs Geary APP
pealed for advice TO General Bennett Riley.
Without waiting for orders from thu author
tiles at Washington, General Riley, recog-
nizing o crisis, took it upon him
self to order the erection of q bnld-
ing to be used for postoffice purposes. On
Washington street, near Stockton, stood a
rough structure used as q Government
storehouse. Riley ordered it overhauled,
and il necessary torn down to get material
for q postoffice. In searching for lumber
the sections sent around the Horn in 1S47
were found and they were Immediately
utilized. This formed the first Postoffice
in San Francisco. 1t now forms a dwell
ing for Thomas Boyle, an employee OF the
Second-street junkshop.
The corner OF Clay and Pike streets was
chosen as a site for the new building, and
in less than two weeks Riley had 1t ready
The morning call., 1892-05-08
Literary Notes.


The Century Company announce that
there will be practically no change in
the policy or the management by
reason of the death of its late presi-
dent. Mr. Roswell Smith. His interests
liz the business remain. and the affairs
of the company will be conducted by men
who have been Mr.. Smiths associates for
many years.
The articles on Lincoln and Men of War
Times" by Colonel A. K. Mcclure of the
Philadelphia Times, recently published in
that newspaper. are to be issued In book
form. The volume will be sold by sub
seription.
The June Californian Illustrated Maya
zine promises well. Among the articles
will be one ON ''The Region about Lake Ia
hoe"-beautifully illustrated. "The Excite
ment of Capturing the famous Jew Fish,
the game fish Of California" will be by the
editor of the Californian. Mrs Flesher will
write on Art in japanese Swords" richly
illustrated paper showing some of the
gems of the famous collections of the day.
timely feature of the May Review of
Reviews. and one which illustrates that Pc
riodicafs habiual journalistic foresight. is
a readable sketch Of a large number of the
most important conventions and summer
gatherings which are to be held during the
present year. beginning with the great po-
litieal conventions and taking up successfully
the educational, scientific, philanthropic and
other meetings,
The morning call., 1892-05-08
HandbalI.

The second series of games between the
crack players JOHN Jones and a. Pennoyer
against John Riordan and John Condor
will take place this afternoon at the Union
court, Howard street.
Jones, the new arrival from the Antipodes,
was somewhat puzzled at first with Friseo's
courts, but the few weeks Of practice he
has had has enabled him to fairly well Judge
the balls. which rise much higher on a
boarded floor than On slate floor. There
are several players in the East who would
be glad to meet the Australian in contest
for big money
The morning call., 1892-05-08
AT THE BUTTS,

Spring Festival OF the San Francisco
Schuetzen Verein.
Company B of the Third Regiment, Com
panies and G (Nationals) of the First Reg
iment. the Germania Schuetzen Club and
the Independent Rifles will hold medal
shoots at Shell Mound Park to-day.
The San Francisco Schuetzen Verein will
hold their annual spring festival at Shell
Mound Park to-day. A public target will be
provided for all corners and money prizes to
the amount of over $500 will be distributed
to the winning marksmen. Tomorrow thoy
will have bird shoot to see who will be
king of the Schuetzen for the ensuing year.
The bird" is made of wood, In several
different parts, and joined together with
pegs. Each piece represents prize and the
marksman shooting the last piece down will
receive gift of SEQ in gold coin and gold
medal. He will also be crowned shooting
king.
The day at Schuetzsn Park will be de-
voted to pool and practice shooting among
members OF the different clubs
The morning call., 1892-05-08
MOUNT SHASTA ON FIRE.
JOaQuin Miller Relates a Thrilling
Experience.
Hen and Beasts in Burning Woods-A Ser
pent Surrounded by Flames-A
Grand Scene.
written for THE MORNING CALL

II looked as IL we would have cloudDursI
We three were making our way Oy $40"
marches from Soda Springs across the south
base of Mount Shasta to the Modoc lava
beds-two English artists and myself we
had saddle horses, or rather two saddle
horses and a mule, for our own use, ana SIX
Indians. with broad leather or elkskln
straps across their foreheads, had been
chartered to carry the kits and traps. They
we're men of means and leisure-these ar
tists-and were making the trip for the fish,
game. scenery, excitement, aud everything
ia fact that was in the adventure.
The second morning out the Indians. poor
yithered slaves perhaps from the first, GER
tainly moi warriors with any spirit in them
began to sulk. They had risen early
and kept lowering together and talking
OF rather making signs, In the gloomiest
sort of fashion. We had hard work to get
them to do anything at all and even after
breakfast was ready they packed up with
out tasting food.
The air vas ugly, for that region. hot,
heavy and without light or life. 1t was
what in some parts Of South America
they call earthquake weather" Even the
horses suIked as we mounted; but the mule
shot ahead through the brush after the
Indians at once, and this induced the ponies
to follow.
The Englishmen thought the Indians and
horses were only tired from the day before,
The morning call., 1892-05-08
A COSTLY BOOK.
Spirited Bidding for "Tamerlane," by
Edgar Allan Poe.

Edgar Allan Poe.
Boston Journal April %.
There was lively bidding to-day on
dingy little pamphlet at the auction-rooms
of G. F. Libbie s. Co. 1t was the much
talked-about copy of "Tamerlane," by
Edgar Allan Poe. the only known copy in
existence, with the exception Of one in the
British Museum.
1t Is 16mO. with paper covers, has
40 pages, and it was printed, nobody knows
just how or when, at time when its
author was mere boy and nameless. The
bidding began at $500. and went up by
lively jumps, hung moment at $1,000 and
then went on again. Think of 1t, gentle
men," said the auctioneer, there are three
MaZarin Bibles. but only one copy of this
book. The first folio of Shakespeare is a
child compared to it,"
The bidding went to $500, to $780, and
then it hung and no further would il go.
At $3.50 it went to Dodd, Mead & Co.. of
New York.
A. Z. Benjamin of New York was the
closest competitor, but he weakened at
$500. When the agony was over every
body began to laugh and talk about the re-
suit, and il was several minutes before the
dry f0rmality BETTING book sale could be
resumed
The morning call., 1892-05-08
ROD AND LINE.
Waiting for the Opening of the Lakes.
Striped Bass.

Waiting for the Opening of the Lakes.
Striped Bass.
The Spring Valley Water Company will
open its lakes in a few weeks. 1t Is doubt
full il the upper Crystal Spring Lake will
be open to anglers this season. In the
lower lake it is said that the trout are in
splendid condition. and that several large
sized bass managed to find their way into
the lake from the open waters.
Lake Pilareitos has been opened since the
1st of the month. but on account of its dis
tance from the city and railroad stations it
is not much patroniZed by the fraternity of
this city.
Al Wilson and party returned last Mon
day from their prospecting trip on the
Sacramento River. Wilson tried hard to
find the breeding grounds of the striped
bass, but owing to the muddy state of the
water he had TO give up the task. He says
that he will try again when the weather
clears and the water will be less muddy.
The morning call., 1892-05-08
AN HISTORICAL BUILDING.
Il Was San Franchises First Post
office.
Now It Forms the Annex to o Junkshop.
Built in New York and Brought Around
the Horn in Sections.
Written for THE MORNING CALL

Away down on Second street, near the
green waters of the bay, stands a brown
two-story building used as a junkshop.
Some time ago it got new coat of paint and
since that eventful day the City Directory
has dignifed it with the name Iron Man
ufactory," but 1t is just an ordinary every
day junkshop with the usual heaps of scrap
iron and huge piles OF red dust. The build
ing itself extends from Second street through
to Stanford, and looking out upon the latter
thOroughfare is quaint-looking little an
mex, constituting the second story of the
rear portion of the building. On the ground
IL would look like one of the old-fashioned
fve-room cottages now to be found in this
city. but in its present position it looks like
big belfry on small church.
In the rapid succession of important
events that characterized the early history
of California the story of this insignificant
The morning call., 1892-05-08
BLAINE ON DICTATyoN.
Remarks Which Business Men WIZ ID
Well to Heed.

remarks " n1cn BUSINESS Men w III DO
Well to Heed.
Gath In Cincinnati Enquirer.
Blaine was himself a teacher, as is well
known, like William Fl. Seward, John
Adams, John Quincy Adams. MNlard Fill
more. Lyman Trumbull. the ancestor of the
P0Tters and others. Blaine has remarkable
perceptions as to both teaching and learn
ing. One day he said 10 me after be was
defeated in 1884, "HOw long do you die
tate TO a stenOgra pher?"
/ replied that 1900 words were enough,
but that under special necessity | had done
two or three times that amount Of work in
a day.
"Well," said Mr.. Blaine. you subject
yourself to great danger When you are
debating you have no check or brake, so to
speak, upon your brain, which is doing the
work. You DO not know when your brain
is tired, as you do when you write with
your own hand. When you are writing you
have two such brakes. The first is your eye,
which gets tired following tho point Of your
pen on the paper, and that causes you to
stop and rest. The second brake is your
hand, which gets tired of writing, and that
calls halt. and you rest your brain. But
when you dictate you have no such check
or brake. You might snap blo0d-vesSel in
the brain, which would be very serious
thing / never dictate" said he, lover half
an hour at time; that is all one should
subject his head to-"