davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
SWIMMING IN UNIFORM.
German Soldiers in Full Regimental Att
 tire Perform Natatorisl Feats.

German Soldiers in Full Regimental At
 tire Perform Natatorial Feats.
 While the swimming service is obliga- tory on the pioneers and lately on the cavalry it is optional with the members of the other departments of the army, and the fact that the annual subscrip- tion list is always more than full is a pleasant indication Of the love of sports among our blue boys Many an en- thusiastic admirer of Neptune must, to his great sorrow, be turned away on account of the great number of applca- tions.
 The instructions are given under the direction of lieutenants by under off, cers. It begins with the regular practice of the swimming strokes, the pupil being supported meanwhile by the so-called fishing rod. When he has learned the movements we'll enough to be able to support himself above the water he be- gins to swim on a loose line.
 At this stage it is often found that those for whom the highest hopes have been entertained lack one quality that is indispensable for a good swimmer; we mean that Olympic calm, without which the most carefully acquired knowledge of the stroke is useless.
 When the pupil is able to keep him self on the surface safely and quietly he must go into the water without tn helping line, but rod is p aced cer tain distance above his head for use in case of need. After this he must sub init to the test of swimming alone fo1 fifteen minutes, then for half an hour, accompanied by boat, and then comes the todtenfahrdt (death trip), which lasts an hour, says the Berlin Illustrirte Zeitung.
 The swimming exhibitions held at the end of the summer before the com manders of the battalions or regiments are pleasant festivals, and those held in Berlin or Potsdam are often at tended by any princes of the reigning house who happen to be in the neigh borhoOd.
 Classes of men clad only in their swimming tights exhibit their prof. ciency in swimming, jumping and div ing, and this water exercise, in regular ly formed lines, squads and sections, is a pleasant sight Lastly comes the most important feature of the pro- gramme, the exhibition of the finest swimmers in full marching uniform and with bayoneted guns in their hands.
 They jump from high tower into the cool water, on the surface of which these fully armed sons of Mars amuse themselves until the command of the officer in charge calls them from the damp element.
 The swimming service of the German army is an excellent institution, for, be- sides giving the men healthy exercise, it tests the courage and self-control of the men in time of peace.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
EITRo-eLycERlNE HEADACHE.
What Causes It and the General Effects
 of Single WhiT of Nitro.

What Causes It and the General Effects of Single WhiT of Nitro.
 GA nitro-glycerine headache will make a man about as uncomfortable under his hat as anything 1 know of, said an oil producer from Bradford, Pa., to group of men who were discussing the sensational attempts upon Russell Sage's life, among whom was Phila- delphia Record man. "A single whiff from can of the explosive will make a man imagine he is just getting over the effects of night with the boys. Nitro-glycerine, as you may know, is utilized very extensively in the oil country for shooting oil wells. Hun dreds of tons of the explosive are used every year, and the men who manu- facture it and torpedo wells would make small army if they were all turned loose together. The business they fol- low, too, is about as dangerous as the military business in war times, for not a year passes that Q dozen or more shooters, as the men who torpedo the wells arc called, do not get blown up. Nitro-glycerine goes off at a very slight shock, or at contact with fire, and in the oil country the man who handles gly- cerine is looked upon as an unfortunate being with one foot in the grave The chances are ten to one that if he sticks to the business long enough he will be blown up.
 "A nitro-glycerine headache is caused by the smell Of the nitric and sulphuric acids which are used in making the explosive. Sweet glycerine oil, as. everyone knows, is very harm less liquid, but when subjected to the action of the two acids named the resulting milk-like fluid is the most deadly explosive agent known. Men who make nitro-glycerine are at first subject to these terrific headaches, but after few days in the factory they be come acclimated to the smell, if such an expression be permissible. But if they knock off work for a day or two they are compelled to undergo the ac- climating experience again.
 ''A single drop of nitro-glycerine ex ploded upon an anvil with sledge- hammer would probably blow the ham, mer thirty feet in the air. I know of blacksmith who was repairing nitro glycerine wagon in the oil country one day, when there was loud explosion and the wagon was literally taken all apart and scattered about his shop. A few drops of glycerine had leaked from the cans and lodged in the framework of the wagon. Strange to relate, the blacksmith escaped injury, but he at once hung up in his window little card upon which was written in a sledge-hammer hand: No nitro-glycer- inc wagons need apply
 ''One day in the Titusville oil field a nitro-glycerine manufacturer was standing in front of a hotel, absent mindedly kicking the fagstone walk, when there was a report about as loud as the snap of a cap. The man flew up in the air about foot and let out a yell that was heard block away. When he got back on terra firma again and looked at his feet the shoe was torn all to pieces. In working about his glycer- inc Inanufactory he had evidently satu- rated his shoe with few drops of the explosive, which were set off by the stamping of his foot"
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
oVER-sTlMULATEo BRAINS.
Effect of the Hothouse Forcing Atmos-
 piere Of Paris.

Effect of the Hothouso Forcing AtmoS-
 paere Of Paris.
 There is something in the social at mosphere of Paris that is apt to keep the nervous system in 8 state of high tension, says London journal. It is not easy to say what this influence is whether it depends, upon climate, con- ventional habits, or fermenting ele- ments of character which affect the mass; but few people have stayed in Paris little while without having felt it. It produces a feverishness of mind that makes all rest Gistasteful if not in- tolerable. Women are probably not more liable to it than men; but, their nervous fiber being weaker, they have less power of resistance
 The nevrosees of Paris society have been a fortune to the doctors of late years. In their case it cannot be said that literary work has done the mis- chief. Writing has really very little to do with the increasing demand for med ical baths. If authors and journalists living in Paris are more liable than other people to fall into that restless, anxious and sleepless state which is the sign of an unduJy excited brain, and which, unless arrested in time, leads to nervous disease, that renders life burden and may end in insanity, it is not to be referred so much to the actual work that they manage to get through as to the continual excitement in which they too often live.
 There is so much temptation in Paris to rush about and to talk, and the work that has to be done is put off until the faculties are jaded, and need to be whipped up to their task with strong coffee or some other stimulant. Then the effect of the stimulant, and the ex- citement of nervous exhaustion has, to be corrected by a sedative such as bromide of potassium, and more ire quently by the narcotic chloral or some other preparation of the soothing but deadly poppy. The over-excited who do not have recourse to calming drugs, suffer all the tortures of insomnia, and these must be abated at any cost.
 The doctors prescribe complete re- pose and mountain air. But the fact is that the majority of jaded writers are unable to follow the doctors advice, and among those who can there are few who will make up their minds to do it until they feel that the coiling serpent is crushing them. The success full author is especially difficult per son to deal with. The more his nerves are excited, the more he feels capable of astonishing the world with his pow CT, the more he goes on producing books
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
CALLED FORTH THE EVIL ONE.
How 6 Convivisl Company Rid Itself of
 an Objectionable Member.

HOW COnVIVt2l company Rld 1CSen or
 an Objectionable Member.
 One night not long ago a group Of kindred spirits were gathered in an ur- per room at the house of one of the number, the women of the household being absent for the evening. The tide ofmerrimcnt was flowing genially when they were joined by an undesirable young man who may be called Brown, as that was not his name. They cast about among themselves as to how they could get rid of him without giving offense, and one of the number suddenly bethought himself of a masquerade cos tune he had constructed. with much labor and thought, to represent the Father of Darkness. Hastily whisper ing his plan to his friends, continues the New York Tribune, he quietly slipped away from the house, and hurrying home donned the suit and returned. Knocking at the door, he inquired of the person who answered the summons if Brown" was within. ss7@s;..sgs1,
 ''Yes; step upstairs and you will find him. was the reply. With much clank- ing of chains and clattering of hoofs he slowly mounted the stairs and entered the room where the company was gath cred, inquiring for Brown. There was a scene of indescribable confusion, the well-simulated terror of the rest ren- dering the uninitiated young man al- most helpless from fright; all he was able to do was to roll under the table. At last the others made rush for tic window and, one by one, dropped to the ground below. As the last one climbed through the window Brown, who did not desire to be left alone with his Sa- tanic majesty, made a dash at him, caught him in his arms, and with the strength of terror drew him back and flung him across the room. Then leap Ing himself from the window he started for home at Q rate of speed which sprinter might well envy. At every stride he would cry out until his voice was lost in the distance:
 Please, Mir. Satan, don't take me yet; please don't take me just yet!' rsre
 The jollers returned to the room weak with laughter, and they have never since been troubled by call from Brown, who still persists that the evil one in person had sought him on that occasion.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
A CIPHER IN HAIRS.
The Ingenious Method of Communication
 Adopted by French Criminals.

The Ingenious Method of Communication
 Adopted by French Criminals.
 Some years ago the friends of 0 Pa risian thief adopted decidedly unique method of carrying on a clandestine correspondence with him while he was awaiting trial. One day the jailor was visited by the prisoners betrothcd, who asked him to give her lover an enve- ,ope.
 { This, upon being opened. was found to contain simply a small lock of her hair, around which was folded leaf of a book The jailor did not consider it worth his while to deliver this souvenir to the culprit, and therefore threw it aside.
 A day or two later a similar inclosure was handed in at the prison gate, and shared the fate of the predecessor. In the couSse of a week another was left by the same person. This aroused the suspicion of the governor of the prison, to whom had been detailed the circum- stances. He determined to investigate the meaning, and, accordingly, first ex- amined the printed leaf. This, he found, was torn from novel, and con tained twenty-six lines on each side, says the Chicago News.
 He then turned his attention to the hair, and discovered that there were twenty-six pieces of unequal length. This puzzled him for awhile, and, then suddenly jumping to the conclusion that there must be some connection be- tween the numbers of the printed llnes and the number of hairs, he laid each of the latter along the line of the page they respectively reached, beginning with the shortest hair at the top of the leaf.
 After changing them about several times he discovered that each hair pointed to a different letter, and the combination thus produced formed slang sentence, by means of which the prisoner was given to understand that his friends had ascertained the day on which he was to be taken to court and were determined to make bold at tempt to rescue him as soon as he made his appearance.
 Taking the cue, the governor adopted every precaution to fruStrate the we'll laid plans of the outsiders; the attempt was made, and as natura conse- qUence lhe conspirators soon found themselves in the same condition as the one for whom they had planned the raScua
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
LEAP YEAR.

Legends and Superstitions Connected
 with That Particular Period of Time.
 The advent of "leap year" and the break in the regular order of days make anything in regard to the ''bissextile' or ''leap year" of more than ordinary interest, says the St. Louis Republic. Leap year has always been regarded with awe and superstition by the peo- pie of all countries. The peasantry of England affirm that peas and beans grow the wrong way i'll their pods that is, the seeds are set contrary to the way they are in ordinary years. In Belgium the rural folks maintain that leap year is not only unpropitious for all farming operations, but that throughout the year the young of the do- mestic animals will not thrive as at other times. A similar fatality, they argue, extends to every kind of grass bIighted before attaining it's normal size. The same peculiar ideas prevail in Russia, Turkey, Tartary, India and Arabia. The Russian proverb says: If St. Cassian (February 29) looks on cow she will wither." In Arabia they say: "As weak as bissextile camel" and in Turkey and Tartary they call all hunchbacks, dwarfs and other deformed men, women and chil- dren ''leap-year freaks" but there are exceptions to this as well as to all other rules, for we find that in Italy, Greece and Sicily the rural proverb says, referring to leap year: Plant much corn and vine, it's [the year] good for bread and wine" The ancient Romans considered February 29 most critical season, always reckoning it among their unlucly days. That this belief has not by any means lost ground is evidenced by deep-rooted dislike parents have to child being born on leap day, it being popular notiasa that to come into the world at such an odd time is ominous as signifying the babes Ipeedy exit. A variety Of this supersti-
 ion exists in Tuscany, and according
 piece of the folklore Of that coun-
 ry when child is born on leap-day either it or it's mother will die before the end of the year. Hampson in his ''Medii Gvi Kalendarium" quotes the following from an old Saxon treatise: tSome assert that the bisseXtus, or leap day, comes through this, that Joshua prayed to God that the sun might stand still for one days length that he might sweep the heathen from the land. It is true that the sun did stand still, but the bissextus is not through this, as some do think
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
JUDGE A MAN BY HIS NOSE.
The Way Q Chicago Merchant Estimates
 Character.

"That was an interesting and true little item that the Tribune reprinted from some horsebreeder's paper telling the character and disposition of horse by his nose," said an old State street merchant; "but let me tell you that I can pick out stingy, small-minded man or one that is liberal, big-minded, etc., quicker by a glance at noses than most any man can the extremes in horses. Nine out of every ten men who have a concave nose, and particularly if it's small, are stingy or intensely sell fish and narrow-minded and mean. and it wouldn't be necessary for you to have but precious little to do with 'em, espe- cially in business way, in order to find it out.
 "When you see large or good-sized nose that is convex in build, and espe- cially if it has more or less of an intima- tion of the Roman school about it-as architects would say-you can depend that its possessor is a liberal, broad minded fellow, and usually, too, schol- arly. I guess I've cleared close onto one million dollars during the twenty years that I've been running store in Chicago, and half of that I owe to hay ing always made point of reading people by their noses. And what I've said applies to women just as much as to Iaen,"
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
pecullarities of Lisbon Girls.

Miss Batchellcr. daughter of the American minister to Portugal. says that the Lisbon girls are beautiful and attractive, but are very closely guarded, never appearing unattended in the street and rarely being seen on foot. Carriage driving of decorous kind is a favorite amusement, but the girl who follows the queens example and ap- pears on horseback is regarded as very advanced in her ideas. The girls play Q little tennis in summer, dance and play cards for amusement in winter. They are rarely invited to formal din- ncrs, as their parents are, but appear at the opera. The chief delight of these delicately-bred and carefully guarded nlaidens is the great bull fight at Cintra, which most unconventional American girl, who carries her own latchley and travels alone in the plebear, democratic street ear, would scarcely have the nerve to witness, much less to enjoy tue horrible spec tacle.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
"Sevea FiaCecs."

. In an article on Great Speeches by Eminent Men" in the Chautauquan,
 'rold ". George relates the following
 ident, which occurred at the time of
 cbster's great oration in reply to Hayne. Clayton, who was Webster's
 innate, went to him and, after the
 reeting of courtesy, whispered in his aar: Are you well charged?" With
 1t the change of muscle, looking away Sith solemn glance as though he were living above that throng, Webster re- piled in tone which, though sepulchral, had hint of humor ii il: Seven fn- gers" Clayton knew well the mean ing of that. Four fingers ot that day was heavy charge for hunters ride: seven fngers-that meant great game and tke cetermin2tioa to bag it.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-01-12
Watches Growing Smaller.

Watches were appreciably reduced in size after the invention of the fusee to obviate the inconvenience of variations of power of the handspring. The watches made early in the sixteenth century generally strongly entrusted in size and portability with those worn in fobs by men in the eighteenth cen tury, and which were thick, round and heavy.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1893-03-09
Special Offer for Feb. and March.

The National Waterman, Wash
ington, d. c., will give, during the
months of February and March, to
the person sending in each fifth
club of ten subscribers, free, one
years subscription to the Arena,
published in Boston, Mass. which
is the only magazine that is inter-
ested in the reform movement. This
publication should receive the sup
port Of all reformers. The subsCrip.
ton price is SIS per year. Or, we
will send them any five reform pa
pers of their own selection. Every
reader of this notice can get up a
club IF ten subscribers to the
Waterman if they will only try.
II is only 80 cents a year, and III
reach Of all. 1t is publication
that all good rcformers are interest
ed in +; has the iull proceedings OF
congress each week, and also has as
contributors Senators Kyle, Stewart,
PETER, and all of the Peoples party
congressman now in congress, be-
sides the best outside talent in the
country. Remember, this offer Is
only good during February and
March. We shall keep a record of
the clubs AS they are received, and
every fifth one of ten we will send
the above ~, and we will, besides,
publish complete list of the clubs
as they are received each week
Make all remittances payable to the
National Waterman Company, WASH
ington, ID. G.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1893-09-20
A Supreme Court Dead Lock.

There is now dead lock in the
Supreme Court of this State.
1T is over the case of Sam Wright
VS. the Carson Water Company, suing
for $4,000 money loaned. Wright
won in the lower Court and it was
appealed by the Water Company.
The facts of the Case were that
Sam Wright loaned 50, 900 to the
Water Company and took a note.
That when the note was about to be
paid, Alfred Helm acting as Secre
tary of the Company, laid the money
down on the counter and said.
Here is the money if you want it,
but | would like to borrow it myself
"a while if you have no use for it"
Mr.. Wright said:
"All right 1 Will keep the note and
let things stand as they are"
1t was held by way of defense to
the plaintiffs complaint that the
money due was then due from Alfred
Helm and not the Water Company.
The Court in its decision held that
there was no transfer of the money
to Wright and that he, still holding
the note, was entitled to collect from
the company.
The case has BEEN before the Su-
preme Court several months, Bige-
low and Murphy holding opposite
opinions, and as Judge Belknap is
the advice of his physicians
and lndulging for the present in no
mental labor of any kind, the case
has caused dead lock in the Su-
preme Court.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1893-09-20
The State Fair.

The State Fair is opening under
splendid auspices. There is good
attendance, first class weather and
the racing is the best that Reno has
seen for years.
Old turfmen say there are more
good horses at the track than were
ever before collected in Nevada.
1t has been decided to devote next
Friday to Carson and the proposition
is to have all business houses closed
that our amusement lovers may all
go and see the Fair.
The rate has been fixed at one
dollar for the round trip and this
will insure big crowd.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1893-09-20

The following newsy item is going
the rounds of the press;
according to the measurement
of Professor Sargent, derived from
1000 individual young women, the
average girth of the calf of the girl
col,egian is thirteen and one half
inches. D."
The questions naturally arise: For
what do we hire our college Profess
ors2 And, do they receive stated
salaries, or are they content with the
perquisities of their ofiicel Profess
or Sargent must be a mighty busy
man. Stockton Mail.
Senator Tarpie of Indiana ended a
speech in the Senate with these
ords: "What an unconscious but
strange bias there is in law and Ian
guage toward the side of those who
have much. Silver found in stock
ing is called hoard, and its keeper
is a miser. Gold found in the triple
stsel-lined vault is called reserve,
and the name of it's owner is capital
ist.
The Encinal, very clean, bright
and independent paper, has turned
another volume in Alameda. 1t is
published in small town, but it is
one Of the most noticeable Of Califor-
mia exchanges