davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1893-11-29
:. .raderewslsI as a hard worker

To be . pet of the public som ca
has its disadvantages. M. Pader !. s.Al,
for instance, keeps up his reputation only
at the cost of tremendous efforts. To
an interviewer for Black and White he
has confded the fact that he practices
at the piano often for IS or is hours a
day. Once, in New York, he had to work
up eight entirely distinct programmes in
little over as many days, and then it was
a case of II hours practice daily. One
must always be at it, he explains, to
keep the fingers right and the memory
active. The work is certainly tfring,
and M. Paderewski considers that d-l-----
ing billiards a game he is very fol III
has saved his life by affording hin EOS
necessary relief from his ardueus ysszS-
Those crashing blows of his .er shs
piano are not, as some might fms
made with the, closed fist. Some e.sss
they are done with the third finger stiff
eEed out, sometimes with the thumb
sideways. He seems to see nothing won
derful in the effect produced, although
his hands are SO delicate that an ordi-
narily firm shake makes him vince. 1t
is true that he has forearm such as a
professional strong man might envy, so
perfect is it in its muscular develop
ment.-London Daily News
The herald., 1893-11-29
Thought He Could .yump.

A young man the other day got an UNI
brella where the bottle got the cork-in
the neck. This young man is one OF
those fellows who can readily explain tc
you that nothing that any one else can
do is really as difficult as it appears He
joined local gymnasium not long ago,
and after watching the members once or
twice going through their exercises came
away withthe feeling that he was afull
fiedged athlete. Walking on East Court
street alongside of the jail. he espied two
women ahead Of him walking abreast
and carrying basket Of freshly washed
clothes between them. The street being
narrow at this point, they took up thtN
full width. The young.ma beingIin a
hurry, thought he could save time by
jumping over the basket, but his calcu-
lation was not acute enough, and he
kicked some of tho wash off. After
walking few steps he turned around to
ascertain the result of his maneuver and
was just in time to see an umbrella
hurled at him by the unerring aim Of an
enraged woman. He tried to dodge, bat
was too slow.--Cincinnati Commercial
fYaZattA
The herald., 1893-11-29
Leprosy and PeriwinkIes,


"Airenedj" writes as follows to the
Indian papers: Permit me TO invite
attention to the fact that the districts of
Bibhum, Burdwan, Bancoorah, etc.,
four or five of the districts of Bengal
in which leprosy prevails to the great
est extent wide statistics of the leprosy
commission), are notorious for the
quantities Of periwinkles consumed in
them by the inhabitants. In no part
Of India ara there such dirty and filthy
pools Of water in which periwinkles
(Bengalee, googlee) exist as in these
districts, and the women fish them up
by the hundredweight and eat them by
the ton each year. Can it be that these
shellfish contain the leper bacillus or
microbe OF germ, or other abomina-
tion that induces the system to hatch
the disease, so to put, it?"-St. James
Gazette.
The herald., 1893-11-29
THE ISLE OF FEAR.

was the only white man in Patuca,
the chief town Of the Honduras waikas.
Ever since my arrival at the Mos
quito shore, the waikas had piqued my
curiosity by wonderful tales of "A nys-
tcrious island which stood in the midst
of an inland lagoon and which, they
said, was pcopled by hideous demons
who destroyed all who set foot on their
terrible territory.
Years ago the Sukia had once ven
tured into tho lagoon on search for
rare harbs and reptiles with which to
work her spells ard incantations.
AS she noared Che island hugo mon
stars, having the shape of men and the
eyes of devils, rushed to the waters
edge, and, viewing their long, hairy
arms, uttered the most horrible yells,
which so terrified the Sukia that she
bent to her paddle and never ceased hey
frenzied strokes until the pitpan grated
on the pebby beach Of the village.
And, as though this were not in itself
a potent enough sign CT the island being
COnSecraueu 10 Ls-SSd t1.4el LID doooi4uoie
evil Ispirits, headstrong waika buckra,
in moment of bravado, had gone to
Dankwarra to fight Lassa, and from
that day to this had never been heard
Of
Old Witatala, the chief of the waikas,
swinging in his hammock within the
semidarkness of his bamboo watta, told
me all this and more.
mo, no, buclra," he repeated With
a solemn shake of his gray, woody
head, II tink me you s'pose old Vita
tala crazy; he no take you to Dankwar-
ra, or he no tell you where Dankwarra
Is Make me hunt de manatee instead.
Dat plenty fun, an bimeby you forget
Dankwarra"
Witatala was obdurate, and ! was
obliged to content myself with the pros
pect of hunt after the manatee, or
sea COW, that remarkable connecting
link between quadrupeds and fishes,
which is to tropical waters what the
seal is to those of the frozen zone.
At first sun up'' we made our start
Witatala, Quila, his son, myself and q
crew of four paddlors.
Il Eight long hours we padded I'D
The herald., 1893-11-29
Money Comparisons.

A contemporary has figured out that
the American double eagle of $50 is
equal to 20 patakas of Abyssinia, 80
kwans of AMMAN, "a piasters of Arabia,
90 pesos of Argentine, about AZ forms
of Austria, about 103 francs of France,
SO milreis of Brazil condors of Chill,
36 rigsdalers of Denmark; 400 piasters
of Egypt, 81 of Great Britain, 103
drachmas Of Greece, "a marks of Ger
many, As rupees of India, 103 lire of
Italy, 20 yens of Japan, so scudi of
Malta. 1913 lei of Roumania, 80 guilders
of the Netherlands, 81 rubles of BUS
sia, tomuns OF Persia, 251 piasters
of Servia, 80 ticols of Siam, 103 pesetas
of Spain, zoe gwush Of Tripoli, tiHas
of Turkistan, 81 patacons of Urugusy
and 25 pesos of Venezuela.
The herald., 1893-11-29
A PUZZLE.

The serials done, but. Great Caesar.
swear I've forgotten the plotl
What YVES it went wrong to displease herr
And did she believe him or not?
Now, what was the reason they parted?
Which was wrong? Who started the fghti
Was she the one so broken hearted?
And which OF th rivals was right2
How did II all happen? Now, which one
Gained all of my sympathies first?
The poor man or else the old rich one?
And which of the two turned out worst9
That other Girl in the beginning,
Who had such basiiisk eye,
The heress who seemed to be winning
Did she go abroad? Did she die?
That cha ptcr missed on vacation
reckon it introduced Fate,
Who. after long explanation,
Proceeded to set matters straight.
Some girl married some man or other
The epilogue makes that quite plain
But which girl and which man-oh, bother,
Must read that whole thing again?
-Godey's Magazine.
The herald., 1893-11-29

der. we'll favored, altogether delicious.
and far surpassed venison, TO my palate.
After supper / determined to do lit
tie exploring on my own account, in
spite of the warnings of Witatala and
his men.
An eighth of mile down the beach
came upon an old cannon half buried
in the sand. Scraping away the loose
soil, it proved to be, in spite of its
heavy crust of mold and rust, an an
cient Spanish cannon closely resem-
bling those the books picture to us as
having been used by the daring Span
ish freebooters in the days of Drake and
Kidd.
Farther along I came upon other rel
ics-an old fintlock, dagger, several
pistols and piece of broken chain, all
scattered about as though they had been
left in some hasty fight.
AS I walked back to the waikas re-
called the tales of the famous "Black-
along the Spanish main, and it seemed
probable to me that the now deserted
Dankwarra had been in those days
secret stronghold of Blackboard and
his piratical band
Old Witatala evinced but little inter
est in the story of my discovery, his
mind being chiefly exercised over our
getting away from Dankwarra with
all possible celerity.
This he determined to accomplish by
means of raft, which he intended to
construct from the clumps of bamboo
growing near the islands forest.
Night had descended with its tropical
suddenness, but this did not deter Wi
tatala from his preparations for MAX
ing the raft.
Despatching Quila and couple of
waikas for tietie vine with which to
bind the bamboo together, the rest of
as secured the machetes from the I'M
lucky manatee's hide and started for
the bamboo clumps.
The waikas would not carry torches,
for that they said would show our
whereabouts to the wicked Lassa, but
that we might not want for light they
caught handfuls of firefies, pulled off
their wings and scattered them among
the bamboo trees, where they gave ra-
dance enough for us to perceive clearly
the surrounding objects.
At the first stroke of the machetes
on the bamboo the hitherto silent is
land seemed to break out into pande-
monium. dropped my machete in dis
may, but Witatala calmed my nerves
by telling me that the sounds were
made by the suddenly awakened ami
NAL and bird life of the island. Bat
what diabolical uproar it wasl
There were unearthly groans and an
cry snarls and shrieks. AT times the
noises were blended and became suIlen
and distant, then SO sharp and near
they seemed at our very feet.
All the water birds and wild fowls
roosting in the trees gave sudden
futter and set up series of croals and
screams which sent an adjacent troop
of bowling monkeys into spasms of de-
light.
At intervals the heavy bodies of
prowling animals would be beard crush
ing through the jungle, and at these
noises old Witatals would look anxious
" around, in monentary dread of hay
ing Lassa and his demons swoop down
unon hina-
The herald., 1893-11-29
But nothing Of. the kind happened,

n But nothing of the kind happened,
and we were able to retreat in safety
with our load of bamboo logs to the
beach, where the construction of the
raft began with great rapidity.
Tho great red moon was beginning
to grow dim in the approaching dawn,
however, before the raft was completed
We had thrown ourselves down upon
the beach for brief rest before launch
ing our rude craft, when suddenly Wi
tatala grasped my arm like the teeth of
a wise, and in hollow whisper bade
me look toward the jungle. I did so,
and for minute every drop of blood
seemed to stand still in my veins.
There, peering at us from the half
parted bushes, was huge white face,
terrible in its hideous ferocity. Be-
meath its low, slanting forehead blazed
fierce eyes its nose was broad and fiat,
and from its great mouth two fangs
protruded.
The waikas seemed rooted to the
ground with terrified amazement.
Suddenly another frightful face ap-
peared beside the first, then another and
another.
The spell of silence was broken, and
the waikas began simultaneously their
rapid screech of incarnation against
Lassa and all the other evil spirits, at
the same time backing toward the la
goon, showing the raft as they went.
The four faces in the edge of the
thicket grinned and frowned, their jaws
rapidly opening and shutting.
AS the raft slid into the water, the
bushes parted, and the faces appeared
in the open.
They were no longer simply faces. ;"
They were huge, towering, hairy forms
that stood erect, with arms waving
high above their heads. And now they
came menacingly toward us.
The waikas-and perhaps I, too
gave one cry, and throwing ourselves
on the raft with a shove we sent it
gliding away from the island.
At this the monsters waved their
arms yet more frantically, and advanc-
ing to the waters edge gave utterance
r to a succession of yells.
Just then the sun burst from above
the woodland and fully revealed to my
astonished eyes the forms Of our pur-
suers. They were not men,. not de-
mons, but monkeys-and yet not mon
keys, but huge gorillas!
The island faded away, and the roars
of the gorillas were lost in the dis
tance. Back through the black creek
we padded out into the broad, swiftly
flowing waters of the Rio de la Patuca.
I tried to explain the identity of the
creatures to Witatala, but he would
receive none of it.
"No, buckra," he replied with
shake of his poor old head. "No,
bucl1ra," he repeated, "old Witatala
know monkey when he see him-he eat
many monkey. He know him we'll.
He never see monkey so big like dat
talk like dat. Dat big one was Lassa-
de rest he family
OF course there was nothing more to
be said.
As to colon IT gorillaa ing on
an island in a Central American la
goon, can Offer but one explanation:
Blackboard, the pirate, may have
brought young gorillas with him on
some shaving voyage from Africa and
The herald., 1893-11-29
stream until the river took a strange
and unfamiliar aspect.

stream until the river TOOK SJrangc
and unfamiliar aspect.
Then, steering for the bush covered
bank, the crew with their sharp ma
chetes Topped off a number of leafy
branches, which were thrown lightly
over the pitpan, until it resembled a
floating tree.
Casting loose from the bank, we float
ed down the river with the current.
One man stood in the stern to steer.
Witatala crouched in the bow with
harpoon and line, while the rest, keep
ing their long, keen lances clear of i'm
pediments, knelt ON the bottom.
After an hour of drifting / was be-
ginning to think that perhaps the man
atee had found the tender shoots of river
grass unpalatable to his taste, when
suddenly Witatala launched his har-
poon and at the same instant gave an
ear splitting yell of triumph.
The yell was followed by a heavy
plunge. and the pitpan started forward
with sudden jerk, which cost me a
hard tumble into the bottom of the
canoe.
Before | had recovered myself the
boughs were all thrown overheard, and
the waikas stood with their long lances
poised for instant use.
The pitpan tore along at incredible
speed, and small wonder, for ct the
other end of the rope fastened the
boat was an enormous creature, whose
black body could be seen sliding beneath
the waters surface like q long black
cloud.
When the manatee rose for air, the
remaining harpoons flashed into its
black hippopotamuslike side.
The only effect the spears seemed to
have on the maddcned creature was to
spur it on to fresh exertions for, dart
ing from one side Of the river to the
other, he whipped and jerked the frail
craft after him as though it had been
switch of willow.
THE machetesl" cried Witatala.
Catching hold of the taut line which
held us to the sea COW, he gradually
drew the pitpan nearer to it.
The men stood with their swordlike
machetes poised. waiting for a chance to
hurl them. and when the manatee once
more arose for air down flashed the
machetes.
Some of them struck and stuck, but
SO thick was the monsters hide that a
couple turned their points and glanced
off into the river.
Still the manatee kept on in its mad
zigzag fight. until suddenly it swerved
and made for thick clump of bushes
overhanging the bank. At this new
maneuver Witatala uttered terrified
shrek of dismay.
Dankwarral Dankwarrar' he
screamed See, the manatee makes
for the entrance to the lagoon of Dank-
warral"
The other waikas sprang to their feet
and made an attempt to cast loose the
ropes at the bow, but tho tension rem
dered it impossible.
In vain thew fumbled for their ma
cneJes ana Knives; every bladed instru-
ment had already been hurled at the
manatee.
BY this time the monster had rushed
us into the bush hidden mouth OF a
narrow creek, whose density of over
hanging foliage seemed to turn day into
night.
The herald., 1893-11-29
The digmayea .waikas cast anxious

The dismayed .waikas cast anxious
glances at the pitchy waters, through
which the canoe was plunging, as if to
throw themselves in, but the sullen
splashes at either bank showed where
uneasy crocodiles had left their muddy
lairs and decided them to risk the un-
certain evil that lay ahead rather than
the probable death that was close at
hand.
A few seconds more and we emerged
from the narrow passage into the spa
cious lagoon, whose calm surface was
unbroken save by large island which
stood in its center.
Straight for this island tore the fran
tic manatee. while with every foot Of
lessened distance between us and the
land the waikas' eyes seemed to bulge
out bigger with terror.
When within about go yards Of the
island, grating, tearing sound came
from the pitpan's bow, and with sud
den wrench and crash the canoe turned
over, total wreck from sharp, jagged
rock the manatee in its wild flight had
thrown us against.
Fortunately the shock was so great
as to fling us clear of the hidden rock,
and rising from beneath the water we
struck out for the island, our speed not
a little accelerated by the fear OF
sharks and crocodiles.
Reaching the sandy shore Of the is
land, we crawled upon the beach, but
farther than this the waikas, with chat
tering teeth, declared they would not
go.
But it did not seem so terrible to me.
this 'Dankwarra, the Isle of Fear"
for it was not unlike hundred lagoon
islands l had seen-a heavy tangle of
tropical over and under growth, encir-
cled by shining strip Of beach. OF its
inhabitants, demons or otherwise, not
trace was to be seen.
In response to AN exclamation from
Witatala, looked toward the lagoon,
and there, on it's surface, near the
beach, saw floating the dead body of
the manatee, which, in its moment of
victory, had succumbed to death.
The waikas waded out into the water,
splashing as they went to frighten
away the sharks and crocodiles, laid
hold of the ropes attached to the har
poons and drew the sea COW up on the
beach.
1t was certainly most remarkable
animal, if animal it may be called.
1t weighed, should say, between 1000
and 1900 pounds.
1t had two forefeet, or fippers, but
instead of hind feet there was broad,
flat tail which spread out horizontally
like a fam The skin was dark and
corrugated, and the few scattered hairs
upon it gave its body general resem-
blance to that of hippopotamus.
Witatala surveyed the dead creature
with anger, but philosophically re-
solved to make it pay in part for our
misfortune by serving as supper.
With the aid of couple of dry sticks
a fire was kindled, and the manatee was
prepared for eating.
did not wonder at the machetes'
failure to penetrate its hide, for as the
flesh was cut in strips for broiling
measured the skin and found it an
inch and half in thickness and as
tough as whale5one.
Tho manatee steaks proved to be ten
The herald., 1893-11-29
abandoned them with tiSs rest OF his
offactc fl,ss, sr1n.,l - ~. -.--- ---- n

abandoned them with tiss rest. of his
effects on this island.
The climatic conditions being the
same as those of Africa, the gorillas
would naturally have thrived and
brought up their fouriahing progeny.
Whether or not in time they will
escape to the mainland remains to be
seen.
If they do not leave the island, there
is little chance of their being heard of
again, for the entrance to the lagoon
creek is next to invisible, and after our
experience neither gold nor rum would
induce waila to act as guide to Dank-
warra, the isle of Fear!- Montreal Star.
The herald., 1893-11-29
Lost Bride.

An absentminded groom in Rome, Ga.
forgot that he was to be married the 9th
er day, and when the time for the cere.
mony arrived he was not present. IN OK
animation showed that he had oversight
himself. He apoiugized. but the father
of the bride rafusea 10 accept HIM as :
son~inlaw. aHa thu engagement wa
bgokea.- BsaSsb4se Ff6ss.
The herald., 1893-11-29
Ancient stationers.

In medieval times the stationarius, or
stationer, held official connection with
university and sold at his stall, or sta
ton, the books written or copied by tho
ibrarius, or beak writer. Such is the
origin of the modern term stationer, one
who now keeps for sale implements of
such service, and not usually the pro-
ductions Of literary persons.-H Harper's
Bazar
The herald., 1893-08-25
Il NARROWING CIRCLE.

Another Pioneer Wraps Up His Man.
We are greatly panied to announce
j: the death of Charles Smith, ono of the
best known business men and pioneers
in Los Angeles. This announcement
will come with especial shock and sud-
! denness to the many friends in this city
iof Mr.. Smith, who, uplto few days
ago, was seen 90 usual on the streets, as
Q hale, active and energetic as ever. But
few outside of his own family knew that
he was suffering from Bright's disease,
or had the slightest suspicion that his
days were 80 closely numbered.
- Mr.. Smith came to California in 1851,
: and has lived in Los Angeles 27 years.
Here he raised large family, and here
he has enjoyed the respect OF all and
the warm friendship of every one &C.
quainted with him. He was q man Of
sterling integrity, faithful and reliable
in all things, and of good report every
where. An excellent citizen, and good
husband and father, his home was the
center of his devotion and affections,
and his city and her welfare the object
of his persistent endeavors and OF his
constant concern. He will be greatly
missed by the community as we'll as
around his own hearthstone. Mr..
Smith was . native OF London, England,
whore he was born in 1926.
The herald., 1893-08-25
HAS 1T ANOTHER OBJECT.
Tho Southern Pacific's Road From Bur-
bank to Chatsworth. az

Tho Southern Pacific's Road From Bur
bank to Chstsworth. eil
The new road from Burbank to Chats.
worth at the foot OF the Santa Susanna
mountains is practically competed. "A
force of men is engaged in ballssting
the track at present. The line, eays
the San Francisco Chronicle, will be
opened to travel between the 1sU aud
10Th of next month. The road is 81
miles long. 1t penetrates the heart of
the rich San Fernanno valley, and
makes it easy tributary to Los Angeles.
1t Is believed that the Southern Pacific
Company had another object in building
this road than to use it az feeder for
its system in Southern California, and
that Ultimately it will be extended across
the Santa Susanna mountains and down
the Simi valley to junction with the
main line near Ventura. Such an ex-
tention would greatly shorten the dis
tance and time to Santa Barbara and
would make an air line between that
city and Los Angeles. At present the
road connecting these cities runs north
orly to Saugus and then bends at q
right angle to the west, following the
stream of the Santa Clara to the sea.
The new line if extended would run
along the hypothonuse of the right
angie formed by the present tracks, and
would also effeotully bar the Santa Fe
from obtaining an easy route north along
the coast.
The herald., 1893-08-25
THIS GIRL COULD FIGHT
And She SUCCESSFULLY Struggled with
scoundasl.

And She Successfully Struggled With q
scoundasl.
A dsstardly attempt to commit an
outrage upon an unprotected young girl
was was reported to the police about 5
O'Clock last evening.
The subject OF the attempted rape
was Miss Birdie Willoughby, who acts
as nurse girl in the family of Charles
Young, corner of Breed and Fourth
streets, on Boyle Heights.
About 4 80 yesterday afternoon, while
the girl, who is good-looking and about
Is years old, was alone in the house q
stranger came to the back door, which
consisted only OF screen, and demanded
admittsnce.
Not knowing the man and being
frightened ct his rude demand, the girl
refused to let him In, whereupon he
grasped the screen and tearing hole in
1t crawled through and seized the girl.
Howeyer2he be- found he had mo, easy
.victim i1S shssa Was, yqupG ana HA,iant,
and Alivelydight ySasuedo durimsrw hich
the, brute succeedads siHn teSfine off
portion ots her Dress but In .ret0fn got
his clothes protty well torn. ppsc Seeing
that he bad,mofs,, tHshshs bsfgAiHsd for
and fearing that some one would hear
the noise and icoTne TO the girlssiassist-
ance, he at length let 60 Of MisS Will
loughby and msdeto as rapidly 81 his
legs could carry him.
The police were at once notified and
determined effort will be made to run
him down. The man is described by
the young woman as being tall and slen-
der, dark complexioned, about 80 or 35
years of age, with light colored shirt,
and light straw hat. 1t ia to be hoped
he will be captured.