davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
THE INTRODUCTION OF MeNTHoL.
It Was Utterly Unknown In England Tween.
ty-five Years Ago.

It Was Utterly Unknown In England Tween.
ty-five Years Ago.
The medicinal use of menthol in China
and Japan goes back into the dateless
ages. Isolated references to its applica
ton in the east are met with here and
there in the records of western travellers
in those parts, but we shall probably
never know the name of its discoverer OF
the early history of its introduction.
We do not know with absolute Ger
tainty when and by whom menthol crys
tails were first brought to the notice OF
European pharmacologists. 1t is said that
they were used pharmaceutically on the
continent as long ago as the end of the
last century, but if that statement is cap
able of proof the drug must have fallen
into oblivion shortly after its introduc-
ton, for it was certainly utterly I'M
known, even by repute, TO most persons
in the drug trade 25 years ago. Some
where about 1864 consignment of the
drug was received in London under the
name of Chinese peppermint oil and
passingly commented upon for its curious
property of solidifying with fall in the
temperature.
To the te John Mackay of Edinburgh
belongs the distinction of first having
called the attention of British pharma-
cists to the valuable properties Of men
thol. Mr.. Mackay is believed to have
brought ''po-ho oil" with him from
Paris, where it was then sold in the
small, red labeled Chinese bottles famil-
lar to eastern travellers as a kind of pro-
prietary article.
Had menthol been an utterly valueleSs
medicine it would perhaps have taken
Europe by storm then and reigned for a
season, just long enough to gather for
tune for its first exploiter. But as the
drug happened to have a solid thera-
peutic value it had to wrestle through
the familiar stages of contumely, ridi-
cule, luminosity and unreasoning popu-
larity, just like any new creed or re-
former.
The commercial interest of menthol
practically dates from 1878, when an
English firm in Yokohama made small
shipment of it to London, determined
not TO rest until they had succeeded in
securing for the remedy a footing upon
the market. After many months their
shipment went back with a note from
the agents announcing that the stuff
could not be sold there, as no one knew
what 10 do with it But the Yokohama
firm persevered, and they reaped their
reward. Four years later menthol crys-
tails were the rage of the season, selling
at 60 shillings per pound, wholesale, and
carried about IN cone shape by all per-
sons with any pretense to the possession
of civilized nervous system. Chemist
and Druggist.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
Methods Fnr secret Cnrresnnndence.

At trial in France it was shown that
the chemist Turpin, who is undergoing
five years imprisonment for treason,
made arrangements with friend to carry
on secret correspondence. a letter from
the prisoner, giving the necessary direc-
tons to his friend, was read in court. An
official inquiry was made and some in
teresting information supplied by the
convicts, from which it was shown that
when private news is to be supplied to a
prisoner a formal letter, apparently con-
tanning nothing of Importance. is sent.
This, being read by the governor, would
be passed on to the prisoner, who, under
standing the 1nissive, and that it was
only necessary to read between the lines
written in milk, he could make this per
fectly decipherable by rubbing it over
with a dirty finger or an old slipper. An
other ingenious form of secret correspond
ence consisted in leaving letters out Of
words, as if the writer We're illiterate.
The omitted letters put together formed
the requisite words and sentences.-Lon-
don Public Opinion.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
Arc snuts FnshinnnhIea

There is one point on which consider
able doubt exists in various quarters.
Are spats fashionable? is the query in
which this doubts sometimes expressed.
The fact that some well dressed men
persevere in wearing them does not ex-
actly answer the question in the affirma-
tive, for there are old army men and
others who will continue all their lives
TO wear the same sort of things they wore
some 10 or 10 years since. That spats
since then have descended in the social
scale may be otherwise conceded.-Lon-
don News
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
He Came Out Even.

He was a weary faced travelling man
who had been the victim of every boom
towner whom he had met
He entered the Office of ticket agent
the other day. and purchasing through
ticket for the east said:
II have at least made one good invest
meet since l have been in this part of
the country"
'How's that?" asked the sympathetic
agent.
81 came out even," replied the eastern
New York Herald
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
An Old Jewish Cemetery.

The most interesting sight in Prague
is the old Jewish cemetery. 1t is in the
center of the city, surrounded by thick
walls. There are thousands of ancient
moss covered slabs, some bearing in
scriptions of great antiquity, which only
Hebrew scholars can decipher. The Gem
etery is unused. but no other Jewish
burial ground in Europe can compare
with it for age or general interest to the
antiquarian. Charleston ewsand Cour-
Ter.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
silver Legislation

James G.. Blaine's memorable
speech delivered in the United States
senate February 9TH. 1873, denounces
the decentralization OF silver in 1873
as a national crime and declares for
unlimited coinage, 425 grains of sill
yer to constitute full legal tender
dollar. Says: "A single gold stan
dard would, if successful, produce
disaster in the end throughout the
commercial world" And again:
''Remonetization will secure to the
United States the most stable basis
for its currency that we have ever en-
joyed, and viii effectually aid in
solving all the problems by which
our financial situation is surround
ed" This prince of parliamentary
leaders clearly foresees our present
financial disaster and proposes Ire
monetizatiOn of Silver" This speech
comprises y pages of the 525 pages
constituting the great book. ''Politi-
cal Discussions; Legislative, Diplo-
matte and POPULAR compiled by
Mr.. Blaine shortly before his death.
No friend of bi-metallism or of good
government should be without this
Incompatible work.
Sent prepaid on receipt of only
1915. Statesmen wanted for this
work; also Mr.. Blaine's Twenty
Years of Congress, and his "Biogra-
phy,' by Gail Hamilton, his literary
executor. Exclusive territory and
salary or commission paid. Address;
The National Book Concern. publish
ers, 1874 Van Buren, street, Chicago.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
The Puzzle of Society"

Talk about your puzzles-Chinese or
any other kind-the greatest, the most
complex, the most inexplicable puzzle is
''society"-the society that you contin-
ually hear about, that bubbles up, that
effervesces, that widens out its own lit
tie ripples every now and then into one
gigantic wave that washes up from the
depths sediment that dims the luster
and sparkle and makes one wonder
where on earth real society is anywa-.
Now, here is young man who came to
US with carefully prepared letters of il
PRODUCTION socially. He did not consider
it necessary to push himself. He was lot
beautifully alone until accident proved
him desirable man to know.
Another man came here recently with
no letters-credit or social He picked
up an acquaintance at Il popular hotel.
He let drop casually that he was from
England and was looking up real estate
here in America. This acquaintance,
who had the entree to society, intro
duced him to his friends. They invited
him out. Others invited him in turn,
and he was drawn into society's vortex.
Now they hear from across the water
that the man, with his accent his only
recommend, is an imposter.-Chicag In
ter Ocean
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
Too Careless with the English LancuaCe.

Too CareIess WITH The English language.
c!Cthing dealer in Boston advertised all
wool P'I taloors for 81. advi.i the pablo TO
make haste AID secure the 2rsat argain. say
ing: They will Tot last long Probably they
would not. Neitherwill your health last 'ouc if
you don't take care of il. Keep Dr.. Fierce's
Pleasant Pellets in your hon e They a,e In
dispeussble to every family, IS they positively
cure biliousness with 1t end ess train of dis-
tressUg ailments SICK headache, irIitahility,
constipation. dizziness and ind igesiion-a mar
velous specific for liver ana kid ey troubles, and
pure vegetable compound. They are sugar
coated, the smallest pills made, and the best, be
cause they Go all they promise All druggists
sell them, and the pIopri.tors guarantee hem,
and refund the price if they fail
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
A Model Husband.

~ defy you 10 find a man who loves
his wife as dearly as l love mine. To
render her happy would undertake to
go and live alone at the top of a noun
tain"
But you would never come up to
Puntolini's uncle, who, when he ascer-
tanned that his wife looked best in mourn
ing, went and committed suicide. Cor
riere della Sera.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
The Women Du Maurier Draws.

We should feel as if Du Maurier had
been tickle and faithless if he were sad
denly to cease to offer US the tall, tran
quill persons he understands so well.
They have an inestimable look of repose.
a kind of Greek serenity. There is fig
ure in a cut of which we have forgotten
the point and the date 1--WE mention i
at hazard-it was one in a hundred)
which only needed to be modelled in clay
to be a truly important" creation. 4
couple of children address themselves to
a youthful aunt, who leans her hand
upon a toilet table, presenting her back,
clothed in a loose gown, not gathered in
at the waist. to the spectator. Her charm
ing pose, the way her head slowly turns,
the beautiful folds of her robe, make her
look more like statuette in museum
than like a figure in Punch. We have
forgotten what the children are saying,
but we remember her charming attitude,
which is capital example of the love of
beauty for heau-y's sake. 1t is the same
bias as the characteristic of the poet
Henry James.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
THURSDAY. AUGUsr 81. 1898.

HAD the Colum olan exposition been
held last year. as it should have been,
ON tho four-hundredth anniversary Of
the discovery. instead OF a year be-
hind, 1t would have had much more
favorable weather than It has had thus
far. Delays are dangerous, also costly.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31
Low as a Disease.

May-Why is it that people really
know so little about love?
Frank-Becars it is disease that
leaves its victims in such pitiful con-
dition of imbecility that they are wholly
incapable Of rationally describing their
symptoms.-New York Herald.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31

THE reputation of the negro race
for musical taste and feeling has re-
ceived a new and unexpected boom
through the noted composer. Dvorak-
Though not all so-called negro melo-
dies were composed by negroes, many
of the most captivating are really
native creations.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31

FITs-All fits stopped. free by DR.
Kline's Great Nerve Restorer. No
fits after the first days use. Marvel
Gus cures. Treatise and 81 trial bot
tie free to fit cases. Send to DR.
Kline, 93l Arch street, Philadelphia
Pa For sale by all druggists: call
on Yours
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-31

LONDON has voted f2,500 10 the
dpke Of York and Princess Victoria
of Teck in token of approval Of their
hetrothaL The untitled paupers of
England who are merely engaged in
battling for bread. and betrothed to
restitution, have not yet secured
such kindly municipal attention.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17
TRIAL BY ORDEAL.
Curious Methods of Dealing Out Justice
In Central Africa

curious Methods of Dealing Out Justice
In Central Africa.
or all Central African customs
trial by ordeal. which is universal. Is
that which Is most revolving TO a
European brought for the first time
into savage life. writes James Nc
Donald in Popular Science Monthly
When a man is accused of any crime.
as theft, arson. murder. witchcrait
or the like. evidence is brought
against him in the way common
throughout the whole continent
This, however, is never final
The accuser's witnesses swear to
anything required OF them without
the slightest compunetion of con
science. and as the prosecution must
produce his evidence. first, the de-
fendant's witnesses are ready to
swear, and do swear, the opposite of
all that has been said.
Trial is Invariably in open court.
and nothing said by the witnesses
for the prosecution can be concealed
from those that are to follow. There
are no afidavits. thus making con
tradictions at once simple and safe.
If rebutting evidence was allowed.
the most paitry trial would be inter
miuable. For witness to DO called
a liar is, in such case, compli-
ment 1t proves that his evidence
told, and that he. b. inference, Is a
very clever fellow. If the same man
was accused OF bewitchiug he would
regard it as q foul libel and demand
the poison bowl without an hours
delay.
10 remedy the defects Of trial in
court that By ordeal is adopted in all
kinds Of causes-both civil and
criminal. As the case proceeds be-
fore the council the accused at inter
walls demands the inwai. and this de-
maud his friends, IL they believe him
innocent, persistently press The
accuser resists the demand as I'M
necessary, knowing that should
the culprit, even if caught
redhanded. recover. he will be
placed in a diGcuit position He
will in that case have no claim for
co.. peEs a.ian Ter an injury. and may
in turn De .J1cessfully saed for will
fully sccSi4- to destroy another
mans reputation. The belief in the
absolute eertsinty Of trial by mwai is
universal. aud the beginning and end
of reasoning is thus: III he Is
guilty. he dles; II he does NOT die.
should the stolen property be found
on his person, he is not guilty; an
other pat it there, or he was be-
witcned."
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

An English traveller had a quarrel
with the mate OF Mississippi steam
boat. and the case came into court
The counsel Tor the plaintiff. in his
opening address TO the jury. thus
stated his cause Of action; The first
officer Of the Bslla Richards addressed
my client in most violent and per
emptory terms, and threatened him
that if he did not immeliately re-
move his personal effects from the
entrauce-way Of the steamer he would
immediately pree Ditate him into the
raging flood below The evidence
OF the by-standers as to the mates
words was rs follows: Look here,
stranger. If you don't tote your plum
der or that gang-plank right smart,
III spin you into the drink."--Argo-
naut.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Bass cheeks is TIE very latest gas
Economical novelty. They do not
figure on cafe menus yet and are
found only at the most gorgeous and
extravagant private dinners. The
dish comes very high because ii
takes about ton of bass to furnish a
small dish of cheeks The cheek OF a
bass is a tiny nugget OF the tenderest
and most delicately favored meat,
found on the lower part Of the head
on either side This is lifted out and
the remainder of the bass is tossed
away. One Philadelphia hotel man
has achieved a reputation in this city
and New York by his preparation Of
bass cheeks, and every time he re-
eeives a big order he creates cor
ner in the bass market.-Philadel-
phia Record
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Nothing is more amusing than to
watch, on winters day, the marvel
lous intelligence with which the
pigeons OF St Marks, in Venice,
can discriminate between residents
and visitors in the grand square Of
that city, the Plaza Of St Mark.
The moment foreigner shows his
face in the Piazza tho pigeons set
upon him in clouds, hoping to be fed.
They do not trouble the natives, who
may be summing themselves by the
hundreds in the square. More
curious still, they do not trouble the
ragged men and boys strolling about
the Piazza with bags of grain. which
they sell to visitors to feed the
pigeons. They, however, keep their
eyes on these persons, andas soon as
they see one OF them approaching a
visitor they hasten to him in clouds,
and surrounding the visitor add their
applications to that OF the seller, as
If saying Yes. do buy the grain;
buy it for US; do buy it. .
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17
THERMOMETERS.
4 Degrees BELOW in Siberia to 1eo
iove in the Colorado Desert.


owe in the Colorado Desert.
81 lowest mean temperature that
.yselrs anywhere, or at any season on
s.ne globe, occurs in January at Wer-
kojansk, in Northeastern Siberia
Here the mean for the first month in
the year is 81. , degrees below. For
the same period the temperature is
forty degrees below over this region
situated a little north OF the mag
netic pole At We-kojansk the Their
mometer has registered over eighty
eight degrees below zero. Gong to
the other extreme the Nautical Mag
azine Iinds that the atmosphere OF
Colorado river desert has shown a
maximum of 120 degrees. and this
will give a seasonal variation over
the land of upward OF POO degrees
Fahrenheit, against less than one
third of that range over the water Of
the Atlantic. The comparative con-
stancy of the oceanic temperatures
moderates the Chronological condi-
lions of approximate land masses
very considerably and the disparity
between summers heat and winters
cold is still less marked when the
seaboard is swept BY warm ocean cur
rents. The mean annual temporal
ture of the British islands is quite
twenty degrees higher than it
would be did its temperature de-
pend upon the latitude alone. This
is. Of course. owing to the influence Of
the gulf stream, which is calculated to
pour into the North Atlantic some
-, tx Of
water per hour The heating effect
OF this current upon the atmosphere
OF the North Atlantic is best seen by
comparing the position Of isother-
mai lines with the sa'ne temperature
lines in the South Atlantic. Thus,
in the month OF january. the isotherm
OF thirte-iour degrees runs in almost
straight line from Boston to lee
land and from Iceland across to the
Norwegian coast. At its most
northerly limit it just impinges
upon the arctic circle. Thus the
mean Temperature of thirty-fve de-
grees is found in the coolest month
ut a distance of sixty-six and one
half degrees north Of the equator. In
the south Atlantic during the month
VI July tue nA4uN III CT lnoAAAs -
othe m Of tairty-five degrees is prac-
tically identical with the fiftyth par
allel Of latitude Contrasting the
temperature for the midsummer
nonths, it will be seen that while in
the South Atlantic the i-otherm Of
Efty degrees, has mean latitude Of
forty-iive degrees. the same isotherm
in the Nor.a Atlantic passes over
the middle Of Iceland. a 4 from there
rams in straight line to the North
Caps q Norway in latitude seventy
two &c -rees.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

A French viscpunt, who is not so
richly endowed as he would like to
be, has invented a novel means for
feathering his nest He advegtises in
the French papers lottery in which
the great prize viii be himself and his
title. Five thousand tickets are to
be issued at twenty francs each.
which viii bring him IN over $25. 900
The lady who draws the lucky num-
Der will have the choice of 20 alter
natives. She may marry the viscount
with his fortune or She may share
this capital sum. but must first
torego all right to his hand.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Little Dot - Papa and Uncle
George is always talkin' bout ortAo-
ioxy an liberalism What is they?
Little Dick Wy. II you are poor,
you'll be orthodox. and say rich
man can't enter tn kingdom OF
heaven; but if you are rich you'll be
liberal an say the verse don't mean
anything -Gocd News.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

"she was courted by poor young
man and rich young man. and it
took her long time to decide which
she loved the more"
Did she come to decision?"
Yes, she married one of thom.
And the poor young ian is still a
bachelor9''
Yes How on earth did you know
which she married."
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Mss Sharpe-I met you on the
street last night, Mr.. Smythe, but
you were so disguised didn't realize
who it was until Won had passed
Cholly smythe- Disguised -aw-
beg pardon, but how2
Miss sharpe Why, You didn't have
a cigarette. You did look SO odd
Detroit Tribune.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Sally Mander. sentimentally-Did
you ever feel that strange. uuaccount-
able unrest?
Jerry Mander-Yes. once. in New
Jersey hotel But / found 'em when
lit the lamp and searched Truth.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

The Dominion of Canada has an
area Of 3,457. 900 square miles and
comprises one-sixteenth of the land
surface OF the globe. 1t is the largest
of all the British possessions, Aus
iralia, the next in size, containing
e,944s 62s square miles.
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Lazarus Slimpurse. Indignantly
| know know but too well-the
reason Of your refusal It's because
| am poor. You would marry me if I
were rich. Miss Bell Golightly-
Perhaps so, but You would have to
be very, very. very rich.-London
Judy
The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-17

Miss Baekbay-I hope you don't
say horFid things about Boston, too
Tom De Witt-Whys
Miss Backbay oh. I'm from Boston.
Tom De Witt, gallantly-Never
mind ] can assure you no one will
aver find it out.
The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-04
ys.,,., S4ys g.Dcs6@I u.

At ace - the usual ! 900 life insurance
uolicv II the - payment endowment plan
cost -. fl case Of death you get only
al 900. Tie rule Is your money IS lock-
eli a. ior 70 years, and then you are
guaranteed only the reseye or legal value
By any compsny.;
ac twsu5y payment guaranty OF the
Union Central Life Insurance Co., costs
at age twenty-five, annually for twenty
wears only s45 for - 600: and besides gy-
Ing pad UP policy for $500 the Bird
wear wien Won have paid out only $3.50,
and If not taken the $4,000 policy remains
in force four years and two hundred
and five d~ys thereafter, II you desire IT.;
stiI. the 9TH yesr the policy contract
guarantees. you il. cash or your policy
sl44 and still Yon may keep 1t up and will
II you lie that year, receive your $4,000
less the :l44 you have already had.
THUS the 9Th aud each year thereafter
orr guaranty policy puts the reserve, or
full legal value, at your command. No
company can possibly do more. SO why
pay more tor 81 600 insurance than we
charge ;or 2. 900, especially since we keep
the reserve at your command AT any time
after the 5th year?
The 10Th year YOU have a 50 900 policy
dna at death and it can never cost YOU
"-..- more AM you may Fl any time get
ts., .eseTfe KS 4 lean on it or as a cash
surrender vaiue.
There is not an estimateiin our guaran.
ty policy, all being expressed and guaIan.
teed n the face Of the policy. Our guar.
anty policy contract IS more liberal than
any other insurance policy in the land.