davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18

covering the best part of city block
and filed with deep green water that
gradually escapes through channel a
foot or SO in diameter at the southeast
corner and finds its way out across the
wilderness of the flats. The big pond
Is not navigable on account of the
number of aquatic plants that flourish
therein. About half of its area is given
over to bulrushes and frogs, while
along its banks rise tufts of halbert-
leaved water lilies with islands of
other plants over the rest of the sur
face.
Along the banks of the sink the ne
gro fishers congregate and patiently
angle for mud-cats and small carp, as
muddy as the element from which they
come, and other watermen repair
thither with dipnets and pinhooks to
catch small fry for bait in river fish
ing.
North Of the pond more homemade
houses and some others of the bargain
counter, contractor-built variety, hang
over the ragged edge of the dump
heaps with the same accompaniments
of many dogs,-scantily-clad children,
and chickens from every henroost
within walking distance. Here, too,
is the retreat of the decrepit cart horse
of the variety that is sold in the bazar
for $3.50. They find what shelter they
may in stables built out Of dry goods
boxes, and live in the hope that springs
eternal in the equine breast, and what
ever else Providence may throw in
their way. This is the variety of
horse and the variety of owner that
lately figured in police court trial
where the owner, in child-like igno-
rance, had soaked the poor beast in
coal oil and then set fire to it in order
to kill the vermin with which it was
infested.
This picturesque settlement stretches
westward along the line OF the canal,
which dwindles as it reaches its source
about the region of Observatory hill,
and the character of the inhabitants
and the malaria remain the same
throughout. The children fish with
bent pins in the sluggish water in
blissful ignorance of microbes, bacilli
and the germ theory. When the spirit
moves them they discard the most es-
sential part of their garments and
wade about with their abbreviated, in
fantile shirt tails waving to the breezes,
while faithful, if not very reputable
looking, dogs lounge or frolic on the
bank, ready to act as life preservers It,
with the softness of the mud and depth
of the water, occasion should arise.
Such is the sink region of the town
that lies between the good residence
portion of the city and the flats, which
will eventually become a great park,
but before the tide water park can
ever become popular resort the inter-
veniug mo mans land" will have to
have its streets improved and its sinks
filed to drive out the malaria
SMITH d. Fry.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18

anger the copperhead and cause it to
bite. With a great effort Mrs. Loan
said, quietly and coaxingly:
"Fetch it to mamma, dear. Don't
hurt it."
"But there Is two Of 'em, mamma"
replied the little girl "I'll fetch 'em
both"
She reached down and picked up
another copperhead that lay in the
grass, and which Mrs. Loan had not
seen, and came toddling along the
path toward her mother with them.
She retained her calmness, and when
the child was within couple of yards
of her spoke to her and said:
"Put them on the ground, darling,
and let mamma see them walk"
This seemed to please the child, and
she placed the copperheads in the path.
The two snakes caught sight of Mrs.
Loan and instantly their manner
changed. The copper spot on the top
of their heads began to deepen in col
or, as it does when this snake is en-
ragged, and they both made toward the
child's mother, showing great rage.
The little girl clapped her hands and
started to catch the snakes again. Her
mother rushed out OF the path and
around the snakes, and, snatching the
child up in her arms, fed to the house
and into it, closed the door be-
hind her and fell to the floor in dead
faint. The other child, boy eight
years old, vas in another room making
kite. He heard the noise of his
mothers fall and his little sister cry
ing, and he ran into the room. His
father was at work near the house
and the boy quickly summoned him.
It was some time before the farmer
succeeded in restoring his wife to con-
sciousness and learned the cause of her
swooning.
Farmer Loan went into the yard and
the copperheads were still there and
still in belligerent mood. They were
soon killed. So great was the shock
to Mrs. Loan chat she is still confined
to her bed, and the little girl mourned
for her deadly playthings for two or
three days.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
LIVE CARPET RAGS.
A Child's Dangerous Discovery In
Farmyard.
Tho Little Tottler Liked tho Sport, But
Her Mothers Suspense Was Terrible
When She Saw Her Playing
with q Copperhcad.

For some reason it has always been
the general belief among the people
who live in the mountains in York,
Lancaster and other counties where
copperhead snakes abound that this
venomous snake will not bite children,
and there are numerous wonderful
stories told, especially in the Wish
mountains, about the copperhead's S
leniency toward children, says Har-
risburg correspondent of the New York
Sun. Outside of the mountaineers these
stories have never received credence,
but well-known family living on the
York county side of the Susquehanna
are ready to accept them hereafter
The family consists of Jacob Loan, his
wife and two children, the youngest a
little girl three years old. Copperheads
are always uncomfortably plenty in
that locality, but this season they have
been more numerous than usual. The
haying and harvest hands have killed
from three to ten day on the Loan
farm.
One day last week the little three
year-old was playing In the front yard,
and her mother noticed her sitting in
the grass near the front gate. Every
now and then she would be heard
laughing gleefully, and Mrs. Loan
finally walked out to see what was
amusing the child so much. When the
little girl saw her mother coming she
called out to her:
"Come, mamma, and see the live car
pet rags!"
At the same time she held up to her
mother a snake, which she grasped in
the middle of the body and which
twisted and squirmed in the air. Mrs.
Loan saw at once that it was copper
head. Although she was almost swoon-
ing with terror the child's mother
acted with rare presence Of mind. 1t
occurred to her that if she showed her
alarm by crying out to the child the
latter would undoubtedly become
frightened, and the change that would
naturally follow in her handling or
sudden dropping of the snake might
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
HOW MONEY GROWS.
Illustrations of Interest Increasing q
Compound Rate.

Illustrations Of Interest Increasing ct .
Compound Rate.
At the birth of his son q father placed
1t interest at per cent. the sum OF
$1,000, and each year invested all the
interest at the same rate. When the
boy was 81 years old he found himself
the possessor of IS, 500. So. Being a young
man of pluck and energy, and anxious
to try his hand In unaided competition,
he told his father to keep the money
and he would take his chances with
the poor boys of his acquaintance.
When the son was so years old the
father notified him that his fortune
had grown to over SIS, 420, using round
numbers. At 70 the father called his
sons attention to his fortune Of over
s59, 600, and since the son had received
the rewards of his industry he did not
still take possession Of the fortune.
The father soon after died, and in his
will required his executors to keep the
principal and interest loaned until the
son should receive it or be removed by
death. The latter lived to good old
age, and on his sons Tooth birthday.
besides the accumulations Of busy
and prosperous life, was incumbered
with fortune OF 1888, 800.
kChristopher Columbus is said to have
some poor relations living in Spain at
this time. One or two of these have
intimated that II the liberal American
people would take up q collection for
them, the same would be received as q
fitting expression of our gratitude to
their great ancestor. But, If we con-
slider, there would have been nothing
impossible in it, and it would have
been really considerate in Christopher
10 have saved dollar-only one dollar
of the amount given him. A modern
financial manager would have perhaps
suggested that to this end the some
times obstreperous and mutinous sail
ors be reduced at half rations for q
sufficient time to enable the great dis
coverer to save dollar and place it at
compound interest at the very reason
able rate of per cent. By this
time, 400 years after, that dollar would
have increased and multiplied to the
munificent sum of over 81, 322, 900, 900, a
sum sufficient to pay at least some Of
the gambling debts of his poor rela-
tions of this present time.
Farmer.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
A Queer Indian Dance.

The theory of the Moqui snake dance,
10 to speak, is the ability of snakes Of
all sorts to carry petitions to the higher
powers in the system of aerial divini-
tiles, and during the celebration Of the
snake dance, which lasts nine days, .
great number of serpents are captured
prayed to for rain and then turned
loose to carry the prayers Of the Indi-
ans to the big lightning snakes, whose
home is in the thunder clouds above
the SUBMITS Of the mountains, and who
In turn carry the petition to the rain
god in the heaven Above.-N. 7. Sun.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
Not He.
SMITH d. FRY.

A thorough-going egotist is generally
devoid of the sense of humor. Such a
person, to whom no name need be
given. was one time discoursing,
chiefly Of himself, but incidentally OF
others.
"There's old DR.. Backbite," said he;
"that man has the vilest character OF
any man l ever saw. He never opens
his mouth without speaking Ill OF
some one. He's an intolerable nuis-
ance."
No one replied, and the speaker
went on:
snow I can't understand that. AS
for me, l make it a rule never to speak
any i'll of anyone!'-Youth's Compan'
ion
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18

usually displayed in the presencs, 's,,On,r 81 .
row Of Bachelors buttons OF ia' a,par
nlants III dilapidated crockery y; sITse. IHted
pt"Arn pf miscellaneous sort Distributed
~ oro,nd the front yard. ,,,,.
sfoa Nineteenth street and virginia
ovenue n begins the line OF sinks; In1sd s,Isd
S, snrtber east have been gradually gi,n n''ed Of
iu by the promiscuouss So dumping nty The Us
a. ars from ali parts OF the cry. ny snot
M cars - ,I the isolated holes ct tins spo, 'ss
;s ;sIS heing encroached upon rapidly 81 aa a
Is thera Uc,D IS only small fraotiah tito ,pav o1
.nuru .n'ore left that is now filled with ,%'c, %nS
ing naIvetv green mold that is almost Ss so1
vetvv o"ab to support brickbat, ou' a tro~s t.o,
shoas enc edges Of which e. sag isogs
s.iI s.;I, nipe a requiem to their 'aS' ''
peHriagi WITHIN three or four blocks OF odctnn tnls
Ma,r.v.striclsen M,r and sin-curseu sec..oi ,ao;.
pover'S Sre beautiful and costly ,,,es,. resi-.
snr,v .arces' asphalt paved stree,S st,,1v M nur.
,,em.'' ;.en. sidewalks, with carera1is ave- awe.
,sps ..red shpde trees PennsS''AN
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18

ell swallow three hinches of the snake
afore I'm through with him."
Jiminie's accomplishments are not
limited to gastronomical feats. AT q
recent seance he played several bars
Of "After the Ball" in the most up
proved one-fnger fashion, and with
very creditable technique. Then he
INDUCED in a wrestling match with
Uncle, another monkey, winning three
falls out Of five; rolled wheelbarrow
over a tight rope, la Blondin; made
high jump from the top of pole
into the arms of the professor, turned
back summersaults, played the violin,
caught baseball, and ate three-quar-
ters Of reporters pencil.
Then Jimmie retired to his boudoir
and amused himself by cracking q
hazel nut with the back Of a small tur.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
SIMiAN SNAKE CHARMER.
Wonderful Feats Performed by . Monkey
in o Gotham Museum.

WONDERFUL Feats performed Dy MONKEY
In Gotham Museum.
There is remarkable monkey st
Huber's museum in Fourteenth street,
New York. He was three years old
last Tuesday, and has been in the hands
of his tutor, ProfeA. Peate, for two
years and half. The monkey Is called
Jimmie.
BY careful instruction he has so far
overcome the natural antipathy of the
Simian to the serpent that, with the
utmost nonchalance, he will curl q
three-foot turtle snake around his neck
like lady's boa. AT the present time
Jimmie is learning the art of snake
swallowing. He SO far succeeded at q
press exhibition yesterday as to swal'
low the snakes head.
Prof. Peate, who is an Englishman,
said: II 'opes to heducate Jimmie 50
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
A wealthy neggar Man.

A beggar who was arrested in Lee,
Mass, one day last week was found to
have hidden in the lining Of his coat
four savings banks books representing
deposits amounting to So, ,043, two of the
banks being in Boston and two in
Providence. He also had $3.50 in money
in his pocket, and is credited with the
ownership Of real estate in Boston and
North Adams, Mass. In addition to
this wealth he has wife and six chill
dren.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
Putting the stripes on Barber Poles.

II had sometimes wondered, and as
a matter of fact don't know now,
said a man, show they managed to get
the spiral stripes on . barber pole so
uniform and true, but ! saw one way
of doing 1t illustrated recently, and
perhaps it is the way. A painter who
was Transforming the lower part OF O
telegraph pole in front Of barber
shop into the customary sign had run
two wires around the pole from the
noint at which he wished to begin
down to the ground, and he was putting
In the color in the spiral stripes thus
outlined. an. Y. sun.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
LONGEST POKER GAME
Tennessee Contest Begun In 1887 Not Yet
Finished.

He was quiet-looking, elderly man.
in pastoral sort of black broadcloth
suit and felt hat with broad brim,
such as are worn by 'colonels" and
majors Next to him in the car sat
two young men, who were telling
stories about personal experiences ON
the road.
One of them related with much
gusto an encounter which he had re-
Gently had with a desperate western
man, the weapons being cards. The
game wss poker, the special occasion
being that old familiar "big jack pot"
which so often figures in profane his
tory, and the two principals were each
armed with straight fushes. "It was
a dollar limit game" remarked the
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
A ylctIm Of Ciearette

Juan Burger, the thirteen-year-old
son Of Edward Burger, Of South
Kokomo, Ind, died recently from the
direct effects Of cigarette smoking. In
his room were found 9Ss empty cigar
cite boxes he was saving up to send
to the manufacturers for prize. lie
lacked only twelve boxes of the re.
quired 1000 emitting him to the coveted
prize.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18
Dropped from Heaven,

The shah of Persia carefully treas
ures an heirloom in the shape of a
small cube of gold literally covered
with oriental letters and characters.
It is said to have fallen from heaven
during Mohammeds tine.
The Van Buren press., 1893-11-18

anger the copperhead and cause it to
bite. With a great effort Mrs. Loan
said, quietly and coaxingly:
"Fetch it to mamma, dear. Don't
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-12-28
NEW YEARS CAROL.
A NEW YEAR BALL.
BY OLIVE HARPER.

copyright, 1896. All rights reserved.1
Christmas was never observed in Sui
Ivan alley, from some occult cause, with
the same vim and spirit that made New
Years so memorable a festival. Per
haps it was because there was q dim, un-
defined sentiment that Christmas was a
holier day than New Years; but, how
ever it might have been, the fact re-
manned that New Years was the great
day of the year for those who inhabited
that narrow alley that extended only
from one street TO another through the
middle of the block. There were tall
tenement houses on each side OF the al
ley, 'double deckers" some of them, and
in each lived from 10 to 20 families. The
people were all hard working and hon
est. If their hands were not white and
soft. they were strong and capable.
The alley swarmed with children-lit-
tie girls staggering under the load of
baby and the boys under load of old
laths or coal, gathered in their regular
trips in search of such family necessities.
The mothers generally toiled in their
rooms with willing hearts, while the
men OF the household were away plying
their different avocations. The young
daughters of Sullivan alley were mostly
employed in box factories or mills or at
cigarette making, and so every morning
the alley was almost depopulated, to
overflow again at night when the tired
workers returned.
But "all work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy" So thought these good peo-
pie, and the residents had all put in
as much money as they could individ-
ually afford and hired large room that
had been originally intended for a sa-
loon, and this had been fancifully deco
rated and was used for occasional meet
ings of the men and "grand annual
New Years ball." 1t was now nearing
the time for that annual ball that takes
place every year, rain or shine, under
the patronage of Hon. Dan Sullivan"
This prospectus would not strike the
majority of US with delight, but to little
Della Kelly it promised fairylike posi-
bilities- She had never been to ball,
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-12-28

for she had been too poor an orphan to
ever have really decent suit of clothes
in her life, let alone a ball gown. Delia's
real name was Bridget, but for some re-
markable reason Della stands for Bridget,
particularly when Bridget is in the habit
OF spending her every spare minute in
reading the family story papers. Delia's
ONLY relation was half blind grand
mother, who wore a quilted hood and
knitted coarse stockings for her living.
Della worked as buncher in a feather
factory and carried as high as s. week
sometimes, but then other times she only
got 81 .50-according TO the briskness of
trade-as she did piecework.
Della was pretty, with violet eyes, half
hidden by thick lashes, delicate COM
plexion, curling auburn hair and a dainty,
curved mouth and snow white teeth, and
she was naturally graceful and had
good figure for a girl who worked so hard
and couldn't afford corsets. Della, being
pretty, was much admired by several of
the sons of families in Sullivan alley;
but. strange to say, she did not know it.
Her mind was so taken up by dreams
and fancies of what she would like to be
that she never thought of what she was,
and her love of reading kept her aloof
from the chatter of other girls or the
awkward attentions of the young men.
The day that Della was IS she noticed
the great blue and red posters on the
walls of the alley telling about the
s'erand annual ball" etc, and her heart
gave a great thump and then stood still.
She had been reading about grand ball.
and how Angelina Araminta Jones had
danced with great prince who was
there incognito, and how he had married
her on the spot. Here was romance made
real-a New Years ball. The rest might
come. Her busy brain pictured herself
with blazing dark eyes, superb raven
black hair and pink dress looped with
yellow flowers. She never thought OF
herself in these visions except as having
dark ewes and hair and dazzling CON-
plexion. The violet eyes and red hair
were not the real Delia's, but the CON-
mon. workday Delia's-not the dream De
liza. who was to be carried off by a prince.
But it was very odd that this mysterious
prince who always appeared ''incog" had
a remarkable resemblance to Larry Fin
negan in the face, though to be sure the
garments differed greatly from those
Larry wore when driving his own smart
little local express. The prancing horse,
too. used to look a little like Billy, whose
sorrel tail was just the color Of Delia's
own hair.
While Della was dreamily eying the
placard Larry approached and said:
81 was just in to see yer nanny, Miss
Della, and she said could accept OF
your company mean you could ac-
cept of mine-to so to the ball together.
Will We co."
Would she: Was not her heart hop
ping up and down with joy? But she
said:
"IIl let You know tomorrow"
sTu call tomorrow evening; but, De-
liza. if Won don't go with me and do go
With Tim Sullivan I'll lick him so that
- can't dance step."
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-12-28

could he beg her to allow him the honor
of escorting her to the ball, and it wac
nearly 8 and quite time to go, so that
they could be in the opening march.
which always began at s sharp.
Della bowed as if TO stranger and
then took his arm in a happy trance, and
saying, Good night, granny" they went
down the five flights of stairs and across
the street TO the hall. The dressing room
was full, but emptied almost instantly
as the first notes of the music sounded,
and all the gentlemen were waiting for
their ladies, and as each couple met they
fell into line and marched around. Tim
Sullivan was there with Kitty Mulligan,
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-12-28
Pathetic Ignorance,

/ Thoughtless persons may be moved to
laughter by the report that an inhabitant
of the city really supposed that he had
been divorced from the bonds of matri-
mony by an unjudicial person for the
sum of 81. But the fact is really pathetic
rather than jocose. 1t is probably only
a single example of the large and multi
farious ignorance prevailing in some
parts of the community. 1t would be
sufficiently distressing if the ways of
these uninformed persons lay among a
pure and pastoral simple people, never
disposed TO take any advantage of the
unskillful. When in these metropolitan
districts so many ravenous wolves of all
sorts are abroad intent upon preying on
few and hard earned dollars, the phi
lanthropist and educator may well be-
stir himself. brooklyn Eagle.
Generalship and Epi1eptic Fits
A remarkable historical fact which
has frequently been noticed by scientific
writers, but never accounted for salts
factorily, is that Julius Cesar, yelling
ton, Napoleon and the Archduke Charles
Of Austria, four of the greatest generals
the world has known, were all subject
to epileptic fits.
The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-15

Cor. 5th and Moore SITS, llOxl5O
IT., elegantly flashed new house,
& rooms, all modern conveuiences.
$4,000.
Lot l0oxl50. y room house.
Moore ST. bet. 4th and oh, $4,000.
Lot 50xl50, 3 room house, Uni
verslty 81. bet. 4th and 9TH, $1,000.
Three lots 50xl50 tt. 9Th st. bet.
Moore and University SITS 500 each.
Two lots 5ONl50 #. each, Uni
vers!ty st. bet. a,h and 9TH SITS
$500 each.
Lot 5oxl65 Mary st., brick cot
tage next to roller mills, fine place
for ware house, 50. 500. A bargain.
Two-story brick store house,
Bridge street.
T"o-story brick store, north side
of square. Good stard Bargain.
Block nj Nj in West End add.
tiyn, cor. oath and Sanger ave-,
$4,000.
Block 10, Bagby addition, beau
tiiul grove, fenced, cor. 9th and
Wood SITS, $4,000.
lots cor, Barnard ave. and 18th
ST., I room house and lasting spring
of water, only $1,000.
Lot 50xl65 on 10Th and Jeifer-
son ste., pailing fence, small sum
of $500.
House and lot on I'd ST., near
Jackson S0x200 it,, brick house,
. rooms, $4,000.
Lot i0xldo feet near Gurley add
ton, . room house, $3.50.
Seven lots cor. Washington and
goth sts., picket fence and shade
trees, $500.
Lot 70xlS2 #. cor. Columbus and
10th sts., palling and plank fence,
S25O0.
Five lots Bagby addition corner
James and 18th streets. 5OxlG5 feet
each, $3.50 per lot Bargain.
-Four lots Bagbv add. near ETH
st., 50x 80, each 1928.
Beautiful lots on North 9Th street -,
also 40 or 90 lots in East Waco
near Cotton Fadtory
FARM,
l25 acres ! mile east of Mount
Calm, 70 acres in cultivation, all
under fence, plenty wood and water.
Will sell at bargain.
We have a number of desirable
farms in every part of McLennan
and Hill counties.
JAMES X. HORNE a. co.