davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
SHELLS RARE As GEMS.
or One Species But Two Specimens
Known To Exist.

Interest in she'll collecting is fast
growing" remarked one Of the greatest
importers Of these wares, ''and il is a
good thing, for in conchology the novice
will find a revelation, while the expert
will linger in rapturous study OF the sea
marvels."
The shell merchant went TO case in
the rear of his store and f!fted OUT a
conch- shaped shell nearly two feet in
length, and marked like tortoise shell.
A hole had been drilled at the large end
Of the shell.
The merchant placed his lips TO the
hole and blew. A rich, sonorous, trum-
pet blast echoed and re.echoed through
out the shop.
This shell comes from Singapore, and
belongs to the Triton family. Sailors
often use it as a fog horn, and it makes
Q good one, too.
"Shells OF rare beauty and coloring,"
he continued, 'are found among the
family commonly called cowry shells,
and are gathered In California, India,
Africa, Cape of Good Hope and the
Sandwich Islands. The Sandwich Isl
ands are famous for the orange cowry,
the most expensive specimen of this
family. The Pacific coast gives US the
most beautiful and largest shell of the
olive family in the camp, or tented
olive, which has rows of tents on its
outer surface, making il look like the
picture Of military camp. Olive shells
get their name from their shape, and
they are large and very beautiful. Quan-
titles of them are found in the East and
West Indies.
"Some of the rarest and most beauti-
full shells in the world are found in
China, which make up in beauty of
specimens for dearth Of variety in
supply. The rarest specimens are the
weaver's shuttle and the scallerea, OF
staircase she'll.
"'TEe angel wing is also white shell,
and is a bivalve. The two halves look
like folded wings, with the feathers clear
ly outlined on the outer surface. These
shells are found in the West Indies"
"What is the rarest shell of all2"
THAT" said the conchologist, ''is the
superb specimen that is called The Cone
Of the Holy Mary Why it is so called
do not know, but il is the rarest because
there are but two known specimens in
existence.
"One of them is in the British Museum,
and the shell is valued at several thou
sand pounds sterling, a sort of Kohinoor
among shells of wondrous beauty and
rarity"
"What is the largest shell known"
"The giant oyster. You can see giant
oyster shells on exhibition in front of
several well-known oyster shops in town.
They are imported from India. l remem-
Der that imported pair that measured
3ix4 feet. They weighed nearly 500
pounds"
"And the smallest shell"
''Is the rice shell Lying in bulk in a
basket or barrel the shell would be read
lily mistaken for rice grains. - Pearsons
Weekly.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
Progress of the World.

Pianos were invented in 1711. Com
petent authorities now declare that 300
are made during the hours of every
working day in the year.
Potatoes first appear in history in
1903. In 1S9! the United States raised
201, 900, 600 bushels. In 1884 the world
raised 70, 900, 600 tons.
The first horse railroad was made in
1929. Now every country town has its
street car line, and even Constantipople
and Jerusalem have such facilities.
Lithographing was first made practical
in 1901. 1t is at present so cheap that
wall posters of almost any size can be
executed at trivial price.
Twenty five years ago electricity as
a mechanical power was unknown. Now
$500, 10000 are invested in various
kinds of electrical machinery.
The first steamship crossed the Allan
tic in 1918. There are now seventy
lines of mail steamers. In 1888 there
were 101, 1877 steam vessels on the high
seas.
The first practical sewing machine
was invented in 1S4l. In 1888 there
were 600, 900 made in the United States,
able to do the work of I. 200, 900 women.
Quinine, the active principle of Peru
vian bark, was discovered in 1920. In
1883 there were produced 10000, 600
pounds of bark and 100000 pounds of
quinine.
The first lifeboat was launched in
1902. The United States now has 242
life-saving stations, and since 1871 the
lifeboats on our coast have saved 5000
lives.
Every passenger train on tsi continent
and many freight trains are now equipped
with air brakes, and yet the ir-brake
was invented rs recently as 1850.
The first Bible was printed in 1850.
Over four thousand editions have been
printed since that date. Up to 1881 the
British aud Foreign Society had printed
81, 900, 900 copies.
Steel pens were first made in 1903.
The annual sales at present in the United
! States are estimate" 40 600 pens
while the world u nually consu ues soe,
| 900. 600.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
Bread and Dy spepsia.

The conclusion that wheat bread is
unfit for dyspeptics, sometimes jumped
at because i'll effects are noticed to follow
its use, is erroneous. On the contrary,
it has been pointed out by Bouchard and
others that farinaceous food is peculiarly
adapted to some dyspeptic patients. 1t
is the microbes in the starch, which is ca
pable of producing irritating acids, that
cause the trouble. To avoid this, Bou
chard recommends that only the crust or
toasted crumbs of the bread be used by
dyspeptics, particularly those whose
stomachs are dilated. The reason of this
is explained by the fact hat baking tenn
porsrily, though not permanently, ar
rests the fermentation of dough. When
1t is again heated by the warmth of the
stomach the fermentation is renewed. In
cases where the bread is toasted brown
through, the fermentation Is stopped
permanently. New York World.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
BURYING ALIVE.
A Custom That Is Not Uncommon In
the Orient.

There are many customs common
among oriental people which would not
be tolerated in countries where Western
civilization obtains. Perhaps in no par
ticular is usage so much at variance be-
tween the nations of the occident and
orient than in the way they treat their
dying and dead.
For instance, in America the PROPOSE
tion to bury person alive would be
looked upon with horror akin to that
with which Americans would regard a
proposition to turn cannibal.
Yet, in China and the East Indies such
custom is not only tolerated but is
time e-honored. Burying people alive in
the lands of the setting sun has
the sanction of religion, law and tradi-
ton.
When a sick person has reached that
stage of disease in either of those coun-
tries where his death has become a GER
tsnty he is pronounced dead in fact and
so treated In case of disease like lep-
rosy, where death is the distant but no
less sure ending, the sufferer is practically
prounced dead, and buried, if not in the
bosom of the earth, in an isolation that
as effectuslly shuts him off from the liv-
ing world.
Instances of burying people alive in
China and India are so numerous that it
is scarcely necessary, according to the
Denver Republican. TO cite any. Every
book of travel in the orient mentions this
custom of nte-mortem interment. Rud-
yard kipling, in one of his powerful
short stories of Indian life, gives a
graphic glimpse of another phase Of it,
Kipliug explains how, If man is pro-
nounced incurable by the native physi-
clan. he is hurried away to the burning
CHAT, or crematory, and, while still alive,
incinerated.
Epileptics, cataleptics and like suffer
ers are treated in the same fashion. II
man remains unconscious for certain
period the native doctor is called. He
pronounces the sick mans soul already
in Nirvana, and the unconscious body is
hurried away to CHAT and burned.
Sometimes while on the way to be
burned the man in the litter RECEIVERS con-
sciousness. Then il he is strong and
agile he may escape from the litter bear
ers, or il rich he may avoid being roasted
alive by generous promises of bribes to
his carriers.
Those who escape in this way may
never again return 10 their families or
associates. Having been legally pro-
nounced dead, they must not return to
prove the contrary, or they will be made
literally so.
Those living dead men abide in colo.
nies in deep pits 6ug into the sand along
the Ganges. Their rations are flung to
them from time 10 time.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
Hangman's stone.

There is large bowlder lying in
field near Foremark, England, which is
known throughout Derbyshire as Hang
mans Stone" The exposed portion of
the bowlder rises about 8 feet above the
surface of the surrounding field and has
n narrow ditch or indentation running
across the top. The mark, so tradition
SAYS, was made in this way: A sheep
thief, in the dead of night, while lean
ing against the bowlder to rest, placed
his booty above the fiat surface Of the
stone. The man had the sheep tied with
rope, and in its effort to escape the
creature slipped on the opposite side,
and the rope catching under the thiers
chin choked him to death. The inden-
tation in the rock was made by the fric-
ton of the rope while engaged in an eff
fort 10 extricste himself.-ISt Louis
Republic.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
THE TERROR OF COMPOsITORs


Talking of the handwriting of men Of
genius and and famous authors, many
celebrities have written vile hands, and
there are notable men to-day whose cali
graphy is almost illegible, says the New
castle (England) Chronicle. Joaquin
Miller scrawls in the most haphazard
kind of fashion. / have before me bit
of his manuscript, and il is in sort of
sense uncanny to think that this i'll
formed, rambling knock kneed kind of
scribble is really poetry; see it in type
you can hardly believe that the we'll
turned rhyme and the happy thought
have been disguised in that blotted.
scrubby patch of something that looks
like writing.
Carlyle's manuscript was cramped and
crabby. "What. have you got that man
herel" exclaimed a Scotch compositor,
who had obtained a situation in London
and found his first ''take" of "copy"
was a page of Carlyle. "Why, / just
fled from Scotland to get away from
him" Francis Jeffrey wrote miserable
hand Sydney Smith chaffed him about
it constantly. In one of his letters,
speaking of the efforts he had made to
decipher Jeffrey's manuscript. he says:
81 have tried TO read it from left to
right, aud Mrs. Sydney Smith from right
to left, and We can neither of us de-
cipher a single word of it." But the
champion bad writer was Horace Gree
ley, the famous editor of the New York
Tribune IF Belshazzar had seen his
writing on the wall, said compositor,
che would have been more terrified than
he was" There are dozen good stories
of the misinterpretation of Greeley let
tiers.
One of the best is that of his refusal to
lecture at Sandwich, Ill. II am over
worked and growing DID," he wrote in
reply to the Invitation. 81 shall be 90
on February 3. On the whole il seems
must decline TO lecture henceforth
except in my own immediate vicinity, II
/ do at all; cannot promise to visit
Illinois on chat Grand" The Committee
of Invitation pored over the Greeley cali
graphy, and believed at last that they
had read it correctly. "Your accept
ance, =" they wrote, ''to lecture before our
association next winter has just come to
hand. Your penmanship not being the
plainest, it took some time to translate
It; but we succeeded, and would say
that your time-Feb. sand terms, $50,
are quite satisfactory. We may, as you
suggest, be able to get you other engage
ments in this vicinity, if so, will advise
you."
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16

FaoM "scientifc toy" the telephone
has become one OF the greatest business
implements of the age. The annual
report of tho American Bell Telephone
Company shows that that corporation
rented last year 552 720 telephones. an
increase OF over 10000 in one year. The
company has 8i2 exchanges and mile
age Of wire Of 307,70l, OF which 90,2l6
miles are operated under ground.
Six States OF the Union are represented
in the present Congress entirely by
native sons. They are Maine, Rhode
Island, Delaware, Maryland, South
Carolina, and Louisiana. All the others
have borrowed their delegations in part
or wholly from their sister States or
foreign countries.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
uea viestPeachon Record.

II can he none other than the peach
grown by Colonel Lee, at Hartwell
House, Aylesbury, which is now on show
Mt the exhibition of Gardening and
Forestry at Ear's Court, London. 1t
weighs fifteen and one-half ounces. The
sweetest peaches. they say, grow in
Persia. which is the native country OF
the fruit; and the biggest in the South
ern States of North America. But
Colonel Lees sample would turn the
scale against the pick Of the whole
worlds peaches. Il New York Dispatch.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
A Corn Field Disappearing.

The little toe is disappearing from the
human foot. At recent meeting OF the
French Academy of Science il was de-
monstrated that ir the last two centur-
les the average size of the toe has de-
creased so much that instead of three
joints it has most frequently only two.
aud that in addition the nerves aud
muscles that control /, are slowly becom.
ing useless. Reading PENN World.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16

He-You wish TO be adoredl Earn
estly) Show me the way to adore.
She (pressing the electric button)-
Peters. show Mr.. simpleton the door.
detroit Tribune.
The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16

The price Of sealskins has sivan ed S. each
since the ring Sea decision.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20
Barcclon. Hold by American Bulls.

Great excitement was caused in
Barcelona recently 10y an invasion of
bulls. The town was literally at the
absolute mercy Of about 100 of these
animals Three hundred American
bulls had that morning arrived by
the Italian cargo steamers. During
the unloading process a rope that
bound q whole herd together suddenly
broke, and between ninety and 100
bulls escaped The animals STAN
peded across the quay and finally dis
persed in different streets. The in
habitants were panic stricken. Soon
a formidable battle was waged against
the Infatuated animals, but it was not
till evening that the populace had
succeeded in partly killing and partly
capturing the greater number of the
boasts. Two people were killed
namely, young girl, who was
trampled to death. and an old lady,
who was gored Nine persons were
injured, four fatally. and the damage
done to houses. shops and lamp posts
was considerable. The slaughtered
bulls lay about the streets, and many
inhabitants helped themselve5.-Pa
Mall Gazette.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20
MAKING STEEL.
The Result of Recent FINER sem: ~
peri.ue;lt,.


The Result of Recent finer SON, ~
pertinent.
The London Times gives long &C
count of number CT experiments
lately made with a new de c,.;ptioa
OF steel. the success OF which appears
to point to revolution in the steel
trade. 1t says, in part: An f.npor-
tant advance in the manufacture of
what is technically known as tool
steel has recently been developed
into practical shape in England. 1t
IS new process, the invention of
Mr. Francis G.. Bates of Philadelphia.
which has been under trial in this
country for the past twelve n nths
on working scale. Il c1nsi Is in
converting low-grade steel b, a
. remarkably economical process into
, high-class steel. suitable for max
ing turning tools for iron and steel,
punches, chisels and similar articles.
The system is carried out by plac-
ing bars of Bessemer or other steel.
containing low percentage OF car
bon, in specially designed furnace
and subjecting them to high tenn
perature. The steel to be converted
is embe.i3el in carbonaceous com
pound of special character and placed
in a chamber in the furnace which
has three tire-grates, with fues ana
passages so constructed that sur
prising economy OF fuel is secured by
reason of the perfect character OF the
combus ton. So complete is the COM
bustion that there is no escape of any
visible products in the form of smoke
after the furnace has been started,
and although very high tempera-
ture has to be maintained. equal to
melting cast iron, the temperature
of the escaping gases is remark
ably low. so thoroughly is every
atom of heat utilized.
Many tons of steel have been so
converted, and a number of tools
have been made from it. In all cases
the tools thus made have turned out
exceedingly well, some Cf them doing
work comparable with that done by
Mushet steel, which is the most
costly steel made. Various brands
Of low-grade steel, including Besse-
mer, Glengarnock basic, Brown Bay
ley and Brymbo steel, costing on the
average s. per ton, have been tried.
From these bars, when converted,
turning tools, punches and chisels
were made and successfully tested in
actual work.
The process is, in fact, a CONNER
cial success, and constitutes a new
departure in the manufacture of high
class steel from steel OF low-grade.
Many well-kEown users of steel have,
after due trial, certified to its value,
and have expressed their readiness
to adopt it. Should the apparently
reasonable expectations entertained
respecting this steel be realized, a
revolution in the steel trade should
practical. result. Moreover, by the
Bates sysEm, not only can steel be
success ,uKy treated. but wrought
and castirCn can be converted. Its
Application, il TACT, appears to be
very far reaching and capable Of
meeting the requirements o. war as
well as those of peace.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20

ceedings are conducted in the court
room tie judge may require all ex-
cept the patient, his friends, wit
nesses, licensed attorneys and attor-
neys and officers of the court to with
draw.
1t will be seen that while provision
is made for the protection of every
one against the danger of being sent
to an asylum when not insane, the
law is So modified as not to require a
family to make public the insanity OF
one of is members and to take him
into court room for the entertain
ment of idle spectators.
The old law authorized the trus.
tees of state insane asylum to dis.
charge . patient when they deem il
advisable to do so. The new law au-
thorizes discharges because the pa
tient is cured, because his friends
want him released and the superin.
tendent sees no danger because he is
so far improved as to be able to take
care of himself, or because he is in
durable Or harmless and his room is
needed for others. Authority is also
given to release patients ON parole
fer not over three months, and if not
returned within that time a new or.
der of commitment is necessary.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20
WANAMAKER, the worlds greatest

WANAMAKER, the worlds greatest
clothier and the prince of advertis-
ers, once said: 1T is not a question
as to whether or not l will patronize
a newspaper or its publisher. That
is the very smallest part of the con-
sideration. The question is, can I
afford to stay out of the newspaper?
Can my business afford to be ne
elected to that extent? 1t is not a
question of how much a publisher
will make off of me, but how much /
will lose in the event of my neglect
ing to advertise. The printer in
nine cases out OF 10 stand the loss
which follows a failure to advertise
in his paper. The advertiser is pre-
sumed to make a hundred times more
than the publisher, hence to not ad-
yertise is like cutting off my nose to
spite my head"
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20
The Now LunncY LAW.

Brief reference has been hereto
fore been made in our local columns
of the law enacted by the recent leg
islature changing materially the sta
tntory provisions previously existing
in relation to the the commitment
and detention of those who through
mental misfortune become the wards
of the state. The law as altered
went into force July !, but doubtless
most physicians and laymen are ig-
norant of its provisions. Under the
old system a trial in court before a
jury of six, one of them physician,
was necessary. Hereafter neither a
jury nor hearing in open court will
be absolutely necessary. If the per
son alleged to be insane or any one
acting for him demands jury trial
then the request must be granted
and the judge has to appoint counsel
TO represent the alleged lunatic.
But if the jury is not asked for then
1T is left to the discretion of the Judge
whether there shall be one or wheth-
or the sanity of the person shall be
inquired into by a commission of
two qualified physicians in regular
practice selected by the court on ac-
count of their competency and integ-
rity.
Inquests in lunacy may hereafter
be held in open court, in chambGs,
or at the home of the person alleged
to be insane, at the discretion of the
Judge. The latter must preside
wherever court may be held and the
patient must be present. If pro-
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20
A Malicious Michigander.

The Union publishes, with evident
glee, an extract from letter sent by
an individual up in Michigan to a
Rock Island business man, in which
the former charges the present adj
ministration with being responsible
for the depression in trade and bust
ness. The yawper from Michigan
only takes up the refrain being sung
from one end of the country to the
other by blind partisans of the late
republican party, who hope to fool
the people by their delusive cry.
Hasn't President Cleveland did all
in his power to relieve the country
of the inlquitous laws placed on our
statute books by republican votes, in
calling an extra session of congress:
for that purpose? And the demo
cratic senate and house may be de.
pended upon to act quickly, but IN
diligently.
BY the way, IN exto ing the pros
pect for an unprecedented corn crop,
the Union fails to give the dem
ocratic administration credit for
the same. 1t would be just as rea.
sonable to say that the abundant
crops are due to the sagaciousness Of
President Cleveland. as to hold him
or his party responsible for the finan.
cial conditions which now exist
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-20
Peru Makes Ecnaration.

Secretary Gresham hes been fortunate
enough to score q success within the first
six weeks Cf his service at the head Of
the department Of state.
Peru has promised full repatriation for
the recent attack upon oar consular
agency at Mollendo, and as an earnest Of
her purpose has already removed from
Office the sUbprefect Of the department
in which the assault occurred. Minister
Hicks, in reporting the affair, spoke Of
the person who had been wounded as ar
acting consular agent, and since Mr.
Griffith is our accredited representative
at Mollendo Il native of Peru may have
been il temporary charge of the con-
sulate during the outbreak of mob vio-
lence. But Mr.. Gresham's demand fer
PREPARATION was based ON the offense com
mitted against the government as well
as on the injury to person and property
Prompt IS that demand was, the re-
Spouse of Peru has been equally quick
and unequivocal. She has expressed her
regret for the occurrence, so that the
apology due to the government is prac-
tically complete, and the proper amount
of indemnity can easily be settled. This
little incident, sprung upon the new state
department and rapidly disposed Of, may
have an ind influence much beyond
its intrinsic Importance as a practical
experience Of the value of courteous
frankness and viSor il dealing with for
Gign nations. New York Sun.