davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
AN ENEMY OF THE SPIDER.
The Ichneunson Fly of Ceylon and Its Strange Method of Reproduction.

The Ichneunson Fly of Ceylon and Its
 Strange Method of Reproduction.
 A writer quoted by Leisure Hour gives an interesting account of the curious habits of the ichneumon fly of Ceylon, the natural enemy of the spider. This insect is green in color, and in form resembles a wasp, with a marvelously thin waist. It makes it's nest of well-woriled clay, and then goes out on a hunting expedition. Its victims are invariably spiders of vari- ous kinds, but all are subject to the same mode of treatment. A scientific sting injects some poison which effect ually paralyzes the lucl1less spider, who is then carried off to the nest and there fastened with dab of moist clay. Another and another victim is brought to this chamber of horrors Then the president mother ichneumon fly proceeds to deposit her eggs, one in the body of each spider, which can just move its legs in vague, aimless man. ner, but can offer no resistance. This done, the fly returns to her work as a mason. She prepares moro clay and OhAAAo u r Ai1C Ch S1AISC OO Iil1o 11dSO1J cell. Then she commences a new cell, which she furnishes in like manner, and closes; then she adds yet another cell, and so proceeds until her store of eggs are all provided for, and her task in life being accomplished she dies, leaving her evil brood to hatch at leisure. In due time these horrid lit tie maggots come to life and find them selves cradled in a larder of fresh meat. Each poor spider is still alive, and his juices afford nutriment for the ichncumon-grub, until it is ready to pass into its chrysalis stage, thence to emerge as a winged fly. fully prepared to carry out the traditions of it's ances- tors with regard to spiders and fulfill the purpose for which they have been created, according to ichneumon be- lief
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
WATERWAYS OF ARIZONA.
Marvels of Engineering Skill Cut Out of
 Many Feet of Solid Rock.

Marvels of Engineering Skill Cut Out of
 Many Feet of Solid Rock.
 The largest and likewise the best preserved of the waterways was taken out of the Salt river, on the south side, near the mouth of the Verde, and, as described by the Californian, is mar vel of engineering skill. For three and one-half miles it passes through an artificial gorge in the Superstition mountains, cut out of the solid rock to the depth of one hundred feet. After the mountains are passed it divides into four branches, the longest of which measures more than forty miles, while all four aggregate length of one hundred and twenty miles, inde pendent of the smaller ditches by which water was distributed over the soil Except in rare instances these smaller ditches have been filled, and in that portion of the desert are ob- scured by the sandstorms that prevail; but the larger one is perfectly distinct, and measures sixty-four feet in width with an average depth of twelve feet. Through this way the water for the support of the cities between the Salt and Gila rivers was conveyed, and one thousand six hundred square miles of country, now destitute of all vegeta- tion except the Sahuara and an occa- sional paloverde, was irrigated by it. This canal reached to within a short distance of the Gila river, and ths water was taken from the river Salt for the apparent reason that at this point the north bank of the Gila was so high that they were unable to reach the current with canal, and they evi- dently knew of no way to raise the water to the level of the surrounding country. This part of the desert is covered with ruins, and must have been at one time the residence of teeming population.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
GETTING RID OF TENANTS.
An "Ejectment Company Which Con-
 ducts a Novel Business in Boston.

An "Eiectment Company Which Con-
 ducts Novel Business in Boston.
 Boston has an ''ejectment company" which removes tenants ''at reasonable rates.' Ninety per cent. of the ejected are found among the poor. ''The first thing ask a client" said the manager of this novel business to a New York Evening Post man, ''is whether. the ob- noXious tenant has a lease. About ninety-nine in one hundred of the poorer classes do not. All right, then, he gives me lease of the premises and remember, it isn't bogus lease, because the law says lease may be made out for the purpose of gaining possession of a place in this manner. Then we give the tenants notice. They usually laugh at it and tear it up. All right We wait awhile, then we serve a writ on them. That usually does the work, although they usually stay until the last minute. If they do not go we issue an execution, and that gives us power to take the roof off the house. Sometimes it is almost necessary to do it, but we usually manage to get them out without much trouble. But if it is necessary to use force we do not hesi- tate to do it. I always take enough men along-a whole regiment if nee essary." The causes of ejectment are given as nonpayment of rent, bad habits and ''children." The company consists of a manager and constable, the latter man of experience" who is very proud of the wiles he uses to clear premises of unfortunate and re- fractory tenants. ''There was a case down at the west end," he said the other day, ''where got an old woman out of a place where she had lived over thirty years; I don't suppose one man in a hundred could have done it without getting it into the papers, yet nobody ever heard of it. Why? Sim ply because I went about it in the easiest way possible; treated her just the same as would have treated my own mother. She shed good many tears over it, and it took her a long time to realize that she had to go. She was half blind and got around with difficulty. However, got her out. It was pretty delicate job and cost the owner of the house thirty-seven dol. lars"
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
SMALLPOX IN GREAT BRITAIN.
Disbelief in and Opposition to Vaccination
 Manifested by Influential People.

Disbelief in and Opposition to Vaccination
 Manifested by Influential People.
 About twenty years ago there was severe epidemic of smallpox in England and America. In recent months the disease has been causing alarm in many parts of England and Scotland. Up to the middle of January it was prevail ing-though in general the cases are of a mild type-in about fifty localities, including Liverpool, Manchester, Edin- burgh and Glasgow. In the last city thirty-four new cases occurred within ten days previous to the report. The story is a serious one at this especial season of the year. No newly inpro- vised hospitals can be expected to stay the spread of the disease. England contends with the pest at disadvan- tage. Many persons of influence do not believe in vaccination, write against it and oppose it in every way they can. The opposition has grown greatly dur ing the long absence of the epidemic. The vaccination laws are practically in suspense. In some districts many chil- dren have never been vaccinated. Even where the letter of the law has been complied with vaccination has been done in a very lax and untrustworthy way, and there has been an almost en- tire absence of revaccination. Again, the large class of tramps and the many filthy lodging houses into which they crowd at night greatly aid in the spread of the disease. At Manchester @ man was found suffering from smallpox at a large lodging house. The inspector made arrangements for his removal, but as soon as the officers back was turned the patient bolted from the house, and when he was captured some hours later he was believed to have in- fected a considerable number of his fel- lows. If the epidemic reaches this country, we shall not expect it to spread very extensively, for the laws respect ing vaccination are intelligently car ried out. Still, the large immigrant population will need looking after and. lodging houses will need rigid inspec- tion. Revaccination should be properly attended to. The authorities also should promptly provide means for the isola- tion of patients.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
The Madstone superstition.

"Here's something that will interest you," said a physician as he placed. a lump of slaty-looking stone in the hands of a New York Sun scribe. GA patient of mine gave me that this morning with as grand an air as if she were giving me a silver dinner service. No doubt she thought it had great value. It's a maidstone. You've read accounts of them. Put them on a dog bite and they will suck it and give off green froth, and all that sort of rub bish. There is no such thing as maidstone in the world. Touch the stone to your tongue. Notice any thing? Sticks, doesn't it? That is be- cause it is anhydrous. It has gone through slight chemical change and has lost part of the water that was in it's original composition, so that it readily absorbs moisture. twill stick to a cut or bite or anything else that is wet, and that is all there is to it. But it's harmless sort of superstition, and if it makes any poor devil comfort able, for goodness S sake let him believe in it."
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
A QUAKER CITY INDUSTRY.
Hangmen's Ropes of Finer Quality Than
 Those Used for Ordinary Purposes.

Hangmen's Ropes of Finer Quality Than
 Those Used for Ordinary Purposes.
 Rope used for executions is made al- most exclusively by a Philadelphia rope factory and differs from ordinary rope for commercial purposes in that 1t is made by hand, instead of by machin- cry. and finer quality of rope is em- ployed, says the New York Herald. Orders for such rope are received by the Philadelphia firm from all parts of the country. When the rope to be used in hanging is received by the sheriff it is usually locked up carefully and kept from curious eyes. As the day of exc cution draws near the rope is soaped Iibcrally with common kitchen soap, so it may run freely through the moose. Then it is thoroughly stretched, one end being tied to the gallows beam, while to the other end is attached about three hundred pounds of stone or iron. The rope is allowed to remain at this heavy tension for hours, and then, after having been we'll soaped again and rendered per fectly supple, it is laid away to await the day when it is to be used for busi- ness purposes After use the rope is usually considered to be one of the perquisites of the hangman. If he is not the sheriff himself, that official usually cuts off few inches of the moose and divides it up among his favored friends as relies. The hang man is then at liberty to dispose of the remainder as he chooses Usually he sells it at fancy prices to curiosity seekers or to dime museum managers and others on the lookout for curiosi- ties. After the hanging of the four Haymarket anarchists-August Spies, Albert R. Parsons, Henry Fischer and William Engel-in the Cook county jail at Chicago, in November, 1887, the ropes were taken from around the men's necl1s by Sheriff Matson's depu- ties. The greater part of the ropes were cut up almost immediately after ward and given as relics to the wit nesses of the execution and others
 Seven dime museums in different parts of the country about month later were exhibiting four uncut ropes, which were sworn to as having been the identical, unmutilated ropes with which the four anarchists were hanged.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
THREE MILLION BACHELORS.
That's What the Census Shows and It's
 Time Some Repented.

That's What the Census Shows and It's
 Time Some Repented.
 According to the last census reports there are over three million bachelors in the United States, by which is meant there are three million men over thirty years old who have never been married.
 This fact, of course, furnishes very handy text for all sorts of comment and suggestion. Now and then the scheme is advocated of making neglect of matrimony statutory offense, either by way of tax discrimination in favor of married parties or otherwise.
 In earlier times, says the Boston Globe, marriage was compulsory. The great world conquerors wanted mate rial for their armies, and soheavy pen alties were laid on neglect to marry.
 One interesting question which the census figures do not answer is this: ''How many of these three million bachelors are single from choice rather than necessity?"
 The factors affecting the ability to support wife have been very much changed under the newer industrial and commercial condition. So great has become the competition for places among the higher pursuits, and so large ly have women come to fill positions once exclusively occupied by men, that the bureaus of industrial statistics show a larger and larger percentage of men in these pursuits whose incomes, from their point of view, will not per init them to marry.
 It is easy to scold the young men in this matter-quite as easy to find fault with the young women who are look ing out for husbands with plenty of ready money. But there is nothing in the published census figures regarding the average earnings of certain classes of workers which at all warrants the conclusion that the majority of these three million unmarried men remain single through willfulness rather than what they deem necessity.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
RAILWAYS IN THE TROPICS.
Hard to Keep the Rapldly-Growing ToIi-
 age from Becoming an Obstruction.

Hard to Keep the RapIdly-Growing ToH-
 age from Becoming an Obstruction.
 Not only is the first cost of railway construction in tropical countries very heavy, but the annual maintenance of way is expensive to a degree which can not be appreciated by those who have had no experience in this connection. The Antioquia railroad, in Colombia. says Charles F. Yeatman, in the En- gineering Magazine, cost in a single year, for repairs of track and bridges. S2, ,266 per mile. The Cauca railroad. in the same year, cost 3,S3S per mile These two roads are in Colombia. and are sometimes mentioned either a. future feeders of the Pan-American railroad, or parts of its main line. On the Antioquia road, if the under. growth were cut ct the beginning Of the rainy season, less than two months rain was sufficient to form an arch of green trees thirty feet high, leaning over the track 50 as to shade it com plctely.
 The constant change from dryness in the day to. soaking moisture at night, even in the dry season, would soon ruin the best tim Der, but nature furnishes a still quicker means of getting rid of it, in the shape of an ant or wood-louse, which is careful not to mar the outside of his domicile, but will patiently honeycomb the inside. until what looks like solid twelve-bv- twelve stick is but shell from one eighth to one-fourth inch thick. filleC with dust and ants. The native tin Der suffered so much from the inroad of these pests that, upon hearing thai yellow pine was used in Panama | avoid them, a trial of it was made cg the Antioquia road. Georgia pine ha, to be shipped by way of New York, . cost of nearly Sl0O per 1000 feet board measure, when put in place When l left there the first of my yel low pine trestles was being replacel 1t had been built less than four years
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
A "REsPEcTABLE NUMBER"
One of Pennsyivania's Highest Courts
 Gives Legal Status to the Phrase.

One of Pennsyivania's Highest Courts
 Gives Legal Status to the Phrase.
 "Everybody has at some time used or heard used the rather indefinite ex
 pression of a respectable number,' as applied to some gathering or collec- tion of people," said a Philadelphia lawyer to New York Sun man, ''but guess there are not many who know that profound judicial decision in one of the highest courts of Pennsylvania has fixed precedent as to what may be legally considered respectable number. The result of lawsuit that involved the disposal of good many thousands of dollars depended on the question of what constituted re- spectable number. Charles McAlister, 8 very wealthy Philadelphian, who had country seat at the fashionable suburb, Torresdale, died in 1881. The Fid elity Trust company was the ex- ecutor of his estate under his will. MT. McAlister was a devout Presbyterian and he beque athed a valuable piece of ground at Torresdale, five thousand dollars tow ard building Presbyterian church upon it and five thousand dol lars year for the income of a pastor to preach in the church; the provisions of the will to be carried out by the trust company as his executor, when ever a respectable number of persons should get together to form the nucleus of congregation. Seventeen persons got together as this nucleus and called upon the trust company to pay over the money and execute it's trust. The trust company refused to hand over the money or take any action in the matter ol the ground that seventeen persons were not a respectable num- Der within the meaning of the will. Suit was brought against the company as eXecutor of the McAliSter estate, and it was tried before Judge Allison, one of the most learned judges of the state. He decided that seventeen was legally respectable number and or dered the trust company to carry out the provisions of the will in the matter of the Torresdale church and the an- nual payment of five thousand dollars for the pastor. Whether any less than seventeen would have been a respecta- ble number the opinion did not decide
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
ALL FEARED TO TOUCH IT.
4 Tin Box Which Caused Comnotion and
 Thoughts ot Dynamite.

Tin Box Which Caused Commotion and
 Thoughts of Dynamite.
 An incident tending to show the truth of the saying, "Conscience makes towards of all'' (who have any), hap pened in an office block on Third street, Portland, Ore, the other Sun- day morning. A man who has an office in the building went down to it about nine o'clock and found a queer-loobing tin box reclining gainst the door. Just what piece of wickedness this man has been guilty of is not known to the Oregonian, but it was evident that he had been doing something that lay heavily on his conscience, for he at once conceived the idea that the box was an internal machine, placed there for his destruction. Afraid to touch it, let alone to open it, he was standing staring at it when an- other person came up. When the lat ter found out what the scare was he secuted the idea of dynamite and started to kick the box down the hall, but the frightened man grabbed him and pulled him back, telling him he might blow up the building. Then he, too, began to be scared and was afraid to pick up the box. In few minutes six or seven persons had gathered around, but no one of them cared to meddle with the box, though each seemed willing that any of the others should examine it. Presently the jan itor, who had taken advantage of the quiet of Sunday morning to do some cleaning up in the building, came along, and he was directed to take away the box. As he picked it up the crowd scattered, and as he marched off with it one of the men asked him to see what it was. On being opened the box was seen to be full of keys to the different rooms, used by the janitor, who was much astonished at the in- terest evinced in his old tin box. It will now be in order for the original discoverer of the box to explain why he imagined anyone wished to blow him up with dynamite. <
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
SAVED BY A PAWN TICKET.
A Philadelphia Society Swell Who Feare'
 Disgrace if He Died.

A Philadelphia Society Swell Who Feared
 Disgrace if He Died.
 A young man we'll known about town in Philadelphia came very near pass ing in his chips" short time ago, but anxiety about pawn check probably saved his life. He was suffering from a severe case of pneumonia, and, ac- cording to the Record, his physicians despaired of pulling him through. The grim reaper was about to cut him down, when the young man suddenly recollected that during a financial em- barrassment previous to his illness he had pawned his handsome gold watch in order to raise the necessary cash. The pawn ticket was even at that mo- ment under his pillow. With remorse gnawing at his vitals he hastily sum- moned his bosom friend, to whom he confded his plight. ''I don't want to die and have any pawn tickets found on me- he exclaimed. 'For heavens sake get it out.' The friend took the ticket and hurried away with all pos sible speed to execute his commission, fearing he would return and find the owner of the watch a corpse. Strange to say, the experience seemed to have an exhilarating effect upon the sick man and he began to mend at once. To-day he is as we'll as ever, but he swears he will never pawn anything apain
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
Negro Superstitions.

Two seemingly harmless things ez- cite the fear of the southern negro One is the cracking of the finger joints: the other is to be stepped over> as he lies prone upon the ground. The cracking of the finger joints seems to suggest to the negro imagination the rattling of a skeletons bones, while to be stepped over is regarded as likely to bring bad luck to grown folks and to check the growth of children. A half grown negro boy will sternly command a playfeuow who has stepped over his body to step back, in order that the spell may be removed
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
Roses Better Than Rice.

After a recent Australian wedding the guests showered the happy pail with rose petals until the bride was literally covered with the fragrant leaves as she sat in the carriage. A pretty tribute this, and not likely to be followed by undesirable consequences. A small grain of rice in ones eye is not a pleasant travelling companion, par tieularly when it is desired to avoid feeling irritated.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
Georranl,ical Names

Staten Island has its double at th southern extremity of South America and the name, like that of OUT ow1 island, is manifestly of Dutch origin for its near neighbor is Cape HorI more properly Hoorn. named for vi lage on the Zuyder Zee, and not ta, away are tine Straits Of Magellan. ro- of Irish but of Dutch liscovcry. aau properly spelled Magalhaens
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
PAINT AND POWDER.
A Few Reflections for the Consideration
 of Womankind.


 of Womankind.
 One may be disposed to forgive the woman who has been beautiful, if, in her desperate attempts to retain her beauty, she paints and powders and chooses to make of herself thing of borrowed shreds and patches. But, says All The Year Round, when women tell us-as some of them do tell us now and then-that men like woman to caricature her own womanhood; that they prefer-it comes to that-imita- tion beauty to the real article, they require of us faith too great for ordi- nary human nature. To be told, as I was told little time ago-and by a lady-that men do not care for women unless they paint and powder is to have too strong strain placed upon ones natural civility. That this same informant was guilty of perhaps par donable feminine exaggeration when she declared Chat, nowadays, all women use both paint and powder am assured. Had she confined herself to the statement that very large number of women are indebted for what they call their charms to any thing but nature she would have de- hvered herself of an utterance on the literal veracity of which she might safely have staked, as our transat- lantic cousins have it, her bottom dollar" The lady of fashion may not be aware that she is guilty of rever- sion to savagery when she calls in arti- ficial aids to the help of her natural attractions; but she is. Among savage people it is an almost general custom to revert to such auXiliaries.
The St. Johns herald., 1893-08-10
Flowers of the Desert.

The cactus loves a dry soil and does not object to alkali. In early summer the western plains are brilliant with the yellow and drose-colored blossoms of this curious plant. But it will often thrive in the moister soil and showery climate of the east. In the field south of the rocking stone in Bronx park dozens of cacti are to be found, small specimens of the priclSly pear variety.