davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
on SHORT ALLOWANCE.
How "a shrewd Sea Captain Made His Sup
ply of Water Last.

How a shrewd Sea Captain Made His Sup
ply of Water Last.
"Water, water everywhere, nor any
drop TO drink" Few people beside sail
ors can appreciate the terrible import of
these simple words. A correspondent
writes that on short whaling, or, as
sailors say, plum pudding voyage,
which he once made in tho brig Arnol-
da Of Nantucket, Shubael Higgins, mas
ter. they ran short Of water, and at last
the captain decided to put into Goree,
on the west coast of Africa AS they
neared the Cape de Verde islands, how
ever, and got into what are known to
sailors as the horse ATTITUDES, the wind
fell calm, and the vessel drifted idly on
the water.
"A day after day passed with no signs
Of wind Captain Higgins became impa-
tent. The surface of the ocean was as
smooth as a mirror, and as the long,
heavy swells came from the regions of
the trade winds, the vessel rolled and
tossed about like cork upon the water.
We furled The square sails to prevent
their being worn outin slamming against
the mast. The staysails were all set and
the sheets hauled taut, which eased her
somewhat In her rolling.
BY this time the water had run so
short that the captain felt obliged to
adopt some plan to avoid all unnecessary
drinking.
Calling me to his side, he said, boy,
bring me new tin dipper from the slop
chest"
1 did 30. Then the captain had all
hands called aft.
MEN" he said, II have always dread
ed to put my crew on short allowance,
bat the time has come when something
must be done to save what little water
MA hapa iAft
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

A snake charmer can, by simple mo-
ton Of his hand, make moving snake
stop instantly. The reason is this:
The snake Is q most timid animal. His
eyes, while dull to color and form, are
quick to motion, especially If it is rapid.
If any large thing moves very quickly
too near him, he gets frightened and
scurrie off, while at certain distances
the motion stops him II he be moving.
He stops from astonishmont, fear OF
the wish to see what it Is that moves.
Hence he glides on unconscious Of the
charmer's presence near him 80 long as
the latter remains quiet; the snake does
not know him from q tree or rock.
But when he gives a sudden evidence OF
life the snake Is astonished and immedi-
ately remains stock still.
In India and Africa the charmers pre-
tend the snakes dance to the music, but
they do not, for they never hear it. A
snake has no external ears, and perhaps
gives evidence of sound only through its
skin, when sound causes bodies In con-
tact with him to vibrate.
They hear also through the nerves Of
the tongue, but do not at all comprehend
sound as we do. However, the snakes
eyes are very much alive to the motions
of the charmer, or to the moving drum
sticks of his confederate, and being
alarmed he attempts to strike.
A dancing cobra land no other snakes
dance) Is simply cobra alarmed and In
q posture to attack. He Is not dancing
to the music, but is making ready to as
sail the charmer. -Harrison's Family
Magazine.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
SHARP egaeAR8 AND DULL ONES.
Aims Solicitors Who Choose between the
Entrances of a Cafe.

Aims Solicitors Who Choose Between the
Entrances of a Cafe.
A well patronized restaurant in the
neighborhood of the city hall has an en-
trance on two populous thoroughfsres.
In front Of the one on the north lean
and whining beggar nightly stands with
outstretched hand. He makes no audible
complaint, but mutters necessarily In
tone that excites the imagination into
eonjuring up every horror that waits
upon excessive poverty. In spite Of this
he fares badly, for more men come out
of this door than enter by it, and as their
stouachs are full the thought of hunger
In others obtains no abiding place within
their minds.
At the down town entrance there lott
ers, when the lounging policeman is not
in sight, a beggar of another breed. de
is sleek and round, with fat and shiny
face and merry twinkle in his lazy
ewes. More than once the writer caught
him concealing a cigar behind his back
while he extended the other hand in a
beseeching way for aims. His sole prayer
is for food, intermingled with fervent
protestations that he is starving, and
that he never drinks drop of strong
liquor. Many men hurrying into the
restaurant with poignant appetite are
touched by his prayers and pause long
enough to drop coin into his hand.
1t is clear that the sleek beggar knows
that hungry man is more apt to be
touched by the hunger Of others than he
who is well fed, and so he chooses as
his workshop the door at which the pa
irons of the restaurant enter, leaving the
one through which they leave to the stu
pid fellow whose need, like enough, is as
great as his mumbled prayers for charity
would indicate. York World.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
The Thrifty Japanese.


What is the reason that Japan has no
poverty problem? One reason is proba-
bly, to be found in the land system,
which has given to every worker hold
ing and encouraged him to supply his
wants by his own labor. There is, too,
in Japan curious absence of ostenta-
tious luxury.
The habits of living are in all classes
much the same, and the rich do not out
shine the poor by carriages, palaces and
jewelry. The rich spend their money on
curios, which, if these are costly, is limit
ed, and the most popular agitation is
against the big European houses which
ministers buildfor themselves. Wealthis
thus not absorbed and is more ready for
investment in remunerative labor. The
last reason which occurs to the mind OF
traveller with comparatively few oppor-
tunities for forming opinions is the
equality Of manners in all classes. Rich
and poor are alike courteous. 1t is not
possible to distinguish emnlover from
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
The First English Slave Trader.

Sir John Hawkins was the first Eng
lish slave trader. He formed company
composed of the leading men of London
and fitted out three small ships, which
sailed In 1862. Later Queen Elizabeth
lent Hawkins Jesus large ship of her
own of 700 tons, and took shares in the
second African company. She not only
equipped the ship, but put 100 soldiers
on board to provide for contingencies.
On the second voyage Hawkins bought
400 negroes and had a narrow escape
from losing them, owing to the lack Of
water when he was near the equator.
But, as he piously recorded in his log,
''The Almighty God would not suffer his
elect to perish, and sent a breeze which
carried them safe to Dominica" This
was the beginning of the slave trade,
which lasted for more than two centu-
ries before it was finally suppressed
Poston Transcript.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
RAIN lN IAPAN.
Queer Native Methods TO Coax Showers In
Times of Drought

Queer Native Methods so Coax Showers In
Times of Drought
During the summer season In Japan
droughts are very frequent, and the rice
fields, before 50 beautiful, presenting as
they do all the different shades Of green
imaginable, gradually lose their bril-
liancy of color, turn yellow and parched,
and threaten the total destruction Of the
crop. Not only does the rice suffer, but
the wells dry up and necessitate the car
rying of water from long distances. Soa
drought In Japan Is indeed q great ca
lamity.
After waiting and hoping In vain for
downfall Of rain, the people turn out
en- masse to evoke the power Of their
deities to send them the saving showers.
A procession is formed Of perhaps 200
men, all nearly naked, who, carrying
straw emblems representing the sun with
rain pouring from 1t and with long
streamers having prayers written on
them flying In the wind, proceed to the
nearest river or bay, where the whole
company wades into the water until
they are waist deep, and surrounding
the emblems pray aloud and throw wa
ter on the images with both hands.
After doing this several times the pro
cession is reformed, when 1t proceeds to
the temple to pray again. This cere-
mony is repeated several times, and
should the rain come In abundance pray
ers are offered In thanksgiving. Should
it be only a shower, they blame them
selves for not having prayed tervently
enough and continue their devotions I'M
til downpour takes place.
Another form of devotion for the same
purpose takes place at nightfali, when q
long boat Is filled with men and padded
swiftly across the harbor, accompanying
the prayers by the regular beatings Of
tomtoms and gongs. Sometimes at night,
away down the bay, may be heard the
weird sound Of the tomtoms and the
voices of the men gradually growing
louder and louder as the boat approaches,
each man bending to his paddle in regu-
lar time as It passes us swiftly and grad
ually disappears in the darkness and is
soon lost to sight and hearing.-Yoko-
hama Letter.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

With that he took a piece of spun yarn
from his pocket, and tied it to the handle
of the dipper. Then turning to me, he
said, "Take this to the masthead and tie
it there"
"Now," said he, addressing the men,
''you can have all the water you want to
drink, but you must first go to the top of
the mast and get the dipper, and after
drinking all you need you must carry
the dipper back and tie it to the mast
again. Under no conditions will one of
you pass the dipper to another. Every
man must get the dipper for himself. In
case of sickness, Twill send the boy aloft
for the sick man. This rule will apply
to all on board, myself included"
At first we regarded the matter as a
joke on the captains part, but as the
days wore on and each of us made his
trip aloft after the dipper the novelty
wore off. We soon found, however, that
the captains plan for saving water was
very effectual one. The ships scuttle
butt, which formerly we had been
obliged to replenish from the casks every
OJner uay, WOULD now run a week WIFI
out reflling.
We were becalmed just go days. Then
the trade wind set in, and we proceeded
to Goree and reflled our casks. But the
memory of the trips made aloft after
that dipper and the spirit in which Cap
tain Higgins performed his part of the
contract, left an impression on my mind
which remains to this day.-Youth's
Companion.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

In Gould's Notes and Queries, " vol
uIne 6, page 1884, the following questions
are asked: Are the floods known as
Noah's, Ducalion's and the Atlantean
deluges considered to be one and the
sameg' The editor refers the question
to his correspondents, and Mrs. L. T.
George of Chicago answers it, ineiden-
tally giving the following curious par
ticulars and minute details concerning
the great breaking up of the waters
'"The deluge was threatened in the year
1886 and began ON Dec. Z, 1865, b. c.,
and continued 377 days. The ark rested
upon Mount Ararat on May 6, 1857, but
Noah did not leave it until Dec. IS fol-
lowing" Any reader who imagines that
it would be an easy task to figure these
details from the Biblical account can
find a basis for his calculations in the
seventh and eighth chapters of Genesis.
st. Louis Republic.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
The Electric Capstan.

An expert in railway matters declares
that the day is not far distant when the
switching engine will be entirely done
away with, its place being taken by the
electric capstan. The latter is already
in use to certain extent on some of the
Pennsylvania lines. The motor, which
actuates the capstan by means of gear
ing, runs at the rate of some 1000 revo-
lutions per minute, and the gearing mo-
tor and switch of the capstan are all con-
tanned in watertight iron case, the top
of which comes flush with the ground.
There is cover to it which is readily re-
movable, so as to give easy access to the
motor for oiling and cleaning. The wires
containing the current for the motor are
carried through an iron pipe below the
surface of the ground, and the switch
for starting and stopping the motor is
operated readily by the foot of the at
tendant in charge of the apstan.-New
York Sun.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

There is a beautiful little story told
about the opal, that delicate stone which
you have no doubt seen in rings and
bracelets. The story Is that the opal
was long ago promised to anybody who
could discover it. 1t lay hidden away,
SO the old fortune tellers used to say, at
the place "where the sunlight and the
moonlight joined" each other, and who
ever could find that spot would be re-
warded by quantity of large, beautiful
opals. After long search for the place
''where the sunlight and moonlight
ioined'' each other, the place was found
by Spanish traveller, who followed up
the rays of the setting sun, and when he
had reached the end of the last ray he
waited until the moonbeams shone upon
the earth, and there he found the opals.
They are said to be very lucky stones
for those who are born in the fall Of the
year and very unlucky for those born In
the spring. OF course it is only say
ing that these are lucky or unlucky, but
the rest Of the story is true, as you will
believe If you look in the heart of an
opal and see the pink tints of the sun
aud the blue rays of the moon nesting in
the middle of it.-Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
For strangers Only.

81 stopped at small town in West
Virginia not long ago" remarked the
drummer, "and as | stood on the plat
form at the station looking for somebody
to tell me something about the place a
native passed along"
els there hotel in this town. in
quired.
Thar amt, he replied quite to the
point.
"Isn't there any place for strangers to
stop at?"
"Well, yes" he said hesitatingly,
''thar's boardin house whar nobody but
strangers stops. Anybody that knowed
anything about it wouldn't stop thar"
The drummer sighed.
81 tried it," he said in conclusion,
''and the native was right. Detroit
Free Press.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
rot HARD.

The conductor of cable car ap-
preached hard visaged woman and
asked for her fare.
"Go ON with you, now; I've paid you
once" said the woman.
mo, you haven't"
Eyes, 1 have"
"Give me nickel or I'll put you off.
"Do If you dare
The conductor stopped the car and put
her off.
Rather hard thing to do said one
of the passengers, but 1t served her
right, suppose"
"Oh," the conductor smilingly an
swered, at wasn't hard for me to do, but
it isn't often / have chance to get even
with her. / am her husband. Texas
Siftings.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

Tinei
"What curious wooden hammer


"What a curious wooden hammer,
Miss Lillian"
eyes. 1t was presented to papa many
years ago by lodge of some kind that
he was presiding over at the time. SUI
pose he used it when he wanted to open
the lodge or call some brother to order.
Speaking Of lodges, Miss Lillian, what
do you think of men who join them and
neglect their-er-wives and all that sort
of thingY"
Il think they are not doing their duty,
Mr.. Spoonamore.
$3.50 do II We agree exactly on
that. A man who would abandon the
society of his-his wife, you know, to go
down town four or five times a week, and
meet lot of other men, and go through
the mummery they call initiation, and
smoke cigars. and have good time
why, it isn't right, you know"
The young woman toyed with the lit
tie wooden hammer and said nothing.
"And that's why / feel bold to say,
Miss Lillian, that | think you and
would h'm-would never have any dis
agreements five should because that's
the way feel about it, and-and I've
never talked this way to you before, you
know, for wasn't exactly certain wheth-
Grand all that sort of thing When
two persons agree ON things like this, 1t
stands to reason that there might be
other things they would also-and you
haven't known me great while perhaps,
bnt feel that you're the only woman in
the world want to marry
Here the hammer fell Chicago Trib-
me.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

A gentleman in this city was recently
visited by justice of the peace from an
adjoining town who wanted to be en-
lightened on a point of law. The gentle
man gave the desired information.
When the visitor started to go, he said,
81 am much obliged to you for the in
formation" ooh, don't mention it.,
replied his informant. The justice by
this time had closed the door, but he
came back and with the greatest sin
certify assured his friend he would never
say anything about it.-Hartford Cou-
.o.k
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
A BUNDLE OF OLD SERMONS.

The ink is brown, the paper soiled,
How long ago the writer toil9-
Upon these pages;
And as we read their old 1ps4 Idre,
Their quaint illusions FzE%~
The past to us; we live onue more
In bygone days
We hear as if by magic charm
Once more the Tate and Brady psalm,
Which pleased SO vastly.
The church and rustic flock grow plain,
The high oak pews, the latticed pane
We hear the sermon preached again
From the text to lastly"
No novel views of ancient sense,
No daring flights Of eloquence
Were here embodied.
The placid hearers felt no thrill,
But sat in sleepy comfort still.
While Jack demurely glanced at jill
And parents nodded.
Indeed, none listened much, fear,
To all these periods, painting clear
The saint and sinner,
Until at length there came the close
To stir the drowsy from repose,
And priest and people both arose
And went to dinner.
All, sermons of the long ago,
Yours was another age, we know
And now our preachers,
Each furnished with his special plan
To benefit bewildered man,
Denounce as loudly as they can
Their rival teachers.
Yet, as your pages we retrace
In this our age of cultured grace,
The question fingers:
If all of us are happier men
Than those who filed our places when
Your sage designer took the pen
Between his fingers?
Anthony G. Deane in Temple Bar.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

Scene-A grand dinner party.
Fraulein Helene from Berlin enjoyed
herself famously, for her neighbor at the
table was Baron Won Adlersklau, 6
gentleman of refined manners and bril-
liant wit.
"Then you are opposed to the agita-
ton for the emancipation Of women"
cat least l should like it to take some
other form than that contemplated by itE
present leaders, mein fraulein."
GLOW do you mean, Herr BaronS"
Here the baron suddenly turned away
and made no reply. Helene repeated he1
question and anxiously waited for an
answer, which did not come, for the
baron now seemed entirely oblivious Of
her presence.
Deeply hurt, the young lady rose and
left the table. Mrs. Schinkle hastened
after her:
'What is the matter, child?"
In tone half stifed with sobs Helene
related to the hostess what had passed
and ended by saying:
"Can I have offended himP"
''Oh, dear, moi" said Mrs. Schinkle,
laughing heartily. "This baron was OBJ
tanned from an agency for the hire OF
dinner guests, and as we thought that
dinner would be over by Q we engaged
him only till that time-the clock struck
when he ceased talking. Boston Globe.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

The night Waterman in a Chestnut
street bank isn't happy unless he dan
dies his 3-months-old baby for awhile
each evening. He cannot get out, nor
can mamma get in, but every fair night
she passes baby In between the big iron
bars of the front window. Papa watch
man receives the youngster, and passers-
by witness the charming family picture
of mammals smiling face watching be-
tween the bars and papa ronping with
baby In the brightly lighted interior Of
tho philadelphia Record.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
MOUNT HOLLY, BURLINGTON COUNTY, N J.. Tt

SWANS love has cooled, and she thinks
revenge would be sweet, she makes q
straw manikin and calls it by his name.
If she is very vengeful, she may also
make one of her haeed rival. At 2
o'clock at night called the hour of the
bully she rises, and clad in white night
dress only, with high clogs on her feet,
her hair hanging loose and crowned
with an iron tripod, on which three
lighted candles are stuck, she proceeds
to the shrine Of the patron god of the
family.-San Francisco Chronicle.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31

laborer by their behavior. All are clean:
all are easy; all are restrained.
The governor lets his child go to the
common school and sit next to the child
of the casual laborer, certain that his
child will pick up no bad manners and
get no contamination in thought or in
person. This equality enables rich and
poor to meet as friends, and gifts can
pass without degradation. The rich no
bles in the country, just as the universe
ty men with whom we met in Toxic, are
thus able to give to those whom they
know to be in need, and friendship be-
comes the channel of charity. The ques-
ton is, Will this survive the introduction
of the industrial system? 1t is possible
that some of it may and that Japan may
teach the west how to deal with the poor.
-Fortnightly Review.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
Artificial Honeyoombs

An interesting east side street vender
of the German quarter is stout, clean
shaven, neatly dressed man who bears
upon his head shining tin pan filed
with golden honeyoomb. A spotless
white head cushion receives the bottom
of the pan, and knife handle shows in
air above the honeycomb. The latter,
as we'll as It's sweet contents, looks gem
uine. and doubtless east side Germans
are tempted by the sight and arein com
Portable ignorance Of the fact that arti-
fetal honeycombs are nowadays filled
with artificial honey, with the result of
deceiving all save the bees.-New York
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
The sturdy Camel.

A camel has twice the carrying power
of an OK. With an ordinary load of 40C
pounds he can travel ~ or IA days with
out water, going 40 miles day. They
are fit to work at years old, but their
strength begins to decline at 20, although
they usually live to 40. The Tartars
have herds of these animals, often 1000
belonging to one family They were
numerous in antiquity, for the patriarch
Job had 5000. The Timbuctoo or Me-
harri breed is remarkable for speed and
used only for couriers, going 800 miles
in eight days with a meal of dates OF
grain at nightfall. Exchange.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
saddle nn tho wronr Horse.

An emaciated dude applied to Har-
lem livery stable and wanted to hire a
horse, but deposit was demanded.
"You want $50 deposit Do you think
am going to run off with the horse2'
asked the dude.
mo, but I'm afraid the horse will run
off with YOU" responded the livery
stableman. Texas Siftings.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-10-31
p.w.1 postage stamp rourse.

1t may not be generally known that
Paris Is the great postage stamp market
of the world. There Is q regular bourse
held every Thursday and Sunday In .
corner Of the Champs Ulysses, where
hundreds Of men, women and boys con-
gregate with their postage stamp albums
and packages of stamps for sale and ex-
change. It Is said that thousands Of
francs change hands there every market
day.-Pomona Gal Progress.