davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
CuItiyatinp Color In Cats.

Never have cats held so important a
position in the animal world as they do
at the present time. In days gone by
pussy's chief value consisted in her capa-
bilities as a mouser, and SO long as she
accomplished her work satisfactorily
that was all that was required of her.
Nobody troubled as to the shortness Of
her face, the size of her ears, or the
length of her tail. Every one was per-
fectly satisfied with her sober gray coat
and four white feet. Her green eyes,
too, we all took quite as a matter of
course. But now a very different state
of affairs exists. In many instances her
propensity for housing only composes
one of her numberless characteristics, if
indeed the most aristocratic specimens
deign to catch a nous at all.
The markings which are now produced
in our cats are certainly wonderful. We
have striped tabbies and spotted tab
bies, the stripes and spots so clearly and
regularly defined in the best cats that it
seems difficult to believe that it is all ma
ture. The colors, too, are most beautiful
the rich orange, delicate chinchilla,
dusty looking smoke, vivid red and last
but not least blue-blue, or what theun-
initiated would undoubtedly term slate,
being one Of the most fashionable shades
among the pussies Of the present day -
London Lady.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Both Good,

Many interesting stories have been
told about that favorite son of the south,
Henry w. Grady. One that was heard
a few evenings ago at an a~ssemblage
largely made up of Presbyterian clergy
men shows that his colored coachman,
who has not appeared prominently be-
fore the American public, was well
worthy to be in the service of such a
master. The Rev. DR.. Henry M. Field
was the relator of the incident. DIR.
Field was visiting Atlanta and of course
met Mr.. Grady. Mr.. Grady placed his
carriage at DR.. Fields disposal, and after
driving about the city, on being left at
Mr.. Grady's Office, DR.. Field rewarded
the coachman with a big silver dollar.
Later in the day MI. Grady remarked
to DR.. Field that his coachman had told
him Of the tip, and at the same time had
said that a certain Baptist clergyman,
whom he had driven about the city a
few days before as Mr.. Grady's guest,
had at the end of the ride rewarded him
with his blessing, saying that he could
give no other reward. Nh. Grady asked
which he preferred, the dollar or the
blessing, and the coachman, scratching
his head, replied that both were good
and that he thought he preferred them
mixed. "And there are many others of
US, I think" concluded DIR. Field, swhc
prefer them mixed."-New York Times.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Nerve ,Tarrinp .JOcuI3ritias.

There is nothing in the world which
produces the sense of mental nausea
more completely, or is more certain to
turn the intellectual stomach, than the
use of certain jocularities of speech with
which many people think fit to adorn
their conversation. The people who
seem to find it impossible to speak of an
unmarried man except as "a gay bach
elor," with whom the sea is always ''the
briny" Oh the herring pond" and a
horse "a fiery steed," who eternally talk
about "Sunday-go-to-meeting" clothes,
and who have such phrases as mo extra
charge" "agitate the tintinnabulator,"
"the noxious weed" ''the pipe of peace"
$40 winks," and "braving the elements"
forever on their lips, are capable of pro-
ducing a sense of disgust in those who
care to see language kept bright and
clean which is absolutely intolerable.
It is difficult to say whether these cant
phrases-that is, a perfectly proper de
scription of them-are more odious when
used consciously or unconsciously that
is, by people who believe them to be funny
and intend that their hearers should con-
slider them funny, or by those who hav.
merely caught them up and repeat them
like parrots and without any intention,
good OF bad.-London Spectator.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Teaching Horses n Lesson.

Teaching a new horse to come out of
his stall at the fire alarm signal and
range himself alongside the pole is not
SO difficult as might be supposed.
Imagine a pair of new horses assigned
to an engine. The surroundings are more
or less terrible to them, but they are
very gently and carefully handled and
gradually lose their fear. Their tuition
begins at once, and the driver is their
teacher, assisted by the other men.
The ordinary signal is given, as if for
a fire. The stall doors open, and the
horses are led out, put in position, and
in a few minutes led back. This process
is perhaps a dozen times repeated. Great
pains are taken that the animals shall
not strike against anything, or be by any
means frightened.
The unusual spectacle of a harness sus-
pended in air is apt to disturb them at
first, but they are led slowly up to it and
induced to smell of it and inspect it on
all sides.
After they have been led to their posi-
tons a few times they are allowed to
come Of their own accord when the sig
nal strikes, though a man stands behind
them to touch them up a little if they do
not start promptly at the opening of the
doors. Two weeks constitute the aver
age period of instruction, but horses have
been known to learn in one lesson. 9th
ers, however, are months in arriving at
equal proiciency.-"Road, Track and
Stable
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
b Did fhey Hear?
A few years ago I was assistant

A few years ago I was assistant janitol
OF a large insurance building near old
Trinity, New York. The head ianitor's
family lived in Greenville, N. j. He
went home every Saturday night. The
elevator man (my brother) and | took
turns in watching the building Sundays.
The janitor had an old friend who was a
pantryman IN one of the Old Dominion
steamships. He called one Friday, but
the ~janitor was out. He was disappoint-
ed because the steamer he worked on
sailed the text day Saturday, and he
told me there was a storm brewing and
he was afraid of a rough passage.
Sunday morning l got my breakfast,
went out and got a paper and hen went
down into the engine room in the base
ment. l sat there talking to the fireman
perhaps Is or 20 minutes. All this time
the front iron doors were locked and the
key in my pocket.
AT once we heard the front door above
thrown violently open, and it seemed as
if a hundred people came rushing in on
the main office floor. The fireman jumped
up and exclaimed, Frank. what the
devil is that?' / listened a moment and
somebody up stairs screamed: "My God!
My God! We are lost! We are lost!"
We were both pretty well frightened,
but we rushed up stairs and found every
thing as quiet as the grave, not a soul in
sight and the front doors locked as I had
left them.
The next morning when I looked in
the paper what should 1 see on the first
page but an account of a shipwreck, and
it was the very same ship that the poor
pantryman did not wish to sail on the
Saturday before. His name was among
the lost. Now can any one explain what
it was I heard that Sunday?-Cor. New
York Recorder.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Meeting People.

1t is only the little mes of whom there
is reason to be afraid. Small natures,
mean spirits. people who measure by
petty standards and have not the grace
of charity are those whose judgments of
crude and bashful youth are likely to be
severe or unkind. The broad minded,
the great hearted, those whose opinion is
best worth having are those whom a
''nobody" who is unpretentious, modest,
and who does his best to be agreeable,
need never fear to meet. How many
are the tremors and ervou miseries
which young people might spare them
selves if they could remember this!
When modesty becomes timidity, it is
often well to stop before yielding to it
and ask ones self, "Of whom am 1
afraid?" The sensible and truthful an
swer should be, ''Of the criticism of the
least worthy and least important people
whom I know."-Youth's Companion.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Water Taking the Place of Coal.

One Of the most interesting processes
now going on is the conversion of water
into light, heat and power. The great
obstacle in the way of cheap electric
lights and power has been the cost of
coal and other fuel. But all over the
northwest water is being utilized for
running electric plants. An electrician
who has recently been looking over Mon
tana and the northwestern states finds
that everywhere water powers are being
taken up and utilized to create electric
ity. So cheap is this process that the
use of coal is out of the question. No
light and power can be created so cheap
ly as that where a mountain stream has
been made to do the work. What was
an experiment a short time ago has now
become n of the most remarkable in
dustrial developments Of the time.-Ex-
change.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
ChlQrida of Ethyl.

A new local anasthetic has been in
occasional use in surgery for the past
year. Previous to that time it was chief
ly used by dentists. The name of tn
anasthetic is chloride of ethyl, which
has a peculiar odor, not at all offensive;
on the contrary, pleasant and a sweet
taste. 1t will take the place largely OF
chloroform and ether, which require
considerable time to have effect on a pa
tient. Moreover, it is much safer. It
can be used, for example, in the cutting
of an abscess or any other such slight
operation. 1t issimply a matter of spray
ing the affected portion of the body. Its
chief component is alcohol.-New York
Telegram.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
An Intelligent Cow.

Colonel l. D. Mcdonald of Columbia
City, Ind, tells a good story of ami
NAL intelligence. He had bought a lot
of stock, including a cow and her calf,
which he was driving home. The cows
affection for its offspring had attracted
attention more than once
At length a river was reached, which,
being u%nbridged, the cattle had to ford.
The water was deep, and as the cattle
plunged in they were swept off their
feet, the mother cow among the rest.
The calf meantime was taken by the
current several rods down stream, and
when the poor GOV regained her footing
and discerned this her distress was ap-
parent. Instead of making for the oppo-
site shore, AS the other animals had
done, she swan down the stream below
her calf. The current drove the young
creature against the protecting bulk of
the mother.
The COW, satisfied at this state of af-
fairs, started for the shore, the calf swim
ming alongside Of her. About midway
of the river the swift current, striking
the calf in the fore quarter, swept it be-
hind the cow, and again it foundered
down stream.
Once more the mother went to the
rescue. She had to swim around to the
other side Of the calf, and, this done, she
had to steady herself in the stream until
the calf was against her side. Her eff
forts were this time successful, and COW
and calf swan safely to shore.-Indian-
apolis News.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
The Life of q Ship.

An interesting discussion has been
started or the subject Of the life of the
ships. 1t appears that this is very much
a question of where the ship is built. It
is found that vessels constructed in the
United States last, on an average, IS
years only. French ships average 90;
Dutch, &c; German, 25; British, 26; Ital-
ian, 81, and Norwegian, 80 years. The
average death rate of the worlds ship
ping is about 4 per cent and the birth
rate 5 per cent. 1t has become the prac-
tice to construct certain parts Of a YES
sci of iron instead Of steel, such as tank
tops and decks exposed to the weather,
but it is now found to be a better plan
to keep the material the same through
out as far as possible, and the steel
should be the same thickness as the iron.
Chicago Dispatch.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
READING THE FINGER NAILS.
Character as It Is Expressed In the Tips of
W0man's Fingers.

CA1 A0SkCA ~ ~ An AIAPNCbbEul Iii tiO III VI
aWoman's Fingers.
Examine her finger nails. If these
wear the hue of bereavement-but why
suggest anything SO odious and impossi-
BILE? II they are tinged with ink, beware
of the learned lady, n perhaps she is q
successful novelist, with fortune at her
finger ends. Yet she may be a Sappho, a
poet, and we have a distinct impression
that a muse may be a perilous person to
marry, as in the case Of Miss Blanche
Amory. And poetry is not a paying pro-
f~ession, and Mrs. Hemans was "too poet
ical" for Sir Walter Scott. However,
these are merely mortal differences. 1t
needs no ''palmist" to tell the young
man all this, nor does 1.-THE palmist"
daily over such differences.
II her finger nails are wider than they are long,
beware
She hath her nails not long, but broad. Beware!
as the sweet singer of America might
have said. "a hot temper and obstinate
disposition are indicated" This kitten,
as in Mr.. James Boswell's poem, will
grow a cat and cross like other wives.
If the nails are square tipped, round
ed next the hand, you may ''expect a
quick and peppery temper" but not
sulks, which is the worst of tempers in
matrimony. Remember that when alady
gives you her hand she gives you all that
the hand implies-very probably she
gives you pepper. It would be very in
teresting to know what kind of nails
Mrs. Carlyle had, and what sort adorned
the fingers of Mary Stuart, who notori-
ously "blew up" her husband, though
indeed he richly deserved it. Unluckily
portraits are Of little service, as the hands
too often are fanciful and conventional,
especially after Vandyke.
"Almond shaped nails, especially if not
too pink, indicate a cheerful, sweet tenn
per- and are also of high aesthetic value.
''If the nails are bitten" but we refuse
to believe that the nails of the fair are
ever bitten. Everybody would shun a
maiden who bit her thumb at him.
eff you want q careful, economical
wife, look at her thumb But who
wants an economical wife, one that will
initiate Mary Stuart when she buys an
Elzevir or an engraving? The collector,
at least, and the convivial soul of open
hand will avoid a lady who lives by rule
of thumb. An extravagant thumb bends
back very far when the hand is opened,
as all hands should be. "Do not choose
a girl who has a soft, fat hand,'' with
fingers held close together. These things
indicate selfshness-but it may be sell
fshness a deux and convenient.-Lon-
don News.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17

Among the ancients the 'toothless bag"
was a stock figure. Homer was bald.
Diogenes was bald. Ulysses was bald.
How did they become so on bran or whole
grained bread, such as was used in their
times? The miller of this day is making
no mistake in his work. No civilized
nation, with a mixed diet, is in any dam
ger from the use of white -four. The
"sweet and pleasant favor of bread
made out of old buhr -four or ruder
meals was due to no wholesome, nutri-
tious quality in the iours or meals used.
1t was simply the dirt-that is, the
nonfoury parts Of the wheat berry in
corporated in the product of rude milling
that gave that flavor. The bread is more
n~ourishing without it and more digesti-
BILE without it. Modern milling is all
right. The human intestines are not in
tended for mere bran conveyers. The
bran shouldg go to the bran bin, and from
there to the animals that can digest it.
Man is not among those animals.-Mill
ing World.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
A Good Judge of Human Nature.

A noted Methodist minister of Ohio
tells of an incident that occurred on a
train on which he was travelling east
ward to attend a conference. When the
train had left the second station beyond
D., the conductor, who CHANGED to be
a parishioner of the doctor, came up to
him and said: "Brother c., there's a
woman in the next car who says she had
her pocket picked since getting on the
train at D. and says she has NJ mon
ey to pay her fare. Now, as you are a
good judge of human nature, I would
like to have you talk to her and see if
she is a worthy object for a free ride"
The Rev. Mr.. c. promptly acceded
to the request and went into the next
car, where the conductor pointed out
the woman in question. Mr.. c.
walked leisurely up the aisle, and stop
ping at the seat occupied by the woman
said: $50, my good woman, you have
met with a misfortune in having your
purse stolen. Would you mind telling
just how it occurred?"
Just her the woman raised her eyes
and shrieked: "Oh, Mr.. c., please
don't have me arrested. Please don't.
I'll never steal again." Mr.. c., who
was completely dumfounded, finally rec
ognized the woman as a former servant
of his household who had decamped I'M
tremendously the previous week with a
valuable portion of his wife's wardrobe.
It is hardly necessary to say that the
conductor kindly waited until he reached
the next station before putting her off.
Much to his disgust it proved to be her
destination Chicago Herald.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
INC Limlt. Of Human Hearing.

We can do a great deal to cultivate
the ear, but we a do nothing to ex-
tend the range of sounds which the tym-
panum can receive. The a may have
great keenness of perception, may hear
sounds extremely small, distant and
faint, and yet be always deaf to any
noise, however loud, if it is lower or
higher in pitch than the tympanum is
made for. Various experiments show
that about the lowest, or what in a mu-
steal instrument would be called the
deepest bass sound, consists Of 124 undu-
lations in the second, and the highest of
rather more than 5000. Human ears
have not all the same compass. A party
of young people, all with excellent hear
ing, may go into the meadows, and some
will hear the shrill note of the common
grasshopper, and some will not hear it
even family, but simply hear nothing at
all.
DIR. Wollaston believed that ''human
hearing never extends more than a note
or two above the cry of the common
Gryllus campestris." He gives a scale
of sound which he found to be inaudible
to some ears. He found that some people
could not hear the cry of the bat, nor the
chirping of sparrows, which is four oc-
taves above F in the middle of the piano
forte. Not to be able to hear this last
note he considers to be very rare. liz
believes the whole range of human hear
ing to be compressed between the deep
est notes of the organ and the highest
cries of the insects, including fully nine
o~ctaves, the whole of which are distinctly
audible to most ears.-New York Home
Journal.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Losing No Time,

Think it was in the year 1871 that l
remember Gladstone's paying me a visit
at 6 o'clock in the evening. We began
talking on political and theological SUBJ
jects, and became both of US so en-
crossed with the conversation that it
was 2 o'clock at night when I left the
room to fetch a book from my library
bearing on the matter in hand. Ire
turned with it in a few minutes and
found Gladstone deep in a volume he
had drawn out Of his pocket-truet to his
principle of eve losing time-during
my momentary absence. Andt this at the
small hours of the morning.-Dr. Dol
linger in Conversations"
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
How He Did Them.

The man was pompous and had a large
sized and visible confidence in the cor
rectness of mis- manner of doing things.
He had finished his meal at the hotel, and
as he showed back his chair he showed out
the muniicent sum of 25 cents to the
waiter.
"There, my man" he said, ''take that.
/ don't do things by halves"
IN no, sir" whispered the waiter,
''yor do them by quarters. Thank you,
sir" Detroit Free Press.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
An Original Theory of Education.

Count de Lesseps has always had the
cries on the education of children. Part
of his success in the Suez canal was due
to the help of Abbas Pasha. who had
been a pupil of the count. Abbas was a
very fat and luxury loving boy, but with
more than ordinary intelligence. At the
end of the first month of De Lesseps' di-
~rection Of his education his tutor, with
some pride, brought in the boys reports.
"Do not bring me reports of lessons, De
Lesseps said, ''but his weight. I desire
you to weigh him at the beginning of
every month. If he has gained in flesh,
punish him and see that it does not hap
pen sgain."-Chicago Tribune.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Almost Goaded to Desperation.

1t wa during a very tedious ride on a
southern railway, and the passengers,
tired, dirty and thirsty, all berated the
company, with the exception of one sin
gle passenger. His fellow passengers
commented on this and asked him why
he didn't denounce the company too.
sit would be hardly fair" he replied,
"as I am travelling on a free pass, but if
they don't do better pretty soon blame
me if I don't go out and buy a ticket and
join you."-London Tit-Bits.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
FILTRATION.

fou ask me why my hearts as gay
AS II was only yesterday.
An hour before she proved untrue,
And left me In this horrid stew,
With all her modiste's bills to pay.
You know, ma chere, 1t is my way
To never fret when women play
Me false, in spite of which cen you
You ask me why!
''That's not the reason, sir" you say.
Granted If l might dare-"1 mayI"
Ahem! Her exit gives the u
For me to try my luck with you!
you guessed as muchf"-and yet, perdieul
You ask me why!
kate Fields Washington.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
How Trees Are Like Human Beings.

Nature has many peculiar laws gov
erning the organism of trees. One is
that every individual twig, spray, all
the foliage, every fiber, takes precisely
its own thickness of wood from the par
ent stem. This same law is manifested
in the proportions Of the human organ
ism. The length Of the arms from finger
tip to finger tip (arms extended) is the
precise measurement of the length of the
legs of a human being, and other meas
urements are the same in proportion
Boston Transcript.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
The Man of All Others.

Three girls are exchanging condolences
and telling each other what sort of men
they like best.
First Girl like a man with a past.
A man with a past is always interesting.
Second Girl-That's true, but I don't
think he is nearly SO interesting as a
man with a future.
Third Girl-The man who interests
me is the man with a present.-Ex-
change.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Mysterious RObberies.

Police Captain-Did you investigate
the robberies in the st. Closette flats?
Detective-Yes, but have nothing to
report.
"No clew?:"
'None so far. Iwent around to the
museums and arrested all the living
skeletons on suspicion, but every one of
'em proved an alibi. New York Weekly.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17

Helen-Why do they charge so much
for sending a messenger boy a few miles
up town?
Jack-Probably because he ousgrows
his uniform before he gets ~back.-Cloth-
iers and H~aberdashers' Weekly.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17
Do They Wear Their Stock!

First Burglar-No use to break into
that place tonight.
Second Burglar-Why?
First Burglar-It's the night of the
diamond merchants banquet.-Jewelers'
Weekly.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17

Economic entomology is that branch
of the science which, looking beyond the
mere collection and classification of in
sects, has to do with the control of those
which injuriously affect agricultural
DrOducts.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-03-17

The college endowments of Massachu-
sets are said to amount to $40, $50, 900;
the value of college buildings and
grounds foots up $5,O13, 600, and the val
ne of scientific apparatus makes another
81. O2O. 600.