davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

A large sea lion was brought ashore
by the high tide at point on the
beach about three miles this side of
North Cove. The animal was alive
when washed up, but expired under
the rays Of the burning sun soon af-
ter. Its bellowings were pitiful to
hear, and it tore up the beach for a
considerable distance around the spot
it died. The sea lion was female
and was accompanied by smaller
one, which was supposed to be it's Off
spring, which hung about the SPOT
and moaned in "a heartrendering
manner while the mother was in her
death thrOes. After the mother was
dead the little one, after crawling
near her body by the aid of its flap
pers and rolling it, worked its way
back to the surf and disappeared.
Ihe sea lion weighed about 500
pounds, and was the largest one of
the many that have come ashore in
the last six months. She was prob.
ably injured by colliding with some
vessel or in battle with some marine
inhabitant.-Westport World.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

A recent contributor to the Medi-
cal News brings evidence to show that
large proportion OF the school chill
dren classed as mentally dull" are
affected with a degree of deafness.
That deafness should have a marked
effect upon the mental, and even up.
on the physical, development of q
child is easily believed, since so large
a part of everyone's education is
transmitted to the brain through the
ear.
DIR. Sexton, an American aurist.
found distinct defect in the hear
ing powers Of Is per cent. Of a large
number OF school children whom he
examined.
DR.. We'll, of Stuttgart, in an ex-
animation OF over six thousand
school children found that 80 per
cent, or nearly one-third of the
number examined, had defective
hearing powers. He made use of the
whisper test and the test for hearing
the watch tick. The hearing was
considered defective only when it fell
considerably below the average.
Dr. Gelle, of Paris, who has made
extensive experiments in regard to
the percentage of deafness among
school children, found that degree
of deafness was very common among
dull" pupils, though often unrecog-
nized. He found, in one case, seven
children placed in seats In the rear of
the schOOl-rOom on account of dull.
ness and inattention. OF these,
four could hear the watch tick at a
distance of from to 18 inches only,
while two were entirely deaf in one
ear.
OF twelve boys whom the teacher
considered poor pupils, ten were at
fected with loss of hearing power in
one or both ears.
Cases Of deafness should not be al
lowed to go without treatment Even
the seemingly hopeless cases should
b" sent to the aurist for an opinion
is to a likelihood of improvement
under treatment.
Running ears" should never be
neglected. Such a condition makes
the child disagreeable neighbor in
a school. The disease is always
source of danger to the child itself,
and may be source of danger to its
companions
During an attack of measles or
scarlet fever ear complication should
be guarded against by cleanliness of
the nose and throat. II the ears
discharge, they should receive treat.
ment aiming at cleanliness of the au.
raj canal.-Youth's Companion.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

flshed out stocking, and from its
mysterious recesses she by and by
drew out a ring with a glass setting
as big as a dime. She rubbed the
ring on her dress for awhile and theE
handed it out for inspection an0
asked:
There do you call that diamonds
mo, it is not a diamond"
didn't cost 81. 600, did it?"
"Oh! MOI"
About seventy-flve cents, eh?"
That would be nearer its value, !
think. hope you didn't buy that
for q diamond ring"
mo, l didn't. My Teller gave it
to me for an engagement ring"
II see. said the lady as she turned
her head away to smile.
Said it was 81, proof Of his
love-"
ayes"
"But he didn't fool me any. The
mint she begun to fade out and
turn black throwed him over for
another Teller and dad scarf $500
out Of him fur toying with young
girls heart. l didn't 'spect it had
turned to a diamond, but thought it
wouldn't do any hurt to ask, and it
also sorter struck me that some Teller
might have played the same gum
game on you. II he has have your
dad go fur him. Them sort o. chaps
kin be scarf right outer their butes. Z"
Free Press.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

ENTHUSIASM for the army bill will
not be greatly stimulated in Germany
by the suicide Of private because of
the abuse OF his non-commissioned
officers. Great, OF course, is the
German army. but it is sustained,
doubtless, by an excessive discipline
that would long have grown intoler-
able among American soldiers. Two
years ago Duke George of Saxony
issued sensational circular that
threw much light upon certain army
practices. He declared that bad
treatment had become not a punish.
ment, but habit, and that beatings
were not uncommon. One nOn-com-
missioned officer made his men drill
one winter night In their shirts, and
for variety made them kneel 10 him
1900 times. The Duke added that
as rule The commissioned sustain
the commissioned officers in such
unkindness and barbarity. But per.
haps such acts as the above are ex.
ceptional and must be condoned.
The world looks at the grand result,
Williams imperial and unconquered
legiOnS.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Lot Tribe of Israel z

Scattered over the breezy downs Of
the Nilgherries, in little villages Of
wicker houses that look at little
distance like nothing in the world so
much as colony Of beehives, lives a
community of 600 or 700 people, who
are variously believed to be the de-
scendants of one Of the lost tribes OF
Israel, the aborigines of southern
India and community of Mani
chasens.
They believe in strange trinity
and a hell, a dismal stream full of
leeches, and this they must cross by
means of a single thread. The soul
burdened with sin is too heavy for
this slender support and the sinner
falls into the stream, hut the thread
sustains easily the souls of the good.
The funeral of Toda, for that is
the name of the singular tribe, is as
odd in its way as its religious beliefs.
His body is wrapped in a new cloth
and his toes tied together with red
thread; grain, sugar, tobacco and
money are wrapped in his funeral
tOga to provide him for his Journey
across the Styx and the dark plain
beyond.
Two buffalOes are slain beside the
corpse and the dead mans hands are
placed upon their horns; a piece of
his skull, his hair and his flngernails
are removed to be used later on at
the great celebration of the death of
all those who, during the twelve
months, have taken the leap over
the great precipice into the bottom
less abyss"
When these tokens are removed,
clarified butter is smeared on the
fragrant wood of the funeral pyre and
the body is burned to ashes and the
ashes scattered to the four Winds
Bombay Times.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
A CAT AND A RATHER.
The Former Completely vanquishes and
Stays Her Vicious Foe.

The Former Completely vanquishes and
Stays Her Vicious Foe.
"A curious fight between a cat and
a rattlesnake was witnessed by some
school children lately" said a Penn
sylvanian. "The reptile was lying
curled up in field. The cat stole
slowly upon him, and before long it
was plain that the rattler had dis
covered the approach Of his foe, for
he raised his head slowly out of his
folds and began to shake his rattles
warningly. But this Maltese was no
ordinary cat She had evidently been
taking quiet notes Of the methods Of
rattlesnakes. She crept on, and when
within yard of the snake, she
stopped, raised one paw and held it
out toward the RATHER. That was
challenge enough for him, and he
threw his vicious head and foot and
a half OF his body forward to strike
the daring cats foot. But the cat
was as quick as the snake, and her
foot was not in the path OF his fangs
when they got there, and he missed.
Then, quick as fash of lightning
the cat brought her other paw into
play. and with it she struck the
snake blow that knocked it a
foot or more to one side. She didn't
keep the velvet over her claws
when she struck, either, but had
them at full length, and laid the
snakes neck open in two long gashes,
from which the blood spurted. The
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

rattlesnake was surprised enough at
this unexpected result Of the first
round, but, maddened at the cats
assault, he cOiled again for fight.
The little backwoods school girls
screamed with delight over the cats
smartness, and the boys declared it
was no-good RATHER.
again the willy Maltese presented
her paw as feint, and again the
RATHER was fooled by it, for his
vicious strike was avoided again by
the cats quick maneuver, and again
the snake received tabby's terrible
Highlander alongside the head.
These skillful tactics OF the smart
cat were repeated three times, with
the same result, and then the rattler,
weakened and thoroughly dispirited,
turned to run away. The moment
the snake moved away the cat sprang
upon it tlercely and ripped it open
half way down the back with two
slashes of her sharp claws. AS it lay
writhing on the ground the cat sud-
denly seized the rattler in her Jaws
by its slender neck and crunched it's
head from the body. She then
dragged the carcass to the other side
Of the road, where she dug a hole
and buried it. Then she trotted
away toward the school house and
the children were happy"
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

SIR EDWIN ARNOLD, since his re-
turn to his editorial chair in London,
has constituted himself champion OF
the American girl, who, according to
him, is much maligned and misun-
derstoOd in Britain. Thanks, awfully,
Sir Edwin; it is pleasant to hear you
say that our girls are the dearest,
sweetest and particularly the bright
est creatures in the world. But they
are really quite able to defend them
selves, and the British lass has posi-
lively no chance whatever in compe-
titiOn with them.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Plucky Boy Soldier.

In the recollections Of "A Man of
Letters Under the Empire and
the Restoration" a story is told
of a French poet, Marquis de Saint
Marc, which would do credit to some
OF the military heroes OF history.
When Saint-Marc was fifteen years
old he was ensign Of troop of caval !
ry in the French army, and took part
In the battle of Fontenoy. The first
charge Of the English columns scat
tered and overthrow the first line Of
Saint-Marc's regiment, and the boy,
seated on his horse and unframed,
was left alone.
In that terrible moment" he said,
speaking Of it afterward, II remem,
bered nothing except that had been
told not to finch, and always to hold
my standard upright. l did that
with all my strength. Then the
second line rushed forward. Before
l quite understood it l was surround
ed with friends, who wrapped me in
my flag and carried me to Louis XIV,
who embraced me and made me a
lieutenant then and there"
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Jokers Among the Monkeys.

No one will doubt that monkeys
have a keen sense of humor which
enables them to relish a joke. 1t is
not to be supposed that they care
whether the fun is at the expense of
one of their own species or Of ours.
Their jokes are necessarily practical.
Professor r. S. Garner, who is max
ing life study Of our simian brothers,
gives an instance in point. In
large cage in the Philadelphia Garden
were kept at one time about twenty
monkeys. Among them were two
big, wise-looking apes with gray
boards and hair, and with the mien
Of stoics. They had very long,
straight tails, and habit of sitting
high up from the ground and allow
ing their tails to hang at full length.
In the same cage were three or tour
brown cebus monkeys, who were
much devoted to exercise and fun.
While the big monkeys would cling
to the side Of the cage, or sit on
perch some ten or twelve feet from
the ground, one of the little brown
monkeys would stealthily creep up to
one Of them, and suddenly grasp the
end OF the long tail and swing with
all his might. or course the "big
'un' could not lift his tail because OF
the weight Of the little monkey
clinging to it. He could only climb
down the side OF the cage with his
burden until he could reach the floor.
During this operation the brown
monkey kept swinging until his own
tail touched the floor, at which in
slant he would release his hold and
spring to the top OF the cage, followed
by the outraged monkey amid the
screams Of the Others. BY the time
he had reached point where he
could attack his little tormentor,
who would show some signs of re-
'istance and cause him to pause for
moment, another brown monkey
would seize his long tail and take a
;Winp
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
LEGISLATORS Of New York though

LEGISLATORS Of New York thought
they had taken a step forward in
civilization when instead Of abolish
ing capital punishment they looked
to mitigation of the horrors of hang
ing by requiring that persons con-
demned to death should suffer not on
the gallows but die instantly by an.
plication Of electricity. Really hui
name persons fancied that no prog
ress was made. Some years ago the
case Of the person who was to be the
first victim Of the electric form of
administering the death punishment
was appealed from court to court and
finally reached the United States SUI
preme Court, where the question was
argued whether or not the punish
ment was cruel and unusual and
therefore against the fundamental
law OF the Union. The finding of the
court was that it was not cruel or un-
usual. The question is one of fact.
We knew to certainty that it was
unusual punishment and we now
know that it is cruel, the horror of
which has never had counterpart in
any bungling by hangman. One
cannot read without adherence the
circumstances of the execution of a
negro within the penitentiary at Au-
burn. The dynamo broke down, the
voltage was insufficient, the victim
was stunned, not killed, by the first
delivery OF the current, and he was
held in this world gasping and groan-
ing, unbound, and carried to a cot
awaiting the slow process by which
the electricians gained additional
power not from the prison but from
the city plant. To steady the victim
under these horrible circumstances
he was given an injection OF morphine
and dose Of chloride of gold. No
amateur hangman in his nervousness.
and lack Of knowledge could have
been guilty Of greater cruelty to q
helpless victim doomed to death thar
was the State electrician in the muir.
der Of this negro.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

1T appears that at a time when all
OF the roads were protesting that it
was out of the question for them to
reduce rates to the Exposition, and
that If it were done their regular
business would be demoralized, some
Of the lines running to the East and
the Southeast were privately cutting
the rates in order to get some extra,
business for themselves. They were
placing in the hands of scalpers for
sale alleged return tickets to be dis
posed OF at prices several dollars be-
low the regular rates. The roads
which were thus getting more bust
ness and filling their cars were the
most earnest in declaring that round
trip one-fare tickets must not be sold
to the Exposition. Such perform
ances are calculated to shake the
faith Of the people in railroad officers.
When they are seen to be false to
their solemn agreements and to be
unable to keep faith with one an-
other it is not surprising that no re-
lance should be placed in anything
they may say to the public. II rail-
road presidents and superintendent
could stick to their agreements one
tenth as firmly as unions Of railroad
employees do it might be possible to
believe them, which is not the case
now
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

MEN prate Of the resources OF Ma
ture being exhausted, and groan over
a future when we shall entirely lack
some necessary OF life, as IL it would
happen next week. Why, good old
Dame Nature has her stOrehouse full
for many hundreds of years to come !!
And further than that, with the *.
haustion of some special resource.
the ingenuity of man constantly
comes to the fore and supplies hui
mainly with substitute of greater
value. When we read that chemists
turn scrap iron into ink, cd bones
into lucifer matches, the shavings OF
the blacksmith's shop into Prussian
blue, fusel oil into oil of apples and
pears, and tar waste into aniline
dyes and saccharine, we can but be
impressed with the fact that there
are many sources yet to be explored
for hitherto unsupported ingredients
or clements.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Almost q Miracle.

A peculiar incident Of mountain
travel Is recorded in the life of
Nicholas Ferrar." He was riding on
muleback over some narrow and dan.
gerous passages Of the Alps, hisguide
being little way before him. En-
crossed in thought, Ferrar was paying
little attention to the way, when he
was suddenly recalled to himself. by
an exclamation from his guide.
At the narrOwest and steepest part
OF the path,-a lofty wall on one side
and a precipice on the other,
donkey laden with a large piece of
timber came rushing from the side
Of the mountain, turned into the
narrow road, and bore down upon
Ferrar.
The guide had heard the noise, and
at once realized his patrons danger.
20 Lord" he cried. "The man is
lost II he had a hundred lives!"
And truly there seemed to be nc
escape. The donkey was loaded with
the timber athwart its back, so that
1T would be impossible for it to pass
Ferrar and his mule without pushing
them over the precipice.
AS the donkey plunged down the
narrow path, however, it stumbled
just in front Of Ferrar, and fell to
its knees. The sudden check swung
the timber round so that Ferrar was
lightly brushed by it, and in one
moment the danger was passed.
Ferrar fell on his face, thanking
God for his miraculous preservation.
The guide and the owner of the
donkey which had broken away
while being loaded-stood crossing
themselves and crying, "Miracolo!"
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Caution In Signing the Name,

An important matter to teach a
girl is the value Of her signature. II
the habit is once formed Of attaching
her full name to every letter she
writes, with her address, it may save
a great deal Of trouble in future
times, should her letters be lost by
mail. She should be taught the re-
sponsibility which she assumes in
thus signing her name. and she is not,
ilkely then to write silly and foolish
letters which she would gladly recall.
She should also learn that she must,
not affix her name to any list of in
dlvlduals, any society or any docu-
ment without knowing fully what re-
sponslbility she is assuming. The
matter may seem trivial, but she
should give time to thought in all
matters where her name is asked for.
and not trust even to her dearest
friend against her own Judgment
Philadelphia Times.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Has Been ENGAGED.

1t was in the waiting room of the
Third street depot. A lady who was
reading newspaper had the glove
off her left hand and her solitaire
diamond ring caught the eyes of a
score Of people. She didn't know
anything about that, OF course, and
was no doubt deeply interested in
the news from Siam when a chunky
young woman about 80 years OF age
changed her seat to bring her with
IN speaking distance and asked:
would you mind about me askin'
you question:"
NO! Certainly not" was the
reply.
as that diamond ring you have
on?'
yes"
will you look at mine and see il
It's a diamond?"
From the depth Of a reticule she
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
Well Endowed.

A certain well-known surgeon is
ambidextrous AS Malaprop among
students once said OF him, "He can
use one hand just as we'll as the
other, and perhaps 4 little BETTER"
One day he was operating in case
which required great delicacy of
manipulation. and the students
present were overcome with admira-
ion at .the< calmness and dexterity
with which ne, shifted the instrument
from one hand to the other, and
the right. y,
A newcomer, who had nevef seen
him operate, and had never heard of
this double facility, could not control
bis wOnderment.
do you see that" he whispered in
the ear Of a fellow-student. Hes
amphibious!"
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20
EOr1etlAl Patrons.

1T Is strange how unreasonable
some people are" said the proprietor
of q down town restaurant recently.
People who leave articles, or think
they do, are the greatest nuisances
on earth, however. Here Is sample.
The other day q man rushed In and
asked:
"'Where's my umbrella?'
al don't know anything about your
umbrella, sir.
"'You don't, eh? Well, you ought
to. left it,
If you had left it here, sir, I
should have found it,
IL left it, anyway
~At this got thoroughly mad with
the man, and asked
"'Do you mean to say that have
stolen your umbrella:'
'N-no,' said he.
~If he had said yes, blood would
have been spilled then and there,
but at this he became confused, and
said that he did not mean to imply
that l was thief, but that he
thought his umbrella ought to be
there. Well, would you believe it,
two days later he strOlled in with
the umbrella and smiled as sweetly
and innocently as baby.
Found it, you see, he said. in
jocular manner, as though that would
wipe out the insult to me.
Il said nothing, however. He had
left it in cigar store. Only to-day
a man came in with the announce
ment:
II left my rubbers here.'
i think not, sir
"'Are you sure?' I,
eyes
They must be here
AT this I stepped from behind the
counter and confronted him.
look at my feet, sir, and then
look at your own. Your feet are
about twelve sizes larger than mine.
would slip all around in your rub
bers. Look at my feet, sir, and then
tell me if you think l would steal
your blamed old rubbers.'
AT this he apologized. This kind
Of people make life burden"
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

HITHERTO naval battles have been,
as compared with those on land,
bloodless. At the celebrated battle
OF the Nile Lord Nelson lost only lis
men, at that Of Copenhagen flfty.six,
and at the great battle of Trafalgar
44e, only a few more than went down
In the Inflated Victoria. But naval
battles In the future will not be
quite so innocent. The improve
ments in guns and new projectile
powers, together with the deadly tor.
pedo, will put new complexion upon
warfare waged on the vastly deep.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

THE Philadelphia Record is dis
posed to make merry over Michigan's
Jag cure" bill. After giving a brief
sketch of the law and the manner in
which it is expected to operate, the
Record says: "The Michigan State
providence has undertaken to put all
the topers who have been attacked
by the bacilli of alcohol into santa
iums to be treated to injections Of
bichloride of gold at the public ex-
pense. Great is the art of govern
ment
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

THE revolving method taken by
w. H. Irving to kill himself at Chi
cago strengthens the theory that the
man who commits suicide is suffering
from a species Of insanity. With a
lake right at hand where a plunge
would have been an easy death, it is
not conceivable that a sane person
would have filed his mouth with
powder and blown his head of.
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

AMERICAN farmers have been called
on to furnish their European neigh
bors with hay. Shiploads have been
sent ever, and still the demand comes
for more. This call has been occa-
etoned by long and continued drought
In England, France, and other por-
lions Of the old world. Hundreds
Of tons have gone forth from Iowa,
Nebraska, Wisconsin, and other
States near BY, and still the cry
Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-20

IT is said that a Partisan editor
has fed from home and friends after
having been blackmailed out OF 49,
500, 900 francs in three years. That
the editor may have fed we will not
deny, but we should like to have
some more definite information as to
the amount that he is said to have
paid his enemies.