davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
A STRONG MAN.
Stories Told of an Inhabitant of the
Grand Canary.


After the Spanish occupation OF the Grand
Canary, a certain enormous stone was for
long time pointed out IS one Of the instru-
ments of the Gaunche athletic courses.
TIE natives had been able TO lift it. set il
on their shoulders. and even throw it over
their heads. Their degenerate posterity
and the Spaniards could not raise it from
the ground. Tradition has immortaliZed
one Adargoma or Grand Canary, who could
wrestle for two consecutive hours, and,
having been thrown undermOst il a certain
contest, got MS antagonist between his legs
and arms and squeezed him so that his
bones began to crack. Tie native was sub
sequently sent as q prisoner TO Spain,
where he astounded the people by his per-
fornances.
One day in Seville he was visited by q
brawny youth Of La Mancha. who was
anxious to try a bout with HIM. MY good
friend" said Adargoma. "as we are going
to wTesile together II IS only reasonable
that we should begin by drinking some
thing" 4 large bowl Of wins having been
brought, be took this IN one hand and con-
tpued TO address the challenger: III with
both your arms you can oVeTpower one OF
mine so as to hinder me from drinking
every drop OF this wine, we will try our
strength together. If not, you may return
to your home" The struggle took place,
and AdargOma by degrees drained the bowl
in the coolest manner, without spiliing a
drop Of the wine. His one hand was more
than a match for the two.
Ii was reckoDed nothing out Of the CON-
mon for man to take an untethered OK by
the horn with one hand and STAY Il with the
other. A certain natiye-boTn priest Of
Grand Canary in the seventeenth century
showed that be Inherited some Of his an
cestrrs' vigor, for one day, hearing that an
enraRed bull had broken loose and was in
the street. he ran out, and graSping it by
leg, threw it down and so held 1t until lis
owner was able to secure IT, This doughty
son of the church before his death CHANGED
to have one of his legs amputated for can
Ger. II was then found that his thighbone
WAS solid, with no trace Of marrow. Ii
must be confessed. however, that the relics
OF she CaBaTaBs now found 10 their bury
ing places dc not bear out the inference
that this was a national Characteristic,
though their dime nsions are certainly a
testimony of the strength and size Of their
late pr0prietors.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
NOT ALTOGETHER BAD.
A Peculiar Incident in the Career of a
Burglar.

A peculiar incident IN the career OF a
Burglar.
Detroit Free Press.
The burglar was not a Dad-looking man,
although his business had bad look.
He stood by the door of a sleeping-room
and peered in.
faint light was burning and he could
hear the measured breathing of some one
asleep
Cautiously he crept inside. STOPPING low,
and looked around.
No one there save sleeping woman.
In an instant cloth saturated with ether
was thrown over her face and he waited
one, two. three-ten minutes, and the ster-
torons breathing of the sleeper told him
the drug was doing its work.
With dexterous hand he seized the Jew
elry and money lying on the dressing case.
and began quick search In the drawers of
the case.
10000" came voice from the shadows
of the room.
Quick as fash the burglar cIutched
victim.
No one was visible.
10000" came the voice again. and the
burglar saw child in its crib by the foot OF
the bed.
1t was pretty baby, sleepily holding up
lie let his knife fall to his side. and, step
ping over to the crib, touched the child.
IL cooed again softly and held up its arms
for him to take il.
The impulse was beyond his control, and
he lifted the baby to his bosom and it
nestled its soft, white cheek down TO his and
put its white arm around his neck.
He pnrred to IL, and in moment its curly
head was laid against his lace and it was
asleep again.
Never seen a kid like that" he whis-
pered to himself. Most of UNI Is afraid of
strangers" and tenderly he laid it In the
crib.
Then he went back 10 the dressing case.
lie stood still moment and then looked
fur;ively OYER his shoulder toward the crib.
The sleeping face OF the child was turned
toward him.
Slowly he replaced on the case all he had
taken from it. hastily snatched from the
woman's face the saturated cloth. opened a
window near the bed and quietly slipped
downstairs.
Once on the street again he looked up at
the house hungrily.
Dang it!' he growled. "a man that amt
got no more giZzard than l have ought to
git out of The business"
And he disappeared into the sha dows Of
the NIGHT
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
A Cat i'm Luck.
New York Globe.


Mrs. Fred Vanderbilts cat Koko is said TO
have cost, counting oUginal price paid and
cost of importation, close upon $1,000. He
was born in the palace OF the Mikado. and
is the most beautiful as well as the most
costly cat Ia this country. OF unusual size.
he is like Maltese cat in color and intelIi-
gence His mouse-colOred coat Is like heavy
satin. so rich and snowy and sleek.
Every morning he has his bath. and is
combed aud fed before he is allowed TO nre-
sent himself in Mrs. VanderbiiPs rose
colored morning-room. His breakfast OF
cream and griled bones is served Ia deli
cate china bowl and soup plate, very like
those used by children for their oatmeal.
One of Koko's accomplishments Is the de H.
cate. v ay in which he partakes of his meals,
He never spills drop of cream or touches
the delicate CARPET with piece Of meat or
bone. Mrs. Vanderbilt laughs and saws
Kok0 could give lessons in table manners
to Il good many people.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
MURDER WILL OUT.
A Circumstance Which Occurred Near
an Indiana Town Recalled.
f-fo,.a Tou,ocrat

A Circumstance WHICH OCCuTTcu wear
an Indiana Town Recalled.
ST. Louis Globe-Democrst
murder viii cut, if the moon has TO
emblazon it, is the sense of good old Ger
man proverb, and | feel convinced that it
speaks the TRUTH" said Etherdge Claflin.
"a disappearance occurred many years
since near the little town of Silver Lake,
Ind, which caused considerable comment
at the time and much more some ten years
later. A farmer and his vile lived near the
banks of The Silver Lake at that place,
and in 1872 they suddenly disappeared.
The furniture was left intact, but moth
! Ing was found that could give clew
| TO their Whereabouts. Years rolled by,
| and the house with the lapse Of time was
| vested with a supersttlous garO that H.
! cluded the yagarses OF a hundred garrui0us
Washerwomen, who claimed TO nave seen
! this and that and the other most marvellous
! thing within the immediate precinct or the
| fdrsaken dwelling. In 1881 farmer named
ArnCid. driving from Claypool TO Silver
Lake, distance Of six miles, came up with
little old man dressed in slack, who trotted
along the road path with his eyes bent
toward the ground. In neighb0riy mood
Arnold called to him, protfering him lift,
as IL is termed, for portion OF the distance.
! The man never answered. VIII you ride,
l.
side him.
Suddenly the horses, on drawing so close
to the stranger, whose face Arnold could
not see. SHE'D and broke into gailop. Be
ing an expert with the reins, Arnold checked
the flying team, and, looking back, saw that
the stranger had disappeared. This rather
surprising incident occurred 10 other resi-
dents Of the country who were wont at ayen-
tide 10 travel from Claypool 10 Silver Lake.
The queer little man in black became the
gossip Of many tongues, and tie particular
places of his appearance and OF his vanish
Ing " ere accurately fixed. lie disappeared
not far from the vacant cottage so long the
sacred temple of all the uneanBy witch lore
that the village could rake together. Here,
also, little stream wendell over the road
way dCwn 10 the lake. There vas no
bridge The wagons simply drove through.
4 farmer desiring a load of sand drove to
the little stream to gather it from the banks
His excavations revealed the bones OF
skeleton. The authorities we're notified, the
bones were removed and an examination
made. II came ont that s woman had been
murdered her head crushed and her body
buried in the sand. This recalled the dis
appearance and the mysterious man In
black Six months later a dispatch came
from the authorities of Tucson, AriZ., stat
ing that man hanged for murder there had
confessed on the gallOws TO butcheriug his
wife near Silver Lake, Ind, and burying
her body in the sand. The skeleton now
lies buried in the graveyard at Silver Lake,
ana il is a source of dire alarm TO any lnhaO-
liant who is compelled TO travel that way
after dark"
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
Mechanical Kittens.

A wonderful mechanical toy has been on
private exhibition in Paris lately, and Il is
understood that efforts are to be made to
secure the curiosity or curiosities for the
Chirago exposition. This remarkable piece
of mechanism consists of seven life-sized
kittens, covered with real skin, bnt with
eyes of emsralds set in white enamel. Each
kitten is provided with some musical instru-
ment, such as a flute, either, a violin, a
drum, harp, q cornei. an ACCORDION, all
perfectly harmoniZed. With these the kit
tens play the most difficult pieces Of music,
operas and such. The mechanism is similar
to that of Cannon music-box. and the
whole apparatus, kittens, etc, Is valued at
about 10000 francs. The curiosity is even
reported TO be insured for IL. OOO francs
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
Alameda.

The Masonic Temple was filed to over
flowing yesterday to attend the services
over the remains of City Recorder Uznay.
The members Of Alameda anu Halcyon
psrlors of Native Sons we're present in full
force, and tbs officers of the former parlor
conducted the services. The coffin contain
Ing the remains was the largest ever seen IN
Alameda, and il required twelve persons 60
handle it, tie mbined weight of the cOffln
and the remains being over 600 pounds.
Alter the services, while the coffin was
being carried downstairs from the nall to
tile bearse' one Of the haDdles broke. and it
was with difficulty that the heavy burden
was prevented from falling TO the bottom Of
the stairs. The remains were placed in a
vault at Mountain View Cemetery, where
they will be kept for several months.
The Trustees will, no doubt, he requested
this evening to fiji the vacancy caused by
the death of Recorder Uznay. Among the
aspirants are E. o. Crosby, P. McGown, c.
8. snow and one or two others.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
Old Silver I'm Paris.
Correspondence of the jewelers. Review.

correspondence OF tHt JtWeIerS HeNIeW.
The Rue de Provence is the home Of the
secondhand dealer in artistic wares. He
is greater power than the American pawn
broker and has much cleaner reputation,
To wander among these quaint stores is as
much in vogue with the moneyed world as
with the moneyless. SilveTware Is there n
large quantities, and includes every service
able object from souvenir spoon to a
o'clock teaset All this mass has the tar
nish of age and neglect to tell against it's
beauty. but little polishing powder reju-
venates it and it passes out TO be recognized
among its brand-nsw fellows
A remarkable set OF souvenir spoons
came under my notice in one Of these stores.
The half dozen represented Napoleon and
his generals. Only the heads OF the famous
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
ORIGIN OF A SLANG PHRASE.
An Old Politician Gives His Version
on How to "Eat Crow


The origin of the EXPRESSION 'tO eat
crow" caused some dispute in an uptown
clubhouse one evening recently. says the
New York Tribune, and one white-headed
old politician accounted for it in this way:
Years ago." said he, "a soldier stationed
on Governors Island wandered UP into the
city and out upon the pasture lands just
north Of Chambers street. to have some
among the cows, and he instantly aimed
his gun at it and shot 1t dead. As be did so
a ragged little boy. who had been watching
him, dashed off with wild yell IN the direc-
ton of distant house. The soldier laughed
at what he thought to be the boys terror at
the report Of the gun. and laying it down
carefully at the foot OF the tree he went to
pick M the crow.
After that something else attracted his
attention. and he did not think OF his gun
again till be heard angry voice behind
him, and tuning round, found himself
gazing straight down the barrel. furi-
Gus Dutehman was at the other nd Of the
gun. The soldier had sh OF the Dutchman's
pet crow, the boy had borne testimony to
the deed, and now for the penalty.
'Sparing you a recital OF the heated con-
versation which followed. the result was
that the Dutchman spared the soldiers life
only on condition that he would straight
way eat the crow he had shot. The soldier
argued vehemently, but TO no purpose He
finally secured permission tGlpurk the crow
and cook it little over fire made with
few chips. Then he began TO eat but before
he bad eaten more Than half OF the carri0n
bird he became so sick that he swore he
would rather be shot than finish 1t.
''The Dutchman's wrath seemed to be
appessed by this time, however, and he re-
stored the soldier his gun and babe him be-
gone. The soldier took the gun, but in
stead of being gone he instantly took aim at
his brains out If he did not at once eat the
other half Of the crow. The Dutehman was
compelled by fear OF death TO swallow the
rest of the loathsome flesh, and then the
soldier departed leaving the injured Dutch.
man ready to burst with rage and chagrin.
Tho latter swore vengeance, and next
day appeared on Governors Island and
made complaint 10 the commandant that
one of the soldiers had wantonly shot his
tame crow. The commandment told the
Dutchman to pick out the offender. and he
should be punished. The Dutchman pointed
to soldier not far away. and identified
him.
calling the soldier to him, the command
ant said sternly: Did you ever see this man
before?" pointing to the Dutchman.
"'Yes, SIR replied the soldier. with a
Taught in his eyes, i dined with him yes
terday.'
This answer so amused the Dutchman.
besida reminding him of how all his friends
would laugh at him should the story get
out, that he refused TO push the complaint
against the soldier. and to eat crow, mean
humi lating, passed into proyerb from that
hQVV
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

vacation four professors, viz. Professors
Slate, Bradley, Bacon ard Richardson. are
inspecting the schools in different parts of
the State.
One Of the party of students who went
south at the beginning OF the vacation re-
ports that the students who separated from
the main party at SaugGs on their way TO
Santa Barbara had an experience with
neither poetry nor romance about 1t. Alter
waiting for six hours-it was during the
stormy period-for the Santa Barbara tram
at the desolate desert station OF Saugus they
finally boarded it with great sigh OF satis-
faetion and a restful hone Of home In the
immediate future, which was but TOO
rudely shattered by the train coming 10 a
dead standstill when ten minutes out and
remaining there in the cold ana rain all
night Tonga wsshout ahead the cause
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

men we're visible on the handles. but they
we've wrought with a perfection that would
have done credit to photographer The
bowls of the spoons were lined with gold,
and the price of the whole combination was
only equivalent to 81.
1t was worth visit to the Rue to see the
piles OF small trinkets that gather dust in
the windows. A number of seals are 3.inch
pieces of silver that show up exquisite carv-
ing. l saw one that represented the birth
Of Christ with the stable surroundings
brought out in surprising detail
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

makers and in the art of their manufacture
were unequaled by any other tribe
Although they have almost entirely dis
appeared the few that remain cling to their
primitive habits ard to-day are the only
Indians in the world who manufacture and
use wampum as a medium Of exchange.
There are yet few old squaws who can
make plain baskets, but many of the finer
Neages have been entirely forgotten, and
the collection which will be placed on ex-
hibition here could not be replaced
DR.. Hudson is almost what might be
termed an chronological crank and his col
lection is the work of many years, but 1t is
now declared to be by long odds the finest
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
INDIAN BASKETRY.
A Magnificent Collection
for the Fair.
AN ART ALMOST FORGOTTEN
TIE Patient and SkiIIfui Handiwork
of the Most Primitive or All
Indian Tribes.

DR.. j. ". Hudson's splendid collection
of Indian baskets arrived from Mendocino
County and win form one of the most In
teresting exhibits at the coming fair, for
they are the relics of forgotten art which
was only known 10 tribe OF Indians now
almost extinct.
While the Mendocino Diggers are de-
clared by ethnologists to have been the
most primitive of all the Indian tribes of
America, their baskets show marvellous
handiwork. They were distinctively basket
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09
Driven From the Window
Chicago Tribune.

Not long ago an English newspaper
woman was insultingly hurried away from
a jewelers. window IN Paris where she had
stopped TO take notes. French shopkeepers
are. IL seems. very tenacious of novelties In
their wares and do not advertise them as
English and American merchants do. In
this country the mode OF procedure is so
different that it is difficult to fancy the
Partisan condition to exist. A single ones
ton of Inquiry, the slightest interest even.
procures at once volume Of information
a nd description
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

made from stone found In Lake County.
1t is quite soft when first dug. but when
burned it becomes so bard that IL snaps the
finest drills. II is yellow and takes a mag
nfeent polish. The Indians cut and drill it
by hand and a bead an inch long and a
quarter of an inch in diameter is worth So.
Many spectators and collectors have
tried to purchase this splendid collection of
relics, bnt DR.. Hudson is as loath to part
with his treasures as the Indians were and
has kept ii intact IL will be exhibited at
the Worlds Fair and then returned to this
State, where IL will be kept. It's pure CON-
mercial value is about $780, but its histori-
cal and chronological value Is inestimable.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

marsh grass which
runs along beneath the surface for twenty
feet or more. This is gathered, shredded and
carefully dried before used. The cahoOn,
or web the color OF burnt sienna, is the
bark from the root of Mendocino req bud. a
rare shrub there. The tsoowish is the bark
from Lahe County shrub. II is turned a
jet black by burying five days in ashes. A
small handful of either cah0on or tsoOwiSh
is worth 50 90.
The baskets are made OF the Malay or
white web, with the designs worked in
coIors. Some OF the designs are very eaho-
rate, animals, landscapes and even portraits
being worked upon the sides of baskets.
Every stitch is made by punching hole
in the willow warp with a very slender awl
and drawing the web through. Fourteen
different weaves were formerly used by the
Indians but six Of the most complicated are
now forgotten. The finest baskets found
in thirty years by the ethnologists of the
country had twenty-eight stitches TO the
inch, but DR.. Hudson has several contain
ing between forty and fifty TO the inch.
The amount of labor expended upon a
single basket was something astonishing.
For instance, it required 1000 woodpecker
heads and 500 quail crests 10 decorate
sun basket, and all Of these were killed with
the bow and arrow. Then there was the
abor OF collecting materials. which re-
Quired miles OF travels and months OF
labor. The abalone shells for the pendants
were brought from the coast, fifty miles dis
tant, while the wampum was made from
clam shells picked up on BOdega Bay.
After all the materials were gathered years
of work were put in on the basket. One
old sQuaw said it took twenty-five years
from the time she commenced gathering
materials until her sun basket was com
pleted Then she refused an offer Of s125
for 1t. but her husband traded 1t few days
later for bottle of whisky.
The white wampum, or as they term it,
digger silver, is made from white clam
shells. Il is cut and drilled by the primi
tive hand-dril revolved between the palms
or with a twisted string. A string OF it a
foot long is valued al 81. Indian gold is
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09


the tiny trinkets made for Indian children.
The largest is about 21% feet in diameter at
the tor ard the smallest an inch In diam
eter. The palmer baskets were used for all
household purposes, while those decorated
with wampum and feathers constituted the
family Jewels or fine plate of the Diggers.
The most common Of the baskets are the
large cone shapes used for carrying burdens.
They are 10 pa feet ID diameter at the top
and slightly coneaye sides taper 10 point
10 these the old squaws carry m0nstrouS
loads by placing them lie net on their backs
and placing the supporting bands across
their foreheads.
The mortar basket is of the same shape,
but not so large. The apex Is not eonl-
pleted, leaving hole in the bottom about
six inches in q ameteT. This is placed on a
fiat stone half filed with grain. The bas-
ket is held in place by the squaw's knees,
while she brushes the grain. acorns or buck
eyes with an immense stone peStle.
The next in SIZE are the trunk baskets
They are about two feet in diameter. nearly
round aud almost closed at the top. They
are kept in The Indian huts and used for
storing provisions aud clothing In. The
acorn baskets are about the same size and
shape as those used flor carrying burdens,
but are roughly made of coarse materials
with a weave tine enough to prevent small
acorns or buckeyes from slipping through
the nteTstces.
The pinole baskets are about foot and a
half in diameter and bowI-shapeG. In them
the pnole or Indian meal is mixed and
cooked by dropping hot stones into it.
Small round baskets from a foot TO three
inches IN diameter are used for salt and
sugar dishes, drinking cups, dippers, etc,
Those still smaller were onlY made as
toys for Indian children.
The large salmon basket is very rare. 1t
is ovoid in shape, about three feet long,
with an opening In the side about foot
long and eight inches wide. 1t was used for
carving salmon in when that FISH was plen
tiiul in the streams Of Meadocino.
Then there are the large baskets, open on
Que side. in which the papooses are carried
on their mothers backs. and smaller ones
of the same pattern. Ia which the little
Indian girls carried
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

ID Inc WOElQ. EuOIIS
have been mads to Sc
cure il for the Smithson-
ian Institute. Professor
HeHshaw, the noted
ethBologist, having made
a trip to California TO
purchase il, but he could
not induce the collector
tolDart with il.
There are between 200
and 800 baskets In the
collection of all shapes.
sizes and colors from the
big conical baskets used
- ll 4
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09

LHeiT OOliS.
The most beautiful
q n d cOTrespoudingiY
valuable are the small
boat-shaped baskets. the
destiny basket and those
into which the brilliant
plumage of native birds
aud wampGm are WOW
en-. They were never
manufactured for use as
household utensils, but
constituted the riches of
the Digger family. The
destiny basket is vase
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-09


die. and offers of large
sums will not tempt
them to part with their
treasures. If. however.
they get a taste of
whisky. they will sell
all they possess for a
trifiing sum with which
to buy liquor.
The warp of the basket
Is made from young
willow sprouts, while
the web is of different
roots. The Malay, or
white web, 10 the root of