davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-04

hlm' lie would have said this was not
possible, but that in doing SO, he must
admit greater difficulty, an entrance
by other means. of which he was con
vinccd there existed none 1t was not
intended, then, that he should he left
To perish from hunger. But the secret
and mysterious mode of snpplvinc him
with food seemed To indicate he was to
nave no opportunity of communicating
with Il human being.
The other circumstance which had at
tracted his notice was the disappear
ance, as he believed of one of the seven
grated windows that ran along the top
of his prison. He felt confident that he
had observed and counted them; for he
was rather surprised ut their number
and there was something peculiar i'm
their form, as well as in the manner of
their arrangement, atuncqual distances
t was much easier, however. to suppose
ne was mistaken than that portion of
The solid iron, which formed the walls,
could have escaped from its position,
and he dismissed the thought from his
mind.
Nivenzio partook OF the food that
was before him, without apprehension
II might be poisoned; but if it were, he
knew lie could not escape DEATH should
such be the design of Tolf, and the
quickest death would he the spccdiest
release.
The day passed YEARLY and sloomily;
though not without a faint hope that,
by keeping watch at night, he might
observe when the person came again to
bring him food, which he supposed he
would do in the same way as before
The mere thought OF being approached
by living creature, and the oppor-
tunity it might present OF learning the
doom prepared, or preparing, for him,
impaired some comfort. Besides, if he
came alone, might he not in a furious
onset overpowcr him? Or he might be
accessible to pity or the influence of
such munificcnt rewards as lie could be-
stow If once more at liberty and master
of himself. Say he were armed. The
worst that could bcfall, ifnor bride, nor
prayers, nor force prevailed, was "a
friendly blow, which, though dealt in
damned cause, might work desired
end. There was no chance so desperate
but it looked lovely in Vivenzio's eyes
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-04

scenes wnlcn were once glowing reafI-
ties for him, in whose ravishing illu-
sions he soon lost the rcmemb rance
that he was Tolfi's prisoner
When lie awol<c, it was daylight; but
how long he had slept he knew not 1t
might be early morning. or it might be
sultry noon, for he could measure time
by no other note of its progress than
light and darkness He had been so
happy in his sleep, amid friends who
loved him, and the sweeter cndear-
ments of those who loved him as friends
could not, that, in the first moments of
waking. his startled mind seemed TO
admit the knowledge of his situation
as If it had burst upon it for the first
time fresh in all its appalling horrors.
He gazed round with an air of doubt
and amazcment and took up handful
OF the straw upon which he lay, as
though he would ask himself what it
meant But memory, too faithful to
her Office. soon unveiled the melxn choly
past, while reason, shuddcring at the
task, flashed before his eyes the tre-
mendons future. The contrast over
powered him. He remained for some
time lamenting. like truth. the bright
visions that had vanished; and recoil-
ing from the present, which chung to
him as poisoned garment
When he grew more calm, he sur
veycd his gloomy dungeon. Alas. the
stronger light of day only served to
confirm what the gloomy ndistinct-
ness Of the preceding evening had par
TALLY disclosed, the utter impossi bility
OF escape. AS however, his eyes wan
dercd round and round, and from place
to place, he noticed two circumsta noes
which excited his surprise and curl
osity. The one, lie thought, might be
fancy; but the other was positive His
pitcher of water, and the dish which
contained his food, had been removed
T, from his side while he slept and now
stood near the door. We're he even in
clined to doubt this. by supposing he
had mistaken the spot where he saw
them over night. he could not, for the
pitcher now i'll his dungeon was
neither of the same form nor color
a. the other, while the food was
changed for some other of better
quality. He had been visited, there
fore, during the night. But how had
the person obtained entrance? Could
he have slept SO soundly that the un-
locking and opening of those ponderous
portals were effected without waking
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-04

the top OF the wall on that size or une
dungeon. Tho tall folding-door. too.
still seemed to stand beneath, in the
center of these four, as it had at first
stood in the center of the seven. but
he could no longer doubt what, on the
preceding day, he fancicd might be the
effect of visual deception. The dun
geon was smaller. The roof had low
cred--and the opposite ends had con-
tracted the intermediate distance by
space equal, he thought to that over
which the three windows had extended
He was bewildcred in vain imaginings
to account for these things Some fright
full purpose-some devilish torture of
mind or body-some unhcard-of device
for producing exquisite misery, lurlled
he was sure. in what had taken place
Oppressed with this belief and dis
tractcd more by the dreadful uncer-
tainty of whatever fate impended,
than he could be dismayed, he thought,
by the knowledge of the worst, he sat
Illuminating, hour after hour, yielding
his fears in succession to every hag-
gard fancy. At last horrible suspic-
ion flashed suddenly across his mind,
and he started up with frantic air
Yes. he exclaimed. looking wildly
round his dungeon. and shuddering as
he spoke-'Ics. it must be so. see it.
i feel the maddening truth like
scorching flames upon my brain. Etcr-
nal God!-snpport me! it must be so.
Yes, yes, that is to be my fate. Yon
roof will descend walls will
hem me round slowly. slowly
crush me in their iron arms, Lord God.
look down upon me, and in mercy
strike me with instant death, O fiend--
devn!-is this your rcvcngc?"
He dashed himself upon the ground
in agony-tears burst from him. and
! the sweat stood in large drops upon his
face-he sobbcd aloud-hc tore his hair
he rolled about like one suffering in
tolerable anguish of body, and would
have bitten the iron floor beneath him:
he breathcd fearful cnrscs upon Tolti,
and the next moment passionate pray
ers to Heaven for immediate death.
Then the violence of his grief became
exhausted, and he lay still, weeping
as child would weep The twilight
of departing day shed its gloom around
him ere he rose from that posture of
utter and hopeless sorrow lie had
taken no food. Not one drop of water
had cooled the fever of his parchcd lips.
Sleep had not visited his eyes for six
and-thrty hours. He was faint with
hunger; weary with watching, and
with the excess of his emotions lie
tasted of his food: he drank with avid
ity of the water. and rccling like Il
drunken man in his straw, east himself
upon it to brood again over the appal.
ling image that had fastened itself
upon his almost frcnzied thoughts.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-04
Too MethodIcal fnru.x

Fair Widow OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Mr.
Slade, suppose your wife was to die
What would You do then?
Mr. Slade-Call in the undertaken
Js=u.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-04

He slept But his slumbcrs were not
tranquil lie resisted, as long as he
could, their approach: and when. mt
last, enfccblcd nature yielded to their
influence, he found no oblivion from
his cares. Terrible dreams haunted
him CHASTITY visions narrowed up his
imagination-hc shouted and screamed
as if he already felt the Dungeons pom
dcrous roof descending on him-he
breathed hard and thick. rs though
writing between its iron walls
Then would he spring up-stare
wildly about hm-stretch forth
his hands. to be sure that he
yet had space enough to livc-and,
muttering some incoherent words, sink
down again to pass through the same
fierce vicissitudes of delirious sleep
The morning of the fourth day
dawned upon Vivcnzio But it was
high noon before his mind shook off its
stupor, or he awokc to full conscious
ness of his situation And what a fixed
energy of despair sat upon his pale
features as he cast his eyes upward
and gaZed upon the THREE wind ows
that now alone remained The three!
lltIc Nclt no lllOTc-uuO Illcy SceDeu
to mum Der his allotted days. Slowly
and calmly he next surveyed the top
and sides, and comprehended all the
meaning of the diminished height of
the former, as we'll as of the gradual
approximation of the latter. The con-
tracted dimensions of his mysterious
prison were now too gross and palpa ble
TO be the juggle of his heated imagina-
ton. Still lost in wonder at the means,
Fivenzio could put no cheat upon his
reason, as to the end BY what horri-
bic ingenuity it was contrived, that
walls and roof and windows should
thus silently and imperccptibly, with
out noise and without motion almost,
fold, as it were, within each other. he
knew not. He only knew they did so:
and he vainly strove to persuade him
self it was the intention of the con-
trivcr to rack the miserable wretch.
who might be immurcd there, with an
ticipation merely, OF Il fate, from
which, in the very crisis of his aronv
he was to be rcprieved
Gladly would he have chung even 10
this possibility if his heart would have
let him; but he fclta dread ful assurance
OF its faslacy And what matchlcss in
humanity il was to doom The sntrcrr,
to such lingering tormcnts lead him
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
LETTER FROM COCKRELL.
The Missouri Senator's Epistle to II
N. snyder on the Financiai
Situation.

Some time ago Mr.. H. NJ Snyder
of St. Louis, addressed a letter to
United States Senator Francis NJ &.
Cockrell, in which he cited that
when our Constitution was first
adopted, our forefathers did not ask
England or any other nation what
our currency should be when they
made gold and silver the currency
of the country. In his letter Mr..
Snyder further stated that the United
States should not allow England or
any other nation to dictate to us what
should be our currency. Mr.. Snyder
concluded his letter by stating that
Congress- should make laws for the
laburers and farmers and let the cap
italists shift for themselves. In re-
ply to his letter MIR. Snyder has re-
ceiyed the following from Senator
Cockrell:
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July TO-
My DEAR SNYDER: Many, many
sincere thanks for your valued favor
of the Sth inst. You are right and
sure that the bankers and specula-
tors think they have everything
their own way. 1t is time that you
and those like you, the bone and
sinew of the country, should rise to
proper effort to break the influence
and domination of the plutocrats.
All over your city the laboring toll
ing class should hold meetings in
open air, where they can be held
without cost, and express your views
and wishes. l shall do all | can
to maintain the honest constitutional
money of this country, gold and sill
yer. With my best wishes, your
friend, +. M. CoCKRELL.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20

False teeth are made from paper,
and are said To wear well and last a
lifetime.
The first bricks made in this
country were manufactured by the
Virginia settlers in 1912.
Diamond cutters in Holland have
succeeded in cutting stones so small
that it takes 1 800 of them to weigh
karat.
There is little town named
Markneuklrchen in Saxony, where
nearly every inhabitant is engaged
in the manufacture of violins.
The electric railway has penetrat-
ed even the Businesses of the
Tyrolese Mountains, a road twenty
seven miles long being projected
between Riva and Pinzolo.
A new glass for Thermometers Ia
uneffected by heat of 1000 de-
grees, the ordinary glass being un-
reliable above $50 degrees on ac-
count of is tendency to soften.
A pneumatic tube connects Paris
with Berlin. 1t is used for postal
purposes, and makes it possible fol-
letter mailed in Paris to be deliv-
cred in Berlin in thirty five minutes.
A new California way of forcing
an express car is to bore holes IN
the door and fill the car with fumes
from some chemical compound. In
the reported experiment the agent
was able to signal the engineer be-
fore being overcome by the smoke.
Scientific journals in England
speak approvingly of new method
of manufacturing caustic soap,
chlorine and other chemical products
directly from sea water, with the
aid of electricity. There is an
immense saving of time, labor ard
material in the process.
The largest stationary engine in
the world is used to pump out the
zinc mines at Freidenville, Pa. Its
driving wheels are thirty five feet in
diameter and each weighs a little
over forty tons. The cylinder is
110 inches in diameter, and the
engine raises 1880 gallons Of
water every minute.
Chemists now turn scrap iron
into ink, old bones into lucifel
matches, the shavings of the black
smith shop into Prussian blue, fusel
oil into oil of apples and pears,
the DRAWINGS of cow houses into
fashionable perfumery, beggars' rags
into new coats, and tar waste into
aniline dyes and saccharine.
The dome of the new Greenwich
observatory, which is now in pro
cess of construction, will not be
covered with zinc, copper or sheet tin
as has been the custom, but a new
departure will be made in covering
it with papier mache. Together
with the iron girders which support
the roofing, the entire dome vii
weigh some twenty tons.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
Facts Worth Knowing.

There are 300 different mountain
peaks within the limits of the
United States, each of which ex-
ceeds 10, 900 feet in height.
The Mohawk Indians will not
allow so much as a blade of grass
to grow upon the graves OF their
companions.
Mrs. Matte Wooten, of Viola,
Tenn, has a quilt which is made
up of 3, 1852 pieces, no two OF which
are alike.
Twelve years ago one sailor in
every 100 who went to sea lost his
lite; now only one in 256 is lost.
There are 5000 postoftices in
the United States in charge ol
women.
The Worlds Fair has two miles
of lunch counters.
The principal food export Of
Sweden is butter.
Uncle Sam pays 800, 100000 q
year in salaries.
Only one person in 1000 dies o
old age.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
Political Prediction.

The Jefferson City Tribune says
that Ex-Governor David r. Francis
has made up his mind to enter the
race again. If he has, the ex Gov
ernor must have decided to let Judge
James Gibson of Kansas City fight
his battle alone.
Speaking of Francis, the Tribune
says: sit is hardly necessary to
say that he would be formidable
candidate in view of his splendid
record of four years as Governor.
No one regards him as political
corpse, by any means. He is very
lively man and very lively polite
ian, and, what is more. he possesses
the confidence of the people.
This is a remarkable Endorsement
of Francis by paper that has been
strongly antiFrancis, and the organ
of Governor w. ]. Stone. tits pos.
sible that Stone has determined to
make an effort to succeed Senator
Vest, and that he is willing to helI
Francis to get another term as Gov
ernor if by doing SO he can attain Q
senatorship. The indications point
to some remarkable deals by the
Democratic leaders in the next State
election.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
Facts Worth Knowing.

There are forty-seven Chinese
temples in the United States valued
al $62 900, and they claim 100, 900
worshipers. Forty of these temples
are in California, four in New York,
two in Idaho and one in Oregon.
Impartial writer's say that the
gold contained in the medals, vessels,
chains and other objects preserved
in the Vatican would maze more
gold coins than the whole of the
present European circulation.
Enough diamonds to load two
large coal trains and having total
weight of 5O,OOO,OOO carats and
valuation of 100000 have
been taken out of the Cape diamond
fields since their discovery in 1867.
The h,althiest spot in the world
seems to be a little hamlet in France
named Aumone. There are only
forty inhabitants, twentythree OF
whom are so years of age, and one
is over 100.
In Paris there are several women
who are empowered by police
permits to wear masculine clothing.
These include famous artist and
several whose professional duties
are arduous.
For thirty years the beard of a
man named Whorton, In Webster
Co., w. Va, has been entirely gray.
Now it is turning black, its original
color, in his seth year.
All waste paper in the Depart.
ment of State which is of a private
or diplomatic nature is burned in
an open fireplace in Secretary
Gresham's own room.
The fourth verse of the twentieth
chapter of Revelations contains
more words than any other verse
in the New Testament.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
One On DR., IDppeW,

Here's one on Chauncey Depew.
The genial doctor had dropped in to
see a gentlemen on some business
at his private residence. An in
quisitive small boy was playing in
the extension room back of the
parlor. He seemed to take great
interest in the visitor, and every
now and then suspended his sport
to reconnoiter him. When Mr..
Depew left, he ran to the front win.
dow and looking out, asked:
"Who is that man, papa?"
"He's the gentleman your mother
and ! were talking about at the
breakfast table this morning. Mr.
Depew, the greatest story-teller
ever heard"
A few days after the visitor came
again. The lad was standing or
the front stoop, and as Mr.. Depew
rang the bell he said to him:
81 know YOU"
Mr.. Depew is very fond of child
rem, and patted the little fellow or
the head, observed encouragingly
"Come now, if you think you know
who / am, who am II"
"You're the gentleman who tell.
the biggest whoppers papa eve
heard"
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
Character In Walking.

Quick steps are indicative of en-
ergy or agitation. Tiptoe walking
symbolizes surprise: curiosity, dis
cretion or mystery Turned in toes
are often found in preoccupied and
absent minded persons. The mi
ser's walk is represented as STOPPING,
noiseless, with short, nervous, anx-
ious steps. Slow steps, whether
long or short, suggest a gentle OF
reflective state of mind, as the case
may be. The proud step is slow
and measured; the toes are con.
! spicuously turned out, the legs
Strengthened. Where a vengeful
purpose be hidden under feigned
smile the step will be Sinking and
noiseless. The direction of the steps
wavering and following every chang.
ing impulse of the mind, inevitably
betrays uncertainty, hesitation and
indecision. Obstinate people who in
an argument rely more on muscu'
larity than on intellectual power
rest the feet fiat and firm on the
ground, walk heavily and slowly
and stand with the legs firmly plant
ed and far apart.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
no MORE SUNDAYS.
Local Worlds Fair Directory Rescinds
Its Former Vote by Vote OF
"a to 4.

CHICAGO, July 14.-The Worlds
Fair is to be closed on Sunday, and
after July 16 it will not be open to
the public on the first day of the
week. The admissions of next Sun
day have already been donated for
the relief of the families of the fire.
men who lost their lives in the re-
cent fire on the grounds, and but
for this fact the Fair would probably
have been closed day after to-mor-
row. The vote of the local directory
resembling its former action was
overwhelming in favor of closing it.
standing "a to 4.
When a meeting of the directors
was called late this afternoon, ar
address advocating Sunday closing
signed by all the leading Chicago
clergymen, was read. The close
of the address was the signal for g
series of speeches, all of them ir
favor Of closing the Fair.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
THE FIRST SHOT FIRED.
War on Siam Begun by Two French
Men.0f.War, " no Fired ON the
Ports at Paknam.

LONDON, July 13.-The Times
this morning says: "The first sho,
in the war between Siam and France
has been fred. The special CORE.
spondent at Bangkok last night
wired:
"The French war ships, Comete
and Inconstant, slipped across the
bar this Thursday evening and
exchanged shots with the Paknam
forts.
s'The two men of-war then pro-
ceeded to Bangkok and are now an
chored with the gunboat Lutin op-
posite the British Legation.
"One sailor was killed and two
wounded in the exchange of shots
at Paknam. The King is now hold.
ing council. If it comes to fight.
ing fearful scenes will be witnessed. u
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
He Says il Is Free Coinage Of SiIye
Now or Never.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 13-The
Chronicle publishes lengthy letter
from Congressman Richard 2. Bland
the great apostle of bi metallism and
an uncontrolled currency. A synop
sis of the letter is as follows:
"The war between gold monomet
allists and bi-metallists is not in
tensely fragrant. Men and parties,
as we'll as public journals, must take
the one side or the other; there is
no room for trimmers or doubters.
"The Sherman law must GO, but
its expiring breath must breathe in.
to life legislation on its lines of true
bi-metallism. The timid and halt
ing in our ranks have brought up to
the expedient of the Sherman law
and now insist on further waiting.
Had we adopted the free coinage
hill, all would have been settled in
favor of bi-metallism. Had the Sem
ate agreed to this bill or the subse-
quent one that l had passed in the
Forty-fifth Congress, we would have
no silver question to-day. But no,
we must wait. Wait till France
and the Latin union get impatient
with us and put further limits to
their silver coinage.
"We are now brought face to face
with the question of total demon.
citation in this the greatest metal
lie power the world has ever known.
The repeal of the Sherman law un'
conditionally is all that is necessary
now to accept the end for which the
gold party have struggled from the
beginning.
1.-THE repeal of the Sherman Law
outright and substitute nothing for il
would precipitate a silver panic
throughout the world, and probabl,
cause its universal demonetization
1t seems to me no true friend of sill
yer could advocate such a policy. /
we ever intend the free coinage o
silver in this country, we must wa
for it now-right now.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20

MEXICO. MISSOURI THURSDAY, JULY 20 lae3
IN 4 RECEIVERS HANDS.
rrunbir t'ames tpaa The J. y. Chick
Bank Of Kansas ity.

KANSAS Cry, Mo-, July IA
Just before closing hour this after
noon the First National Bank of
Kansas City suspended, and notice
placed in the window stated it had
been placed in the hands Of a receiv-
er. The Banks capital is 81 ,OOO,-
600. 1t is impossible to get figures
or facts now. Considerable excite.
ment was caused by the suspension,
as it had been entirely unexpected.
Its president is J. S. Chick, one Of
the best financiers in the West.
The assets, president j. s. Chick
said this afternoon, will be between
2 and million dollars and the liza
bilities between $500, 900 and l mil
| lion. He is confident that the de-
posits will be paid dollar for dollar.
Five minutes before the usual
closing time this afternoon Cashier
w. j. Anderson sent telegram to
Comptroller Eckels at Washington
that the bank had suspended pay
ment and asking him to take charge.
Five minutes after the note was
posted small crowd had gathered
around the entrances but there was
little excitement.
PRESIDENT CHICKS STATEMENT.
To reporter, who was admitted
into the bank, president Chick said
that the suspension was due to q
steady withdrawal of deposits since
the beginning of the financial strin-
gency which has prevailed through
out the whole nation during the last
few months.
ave began to lose deposits early
in May" he said. 1.-THE demand
on US went along until the failure of
the Savings Bank last Tuesday and
every day since then the Withdrawals
of individual and bank deposits have
been heavier. We thought we could
get through to-day, but we were
forced to quit just five minutes be-
fore the usual time. A few minutes
before we closed we received de-
mands for $4,000 by telegraph.
We saw we could not stand another
days run and there was only one
thing left for us to do and We did it.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-20
Nha PAYS for Pavement.

We have received several inquir-
les within the last day or so in refer
ence to who would pay for paving
the streets around The public square
providing pavement was ordered
down. The property owners would
pay to the center of the street. 1t
would be a question whether the
county or city would pay for the paw
ing from the center of the street to
the Court House fence.