davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18

The Lars larson Acobats.
model for the American manager. Fl.
made up thirty five or forty balls oi
clay about the size of a big orange, and
placed before him on an easel board
about four feet square. Then he stool
Of ten feet from the board, picked IN
the clay balls from the table with bis
right hand and in turn threw them to
the board with his left. After throw.
ing fifteen Of these balls the outline Of
q head and bust was visible. lie then
left the table and went up to the board
pinching and smoothing the clay with
his fingers, making thereby eyes, q
nose, and the semblance of an expires
sion. At the expiration Of thirty-one
seconds he had portrait of Trewey
the shadowgraphist, natural as life
This Mr.. Hopkins pronounced remark
able, and asked De Bersseu if he had
ever attempted to portray the features
of any individuals outside of those hs
might frequently meet or was familiar
with. He replied that he could make
faithful pictures of any individual on
the globe. Mr.. Hopkins inquired what
sort of salary he was then making in
Paris, and was told about 10 francs a
week. He was engaged to make his
present tour with the Hopkins com.
pany at a salary exceeding $1OO a
week.-Chicago Herald.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
Prevention of window Cleaning Ac-
cidents.


cidents.
Many quaint inventions have been
brought out for the prevention Of win
dow cleaning accidents. Ono of the
most remarkable of these passed
through the patent office not long ago.
One Of the cleaners ankles was en-
circled with strong, broad band Of
leather. To this band was attached a
chain which passed through the open
window and was securely fastened to
stud inside. The single-n indedness
Of the inventor was apparent. His
business was to prevent the window
cleaner from being dashed to the pave
ment below, and compared with that
object all intermediate details were Of
no account. But, as window cleaners
are Of both sexes, the device had mani
fest disadvantages. The same can
hardly be said of recent patent hav-
ing a similar end in view. 1t consists
Of an iron frame to be projected
through the open windd Y, with a plank
for the person to stand on. The APP
paratus is kept in position by means
Of bar extending across and resting
against the window frame on the inner
side. There are also two iron bars to
strengthen the, structure on the inside;
while the bottom part is made SO as
to At over the woodwork Of the win
dow, and TO allow That part of the
frame which supports the plank to rest
upon the window sill inside. The APP
paratus can easily be fitted, and its
use prevents any possibility OF falling.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18

81 these exhibitions al TO bes continually
held eaS pro6esslo na1 cntertS
Among these were cOnjurors NEGRO
mancers, jugglers, snake Oliarnels ana
dancers. Before this In Egypt bands
Of street entertainers performed Tor
the ilelcctatiOn of the ladies' Of the har-
ems, who Viewed these speciality art
lists from their lAtticed windows. All
records show that juggling and comic
exhibitions We're alwayssin high favor,
while the conjulpr, the jllggler and the
snake 'charmer were engaged As PROBES
sionals to appear at state fetes. Pha-
raoh had his select lot Of court mllsi-
clans, maglcians, jugglers and dancing
girls, and the queen OF Sheba enter
tanned her Roman lover, Mark Antony,
with the performance of the most Won
derful professionals in all Egypt.
The Chinese, too, We're not without
their vaudeville exhibitions. They en-
jOyed performances Of figures some
thing after the pattern OF our Punch
and Judy, and had companies OF oddly
dressed musicians centuries ago. The
Japanese had marionette exhibitions,
and the Dial Ang, or puppet show, which
afterward became famous In England,
are known to have been -iven with
favor in Japan when the earliest Dutch
navigators visited. those shoes. The
Japanese have been entertained with
dancing girls, wrestlers, conjIrors and
gymnasts since the first of the Sho-
gacns, and from close scrutiny of rec
Ords Obtainable, their exhibitions were
the same before the Introduction Of
Christianity as they are in 1893. When
the mighty Alexander wedged into In
dta he discovered people who We're
amused by vaudeville perform ers, rep
resenting nearly every department. OF
the variety profession as we know 1t
to-day. There in that land Of gold was
the acrobat, the wonderful India ma
gician who has never been equaled up
to now, the QUOT thrower, the dexter
Gus swordsman, dancing girls, grizzled
buffoons, story tell.rs, snake mariners,
experts on musical instruments, and
the conventional wondering minstrel,
with "shreds and patches" were as
familiar sights there then as they
are to-day. Crowds of Nautch
girls, perhaps not much unlike
those who pirouetted on the
Midway Plaisance the past summer
companies of musicians and larger
troupes Of performers gave outdoor ex-
hibits in the larger towns or roamed
about and exhibited their skill and dex-
terity in the streets and villages. All
the tribes of Africa, with perhaps the
single exception of the bushman and
the pigmies, have professional enter
tainers who give performances which,
in great measure, correspond with
many of our vaudeville acts Of the
present day. The gorgeousness of the
Alhambra and the wonders Of the en-
tertainments of the Moors are as well
known as the history of Spain, and as
the drama, as we consider it, formed
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18
Inventor of the steam Whistle.

A curious story is told as to the o.
igin Of the discordant locomotive whis'
tie. When railroads were first built In
England the engineers were provided
with tin horns with which to give warn
ing Of their approach. One day, In
1883, q farmer with q wagon-l0ad Of
eggs and butter was crossing the track
near Leicester when the train came
along. The tin horn was called into re-
QUESTION In vain, and presently horse.
and wagon, 900 eggs and so pounds Of
butter were mixed into q huge omelet
on the rails. The railroad company
had to pay the damages, and regarded
1t as very serious matter. One OF the
directors, Mr.. Ashlen Bagster by name
went to Alton Grange, where George
Stephenson lived. "What shall we 40
about this?" he exclaimed. 1--WE cant
have such dreadful things as this hap,
pening on our railway, you know
Stephenson was inclined to take the
matter with the true North Country
philosophy, but the director was arous
ed. Now, upon my word" said ASH.
len Bagster, why can't you make your Im
Stcum make u noise somehow lAAs W."
warn these people?' He thought OF no
method to accomplish this, but at tha!
time people had In n general way =
high opinion of the capabilities o. Q,
steam. That's an idee, mon," sala
Stephenson. BLESS your soul, III Try
It," He went to maker of muslca.
instruments and got him to contrl W
an. apparatus which, when blown ny
steam, would make horrible scream.
This was attached to the boiler OF tDe
engine, and the first locomotive Whlsti,e
was In full operation. The railroad u
rectors, greatly delighted, ordered slI,, u.
liar contrivances attached to all thes
ocomotives.-Boston Transcript.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18

N0Fn the JUER1GEs
40 part nor parcel Of such entertain
ments, they must be designated into
the category Of, vaudeville, which in
cludes all of the different kinds Of en-
tertainments given by the ancient with
the additions and improvements made
by the increasing demand for novelty
and the refinement suggested by oul
advanced civilization.
Nothing New in Vaudeville.
Beyond doubt there Is nothing new
in the variety business. What we see
now we have seen before many and
many time, possibly in another form
but the same character Of act. The
strong man business done by SandoW
was feature Of the earliest American
circus, and the irrepressible serpentine
dance Of to-day is but an elabora ton OF
the performance of the Hindoo Nautct
girl. The London Gaity dance has
been done for centuries by the dane
ing girls of Persia and Java. In fact
everything now done on the variety
stage was done before the word varie
ty was applied to theatricals.
Comic opera, with its Lion Tamers,'
"Panjandrums" and "Wangs," as VIC
have come to regard it nowadays, is
really but little more than vaudeville
This can also be said of the average
performance Of farce comedy. In nei.
Their of these is there scarcely ever any
plot, but they are used US vehicles
merely to introduce a tumble of spec
ialties, songs and dances.
One potent reason why high-class
vaudeville performances have come in
to such remarkable favor recently Is
because they appeal to those who wit
ness them by offering an entertainment
that amuses without taxing 1t has
only been, however, within the last few
seasons that the representative vaude.
vile organizations have been given
dates at the leading theaters. In Chi.
cago Manager William j. Davis was
much responsible for this when, some
years ago. realizing the unusual merit
OF the artists In certain high-class
vaudeville company, he took them as
an organization to the Haymarket.
where they performed before audi.
ences OF immense size. This same or.
ganization also appeared at Hooley's
and for a rather lengthy time packed
that theater every performance. Since
then Manager Davis has arranged 1t 50
that each Christmas week at the Hay.
market a vaudeville company Of the
highest class is the attraction there,
Manager John D. Hopkins, the pro.
prietor OF the Hopkins Trans-O Oceanic
Star Specially company, may, perhaps
be credited with being one Of the most
successful organizers Of high-class
vaudeville companies in this country.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18
A Greek Dancer.

discovered hieroglyphical records Of
performances given by the subjects and
followers Of the earliest Of Egyptian
monarchs, Menes, at the completion Of
the dyke of Cochenke, which even to
this day somewhat regulates the over
flow Of the Nile. Menes caused tenn
pies to be erected in nearly every town
or village, which were the main feat
ures OF these towns, and upon certain
days Of the year, although the ancient
Egyptians We're remarkable for their
piety, caused certain performances or
exhibitions to be given, which included
feats of strength and exhibitions of
skill and dexterity with certain rude
weapons. Following the clew thus fur
nished it has been set forth with much
logical proof that the earliest vaudeville
performances were given to entertain
the members Of the royal house of
Memphis, dating back B. G. 400. Per-
formances Of this nature can, be traced
In some form or other from that time
down until B. G. $500, when for a long
time following nearly all of the history
Of Egypt is lost, except the names Of
list of kings, among whom were
Menu, Moses and Minos, who succeed
ed Menes. From later history it Is
possible that after completion of the
sphinx, rejoicing Of some nature was in
dulged in by the followers Of whoever
!, might have been the builder of that
| strange and silent monument that for
centuries has been gazing across the
drifting sands of the Sahara.
The first speciality or vaudeville per-
| formers to execute what in, that day
was considered difficult act were
probably the Hebrew slaves who made
bricks without straw" Various his
tories make slight intimaton that Abra-
ham had among the focks which he
drove into Egypt lambkins that could
jump over his sandaled foot when it
| was held in the air and do other un11-
sual tricks that much amused: the sub
jects and people Of the tenth king Of
Memphis, who was then reigning. How
much farther back into the last vaude-
vile or specially performers can be
traced is Of course uncertain.
Variety I'm the Dark Ages.
When the bronze age contributed the
nativity Of intellectual force and tho
Vikings then wrought their rude in,ple-
| ments of war and the chase from bits
of meteoric iron victories were cele-
brated by strange dances and exhibit
lions OF proficiency with weapons and
with feats Of strength and endurance.
Records Of performances are obtain
able, given by the followers of the
mighty Nimrod to celebrate the compile
ton of the walls Of one of his cities,
while the great Northumberland en-
ployed troupes of fighting warriors and
spinning girls, who gave performances
at public rejoicings Of the people. Sem
nacherib presented to the citizens Of
Nineveh interesting advertisements,
even rivalfng the famous Olympian
games. The Egyptians and Pcrsians.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18

IN the days OF Cyrus the Great, and
Cleopatra years after Menes, We're as
fond Of amusement.
When the Romans landed on the
coast Of Tin Land" or present Eng
land, they found that the Druids, who
disputed their claims to the country,
were most wonderfully familiar with
the black art and had a strange concoc-
don of religion and amusement that
included the performances Of companies
Of men who had become SO dextrous
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18
VARIETY IN Ol.D u TINES |, NJ Is
THE PHARAOHs ENJOYED THE VA
RIETY SHOW.
--AhtedatinE the Drama Many Centur-
les, Vaudeville Was Enjoyed Hnn-
dretls % Years Ago-A Glance lnto
History. sssa e i

The vaudeville performance in some
form or other can, It Is said. be traced
back to the very fountain head Of his
tory, almost to the very beginning Of
Egypt, the land Of tho Pharaohs, the
pyramids, the sphinx and the Nile.
In a country so fertile and one that
could easily support very dense popu-
lation. it might be well Imagined the
people had some form Of enjoyment
md entertainment. Eminent scholars
in their successful efforts to restore
the Greek text and Psychologists have
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-18
He Knew.

Tommy, who was Joan Of Area"
asked the teacher.
...Noah's wife" said Tommy, who is
great at guessing Music and Drama.
The sun., 1894-12-28
CHANGES IN THE POST OFFICE.
Many Dismissais As the Result OF the Re-
cent Investigation.


cent Investigation.
The clerks In the General Post ONCE are great
ly disturbed over the changes to be made in ac-
cordance with the report Of the Commission,
which has recently been looking into the needs
Of the postal service in this city. The principal
changes will be In tho matter of eQualizing
salaries, but about forty clerks will also be dis
missed from the service. Six hundred men will
have their salaries increased, and go will suffer
a reduction. The changes will benefit the low
salaried men. for the most part.
Postmaster Dayton refuses to make public the
names OF the men to be affected by the general
reorganization now In progress. Nevertheless
the names of several who have been dropped
have become public through the agency Of those
who have received notice Of dismissal. In the
money order department eleven men are said To
have received notice that they will not be want
ed after Jan. /. Some OF these men have been
IN the service for thirty years.
stu more important are the dismissais OF
second Division, Chief Clerk A. ID. hatf., Chief
Clerk William Wright Of the foreign depsrt-
liam q. Tuenson, Jesse Ashley, A. b. Rouse. and
A. Bogart OF the Third Division. and Major Will
liam Baker OF the Forty second street branch.
These men have been on the force for from
fifteen to twenty years each and It does not sp-
them. II is also reported that seventeen clerks
In the registry department have received notice
Of dismissal.
Although Postmaster Dayton has not made
public the report OF the Commission, II Is said
that IL appoints Frederick j. Swift, formerly the
Postmasters private secretary, to the office of
Second Assistant Postmaster, and revives the
office of Inspector OF Stations, which was abOl:
ished about fifteen years ago, and that Second
Assistant Postmaster Post has been named for
this place; also that Superintendent Nc
Monegal OF Station II will take charge
OF the Forty second street branch un-
I'll Major Williamson's successor Is named,
and that Joseph Flynn has been appointed As
sistant superintendent OF the Second Division.
-Four men in the inquiry department have been
notified that their services will be dispensed
with after the first OF next month. II Is said
they are Richard Smith, Henry G. Broas,
Charles Conklin, and Samuel Brown. The latter
has been superintendent OF the box department.
and has been on the Post Office force for thirty
one years. Mr.. Conklin has been In the Post
once for twenty five years, and has been super
intendent OF carriers
Postmaster Dayton says there will be an in
crease of 500, 900 in the appropriation for clerk
hire, and that all the changes will take effect
on jan. /.
The sun., 1894-12-28
TAKEN TO DIsoRDERLx HOUSE
Young Girl From This City Detained aaa
Abused In Newark.

Selma Davidson, a fine look ing young woman.
complained at Police Headquarters In Newark
yesterday morning that she had been invoigled
from this city to Newark TO take place as a
servant in the employ OF William Split. who
told her that he kept hotel She accompanied
him 10 his house on Wednesday afternoon and
quickly learned that It was disorderly place.
Split treated her brutaly. she said. when she
announced that she would not stay. and Mrs.
Split refused 10 give her her satchel Of clothing
She remained in the place over night and then
went 20 Police Headquarters
Capt. Corbitt, upon hearing her story. sent
three officers TO raid the house. and they re-
turned with Mr.. and Mrs. Splitt Joseph II. VIII
son Of Plainheld Ia yisitorl, and Elsie HAndon,
an inmate OF the house, as prisoners. Elsie
Handon testified TO the character OF the place.
discriminating Split and his wife. She said that
she ran away from home some months ago and
went 10 Newark 20 have good time.
Judge Mott fined Split S52 and costs. after
securing evidence n send to the Grand Jury,
Mrs Split paid the fine and then wanted to
make a charge against the Davidson girl, Aocus-
ing her OF stealing a ring. The girl said that the
charge waS trumped up Tor spite and asked 70
Judge Mott told Mrs. Split that she might
make the COMPLAINT and the girl would be
searched. but IN the ring WAS not found he would
send Mrs. split 90 jail: She said In jAunty
way that she would rather give the girl the ring
than have any trouble about IL, and going 10 the
court room door said q parting shot that
Judge Mott didn't know what justice WAS. He
smiled quietly and replied that decent folks
generally had no trouble In getting Justice from
Tie Davidson girl returned 20 this city, and
the HandOn girl ~as released with lecture.
The sun., 1894-12-28
rs THIS THE MURDERERs
A Ma Arrested In Salamanca for the MUIR
der OF Mrs. Shearman and Her Daug ter.

SALAMANCA. y. Y, Dec. 27.-There Is good
reason for believing that the murderer Of Mrs
Shearman and Mrs Davis at Busti. near James
town, Is under arrest. II was at first believed
that the man in custody was simply q common
tramp, but on investigation there are many rea-
sons for believing that he committed the crime.
The man, whose name 10 George w. Depew. was
first seen in West Salamanca about week ago,
where he hung around the place Of Nell Duke .
famous resort. His actions were 80 suspicious that
the woman went to the village officers and asked
to be locked up, as she was afraid Depew would
kill her. This was done. She constantly spoke
of that murderer and the murder at Busti."
After leaving the lock up the woman attempted
TO drown herself in the river. giving as the only
reason the fear that Depew would kill her.
Depew was arrested and the jamestown officers
notified. They came TO Salamanca and took
Depew and the Duke woman to jamestown.
Depew Is supposed 10 have Q partner OF the
name of Dewitt, who came 10 see him and told the
officers that he was private detective. As soon
as Dewitt learned that Depew had been arrested
he disappeared, and the officers are looking for
When Depew was searched he had on three
suits OF clothes, and in pocket In one OF the
under suits was found a large butcher knife,
were found on the murdered woman. A blood
stained handk erchief was also found, which
mad evidently been washed in cold water. His
found four in the mud at the % shsarman % SAf house. a.
Those footprints indicated that the murderer
had a club foot, which Is the case with Depew.
and Is not able to give clear account q his re-
cent movements The more the case Is investi-
gated the stronger appears the circumstantial
sral opinion that the mystery attending the
murder 10 about to be solved.
The sun., 1894-12-28
THE BoND SYNDICATE QUITS.
Member. Cas- Sell for what They C.- Get
Csriisie's Bni wsske-s the Msrket

Dre1ei, Morgan g. Co.. who were in charge Of
the syndicate that took the last issue Of United
states bonds, sent 10 the members of the sya-
dicste yesterday the following notice:
The action Of the United States Treasury on
currency questions having stopped progress In
cent. bond syndicate. and the period of, thirty
days mentioned in the notice OF Nov. having
expired, the syndicate lie dissolved.
The facts are that the peculiar features Of
Mr.. Csrlisle's currency plan have induced
liquidation by holders Of the Government fours
and new Ave per cent. bonds, outside Of the
syndicate, with the result OF weakening the
market to below the syndicate price. Within
the past ten days the new bonds have declined
about a point, and are now quoted steady At
117lf0l1S.
The dissolution of the syndicate was not
surprise TO bankers and others who have been
familiar with the situation. II was discovered
soon after the bonds were taken that Secretary
Carlisle had devised q scheme for an alleged
reform in the currency that would bring upon
the market older issues OF Government obliga-
tions. Some Of those interested consider this
bad faith.
The successful placing of the last issue was
due largely to the efforts OF q prominent bank
ing house to control the entire amount and. In
the opinion of those who assisted In the opera
tion. the loan could not be repeated upon the
same terms. The bonds with accrued interest
are now selling upon . three per cent. basis, and
the question now uppermost In the minds OF
bankers Is whether another issue, which IL re-
garded as Inevitable, can be placed upon equally
good terms Wall street has ceased TO ignore
the fact that the Government is now selling
bonds not to replenieh its gold reserve, but to
meet current expenses.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27-Assistant Secretary
Curtis said this afternoon that the dissolution
OF the Stewart bond syndicate did not, Of course.
concern the Treasury Department. AL the
money for the bonds, as required by the circular
inviting proposals. had been paid In. and much
Of 1t before 1t was due. The reason why Govern
ment bonds were q little weak at this time was
that all business houses made annual balances
on the first Of the year. and many Of them, to
insrease the cash balance on hand, converted
securities into cash. 1t was recognized that
Government securities were the readiest TO sell,
and lot Of them being thrown on the market
might have had q tendency TO dspress their
price. After the holidays were over tie former
prices would doubtless prevail.