davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13
How a kentucky Gentleman Drinks.

Grasping the lower part of the bottle in
the right hand and tipping it over till the
neck rested on the index finger of his left
hand Colonel William Duke let the whis-
ky trickle out with musical gurglo into
the glass, the bottom of which was stained
with mint juice. The colonel had crushed
the juice out himself by pressing hard
with his spoon on the leaves the bartender
had dropped in the glass. Having done
this, he removed the leaves and was ready
for the whisky. When the glass was filed
about hasf with the red liquor that had
the lazy sparkle of oil, he slowly stirred
the decoction to get the mint juice well
mixed with the whisky. All this time he
spoke not word, but kept his eye closely
riyeted on the half filled glass. After stir
ring the whisky and mint juice slowly and
deliberately for about minute he care
fully removed the spoon, placed the rim Of
the glass between his lips, and closing his
eyes and tossing back his head he drank
the mixture with as much enjoyment as If
1t were the nectar Of the gods. A loud
smack Of the lips and shake of the head
told that the colonel had recovered from
his reveries.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

Young cells in passing up river show
the most extraordinary perseverance in
overcoming all distractions. The large
flood gates-sometimes fifteen feet in height
on the Thames might be supposed suffi
cient to bar the progress of a fish the size
of darning needle. But young eels have
wholesome idea that nothing can stop
them, and in consequence nothing does.
Speaking of the way in which they ascend
flood gates and other barriers, one writer
says: 'Those which die stick to the post;
others, which get little higher, meet with
the same fate, until at last layer of them
is formed which enables the rest to over.
come the difficulty of the passage.
''The mortality resulting from such for
lorn hopes greatly helps to account for
the difference in the number of young eels
on their upward migration, and that of
those which return down stream in the
autumn. In some places these baby eels
are much sought after, and are formed in.
to cakes, which are eaten fried. Rod and
Gun.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

'em fast. lie was fust class all round
tinkerer. An what dyou s'pose his tools
was?"
"Why," said Jake glibly, "a hammer,
and chisel, and screwdriver, and gim-
let, and an awl, and"--
"You can stop right where you be-" in
terrupted his father. "You wouldn't have
ketched 'Bijah Jenkins burdenin himself
with such mess o. things as that. Folks
where he went centrally had hammer,
calc'late. If they didn't he could make
out with stone. All he carried was a
broken clothespin an an old fork-a stout
one 'twas-an hens feather, an bottle o.
glue that he made himself"
"Well, swaney!'' remarked Jake, whose
amazement incapacitated him for further
utterance.
"Yes, that was every namable thing he
carried" repeated Mr.. Babson. "He could
screw an onscrew with the clothespin, an
use it for number O. other purposes He
could pry with the fork, an he could jab
with it, an bore far sized hole He could
lie with the hens feather, an he could
glue with it an kind O. smooth things up
centrally. Itell you. Jake, he had facility.
"Now, let's see if you can't make out To
get along with that screwdriver, such as
'tis," concluded Mr.. Babson.
And Jake, not to be utterly routed by
the posthumous fame of the old tinkerer
did.-Youth's Companion.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

benuty. The blade was inches long, and
blade and handle together measured 10
inches He used this weapon in 10 en-
counters, and it was in his stiffening hand
when, with six dead Mexicans about him,
showing tho evidence of his fatal skill, he
was found dead at the Alamo.
Bowie's method of using the knife was
one peculiar to himself. He did not hold
it in his hand with the long point down
ward, but grasped the handle as q swords
man would grasp the hilt of his sword.
He always struck at the neck of his man
and aimed for the jugular and seldom
missed his coup. In the most famous of
his battles-the one fought on Natchez is.
land, an island in the Mississippi river
almost opposite the city Of Natchoz-he
cut two mems heads almost off, giving
each only u single sweeping blow.
Bowie only weighed 14O pounds when
at his prime. He was q quiet, soft voiced
man, who never drank nor dissipated in
any way. He possessed enormous physical
strength for his size and was as quick and
1.-THE as a wildcat and as game. He was
terror to all the "hard cases" from Louis
vile to New Orleans.
In 1886 the Methodists about Church
Hill, Miss, were holding their annual
meeting. They had been good deal dis
turbed by the crews of rough ilatboatmon,
o large number of whose boats were lying
in the river below the town. One morn.
ing after service was ended number OF
the men held q meeting to decide upon the
measures to abate this trouble. Among
them the parson, who was newcomer,
noticed a small man whose only peculiar.
ity was a pair of steely, blue ringed eyes
eyes like a cat II will attend the services
tonight, gentlemen" he said in low,
gentle voice, land will help you to settle
any difficulty that may occur" This
seemed very satisfactory to those present,
but the clergyman somehow forgot to ask
who he was.
The evening service had begun. Just as
the preacher was about giving out the sec
ond hymn big Kentucky fatboatmar
staggered up in front Of the pulpit ant
gave Choctaw warwhoop. In second
the little man had him by the collar with
his left hand, and in his right had a knife
with Its point against the boatman''
brawny throat. III you say another wore
or make the slightest noise, by G., III
drive this knife through your neck from
ear to earl" The big man trembled like {
leaf and silently took seat, while thu
other, putting his knife out of sight
Joined with great fervor In the singing o
the hymn. There was never q quietel
meeting held than that was thereafter
"Who was the gentleman n SO speedil,
settled the difficulty tonightr. asked tn,
minister when the service was ended
Don't you know'" his friend replied
WThat was lanes Rowiep
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13
COLONEL BoWlE'S BLADE.
He Welded Deadly Weapon That Mad
His Name Immortal.

He Welded q Deadly Weapon That Made
His Name immortal.
Two states claim the birthplace of Colo
mel James Bowie-Tennessee and Mary
land-and the question has never been
definitely settled, but he gave the name to
weapon as deadly as any that has ever
been forged from steel.
Shortly after Louisiana became state
the old Spanish and French records created
great deal Of trouble. 1t frequently hap
pened that planter who had taken up
large tract of land and fairly opened 1t out
as a plantation would learn that it was
claimed by some one under an old colonial
grant. James Bowie was very frequent
claimant under these old laws, says Chi
cago Times writer. Several capitalists Of
the time had sent him to Havana, where
the old papers Of the Spanish colony of
Louisiana were kept, and caused careful
transcripts of them to be made. They ap-
pointed as their agent to put them in pos
session Of these properties James Bowie.
In these early days it did not at any time
take much provocation to bring ON "a per
sonal encounter" as fight to the death
was euphoniously entitled. A man who
had been to the trouble Of opening up an
estate only to find 1t claimed by a lot Of
people he did not know was generally
pretty ready to fight for it, whether fight
would settle the question or not.
The consequence of this state Of things
was that James Bowie and his two broth
ers, Stephen and Rein Bowie, had on
hand almost constantly some sort Of diff
Guilty" that had to be fought out with
deadly weapons. This was before the days
when the percussion cap was in general
use, and the smaller pistols Of the period
were flintlocks, inconvenient to carry and
not very reliable. So the knife had to be
used when one wanted really trusted
weapon. Mr., Bowie worked out with o
pocketknife and shinglo his idea of q
weapon that would be about the proper
thing for the business he had in hand, and
it was made by the local blacksmith at
Shreveport, La. after this model, which
he carried for several years.
About 1880, however, he heard Of New
Orleans cutler, Spaniard named Pedro,
who was making some knives of Won
derful kind and temper. They could be
driven through silver dollar without
damage to point or edge. Mr.. Bowie at
once avniled himself of tho professional
services Of this artist, who made him a
knife which was marvel Of temper and
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

crimes and never give up till my game is
safe behind the bars These rats of the
profession will do anything. II they can't
get evidence, they will manufacture 1t.
know Of case In this town where rail-
road president became infatuated with the
wife Of one Of his subordinates. He hired
a detective, low rat, to get the fellow out
OF the way. The detective took some OF
the railroad company's property and So
creted 1t In the man 70 house. 1t was found
there, and the man was sent to the peni-
tentiary. The railroad president then took
possession Of tho wife"
Colonel Slupsky told lot of stories
about rascally detectives, this one among
them:
"A woman fell In love with rich cattle
dealer who promised to marry her II she
could get rid of her husband. She went
to detective The detective questioned
her closely, and on finding out that the
husband was q man of irreproachable
character and devoted to his wife he said
that 1t would be difficult task to trap
him, but he would agree TO do IL for $3.50.
The woman paid 800 down, and the de-
tective promised to have the necessary eyi.
denoe to insure divorce within q week.
Before the time elapsed he called one night
ut the woman's house and told her to come
with him and be would show up the pertldy
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13
How ,Biiah Jenkins Did.

IT wish had q smaller screwdriver, IA
ther," grumbled Jake Babson. 81 can't
make this work; it's too big for the
screws"
Jake" said Mr.. Babson solemnly,
"I'm terrible afraid you haven't got much
facility. II you had you could make that
screwdriver do, or else you'd find some
other way to get them screws out without
raisin such catouse. Have ever told
you bout old 'Bijah jenkins, the tinkererP"
mo, sir, can't rec'llect anything bout
him." replied Jake after a moments re-
Aection.
"Well," said Mr.. Babson with sigh Of
regret, "there was man that had what
you might be safe to call facility. He could
right u clock an set her to goin again in nc
time; he could fix up door lock or hinge
that was out o. kilter quicker'n wink; he
could pry things open an he could make
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13
Impromptu Speeches.

James Russell Lowell is recorded as say
ing that he always liked to prepare his i'm
promptu speeches. At dinner given to
Mr.. Longfellow during visit to London,
it was agreed that no set speeches should
be made.
After the fruit and coffee had been dis
cussed, Admiral Farragut arose and pro-
tested that they could not dream Of part
ing without hearing from Mr.. Gladstone.
Mr.. Gladstone began by assuring the
company that he was Of the mind Of Lord
Palmerston, who said, Better dinner Of
herbs where no speaking is than white
bait and oratory Herewith"
His remarks" developed into an elo-
quent oration. He had read the works Of
the American poes, and quoted passages
from several Of his poems, and concluded
by paying a splendid tribute to Mr.. Long
fellows attainments.
The subject Of this superb panegyric was
deeply touched. and replied without rising
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

,sLEUTH sLUPsKY DISGUISED AS A PEDDLER.
tury-that he is familiar figure on the
down town streets and in the political
clubs and ward meetings. But so many
persons know him who never saw him
that brief description needs to be tackled
to this story. He is about as tall as an
ordinary boy Of l6, and, though he is in
his thirty sixth year, he is often taken for
q youngster. One of his favorite disguises
as detective is to rig himself up as a
street arab and pass himself as newsboy
or bootblack.
When not disguised, he wears the most
stylish clothing the tailors can turn out
in compliance with his orders as to style,
etc., patent leather shoes, red neckties and
pink shirts. He fairly blazes with dia-
monds. The stone in his finger ring is as
big as a walnut, the headlight that flashes
from his shirt front oost fortune, and he
has diamonds in his cuffs, his wristbands
and at every opening of his shirt, His
eyes are like ferrets. He has o strong
Hebraic face that he can twist into SO
many varied expressions that it is possible
for him to assume numerous characters
without the use of false boards. His hair
is bristling black, and he brushes it in a
peculiar way that makes it look like a
wig. Some folks say it is wig.
His political career is well known. Once
he was candidate for school director. He
came out with bold declaration that he
not only favored free schools, but free
books and free clothing for poor scholars.
DC MI nd
sky might have been elected had not his
enemies got hold Of the fact that he never
went to school day in his life and used
it against him. Slupsky was born in Lon
don. His father dealt in secondhand
clothing, but died when Abe was learning
to walk, and the youngster had to go out
into the streets Of London and hustle. He
got a job washing dishes ON an ocean
steamer and worked his way to New Or
leans.
In 1870 he came to st. Louis as deck
sweeper on Mississippi tlatboat, started on
his career as peddler, bought old clothes
and finally opened a furniture store. He
might have become prosperous merchant
had not Scotland Yard detective trailed
an English murderer from London to st.
Louis and lost sight Of him in the second
hand quarters. The detective employed
Slupsky to help him locate the man. Slup-
sky found him and followed him across
the continent He was about to turn him
over to the police Of San Francisco when
he got a telegram to let the man go, the
real murderer having been captured in
London. Slupsky returned to st. Louis
fired with an ambition to become de.
tective. He sold out the furniture store
and ever since has been sleuth.
The other day bright young man Of
The Dispatch got hold Of Colonel
Slupsky and induced him to unbosom
himself on the subject Of detective work.
81 like 1t" he said. Its SO fascinating.
1 am a first class detective. do only po-
litical work and hunt down criminals. ]
am not one Of those rats who shadow wives
and husbands and get evidence for divorce
suits. That is dirty work. am high
toned In business. ferret out mysterious
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

divorce, marriage, murder, insanity, mar
riage, divorce, insanity, and SO on to big
amy.
She has three married sisters in Tren-
ton, all highly respectable, who stand by
her in her troubles. To reporter who re-
Gently visited her in Jail she said "I sup
pose l was pretty, as every one said SO, but
had no moral nature or force. My moth
er was responsible for that. She knew
nothing of the ways of the world and con-
sequently taught me nothing of them.
II was not married when my first child
was born. was only IA, yet had slipped
from virtue 1t was easy enough.
~ never bore any real marital relation
to Charles A. Anderson, though perhaps
he would have married me had I insisted.
1t must appear strange to you. My father
was a successful merchant, the winner of
an independence, and my parents were
people Of unquestioned respectability, yet
did as pleased. was born on Broad
street, not moro than block away from
this prison, in 1874.
Poor Anderson! He went to the war,
and we saw little of each other. He is a
wreck now, feeble and almost blind from
disease. l had him on my farm last sum-
mer for three days, but he was so disgust
ing that was forced to send him away. I
helped him to secure pension, provided
him with medicine and clothing and ar
ranged for him to 60 to the Soldiers
home The last heard of him he was in
Jersey City"
She supported herself as bookkeeper
and then married one James w. Denver
but she says she found he had wife and
two children living and left him. Thus
she met with Arson A. House. He had a
fine farm in Pennsylvania, with palatial
residence on it, and the pair lived there in
summer with great retinue of servants.
The tragedy she tells thus;
''Mr. House was devoted to me, but he
became afflicted with paresis and abused
me and my boy Willie On June 80, 1876,
he was about to strike my child when /
shot and killed him. was tried and ex-
onerated on the plea Of self defense, but
was sent to the state lunatic asylum"
Frank Parker, once famous as base
ball catcher, was her next, and he got a
divorce from her. She next married Paul
X. Redmond because he professed to
be Christian and wished to do better
and thought he would make good n1al
for my farm.
But he didn't. He would have been a
good man to spend her money, but she
was too smart to let him have it. She is
worth at least $50, 900, and Redmond still
holds possession of her farm. Then she
married Harry G. Carson, and little the
queerest event in her queer career followed.
Her son William Anderson, her only child,
born when she was IA, had her put in n
lunatic asylum. Her lawyer secured heI
release, she and Carson went west, re-
turned and had "scrap" with Redmond,
and so she is in Jail once more.
OF course she claims to have had legal
separation from Mr.. Redmond-some.
where. Just the same, he holds onto the
farm, but when he called on Irene and hel
Mr.. Carson in Trenton they, according tc
his story, assaulted him most grievouslyi
hence this last incarceration.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

ings with the Michaels, even eating on
ions and garlic with them. All Of my dia-
monds had stored away In a safe"
He soon gained their confidence, and
after two months of hard work he had tho
whole gangin Jail.
"You should have seen them when
appeared in court" said Abe. "Of course
they did not recognize in the handsome
young fellow, with stylish clothes and ele-
CANT diamonds, the little old crooked ped
dler they had known as Ben Finkletsein,
and when l threw up my hands and greet
ed them with the old familiar Has du
gezehen' they got up and kicked them
selves"
After relating a number of other enter.
tanning "reminiscences, including dia-
mond robbery in Denver in which he
played the hero, Colonel Slupsky conde-
scended to speak OF the financial aspects Of
detective work. Sometimes 1 get big
fees,' he s.id, "but I do good many jobs
for my friends and don't charge them. If
I have friend in trouble who can't afford
to pay me, do the work for nothing, but
when a rich man wants my services
bump his head"
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13
A Snake In Their Eden.

A young lady was receiving her betroth-
ed in the front parlor at Wethersfeld,
Conn, the other evening The evening
was well advanced when there came a
noise of the rattling of blinds. Both were
momentaialy frightened, but the man re-
allied his opportunity to prove his courage
and ability to protect and ventured out
side. He found no one on the premises.
He returned, and in few minutes tlG
sound again disturbed them. This time
he went to the window, and raising 1t
striped snake jumped into the room and
began to glide across the carpet. The
young lady was petriAed with fright, but
the young man grabbed the unwelcome
visitor by the tail, and going outside
quickly ended its life. The snake had
crawled up a bush near the window, and
entering between the Stats Of the blinds
found difficulty in getting back to mother
earth again. 1t is not every young couple
who can tell of veritable snake having
entered their blissful edenic courtship.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

A few figures may be cited to illustrate
how important part wire plays in our
leading industries and manufactures. The
output of coal in Great Britain alone,
which may be taken at fully 2OO,OOO,OOO
tons per annum, Is mainly raised by the
agency of wire ropes. The Importance Of
carding wire may be appreciated from the
fact that Great Britain's wooden export
trade is worth e97, ,0O0, 900 per annum. The
consumption Of wire netting is enormous,
and the annual output in America and
Europe of the one item of barbed wire for
fencing-a comparatively new adaptation
lis estimated to exceed 100000 tons.
The world wide use Of wire for tele.
graphic and other electrical purposes is
too well known to need comment, one
company in America owning no fewer than
64s,0O0 miles in their own system.-Cham-
bers' Journal.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13
Rather a Lively
Record Of Crime
Has Had Six Husbands and Is Yet
Open for Engagement.
TRAGEDY TURNED TO COMEDY
The Finger Of a Girls Scorned and Re-
jected Lover Pressed the Trigger
Of His Gun and in Moment
Would Have Fired.

Everybody remembers the sensation
when Divorce Lawyer Orson A. House Of
New York city was shot dead by his wife
Irene. 1t was poettenlly just affair-at
least some novelists thought so-for House
had narrowly escaped the penitentiary by
reason of his crooked work in procuring
divorces and had procured one for the
woman who killed him.
Well, Irene Van Zandt House who was,
Mrs. Redmond. or Mrs. Carson who is, is
once more in prison, this time in Trenton,
and on bewildering variety of charges.
She has borne the names.of six men, is so
years old, almost as pretty ever and has
a most innocent and childish looking face,
with soft, appealing blue eyes and lavish
wealth of soft light hair. And her life
record runs thus: Ruin at IA, marriage,
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-13

The ignorant class of Mexieans consider
an outbreak of smallpox in their miserable
novels q visitation of divine wrath for
some sin they have committed. So set are
they in this belief that they will do moth
ing whatever to check the ravages Of the
disease except, when it attacks their in
fants, to take the victims in their arms,
press them closely to their breasts and
pray devoutly and continuously to God to
forgive them for their wickedness. OF
course the smallpox runs its course after
awhile, though never before claiming sew.
eral members of every family as victims,
but not until It does are the afflicted par
ents purged of their sins.