davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
The steepest Railroad Grade.

Much has been written about the
construction of the mountain divi-
sions of the Denver and Rio Grande
Railroad in Colorado and the won
derful engineering skill displayed in
ascending the California mountains
south Of Tulare Valley through Te-
hachapi Pass. But after all this, the
little feeder of the Leadville division
of the Rio Grande exceeds all other
roads in its steep grades and short
curves.
When the line first went into Ope-
ration many accidents occurred by
the trains breaking away at the top
and running back down the steep
grades, wrecking locomotives and cars
and destroying limbs and som etimes
lives.
Later. however, extremely heavy
locomotives have been built and the
most skillful and the bravest train
hands are employed, who never finch
in the supreme moment OF danger.
The result has been that accidents
now seldom occur.
1t is said that the sight Of one of
these trains descending is one of
thrilling interest, the sparks from
the car-wheels cutting pathway Of
light down the mountains which can
best be described as having the ap-
pearance of a molten stream of fire
rushing down to the river bed of the
canyon.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

A Scotchman, who is evidently as
patient as he Is ingenious, has trained
two little mice to spin thread with
an apparatus of which he is the in
ventor. The mechanical principle Of
the continuance is small mill, which
Is operated by the paws Of the mice.
They can each wind on and of per
day from 100 to 120 pieces Of thread,
and to do this they must supply a
motor power by which course Of
ten and one-half miles could be trav-
ersed. Although the two mice are
quite small they perform this task
every day without apparent fatigue.
A cents worth of flour furnishes
them food enough for five weeks.
During that time the little animals
nave spun in the neighborhood of 81
$50 threads, each about one and one
half yards long. At this rate each
mouse earns not quite cent per day,
or the muniflcent sum of about 81
per year. The ingenious inventor
proposes to build a house 80 feet
long, 45 feet wide and 48 feet high,
which he expects to equip on a large
scale with thread mills operated by
mice. He says he can put In about
10000 mills. = st. Louis Post Dis
patch.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
A Chinese strong Man.

A Hankow correspondent gives an
account of the discovery or young
Samson at the militia examinations.
There we're about 900 candidates, Of
whom sixty-three obtained the degree
of promoted men. They are tried in
archery, lifting, sword and spear ex-
ercise, ETC., also In writing. The
senior wrangler was a young man,
only twenty-five years Of age, from
Kinhau. His particular success was
in lifting, and his strength is esti-
mated at 800 catties (the catty is
about one and one-half pounds),
though really they say 1t is only 600
catties. This Is tested by lifting a
square stone OF 300 catties weight as
high as the breast. This man not
only lifted 1t to that height, but
gave 1t little toss up and caught 1t
as 1t came down.
The governor was astonished and
asked him to repeat the feat. The
young man, supposing that he was
suspected Of having some secret help,
threw of his coat, exposing his bare
body, and repeated the feat to the
entire satisfaction Of the judges.
Though in archery and other, prac-
tices his skill was not conspicuous,
he was awarded the first place on the
list of successful candidates, and the
governor did him the honor of asking
who had been his teacher and trainer.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
Gladstone,s First speech.

Mr.. Labouchere has come into pos
session Of a photograph of sketch
of Mr.. Gladstone making his first
speech in the House of Commons in
1883. The sketch, which is said to
have been drawn at the time, repre-
sents Mr.. Gladstone, then member
from Newark, speaking from the
front bench below the gangway in
the old house that was burned down
the next year. Mr.. Gladstone's very
first utterance In the House of Com
mons was made, not from the front
bench below the gangway, but from
under the gallery, where he was al
most inaudible to reporters; and,
curiously enough, it was in reply to
Rigby Wason, then member from
Ipswich, and father of Mr.. Eugene
Wason, who now represents South
Ayrshire as one of Mr.. Gladstone's
stanchest supporters
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

He Began to study the Dictionary ~
Once, However.
A man with stopped shoulders and
general air of lassitude strolled
into the editorial rooms the other
afternoon. He found pale-faced
young man busily engaged In clean
ing briar pipe.
"Good-day," said the stoop-shoul-
dered man.
"Howdy," said the other.
The stoOp-shouldered man coughed
couple OF times and then said, nerv-
ously: Il just came in to say that
I've been subscriber to this paper
for a good many years and this morn
ing l Noticed that you used the word
'apotheosis. >"
SWELL" said the pale-faced young
man, what of 1t? That's good
word, isn't it?"
ooh, certainly, certainly" replied
the visitor "It's good word, a
very good word. But, you see, / was
brought up In poverty, and l didn't
have chance to get an education.
There are a lot Of things I don't
know. just happened to be going
by and l thought would drop in and
ask you what that word meant?"
The pale-faced young man ceased
operations on his pipe and looked al
the visitor in undisguised amaze
ment as it possible" he finally
said, "that there is a man or woman
or child In this fair city who does not
know what that word means? l car
not believe, sir, that you are speak
ing earnestly to me. You must be
joking"
The stoop-shouldered man blushed
painfully. "Of course" he STAN
mered, II think 1 know what ii
means, but, you know, / didn't have
much Of a chance to go to school.
Come to think of it, though, l am
perfectly sure know what it means.
well" and the pale-faced young
mans air was very patronizing, II
thought you knew better than to ask
such question. Good day, SIR"
The stOOp-shouldered man turned
and went out into the hall. AS the
door closed the pale-faced young man
dropped his pipe and shouted: sJim-
my! Oh, JIMMY"
A small boy put in his appearance.
Jimmy" said the pale-faced young
man, get me the dictionary and get
it blamed quick. Some other chap
may be up here in minute. -
Buffalo Express.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

than likely they would go on about
their several occupations without
paying any more attention to the re-
mark than proverbial French polite
ness would demand from them as
representatives Of the polished ma
tion."
But the fact that they do both
kinds of work remains Picturesque
figures they are, too, with that Pc
culiar neatness which even In old
clothes the women Of Paris, from
Princess TO peasant, know how to
preserve. Artists find in them that
which sets their fingers itching for a
pencil and a sketching pad, and all
travellers would be sorry indeed to
miss them from the boulevards and
markets
Not only in these two kinds Of Ia
Dor, but at the fruit and flower stalls,
with the milk carts, and in a score of
other capacities, one sees them
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
Sudden Fame.

About forty years ago, when DR..
Bence Jones was leader and great
authority among the scientific organ
izations of England, he received a
letter from Germany, saying:
"You English are the oldest peo-
pie. Here, to our laboratories, comes
every year young Irish schoolmaster
called Tyndall, with the quickest
brain, the most honest capacity for
research l have ever seen. Would
that our German youths were run
from the same mold
"This brilliant young fellow has
never received the smallest recogni-
tion from English men or institu-
tiOns, and he tells me to-day that,
quite disheartened at last, he Is pre-
pairing to emigrate to America"
Tyndall went through London, not
long afterward, to make preparations
for visiting America, and Doctor
Jones took care to meet him. He
fell at once under the spell Of his
wonderful talents, and determined
to bring him to public notice.
Il won't take any middle course,
he said. Il think you can leap to
the top at once. / shall announce
that you will lecture at the Royal In
stitution."
The announcement was made, and
all London troOped to hear "Bence
Jones' wild Irishman." As the great
physician drove his pTotege down to
the hall, he suddenly exclaimed:
"But, Tyndall, where are your
notes?"
"Notes?" was the reply. Il haven't
any notes"
mo notes." rejoined the other, al
most in agony. "Do you realize that
you are not going to address parcel
OF Irish gossoons, but an audience of
famous experts on your own subject?"
Tyndall smiled. SWELL" said he,
"I'm afraid it's too late now"
The hall was crowded. All the
leaders of science were present. Tyn-
dali, who had never lectured before,
stepped into the famous tribune,
smiled, bowed, and poured forth the
results of his marvellous experiments
without faltering or pausing. He
closed his address In the midst of
wild applause; he had become In a
single night famous lecturer. -
Youths Companion.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
Britain's Output OF Books for 1898.

1t appears that the total number
of books published in 1893, was g.
3S2. This, however, is $50 below the
number Of the previous year. II we
distinguish between new books and
new editions the numbers are Of new
books, 5,129 as compared with 4, 915
in 1892. The new works Of fiction
have fallen from l,l47 to 935: but
this is probably due to some differ
ences in classification, and many
works probably classed before as flc-
tion now go to swell the list of @ju-
venile works and tales" which have
made an otherwise astonishing rise
from 292 to $50. In an advance sheet
of "The Publishers Circular" from
which we gather these facts, this
is the explanation given. In political
economy there is a falling of from
ISL to II. Voyages and travels are
nearly the same as the previous year,
about $50, while works of history
and biography are slightly fewer.
There is small increase in volumes
of poetry. as also in year books and
serial volumes. Medical and surgi-
cal works are not SO numerous. This
remark applies also to bellies lettres.
London Daily Telegraph.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
chase prize for gentlemen riders at

chase prize for gentlemen riders at
Autun. lea ,g g.... al
They were all fanciers of English
thoroughbreds. The, Marshal was
never without a few in his stables.
He owed his life on many occasions,
when acting as an ald-de-camp, to
the fleetness and cleverness Of an
English or an Irish horse. At the
exhibition of equestrian art, which
was held eight years ago at the Rue
de Seze, family portrait was shown
Of Charles, Joseph, and Maurice Pat
rick de MacMahon (the future Mar
shay, in their uniforms, cantering in
a glade. 1t was a spirited painting,
and gave the Impression OF the ella
tion and freshness Of youth.
Another sketchy picture, by Horace
Vernet, represented the MacMahon
family at hunting meet in front Of
the chateau Of Sully "a kind of Bur-
gundian Warwick Castle), with their
friends, who had come to hunt in
the woods round tuem The mate
rial conditions and the company are
aristocratic. SIM, there is sweet,
genial, friendly air, common to all
the MacMahons, which excludes the
idea of "the cold shade of aristoc-
racy." The servants seem as we'll off
as the horses. Maurice Patrick (the
MarshaD, a gentlemanly, elegantly
built young fellow, of fair, beam.
ing, and rudy countenance, pats the
neck of his thoroughbred. The
horse, pleased and proud at this
mark Of affection, paws the ground
with his forefoot Contempt
rary Review.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

way to China Sea, carrying destruc-
tion with her until she had cleared
the sea OF vessels carrying the United
States flag. Her name had become
one to conjure with. The Federa al
Government said she must be de-
stroyed. The mission was given to
the Kearsarge, and the Alabama was
found in the harbor at Cherbourg.
Preparations were at once made for
battle, and as soon as the Alabama
sailed out of the neutral zone HOSTILE
ties began.
Both vessels were nearly equally
matched. The Kearsarge had crew
of 1853; the Alabama's crew numbered
144. The battery Of the Kearsarge
consisted of 7 guns, two 11-inch
pivots, smooth bore; one 30-pounder
rife and four light 32-pounders. The
Alabama carried 8 guns, one 49,
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

A wsstsrn Mans Tale Of . BuRAas
Hunt.

-
Hunt.
1t happened In the winter of 1899
10, began the old hunter and plains
man, when the subject of buffaloes
was brought mp. 1t was a bad winter
In my country and the mercury was
well down on the shortcut to China
The buffaloes had taken refuge In
mighty herds In the country around
the Porcupine River, which is one OF
tributaries of the Yellowstone. One
day the word reached our camp
that herd was grazing about
two miles distant, and our men
got together for hunt. / knew the
country round about like book, and
instead Of going with the rest Of the
boys started on shortcut across
hog back and into the next valley
where the buffaloes were said to be.
rode on some distance, but did not
see the herd. Suddenly l heard
shots. A regular chorus of bangs
rang out. / turned my horses head
In the direction Of the shooting and
made up my mind to ride back and
join the crowd. But my plans
wouldn't work. They had fred into
the bunch from the other side and
had stampeded it. The maddened
animals, and there were fully one
thousand Of them. were tearing over
the snow, jumping ravines and DASH
ing toward me at terrific pace. Be.
hind the herd the cracks of the guns
ratified.
The valley was narrow and the
sides steep. / did not have time to
get out. There was only one thing
to do-fly and keep ahead of the
herd until found an opening in the
hills. 1t was furious ride. The
snow here and there had been made
soft by the sun and it was very
treacherous under a horses hoof.
Suddenly when the leaders of the
herd were but 200 yards behind, my
pony stumbled and turned a somer-
sault and / was thrown a considera.
BILE distance into snowdrift. My
rife was strapped upon the saddle and
had no time to 60 back and get 1t, for
pistol at the leaders and they slack
ened their speed little. But one
old bull looked at me minute and
then made dash. When he ducked
to impale me on his horns / lodged
and caught his shaggy wool ana was
soon astride his back. This made
him mad and he tried his best to I'M
seat me, but / held on. The pres
sure of the herd behind him COM
PEELED him to run for his life.
knew my only hope was to stick
to that uncomfortable seat until l
had ridden the beast to death. BY
and by the pressure behind began to
slacken and my bull wanted to rest,
but / spurred him on. 1t was 3
o'clock when / mounted him. About
2 o'clock the next morning he began
to wabble. He lurched few times
and then stumbled to his knees. He
rolled over and before had time to
save myself my left leg was under
him. !, At last got it free and man
aged to cut his throat. then took
my bearings and found I was a hun
dred miles from camp / made my
self comfortable and feasted on buff
falo steak. Before long the boys
came up to where l was sitting.
They had found the carcass of my
horse and had kept on in the hope
Of finding that Of myself. The herd
must have turned OF through some
break in the hills, for my bull was the
only one left In sight.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
Three OF Them.

A little Brooklyn girl astonished
her mother the other day by her pro-
fciency in pathological pursuits
Mamma" said she, "there are three
kinds OF bye aren't there9" What
do you mean, my dear?" responded
the mother in surprise. swell, /"
sweetly lisped the little one, there's
one by when you go by some one on
the sidewalk, and there's another
when you go to the store to buy
something, and then there's by gosh!"
The mother was not long in reaching
the conclusion that her daughter
needed a little careful instruction in
the minor morals. New York Trib-
me
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

FOUNDER, pivot smooth bore; one 100
FOUNDER pivot rifle and six 30-pound-
ers. The tonnage Of the Alabama
was 1,040 and that of the Kearsarge
1901. The Alabama's commander
was Capt. Raphael Semmes and the
Kearsarge's Capt. John Ancrum
Winslow, both of whom had seen
about equal service in the Mexican
war.
The Battle.
The engagement between these YES
sells took place on Sunday, June 10,
of Cherbourg. The Kearsarge
steamed out to sea, distance of sew
en- miles, so as to be beyond neutral
waters, and was followed by the Ala
hama. The Kearsarge wheeled and
the two vessels approached each 9th
er. The first roar OF cannon which
told of the beginning OF the battle
came when the two vessels were a
mile apart 1t was the Alabama that
Aired. Again and still again the Ala
bama opened her broadside on the
Kearsarge, but hardly had the third
discharge left the guns when the
Kearsarge for the first time opened
Are. She had reached the range at
which she proposed to fight. The
two ships circled around each other
ut a distance OF 500 yards, pouring
shot and shell into each others side
with merciless energy. With the
desperation of threatened death
and the enthusiasm of prom
ised victory, the men on both
ships fought. A 6S-pounder shell OF
the Alabama passed through the bull
warks of the Kearsarge and exploded
on the quarter deck, wounding three
men. The guns OF the Kearsarge
were doing dreadful damage on the
Alabama Three 11-inch shells did
horrible execution. The decks were
strewn with dead and dying. The
starboard battery OF the Alabama
was almost disabled and the vessel
careened heavily from the effects OF
shot holes on her water line. Capt.
Semmes, seeing that his vessel was
beaten. headed her for neutral waters,
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
A Marshal's Portraits.

Maurice Patrick MacMahon was
not sent to school young, but had pri-
vate tuition at home. He was then
placed at seminary taught by
priests at Autun, from which he was
removed to coaching establishment
for the military school Of st. Cyr, at
Versailles. His two elder brothers
were already officers in Hussar regi-
ments. All the family were fond OF
horses and were daring riders.
Charles, the eldest, broke his neck in
1S45 while competing for a steeple-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

Coal Gas and the Vanishing Forest.
The scientists are devoting much
attention to the widespread theory
that the earths atmosphere is becom-
ing seriously affected by the enormous
quantity of coal that is converted
into carbonic acid gas-the natural
enemy of the human beings.
Along with this poison gas which
is being generated in a thousand
smoky cities and through other
sources all over the world, comes
the steady cutting down OF forests,
the leaves Of which are the natural
absorbents of poisonous gas
General Wistar, who is said to be
the highest authority in the matter,
is so deeply interested In the subject
that he is making great efforts to call
the attention Of tho scientific world
to it, and he believes that the grow
ing bronchial troubles and epidemics
like the grip, al over the world, have
an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. with 1t.
How much the present enormous
generation of carbonic acid gas can
affect the whole body OF the atmos-
phere science win ascertain just as
soon as it applies itself to the prob
lem In earnest.
At all events the great efforts now
being made to preserve the forests
are worthy OF every encouragement.
The planting Of trees in cities, the
development of extensive and we'll.
wooded park systeWs,, the planting of
large groves of timber 10 the vicinity
of towns and cities, are all calculated
to assist In the ABSORPTION Of the
superabundance of carbonic acid gas
with which, according to the scien-
lists. our a6md6phere is becoming
dangerously 'cyefcharged.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

but tho KearsarRe pursued, pouring
shot and shell into the Alabama
Then the Confederate commander
struck his colors and sent
boat alongside the Kearsarge, an
nouncing his surrender. The Alabama
was sinking and could not, float over
ten minutes. Capt Kihslow sig
nailed the English yacht Deerhound
to 60 to the rescue of the Alabama's
crew. The Deerhound complied, but
after picking up thirty-nine persons,
including Capt Semmes, she steamed
away with them. Two French pilot
boats picked up some more Of the
Alabama's crew and the Kearsarge
rescued many.
In this battle nine of the Alaba-
mas crew were killed and twenty-one
were drowned. Three of the Kear.
sarge's crew were seriously wounded,
and of these one afterward died.
The celebrated, Alabama claims
case followed, and England, during
the administration of President
Grant, In September, 1872, was COM
PEELED to pay the United States $751;
900, 900 on account of damages in
flicted by the Alabama, because she
had been fitted out In an English
shipyard. This was the only serious
engagement the Kearsarge had, but
since then she has been in almost
continuous service. The reef upon
which the Kearsarge was wrecked is
named Roncador, and Is small
guano islet, without regulations of
any kind. Here in 1891 the Aguan,
carrying the Warner Miller party to
the Nicaragua canal, was wrecked,
and the party remained six days on
the island before they were rescued.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
Made Him sick.

Colonel Dodge In recent book tells
q story about well-brcd English
man, a visitor IN this country, who
was fed by his American cousins
constantly on that CONNECTION yclept
Washington pie" One day, after he
had been fed too much OF the con-
lection, he felt uncomfortable. In
stead of growing and grumbling,
and abiding to the blasted climate,
like the proverbial Englishman Of
fiction, he meekly and quietly re-
marked; Doubtless General WASH
ington was a great and good man,
but d. his pie"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

absolutely the same as the leaves
among which it rested that this test
rarely satisfied them, and nothing
would convince them that there was
a real live insect there but the test of
touch. 1t had to be stirred up to
make it move"
The end gained ty this close re-
semblance to its surroundings is to
protect the insect against attack.
Some walking sticks, however, have
their bodies covered with spines,
while others exude a spray so often
sive as to repel any predatory, insect
ivorous creature.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08
Power of Electric search lights.

Probably not one person among a
hundred has even an approximate
conception Of the illuminating power
of one of the great modern electric
search lights, and it is only vaguely
understood that it must be something
enormous. AS matter Of fact, with
the projecting reflectors in use, which
serve as multiplying factors for the
actual candle-power of the electric
arc, the Illuminating capacity of the
beams issuing from one of the large
modern search lights has been placed
at the equivalent OF something over
200, 900, 900 candles Just what this
means Is not easily realized, though a
popular measure of the lighting pow
er is afforded by the statement that,
under favorable atmospheric condi-
tions, one of these large lights can
be seen nearly 100 miles away, and
will illuminate objects at a distance
OF almost twenty miles with sufficient
clearness TO make their examination
possible with the aid of a field glass.
-Cassell's Magazine.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-03-08

The wreck of the corvette Kear-
sarge on reef In the Caribbean Sea
was q sad ending for vessel which
made her name immortal In the his
tory Of the American navy. The
action that has endeared her to the
hearts of the American people was
the sinking of the Confederate cruz
ser Alabama off Cherbourg, France,
Jan. 10, 1854. For almost two years