davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
Woman as an Athlete.

At village in West Virginia youth
was engaged to girl, but they guar
relied. Then the mean spirited youth be-
gan to talk about her in way in viii, h
no gentleman would ever permit himself
to speak Of any woman. The young lady
heard of it. She consulted her girl
chums. There were four of them. They
went one night to the farm where the
Cabling youth lived and called him out
by throwing pebbles at his bedroom win
dow. He came, and no doubt was i'm
mensely fattered to find himself con-
fronted by five pretty girls. But he
changed his mood when; without a word,
these five strong country maidens grab
bed him and tied him to the fence. There
they whipped him within an inch of his
life and babe him adieu. He will at
least not talk about nice girls for some
time to come.
In New Jersey the same day two
tramps went into farmhouse and de-
manded money. The mistress of the
mansion was alone. Did she faint and
scream and then give to the two villains
all her own and her husbands savings?
No, she did not. She ordered the fellows
to leave. Then one drew pistol and
threatened her. Before you could count
three the lady had snatched up an AK
handle and struck the man with the pis-
toll a terrible blow on the head. 1t felied
him. Then the second tramp started to
run, but before he could get away that
dreadful ak handle struck him Oh the
back of the head and downed him too
Then at her leisure madam took the pis-
tol from one felloT and knife from tie
other. Now, get outw she said, ard
they got. How Charles Reade would
have enjoyed such combinations Of bis
theory that really women were tremcr-
dously strong creatures if they would
only use their strength
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
Sanitary Insurance.

A plan has been sketched out by an
Englishman, DR.. G. w. Sleeves, for Sc
curing at all times the sanitary condi-
ton of dwelling houses, from the palace
to the tenement. He calls his idea
scheme of sanitary insurance.
He recommends that the authorities Of
city in the interests Of public health
organize it into sanitary insurance dis
tricts. There shall be board of in
spectors to visit all buildings in their
district not less than three times year.
They shall examine, register and classify
ell houses, old and new, granting certifi-
Gates of sanitation for such as human
beings can live in without detriment to
health. They shall also provide the
most approved appliances whereby a
house owner may put his buildings in
good sanitary condition.
There should be added to their powers
also that of insuring buildings against
bad sanitation - that Is, in considers
ton of a proper sum paid per year by
the owner of house the board agrees to
watch it and keep it in thoroughly good
condition as to plumbing, ventilation,
etc. With certificates of sanitation
granted to all owners of houses in first
class condition, the unsanitary ones
would be rooted out of city In years
time, for nobody would rent the build
ing that could not show clean bill Of
health. Owners belonging to the sani-
tary insurance association would have
the preference always. 1t ought not to
be hard to arrange the details of such a
plan for sanitary insurance.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
The British "a"

It appears to be on us to stay. 1t is
more persistent than the grip. II is very
catching. The order has gone forth that
it is to be adopted in the public schools.
lis well, to certain extent. No doubt
the broad British "a" sounds pleasanter
than our brassy, American fiat one. 1t
is also true that little of the British
importation goes good way. With
the zeal of new converts, we are in dan
ger Of OVERRIDING that English "a."
Such words as ask, half, laugh and
grass sound greatly more musical with
the broad "a than with our old time
fiat one. But when it comes to saying
donce, foncy, hond and lohd we 'foncy"
that it is running things into the ground.
The truth always lies between two ex-
tremes. The best educated and purest
speaking English people generally do not
say II foncy." They pronounce their as
about half way between the cockney
broad one and our American fat one.
He, therefore, who would get the best
English pronunciation will not say
"donce." If we could initiate the soft,
pleasant voices of the cultivated English
ladies and gentlemen instead of being in
such desperate hurry to say II foncy,"
we would do better.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
City Ownership of Railway.

If the scheme which looks SO feasible
ON paper should be duly carried out,
then in course of time Chicago will be
the owner of an elevated railway lead.
ing from the heart of the city to an in
definite distance on the North Side. The
road will be called the North Side ele-
waited. The promoter" of the scheme,
which may be either very good or a
very bad one, is Mr.. Marcus Pollasky, a
Chicago lawyer
The plan proposed is that the Chicago
council shall charter and authorize an
issue of bonds for the road. The rail-
road company, however, will actually
issue the bonds to the amount of $4,000
600 in shares of 800 each. All the peo-
pie Of Chicago, small investors as we'll
as heavy ones, are invited to put their
money into these bonds, which bear per
cent interest. The capital stock of the
company shall be at a par value Of &c.,
100000. Eleven trustees or commission
ers designated by the railroad COM
pany" shall manage its affairs.
After the operating expenses, interest
and all other charges shall have been
paid the net earnings remaining shall go
to the city of Chicago. After five years,
if it SO chooses, the city may call in the
bonds, pay them and itself become the
owner of the road, subject always, how
ever, to the management of the com
pany. For their share Of the profits Mr..
Pollasky and his organizers get per
cent of the capital stock and per cent
of the company's bonds.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
Great Americans.

Who are our great men that are really
typical Americanss Mr.. Woodrow Will
son undertakes TO answer the question
in The Forum. He dismisses Alexander
Hamilton and President Madison as
''great EngGshmen bred in America"
On the other hand, however, he classes
Washington, who in many characteristics
resembled these two, as a typical Ameri-
can. He explains it by saying that
Washington was not at all the cold, col
orless, prudent individuality represented
by his biographers, but was as thorough
ly American as jackson or Lincoln.
He informs us that what we take for lack
of passion in him was "but the reserve
and self mastery natural to man of his
class and breedingin Virginia" The fact
that reserve and self mastery are natural
to them will be news to most men of any
class in Virginia probably.
John Adams and John c. Calhoun
come under Mr.. Wilson's category of
great men, but they were not typical
Americans, because they were both pro-
vincial, he says-Adams New England
provincial, Calhoun a southern one I'm
Henry Clay we have an American of a
most authentic pattern, while Andrew
jackson, thoroughly great man, was
altogether of the west, we are told. Clay
and Jackson were somewhat alike, but
Clay had the "art and sophistication of
the eastern politician" If in these days
the eastern politician has more of art
and sophistication than the western one.
Americans are not aware of it.
Franklin Mr.. Wilson classes us a "sort
of multiple American" Que would soy
he was. A greator brain than his never
blessed this country with It's w;sc
thoughts. Robert e. Lee was a great
typical American, too, the writer says.
SO was Daniel Webster. Emerson aud
Asa Gray, the botanist, belong to the
world, not to America. They "inight
have been native to any Cline"
Abraham Lincoln, however, Mr.. Will
son puts as the supreme American of
our history" Other men belonged to
the east, the west or south. In Lincoln
the elements were combined and har-
monized. He was a genius in the com
mon thought of the American people
and a genius likewise in the mastery of
fundamental politics. 1.-The whole coun-
try is summed up in him."
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
HER CONGRATULATIONS.
They Were rendered In Good Faith, but
With Embarrassing Results.


They We're rendered In Good Faith bus
VIZ" I"oa''"'s'"s '
Songratuiations onereu IN seneis
way are Jus. h''ie pe,oW par l" ons
Oh tne aown Town departments az p'es
ent. a certain cnie, Oh uivisioh naineu
Sinltn is very popular win 'ne iaaies
Oh the department. &c mas un n Min Ni,n
clerk aiso haii.u ',,i'n on 4Ne"
year gay me wiiooi Sie,n smith ple-
sented MN win son anu neir' auu oh
the ioiiowing aay nus iiienus AZ 'po ue-
partner, larry swarineu ar aaouiia ms
aesS with congiatu'a'iohs' ha' lnorn-
ing a INQUEST iiteie niaioen eieiA, WHOM
,or present purposes we may stsie MISE
Sohes' oVerheara TWO acquain'ances u,
tne eorrioor taking apout mother anu
chiiu IN nusheo Voices' anu woilaniihe
sne s,oppea 70 ASK wha' 'he news was.
"a. "ny' maven YOU neafu' eNo,a'
90 one OF inc conseisan's; Mi. oihi'i
mas naa an aau'''9 m 70 ms n amy ami 3
s sg pis poy. We seqii Oe'n :" -
one, oaf .Unei s'.i es,
inoeeu' crieo "iSe 'oi'es iu''
~ w.
oui.ins tne ao'ioh 70 'ne woiu .. anu
wi.nou' Pausins W toneo' 'na' 'ne.e
were .~o messis oin''n' sn1 1; 800 ..a I p'
nas'o i1I 'no uesh =, 'uo oni9i VI wv.
SION; ne was puilea W ~ nis eals -
, wurh anu uiu no ':t nu'ioo nei app. .a
'ii n ~ net sen'io ii..io soloo enc sou
=, iease aooops NY oons i"'u'"''on''
"t cr oiii. r.. =, ,.,.,,. u,,
| g.. me s.,''n - ny n nan -.
aao l' u 'no o,net son nau pe.n 'n l...at.
Nup.s us "o.A on snS mo- Ing ~" -.
,.; - ' P5 a 49, y'c 49,. ana 80. - n,'
apao. p.on n nau 49, .n.1 90 -.
ypou wy u ano~ .s u..nou' naA
ne"iins 'n9 ioA ~ NJ. 40 ~ ~.
% wnen no neaiu Mss oono 81
-eo,o say ins oo'n a.o,- ua;.aI W. .,os
soou "ian1, no o.o.s .a,o liz; .I y %
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

A public decorative league ought to be
formed in every city, village and town
ship Of this country. Its object should
be to improve roads, streets, landscapes,
parks and the inside and outside of pub
lie buildings. In courthouses, town
halls and schoolhouses there is scope for
all the budding artistic instinct in the
American soul. Public buildings may
be improved by architectural additions,
and beautified by paint and repairs, by
decorating the walls and ceilings and by
the addition of pictures and sculpture.
The farmer will have his share of the
work chiefly in improving the public
roads and identifying the landscape. He
will first remove from the public view
all unsightly objects and structures on
his grounds. The expenses of the pub
lie decorative league can always be met
if people are public spirited.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
All Sorts.

A piece of clean tissue paper is the best
thing with which to clean spectacles.
At waterd drinking contest in Paris
recently the winner drank twelve quarts.
The grenadiers got their name from
their original weapons-the hand grenade
Wild tobacco, said to be equal to the
real Havana, has been found growing in
Texas.
Sandwiches made by machinery are the
result of labor saving device just invent
When the vote of jury in Germany
stands six to six the prisoner is acquitted.
Five thousand words are daily sent over
the cable connecting Australia and
Europe.
Stag from blast furnaces is pulverized
and used for fertilizing farming lands in
Germany.
The largest coast light in the United
states can be seen twenty-eight miles in
clear weather.
1t Is said that the human hair will turn
white during violent emotion if the hand
is laid uponit.
Its said that people eat 20 per cent,
more bread when the weather is cold than
when it is mild.
Inc public baths in Boston were used
over 100000 times during the three
summer months.
The total number of electors in this
country, including women entitled to vote.
is l3,5O0,OO0.
The TONGUE of the toad is attached to
the front OF its jaw and hangs backward
instead of forward.
A vein of mineral wax, which resembles
pure butter, has been discovered by peat
diggers in ireland.
In France the doctors claim on the es.
tate of deceased patient has precedence
over all others.
The head of the rattlesnake has been
known to infict a fatal wound after be-
ing severed from the body
The part of the human body least sus-
ceptlble to touch is between the shoulder
blades just over the spine.
Q The army worm travels in such COM
pact line that professions of them are
frequently mistaken for snakes
In 1888 Philip Stubs inveighed with
great energy against the use of starch.
which he called 1.-THE DEVILS liquor.v
Italian soldiers are given cigars every
day, but have to pay for their underclotb-
ing, washing and all toilet articles.
Judge Tighe-"You want to have your
husband released after he has punched
you in the jaw with his fst?"
Mrs. O'Calligan-"Yis, sir; We see me
jaw was workin' at the time, an whwin
he hit me the poor divil broke three of
his knckles. Brooklyn Eagle.
1t was in large department store that
gilded youth drifted up to the candy
counter.
"Do you know" he said, to the pretty
young woman in charge, if 1 were the
proprietor of this establishment should
dismiss your"
"Whyf' she asked Indignantly
"ln order to give the candy chance
he answered.
And she gave him pound and a quar-
ter of 75-cent candy for so cents.-De-
troit Free Press.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

AT the japanese store of A. A.
Vantine & Co., of New York CITY,
there are on exhibition two Peruvian
mummies lately arrived from the city
of Lima, in Peru, South America.
They are between 400 and 800 years
old, and belonged to the Incas tribe,
which fourished from the 11th to the
10th centuries. One of the mummes
on exhibition, an Incas chief, is still
embalmed in the original wrappings
of those ancient days. He is adorned
with rings of solid silver in hia ears
and silver masta before his face,
and when found bags of corn and
grain were hung about his body, as
was the custom in those times, to sat
isfy his hunger during the long jour
nev he was supposed to take. The
other mummy. woman, is the wife
of the chief and has been stripped of
the linen bandagcs which were orig
inally wrapped about her, and is to
be seen with her head, on which there
is a profusion of natural hair, bowed
on her breast, sitting in the same po-
sition in which she was originally bu-
ried.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
CO.'S AND ENDS.
Gold was discovered in the Or

Gold was discovered in the Ural
mountains ir i745.
The membership of the Primrose
league has Reached i,i00,58t.
Tho first mon mine in the United
States was opened in Virginia in 1868,
The first great oil well was at Oil
Creek, Pa. 1t gave l, 900 gallons day.
It is estimated that the annual salt
product of the world is fully 1900, 900
tons.
In foggy London one day brought into
the pockets of one gas company so large
sum as 600, 0O0
The Limosin hunting horn, sold at
Christie's auction house, Colworth, Lon
don, In 1909, brought $4,000.
No matter how fortunate we may be
In the present, it must be said that the
future has grave aspect for all Of us.
A new pen point often refuses to
work. Stiak the point into raw po-
tato, and 1t will then write easily and
smoothly.
In the Presbyterian hospital, New
York city, last year there were ., 1873
Roman Catholic patients, more than all
other denominations combined.
The finest specimen of native gold
ever found was in Ural nugget, which
gave nearly 90 per cent of gold, the
balance being silver and copper.
In the days of the Empesw Diocle-
tian, house painters wages were go
cents day, while schoolmaster re-
ceived only 80 cents month for each
pupil.
Professor Geikle says that at their
present rate of erosion the British isles
will be reduced to level with the sur
rounding ocean by the end Of the yeai
$500, 900. No cause for alarm, sure.
The gold mines of Peru were so rich
that Atahualpa, to buy his ransom,
filled room 30 feet by II to height
of . feet with golden vessels. When
melted, they produced $15, 480,710 Of
gold.
AttdI VI IOoO 10 COuctuutly SlOWAue
more costly. A small quantity about
eight teaspoonfuls-costs from $40 to
$15. The peasants who produce it In
Bulgaria have largely given up raising
grain to raise roses.
In the shop Of st. Petersburg watch.
maker human faced clock is on view
the only one of its kind. The hands
are pivoted on its nose, and any mes
sages that may be spoken into its cal
are repeated by a monograph through
Its mouth.
An English woman, while in fit o.
depression, swallowed razor, with su
icidal intent. She was taken to hos
pital, and six days later the operation
of gastrotomy was performed, and the
razor was successfully removed. The
incision in the stomach was sewed w
and healed satisfactorily.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
Nervous Americans.

DR.. 8. Weir Mitchell appears to take
quite too gloomy view of this subject
In paper In McClure's Magaziue. He
says that the American people are fast
becoming very short lived people. and
that II they were shut in of themselves
and had no influx Of foreign vitality for
few years the effect ON tho census
would be startling.
This ma, have been true of genera.
ton ago, but is it SO now with cur in.
proved knowledge Of how to live? As
purely American ancestry as aay is GER
tainly found in the Connecticut valley.
Yet there the proverb is that people
never die, but dry up and blow away.
They frequently live TO be a century
old. AS to mere increase Of population,
that of itself is no sign either Of pros
perity or of growth toward higher CIV
ilization. Fewer people and better
quality of them would be a real indica-
ton Of civilized progress. 1t is the very
lowest, most worthless forms of life that
propagate the fastest.
II seems likely, taking larger view of
the matter than that of the mere medical
man, that the American climate and
spirit are developing a new race. It's
nerves will be finer, its skin will be finer,
and there may be perhaps less of heavy
bone and bulk than characterizes the
older European peoples, but we shall
not fall off any in height or real strength.
Did not the American Corbett thrash the
British champion in three rounds, and
was not the worlds champion brutgbe-
fore Corbett also an American? Both
were of Irish descent, it is true, but they
belong to the new American race and in
herit its spirit.
There is profound meaning to this
hustle and hurry which DR.. Mitchell
thinks will exterminate the Americans.
1t means that we are going to show the
world that work which heretofore re-
quired two days for the doing can be
done in one. Brain and spirit will come
in in the new American race and control
the lower, heavier forces of matter. DR.
Mitchell is indeed right when he insis
that young people shall not be hurried Sc
girls in school and boys in business.
He declares that girl should have the
best of food, air and exercise, but not be
l.
After that she can bear hard study and
long hours of school. In like manner
the boy is PIT to business far too young
in America. He becomes little old
man in a counting room when he should
be boy playing active outdoor games
A reasonable system of outdoor physical
training for both boys and girls will cor
rect the evils the doctor complains of.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

President Cleveland has signed the
Federal Election Laws Repeal bill,
and in doing it used the same gold
pen that Speaker Crisp and Adlai
Stevenson used. That gold pen should
now be put away with the country's
curios beside the pen with which the
the instructions to Paramount Blount
to pull down the flag were written.
Then, if one ofthe pen used by jeff
Davis in directing the Rebellion could
be procered, it should be added to the
collection, Lowell Mail.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

The great peace navies that have cost
SO much money appear to be catching it
all around now, when there is a prospect
of any Of them being wanted for actual
use. The charges in England against
the weakness and ineficiency of the ma
val fighting outfit are menace to the
Gladstone administration. In the French
chamber of deputies M. Lockroy, SON.
in-law of Victor Hugo, declared that the
French war vessels are inferior in speed,
number and everything else to those Of
the other nations of Europe. Much the
same statement was made in Great Brit
ain with regard to the navy of that
country, where it was said the Glad
stone government had permitted the
British navy to run down till it was far
inferior to that of France. Meantime
in America the United States govern
ment was considering the purchase
sof the Ericsson torpedo boat Destroy
er. About that time the Brazilian
government came along, however. and
purchased her for service against the
rebels. When she reached Rio from
New York, she was found to be leaking
badly and was said to be utterly unfit
for fighting service. The Brazilians re-
fused to accept her, though they had
bought her. This, with the fact that
our crack gunboats, Machias and Cas-
tine, have to be cut in two and pieced
because they are topheavy, looks as
though our navy was not much better
than the rest of til N that are built in
time of peace. Italy's is perhaps the
weakest and rottenest of all, owing to
the corruption in the state departments
of that unhappy country.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

Who but an American minister to n
foreign country, even II negro ccantry,
would have had tho gall to wriio lett =
to the heal Of The government CRITICS.
ing his political course? But Americans
have nerve enough for anything.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

Grip in itself seems not so bad, but its
after effects are sometimes terrible. 1t
has been the cause of many cases Of in
sanity and suicide. 1t depletes the whole
system, and if there is a weak spot III the
body anywhere there its facilitating ef-
fects fasten and carry off the victim.
The number of persons of the finest in
telligence who have been deranged or
carried down to death from the after
clap of grips melancholy to contemplate
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

Speaking of the failure of patent car
couplers to meet the situation, a writer
says, "a fact that partially explains the
failure to get the perfect car coupler is
the unfamiliarity of most inventors with
the real needs of the situation" Just So.
Why does not some intelligent brake,
man invent the perfect car coupler him
self?
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

The hardships Of life from ovorcrowd-
ing and starvation are becoming SO great
In SOME quarters hr tho world that il the
people in those quarters had any sense
they would be deferred from marrying
and raising families only to plunge them
into misery. But such people have 10
sense.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16
A Good WAY.

will you oblige me with your auto-
graph" asked bore of a busy public
man.
Certainly, replied the public man.
Just make out check for SO pay
able to my order. l will indorse it
cheerfully, and in due time, you may
be sure. it will come back to you safe
ly through your bank. "-Somerville
Journal
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

The only Democrats in the House
who voted against the infamous Ha.
waiian resolutions were three veteran
soldiers, General Sickles and Major
Cummings Of New York and the ex-
Confederate Capt. Bum of North
Carolina.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-02-16

The Princess Colonna, the step
daughter of John w. Mackay, the
California millionaire, who MAJ ried a
European title and big bundle of
brutality, has arrived in New York
with her three children, having for
saken her unworthy husband with the
gilt edged title.