davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
Branch Postomces in Paris

Branch postotfices, on the London
plan, are now in working order here.
In some districts, notably near banks,
a great deal of business has been done
in the bureaux auxiliaries. The public
has been glad to avail itself of the
opportunity afforded of purchasing
money orders and stamps i'll shops, in
stead of having to lose time waiting
in the crowded poStoftice, which are
usually crowded in the afternoon. The
scenes enacted in these ,nuch-thronged
centrals We're not always edifying.
The French usually exhibit IN enoi.-
nous amount of patience when form
ing part Of queue of waiting wights.
but occasionally. in the large pestoffi-
ces Il certain amount of bad, language
has been heard owing to the ineyita-
Bile delays in obtaining stamps and
cashin. money orders The opening
OF the offices of Ease'--if they may
be so called-w now obyiate 4 great
delay OF waiting. and meet n general
want The Auxiliary BureauN are. as
Il rule. established in the tobacco shops
or III the stitioncrs', but i'll some in
stances small haberdashcrs have taken
up The business of deputy post officials.
In some of the working-ciaSS districts
it appears that the new officers are
viewed with Il considerable amount of
diStrllst. but this state of feeling will
wear off in time.-Paris Correspond
c..cc Of the London Telegraph
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03

iact grows on the inside OF the eye III
is not OH the outside 81 the eye us is
generally supposed. The sufferer be-
comes conscious of it's existence gen
orally by ~ gradual diminution OF the
power OF sight. This is not because the
organs Of sight in the back of the eye
are affected, but because The cataract
affects only the crystalline lens which
interyenes.
This lens is affected by losing its
crystalline quality and becoming some
what opaque. 1t acquires al whitish col
or, and the power of sight is gradually
lost as the lens become more and more
opaque. "A singular thing about this
lens must here be explained. While 1t
is really little sac of liquid, shaped
like the ordinary convex lens 1t yet con
tains In it's center an acual lens OF
clear gristle that is hard and strong.
This is surrounded by clear liquid. The
shape Of the entire lens is constantly
changing in daily life. When you look
at Il mountain ten miles off the lens in
your eye is one shape, but when you
look at the ground at your feet it in
stantly changes in shape SO ms to bring
the subject looked at into focus.
AS the whole of the lens Is affected
in cataract its entire removal from
the eye is, necessary If it were not for
the little hard lens in it's center the en-
tire lens might be taken out through n
small opening made with an instrument
being run out like so much water But
the little hard lens is more than q quar-
ter of an inch across it's face and an
eighth to Il sixteenth of an inch IN thick
ness. 1t can only be removed through a
= 1l,.~ 'l,s. L.
the first cut which is made.
In performing the operation it is nee
essary that the eye should he kept inn
movable. The patient could not do this
himself The oculist first inserts a
apart and the eye wide open. The pa
tient might however, move the eve with
the spectrum in place This is pre-
vented by the use of forccps. which
grasps the skin of the eye below the
eyeball and holds it firmly. This is
generally held by an assistant of the
operator Another assistant holds u
| large .alagnifying glass which concen-
trates the ligllt on the eye and illumines
! Its interior
| The patient always undergoes the
operation after having Il rest. That is
| the reason the operation on Mr.. Glad
stone was performed early III the morn
ing. This is the time of day invariably
selected by oculists. because the patient
is fresh from the bed and thoroughly
rested Ocuiists also prefer to perform
the operation by artificial light. which
seems to be softer and more congenial
to the eye than the light Of day.
A World reporter who called upon an
eminent oculist i'll this city on Thurs
day evening enjoyed the rare opportu-
nifty Of seeing the operation for cataract
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
Monkeys as Pottery Mixers.

According 10 the North China Herald,
which is probably published by some
imaginative American, there is 4 tribe
of monkeys in China. inhabiting the
country adjacent to the Great Wall,
which is well along i'll the arts making
their own wine ana receptacsns for hold
ing it. Mr.. MCGOWAN, an English
resident of lie Cheun, quotes from an
old Chinese writer in evidence of the
above: "0n certain day the people
prepared a feast for the monkeys, plac-
ing the viandS near their caves, Upon
discovering it they all repaired TO their
tIens and each returned with i queer
shaped earthsm Jug. The villagers. see
ing this, scared the monkeys away and
captured their jugs, each of which was
of money manufacture. as was also
the wine which they contained.
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
EXAMINE ALL So NOTES.

A Wei Executed and Dangero
Counterfeit in Now In CircnI
ton.
There is n new So counterfeit Il
In circulation. 1t is of series 1891, cllel
letter p, J. Fount Tillman, registcI
D. n. Morgan, treasurer McPherss
portrait. The note is described by y
Boston Herald as a trifle smaller
the genuine, and is printed on very
1imsy paper. The numbering is po
both as to formation and color, be:
almost brown or chocolate instead
carmine. The seal is about oTe-siy
teenth Of an inch smaller than the ge1
uine. and is Il dull. dark. faded red
stead Of bright pink. In the por
of Mcpherson the hair and wlliaxy-
are almost wholly represented by soil
black color, with the exception Of |
few scratchy lines above the forehead
instead Of having neatly brushed al
pearance. In the counterfeit, also, III
whiskerS are trimmed evenly all round
showing the white collar below, Will
in the genuine a small part of the whit
collar and the coat collar are hidden p
the whiSkers, which are uneyeniy trim
med. Two points of q second sta
can be distinctly seen in the left slion
der strap on the genuine, but in tn
counterfeit this appears as the whit
border OF the shoulder strap. The siiia
words two which appear in tw
places in the figure two, lower RICH
hand corner on the face Of the genuin
are not TO be found on the counterfei
The lathe work on the face of this colll
terfeit is we'll executed, but on "
back of the note it is mu IN broker an
disconnected The letter % in tll
word two lower right corner bac
of the note. is poorly formed. Tie On
tribu;ed silk TO be found in the gers
Inc paper is represented in this conte'
felt by splitting the paper and tracin
the irregular crcases OF same WI
red ink Taking the note as a Wiloi'
it is Il very dangerous counterfeit
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
Moonshincrs Much overrnted.

.'Moonshiners arc the most overrated
people in the world except their cap
tors" said Il gentleman yesterday
ITO read the newspaper accounts one
would suppose that a deputy marshal
takes his life in his hand every time
he goes out to hunt these critters. AS
Il matter of fact. The moonshiner is
the WALLER dog Of the criminal breed
and about as dangerous. OF course.
once in /, While Il man gets hurt by
them If YOU Will take the trouble to
look into amy report OF the commissions
on of internal revenue you will find
very few lives lost ut the hands of the
rnoonshinnrS and Il very small pro-
portion of wounded | know. for I've
investigated the matter myself, and l
was as much astonished when | as
certnined the facts of the case as YOU
can possibly be- Louisville Courier
Journal
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
PERlLoUs TRIP ON A TREs1LE.
A Horse Safely Crosses a Railroad
Bridge, Dragging Two Men in n
Buruy,

A Horse Safely Crosses a Railroad
Bridge, Dragging Two Men in n
buggy.
THE most severe test my nerves
ever experienced, said a citizen to II
writer for the Pittsburg Dispatch. was
during Il buggy ride | took with
friend down in Hickory township, Mer-
Ger county. Several years ago i was
invited to take II drive by Il. w. Orms-
fit and an extraordinary fine horse, so
the invitation was one that Lerson
would not decline We drove through
the country, and in q short time be-
came very much Interested in an argu-
ment that made us forgetful Of the
scenery, and, III fact, OF orr horse
We noticed jolting, and when we
looked up found the horse had wander
ed away from the road and began to
cross Il trestle which spanned n creek
twenty-five feet below. You can i'm
agine our CONSERVATION. for the bridge
had but recently been altered by a
| railroad company that was putting in
its line through the country. The floor
| had been taken up and wooden ties
| to support the rails substituted. Here
| we were crossing 4 bridge i'll Il buggy,
! our horse walking on ties, y feat which
is difficult for some men to perform,
! to say nothing of n quadruped. The
| horse had gone too far to permit of
| turning back, so there was nothing to
do but go ahead. Ornsby reasoned
| this out in moment He did not even
have to stop the horse to consider
| what to do. Although his first impulse
was TO rein up the animal. he saw
| that Interference would be fatal; so,
notwithstanding the sight of 100 feet
! of the most uncertain stepping before
| him, he threw the reinS around the
whip socket and permitted the horse to
| pick out his way. Our position was far
| from enviable Every jolt the buggy
/ gave caused us to better realize our
| danger. Neither of us spoke as we
| watched with cagel'ness the horse step
! ping from tie to tie. But he seemed
/ to realize the danger as much as we.
| Every now and then he would come
/ almost to stop, while he put his head
! down close to the ties, wanting to be
| sure of his footing. When the horse
! reached the solid ground on the other
/ side we took a long breath and con
! graduated ourselves upon our escape.
/ If the horse had made one miSstep
| and fallen he would have overturned
| the buggy and we would have dropped
| on the rocks of the creek. twenty-five
| feet below. for there were no side
! rails to prevent
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
The Fate OF the Hen.

Once IN ardent bicyclist was "elating
his latest adventure, and explaining TO
the inquiring family the reason Of the
strange condition of his new bicycle
II ousers.
You see. the road was smooth and
straight. and / was going for all was
worth-the old wheel was just hum
ming when suddenly one of these
dreadful hens these country people Eer-
sist in keeping ran out in front of my
bike When the hen saw the wheel
coming after her she began to run, only
instead Of getting out of the way, she
ran straight ahead. l shouted and
halloed. but she kept on
Then slowed up, and so dill that
hen Then ! turned Il bit to the light
just after the hen turned that way.
Then I turned to the left, and there
was that hen. / did all | could to
make her get out Of my way or to
get out Of hers, but 1t was no use. So
at last | gave up trying to save her
from her fate j ran my wheel straight
ahead. faster and faster. until ! over
took her and rode over her! And the
jump that old bike made when it struck
that hen gave me Il header and over
. L Went 1utO 1lis vi tOuISS
was Il good puddle there there always
is; and of course. too, | got a good
splashing, and that's what's the matter
with my trousers. you Sect
But what became of the hem ask
ed an interested small listener.
'.I'he hen? Pshaw! L didn't care
particularly what became of the hen.
1t was my trousers | cared about.
But if you want to know badly, III
tell you; believe that hen was in the
soup
In the SOUP"
Yes, she was decidedly in the soup!
Indeed. may say that know she was
dead in it !"
Dead in it, y
Indeed she was: I shouldn't Won
der if the man that own ID her had
chicken soup for week. For that
hen was so dead in it that she never
even winked when the bike struck
her.
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
Housmnn,x Army.

In the i.'Annals OF Staten Island
an instance is related of eXtraordin-
airy self-possession and prompt decis-
ion on the part OF Il young man named
Housman The residents of the island,
during the occupancy BY the British in
Revolutionary times. We're prohibited
from Keeping firearms of any descrip-
ton in their houses A few of them,
nevertheless. had succeeded in conceal
ing guns, and among these was young
Housman.
One morning after the fall Of 4 light
snow. the young man was ont with his
gun in quest of rabbits, when Il sudden
turn in the path brought him in sight
of two soldiers who We're probably out.
like himself. after game.
The two parties saw each other SIM
ultancously, and each stopped Hous-
man thought of the loss OF his gun,
and possibly of his life; but the sense
of danger was but Il stimulus To his
GOODNESS and daring. lie suddenly turn
ed his back on the soldiers. and step
ping around the turn. waved his hand
as il reckoning to some one
Hurry upn' he shouted Here are
two Britishers. Three of you 20 round
to the right. three to the left. and the
rest follow me. Hurry up, before they
run away
The Britishers hearing these words,
and fearing there might be i small
army about to surround them, turned
and fled They even threw down their
arms to facilitate their flight
What report they made when they
reached their quarters is not known.
but 4 detachment was ut once send out
to capture the young man and his
army. Their. surprise and mortitica-
ton may be imagined when ut the turn
in The path they could find but the
tracks Of Il single individual.
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03

Harbor ran a line Of deadly reefs. 1t
was Il veritablc death ground to storm
struck vessels. Congress at last real
lied this, and built eight life-saving sta
tons along the coast. That was in
1S47. Two years later Uncle Sam took
$4,000 from his pocket and put up
stations on Long Island, between Mon
tank Point and Coney Island. Pleased
with his work, he tried again and dis
tributed lifeboats along the coast of
the Southern states and by and by the
little houses of the life-savers arose ON
our lake shores.
This was good work so far as it
went, but it was not enough. The
stations had no regular crews. The
work Of rescue was left to the rough
and mcouth people who dwelt in the
nniylhorhood of the stations. SomH Of
these people meant well enough, but
they were tinctured with certain law
lessness which meant harm. Th :, per
mitted the stations to fall into decay,
SO that when wrecks occurred no as
sistance could be rendered because the
life lines, buoys and even the boats had
been stolen. This would never do.
One night the ship Powhat went
down off the Jersey coast and 300 lives
were lost. because of the failure of
our life-saying system.
The long wished-for change came at
last, and Uncle Sans coast guard as
it exists to-day was organized. In 1860
the Hon. S. s. Cox, the father of our
life-sayng service, came TO the rescue.
Once more Uncle Sam. listening to Mr..
Cox and some others, opened his purse
and took out 100000 for the service.
Sumner l. Ilimball was placed at the
head of the service, and he went TO
work with IL will He discovered a
terrible state of affairs. Rats and
thieves had rendered some of the stu
tons unfit for service and shot lines
and rockets We're missing. No wonder
people were drowned. Mr.. kimball
built new stations and repaired the old
ones He put i'll new life-caiS and dis
charged the inefficient crews. The new
crews We're regularly drilled, well fed
and regularly paid. That you may
know that Mr.. kimhall was The right
man in the right place and knew what
he was doing, | have but 10 tell you
that out of twenty-five wrecks which
occurred on the Jersey coast that year
not one life was lost. From time TO
time the efficiency of our tifc-saYlnS
service has been incrcas I'd until 1T
seems to have reached perfection. Tie
whole of the Atlantic coast is now
Datrolled by crews OF eNperiaa ed men,
and our lake shores are .mder the same
surveillance The coast service is dl-
yided into twelve districts, controlled
by Il general superintendent. with head
Quarters ut Washington.
Then the stations themselves have Il
general inspector. who is stationed at
New Work Each district has Il super
intendent who is responsible for the
efficiency of his station. Next comes
the stations which are in charge OF
keepers. each of whom must be an ex-
pert in boat craft, besides knowing all
surfing and how to take charge or
wrecking operations. Several able
srlfmen constitute the crew at each OF
the stations They are paid ut the
rate of $50 Il month-not Il great sum
il, a.-. & . .
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03

Gladstone wearing His Eye-shieiG.
performed In this instance IL human
eve. taken from 4 bottle of alcohol, was
used in illustration. being placed in the
mask or false face which oculists use
for this purpose The knife with which
the first cut was made had Il blade that
was about an inch i'll length sharpen
cd on one edge With Il very sharp point.
AS soon rs the oculist began 10 work
upon the eye it became apparent that
that organ in the body is by no means
MS delicate as is commonly supposed.
This was not because Of the alcohol in
which the specimen had been placed.
1.-THE eye is really well protected said
the doctor In the operation for cata-
l.ct considerable muscular pressure is
required. People generally think the
eye is bag of liquid contained in Il
thin finn AS matter of fact it is pro
tecttsl by Il covering that is almost as
tough rs leather.
1t was apparent when the first cut
was made tlllt the operator requires
strong hands and fingers. The knife
was run into the eye horizontally from
the outside. After the first punctlre it
was pressed steadily through the center
of the eye towards the nose. until 1t
came out upon the either side. The
coverings of the eye which We're being
cut seemed 10 be of the consistency of
India rubber I'hc knife WAS inserted
with its edge upward. Then the upward
cut was made from this position the
knife being worked backward and for
ward until it came out al the top or the
eve This left Il sort of flap.
The patient always rcclincs on his
back and the Hap remains in its nattlr-
nj position until the next instrument
is inserted This is really Il long needle
with Il slight elbow on the end of which
is Il minute point projecting inwar1
with Il knife edge on its upper surface.
The little knife which this instrument
carries on lis point is SO small us ~
most TO be invisible 10 the naked eye.
It's PURPOSE is to cur the sac containing
the lens which has thus far escaped the
lanife. This instrument is inserted
tlliaugis the cut which as Just been
made from the top aud nj an angle pro
iecting outward When its end has
passed the center Of the eye the opera
tor changes the angle and gives the in
struncnt Il slight turn between the fin
gers so as to bring the little pointed
knife inward. He now presses the lat
ter into the lower part Of the sac con-
tanning the lens and draws ii sharply
upward with his fingers.
The result of this is to sever the en-
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03

This operation which Mr.. Gladstone
has just undergone represents one OF
the highest triumphs Of surgery. 1t re-
quires a precision and dellcacy OF
touch which no other operation calls
for, and il necessitates employment OF
instruments SO fine that mars
breadth differentiates one from the
other.
OF all the human organs the eye IN
its structure and functions is the most
wonderful as well as the most delicate
Within the compass of less than an
inch this organ embodies tissues which
enable the mind to see and lens
which adjusts itself to every focus by
an instructive and unconscious process.
The only result of the operation for cat
aract which Mr. Gladstone has just
undergone and which is performed ev-
cry week in New York is the loss OF
this little lens in the eye. That loss
will now be supplied by eyeglasses OF
varying strength. but they are clumsy
and awkward compared with the mar
vellously perfect lens which Nature
puts into the eye of every man.
Although the lens is imbedded deep
in the eye ii has nothing whatever TO
do with the delicate adjustment of sell
sitive nerves less than an inch away
that enable Il man to see. The facul-
ties of sight are not at all impaired or
in any way affected by the operation
for cataract. although the latter IN
wolves very deep cutting into the eye
and the removal of one of the parts
which 20 to make it a perfect seeing
organ.
The operation upon Nj Gladstone
was performed ut 8 II. M. and did not
take longer than fifteen minutes. There
have been occasions when the operation
for cataract has been performed Twice
| upon the same person in less than an
| hour when both eyes were affected. In
very old people Il cataract in one eye Is
generally followed by !, cataract in the
other. Oculists now believe that Mr..
Gladstone will again have to undergo
this operation, and perhaps he may do
so within /; month
The operation for cataract has be-
come almost painless since the intro
auction Of cocaine, and no anaesthctlc
was used in the case of Mr.. Gladstone.
The greatest Inconvenience of the pa
tient. however, comes from the en-
forced incarcera ton in Il dark room for
several weeks Following the operation.
This Is to enable the tissues OF the eye
10 heal before any work is thrown
upon that organ The light is gradually
let into the darkened room. and the pa
,ient at the end of about three weeks
is released fully cured.
II would be almost impossible for any
one but an experienced oculist to tell
that the eye had been operated upon.
1t is apparently natural and unim-
paired in every respect. being full and
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03

than three mln,ites after the removal
OF the lens. The substance is supplied
to the eye In abundance by nature, and
is being constantly replenishcd. The
place in the eye that was occupied by
the lens ills with this transparent sub
stance. and the whole organ retains its
original shape and form. The trans
parent film which had formerly been
the envelope or the lens folds back out
of the way of its own accord, leaving
the field clear and unohstructed from
! the retina at the extreme back OF the
eye through the iris, the interior cham
! Der and the cornea. Thus the inter-
vening obstruction formed by the af-
fected lens and called the cataract has
been removed and the eve can see with
/ it's former vigor and clearncss.