davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01

bushes, we leveled our guns, promising
ourselves one good shot.
Suddenly in front of us, and nearer to
me and to Jake Fish (who stood beside
mel than to the others, huge lioness rose
out of the grass. Her tawny body shone
in the sun, as with low growl she came
straight toward our position. When she
was within forty feet collected myself
enough to fire. Jake's shot rang out the
same instant, and the lioness rolled over
in the grass.
"But in a moment she was up again,
and charged full at two of the negroes.
elude her jaws.
"Then Graham fired at her, and so did
the man who stood beside him, but all the
lead they poured into her sides did not
kill her. She lay down in the grass so
that she could hardly lie seen. But her
loud growing revealed her position, and
the men hastily drew together to decide
the best way Of finishing her up.
1.-The natives offered to 60 ahead with
their spears and stir her up if we would
be- ready to shoot when she sprang."
THAT was pretty brave of them" re-
replied the doctor. "But many of these
Africans are brave, while others show a
good deal of cowardice.
But none or us would consent to their
proposal, as it would place the spearsmen
in great danger, since the lioness would
certainly charge upon them the instant
a spear was thrown. They sought for
the beast, and at length saw a yellowish
mass. fired at her a charge of buck.
shot intended for small antelope.
''She sprang up with a terrific roar
and then the man who had good-sized
ball fired at her, but that did not stor
her. Everybody had to run then to keer
out of her reach, and suddenly she again
disappeared in the grass.
But we spied her again in n moment
She. was sitting up like dog. Long
Graham, advancing from the other side
crept to within twenty feet of her before
firing, and without her perceiving him.
This shot at close quarters finished the
lioness. She was an unusually large
animal and her ferceness was quite in
proportion to her size" .:
THAT'S a very good story, DOCTOR
said the Duke, making his most finished
bow. II am glad, indeed, you escaped
from the lioness, and are safely here tc
tell us the story about it, -
"Ditto, ditto! Cousinv' added the Muu
est One. and I'll fill your pipe again
SO you need not move your long legs, il
you only say so!''
And the doctor graciously allowed him
to do it.-New York World.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
ALL IN A CHERRY STONE.
A Dozen Silver Spoons Almost Invisible
to the Naked Eve.

Dozen Silver Spoons Almost Invisible
to the Naked Eye.
There is a cherry stone at the Salen,
(Mass.) museum which contains a dozen
silver spoons. The stone itself is of the
ordinary size, but the spoons are so small
that their shape and finish can only bt
we'll distinguished by the microscope. DR.
Oliver gives an account of a cherry stone
on which were carved 124 heads so dis
tincty that. the naked eye could distin:
gulsh those belonging to popes and kings
by their miters and crowns. It was
bought in Russia for SIS, 900 and thence
conveyed to England, where it was con-
sidered an object of so much value that
its possession was disputed, and it became
an object of suit in chancery. One OF
the Nuremberg toymakers inclosed in a
French crystal palace, plan of Sevas-
topol, a railway station and the Mes
siah' of Klopstock. In more remote
times an account is given of an ivory
chariot constructed by Mermecides which
was so small that fly could cover il
with his wing; also q ship of the same
material which could be hidden under the
wing Of q bee Pliny. too. tells tina,
was written in so small SPACE as to b.
contained in a nutshell; while ELAN men
tons an artist who wrote disticl III
letters of gold, which he inclosed in the
rind Of a kernel of corn. But the Har.
leian MS. mentions a greater curiosity
than any Of the above, it being the Bible
written by one Peter Bales, chancery
clerk, in 80 small book that it could b.
inclosed in the shell of an English wal.
nut. Disraeli gives an account of many
other exploits similar to the one of Bales
There is drawing of the head of Charles
II, in the library of St. Johns college
Oxford, wholly composed of minute writ.
ten characters, which at small distance
resemble the lines of an engraving. The
head and the ruff are said to contain
the book of Psalms in Greek and the
Lords prayer. In the British museum is
or than the hand. On! this drawing are
number Of lines and scratches, which
it is asserted, comprise the entire contents
of thin folio.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
joTSEGo'S BIG APRIL sNoWFALLs
One Eject Great Slaughter OF skunks
that Went Ab-Oad for Food

Ono Effect Great Slaughter OF skunks
that Went Abroad for Food.
3s.l "Otsego county people have never seen
such deep SHOWS as fell here in 1857"
said a farmer of the upper Susquehanna
valley 1.-The first one OF three feet came
one-half. another of the same depth fell
on the 22d. I boiled sap in the bush until
late ON the night of the 14th, and was in,
tending to syrup down the next morning.
It rained little when I left the woods,
and at daylight there was foot of snow,
and it kept coming all day. Well, that
sap, sixty pals or more, lost, for when
to get to the woods it was all sour Ey.
cry farmer in the county was swamped.
The fullest horse could hardly wallow
from one farmhouse to another. Many
farmers had run out of hay and We're
obliged to cut limbs from their shade trees
for the cattle to browse OIL. Hay went un
to $50 and rye straw to $40, as soon as
fodder could break roads to where it was
to be got. The great mass of snow
crushed many sheds, and killed young cat
tie and sheep by the score The reflection
of the sun on the snow during the bright
days that followed the memorable storms
blistered mems faces 50 that they had to
pOultice them with buttermilk and Indian
meal every night
but the most interesting spectacle
spectacle caused by the enormous quantity
of snow was the large number of skunks
that appeared ON the surface in the day
time in search of food. All their natural
grub was covered SO deep that they
couldn't dig down to it, and they were
therefore forced to wander to the farm
buildings as last resort. You coul(n t
look i'll any direction without seeing sew
eral skunks poking about in the SNOW.
The sunlight partly blinded the half
starved animals, and it took them a
good while to go a short distance. -Four
of them got in between my house and
the SNOW banks, in the space where the
snow had melted, and got rid of them
very nicely by stamping the SNOW down
upon them and smothering them to death.
All of my neighbors had similar expert
ences. Seven skunks took possession of
one Of my barns. and lived on the top
shelf for three days Dy devouring all the
eggs the hens laid. / finally killed them
by letting them eat from basin that
contained half dozen eggs beaten up
with little strychnine. If we hop grow.
ers had priced skunks as highly then as
we do now we wouldn't have killed q
single one, no matter if they did steal q
few eggs. 1t was years afterward be-
fore we got to know that the skunks
/ if not interfered with, will destroy all
the grubs i'll Il hop yard in few nights
Nowadays you can't get an intelligent
hop-grower to kill Il skunk. New York
Sim
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
RAM FIGHTING AT STAMBOUL,
An Exciting Battle Between tho Pets Of
Persians.

An Exciting Battle Between tho Pets of
Persians.
One day during visit to the East, I
went to visit the Sweet Waters of Eu.
rope i'll caique, accompanied by a
young Israelite from the embassy at
my disposal as interpreter. AS we
glided past the picturesque scenery of the
Golden Horn, he aroused my curiosity
by alluding to the ram-fghts at STAN.
boul. of which had never before heard.
During our promenade OH the BosphOrus
he gave me description of the sport.
and promised to inform me when an in.
off. A few days afterwards he kept his
promise. and escorted me to the Persian
Khan at Stamboul. the great rendez-
vouS of most of the caravans arriving
from distant parts of the Fast.
The owners of the two rams-both
Persians- approachcd each other, each
holding his animal with Il cord. When
caresSing their rams, which appeared to
excite them considerably.
The two sladiators were then brought
almost into contact. and their eyes,
generally so mild. ut once assumed an
expression OF savaseness that con,
trasted singularly with their usual look.
At the same time they paved the
~. "SANuSiS iuSI!. ana uilu IL
not been for good deal of restraint
on the part Of their masters. would have
rushed furiously against each other.
Nhen all WAS ready. the Persian own
ers lett their pets in position. and the two
runs looked ut eAch other with eyes of
hrr. AS though with il common consent,
they walked backwards. 40 as to get Il
good starting point. and then. both ut
the same time. lowered heads and rushed
ut each other with incredible speed and
fury.
The shock Of their forehcads resound-
Ell just as Il backsmith's hammer re-
sounds when struck vigorously against IL
heavy door The two rams had met ca CHI
other with such precision that they re-
manned standing immovable in front of
each other, as though half-stunned.
Such result is highly appreciated by
the spectators. and corresponds to the
de;ld-heat. so interesting to the specta tors
OF horse race, as indicating a certain
quality III the competitors. All sorts of
cries and exciting expressions burst from
the assembly. while the rams. again
walking backwards, and staring furiously
1T each other, proceeded to take up a
new position. When separated ut dis
lance of about twenty-five PAGES they
again rushed to the attack. and Il second
shock was heard. much to the satisfac-
lion of the lockers on
This round still left the battle unde-
cidetl. At the third encounter one of the
sheep dcviated little to the left; and at
the fourth. the beaten ram. which had
been injured in the breast by his NOR.
fortunate adversary, fell to the ground,
and was Immediately taken away by his
master to nave his wounds dressed.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
The First Tomato Seed.

Lorenzo Chanter, now a resident of
Jackson, Mich, claims to have brought the
first tomato seed to America from the
planted the seeds in a garden in Boston,
from which big crop resulted. All were
saved for seed, and he claims to have
made general distribution to his friends
the next year. Mr.. Chanter is now IS
years of age, but is enjoying. vigorous
Of the battle of Navarino in 1927. Mr..
Chanter says he was an active participant
in that battle, serving as powder mon
key" on the British frigate Asia. Mr.
Chanter followed the sea almost constants:
~ until 1886. when he came West and
settled in Jackson. He went to California
in 1S49 and accumulated fortune, which
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
Our Daughters.

Riding in the ear yesterday morning
the writer heard the most extraordinary
conversation. or, To be more strictly
truthful. fragment of an extraor,l inary
conversation. the tenor of which was so
unusual that she has ever since been
wondering at the peculiar state of af-
fairs that could have brought woman.
and mother at that. to give utterance
to such astounding STATEMENTS. We'll.
l have just about come to the cOnelu-
sion. was the preface of the overheard
conversation. that there is no use in
mothers saying word against their
daughters marrying even though the
man chosen by the child is thoroughly
objectionable to the parents If you op-
pose girl when once her heart is set
upon marrying she becomes So mornse
and disagreeahle that there is no comfort
IN living with her. Our daughters are
ours only until they reach Il marriage
able age. at which time any strange man
who is half way decent to them can in
huence them far more than the fathers
and mothers who have their best inter
ests at heart. My idea is to just let !,
girl have her own way. If she discovers
she has made mistake. take her back
home and try to re-estabIish the friendly
c0mpa nlonship between her and her par
ents that existed prior to her meeting
with the outsider who wrought all the
havoc"
Now. aren't these strange sentiments
for a mother t" express? What do they
mean: Are the girls of the present day
so unruly and headstrong. so progressive
and Perverse. that they will not heed
the advice that parents give without he
coming uncOmpanionabIe and suIky
Things have come to pretty pass when
the parents have simply to throw ur
their hands and let the children go thei,
own way when that way IS very evident
iy not the right one No one knows bet
ter than she who pens these lines wha,
1t is t" he headstrong girl She was
one herself and oftentimes by sheer forcs
OF perverSity did many things that a dea,
mother warned her against and to-day in
her wider experience she wishes she had
Needed that advice and thus been save,
many an hour of sorrow. Mothers and
fathers. do not give i'm tamely to your
pretty daughters or handsome sons. We
90 not advocate severity. but firmnesS
for in the years to come the selfSame
children who now rebel will thank you
for your discipline. and will see how
much better your way was than theirs
Philadelphia Times.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
REMODELING UNSOLD HATS.
Tho Tile Which Has Lain on the Shelves
- is Brought Up to Date.

The Tile Which Has Lain on the Shelves
is Brought Up to Date.
One of the little known industries in
New York is that of remodeling mems
hats. All large hatters have Il large ac-
emulation of unsold hats from time to
time, which are out of style and of an
obsolete shape. These hats are ved
from their dusty shelves and consigned
to the remodeler, who blocks them over Oh
blocks of the latest pattern and returns
them in an up-to-date shape.
This is, of course, not very profitable
TRANSACTION for the halter. When the
charges of the remodeler are added to the
interest OH the money originally paid for
the hats, a very big slice is cut out of the
profits. 1t is better, however, than to
have dead stock lying on the shelves,
which is out of date, and consequently un,
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
man, to her handmaiden, Elizabeth win,

man, to her handmaiden, Elizabeth VIII
Oscar to Miss Lavinia Sophia Beck; and
her executors are directed to nay them,
also, f12 q year for each of these pussies
so long rs it shall live. All the remain,
der Of her pussies she gives to the said
Ann Elizabeth Matthews, and she directs
her executors to pay her ont OF the bal,z
ahce OF the dividends OF her father's Lam,
their maintenance so long rs any of them
shall live, shut this is not to extend to
kittens .afterward born."-Weekly Times
and Echo
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
Benefits of a Meat Diet.

- In lower countries the lower orders,
as rule, have but low vitality. Ii
may be true to say that the vital volition
is weak Let, the learned settle the detini-
ton The fact is easily accounted for.
During generations upon generations the
majority of European, agricultural popu-
lations lived upon vegetable food, like
the majority of Eastern Asiatics, and
with the same result. Hard labor pro-
sduces hard muscles, but vegetable food
yields Il low vital tension, so to say. Sol
iiers know it well enough. The pale
faced city clerk who eats meat twice a
duy will Outright and outlast and out
starve the burly laborer whose big thews
and sinews are mostly compounded of
potatoes, corn and NATURALIZATION Craw-
ford in the Century,
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN
Don't Stop, to, Thin X.

Il Don't Stop to Think. @
There wassa gentle antelope ,ts
g On Afric's torrid plain, 80
sWh0EsaW tw0slions dnea kingSup,
And didn't long remain, i
II" flight from their -capacious niaWs
She vanished like Il wink,
And lived to tell the tale, because
She didn't stop to think.
The plumber doesn't cogitate
His Golfers now to fill.
But takes some figure that Is great
And slams It In his bill.
The poet never stops to think
OF purchasers to be,
But grabs his quill and slings his ink;
And who so rich as he?
In fact, in every walk of life,
This maxim true will hold,
In peace and war, In trnde or strife,
Success Is for the bold.
The men of might who ''get the drop"
And lay their rivals low,
Are those who do not have to stop,
But think while on the go.
Philadelphia Times
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
His Professional Implements.

Warden Ito convict)--""Your term of
imprisonment expires today"
COnvict-''1m glad to hear il"
Il hope that from now you will lead an
honest, upright life"
@s You bet / willr' .,...
VI Are you sure that you will not return
to your evil ways?"s -; 49,,
/ crooked" = ~ &*G -
You can. go now" -, ..-..
The released convict hesiates.
U.s. Why don't you go? What are you
waiting fort" 1884, ..-. r.. 81.
B Amt you going to give me back my
dark lantern and my jimmy md the rest
change.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
Obeyed tho Code Ne~sasc

The Norwegian ship Saga. which sailr,l
for Holland to-day. was the victim of a
serious mistake recently in South Amrri-
ca. The Saga was lying mt Rio Jancir,
and the owners. WIN furnished their cap
tains with private codes. cabied the word
Residence to the master The owners
had neglected to put the woryI i'm the code.
and the captain. not finding it there. ex.
an,inel another code. which gave tho
definition Come home at once" The
owners intended that the vessel should
proceed to another port and load cargo.
The Saga set sail. and SIXTY days later
had crossed the Atlantic and surprised the
owners by arriving in Norway. Then the
mistake was discovered II cost the own
erS f1OOO-Seattle Post InteIlisencer
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01

1t seems. The expenses. of such trip
are worth about 500. They are the 3
cent pink, Of the issue of 1861, and are
valued in the new talOgue, which in
lust coming out, at SIS ench. In the old
catalogue they were; offered 1T So, but
they have bec0me 80 raresthat5thc5prica
has a <beellsAput Sup. Although they could
price, they are sufficiently valuable to
make it q lucky find.--Boston Iran
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
. Bar-room Profits in United States.

Up in Canada the tax OH one of our
proof gallons is about 1.SO, if we are not
misinformcd, and yet the best grades of
Canadian WHISTLES retail in the leading
saloons Of Toronto and elsewhere at )
cents per drink. This, too. notwithstand-
ing the fact that the grog of Canada calls
for more spirits than the toddy of this
country.
In the United States, though. the re-
taller charges the consumer X cents and
higher in all Of the better places, and
even then hands out cheap grade of stuff
to the average customer. Saloon men III
this country are not unlike the balance OF
our population, in that they want to grow
rich in year, and they are always ON the
lookout for short cuts. They will fit up
a saloon regardless of expense; put mir.
rors up for ceilings, pave the floor with
mosaics and 500 gold pieces, finish in the
most expensive hardwood. and decorate
with artistic bric-a-brac, pictures, etc.
And yet this place will not hesitate to
pass $3.50 per gallon whisky over the
bar and charge 10 cents per drink for it.
The trouble is that distillers pay no at
tention to the retailing of their liquors in
this country, while III Canada they give
much attention to this matter.-Bonfort's
Wine and Spirit Circular.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
II go :
! LuckyCats.

The will of Miss Charlotte Rosa Rainc
$4,000, and after -disposing Of this she
refers in terms of endearment to her ca ts
She gives her dear old white puss, Titiens
and her pussies, Tabby Rolla, Tabby Jen-
nefee and black-and-white Ursula to Ann
Elizabeth Matthews. and she directs her
executors to- pay her f12 year for the
maintenance of each cat so long as It shall
awe ba me b,a aonshared white puss Louise,
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
Solid Yet Elastic.

In it's present elaborate form the hoof
of horse is the most perfect instrument
of support which has been devised in the
animal kingdom to uphold a large and
over the ground. The original toe-nail
and the neigh boring soft parts connected
with it, have been modified into a struct
nre which in an ordinary manner COM
bincs solidity with elasticity, SO that it
may strike violent blows upon the hard
surface, of the earth without harm. The
result is that the horse can carry a
any other animal approaching it in size.
Prof. N. S. Shaler in Scribner's.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
GOSSIP FOR THE LADIES

When You're n Bride.
Married In white,
You have chosen all right.
8 Married In gray,
You will go far away.
Married In black,
You will wish yourself back.
In red,
You'd better he dead.
Married in green.
Ashamed to be- seen.
Married In blue.
You'll always be true.
Married In pearl,
You'll live In a whirI.
Married In yellow.
Ashamed Of the fellow.
Married III brown.
You'll live out OF town.
Married In pink.
Your spirits will sink.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-03-01
TuDer for q PenWiDer.

1T is SURPRISING says commercial
traveller, !" how general the use of pota-
toes as penholders is becoming in hotels
l have seen them in use in great hostel
ries of the East, whose owners wouldn't
hesitate for a moment to spend $40 for a
desk ornament to hold pens used by the
guests in registering. The mixture of
starch. glucose and water in the potato
seems we'll adapted to take up the impu-
rites of ink and to keep the pen point
clear and bright while the alkaloid of
the potato, known as solanine, doubtless
has something to do with it in the same
line These elements readily take up
the tannate of iron, which is the body
substance of ink. Chemically speaking,
starch is the first base of a potato. and
sugar or glucose is it's second base. Thus
is the humble potato finding another
way in which to serve the uses of man.
kind. There is Il rather pleasing sug-
gestiveness in big tell-inch potat to
when fellow comes in tired and hungry
from long run. New York Tribune