davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
Watch for the Drop.

One of the soldiers of the Seventh.
cavalry at Fort Sheridan strolled into
the canteen one day and found a num-
Der of soldiers trying games of one
kind and another. Some were tricks in
athletics and some were amateur
sleight-of-hand performances. The
young cavalryman waited till things
eased UP a little, and then climbed on
table and stuck the open blade of his
pocketknife into the plain pine ceiling.
Then he got down and announced that
he would set a beer bottle so squarely
dnder that knife that when It fell it
would drop straight into the neck of
the bottle. Nobody believed he could do
it, and before the knife fell he had
number of bets against his ability. Just
then the knife loosened. Straight as
dart it fell and dropped into the neck
OF the bottle. touching not so much as
hint of the sides, and knocking out
the bottom in its heavy fall. There was
murmur of amaZement and the decla-
ration that he could not do it again.
The cavalryman said nothing. collected
his debts and went back to his quarters.
After a day or two, in which the fame
of his prowess had been circulated, he
went to the canteen again and some one
tackled him to try the trick again.
lie SAID 1t WASH I any tflcks 1T was
simply his ability to gauge correctly
They had never noticed any particular
mechanical marvels about him, and
they were willing to bet that he could
not repeat the success. Again he took
their bets, again he climbed upon
table and stuck his knife in the ceiling
again he put a beer bottle under it, and
again the knife went home. as if it
knew the way. Time and again he did
them. And then one day an I'M antry-
man from Niobrara watched him. AS
the cavalryman got down from the
table the .'doughboy'' noticed a tiny
drop of water fall from the handle of
the knife and mark a spot on the floor.
When the bottle was set it covered that
spot. OF course the knife when it fell
must fall where the water did. But
the infantryman didn't give ii away,
says the Chicago Herald. He struck the
horseman for a third of the proceeds
of the bets, and kept it's solution for his
own use when he gets to his fort on
the frontier
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
A Hint from Henry Clay.

we'll known southern politician who
died just before the civil war not in
frequently spoke of an incident that
took place in his first term in congress-
in which he received a lesson in state
craft from the great WING leader, Henry
Clay. Il was young man and an en-
thusiastic whig," he said, "and / en-
tered congress, quivering with eager
ness to serve my party and to distin-
guish myself l was on my feet shouting
Mr.. Speaker a dozen times a day.
opposed even petty motions made by
the opposite party, and bitterly de-
nounced every bill, however trivial. for
which they voted. Before the session
was half over ! had contrived to make
myself personally obnoxious to every
democrat that | met.
"One day after an ill-tempered out
break on question of no moment,
turned and saw Mr. Clay watching me
with a twinkle in his eye.
&C he said. you go fishing
sometimes?
Yes
Don't you find that the best rod is
the one that gives a little at each joint? ?
1t does not snap and break at every
touch, but bends and shows its strength
only when a heavy weight is put on it,
"A caught his meaning. 4 naQ seen him
chatting familiarly with the very men
whom 1 was berating. Yet / knew when
great interests clashed he was the one
man whom they feared.
Il set myself then to learn patience
and GOODNESS. 1t is the strong, flexible
rod which does not break under the
big fish
A personal friend of General Grant
says: During the whole course of the
war L never knew him TO indulge in the
acrid personalities which were too
commca among many Of the northern
combalants when condemning the lead
ers of the rebellion. But he sat down
with his troops before Richmond with
memorable patience. until he had won
the victory.
To come down from national to do
nestle life. it viii always be found that
the fretful, quarrelsome member Of the
family is Of little use in a crisis. It is
the men and women Of coolness. re-
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
some Big Counicts.

Between the Rocky Mountains and
the Atlantic there are a dozen counties
that contain more than 5000 square
miles. one Of these is Aroostook. the
northeastern county of Maine, which
he's an area cf $500 square miles, but
little less than that of the whole OF
Wales. and forty-tMa times that of the
Republic of Andorra Another is Dade
County. Florida, in which are the Flor
ida Everglades This has an area Of
500 square miles which is about the
same as that of Cherry County.
Nebraska In the state of Minnesota
we find three counties. Beltrami, Itasca
and St Louis, each Of which covers
more than 5000 sqnare miles. St. Louis
County contains the city of Duluth,
which has more than $4,000 inhabitants.
In Idaho we have two counties, Idaho
and Bingham. which cover an area OF
more than 10000 square miles. Arapa-
hoe County, Colorado, has $3.50 square
miles q part of which Is made up Of the
area covered by the city of Denver
Routt County covers 5000 square miles.
In Oregon are six counties, in Washing
ton three. in Nevada seven. and in Cali
fornia seven that have each more than
5000 square miles. The largest county
in the United States is San Bernardino.
east of Los Angeles. California. 1.
covers u 900 square miles. an area sos
miles larger than that of New Jersey.
DelaN are. Connecticut. and Rhode
Island combined. or half the area ot
the state Of New York
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
On An English Line.

Some singular things are recorded as
having happened yesterday between
soldier, footwarmer. locomotive and
other rolling stock on the Great West
ern line in the parts of Berkshire and
Newberry. The soldier and the foot
warmer We're travelling in the same
compartment. There was, of course,
nothing stronger than water inside the
footwarmer; there may have beer in
side the soldier Whether the footwarm-
er did anything to him-boiled his boots
or froze him-does not appear. But
what the soldier did to the footwarmer
was first to cast it forth into space.
The space into which he cast it hap
pened. at that particular moment, to
be occupied by the locomotive of an
other train. Irritated, but illogical, the
footwarmer seems to have struck the
locomotive for all it was worth. The
locomotive retaliated. Thereupon the
footwarmer went back to its own train
for the soldier. In it's eagerness to get
at him it broke the handle off the car
riage door, and the wrong carriage door
at that. Failing the door it tried the
window. and the nerves of the lady
who occupied the compartment. She
screamed. The footwarmer recoiled,
made last desperate effort, broke an
other window and fell exhausted on the
SIX foot way. There it was picked up,
weltering in some CONCEALED fluid or
other, and battered almost out of recog-
milton. What light the soldier may be
able TO throw upon this strange drama
remains to be seen.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
The Man ON the Casl.

In st. Paul an army officer was en-
PERTAINING a party of friends to dinner,
and among them was a civilian who
was an entertaining story teller. but
very improbable in his statements. on
this occasion he told of being off the
Cape of Good Hope. in an Indianman
when a floating object was discovered.
which proved to be a cask whereon a
man was seated clinging to a small staff
in the bunghole. OF course he was in
vited 70 come aboard. but he refused
and said: I'm very comfortable here
I'm bound for the Cape. Can / take
letters there for your Amid the silence
which followed this incredible yarn a
gray-haired colonel arose and said
graveiy: For years / have been trying
to find someone belonging to that ship to
return thanks for the kindness shown
me on that occasion. At last | am en-
abled - dc SO. Sir. 1 was the man on
that cask'
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

gallantrv in action and other soldier
like qualities. during the present lnsur-
rection." Later, congress directed that
additional medals be struck from these
same dies to be presented to soldiers
who had ''or who may hereafter most
distinguish themselves in action I'm
der this enactment, number OF officers
and pIivates in the forces tha- have
been sent against the savages ol the
west have been adorned with the
medals. and among these Lieut-Col-
Edmond Butler, L. S. A. UetireD oc-
cupies a conspicuous place 1t was for
gallantry in the hardfought battle of
Wolf mountain. on Jan. s. 1877, that
Col. 0hen captain) Butler was awarded
his stars and garters. ''he battle was
one of a series in the campaign con-
Quoted by Gen. Miles against the con-
federated Sioux and Cheyennes under
the daring leader. Crazy Horse, says
the illustrated American. The Their
mometer, on the day of the fight. regis
tered twenty-eight degrees below zero,
and the snow lay two feet deep upon
the ground. The tide of battle was
turned in favor of Gen. Miles forces
when Capt Butler led a victorious
charge against force of Indians who
were thanking the United States troops
on the left and rear. Capt. Butler had
a horse shot from under him, but con-
tinued to lead the charge on foot. Cen.
Miles. in his official report. recommend
ed the brevetting of the captain for
this successful charge against superb
or numbers of hostile Indians strongly
posted" Lieut.. Butler was born in Ire
land, March 10. 1927. He was appointed
second lieutenant Fifth Infantry at the
outbreak of the war, and detailed TO
accompany Gen. Baird (afterward in
speetor general in inspection of kan
sas and Missouri troops. In 1862, he
was concerned in remustering and COM
solidating Kansas volunteers, and was
officially compliment ed by Gen Hunter
for settling without resort to force
difficult and delicate" matters affect
ing Kansas troops. He was in View
Mexico in 1862, and in Texas in 1864.
lie was promoted to a captaincy in 1864,
and in 1865 he commanded an expedi-
ton against the Navajos. in which he
inflicted severe loss upon them In
September, 1865. he received the formal
surrender of Manoelito Grande, and
sent two thousand prisoners to the
reservation. In letters from his head
quarters on Nov. 16 and II, 1865. Gen.
Carleton wrote: ITO Capt Edmond
Butler l owe many thanks. To the efIi-
cheney and straightforward course and
the energy and good sense of Capt. b..
| owe a great deal of the luck / get
credit for as a commander"
In June, 1868. Capt. Butler was or
dered in attendance en- Gen Sherman
In December. with a small infantry
force, he eXhumed the bodies of the
killed in the Forsythe affair on the
Arickaree Fork, under the fire of the
main body of Sioux and extricated his
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

past. stood biting his lips with rage
at the sarcasm and ridicule heaped
upon him for declaring that he had
discovered a cheap process for quickly
changing pig-iron into steel. When en-
gineers finally appreciated his discov
cry they found him disheartened, dis
couraged and ready to hlrn against
the world. Then came honors thick
and fast. He was knighted. Sover-
eigns Wed in doing him honor. Great
societies elected him to honorary Of
fees. Medals We're voted to him. and
he is to-day among the happiest of the
"Old Masters" of England.
So is William f. Gladstone. So is
Sir James Bacon, who at the age Of 81
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

organization A number of desirable
bids have been received from localities
wanting the home, all of which will be
considered at the annual meeting at
Macon. She urges that memberships be
renewed at once so that there may be
large representation at that meeting
The dues are 81 year and must be paid
to entitle one to a vote. A payment of
$25 makes one a member for life. Mrs
Day criticises a certain post in the de-
partment for giving a supper and en-
tertainment for the benefit of the Con-
federate home at Higginsville, while it
has done nothing in that direction for
its own comrades. Mrs. c. A. Day, 1915
Penn street, and Mrs Alice L. Glenn,
Fourteenth and jefferson, Kansas City,
Mo-, are authorized to receive subscrip-
tons for the home"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

1895, and her life runs on as smoothly
as ever in its philanthropic channels
II seems an age since she succeeded to
the Coutts millions. Still since that
time. 1897, she has endowed many bish-
oprics, has established homes for the
fallen. homes for children and in q
thousand different ways given the
world object lessons in real charity
Her romantic marriage with young
Ashmead Bartlett is still fresh in the
minds of readers.
But there is a long list OF eligibles
The next few years will witness many
additions to the ranks of octogenari-
ans should those now in line remain
alive Justice Field. ex-senator Dawes.
Leon Say. Parke Goodwin. and Russell
Sage Will be so in 1896. In 1897 King
Christopher Of Denmark. Prof. Momm-
ser, Sir John Gilbert. and Senator John
NJ. Palmer will reach the octogenarian
stage. In 1898 ex-senator 1varts. Bish-
op Coke. and Mrs. JOHN Drew become
So In 1899 Queen Victoria. Julia Ward
Howe, Crispi. Longstreet. Ruskin, W.
". Story, and Bishop Huntington will
make up the list OF young octogenari-
ans.
IN 1900 the list viii comprise Herbert
Spencer, Florence Nightingale. Mrs. @.
w. Gilbert, Jean Ingelow. Gen. Rose
cranz, and Susan b. Anthony.
AS for the famous people between
20 and a. their name is legion.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

the Royal College of Surgeons. comes
near it. He is los this month, and began
TO practice his profession when Ma
poleon was in the height of his glory in
1909. He has also the honor of being
the oldest Freemason in the world.
Gen. George S. Greene. U. s. A., the
Oldest living West Point graduate. is 50.
Neal Dow is Names grand old man.
and although very weak at 81. still
talks entertainingly of the days of 1851
when as mayor OF Portland he drafted
the famous Maine liquor law.
Among the famous nonogenarians are
Rev. DR.. William Fl. Furness of Eng
land, now 90. and Field Marshal Sir
Patrick Grant of England. 80.
Those who enter the ranks of nom
ogenarians of 1895 are Francis William
Newman, brother of the great CARDINAL
James Martineau. philosopher; Bar
thelemy -Sainte-H ilaire and George
Mueller the orphanage founder Dr.
Newman only recently completed a
memoir Of the early days of his great
brothers life. and is now deep in the
study of Gaetulian. His knowledge of
ancient languages is marvelously rich.
and he has given the world some valu-
able pathological treatises. He is not
alone an abstainer from liquor and to-
bacco, but never touches meat, and
attributes his longevity to this method
of living.
Gladstone will be SIS this year. SO will
Cassius NJ Clay of Kentucky. erratic
and erotic though he be, and so will ex-
Secretary Of the Treasury Hugh Me-
Culloch, ex-Secretary of the Navy Rich
ard w Thompson of Indiana, has just
celebrated his seth birthday.
Ex-senator Payne of Ohio is no long
er very active at 81. although his SEN
atorial contemporary, Senator Morrill,
of Vermont, has by no means retired
from active work, yet he, like ex-Sena-
tor Payne, is nearing his S5th birthday.
Harriet Beecher Stowe lives quietly
with her son in Hartford. Conn. She
will be "a on June A. and the closing
days of her life are marked by extreme
mental weakness.
Bishop Clark of Rhode Island was
still active at 50. although now growing
somewhat weaker.
Curtins, the polished Greek scholar.
is living at so. Verdi is nearing 81. and
has jus, achieved a marvellous success
with 'Falstaff ]" Baroness Burdett-
Coutts begins her eighty-irst year in
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

small force from a perilous position.
He volunteered for the expedition
against the Pawnees under Gen Woods,
and commanded the expedition after
Gen. Woods was disabled by illness.
In 1874 he served through the expedi-
ton against the Kiowas and Conan
ches, under Gen. Miles. In the cam
paign against Sitting Bull. he com
manded the center at Cedar Creek. and
in subsequent pursuit He was shot at
by Gall while relieving an outpost At
the close Of the campaign Of 1877, in
which occurred the battle of Wolf
mountain, Cen Miles wrote Capt But
Ter as follows In leaving the regi-
ment, be assured you have the thanks
and good will Of its commanding officer
for your hard service in the field and
fortitude in action" Nothing in his
service, however. touched the captain
so deeply as a letter signed by every
enlisted man in his company who was
I'm the notable charge thanking him
for the gallant manner in which he
led the charge on the 9Th Of January
in which they had the honor Of partici-
pating. and for the kindness he had
shown them in 50 many different ways
heretofore" Capt Butler vas pro-
NOTED major in 1855, and was assigned
to various posts until his retirement
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

olden days when as a lad he surprised
the Pecci family by his precociousness.
He will find the English statesman,
William L. Gladstone, discussing
Greek prose and writing critical es-
says on religion and philosophy. He
will be surprised to find Verdi, at SO,
planning a new opera foc the great
singer Maurel, seeking his inspiration
from no less a pleasant theme than
Shakespeares Tempest" Here is Pro-
fessor Dana, at 81 fresh from Hawaii,
giving to the world mass of new facts
il geology. Bessemer is still bright in
his panoply of inventive thought, and
Sir Henry Parkes is just entering the
realm of octogena rians, with a new edu-
cational project for New South Wales.
Couldock comes gayly into the ranks
of rare old men, still treading the
boards and giving the world delight
full touches of mimicry. Few have
fathomed life as deeply as he. Few
know how to interpret it better.
But the list of famous old men and
women is a long one. and darkened only
here and there by the touch of mental
blight or great physical weakness. AS
rule, these old men and women are
still extremely active.
Bessemer, who enriched the world,
as has no man living or dead. in the
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

education in 1892 and served in that ca
pacity up to the time of his appoint
ment as election commissioner by
Judge Scales a year ago, when
he resigned His work in that position
was that of one who knew the needs of
the city schools and was not afraid to
make changes where they would be
beneficial. In 1886 he represented the
Eleventh ward in the city council and
refused denomination at the following
election. He has refused other offices.
too, as ii was against his principles to
accept salary for public services un-
less devoting his entire time in that di-
rection. In 1892 he was chairman of the
republican city convention and was
afterward chairman of the campaign
committee. Mr.. Badenoch was born lin
Banffshire. Scotland. in 1851, and when
years of age came to New York with
his parents and was there educated.
In 1866 he came to Chicago to engage in
the wholesale jewelry business, and
was first a commercial traveller repre-
senting a Chicago house. lie had to
cross the Rocky mountains and made
the trip by stage. as 1t was before the
railroads were completed In 1873 he
started in the grain, -four and feed
business. in which he is still engaged.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

Remarkable though the statement is
in the Suns Chinese correspondence
concerning the endurance of Chinese
soldiers, | can quite understand it, said
an ex-police surgeon of San Francisco,
who is visiting New York. The cor
respondent says that, though the men
in question We're shot through the chest
and the head. they walked great dis
tances; and in one case. if 1 remember
Alright, it was a hundred miles.
During four years of service as po-
lice surgeon in San Francisco, | saw
some pretty severe cases of wounded
Chinamen-yes, and China women. too
and 1 declare their insensitiveness to
pain seemed to be almost absolute. Part
of it, l have no doubt, is due to racial
inherent stoicism; but l am also inclined
to the opinion that the Chinese do not
feel the pain as we do. Now, / remem-
Der the case of a woman who was
brought down to the city prison ward
from Chinatown with her head literally
split open in five places by one of the
highhinders' Ratchet men From the
very FIRST to the last think she died
she gave no indication of pain, and did
not even refer to her injuries The
Chinese dislike our surgical appliances
our knives and saws. not, however. be-
cause of tive pain they produce, but be-
cause that sort of treatment is foreign
10 their ideas. Let one of their doctors
put pitch plaster over an injury. no
matter If it he a broken leg. a lost nose,
or hole through the lungs. and the
man viii be perfectly satisfied, and will
accept whatever may come without a
word of suffering or complaint. They're
certainly a queer people"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
statues for RrooIsIyn.

Three more statues will soon orna-
ment Brooklyn. The city has in the past
been rather slow in the matter of sta
tues and monuments, but the sentiment
in their favor is growing. The Union
Lea que club is at work raising funds
for the equestrian statue of General
Grant, as designed by Partridge. This
work of art viii be placed on a huge
pedestal on the plaza in front of the
club house, at Bedford avenue and Dean
street. says the New York Press. The
admirers of General Henry w. Slocum
also have inaugurated a movement
whose object is the raising of a statue
to that famous union soldier. and Grand
Army men. some time ago. started a
fund for a statue to General G. K. War
rem.
Henry Ward Beecher's statue is still
in front of the city hall, but it is be-
lieved that it will. in the course of time,
be transferred to Prospect park. That
great resort is lacking in statuary and
monumental attractions, the only sta
tue it possesses being that of ]. S. T.
Stranahan. Brooklyn's best known cit
lzen. The venerable merchant and poll
tfcian is probably the only living Amer
lean honored by a public statue. There
is fine statue of Abraham Lincoln
on the plaza leading to Prospect park,
but it is in place that is not calculated
to secure for it the greatest amount OF
respect and care and the Grand Army
men wish the authorities to have the
statue placed in a suitable place inside
OF the park. 1t may be removed in time
for q Decoration day celebration These
three. with an excellent one of AleNan-
der Hamilton, in front of the Hamilton
club house at Clinton and Remsen
streets, are all the public statues which
y great city of BROOKLYN can boast.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09

lives happy life Of retired ease. Untii-
1886 this great English jurist sat upon
the bench. and the clearest decision
ever rendered by him was that in a
case tried two mouths before he retired
from the yice-chancellorship Of Eng
land.
None Of this century's living famous
old men have yet reached the age at
which the phiianthropist, Montefiore
died. decade IL - ago. Yet William
Salmon. to-day the eldest member OF
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
4 Rafs Teeth.

The teeth Of rats are kept sharp by
a very peculiar provision Of nature.
The outer edge Of the incisors is COW
cred with layer Of enamel as hard as
flint, while the under side IS much soft
er. The layers Of enamel on the under
side, therefore. wear away much fast
er than those On the upper surface, and
a keen cutting edge is always pre-
sentad
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-09
- MBER Is.

from active service in 1891. when he
was admitted to the bar of Montana
He received the title of lieutenant-col-
onel in March, 1892. Col Butler Is the
author of an Essay on the Indian
Question" honorably mentioned by the
board of award of the military service
institution for 1880. After the fan %
Sumter he wrote a series of articles;
in French for the Partisan and Brus-
sells papers, presenting the Union side
of the question to Continental Europe.