davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

Calling Out His Trained Ants.
and when Phillips returned to duty he dis
covered that the gateIffan had killed a
bounds when he made this discovery and it
is said he was going 10 thrash the other fell
low.
One of the rats is blind and when the gate
man calls he comes out of his hole with the
Others, but has to smell his way to the man
pion. He is a particularly friendly fell
low and allows his fur TO be rubbed like q
cat. besides placing his little nose affection
ately against the gateman's hand.
The blind rat is also reverenced by his
fellow rodents and appears to be sort of
medicine man or prophet in the queer
time when The Times reporter called on
the gateman last evening, and he was
crumbling some bread with which to feed
the outer world. 1t was the ants supper
colony.
SWARM OF BLACK ANTS.
When not engaged with his tanned rats
Gateman Phillips finds time to devote to
his swarm OF big black ants. They have
established an insect city under his watch
box, with a small hole as an entrance to
Us little companions.
Watch them come out" he said, and
seiZing tin can he beat a lively tattoo
against the side of the Matchbox near
the hole. Instantly the ants commenced
to flock out through the opening, and
crawled to his hand to receive their ra-
tons of crumbs. Then they went to work
with a VIII TO carry the little pieces of
bread into their subterranean city.
81 found some strange black ants in an
old tomato cam said the gateman, land
brought them to the box. They soon
mingled with my pets, and are now part of
the ant colony under the house there"
1t is said that several weeks ago Phil
lips was trying to tame a grasshopper, but
about the time he had become pretty well
acquainted with the lively insect, it hoped
out through the window and has not been
seen since
Gatenian Phillips fame as a rat and
ant tanner is rapidly spreading throughout
Washington, and every Sunday he has a
large concourse of visitors, who call at
his little Matchbox by the railroad side to
witness the marvellous intelligence dis i
played by members of the animal family,
usually classed among vermin, and his
swarm of well-traiDed ants. which are
described in song and story as 1.-The most
industrious of the insect family"
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
TROUT TICKLING.
a Connecticut Expert who Catchesthe
Shy Fish w 18th His Hands.

a Connecticut Expert w no Catchesthe
Shy Fish w 18th His Hands.
Old Capt. Lew Nettleton, who livesnot far
from the junction of the Race brook with the
Wapewang river, has been accustomed for
years to catch all the trout he eats with no
other implements than his bare hands .saysa
Milford, Conn.,, correspondent of the New
York Sun. Trout are very plenty in therace
and the shallowness ofthe stream combined
with itsoverhanging banks, makesitanideal
place for trout tickling. Tothose who have
angled with fly and bait for thiscunning fish
talk about ca itching them in the hand may
seem romance. Nevertheless it is an estab
lished fact.
Capt Nettleton fishes only on cloudy or
overcast days, when his shadow will not 70 v
sharply uponthestream Norcanhehope to
tickle with any success when the stream is
high Low water isin his favor, for then the
trout are hiding inpools and small basins un
der the banks. He does not first spy out his
game but simply tries at randomthe fayorite
lairs. Lying flat on the bank a yard or so
back from the brook, he slowly worksbis way
to the edge Then he lowers one arm
cautiously to the water and begins to grope
under the bank among the roots and rocks.
Very gently his hand moves, and the very
s. Fontanilis will tell him the game is near.
At the first touch the fish generally moves
away a few inches. When the fingers have
gently rubbedits velvety sides a second or
third time it grows calm and seems to enjoy
thesensation. Continuing asteady ,softtick-
ling, the captain sticks his hand farther and
farther toward the hea d of the foolish trout.
In cases where the whole operationh has been
watched from the opposite bank it has been
noticed that the fish seems tosurrender tot the
soothing touch, as if under the influence of a
spell so that twill lean over upon the hand.
When his hand is just back OF the gills and
thepectoral fins the captain closes on the fish
with the suddenness and power of a IA t-trap.
With oneQuick flirthe sends his victim flying
over on the opposite bank. So stealthy are
the old mans movements that he has been
known to tickle four trout, one at time,
from single pool.
In Scotland, the old mans native country,
he says this tricks very common one and is
called ''guddling." Themethodpursuedt there
isto wade barefootedu a shallow streamin
the hot season, when the water is very low.
Thetrout will flee before the wader andtake
refuge in secluded holes under the rocks and
stumps. Then the guddlerproceeds tosliphis
hand under the rock or root and feel for the
trout, which, once under his magic touch he
quickly flips out onto dry land or into a
basket.
Scientists who admit possibility oftrout
tickling say thatitis only during the spawn
ing season that trout are susceptible to such
manipulation. But as the New England
brook trout do not spawn until late in July
and August and the captain catches them
only in the open season, that is, from April l
to July 1, the practice in his case does not
seem to support the theory.
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
Plaufoll0WS Ere Made
Of HntS and Gray Rails
Cateman Phillips Has Trained Thrty-five Big Sewer
Rodents to Come at His Ca-They Crawl All
Over Him and Share His Meals.

Big sewer rats and black ants are GER
tainly queer pets. But there is a man in
this city who has colony OF gaunt rodents
and a great swarm of ants, which are his
daily and nightly companions inhis solitude.
The man in question is MI. John T. Phillips,
who resides in the modest little dwelling, No.
424 Tenth street southwest.
he is a gateman, in the employ of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and his
watch box is located alongside OF the tracks,
at Thirteen-and-a -half and Maryland avenue
southwest, within stones throw OF the
Washington entrance to Long Bridge
Mr. Phillips is a single man and has a
peculiar fondness for pets, which no
doubt led him TO make the successful at
tempt at training colony OF rats and
several swarms of ants. He was found
sitting outside OF his box last evening,
enjoying the breezes which were waited
over from the Potomac and made the
intense heat barely endurable He is a
man of ordinary build and appearance,
but has a peculiar squint from his pierre
ing little eyes, which no doubt means
much when he is engaged in bringing the
wild river rats into q state of civilized
subsection.
Yes, Sir" he said, at have a colony
OF pet rats and they all think the world of
me. There are just thirty-five of them
now, number OF them having been killed
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
Stern Duty.


"Guilty or not?" was the question asked,
And the prisoners wandering eye
Met that of the judge and swift glance
passed,
Unnoticed by anyone nigh.
And the thoughts of both to their child
hood flew,
When, as two happy barefoot boys,
They shared in a friendship strong and
true,
Such as only pure youth enjoys.
Now the one whose heart has been stilled
by time
Shrinks back from his hardest task;
And the other, pure and accused OF crime,
Graves the mercy he dares not ask.
The heart of the judge, with emotions torn,
Leads his will through a tangled maze;
1t is hard, so hard, TO pass sentence on
This friend of his boyhood days,
Who, old and ragged, and weak and worn,
Stands with eyes that so mutely plead;
But duty is duty-to this he is sworn,
And it's voice is the one he must heed.
=.
The courthouse is closed, the day far spent;
Through shutter sunbeam peeps
And hghtsup an old gray head grief-bent;
Not judge, but noble heart weeps
TAYLOR GRIMES.
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

says, that he is now compelled to shut his
watch box door when he goes in to eat his
MONDAY dinner. The rats know the hour
and promptly on time they sally forth.
If he did not shut himself in the box they
would climb upon the table, chairs and his
lap and finish the meal for him before he
could satisfy his hunger. 4.
Even If the colony of rats have gone on
predatory visit to the river banks, which are
about seyenty-fiye yards distance, and
Phillips gives his peculiar .chirrup,'' they
will come rushing pell-mell toward him.
VAGRANT CATS ALERT.
During thepast few nights, he said, several
hungry yagrant cats and tramp dogs have
learned about the colony of tame rats and
have managed to kill number of them
during the hours that Gateman Phillips
is at home. Recently b ewas given four days
leave of absence and strange gateman, who
did not know about Phillips pets and COM
panions, was assigned to his watch box.
The man W as frightened by the many rodents
that came creeping out OF holes and crevices
or blinking their little eyes at him from
some covert retreat. He procured club
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

but neither could by any mischance be
mistaken for likeness of the same man.
He worked his stage tricks to good adj
vantage. In one he looks like sad old
man who had lost his best friend. In
another he appears as laughing, rollickiDg
youth OF nineteen, while in the third his
features are those of q Genure clergyman.
1T is wonderful" said Inspector Hol-
iinberger, referring to some Of the night
mares he has hung up in his gallery of
crooks. how men can change their ap-
pearanee by facial contraction. 1t is said
there are no two men in 10000 who win
measure alike. i believe the same can be
said OF the details of the human face. The
difficulties encountered with obstraper-
Gus prisoners while having their pnoto-
graphs taken was one of the causes which
led to the origination of Alphonse Ber-
tillion's method for taking descriptions
for the identification of criminals by
means OF anthropometric Indications
BERTILLIoN'S SYSTEM
The inspector furnished some valuable
Information on this interesting subject
In 1881 when the question of deporta-
ton of habitual criminals agitated the
minds OF the French people and was dis
cuSSed i'll Parliament, Nj. Aiphonse Ber-
tiIlion first presented TO the public of
Paris an idea of a method OF describing
persons and identifying individuals, vast
ly superior to the old one, with it's vague
indication of persons height, the color of
his hair and eyes, his complexion, the size or
other parts.
In his personal observations and meas
urements made in Paris, M. Bertiliion
examined over 10000 subjects. Among
a hundred persons of the same height thus
observed, eighty-seven had what is conf
monty called brown Aair, ten had blonde
hair two black hair and three in every hum
dred red hair A person with brown hair
has, therefore, no distinction from nine
tenths of the total population. In other
words, in nine out of ten times a descrp-
ton of the color of the hair would be use
less, or nearly so.
Similar difficulties appeared in the de-
scription of the color of the eye, one
third OF the subjects observed of even height
having hazel eyes; one-fourth what is COM
monlystyledg ra Y ;one- seventh blue. and one
fourth of indlsunct color. The sam
with the height.
Photog raphs are undoubtedly great
aid in establishing the identity OF an
individual but it is very difficult, al
most impossible, TO find in a large col
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

indeed. Roman stoicism was the school
where men learned to escape from tyranny
by suicide OF body and soul. Such stoicism
Is tue folly OF philosophers, the cowardice
or heroes, the blasphemy OF those who, be-
lleying In gods, reject their good gifts for
fear of the bad: it is afraid OF the universe,
and tries to look at it, as Perseus at the
head of Medusa, only in the reflected
image. The excess of inteiiectualism,
thinking to limit all wants to those OF the
logical intellect, would defeat its own end:
for what should the intellect contemplate
and discuss, If all were reduced to abstrac-
tons, If things existed only as ideas, if the
moment. the individual, the sensation.
the emotion, ceased to be?
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
The Goldfish Sent 10 the Rear.

The historic goldfish was dis tinctly
snubbed Monday. Mr.. Irwin, of North
ampton raised the point of order that the
house having ordered the emblem of the cod
fish to be placed over the speakers chair
the order of Mr.. Roe, of Worchester, to
provide FORTS being placed in the rear ofthe
hall was out of order. The speaker ruled
that the point was not wei taken, inasmuch
as the hall had a just II ght to change in such
matters as frequently as 1t saw lit. Mir. Roe
said tina lit is intended 10 place painting
in the panel over the speakers chair and
that the Goldfish, if hung as originally in
tended, would be iUcongruous and out OF
place The order was almost unanimously
adopted aud the fish VIII now be hung in
the rear of the house-unless the house
changes its mind again-Boston Herald.
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
UNFAILING Marks

UNFAILING MARKS.
A photograph is valuable in verifying the
identity OF an individual, but is altogether
impotent to help you discover this iden-
tity II you have no other means but your
eyes to search for the photograph among
the thousands in the average "rogues'
gallery
These difficulties are obviated by the
Bertillion method of Identification, the
measurement and subsequent classification
and subdivision of such parts OF the
human body as do not change in size after
person has attained his full growth
at the age of twenty to twenty-five years
such as the length and width of the head,
the length of the middle and little fingers,
the length of the foot fore arm, the height
OF the figure, the measurement of the
outstretched arms, and the trunk OF
person seated.
A man individualized by measurements
of this character is mathematically iden-
titled. 1t is altogether unlikely that
among many thousand subjects two will be
found who will approximately reveal fig
ures of the same head diameters the same
foot, fingers, and other parts To find
two subjects showing exactly the same an
thropometric Indications in every particu-
lar is just as great an impossibility as to
discover two persons or objects that look
exactly alike.
when the eye cannot discover a dis
tinction," said Bertillion, Figures, which
will not lie, will certainly do it,
In the Bertillion system of measurement
of criminals the identification of a prison.
er tests upon a knowledge Of these indca-
tons: Length and width of the head;
length of the left, middle and little fin
gers; length of the left foot; length of
the left forearm; length of right ear:
height of the figure. the measurements IF
the outstretched arms; measurement of
the trunk. from the bench to the top of
the head of a person seated.
Added to these measurements are the de-
scriptions of scars and peculiar marks that
every individual more or less exhibits:
color of the eye, hair and beard, as well
as the form and dimension of the nose
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
EXCESS OF INTELLECTUAL1sM.
Stoictsm Is the Folly of Philosophers,
the CownrdiceOf Heroes


The soul, indeed, can be trained to con-
siderable Indifference; it can be rendered
obtuse to pain and pleasure; to impressions
and affections; religious asceticism has
always boosted, in the words of Moliere's
organ: set je verrais MOURN frere, enfans,
mere ct femme, que je len soucierais tout
CONNIE de eelal'' But such indifference
means not uniting ourselves closer with
nature and the infinite, but cutting loose
from them on one whole side, says the
Contemporary Review.
The human creature, no longer enjoying,
no longer sympathizing, no longer loving,
would hold on to the universe only by his
reason The wind would blow, trees rus
tie, waters murmur, hills be blue, and
fields green and people around be beauti-
full, brilliant or kind, Borrowing or cling
ing, without his being any the wiser Nay,
the wiser, if it be wisdom merely TO know
the necessities and sequences OF things
without knowing the things themselves,
but neither the happier nor the more con-
ducive to others happiness.
1t would be good practice for dying; as.
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
Feminine Aspertties.

Celia-Mr. Filter is such pleasant COM
paDyi But then he says such hateful things.
He actually had the audacity to tell ME last
evening that he didn't think you were
stylish.
Delia-You call that hateful? You should
hear few of the things he says about you'll
Boston Transcript.
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09
An Affront.

Reverend Goodmau-"Why are you
sobbing, my boy?''
Small Boy-"Cause I'm 10 years old
ter-morrer. an fadder promised me pair
uy long pauts.'
Reverend Goodman-"But why these
idle tears"
Small Boy-"Camse mudder says dat
times is So bad she's goin' t. cut down a
pair of me sisters boomers for e.
Judge
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

by cats, dogs, men and boys during my
absence. However, they have a good
leader now, 1 call him Gray Tom, and be-
lieye he viii keep the others away from
danger. i called my pets out last night
for Policemen Herbert and Hughes, of the
Fourth precinct, and made them show the
officers how nicely / had trained them.
The policemen told me it was as good
RE circus.
How did come to make friends with
the rats and ants? Well, you see. it was
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

People leaving the city for their
summer vacation cannot ford to also
leave THE TIMES. 1t viii be mailed
to any address and Will continue to
be the best local newspaper in Wash
ington.
The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-09

ontbe pictureofa person without know
! ing his name. How much more difficult
| when the criminal Gistorts his features
| by muscular contortion, or changes his
expression, which can be SO easily accom-
| plished.
The Globe-republican., 1895-07-18
A FAMOUS WALL.

Some Facts About It That Ought to Be
Remembered.
The entire history of China, like that
OF Egypt, is divided into dynasties. The
great Chinese wall was begun by Che
hwang-te, first emperor Of the Tsin
dynasty, 24O B. c. 1t forms the north
ern boundary Of China, and was built
to prevent invasions from that direc-
tion. Every third man in the empire
was required to give his help to build
it, and it took five years to complete it..
The wall is not solid, but consists Of
two thick walls, filled in with earth !;
every foot of the foundation, however,
is Of solid granite. It is lined with bat
Elements and towers. and is so wide
that six hOrsemen may easily ride
abreast on its top. The towers are
about one hundred yards apart, and
there are steps here and there for per-
sons to ascend. Recently, in a sur
vey for Chinese railroad, this stu
pendous barrier was measured; the
measurement gave the height as eight
cen feet, and the length as thirteen
hundred miles. It goes over the noun
tains and plains, crosses rivers and ira
verses great marshes. 1t is estimated
to contain enough material to girdle the
earth with two walls, each two feet in
thickness and seven feet in height.
The Globe-republican., 1895-07-18
The Secret of CLAIMS.

In a certain drawing room the other
afternoon we were talking Of some
well-known superstitions and, among
others, of that secret room in the castle
of CLAIMS, which, Sir Walter Scott tells
us, is known only to the earl of Strath-
more, his heir-apparent, and one other
person in whom the earl may choose
to confide. One Of our party told us
an amusing story concerning this
secret chamber of CLAIMS. Once. when
stopping at the castle in autumn. a
curious and indiscreet visitor took ad-
vantage of the hosts absence to sug-
gest plan by which the whereabouts
of the hidden chamber should be re-
vealed. The castle was full and it was
proposed that each guest should hasten
to his or her room and hang his or her
pillow out of the window, while one
visitor was told to mark off such win
dow as displayed no white signal. In
the middle of carrying out this pretty
plan the master of the castle returned
Unexpectedly and great was his wrath
at this unseemly curiosity. Never had
the owner of CLAIMS appeared in so
towering passion. The display of
temper is hardly to be wondered at,
for the CLAIMS secret is regarded with
an extraordinary seriousness by the
Strathmore family and when impaired
to the heir has been known to fill him
with gloom hard to dispel.-Sketch.
The Globe-republican., 1895-07-18
MEN TALKED ABOUT.

Lord Rosebery. the English premier
is a great student OF the Bible.
Julia Ward Howe says that LongfeI
low was a good deal Of dandy in his
youth.
Edison's fondness for electric science
is only surpassed by his admiration Of
children.
Arthur Balfour, the leader Of the con-
servative opposition in the house OF
commons, Is a bicycle rider.
Charles Dickens. the younger. has sue
ceeded the late James Slime as a literary
adviser to the house Of Macmillan & Co.
in London.
William r. Moody. a son Of the evan
gelist, who is in charge Of a depart
ment in Mount Hermon school. has de-
veloped considerable aptitude as pub
lie speaker.
Robert J. Cook. better known as Capt.
Bob" Cook, Yale's most celebrated
boating expert, has consented to take
charge Of an eight to represent the uni
versity against Oxford and Cambridge.
Sir Julian Pauncefote. the British am
bassador to Washington. has set an
excellent example to patrons Of the fine
arts in his treatment Of the sculptor
Dunbar. This artist chiseled bust Of
the minister and received for it check
for twice the amount agreed upon.
The Globe-republican., 1895-07-18
MISSOURI APPOINTMENTS.

State University CuratOrs and Many Coal
Oil Inspectors Named.
JEFFERSON CITY, July Ex-Governor
Stone made tie following list of ap-
pointments to-day:
State university curators-Gardiner
Lathrop of Kansas City, B. r. Can
thorn of Mexico and Colonel NJ. E.
Benton of Neosho for six years from
January l, 1895.
Coal oil inspectors-For two years
William D. Murphy, Coin, Scott
county; James McGhee, Grandin, Car
ter county; Thusten Hart, Unionville,
Putnam county; Ralph Walker, Spring.
field; John Hisey, Charleston, Mis-
sissippi county; James NJ. Lillard,
Neosho, Newton county; Oscar 3. Old
aker, Aurora, Lawrence county; John
3. Burresa, Sedalia; r. H. Tatlow,
Holden, Johnson county; William j.
Mair, Newton, Sullivan county; George
Gosch, Pleasant Hill, Cass county;
Herman Hemel, jr., De Soto, jefferson
county: T. o. Offbick, Moberly; David
X. Griffin, Lamar, Barton county;
James F. Brady, Rails county; w. P.
Davis, Rich Hill, Bates county; C. A.
Schoene, Sullivan county; w liam H.
Poucher, Louisiana, Pike county; John
7. Jameson, Fulton, Galloway county;
Paul 3. Venable, Columbia, Boone
county; Charles Z. Conrad, Trenton,
Grundy county; George w. Peake,
Bethany, Harrison county; William
Hirons, Princeton, Mercer county.
The Globe-republican., 1895-07-18
IOWA REPUBLICANS.

General Francis NJ. Drake Nominated for
Governor on the Sixth Ballot.
Dies MONIES. Iowa, July 12.-The
well-organized forces of General Fran
CTS Marion Drake of Centerville
achieved signal victory in the Repub-
lican state convention when he was
nominated for governor on the sixth
ballot, after one of the most warmly
contested ante-convention campaigns
ever witnessed in Iowa.
After prolonged cheering, balloting
for lieutenant governor was COM
menced. Matt Parrot of Waterloo,
was nominated on the third ballot, de-
feating Lieutenant Governor DUNCAN,
of Charlton, for denomination. In rapid
succession Henry Sabin was renOmi-
mated for superintendent of public in
struction; George W. Perkins for rail-
roaS commissioner and Josiah Given
for judge of the supreme court.
oThe financial plank of the Minneap.
oils convention was reaffirmed.