davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Cost of French Opcra Eoxes.

When the old Marquis de Casa Riera,
who had for many years the great Entire
Colonies box On the right side--for
which he paid, If 1 remember rightly,
81, 200 a year, and which, though he
was blind, he filled every night with
pretty women-tlied some ) years ago,
there was hot flutter Of excitement in
the Paris of the opera as to what would
become of the succession to the box.
After a palpitating struggle of influ-
ences. efforts and diplomacy, equal in
emotion to the contest between Ulysses
and the Telamonian Ajax for the armor
Of Achilles, the nephew and heir of the
old marquis managed to keep the box
for one night week-he could not OBJ
tain more-and it was won for each of
the other nights by persons CT the high
est place, who had been longing for it
impatiently for years. An ordinary box
for one night a week costs from gao to
$3.50 year, according to its size and
situation. The combat for boxes is I'M
ceasing. 1t is one of the features Of the
rich life of Paris, and to those who
know the people and the circumstances
the combat is diverting to watch
Blackwood's Magazine
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25

Sewing needles of bone, stone, glass
and bronze antedate all historic records,
but those Of iron, brass and steel are
comparatively modern. Bone and glass
needles have been found in Eeyptian
tombs that are known to be over 1000
years old, and similar domestic instru-
ments of bronze and copper have been
found i'll the mounds and burial caves
of Europe and America which are be-
ieved to be much older than those
found with the Nile mummies. The
needle first appeared in its present form
in European countries in the year 141O,
but the art Of making them was kept a
secret for upward of $50 years after the
date last given. In the year 1850 they
were first made in the American colo
MES, but at what point is a mooted
question among the historians.
AT present there are no needle fac
tories in America, except those which
make sewing machine needles, it being
considered much cheaper and more eco
nomical to import them from the great
Redditch and other Eng lish needle fac
tories than to make them at home. Our
great National Needle company at
Springfield, Mass, makes about 80,
600, 900 machine needles every year, and
the great ReGditch (English) company
makes three times that many, or co.
100000, of the hand variety annually.
st. Louis Republic.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25

Dr.. Forester of Aix-les- Bains has an
interesting paper in LIE Progress Medic
al on 1.-The Origin and Terminology Of
Massage The physician of l'Hospice
Evangelique is of opinion that the
method of treatment now known as
massage was first introduced into Eu-
rope by some Of the returning members
of Bonaparte's Egyptian expedition of
1899, and relies for his information
upon book entitled ''Des Faux Their
males d'Aix en- Savoie," published at
Chambery in 1903.
Dr.. Daquin, the author of the work
in question. after passage apropos of
the douche, speaks of the lnanipulations
and frictions which were observed bv
Captain Wallis among the aborigines Of
Otaheite, and then proceeds as follows:
''Those who followed the Emperor Ma
poleon in Egypt inform US that this
method was also in existence among the
people of that country, and that it was
employed after the bath. The name of
massement has been given to it, and it
is administered to the person whom they
want to masser by rubbing successfully
the entire surface of his body.
According to this account think
that this operation, which strikes me as
very salutary procedure, might with
great advantage be put in practice after
their bath or douche upon those who
make use of our thermal waters. -
London Lancet.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Miss vanderbi.t's Reeort.

An amusing story about Miss Ger
trude Vanderbilt is told by one of her
school friends. 1t happened several years
ago, when Miss Vanderbilt was in short
dresses, and the desirability of standing
well with prominent people had not yet
crossed the minds of her schoolmates.
The dispute started over the monthly
report book. Miss Vanderbilt's marks
were higher than any of the other chill
dren's in the group.
Il don't care" exclaimed one Of
them, 1.-The teachers favor you cause
you're rich, but my father says your
grandfather used to sell matches. There
didn't he:"
And Miss Vanderbilt, who was pos
sessed of rare dignity, held up her curly
head a trifie higher and answered
quietly:
Il really don't know. But if he did
I'm sure they were good matches. -
New York Herald.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Monslay Is WasIhflay.

don't see why it isn't just as we'll to
hang cut the family wash ON Wednesday
as upon Monday: Yet l have known wo-
men who wouldn't have a fiat unless
they could wash on Monday. As five
floors of two families each can't dry in
the back yard and on the roof ON the
same day, and the Monday prejudice is
very strong, landlords have had to erect
huge telegraph poles in the rear of fiat
houses. from which pole lines are oper-
ated on a level Of each floor. This sys-
tenn also affords the additional pleasure
Of near view of the number and char
acter of your neighbors' family wash.
There must be some substantial reason
for woman doing just as her neighbors
do and what all women in the civilized
world do and have been doing for hun
dreds of years.-New York Herald.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
The Luxurious Romans.

The Romans had no flower shows.
There were bread and circuses, but
not bread and flowers. The luxurious
Roman used roses in enormous quanti-
ties at his banquets. 1t was fine joke
to have roses fall from above on guests,
reclining at their TABLES, and the flowers
in such quantities as to smother them.
A writer in The Quarterly recalls a pic
ture of Alma Tadema s 1.-The Rose Feast
OF Elagabalus, which shows the super
abundance of roses. To spend ON BAN
quet in roses 1000, 600 sesterces, equiv
alent to about $3.50, 600, is recorded by
Suetonius. but possibly Suetonius exag-
gerates.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
PRIVATE TELEPHONES.
New York Millionaires' Call Numbers Are
Not Public Property.

New York Mi1liOnaires' Call Numbers Are
Not Public Property.
There are some very aristocratic tele-
phone owners in the city, but study Of
the telephone directory supplied for the
use Of the general public -es not reveal
this fact. This is done purposely. 1t is
no use getting mad if, when you ask
for Mr.. CrGsus Vanderbilts telephone
number the girl at the other end asks if
you don't know it. When you say that
you don't know it or try to fool her and
say you did have it, but lost the memo
randum, she will answer back, "We
cannot give you Mr.. Cresus Wander
bits house unless you know the num-
her, -
The fact Of it is the girl would be
breaking strict rules of the company if
she gave this information. There are
good many millionaires and prominent
society families who have telephones in
their residences, but they are for private
use. Only the friends of the head Of the
house and a few other persons know the
number. The mistress of the mansion
leaves the numser with her friends, and
in exchange receives their numbers. She
also leaves her number with-the head of
the hospital where she happens to be on
the managing committee.
This exclusive system is adopted in
order that outsiders cannot annoy Mr..
millionaire by ringing him up ON the
telephone. The men who have tele-
phones put into their palaces do so with
the proviso that their names and tele-
phone numbers shall not appear in the
directory. New York World.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Free Pills,

Send your address to H. E. Buck
lin 4 Co., Chicago, and get a free
sample box of DIR. Kings New Life
Pills. A trial will convince you of
their merits. These pills are easy in
action and are particularly effective
in the cure of constipation and sick
headache. For malaria and liver
troubles they have been proved in
valuable. They are guaranteed to be
perfectly free from every deleterious
substance and to be purely vegetable.
They do not weaken by their action,
but by giving tone to stomach and
bowels greatly invigorate the sys-
TEN. Regular size rs cents per box.
Sold by Hartz & Ullemeyer, drug
gists.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
HEROlSM OF A WIDOW.
General Schofield's Recognition Of the
Bravery of . Southern Woman.

General Schofield's Recognition of tho
Bravery of Southern Woman.
4 was on the first and second days of
September, 1864, General Hardee of
the southern forces, was sent to Jones'
boro from Atlanta with 200 men to
head off a formidable flank movement
Of the enemy which had for its purpose
to cut CIT southern communication and
thereby comps the evacuation Of the
city of Atlanta. The flank movement
consisted of 10000 or 40, 900 men and
was commanded chiefly by Major Cen
eral John NJ. Schofield, together with
General Sedgwick, who was also corps
commander, and consisted of the best
fighters of the Federal army.
As the two armies confronted each
other two miles TO the north and north
west Of Jonesboro, it SO happened that
the little house and farm of a poor old
widow was just between the two lines
OF battle when the conflict opened, and
having nowhere to go she was neces-
sarily caught between the fire of the two
commanding lines of battle, which We're
at comparatively close range and doing
fierce and deadly work. The house and
home of this old lady was soon convert
ed into federal hospital, and with the
varying fortunes she was alternately
within the lines Of each contending
army, when not between them on dis
puted ground. So the battle ragged all
day. and the wounded and dying of both
armies were carried to the humble shell
ter of this old lady until her yard and
premises were literally strewn with the
dead and dying of both armies.
During the whole of this eventful day
this good and brave woman, exposed as
she was to the incessant showers of shot
and shell from both sides, moved fear
lessly about among the wounded and
dying of both sides alike, and without
making the slightest distinction. Final
" night closed the scene with General
Schofield's army corps in possession of
the ground, and when the morning
dawned it found this grand old lady still
at her post of drty, knowing, too, as
she did, the fortunes, OR rather misfor-
tunes, of war had stripped her of the
last vestige Of property she had except
her little tract of land which had been
laid waste. Now it was that General
John N. Schofeld, having known of her
suffering and destitute condition, sent
her under escort and arms q large wagon
load of provisions and supplies, and
caused his adjntant general to write her
long and touching letter Of thanks,
and wound up the letter with special
request that size keep it till the war was
over and present it to the United States
government and they would repay al,
her losses.
She kept the letter and soon after the
southern claims commission was estab-
lished she brought it to the writer, who
presented her claim in due form. and
she was awarded about S60O-all she
claimed, but not being all she lost. That
letter is now on file with other proofs of
the exact truth Of this statement with
the files of the southern claims commits
sion at Washington.
Her name was Allie McPeek and she
died several years ago.-Atlanta Con-
stitution.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
SOME PERSONAL pEcuLiAR,r,es.
Eccentricities That Tasten Themselves "a
Men With the Eirmness of Habit,

Eccentricities That Fasten Themselves to
Men With the Firmness Of Habit.
The late Senator Reagan of Texas
used to do his thinking with short
string on his fingers, and this string he
wound up and twisted and united and
tied again mechanically as he followed
the debate. Senator Vest always chews
quill toothpick. Carlisle used to tear
paper into bits and drop the pieces one
by one on the floor. The latter is to-
bacco chewer and sputters when he
talks, making it uncomfortable for the
interviewer.
Max Freeman, the expert stage man
aSer, pulls you by the coat lapel and
then pushes you away with his thumb
III the most embarrassing manner. He
will suddenly pull you, and then, as if
he feared You are likely to tread on him,
push You away from him quite as unex-
pectedly.
dim Thompson, who aspires to be the
best dressed man in town, and comes
pretty close to it, has been trying to
raise mustache, but his habit of fin
gering one side of it wears that section
ont, and then the whole must be shaved
off and he has to begin over again.
A gentleman comes down through
Herald square every day who may be
seen CHANGING at his left shoulder and
fieckins at it with his right hand.
There isn't anything there-not even
the nap Of his coat, which he has thus
worn away. Yet he will keep pecking
at it about twice a minnie. Another
man of my acquaintance is always
glancing from one shoulder to the other,
as if to see if they are yet really there
A popular Pittsburger ON the square
sounds your lungs with his forefinger
while he talks to you-tapping away
like woodpecker ON a hollow limb
Another from the same burg-a good
story teller-always emphasizes his sto-
ries with liberal punches in your ribs. -
New York Herald.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
GOOD FOR EVERYBODY

Almost everybody takes Some LAXATIVE
medicine TO cleanse the system and keep the
blood pure. Those who take SIMMONS
LIVER REGULATOR (iiAuid or powder)
get all the benefits Of a mild and pleasant
laxative and tonic that purifies the blood
and strengthens the whole system. And
more than this: SIMMONS LVERREGU.
LAIIOR regulates the Liver, keeps it active
ard healthy, and when the Liver is in
good condition You find yourself free from
Malaria, Biliousness, Indigestion, Sick
Headache and Constipation, and rid of
that worn out and debilitated feeling.
these are ali caused by sluggish Liver.
Good digestion and freedom from stomach
troubles will only be had when the liver
s properly at work. If troubled with any
u these complaints, try SIMMONS LIVER
REGULATOR. The King of Liver Medi-
ines, and Better than Pills.
c-EVERY PACKAGE-S-
Is the II Stamp in red on wrapper.
j. II. Zeiiin s. Co., Phila., Pa.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
The Roman Helmet.

The Roman helmet of the average
size weighed about two pounds and was
thickly lined with felt, so that severe
blow could be borne without serious in
convenience. These helmets were intol-
erably hot, however, and were never
worn during the march or at any time
save OH parade, sentry or guard duty, or
in the immediate presence Of the enemy.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
"rlt She Would Ilo.

johnnie, DEAR" said his mother.
who was trying to inculcate lesson in
industry, what do you suppose mamma
would do for you if you should come to
her some day and tell her that Won
loved your studies?'' Lick me for tell
ing falsehood,'' said dear little John
ME, with the frankness of youth. Pitts
burg Bulletin.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25

A friend brought
me DIR. Miles book,
New and STAR
ling Facts" and
1 finally decide
to try a bottle OF
DR.. MILES Re-
orative Nervine.
Before 1 had taken
one bottle l could
sleep as we'll as a
10-yr.-old boy. My
appetite returned
greatly increased
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Must Be So.

"What do You think of this previous
existence theory
II know it to be supported by facts.
For instance, know a woman only 81
years old who often thoughtlessly tells
about things that happened 30 years
ago. Indianapolis Journal
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Wedding Presenta,

Wedding presents are always sent to
the prospective bride whether the ac-
qaaintance has been only with the
bridegroom or not.-Ladies' Home
Journal
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-25
Weak, Irritable, Tired
81 Was No Good on EartH.''

DR.. Miles Nervine strengthens
the weak, builds up the broken
down constitution, and permanently
cures every kind of nervous disease.
"A6oNt one geara0O T ,cGs a zicfed
acsfA nervousness, Ssecp!essssess,
Creeping sensation ssa arg legs,
Slight i'Gif3ifGfiOss of f,J heart,
DisSrccttMg infusion Of the s:,ics,
Serious loss or lapse Of n;cni0ry.
Weighfea dozen ec;fh care and
CORY. 4 completely lost appetite
And felt sfsU cis0lisy areariag 0sst,
4 sCas sceGx, irritable and tired,
Ny sceight scGS reduced to 100 tbs,
In fact L sc0s fs0 good, on earth.
The Portland daily press., 1895-03-08

two or three hogsheads of rum ana tive
or six barrels at evey trip. | asked him:
How many boatmen were here on that
canal beside yourself?
There were twelve.
Have you any reason to suppose that
you transported more rum than the 9TH
ers?
No; at Portland my boat was, always
at the wharf and I took ou board what
ever merchandise was brought TO me,
and all the other boatmen did the same.
After the Maine Law came none OF US
had any rum as a part of our cargoes.
We used TO do large business Win
fryeburg and the upper part Oh OXIoru
county. A good deal Of rum went TO al
that region of country. Fryeburg was
an Important center from which was
distributed merchandise of all kinds
through all that region of the State ana
even into New Hampshire. But after
the enactment of the Maine Law the
rum trade ceased.
Railroads were few in those days,
transportation from the sea board lnto
the country was mostly by heavy carGs
drawn by oxen; horses were not much
used for such purposes in those days.
County traders usually had teams OF their
own, bringing country produce into town
returning with loads of goods for the
country trade 1t was rarely that any
of these carts would be seen bound nome
ward without the ever present hogshead
and barrels Of rum. This was seen
everywhere over the State: country
traders supplies going into the interior
upon country traders carts upon New
England rum, and better article from
the West Indies, occupied the larger place
often leaving seant room for the hogshead
of molasses, half dozen bundles of salt
fish, two or three kegs of nails, two or
three barrels of -four, few bags of salt
and a few barrels of salt beef. None of
that rum trade exists now, except in
exceptional cases and on a very small
scale.
That was time when Maine was
spending in rum the entire value of all
it's property in every period of twenty
years. Who is the intelligent man who
will venture to say that prohibition is
failure in Maine?
NEAL DOW.
The Portland daily press., 1895-03-08
GOOD POINTS OF AHoRsE.
The Eye and the Head Show the Ami
mails Nature.

Henry Childs Merwin has paper in the
March Century on 1.-THE Horse-Market, !"
from which the following is extracted:
And this brings us to consider what are
the marks of good, serviceabla horse.
such as most peopleswant to buy. i he chief
points are the eye and head; for. whether
on the score of safety or of pleasure in
ownership, the essential thing is to have
a horse that is intelligent and gentle. or
one that is intelligent and vicious, rather
than stupid. for stupid horses are the most
dangerous of all. Every horse shows his
character in his head and chiefly in the eye.
just as certainly as a man shows his char
aeter in his face: although. as il the case
of men it is always easy to read what is
written in the equine features. But as Eto
horses of positive character positively good
or positively bad, there need be no mistake.
I once bought mare of dealer, for a
wonan's use without even taking her out
of the stable. She seemed to be sound, unusu-
ally gentle and safe. and SO she proved to
be- On the other hand. out of six or eight
horses shown to me at sale-stable, on
another occasion ] rejected one-the best
in the lot observation-disclosures his eye,
~
arouse suspicion; and the owner afterward
admitted to me that the animal was differ
ent from the rest in being little ''mean."
l mention these instances to slow that
any person of average intelligence can
learn. by taking pains. to read the equine
character. Horse-dealers and trainers seldom
make a study of this matter. because they
do not care about il. What you should
L.
you should distrust is a small eye prot1 I'D
ing eye, sunken eye, an eye, that shows
the white. plancinG backward, which indi-
Gates bad temper and above all. a CLASSY,
tremulous eye, which indicates stupidity.
1t is lard 20 described but easily recognized.
There should be considera BILE space be-
tween the eyes. The ears and the carriage
of them are hardly less significant. Well
cut ears that move continually with a gem
eral tendency to be pricked forward indi-
Gates a good and lively disposition. Large
ears, If ell shaped are better than very
small or 'smouse' ears. Lop.ears, coarse
ears, ears planted either very far apart or
very close together, are to be viewed with
great distrust. Next in Importance to the
head come the feet. They should be of me-
dunn size, neither steep like a mules, not
fiat but sloping at medium angle. The
best feet are ''cup-shaped,'' that is, SO
formed that when yea pick them up they
will hold water.
AS to the other points of horse. shall
not attempt to go into details, because
fear that they would convey information
only to those who do not need it. But this
may be said generally by way of advice:
Avoid long backed or thir WASTED, still
more a long-legged. horse. Look for COM
pact. rather low-standing beast. with a
good head, good eyes. and well shaped ears
and You cannot go Tar wrong.
The Portland daily press., 1895-03-08
Prohibition a Failure.
To the Ps.fsor of the PRESS:

1O Du6 IVt1tOE VI ullC h1EOS0.
There are many facts connected with
the policy of prohi in Maine, that
are quite unknown to this generation
and must be surprise to those who feel
an interest in the prosperity of the State
and the welfare of the people. 1t is a
common thing TO hear intelligent per-
sons say that plohi oition is a failure:
that as much liquor is now sold in Maine
as ever there was. This opinion can be
entertained only by persons who are en-,
tirely ignorant of the facts or whose
sympathies are not in accord with the
policy which is now attracting the at
tention of the English speaking world.
Charles Farley was a well known citi-
zen OF Portland, for long time watch
maker, jeweller and manufacturer of
Maine laN&ahe established himself in
Harrison at the head of Long Pond,
where he bad a large wire factory. At
that time the Cum berland canal connect
ed that chain of lakes with the harbor
of Portland. All the transportation of
HloECHauuISo oA WnaboEoI hiHu between
Portland and that REGION of country was
by that canal. Mr. Farley told me that
he had it from boat-man regularly
running between this city and those
lakes that in 1850 the year before the
Maine Law he carried three hundred bar
rels of rum from tide water to the
towns and villages on that line of lakes;
but in 1851 the year of the enactment of
that law, he carried more
A year or two after that [ was at the
beautiful village of Bridgton on the
western shore of that lake to attend a
temperance meeting. and [ told this
story of the neigh boring town of Har-
rison. After had closed man stood
up and said he was also a boatman repu-
| larly working on that canal. He made a
round trip to Portland every week sand
never brought into the country less than