davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
six Pretty Girls in SWAMP.

]. ID. Craven of Hickory Hammock
in the Okefnkec swamp. was at Way
cross. Ga. recently. and he told of many
of his experiences with bears. deer and
wildcats i'll the swamp. He cultivates
twelve acres of rich hammock land and
raises corn, sugar cane and vegetables.
He produces over thousand pounds of
meat every year. The farm is not
fenced. but, as it is surrounded by jun
giles, it is almost secure from the APP
proach of bears and other wild animals.
Mr.. Craven is Is years old. and he has
explored the swamp quite thoroughly
during the past fifty years. He killed a
45Opound bear some weeks ago. Honey
flows plentifully in Hickory Hammock
and Mr.. Craven sells hides, honey and
beeswax in large quantities. Mr.. Craven
has wife. two sons and six daughters.
His daughters are pretty. They are
good shots with rifle and they fire.
quently hunt bears. deer and wildcats
in the swamp. \ large bear chased u
hog into Mr.. Craven's yard and as he
was about to seize his prey one of the
Craven girls ran into the yard and poked
the muzzle of her rifle almost into bruin' S
face. Bruin turned away from the hog
and sprang toward Miss Craven. The
plucky young lady did not give the bear
a chance to hug her. but sent ball
through his heart. The bear fell Mt her
feet and died.-Atlanta Constitution.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
DUG UP A CURIOUS IRON BOX.
Ancient Relics Found Buried Eight Fee
Deep In tho River at BROOKLYN.

Ancient Relics Found Buried Eight Feet
Deep In tho River at Brooklyn.
curious iron chest has been dug no
on the water front of Brooklyn. and it
has been suggested that it might have
been at ,1 one time the property of Capt:
Kidd. This chest and an old-fashioned
bull 's-eye gold watch which was found in
it are now i'll the possession of John T.,
Frost of 1913 Cumberland street. Brook
Ign.
Mr.. Frost and his brother are in the
coal business in John street. The chest
was found while their men were building
coal bunkers, about a week ago. 1t was
only eight feet below the surface. The
men broke the lock and took out a lot
Of papers, which foated away in the
breeze. They also took out lot of gold.
silver and copper coin, which, it is said.
they converted to their own use, but the
curious old watch and the chest Mr..
Frost took.
The chest weighs about $50 pounds.
On the top is Il brass knob and huge iron
handles are on each side of the chest. II
was covered with rust
The watch is made of pure gold. and
has two cases. An iron clasp is rivetel
OH the front case, and on the back is an
engraving which looks like portrait, but
it is so old and worn that it is impossi-
bic to make out just what it is.
There are many persons who think that
the story of the find reads like fish
story" but Mr.. Frost vouches for it's
authenticity. The gold. silver and COP,
per coin has vanished, and Mr.. Frost has
not been able to get any of it back.
Mr.. Frost has an idea that the box
may have been buried during the Revo-
lutionary War, when the tide did not
reach so high as at present. 1t is also
said that it may have been part of the
valuables III vessel that may have been
wrecked on the spot years ago.-New
York Times
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
THE CHARGE OF THE BATTALION,
Pen Picture of One of the Mos. Impos-
ing Efforts in a Great Battle.

ing Efforts in a Great Battle.
The battalion has been on its feet since
daybreak; there was scanty breakfast
and while the men ate it in the dis
lance are sounds of the coming battle.
The files OH the march are closed up.
every sense is alive, dust everywhere,
then smoke. the galloping of horses,
hoarse shouts. orders and counterorder>:
the battle grows apace. men here and
there go down, but the eight companies
are there; the captains march close by
the men: sometimes through the smoke.
they catch glimpse of the colonel lead
ing on in front: each man knows his
rlghthand man; no one looks behind him:
somewhere quite close is Tom or Dick
or Harry. the good men they have chosen
as the best. aud as long as they 20 Oh the
rest will follow.
So the din increases. the earth is reel
ing under foot. shells burst beside them
with a horrid shrek and fling out quick
death: can anything alive come out of
this hideous turmoil? Still they press
on; captain picks up the rifle of . man
who has fallen and speaks CHEEKY word
all can't be lost when an old friend
can make i joke: another instant, and in
a cool voice they've heard before rings
out an order-it is easy to obey what
they have learned to obey for years-a
clash of bayonets as they fix them in
smart time together. a pause, a gasp for
breath-"Charge. and the long thin line
cleaves through the smoke and din and
is out upon the other side and i'm the sun
shine once again. cheering its lungs
away: the battle and dear life are won
Blackwood's Magazine.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
- - o. 49,
SNAKES IN CHARGE OF A SHIP.
Roa Constructors Capture an Engin
- +97t%S@ RnO,n rs,r 1,xv,, Hnnrs

isoa Constructors Capture mn Engine
Room Tor Two Hours. ~
Among the few passengers whnm tho
steel freightrr Venezuela carried on hcr
way no from Maracaihu. Venezuela. to
hcoklyn. n. y, was an amateur ami
mai collector. Among his assortment of
pets We're six boa constructors. They
the@$ ship got in the neighhorhood of
Cape Hattcras ind the mercury in the
thermometer began tumbling down the
snakes grew cold. Their owner request
Ell permission TO place them in the eE-
yinc roonl.4 The cage was finally put
close to the side of the engine room and
connected With one Of the big ventilators
which furnish the room with fresh air.
The day after the snakes had been
thus comfortably housed one of the en-
gineers heard Il peculiar swishing sound
behind him. Looking around, he saw
one Of the boa constructors in the act OF
dropping from the vcntilator opening.
1t was followed by another and then
by n third one. But the engineer did
not wait for all six to perform these
gymnastics. With Il yell which brought
the other men in the engine room to their
feet. he went through the door. When
the cause of the agitation became ap-
parent to the others, they also climbed
hastily through the various exits, leav-
rS the boa constructors in charge of the
engines.
For two hours the snakes remained un~
disturbed. They had sought out the
warmeSt places and were apparently sat
ishcd to remain there. Nobody felt i'll
clinrl to serve process of cjcctment
uoon them. Capt. Hopkins WAS in Il
G,mndary. The owner of the boa con-
Strctors WAS finally given the altcrna-
tive of securing his pets or submitting
to their destruction. Ee decided to use
some of the persuasive powers he had
learned in India and entered the engine
ROOM The cage of the reptiles was
pushed in after him. In few minutes
he had cntired them back to their for
MGR d"neicilc, and the engineers of the
ship returned to their duties.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
DO THEY CHALLENGER
Conduct of Deer that More than A
tOnisheO a Hnnfer

Conduct of a Deer that More than As
tOnished Hunter.
Some years since, in company with five
beside myself, [ was still-hunting deer in
Arkansas. On the morning we were to
break camp l shouldered my Winchester
to take farewell tramp over the grounds
we had hunted for two weeks | had
walked about one and one-half miles, and
was standing near the end of a prairie.
Behind me was briery slough I had
been standing several minutes when I
heard three successive sounds or noises
that were much louder and coarser than
the whistle or snort of any deer | had
previously heard. At first I thought it
some other animal, but presently he was
IN sight, and when within about 200 yards
of me he ran into u flock Of turkeys.
He would single out one and chase it
away. then another, until he had chased
off nine or ten. likely all of the flock,
when he returned to the line or track he
was following and came on, part of the
time trotting and part of the time walk
ing, but all the time travelling as if he
were tracking something. When within
eighty yards of me he came on my track
and stopped. turning half around, giving
me Il fine shot. He was only three
point buck, and rather small for a three
pointer, but he seemed to be ON the war
path, judging by the way he chased the
turkeys, and he seemed to care very little
for me-: Now. l have frequently heard
deer whistle when frightened, and have
heard them snort from the same cause,
but this deer made altogether louder
and different noise from either.-Forest
and Stream
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
: GLADSTONE'S POSTAL CARDS.
Counterfeiters Produce Them to Supply
the American Demand.

COunterfelterS Produce Them to supply
the American Demand.
Americans who visit London are natu-
rally fond of picking up curiosities Of the
old country to carry with them to the
new, and all attempts to deceive them or
be fully exposed. Let them, therefore,
beware of purchasing postcards alleged
to be from Mr.. Gladstone unless they are
sure of the source from which they come
A few days ago an American purchased
one for los. 1t was addressed to an i'll
dividual of whom the world has never
heard, and contained the simple words:
Dear Sir-There is absolutely no truth
in the statement you have kindly brought
to my notice. Yours faithfully, w. E.
Gladstone"
He triumphantly showed his treasure
to a fellowcountryman from Arkansas,
also collector of English curiosities,
and was surprised to find that he also
possessed u Gladstonian postcard for
which los was the price. 4 comparison
of the two articles showed that they
We're addressed to the same person, bore
the same alleged postmarks and were in
exactly the same words. The documents
were then submitted to an expert, who
from the same block, then cleverly mixed
in by hand. 1t would thus appear that
some INSCRIPTIONS persons, finding that
the ex-Liberal leaders signature forms a
priced relic among our kin beyond the
sea, have started Il mandatory of
ready-made Gladstonian postcards,
which they sell without computation at
the price of los each. The profit to the
impudent impostors must be as great as
find out the deceptien.-London Tele-
Dranh
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
"A Shot Hole STOPPER.

Curiously enough, the so-called Eng.
lish' device for stopping up shot holes III
vessels sides to keep the water from
pouring in and sinking the craft, was i'll
vented by All old sailor Of the name Of
Winchester of Philadelphia, as alleged by
the Record of that city. This paper says
that the English patent was described az
an arrangement not unlike an umbrella
which was thrust through the shot hole
and then opened, staying the flow of wa
ter. In the event of the shot striking al
the coal bunkers, it would be difficult
matter to get at the opening from the i'll
terror Of the vessel, but the Winchester
plug makes provision for this. That is
as explained, the shot hole having been
located, the plug is lowered over the side
Of the boat to the vicinity of the opening
and the suction Of the water will take
hold Of the air ball and carry the ball into
it's place. The braces have already beer
adjusted to the size and thickness of the
plate, and they automatically open after
the cover has adjusted itself over the
break, and hold the plug in place. This
will almost stop the flow entirely; or, il
the hole can be gotten at from the inside
the plug can he frightened by means Of I,
nut and screw, entirely stopping the in
flow.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
- : D. ~

er the game is started it becomes prac,
tically the same as ring taw, with the
difference that the larger ring takes the
same place as the small ring. and no taw
can be killed. or become liable to Il
fine. In modern pyramids one of the
pyramid i'll the center of a 6-inch ring,
about II feet from the base. The play
ers shoot at the pyramid from the base,
and get all the marbles they knock out
of the ring. the banker keeping every
marble they shoot Sometimes there is
no ring, and when the pyramid is hit the
hitter takes the four marbles of which
it is composed. Pyramids i'll this form
give such an advantage to the banker
that it should never be played unless it
be agreed before hand that after 50 many
shots the bank should be taken in turn
by all the players and that no player
leave until the game be finished. If the
complete round of SO many shots cannot
be gone through the winnings on both
sides should be returned.
The counting arch is better game
thick, I inches high and % inches long
is notched or cut into arches inches
wide. and fitted with a strut OIL each
end to keep it upright. The players shoot
at it so many marbles each and count
according to the numbers on the arches
the marbles go through. When all have
shot the player that has scored most is
winner, and he takes the pool: if pool
of so much for entrance fec has been
made. or the players have to give him
marbles enough in equal shares to make
MP the number he has won.
There is another bridge game called
discount, in which three arches are used.
Marbles going through the center arch
take two from the pool; marbles going
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
POSTAGE STAMP REFORM.


Collectors Org anixing to boycott specula-
+ tive Issues of stamps. 5z.s
For a, long time stamp collectors aud
dealers have been annoyed by what they
consider the Objectionable practice OF
certain governments in making frequent
changes In their stamp issues 1t is al
legged that these changes are not due to
any legitimate postal needs, but are real,
II directed at the pocketbooks of the col
lectors throughout the world. who, to
complete their collections, must buy these
unnecessary and speculative issues. Cen.
trail American and South American coun-
tries have been particular offenders in
colonies have not been far behind.
In the case of some Central and South
American countries peculiar contracts
exist with the firms that engrave and
print the stamps. The printers furnish
all the stamps required free, and in re,
turn are allowed to retain, after IN issue
becomes obsolete, all the stamps remain.
ing on hand: AS they can print as many
stamps as they please during the year
the issue is in use, there is always a
goodly lot left over. These remainders
the engravers sell.
Recently so bad has been the evil
from the stamp collectors point of view,
that u society has been formed in Eng
land especially to fight the rmnecessary
tSSueS ny Il great, .WOflu-WluC boycott
This association, which is known formal
" as the Society for the Suppression OF
Speculative Stamps, has it's headduar TT
ers in London. 1t has already com
menced active work, and has issued sew.
eral circulars denouncing certain varie
ties and issues of stamps as unnecessary
and speculative, and asking collector.
and stamp dealers to cease collecting
and dealing in them. 1t has also ISSUED
requests to stamp collecting societies in
other countries to work in unison with it
In this city the Philatclic Society OF
New York and the National Philatelica
society have appointed a special commit
tee to devise ways for the suppression
OF speculative stamps. The committee
consists of William Herrick, chairman
Joseph S. Rich. secretary; J. NJ. An
dreini, r: II. Bogert. &. B. Calman. Al
yah DAWSON, II. Il. beats. r. w. Hunt
er and j. w. Scott. \ petition has beef
prepared and copies of it have been for
warded to the President, cabinet, posta
officials and statesmen in the variou,
South and Central American countrie,
WHICH have issued or are thought likel,
to issue speculative series of posta %
stamps. The original of the petition !,
in SDlniSI-Npv YOrk Sup
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
KICKED THE CAN.
Then the Farmland Found it to be
Filled with Gold and Silver.

Thea the Farmland Found it to be
Filled with Gold and Silver.
Considerable excitement has been occa-
stoned i'll Springfield township. Ind. by
the lucky find of John H. Riardon. Il
farmland employed on the place of
Farmer Hughes. Riar,lon was blowing
large field near Al small creek among
the hills, when he suddenly turned up an
old and rusty tin can. He paid but lit
tie attention to the can at the time and
continued his route to the end of the
furrOw.
On his return be stopped to examine
the can. and was tumbfounled to find
that it contained $3.50 in gold and silver
coin. Riardon promptly reported the
matter to Mr. Hughes, who. in the large
ness of his heart. said:
well. you found the money, and it
is yours.
The coins were greatly corroded. but
could. after Il little securing. be plainly
identified as good United States money
Among them were five of the ou-fash-
Toned octagon $50 gold pieces now almost
extinct. There is absolutely no way to
discover how the coins came to be buried
i'll such an obscure place.
For five years there has been Il rumOr
to the effect that Il treasure was buried
somewhere north of here near Morning
Sun. and number of interesting stories
have been circulated concerning it. The
farm upon which the money was found
has been owned by scores of persons
in the last fifty years. and is now rented
ont by an estate-OXford cor. Cincinnati
Fnuuirnr
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
MASSACHUSETTS OfiiciaI Ink.

There is no longer any uncertainty in
regard to the permanency of the official
record ink adopted for use on the state
records and official documents. AS the
ink stands i'll the inkwell it is of a deep
greenish tinge, and looks not unlike a
writing fluid. 1t seems hardly thicker
than a fluid. and flows smoothly and
easily from the pen. While still damp
on the paper it shows the same greenish
ting" that is apparent in the inkwell,
bnt as it grows old OH the paper it takes
on deep black, and has smooth and
clean-cut appearance without being CLOS
sy. After it has been on the paper one
minute it is only family smntchcd by
vigorous rubbing with the moistened
finger. and. if allowed to become old on
the paper, can be wet thoroughly with.
out being effaced. The secret is that
the ink eats directly into the surface
of the paper, and cannot therefore be
removed without destroying that surface
There is no danger that the ink will be-
come brown after it has been on the
paper or book for many years. for the
brownish tipge is given by loswood, and
no logweod is used i'll the record ink
Boston Transcript.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
A HALE OLD SCHOLAR.
The Rev. Mr.. Smith, SO Years Of Age, Still
Studying the Bible III Hebrew.

The Rev. Mr.. Smith, SO Years of Age. Still
Studying the Bible in Hebrew.
The Presbytery of Chester. Pa. has III
it's oldest minister a thorough Greek and
Hebrew scholar and an active pedes.
trian. Rev. Joseph Smith. He is in the
eighty third year of his age, and the
other day he walked ten miles to attend
an adjourned meeting of the Presbytery
at Oxford. Mr. Smith is u native OF
England and came to this country in
1871. He settled in Germantown, go>
ing out as an evangelist of the Methods,
Episcopal church. He continued in tina,
capa city until the close of the war, when
he joined the Presbyterian ministry.
Mr.. Smith has resided for twenty-ninc
years i'll an old house on a knoll near
Big Elk creek, near Hickory hill. 1t is
a secluded spot for student. He has
read every word of the Greek Scriptures
understa ndingly. He is now writing
grammatical notes OH his Hebrew Bible,
and is nearing the final chapter of Exc.
dus. 1t is his intention to read tho
whole Of this Bible, and if he gets
through he will put key in it for the
benefit of students. Mr.. Smiths life is
that of a student. Early morning is
spent milking his COW and attending to
homework. The remainder of the day
is passed reading the Scriptures in He,
brew and making notes. Each Sunday
he walks eight miles, worshiping in New
London, the church having been organ.
;zpd in 1913 = --~~s.s..
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
WRECKED BY SHARKS.
Narrow Escape If = Captain and Loss
Ills Steamer or thp Flnrido cnoe<

Narrow Escape cf = Captain and Loss Of
Ills Steamer OF the Florida Coast
Capt. G. E. Merchant of West Palm
Beach. Fla, had a thrilling experience
with sharks just off this bar and, as a
result. his steamer, the Glenn, worth
$4,000. is wreck, and his dog, Warrior.
is i'll the NAV of maneater Just as
he was about to enter the bar an inn
mense school of mullet came by at y
furious rate of speed, pursued by sharks.
One of the sharks struck the boat and
lifted her bow clean out Of the water.
nearly capsizing her. a hole in the bow
was torn out 3 feet wide. The collision
crushed the tinlbers and the shark was
stunned or killed. His companions in
short order tore him to pieces and lie.
voured him. The dog was knocked over,
board and was also devoured. The cal,
tain, seeing the thrush of water, turned
the prov shoreward and put on all
steam. She stranded in feet of wa,
ter. The sharks followed and swan
around the vessel. The g,lnwales of the
boat We're only a foot above the water.
very insecure bulwark against the man,
eaters. Merchant fought them off with
an oar for an hour, and was finally TAX
on from his perilous position by fish,
nrnon
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
"A Farmers Find,

John Stauffer has made an important
discovery of anthracite coal On his farm,
back of Cherry Run, W. Va. twenty
miles south of Hagerstown. With the
aid of his son and one hired man he has
mined during the past two or three
months twenty tons of coal. and landed
the same at the top of 60-foot shat
by hand. The coal was carefully Gov
cred. and the mining went on in the
strictest secrecy by the light of an ordi-
nary coal oil lamp. Stauffer has now
started from the bottom of the shaft to
tunnel into the mountain. The rcin is
very thick and the coal has been pro-
nounced equal to Shamokin Valley prod
uct. Stauffer's tract embraces 1000
acres. but the land is poor and his means
are limited. Some time ago options
were secured ON neishborng lands, but
prospecting met with no results. Before
Stauffer had investigated the extent of
the vein he is now working he tried to
enlist the aid Of local capitalists in the
formation of company, but was not
successful. After this he started right
in to work, keeping his movements secret
and making surprising discoveries.
Louis Globe Democrat,
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
A Real Drainage System.

1t is said that the most perfect town
in the world, as regards its drainage
system, is Pullman, near Chicago, stu
ated OH the bank Of Lake Calumet and
containing about 1900 inhabitants. The
whole of the sewage is pumped to Il
farm of 800 acres. three miles distant
from the town. The sewers are vcnti-
lated by connecting all of them with II
high chimney stack. which also serves
for the engine fires ut the pumping sta
ton. The consequence is that when
one is passing an open grating in the
street he is not assailcd by whiffs of
malodorous sewer gas; OH the contrary,
the down tlraught caused by the high
central chimney sucks the fresh outside
air into the sewers, which are thus kept
wholesome and innocuous.-Popular
Health Magazine.