davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-10-25
A Gigantic Lily.

There is now growing in the Vic.
toria Tank of the Royal Botanical So
ciety in Regents Park, London, one
of the finest plants of the royal water
lily ever seen in Europe. The surface
covered by the plant is over 400
square leet. There are ten gigantic
leaves. each measuring over seven feet
in diane ter, while several Of the beau.
tiiul &c gers are open. New York
Mail and Express.
Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-10-25
CHICAGO is BROKE"
Fire and Police Departments Must Be Cu'
Down to Practical Abolition.

The city of Chicago is ''broke." 1t Is now
mo, osed TO cut the Fire and Police Depart
ments from onr third 10 one-half AID scale
down other branches OF the public service to
an extent that Will practically amount TO
their temporary abolition.
On the authority Of Comptroller Wethereii
Is was stated that there /, no other way out
OF tie embarrassment. The city Is running
behind at the rate of 100000 a year, and
has a floating debt of $4,000, 900 accumu-
lated during six years.
Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-10-25
TROOPS BLOWN UP.

Six Hundred Reported Killed in an Explosion
on Steamship
An explo ION occurred on a steamship at
Kung-Pai, near K mellow, China. Tho
steamship was loaded with troops, and 1t Is
reported that 600 OF them were killed.
Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-10-25
NEVER A SHADOW SINCE.
BY CLARA ASPEN.

; l. 1oA l. oiIO pAOIVN
though o. MUIR
INJURED Mrs. Lam
bert.
Mr.. Lambert re-
sponded by a look
too full of gratiG-
cation for words.
They were not
quite in their dot
age, these two old
people, but they
were very old, and
the appearance OF
their long expected
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-28
Patents
Notice to Inventors.

There was never time in the history OF
our country when the demand for Inventions
and improvements in the arts and scIences
generally was so great as now. The con.
Yeniences Of mankind IN the factory and
work shop, the household, on the farm, and
In official life, require continual access'ons
to the appurtenances and implements to each
in order 10 save labor, time ard expense
The political change in the administration
of government does not affect the progress
OF the American inventor, who bong on the
alert, and ready to perceive the existing
deficiencies, does not permit the affairs Of
government to deter him from quickly con.
eeiy,ng the remedy to overcome existing
discrepancies. Too great care cannot be
exercised in choosing competent and SKILL
full attorney to prepare and prosecute an
application for patent valuable interests
haye been lost and destroyed in innumeraoie
instances by the employment of incompe-
tent counsel, and especially Is this advice
applicable to those who adopt the mo pat.
ent, no pay" system. Inventors who entrust
their business to this class Of attorneys 90
30 at imminent risk, as the breadth ana
strength of the patent is never considered IN
view Of quick endeavor to get an allowance
and obtain the fee then due. THE PRESS
CLAlMO SOlA1 AAN OoAh W ~
General Manager, 61S F street, N. w., Wash
inpton, D. c., representing large number
of important daily and weekly papers. as
well as general periodicals Of the country.
was instituted to protect its patrons from
the unsafe methods heretofore employed In
this line of business. The said Company is
prepared to take charge Of all patent business
entrusted to 1t for reasonable fees, and pre-.
pares and prosecutes applications generally,
including mechanical Inventions design pat
ents, trade marks, labels, copyrights, inter.
ferences, infringements. validity reports, and
gives especial attention to rejected cases.
It is also prepared to enter into competition
with any firm in securing foreign patents.
Write for instructions and advice
JOHN WEDDERBuRN,
6l8 F Street.
P. o. Box 1856. Washington, d. G..
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-28

II submit the within described invention
in competition for the Twenty-Five Hundred
Dollar Prize offered by the Press Claims
Company
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-28
No Blanks in this Competition.

This is competition OF rather an unusual
nature 1t is common to offer prizes for the
best story, or picture, OF architectural plan,
all the competitors risklng the loss Of their
labor and the successful one merely selling
his for the amount of the prize. But the
Press Claims Company's offer is something
entirely different Each person is asked
merely to help himself, and the one who
helps himself to the best advantage is to be
rewarded for doing it. The prize is only a
stimulus to do something that would be well
worth doing 1t. The architect whose com.
petitive plan for club house on certain
corner is not accepted has spent his labor on
something of very little use to him But the
person who patents simple and useful de-
vice in the Press Claims Companp's Compe-
tltion, need not worry if he fail to secure the
prize He has substantial result to show
for his work one that viii command Its val.
ue in the market at any time.
The plain man who uses any article In his
daily work ought to know better how to I'M
prove it than the mechanical expert who
studies it only from the theoretical point of
view. Get rid of the rid of the idea that an
Improvement can be too simple to be worth
patenting TIE simbler the better. The
person who best succeeds in combining
simplicity and popularity, will get the Press
Claims Companys twenty FIVE hundred dol
lars.
The responsibility of this company may be
judged from the fact that Its stock ia held by
about three hundred of the leading newspa-
pers of the United States.
Address the Press Claims Comaany, John
Mcddeburn, managing attorney, 81o r street
Nv, Washington y, c. may
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-28

senter ser, every one Of whom should subscribe e
Oemorest's Magazine. II you are unsequainted WITH
IL merits, send for q specimen COPY gree. ana .
You win admit that seeing these THUMBS has pus
you in the way Of saving money BY finding IN one
Magazine everything to satisfy the literary wants y
The whole family. -
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-28
PLEASE Remember

that we send THE CATocTIN CLARION for
one year. THE ILLUSTRATED HOME GUEST
for one year, and the book, Twenty Com.
plete NOVELTIES by Popular Authors" all
post. paid by mail upon receipt Of only 81 10
This offer applies both to new subscribers and
Every loycr of bright and fasci-
mating literature should take advantage OF 1t.
Sample copies of THE ILLUSTRATED HONE
GUEST and ofthe premium book may be seen
at this office. Address all letters:
The CATOCTIN CLARION, E
Thurmont, Md
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12

this extra punishment on me? Send
me bacll'to my work.
ssIm Inclined" said the governor,
ito put you in dark cell for week
to punish you for your internal obsti-
macy I've treated you altogether too
well, old man. !.
The old man gave slight shrug of
his shoulders. but was silent.
Kent began to apologize for him,
and. as coaxingly as he could, asked
him several more questions. TO one OF
them he growled out sullen mo-,
and was on the point of saying some
thing else when one Of the guards
| came in with message for the gov
ernor, at which he relapsed into si--
lence, and no further attempts could
induce him to say word.
When he had been taken away the
governor said: "You see was right
when told you it was a hopeless task 7
sOn the contrary" said Kent, II feel
quite encouraged. I've only been feel
| ing of him."
II think I'll lock him up for day or
two. It will make him civil. "
Il wish" said Kent. you'd lock me
up with him for half an hour II !
don't make any headWay then, TIL
give up the Job and go back.
The next day the governors family
| went to church picnic and Kent ac-
eo1npanied them. He proved on this
! occasion to be the life of the little
party. There seemed to be nothing
that he could not do, from making an
onlelette in the woods to making a
speech to the children. The governor
was really quite proud Of his guest.
Kent had now been three days inside
the prison Jurisdiction, and how well
| he had improved his time appeared
afterwards When they were coming
home from the picnic he told Mrs.
Ixtel that he had overstayed his time
and must finish up his business on the
morrow. If the governor would lock
/ him up with Laport he thought he
| could make the fellow confidential
The upshot of all this was that on
! the fourth day Kent was taken to La
! ports cell, carrying nothing but q
pencil and pad which the governor had
furnished him, and joeularly remark.
! ing as he was going through the cor,
ridor that they ought to search him
! first. for he might have some files about
! him and let that rascal ont to teach the
| world golden silence.
The governor laughed, as he now did
at almost everything Kent said, and
only remarked: E If he gets away from
| me, Ill take all the blame.
AL right. rejoined Kent, but, as
you value human life, don't forget "
let me out inside OF the half hour
Make it twenty minutes. =
They entered the cell together. La
port was sitting on the stone floor will
| his head between his knees. He
neither rose nor looked up as they came
in. The place was dinly lit by ont
! embrasure. It was furnished with AZ
] iron pallet and q pail.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12

Kent went toward the light and
looked at a large gold watch. 1T is.
ten minutes of ten" he said. Give
me till quarter past"
Laport looked up and addressed him
self to the governor:
care you going to put this lunatic
ON tne7'' he said, "till knock my
brains out against these walls?''
'.Tha best way to get rid Of him, !"
replied the governor, is to treat him
civilly. He doesn't want to annoy
you, and he comes from saffle Of your
friends
eyes, said Kent, you can treat me
confdentially. The governor IL going
to leave us together for few moments.
If you will answer some of my ques-
tions can be of service to you. !"
Laport dropped his head between his
hands. The governor gave a shrug
and turned to the door. 1--WE heard OF
squeezing pig-lead out of q sponge, he
said. cts holiday work to squeezing
that old bundle of scrap-iron."
'.F'or Gods sake, don't forget me
when the times mp" said Kent, and
sat down On the iron bed.
The governor then went out. Kent
heard the great bolt shot with an iron
c1ang.
NOW them. he said SO that the
Governor could hear him on the other
side of the door if he listened. 4'This
is the last chance I've got to talk to
| you, my friend. If you will tell me
what want to know it will SECURE
you the influence of powerful friends. =
He listened, He heard the retrcatr
| ing footsteps of the governor in the
corridor. lie sprang softly but quickly
to the iron door and put his ear down.
The. governor was some distance
away.
Laport looked up with something
like momentary interest in the
strange actions.
| To DE Continued
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12
oPELOUsAs LOUISIANA. SATURDAY, JANUARY T. 1895

metropolis. But duty was duty and
he'd have to make the attempt. He
did not think he'd get much out Of II,
butif he did II would be feather In
the cap of the present administration
and an additional plume for himself
Mr.. Kent talked SO long that the
governor invited him to take dinner
with his family, and the guest proved
such an interesting talker that Mrs
Ixtel late in the afternoon proposed to
the governor that it would be far more
hosuitable to have the gentleman stay
with them than to go off TO hotel.
lie played backgammon. that night
with the governor; sang the latest
songs for Miss Ixtel and accompanied
himself on the piano; and he sat.up till
twelve o'clock talking politics and
drinking the governors whisky.
The next dag about nine o'clock in
the morning, the prisoner. o round
shouldered old man with great deal
OF character LII his square jaw and
massive chin and deep-set scintillhnt
black eyes, was brought into the
Office Of the prison. No one was pres-
ent but the governor and the reporter.
"Laport,' said the governor, here's
gentleman wants to talk to yotl I
hope you'll treat him with more cori-
sideration than you do me-
The old man looked from one of the
men to the other with sullen de-
flance. s'You can save yourself the
trouble, he said. 1--we nothing to say"
He folded his arms and stood looking
at the ceiling.
tWell, sit down and be comfortable,
if you can't be human said the gov
!, ernor. '.There's a chair. .
Kent then began n free and easy
explanation to which Laport paid very
little attention. He approached the
subject of his inquiry, the governor
| thought, with great tact, and then
asked one or two unimportant ques-
tions.
The only answer the man made was
| to turn to the governor.
| sIs there anything in my conduct
Il Atr4Tv ~
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12
,rhe scare About Ger,ns.

A physician tells the Cincinnati
Times-Star that the widespread fear of
disease germs is largely groundless.
Everything. he says. is full Of
germs Or crusted with them, hnf every
germ is not harmful. Every disease
germ on the body does not produce
disease. If it did there would not be a
person on the face of the earth to NOR
row. People lived before disease germs
were known and were as healthy as
they are to-day They lived as care
fully as we do perhaps more SO. We
cannot avoid contact with disease
germs, but we can do what is better,
strengthen the body SO that il resists
them as easily as lion can flea.
Some scientists pretend to deplore 4
lack of precaution people take against
germs. It is simply because the peo-
pie see, despite theories, that every
germ doesn't produce sickness any
more than every man is o murderer
Every man may possibly be one. but
we would not be justified in go;f 4
armed on that account, 7
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12
A FUNNY SIGN.

Tho Joke That an American Had ON an
Engfishman.
A certain Philadelphia gentleman of
more name than fame was ordered by
his physician to travel for the benefit
of his health.
He went TO England, and after firing
of humping through London he decided
to hire trap and see the beauties of
interior England in dignified ease and
luxury.
Just then he fell In with hearty.
good-natured Englishman, and as they
soon became fast friends, the American
invited the other to attend him on his
coaching trip.
The son of John Bull accepted, and
during the days of pleasure that fol-
lowed, each frequently and in a joking
manner improved every occasion to
laud his own country and express his
contempt of the other.
On the evening of the fourth day, as
they were driving along dusty road,
the American pulled the horses mp
suddenly and proceeded to read sign:
ITO Manchester twenty miles. y and
underneath were the words: If you
cannot read this sign apply for infor-
nation at the blacksmith shop.
'sWell, I'll be darned!'' said the
American. If that isn't the most ri
diculous sign ever saw!'
'.Jove, old man. replied the Eng
lishman, that sign is all right, isn't
it? don't see anything the matter. =
'.You don't. eh? Well, then, you just
sleep over it and see what you think in
the morning.
The next morning the Englishman
came down beaming.
II say, old man." he said, wisely,
that was funny sign to put up, for
don't you see the blacksmith might
not be in after all, you know. - Bos-
ton BUDGET
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12
DON'T SAVE LETTERS.
The Uselcssness of Allowing Old Misstve:
to Accumulate.

The Uselcssness OF Allowing Old Misstves
to Accumulate.
Tear up all letters thatit is not neces-
sary to preserve as soon as you have
read them.
They accumulate in the most amaz-
ing way II you don't, and take up
great deal Of room, to no purpose.
For my part, ] think the reading over
Of old missives is rather sad affair,
and could well be dispensed with. It
is very seldom that one doesn't suggest
melancholy train of thought.
If the writer isn't dead the chances
are that he or she has changed. and the
written lines fail to give us the pleas,
ure that they once did.
am looking an old letter over at
this moment, and my eye strikes this
line:
II don't think ever loved anybody
on this earth as do Henry Lane. II
he should propose to me would be the
happiest girl in the world.
All mel
Henry Lane did propose to her and
they were married
saw her the other day leading two
children, and the three were SO shabby
that my heart ached for them.
Her husband drinks, gambles and
neglects her, SO says common rumor,
and she is doing dressmaking
And she had seamstress for every
stitch of work when she was girl. IN.
Y Recorder.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12
CHAPTER ].

CHAPTER 1
In the early autumn of 18- young
man who was registered at the Lexing-
ton {Ky.) military academy as Surden
Bench, aged twenty-five, got up about
three o'clock In the morning and, taxi
ing eight hundred dollars belonging
to the academy and his felloW-stttdents,
decamped.
The, significance of the circumstance
at the time arose from the discovery of
the deliberate and ingenious method
pursued by Bench to accomplish his
purpose He had conceived soIne kind
of town celebration and induced the
young men to write home for funds
He also succeeded in getting them to
make him the depository of the money,
which according to the books amount
ed to eight hundred and ffty-four dol
lars. He disappeared from Lexington
and all the efforts of the faculty and
the authorities to trace him failed
It is now known that when he left the
academy he struck across country to
the Salt river, where he had skiff in
hiding and presumably a negro con-
federate. With characteristic Ken
lucky impulse, the young men of the
school held an Indignation meeting
and offered the eight hundred dollars
to anyone who would capture him and
turn him over to the authorities. This
reward put upon his trail several
western deputy sheriffs who tracked
him to Cairo, H., where 1t was sus=
pected that he had changed his boat,
bought ammunition and supplies and
set off down the Mississippi, travelling
generally In the night and hiding in
the bayotis during the day.
Deputy Sheriff Col. Abner Petingill,
Of Frankfort, published in the Louis
vile Journal year later commune
cation setting forth that his party had
tracked Bench to bayou, somewhere
between Tiptonville and Fulton, on
the Tennessee shore, where the fugi-
tive had sunk his boat and struck
through the wild tract of country ex-
tending to what is known as the High
land Rim, in Henderson county. This
communication is curious in one state
ment. It says: 1--WE discovered, after
much tedious searching, the sunken
boat and then struck his trail in the
woods. We had not followed it far be-
fore we came to the conclusion that he
was accompanied by a woman.
Col. petingin then states that it was
his belief and the belief of his party
that Bench met with an accident some
where on the Rim, for all traces of him
disappeared, and after camping out for
two weeks in the wilderness and dis
covering no new trail the party re-
turned.
The fact is Bench had accidentally
discovered the Laran caves
In his endeavor to escape from his
pursuers, he had struck straight up the
rim and in jumping from one of the
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12

of an influential New York paper with
q letter to the governor officer
that under the old system we knew as
the warden.
And here the story of the great con-
spiracy properly begins.
A card was brought to the official
bearing the name of ANDREW Kent,
with the title of the New York news
paper in the corner, and it was fol-
lowed by welI-dressed man of about
thirty. whose easy dignity and in
formal heartiness impressed the warden
favorably.
"You are Gov. Txtel. presume2'
The governor smiled and said he was.
II am from the New York newspaper
whose name you saw on the card. !
have been sent on an errand which this
letter will explain
The governor put on his glasses and
read the letter that was handed to him.
1t ran as follows:
ITO THE GOVERNOR oF THE FEDERAL PRIs.
ON. ETC, ETC: The bearer of this, Mr.. Kent,
Is connected with the STAFF of this paper ana IS
sent to you to obtain, II possible, an interview
with the prisoner jean Laport, now Under sen
tence for manslaughter. Tho interests OF the
political party now In power can be materially
advanced II this man can be Induced to talk,
and, Ii possible, furnish some Information con-
cerning his confederates In vast scnene 10
rob the government It is assumed that the pr1s-
oner, who Is virtually under life sentence, can
have no good reason for longer keeping silent,
and II is thought by the managers OF this paper
that an adroit man. like the bearer OF this, II
furnished the facilities may succeed in elietting
the information, which will be OF great service
In the coming campaign 10 the administration
OF which you are q loyal adherent.
'.Respectfully etc, etc"
Gov. IxtcI, d plethoric and good-na-
tured man when not dealing with con-
victs, let his hand drop to his side with
the letter in it. With the other he took
off his glasses and locked at Mr.. Kent
with broad smile.
.sWhy, bless your enterprising soul, =
he said, 'sthat old alligator won't talk.
You couldn't pump ten words out of
him if you worked month.
s.Nevertheless. = replied Mr.. Kent, Il
am here TO make the attempt with
your kind permission
ssTake seat, said the governor. y
never heard that Laport was mixed up
in politics. !"
Mr.. Kent sat down. well. sir. it
isn't generally known. But he is
nevertheless the depository of certain
secrets which to hold will no longer be
of any service to him and which It he
will give them away, as we say, will
secure for him the influence of a NUM-
Der of powerful friends who can, if
they set to work, get him a cominuta-
ton of sentence.
Mr.. Kent was evidently clever
talker; he was thoroughly posted in
the political situation; he brought
with him from New York good deal
of inside news and several rattling
stories that were new. He candidly
confessed that he had no stomach for
this job and wanted to be back IN the
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12


WHICH THIS LETTER WILL EXPLAIN.
upturned cretaceous strata he had
landed upon depression which gave
way beneath his weight and he fell
perpendicularly into crevice twelve
feet deep. This crevice has since be-
come famous as the Laran portal.
At its bottom he discovered the de-
scent which led to the arena and hav-
ing exploited the place, he and his
companion lived there until the follow
ing winter. AS soon as he felt satis-
fed that the search was given over. he
sent the woman out for supplies and
built a brush house over the opening
to conceal it from the negroes who
brought them game and provisions.
They must have remained in and
about the Laran cave very nearly three
months.
In that time Bench made a very
thorough investigation of it and pre-
pared maps and Typographical dia-
grams of the surrounding country.
Some OF these drawings may now be
seen at the Government museum at
Rock Island, and, considering the rude
means at Bench's command, they are
singularly careful and accurate speci-
mems of cartography.
In those three months Bench had
conceived and worked out one of the
most astounding and gigantic schemes
with which the history Of audacity and
indomitable will makes us acquainted.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-01-12
Nothing TO Match.

The elegantly attired lady moved
quietly up to the glove counter, where
there was new clerk, who was polite
and willing enough, buthe didn't know
much about the business. II want q
pair of gloves to match a gray wool
dress, . she said. Certainly, madame,
he replied, as he bounced around to the
boxes He dragged down lot OF them
and then turned back to the lady m
very sorry madam he said, but we
haven't got d gray wool glove IN tae
house. \ J,etrost Free Press.