davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
How the Last Juror was Won.

DR.. Robert ID. Sheppard, Business
agent of the Northwestern University.
relates story of how he once won a
| law suit which illustrates the rlanIar
IN which lawyers sometimes adapt
themselves to their juries.
There was no question:" said DR..
| Sheppard, "but that was in The right
of the case. The evidence was cOncl'.-
sive, the law was on my side, aud when
my attorney arose to make his opening:
address he thought he had the ease
won. He briefly reviewed the evidence.
stated the law in the case, and was
about to close his argument when nc
Ii ticed that one of his Jurors, stol:J
Oh farmer, did not seem to he with
lin. The other eleven men had al
ready decided the case in Their WE
minds, but the farmer had a s.ngg: sh.
set expression on his counrenauce
WHICH BODIED no good for me or my case.
Again my lawyer reviewed the evil
ocnce, addressing his remarks entirely
| to this one man, but no impression was
made. The same stOlid expression still
cupied the mans face, and he seem
&c as little likely to be moved rs the
courthouse in which the trial was TAX
ii,s place. The attorney tried Al. kinds
Ct arguments, and finally, when he was
about giving up in despair, u happy
thought struck him. He repeated
again the bare facts, and when he,
came to n place where the person op.
pos,ng me had made an egregious err
ror in judgment he leaned over to the
old farmer and said:
"'And want to tell you, my friend,
that there's where he dropped his wat
ar-melon.'
'The old farmers face Lighted uD,
and from that moment the CHS, was
won. The jury was out less than five
roiuutes, and brought back a veidicf
for all that I had asked"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
A Marvel in Railroadino.

A problem in railroading that has re-
ceived considerable attention from certain
class of inventors has been to devise a
scheme whereby two trains may pass each
other, going in the same or opposite di-
rections, upon single track, and thus
save half of the expense now necessary to
lay double track.
Less than a year ago patent No. $685.
$50 was granted for method of accom-
plishing this result without the usual
sanguinary circumstances that accompany
it. The prop osed plan is to place long
inclined plane car at each end Of one Of
the trains. Upon these inclined cars and
along the roofs Of the other cars is laid an
ordinary track of standard gauge.
When second train desires to pass
this all it has to do is to crowd on steam
and climb over it. This it can do with
equal facility headed in either direction
and whether the first train Is stationary
OF moving at a high rate of speed.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
TranspIanting Teeth.

Among the wonders of modern surg
cry there is nothing more remarkable,
says the Cincinnati Enquirer, than the
transplanting of teeth. Some years
ago a dentist created sensation by
extracting tooth from the jaw of one
person and inserted it in the jaw Of
another. Since that time the operation
has been repeatedly tried, but with not
altogether satisfactory results. At
least % per cent. Of these cases have
failed of success. Considering that
the experiment is in its infancy, this Is
encouraging. The method is to select
the tooth required for the purpose,
pains being taken that it is Of just the
size and shape to fit the space Of the
from tire root, which Is then deprived
OF its pericementum and shaped to
suit the operator. A thorough cleans
Ing Of the nerve canal is next in order,
then the apex of the root is filed and
Theoretically sealed with tiny platina
tube carefully fitted into the nerve
canal. After the most careful course
Of antiseptic treatment the socket is
prepared to receive the new root, which
Is secured in place and so covered that
1t is safe from shocks and pressure.
After about six weeks, or when the
union has taken place, provided the
operation is successful, porcelain
crown is attached to the root, and the
patient has fine, strong and natural
looking tooth.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16

Four miles from Pincville. Mcdonald
County, on the grounds Of j. l.. Parish,
is freak of nature so curious that II !
had not seen 1t with my own eyes, could
scarcely have believed it possible.
On the bank of the Elk River rises a
large tree that towers high above the
neighboring trees. At the ground solid
bnttressed trunk appears from eight to
ten feet in diameter. A little higher than
a mans head this trunk divides into four
lesser trunks, the two smaller OF which
arc In themselves fair-sized trees, while
the other two are far above the average
size. Here comes in the queer part Of the
story.
OF these divergent trunks the two large
ones are respectively an elm and syca-
more, while the two smaller ones are an
oak and sycamore Above the union
of the common trunk each tree in leaf,
branch and bark is normal to its type.
The trunk itself seems homogeneous
whole.
/ would not presume TO say that close
examination would not show in the bark
from different sections OF the trunk those
peculiarities that distinguish the bark Of
one tree from that of the other, but certain
ly these characteristics do not appear on
cursory examination, nor are there lines
of jointure visible where the four trunks
coalesce.
/ doubt If any one can point to stranger
growth than this--two sycamores, an oak
and an elm, all growing from one common
trunk. This meeting together of four
youthful tree trunks as they thickened
with age is occasionally seen, but this is
an unusually fine illustration. Each tree
must, however, form its own bark-that
is to say, no one of them has been wholly
enveloped by another. Hence careful
investigation ought to disclose slight
line where the incurving bark of each
original tree meets.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
Small Fruit Farms Pay.

Contrary - the general opinion" said
MIR. Russell Stephens, one of the largest
fruit growers of the Sacramento valley,
cit is the small fruit farms in California
which pay the best. The big fruit farms
are very expensive to manage, and as
every person about them as to be hired,
there are many leaks and weak points.
The transportation feature Is, perhaps,
more important than all things else COM
bined, for unless the fruit can be shipped,
and properly shipped, there is no money
in the business. In the. end the big farms
will pay, but at present the small growers
have the best of it, for they can handle as
they raise. 1t is strange to us that you
people in the east pay twenty-five cents
per pound for Malaga or Tokay grapes,
when out there we are glad to sell them
for from $l5 to $17 per ton, or less than
one cent per pound. The railroads and
middle men get all the money, and what
is worse, the consumer has to pay such
high prices that he does not feel able to
buy all the fruit he should"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
SPORT FOR DARING MEN.
Shark Hunting of Cuba as Described
by a Native.

Shark Hunting of Cuba as Described
by Native.
If there is any one who has tired Of
the tame sport of shooting deer, moose,
panthers, wildcats, brown and grizzly
bears, and of catching little trout, black
bass, and salmon, and has longing for
sport with swing to it, let him go to
Cuba. Besides the chances of being
captured, or shot by Spaniards as a
spy, he will find there a sport which
for real danger is unequalled, even by
the killing of roaring wounded tiger,
the charge of a herd Of angered ele-
plants, and beside which even wound
ed bull moose are no longer charming.
According to n Cuban now in Brook
lyn, shark fishing is n sport to be
dreamed about. The Cuban shark fish
ermen take chunks of beef and throw
them overheard out beyond the reefs,
where the dorsal fins of sharks are to
be seen emitting the water with vici-
Gus swish, like the plunge Of a modern
rifle bullet into a stream. Instantly
there Is q rush, fit to make ordinarily
brave men blanch, for the eagerness of
the sharks to rend the bloody meat is
something to think twice about. Now
is the time Of the sportsman to do as
the Cuban fisherman does. Stripping
off his light clothes, grasping long
keen knife, he leaps among the fish,
and thrusts the knife to the nearest
sharks heart. A quick wrench opens
wound that spurts blood, and then
the sport fairly begins. 1t is death to
man who then loses his nerve. There
is hope for the buck-feverish man who
is facing a wounded tiger, but none for
the man among the sharks.
The Cuban expert watches bis
chances, and as the sharks, attracted
by the blood, come to tear their mate
to pieces, he strikes them one by one,
and soon the water is filled with sharks
tapping their last in the water red with
blood. When a shark comes for him,
he glides to one side. and as the shark
rushes past on it's side he strikes it
dead. Bags Of twenty-five or thirty
man eating sharks may be captured
thus in a few minutes.
The teeth are the trophies. To get
them the head is boiled in big iron
soap caldron. a tooth of a healthy
shark is ivory white, with n hard, porce-
lain finish, and could be worn as a
trophy. There are several rows Of these
teeth. One row Of them cut out would
look like a saw, the teeth being OBJ
tusely triangular, each exposed edge of
single tooth being cut into minute
teeth. The sharks bite mans leg of,
and do not tear it off, as is generally
supposed. Indians make long strings
out of these teeth for beads, that the
squaws may think much of the hunt
ers, and one would suppose that a
string of them would not be unaccept-
able to paleface's sweetheart. The
sharks may be taken in variety Of
other ways. Rifles, spears, harpoons,
lassoes (snares), or fishhooks foot
long. And they are taken often in nets,
but not because the METER wants to
take them, as they tear and tangle the
nets for rods.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16

were thrown into the lake. while others
were tossed into q grave filed with
quicklime. This historical recollection
angered the Burgundian soldiers Of
the victorious armies Of the Republic
In 1706 50 much that they destroyed
the monuments raised In honor of their
compatriots who fell heroically In that
battle, and Henri Martin very justly
reproached them for that piece Of van
dalism.
1t would hardly do to attribute the
reddening of the waters Of the lake
to the blood of the soldiers of Charles
the Bold. The coloring Is due simply
to the presence In large quantities of
little aquatic plants, called by the nat
uralists osclllatoria rubescens. The
most curious thing about it is that
Lake Morat is the only lake In which
this curious growth is developed, and
this popularity Is beginning to interest
scientific men.-Boston Transcript.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
A BIood.Red Lake.

Lake Morat, in Switzerland, has a
queer habit Of turning red about two
or three times every ten years. 1t is
a pretty lake, like most Of the sheets
of water in that picturesque country,
and its p, culiar freak is attributed to n
disposition to celebrate the slaughter
of the Burgundlans under Charles the
Bold on June n, 1476. But the French
say 1t bushes for the conduct of the
Swiss, who, In that battle, gave the
Burgundians no quarter. This year
il was redder than ever. and had n
sinister appearance, when the setting
sun Illuminated its waves.
This phenomenon, of course, has its
legend. The old fishermen of the lake,
who catch enormous fish called ST.
lures, that weigh between twenty-five
and forty Kilograms, say, when they
see the waters Of the lake reddening,
that It II the blood of the Burgundians.
As matter Of fact, some OF the bodies
OF the Burgundians killed In the battle
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
A coNcREssMAN's COMPLIMENT.
And the Way It was Accepted by the
Pretty Mountain Maid,

somewhat gay and gallant mem
Der Of the House, unusually handsome
even for n member, was telling to a
small group of listeners, of which q
Star reporter was one, some of his cam.
paign experiences.
"On one trip to the mountains" he
said, after narrating several good ones
~ was riding along road up Il plctnr.
esqueI valley with my campaign com.
panion, when we met buxom, pink
checked, good-looking country girl ON
foot. AS l spoke to her after the Gus
tom of the country, she stopped us."
Have you seed anything Of n red.
headed, freckle-faced Teller down the
cIickY she inquired.
I'VE have met three or four men In
the last hour l replied, and one of
them was red-headed. How old was
he?
"'Bout my age, 1 reckon
"'Soyoung as thatY asked with all
my cOurtliness.
""Tlht amt so powerful young she
said, without the slightest apparent
comprehension of my compliment.
He's twenty-One and som L.
The man we met with the red-head
was twice that old. He couldn't have
been the one you We're looking for,
could he?
~ reckon not The man I'm lookin'
for andme wuz to git married yistiddy,
m N, xx,b~, tba f;,oa coroa ba xyo 1p,f tho, >.
Pap started up the road fer him with
a gun tits mornin' an come this way
',This made it interesting and / at
once feb it to be my duty to offer my
assistance.
"'Tell me his name, said, and I'll
make injuries along the road
"'Sim Johnson, and I'd give ten
acre fam to git holt NV him.
"Her anger heightened her color, and
put suct brightness in her eyes that
she was positively handsome, and
just couldn't help trying another deli
cate compliment on her.
"'Youlmust excuse me- / smiled and
bowed Ind sent forth my softest
glances, l"but with such pretty girl
as you are after me, I'd like to be Sim
Johnson.
This time II was ten-strike.
"'Wall' she responded, as she looked
me over critically, not to say admlring-
ly, I haiA't no objections
"It was the only time l ever laid
down bffore a bluff" concluded the
member, tsbut that one knocked me fat
and neter did know how got away"
-WashiIgton Star.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
The creeorian Calendar.

The Gregorian calendar, first substi.
tuted for the Julian calendar in 1882,
allows the ordinary year 385 days, the
leap year $3.50 days, and drops three leap
years in every four centuries, only those
centennial years which are divisible by
400 being leap years. The mean year of
our time-reckoning by this system, while
sufficiently accurate to satisfy most in
dividuals, is still twenty-six seconds
longer than the true astronomical year.
This has led learned member of the
French Academy Of Sciences to propose
further correction of tho calendar by
considering every year divisible by 5000
rs an ordinary instead Of leap year,
thus reducing the error in our mean year
to one day in 500,000 years. If the
change is adopted, the first departure
from the Gregorian rule will not occur for
more than 1900 years.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
Hunting Dogs in All Lands.

The Irish water spaniel is the king
Of retrievers.
The Eskimo uses the wolf-dog for
both drawing sledges and hunting
game.
In Labrador and Newfoundland is
found partially web-foOted New
foundland dog, valuable for hunting
birds in a country of morasses.
The English foxhound is the most
carefully bred of all dogs. The CON-
mon hound in this country is combi-
nation Of different strains.
The Scottish deerhound, descend
ant OF the extinct Irish greyhound, is
used In Scotland for chasing the stag.
He was favorite subject for Scott's
poesy and Landseer's brush.
The kangaroo dog is used in Austria
Lin for chasing the kangaroo. He is a
cross Of the bloodhound and the grey
hound, and a pair Of these valuable
animals recently sold for $3.50.
The modern English greyhound is
not strong, but is very swift. He is
used only for hunting game in sight,
as his nose" or smelling power is very
defective.
The greyhound, one Of the most no.
table Of hunting dogs, was used In
Egypt at least 1900 years ago. In
early days the greyhound was the roy
al dog Of England, and to kill either n
hound or a stag was punishable by
death.
Among bird hunters allegiance is d.
vded between the pointer and setter
Tho latter is the better retriever and
the stronger animal; the former Is
generally the more tractable and intel
ligent. The pointer is derived from the
old Spanish breed Of hounds, crossed
with the greyhound or foxhound.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
Abyssinians are Good Fighters.

The Italians, of course, explain their
defeat by the presence of French aud
Russian officers with Menelek, but it
may be questioned If any Anglo-Indian
General accustomed to mountain war
fare would agree with them. Drill
does not improve Oriental soldiers like
the Abyssinians. They are Semites in
blood, of exceptional courage, men
who do not hesitate to charge into the
centre Of Italian regiments; they have
been accustomed to defend their bills
for a thousand years; and they have
Generals accustomed to utilize masses
Of men who recently destroyed an army
from Khartoum at Kassala.
They had good rifles, they We're on
the higher ridges when they started,
and their king. Menelek. is obviously a
soldier of the Hyder Ali type-that Is,
n man who can induce his soldiery to
die. To beat such men they must
either be decoyed out of the hills or at
tackled from above and the Italians
were still mounting when kind Of ava
lanche of rifiemen swept down on them.
The number of the dead suggests that
the Italians fought well, but the fright.
full proportion OF officers killed, two
thirds Of the whole number, tells dif
ferent tale. The officers, we fear. ex.
posed themselves to arrest a panic.
which may, however, have broken ont
at first only among the native troops.
..au
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
Fastnet Light.

The first glance Of Great Britain that
the American tourist gets on his
European tour is that of the Fastnet
lighthouse, says The Sketch. 1t
stands on a rugged, solitary rock, sit
uatcd nine miles south of Crookhavep.
mt the extreme southwest corner &
Ireland, and is, perhaps, more storm
beaten than any other around our
coast. The rock is eighty feet In
height, and the lighthouse towers an
other seventy above, yet In winter
gales the Atlantic pillows literally
bombard the massive structure ana
have even smashed In a portion Of the
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16

within few miles Of the Site II WIN
be 1000 feet long from tout to out" Of
abutments and will be 240 feet long
In the main spans Of arch, which, 1t ID
claimed, Is twenty feet longer than the
longest arch In the world. 1t will rise
at the crown Of the channel spans 105
feet above water, with four largest
cidedly imposing strusture. 1t Is to be
. solid marble bridge from side to side,
with fifty foot roadway over 100
feet above water, with fou largest
spans In the world. The immense
arches will be eight feet deep at the
keystone, fifteen feet Mt the skew
backs, or spring lines, and will spring
from piers thirty feet high and forty
feet wide. The piers go to solid rock,
the substructure limestone, twelve feet
below the water surface at the bridge
site. The arches and spandrel filling
will be constructed of concrete. The
parapet walls will be constructed Of
sawed marble slabs. with heavy blocks
on pilasters every fifteen feet, project
ing above the wall proper and giving
what might be called semi-castell-
ated effect.
A correspondent of The Youths
Companion sends suggestive clip
ping from Il local paper. The idea Is
advanced that one reason why the
farmers of the country cannot have
free postal delivery is that roads are so
hard to travel. If the roads were good,
postmen on cycles might deliver the
mails everywhere. The Companion
thinks the thought is one which dwell
lers in the country will do well to pom
der. The increasing interest in the
subject is attested by the space given
to the discussion of the question in the
daily newspapers and other periodi-
Gals. In recent issue of the New York
University, and several other experts,
fill eight pages with their contributions
respecting the need of better common
roads, the best methods of cOnstruc-
ton, and the obvious value Of high
ways convenient for travel. Massa.
chusetts sets the example for the rest
OF the country,and Prof. Shaler, who is a
member of the Highway Commission,
gives an account of the method adopt.
ed ty that commonwealth to promote
the building of good roads. Under this
system three-fourths of the expense is
met by the State, and the rest Of the
cost by the counties in which the work
is done. The Massachusetts plan Of
State aid has been tried two years
without showing serious defects, and
Prof. Shaler regards it as a practical
method of dealing with the road-build-
Ing problem. An important suggestion
in these articles concerns the proper
technical training of civil engineers
who wish to make highway construc.
ton speciality. The highest skill in
engineering is required to exemplify
the best methods in highway work.
The study of materials to be used and
OF their proper disposition is a neces-
sary preparation for expert treatment
of the road question. The Companion
concludes by asserting that the old
theory in rural districts, that any one
who could order workmen about Wig
orously and make animals do their
best was tit to be highway construc-
tor, Is giving place to the sensible con-
cluson that careful training is needed
for work which is designed to increase
the convenience and prosperity of the
community"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
A Difference.

"Your daughter play the piano?'
1t was the man in the purple necktie
speaking. The man with the red chin
whiskers looked thoughtfully cut Of
the car window.
Works." he replied, after thought
ful pause; works is the word would
suggest"
And the man in the purple necktie
murmured that oftener 1t was that
way-Rockland Tribune.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
IA Missouri Curiosity.

In Nevdda, Mo-, young catalpa tree
about twenty feet tall. is growing with
a sectionlof coal-stove CRATE firmly
attached hear its roots. The tree has
grown Though the bars of the CRATE
from the seed, and, as ii increased In
diameter, HE wood Tapped over and un-
der the bars, holding 1t as In wise.
The CRATE vas lifted or the ground
several inches as the growth Of the tree
progressed
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16
A Curious Lake.

A curious lake has been found ON
the island Of Kildine, North Sea, which
contains salt water under the surface,
In which sponges, Goldfish and other ma
rine animals flourish. The surface Of
the water, however, Is perfectly fresh,
and supports fresh water creatures
and vegetation.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16

Nickeis f the year 1877 are worth
81 each finn the collectors.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-16


the plans Of the bureau Of charities of
the Civic Federation are carried into
ecect The proposition is that the work
Of the Illinois Industrial Association,
represented by A. G. Dodds, shall be
taken up in larger way. He has con-
Quoted broom factory in which con-
victs were employed. 1t has been a
failure. 1t Is proposed that an organ
ization be formed to take charge Of
this factory as a philanthropic and
charitable Institution. 1t will be run
whether it pays or not. 1t will be con-
Quoted by a board of directors OF an
association instead Of single person.
The gentlemen interested in the
scheme do not deem the reformation
of convicts a hopeless task, even after
hearing the experience of Mr.. Dodds,
who has for years made the problem
of the convict his special work. In
the old home, under his management,
there had been posted up set of rules.
1t was the chief pleasure Of the men to
break these rules. They succeeded in
breaking all of them. 1t was not un-
common for them to sally out of this
phIlanthropic institution to .'crack n
crib" and bring the plumber back to the
house. Once two Of them had gone
down into the kitchen and manufac-
tured counterfeit money.
A new bridge to be erected over the
Tennessee River at Knoxville. while
not to be of unusual size, will be, the
engineer In charge says, a wonder in
the engineering and architectural
world. 1t Is to be built entirely Of pink
marble, Quarried in Knox County and