davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
Long limo Between Meals.

Some of our boys and girls think that
one forenoon is great deal of time to
wait for dinner after breakfast is over.
But there is a big anaconda in the Phil
delphia Zoo which ate its breakfast
almost two years ago-22 months, to be
exact,-and has just got around to its
dinner. During all that time it didn't
seem to be bit hungry, although when
it was really ready for meal, it ate
the whole bill of fare, which consisted
of a fat rabbit, all at one gulp. 1t Is
not very unusual for snake to alb
stain from food for several months, at
the end of which time death generally
results; but the anaconda's case was
distinctly different from any other. Its
fast lasted over twice as long an any
in the history of the Zoo, and during
the whole Of its continuance there war
no evidence OF ill-health
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
Qualifications Needed for Consulship.

Anybody at all familiar WITH the du-
ties of an American consul, anybody
who knows what is expected of him
by the department Of state and what he
Is called upon to do by the public, will
agree that he should neither be the
product nor the victim Of capr;cious po-
liticsl craftsmanship. He should be up
pointed upon his merits after careful
examination and retained upon the
same basis. There should be n career
for the consul. There should be reward
of merit and he should suffer for in
competency. Primarily the consul
should be gentleman, meaning there
by an honorable and educated man, ia
miliar with the amenities and graces Of
good society. The next and absolutely
necessary requirement should be an
intelligent knowledge OF the language
of the post to which he Is assigned. He
need not be a professor of German or
French or Spanish or Italian, but he
should be able to speak and write intel
ligently the language of the country to
which he is commissioned.--Scribner's.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
I SWUNG MYSELF ONTO HIS BACK.

angrily from side to side. But the
roar and cracking of the fire were
ringing close behind us, ami da,th
awaited us if we hesitated. The moose
appeared to realize this as well as my
self, and accepting the inevitable it
trotted forward through the woods,
carrying me securely upon its hack
The race for the lake was a close and
wild one. The fire was gaining rapidly
upon us, and the moose strained every
nerve to get ahead of it. The heavy
weight upon its back retarded it's mcve-
ments and made the poor beast pant and
blow.
Through the bushes we crashed,
heavy branches frequently knocking
me on the head, while twigs and
switches constantly struck me in The
face. When the edge of the lake was
finally reached was as much relieved
as the moose, for the ride through the
woods on the back of the animal was
anything but agreeable. With wild
plunge forward the brute carried pIe
far out into the cool waters of the lake.
The lake was not deep, and slid on
the back of my moose as soon as We
were free from the fire. The great
hulking monster turned deliberately
around then and gazed at me.
The fire came raging through the
forest, and burned the woods down TO
the very edge Of the lake, but was
safe from its fiery blasts.
/ staid in the water all that night,
and the nerT day Graz I'd home, with
the worBt-looKing leg that you ever saw
outside of hospital.
But had little to grumble at, for my
life had been barely saved by the bull
moose, and was thankful enough FOR
that to forget all minor complaints
n. Y. Ledger.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
YOUNGEST LIFE SAVER.
How Boston Boy Saved = Young Com-
panion from Drowning.

How . Boston BOY Saved Young Corn
panion from Drowning.
The youngest life-saver on record In
11-year-old Victor L. Gilbert, of Bos-
ton, Mass, who with his parents In
spending the summer at Winthrop
Beach. Regardless of possible conke-
quences, while older boys than he stood
aghast watching their playmate strug-
Cling in the water, he plunged in and
brought his drowning companion safely
10 land. He himself tells the story in
the following words:
"You see IL was this way. We oil
went down to the beach for a swim,
and were having great time, when
along came Robbie Turnball. and he
came In with us. Bobbie In a nice boy,
but he can't swim much. There's no
place to dive on the Winthrop beach,
and we went back a little ways to an
inlet where there is high dock to dive
from.
1.-THE water there is about ten feet
deep, and the inlet is maybe 100 feet
wide Mt that point. It's bad place
for beginner, but all right II g boy can
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22

the creatures heart. / could hear a
low growl almost simultaneously with
the report of the. rifle, and then l re-
allied thht / had invited danger.
The bear was only wounded and was
rushing toward me with the most saw
age expression upon his face that I
ever saw on any animal. L just had
time to take aim again and send another
bullet at the Infatuated beast. But
even this did not check his Roadway. He
came staggering along with blood in
his eyes and with heavy paw appraised.
l dropped my gun and took out my
long hunting knife. 1 realized that l
had only one chance in ten, but would
fight hard for that one chance.
Everything seemed blurred for an in
slant. / saw the black body of the bear
towering over me, ready to strike me
down. In my right hand 1 held the
knife firmly, ready to give violent
lunge at the right moment.
But the blow never fell. The bear
staggered and tottered before me, and
dropped at my feet in it's death agonies.
The two heavy bullets had performed
their mission satisfactorily.
All would have been well with me had
been active in moving beyond the reach
OF the struggling animal, but in his vio-
lent movements Bruins heavy paws
came in contact with my left leg, and, as
if realizing that he had caught his muir
derer, he began to claw and tear the
skin and flesh. He lived only half min
ute after falling, but in that time he had
given me flesh wounds that L would re-
member for several months. The flesh
was torn in places almost to the bone,
and the whole leg rendered almost use
less.
My pleasure at killing the big bear was
partly cooled down by my sad plight.
j was five miles from homo and my jour
ney through the woods Nwould be slow
and laborious. The pain soon became
eXcruciating, and l started up to get
home before my leg grew stiff and
cramped
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
A BRIGHT IOWA BOY.
How He Tells the Time without the AID
OF Watch.

HOW ho Tolls the limo WlthO inc Ai0
OF a Watch.
One Of our boys who doesn't own q
watch writes about how he tells tho
time Of day. He works in n wheat elc-
vator in an Iowa town. A big window
almost fills one side of his little Office.
Into corner Of the window creeps the
early sunlight in the morning and it
shines in all day long and creeps out of
the other corner in the evening On the
floor where the edge of the shadow from
the sash falls just at noon our boy has
placed long chalk mark and u little
further away there is another mark for
one o'clock, and so on up to six. The
forenoon is similarly divided on the
floor. Each day by simply looking at
the edge of the suns light he can tell
what time it is. Once in two weeks he
changes all these marks because the
shadows change as the sun gets higher
in the spring or lower in the fall.
This clever device-any of you may
use it--suggests the way that the ma
tives of Liberia, in Africa, who have no
clocks, tell the time. They take the
kernels from the nuts of the candle
tree and wash and string them on the
rib of a palm leaf. The first or top kerr
mel is then lighted. All of the zernels
are of the same size and substance, and
each will burn certain number Of min
utes and then set fire to the one next
below. The natives tie pieces Of black
cloth at regular intervals along the
string to mark the division of time.
Among the natives of Singar, in the
Malay archipelago, another peculiar de-
vice is used. Two bottles are placed
neck and neck, and sand is put in one Of
them, which pours itself into the other
every half hour, when the bottles are
reversed.-Chicago Record.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22

combat, although it nearly cost me my
life.
This incident of itself would have
for one day, but circumstances made
my desperate encounter with the bear
only a prelude to dangers that capped
the climax of q mos. eventful days ex-
perience.
Consequently this Ii not so much OF a
hear story rs the introduction might
suggest.
lived OH a farm in the northern part
of Maine in that year, and spent what
time could in the woods, hunting game
and setting traps for all kinds of furry
animals. My experience in woodcraft
dated back several years, and, though
merely youth, knew a good deal
about hunting wild game. l was pas
sionately fond of the sport, and an ex-
pert with the rifle.
Bears abound N the Maine woods at
certain seasons of the year, but gen
orally they are small brown and black
I had the utmost contempt for many
OF UneSe creatures. buC one not Qay,
late in the summer, discovered one
that commanded my respect and made
me very anxious to kill him.
I was seated on fallen tree in the
thickest part of the woods, eating my
lunch and cooling my parched lips with
the water from gurgling stream near
by. Suddenly crash among the bushes
about dozen rods away attracted my
attention.
Looking in the direction whence the
noise proceeded, I saw an enormous
black bear standing upon his launches,
eating blackberries. He was scooping
them in by the quart, stripping the
bushes with his huge claws, and cram
ming them into his mouth as if half
starved. AS watched the animal de-
sire to bring him down took posses
sion of me. I felt sure that I could
send bullet through his heart from my
position.
My rife was loaded and stood against
g neighboring tree. 1 took it cautious
ly, cooked it without attracting the at
tent:on of the bear, and aimed it at
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
A REMARKABLE BOY.
Has Had MorsHard Luck Than ANY other
Youngster Alive.

Has Had MorsHard Luck Than ANY other
Youngster Alive.
Victor Bedingfeld, the 12-year-old
son of The editor of the Flatbush Press
and Kings county Gazette, seems des-
tined to reap the rewards promised in
the beatitude which says something
about the long suffering, says the New
York Tribune. He has probably suf-
fered more pain aud experienced more
hard luck than any other Flatbush
youngster alive Mt the present day. The
father as well as the subject OF this
story was seen the other morning by
reporter.
Victor is bright boy, and reads n
good DEAL" said the father. "He was
not born on Friday md l am not sure
that any of the accidents with which he
has met happened on the 18th day of
the month. When the lad was about
six years old we lived In York street,
Brooklyn. One day Victor, while play
ing with another boy, WAS asked to
walk down n plank which had been
placed on the stairs. Well, he was not
to be dared, and started to perform the
feat. He fell and was picked up uncon-
seious. Our physician said he would
have to undergo IN operation rs sew
eral Of the blood vessels in his head had
burst. We took him to the Brooklyn
hospital, where the physicians said an
operation would kill him. They, how
YER, bandaged the head tightly and
forced the blood into the system. The
marks of the bandages are still on the
child's forehead. His head at the time
was swollen until it was twice the nat
ural size.
Several years ago my wife gave all
the children creosote. Victor swI-
lowed two spoonfuls OF the poison
and was once more rescued from
the brink of the grave. Ny wife
administered the fluid thinking IL
was cough mixture. The doctor said
the dose WINS sufficient to kill two men.
When he recovered from this illness
bought him a bicycle. This was
smashed one day and Victor was car
ried to the Kings county hospital. A
soda water wagon had run him down
and had almost severed his right leg
from his body. They were going to am
putate the limb when arrived ut tho
hospital, but would not permit it. To-
day as you can see, he is able to walk
as we'll as anybody, notwithstanding
the fact that he has undergone 10 OPP
erations. All! that is the only place, I
think, in which that number figures in
his life. The doctors wondered at the
vitality of the boy and ] think some Of
the operations performed on him have
been unprecedented. When Victor
came out of the hospital he was forced
TO use crutches. One day while walk
ing in Flatbush avenue he fell and
again split his head open. Once more
he was laid up. The latest accident hap
pened six weeks ago, when he upset
kettle Of boiling water. He is now grad
ually recovering from this and the flesh
on his foot, which was burned nearly to
the bone, is rapidly healing"
Victor was born in the city Of Christ
Church, which Is the south island of
New Zealand. He has pleasant face,
and, as his father says, he is bright.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
A LITTLE VISITOR.
There's a busy little fellow,

There's q busy little fellow,
Who came to town last night,
When nll the world was fast asleep,
The children's eyes shut tight.
cannot tell you how he came,
For well the secrets hid;
But / think upon moonbeam bright,
Way down to earth he slid.
He brought the Misses Maple
Each. a lovely party gown:
II was brilliant red and yellow,
With q dash or two OF brown.
And he must have had a Midas touch,
For, II the truth Is told,
The birches oil, from top to toe,
He dressed In cloth of gold.
Then he took a glittering icicls
From underneath the caves,
And with II, on my window,
Drew such shining silver leaves,
Such fair and stately palaces.
Such towers and temples grand,
Their like I'm sure was never seen
Outside OF Fairyland.
Who liz this busy little man, o..
Whose coming brings us Joyf
For I'm very sure he's welcomed
BY every girl and boy:
The little stars all saw him,
Though they will not tell a soul;
But I've heard his calling card reads thus
]. Forst, Esq, North Pole.
Helen Standish Perkins. In N. Y. indie
pendent.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
Fully Occupied.

"Well, Charlie" said his aunt, as she
met him on his return from the sum-
mer hotel, what did you do with your
self all summer"
"Oh, was losin' my hat about half
the time" said Charlie.
Indeed! And what did you do the
other half27
ooh, spent that lookin' for my hat"
--Harper's Round Table.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
A Novel Diet.

The following, by Rev. r. C. Barr, q
reputable writer, is from the North
British Monthly Register for March.
1850: Early this year G76O) there was
brought t. Avignon true llthophagus,
one stone eater. He not only swsl-
lowed fiints an inch long and half an
inch thick, but such other stones as he
could reduce to powder with his teeth,
such as common pebbles, gravel, sand,
etc. The softer stones he chewed with
his teeth until they were reduced to
sort of paste, which seemed very agree
able to this queer creatures digestive
apparatus. His salivS was
very corrosive, so much so that scrub
bling compounds would not clean the
spots which were made by his splitting
on the iron foor.-Chicago Chronicle.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
He Had Forgotten.

Deacon, there certainly was water in
that milk you sold us this morning"
"MusteI been from that, big yaller
COW that fell inter tn creek. Forgot
all about that."-Detroit Free Press.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22

In the Latin alphabet, as modified
from the Greeks, the third letter, C,
was pronounced as G, like the Greek
Gamma.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22

"A Vermont Joke.-One of our build
ers was asked the other day If that
Empty house of his just erected on
WinooslSi avenue was his last. "Yes,"
he said, "my lest, but not leased
Burlington Sun
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
PAPER sOOMERANGS.
How to Make n Toy That Affords Lots of
Harmless Amusement.

If the children must amuse them
selves, let them cut out Of stiff card
board-ordinary business cards will
answer the purpose admirably-any
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
MY FOREST ADVENTURE.
III GEORGE 4. WALSH.

OF every young fell
low has had the
privilege, or rather
good luck, 10 kill
his irst bear at IS.
But in the summer
of 1885, a few days
after my eight
zenith birthday, /
brought d r u | n
down in a single
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04

ual1y sold one idol for the value of a hun
dred? The very Objectionable man-in-pos-
session sits in ray delectable summer house,
and the unavoidable legal set
tie around me like a flock of pigeons. 1t is.
indeed, necessary that I should declare
myself to be in voluntary liquidation, ard
make an assignment of my book debts for
| the benefit of my creditors. Having ac-
complished this / will proceed to the we'll
constructed tomb of my illustrious ances-
tors, and, having kowtowed at their in
comparable shrines, j will put an end to
my distinguished troubles with this ex-
ceedingly well-polished sword
THE wise man can adapt himself to cir
cumstances, as water takes the shape of
the vase that contains it. said the we'll
known voice of III Ling. Let not the lion
and the tiger fight at the bidding of the
jackaI. BY combining our forces all may
be well with you yet. Assist me to dispose
of the entirely superf1uous Yung Chang,
and to marry the elegant and symmetrical
Ming, and in return / will allot to you a
portion of my not inconsiderable income.
However high the tree, the leaves fall
to the ground, and your hour has come at
last, o detestable Ii Ting. said Yung. who
had heard the speakers and crept upon
them unperceived. AS for my distinguished
and immaculate father-in-law, doubtless
the heat has affected his indefatigable
brains or he would not have listened to
your contemplate suggestion. For your
self, draw!
Both swords flashed, but before a blow
could be struck the spirits of his ancestors
hurled I'll Ling lifeless to the ground, to
avenge the memories that their unworthy
descendant had so often reviled.
So perish all the enemies of Yung
Chang.' said the victor. And now, my
venerated but exceedingly short-sighted
father-in-law, learn how narrowly you have
escaped making yourself exceedingly OBJ
J~ectionable to yourself. ] have just re-
ceived intelligence from Picking thai l nave
passed the second degree, and have, in con-
sequence, been appointed to a remunerative
position under the government. This will
enable US to live in comfort, if not in
aff1uence, and the rest of your engaging
days can be peacefully spent in flying
kites"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
OFFERINGS OF THE POETS.
The Last Answer.

Dying eyes. what do We see?
! see the love that holdeth me: bless.
The little daily tenderness.
Smiles without WORDS; the sweet. sure sign
R Mainn nays fe 1T T mes at he ! am door, 4n:ne'
Alas, for those which run no norei
All me, for lips that whispered, dear!
Earth is all heaven, for thou art here.'
/ see a figure like a. stone;
The house where one sits on alone.
The desoiated needing me-
Dying eyes, what do We see?
1 see the Love that taketh me
Loud in the breakers. soft in song,
Ever the summons calleth strong.
1 see upon an unknown strand
The signal of a distant Hand.
Floods of May coiors float about.
The pulse leaps high, the heart is young,
The sweetest chimes are yet unrung,
My bravest deeds / never did;
And, struggling with the coffin lid,
Hopes, dreams and joys and happy tears
Start, throbbing. to live down the years.
Almighty, Listen, 1 am dust.
Yet spirit am /; so 1 trust.
Let come what may, of life or death,
l trust Thee. though 1 see Thee not
In heaven or earth, or any spot.
l trust Thee till 1 shall know why
There's one to live and one to die.
Thee Lord of life and death and love.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. in Harper's Bazaar.
The Sea.
I am the sea. 1 hold the land
As one holds an apple in his hand.
Hold it fast with ~sleepless eyes,
Watching the continents sink and rise.
Out of my bosom the mountains grow,
Back to my depths they crumbie slow.
The earth is a helpless child to me
/ am the sea.
I am the sea. When I draw back
Blossom and verdure follow my track,
And the land / leave grows proud ana 1aT,
For the wonderful race of man is there;
And the winds of heaven wall and cry
While the nations rise and reign and die
Living and dying in folly and pain,
While the laws of the universe thunder in vain.
What is the folly OF man to me?
/ am the sea.
/ am the sea. The earth I sway;
to me is potter's clay;
Under the touch of my careless waves
1t rises in turrets and sinks in caves;
The iron cliffs that edge the land
And beach grass bloweth and children play
In what were the rocks of yesterday;
1t is but a moment of sport to me
l am the sea.
/ am the sea. In my bosom deep
Wealth and wonder and beauty sleep;
Wealth and wonder and beauty rise
In changing Splendor of sunset skies,
And comfort the earth with rains and SHOWS
Till waves the harvest and laughs the rose.
Flower and forest and child of breath
With me have life, without me-, death.
What if the ships go down in me?
l am the sea.
Charlotte Perkins Stetson.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
The Solemn Tr,ath.
Washington Star.

Washington Star.
Its bad enough for men to go out al
most every night in the week. said Mrs.
Meekton, Indignantly.
There's a good deal going on down town
now" her husband replied. Everybody is
discussing public questions now, and hate
to miss any of it."
But what makes men stay out till l or
2 o'clock in the morning.
Henrietta, do you want me to tell YOU
the cold. solid truth ?"
Yes"
well. a good many of us don't do any
thing between 1890 and 1870 a. m. b1t sit
up and worry about what we are goina
to say to our wives when we get home.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
worth Trying Again.
Chicago Post.

Chicago Post.
o. course, you understand, Miss Filkins.
I'm a bachelor from choice
"Oh, / supposed so. naturally, Mr.. Single
man, knowing you as well as / do. But
you might try again."
TRY again."
Yes. Girls are such strange creatures,
you know. and she might choose differently
the next time
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
The Gospel of Love.

Let me but feed on frugal fare,
So mama may be thine;
Let me strip the vines and press them bare,
So thou shalt taste of wine;
Ay, though 1 have no crust to share,
If thou find f1rst-fruit everywhere,
The fuller harvest mine.
Virginia Woodward Cloud.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
Puck.

Jack Bachelor Called in to see the new
| baby)-Gracious, Tom, he looks just exact
ly like you do.
| mothers in the next room, remember.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
That Settled 1t.
Puck.

The Fiancee-Tm surprised at you. 1 saw
YOU flirting with her.
The Fiance-I swear, Priscilla, you are
mistaken. Beauty has no charms-never
had any charms-for me.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
spoiled In Transmission.

Chicago Record.
This is the way the railroad man heard
the conundrum:
AT what time shortly before noon il it
8 o'clock At a quarter Of IL. because a
quarter of twelve is three" And this is
the way he worked it off on his friends:
A what time shortly before noon Is 1t
3 o'clock? At u:45. because Has Is three.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04
Weak in His Technique.

do you really think Fitz Corbins is a
great pugilist?' asked the man who takes
a casual interest in the prize ring.
We'll" said the critic, as he t~houghtfully
thrust out his lower jaw, The knows some
| thing about it. But his punctuation's bad"