davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
Vegetable Freaks.

We who live in the temperate zone
are accustomed to Nature on her best
behavior. We see her orderly ways
in the woods, where pines and oaks,
poplars and NAPLES, alders and will
lows, and other forest trees have
roots that grow down into the ground
and limbs that grow properly up and
out into the mir.
But elsewhere Nature hos other
moods and methods. In tropical
forest there Is none of this air OF dig
nifty and good principle. The odd
pranks, the wild absurdities, the vege-
table freaks, which she is there guilty
of, make difference that is astonlsh-
ing.
Trees apparently grow upside down,
and assume all sorts OF eccentric
shapes. Great dragging vines sprawl
over everything, twisting and distort'
ing the poor tired trees until they are
crippled for life with what looks like
rheumatism. The heavy rains and the
hot sun make the plants grow rapidly,
and there are fierce fights to see which
shall win little space in all that tan
gle. Such pushing, such climbing!
Then there is the orchid, cllnglng
fringe like everywhere-frail and love.
ly, swinging back and forth in the
soft air; but it has no conscience. 1t
will not do stroke of honest work,
and is determined to live on some one
else, in which it certainly succeeds.
And there too is the wild pineapple
(called in the West Indies the 'pine"),
which takes root in the rich mold ]y-
ing on the upper sides of the largest
branches of the mlghtiest and Oldest
of the trees. Where it's diverging
leaves start a cup is formed, which
catches the rain and stores it up for
the dry season. In this water little
tree frogs and small crabs live, and it
is told that years ago one OF the e1pe'
ditions sert against the fierce maroon
ers in the mountains OF Jamaica would
have perished from thirst had it not
been for the little "pines" and their
tiny reservoirs. st. Nichalas.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

Ing and her going. Ard though she
often set the idle tongues OF the gosslps
to wagging at what they considered her
mad freaks, she was beloved for her
nobility OF heart as much as she was
admired for the rare beauty of her per-
son.
1t might be added that Lea Hedges
thanks to the teaching OF her 1ather,
who was thought to be prodigy OF
learning, was thought to be young
lady of phenomenal requirements, but
at that time education was not consid-
cred essential to the gentler sex, there
being very general impression that
schooling" t. nded to give women airs
uniting the subordinate place Heaven
intended them to occupy.
The moment the Sea Hawk was
sighted, the men in and about Sag Har-
Dor forsook their work; the women sped
out Of their houses, and the children
stopped their games and ran down to
the white shore.
While the anchors were being dropped,
the old sexton rang the bell on the
white steeple, and over every building
Of Importance flag was raised to show
the Joy Of the villagers.
A flag Of purest silk was run up from
a staff in front Of Squire Condit's man
sion, the old gentleman performing the
work with his own hands.
Its the flag Ralph gave me before
he sailed" said the Squire, addressing
his wife and daughter, "and l am sure
the dear boy will recognize it."
TO BE CONTINUED
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

floor and is the room where Thomas
spends most Of his time. The three.
rooms on the lower floor are deco.
rated with United States flags, war en-
blems and brlc.a. .brac of various kinds.
The hall above is fitted up with all
the possessions which are nearest the
Captains heart. His sword and old
uniform hang in one corner and flags
are draped around the walls. On one
wall hangs large colored picture OF
the aerial railway with which the
"soap king" expected to connect San
Francisco and Oakland, but for which
the Board of Trustees refuse fran.
chise. One feature Of the room Is the
large log fire place which has been
carefully tiled. Captain Thomas con.
sidered this the hardest work in build
ing, and spent several months in fitting
tho tiles. The logs are ohinked with
plastering and the living-room of the
Captain is as snug as one in q modern
dwelling. lit is comfortable" says
Thomas, "and like to be here when
I am through with my business "
Captain Thomas is one OF the best
known and wealthiest citizens OF
Berkely. He ia pioneer of Oalifor'
MIA, and erected the first building on
the West BerkelY shores, whore his
soap works now stand.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

construction of the crust upon which
the city of Paris stands will be ex'
hibited and described in detail.
One will pass through all ranges OF
temperature in descending this deep
pit. It is promised that every variety
of climate, from torrid to Arctic, will
be encountered, though just exactly
how this happens is not yet fully de.
scribed by the management. Frequent
stopping places are to be provided 80
that YOU can linger in any temperature
that fancy dictates, and at these points
attractions consistent with the tenn.
perature are to be provided. The
lover of geology can here get the most
exact data pertaining to his solen.
tifc hobby illustrated in the most
effective possible manner.
The construction of this big hole
will be one of the greatest feats, from
scientific point of view, Of the expo
sition. The most distinguished mining
engineers in the world have been en-.
gagged, and the problem of ventilation
is likely to cause no end Of trouble.
It is not as an engineering feat, how
ever, that the shaft will appeal to the
biggest public. Taken in the Connection
with the Eiffel Tower, the wonder low
ing will be enabled to travel two
thousands vertical feet within the
neriod of and hour without climbing
one step.
But the fifth and greatest wonder OF
the exposition is to be q telescope.
Need it to be added that it will be
the largest telescopSi in the world9
The object lens Of the Paris Exposi-
ton telescope will be four feet, three
inches in diameter. Fifty.one inches ]
Think of that! The largest telescope
now in existence is the Lick, whose
object glass has a diameter OF thirty.
six inches. The second largest Is at
Pulkowa, Russia, with glass of thirty
inches. The third is at the University
OF Virginia, with glass OF twenty'sl1
inches. Harvard has the fourth largest,
with twenty-four inch glass and the
fifth in size in the world belongs to
Princeton College. At the present
time there is making in Cambridge,
Mass, q glass which has been heralded
around the world. 1t is for the great
Yerkes telescope, and its diameter will
be forty inches.
Thus will the Paris Exposition tele-
scope eclipse by eleven inches the dia-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
CHAPTER IL
ON SHORE.


AWAY from Long Island the charming
town of Sag Harbor is but little known
to-day; yet at the time OF which we
write it aspired to rival New York, and
it had the advantage OF an earlier SET
tlement.
Its schools and churches had local
celebrity, and it's sailors were accounted
the most skilful and daring on oil the
coast.
The residence of the leading man
though in a community where all were
ambitious and of descent equally good,
each thought himself leading man
was Just outside the village.
Squire Condit's homo was certainly
more pretentious than any other build
ing within miles and miles.
1t was O cluster of low buildings all
joined by covered passage ways. The
first log hut built on the site with an
outer block k-house pierced for muskets
was now used as a kitchen. The next
building was q one-story frame, with
roof and quaint gables, and to this
structure additions were made to suit
the wants and tastes of the proprletors.
Squire Condit was a rich man. He
paid light taxes on hundreds OF product
i've acres; he owned four whaling ships,
and was interested in half the vessels
sailing on the Sound. He was justice
of the peace, deacon in the church,
and altogether O prosperous and most
important parsonage.
SQUIRE Condit's family consisted OF
wife then aged forty-flve, and fifteen
wears his Junior, and daughter, Ellen,
aged nineteen, beautiful, well-edu-
Gated girl, who was the toast of every
gallant in the colony to whom wealth
IN a bride would not be an lnsuferable
objectich.
Perhaps Captain Ralph Denham might
be considered q member Of Squire
! Condit's family, for though not related
by blood he was son by adoption.
There had been a great deal OF mys'
tery about this samo Ralph Dennam;
we say there had been" for now that
Ralph was man OF twenty-six and well
known and beloved, the fact that he ap-
pcared as a child in charge Of foreign
| looking stranger who abandoned him
( was forgotten, OF if alluded to by some
old dame it was only to show that gene
{ alogy was not always essential to sue
| cess.
| Inc OlQ squire loNeu INC uoy us
though he had been his own son, and he
educated him to the best Of his by no
means limited ability-though there
were gossips who limited that Ralph's
guardian got money for his support from
people beyond the seq.
Between Squire Condit's residence
and the village was the fine old home Of
Doctor Hedges, the brother OF the first
officer of the Sea Hawk, and the uncle
of Valentine Dayton, the second officer
of the same ship.
1t was often mentioned as something
remarkable that Doctor Hedges and
Squire Condit, two OF the richest men
on the island, and certainly among its
foremost citizens, should each have only
one daughter and no son.
Lea Hedges was great beauty, and
some of the old maiden ladies who pro-
fessed to be very often shocked at the
girls dashing ways, thought it was the
greatest of pities that Leu Hedges was
not Il boy.
She could handle boat or manage a
horse as we'll as any man on the island.
She was thoroughly fearless IN her com:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

he hangs on to things. The name by
which he is best known is kinkajou.
He is sometimes called o honey bear,
though naturalists say that he is moro
nearly related to the raccoon family
than to the bear tribe. The Zoo peo'
pie have placed him in the monkey
house, and he appears to be at home
there, although he does not make
monkey of himself.
The kinkajou comes from Central
and South America. He is as large as
a big cat, and seems to be cross be.
tween the 'possum, the coon, the bear
and the monkey. His tail is longer
than his body ami is prehensile. His
tongue is long, and is used for drag
ging insects and other kinkajou deli
cacies out of crevices.
The kinkajou lives on mice, birds,
eggs, honey and fruit. Bananas and
oranges are particularly desirable from
his point OF view. The kinkajou can
Jump from one tree to another, if they
are not too far apart, and after the
Jump he wraps his tail around a limb
and swings as safely and contentedly
as if in hammock. During the day
time he sleeps, wrapped up like ball.
At night he Is lively, and the monkeys
at the Zoo have already entered a
complaint about his nocturnal habits.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
meter of the greatest telescope objec
glass of the world!

meter of the greatest telescope object
glass of the world
1t will, SO it is claimed, bring the
moon within one mile OF us
The telescope is to be 1S0 feet long,
and is to be rugged so that 900 persons
can simultaneously view the heavens
with it. The image is to be received
on level mirror seventy-five inches
il diameter. and from that reflected
upon SCREEN
The revelations of the starry mys.
teries that this gigantic telescope is
expected to make will thus be given
not to solitary astronomer, to be by
him sent forth to the world in his own
good time and to the benefit of his
fame alone, but directly to the public,
and any of us may be fortunate enough
to be personally present at stellar dis
coveries Of vast importance.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

cry stroke of the work, even to cut
ting down the treea, has been per!
formed by the well-known capitalist
himself, and to-day he celebrated the
completion with Admission Day exer-
cises which were held at his palatiaI
home, La Iona Park. "a
Captain Thomas not only built the
cabin, but lives in it, although his
handsome house stands within stones
throw OF the novel dwelling. Five or
six years ago the work OF building was
begun. The trees which Thomas cut
down to make the logs were the euca-
lypti growing on the land surround-
ing the cabin. They were allowed to
season, and then the log house was
fairly started. Ever since, the old
war veteran has steadily pegged away
at the task during his hours of leisure
from business. Several little thinga
are yet to be done within the cabin,
but Thomas has already moved his
bed into it and sleeps under dra-
perry Of Old Glory.
The log cabin has been erected with
two floors and contains four main
rooms, Three are on the first floor
and one comprises the entire upper
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
Tho Thriving Alaskan Reindeer.

The schooner Ida Sohnauer has
arrived from Port Clarence with q
cargo of ivory and wbsleboue. She
brought one passenger, ]. O. Wedstsd,
superintendent Of the Government
station at that point, who Is bound for
Washington.
The reindeers introduced into
Alaska some years ago from Siberia
ore reported to be fourishing, the
herd mum bering exactly 1900. Foul
hundred and fifty of these are at Port
Clarence, where an increase Of 1872 La
reported this season. The animate
ore prospering under the care OF
Laplanders who went north under
contract to the Government three
years ago. Wedstsd's mission to the
capital is to draw up another contract.
He will also recommend plan which,
if csrried into effect, will be OF much
benefit to the Northwest Territory.
The plan in brief is to establish Q
number of reindeer relay stations to
bring about communication with the
extreme north; even Point Borrow.
the northernmost settlement, to be
included. This can be done at small
expense to the Government and will
be of lnestlmable benefit to fishermen.
whalers, revenue cutters and miners.
particularly the latter, between Ccok'
Inlet and the Yukon. No outlay
would be required except for the
station buildings, as the animals are
trained and the Laplanders only toe
glad to see each other. r.-Tacoms
LEDGER.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
LARGEST WAR VESSELS AFLOAT.
England's Two New Cruisers, the
Terrible and the Powerful.

England's Two New Cruisers, the
Terrible and the Powerful.
England's two new protected cruis.
ers, the Terrible and the Powerful,
the largest war vessels afoat, have re-
Gently undergone their official speed
trials. They are sister ships, built on
the same plans, but by different con-
structors. The estimated cost is
$3,30O,000.
The Terrible is 53St feet long over
all, II feet wide, and 43s feet deep
from the'upper deck to the keelson,
displacing IA, Ats tons. The measure.
ments of the Powerful are practically
the same. The tonnage is almost
double that of our Columbia, which is
116 feet shorter and 13 feet narrower.
The Terrible is about as long as the
St. Louis and the St. Paul of the
American Line, but is eight feet
broader and measures $500 tons more.
It is 81 feet shorter but 6 feet broader
than the Cunarders Csmpsnia and Lu-
cania, and measures 1900 tons more
than they. It is 27 feet shorter, 13
feet broader, and measures $500 tons
more than the White Star steamers
Majestic and Teutonic. TheEuropean
war cruiser that comes nearest it in
displacement is the II, ,000-ton Russian
Rurik. The Terrible's engines are in.
tended to furnish "a, $3.50 horse power,
giving a calculated speed of twenty.
two knots with natural draught.
The armament consists of two 90.
inch guns, weighing % tons each,
placed in barbette turrets, covered
with 5.inch armor; of twelve 6.inch
rapid.fre guns, sixteen 12.pounders,
twelve 3.pcunders, and nine machine
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
The Indian Tried Pepper Sauce.

My sister and taught school one
winter in adjoining districts in Brown
County, Kansas, close to the reserva'
ton OF the Kickapoo Indians.
One member of the tribe, old Joe,
q shiftless, goodnatured fellow, was
frequent visitor at the farmhouses IN
the neighborhood, where he used
every means at his command, except
work, to secure the qualification OF
his fondness for civilized cookery.
He was taken in to dinner one day
by a kiud-hearted farmer at the hotel
OF tue little country town. Joe no.
ticed there, among other things, that
the men all made tree with the pepper
bottle. At the first opportunity he
helped himself to liberal portion
and took spoonful of the mixture.
Instantly clapping his hand over his
burning mouth he sat for little time
with tears running down his face. As
soon as he could catch his breath he
exclaimed: "Heap gocd!" - WASH
ington Star.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
tional features of the telescopic tower

tional features OF the telescopic tower
prevailed.
The third wonder is the great globe,
120 feet in diameter, that will exhibit
the entire geography of the world in
the minutest detail. The exact means
by which the visitor is to be brought
in front of any particular spot on its
surface he wishes to investigate is not
yet finally decided. The latest plan
is to encircle 1t with railroad, upon
which will run a regular train OF cars.
1t is calculated that this train will en-
able you to outdo Phineas Fogg's mar.
vellous feat with a very large margin
to spare. You can go round the
world in sixty seconds!
Marvel No. is an inverted Eiffel
Tower. In other words, it is an enor-
mously deep hole in the ground. This
will lie on the opposite side Of the
grounds and its bottom will be reached
by series of elevators.
The depth that it is proposed to sink
this shaft is 1000 feet. It will be
lighted from tor to bottom, and the
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

guns. The larger guns are above the
protected deok, the ammunition being
conveyed to them by armored eleva.
tors. There are also two torpedo
tubes OF each end Of the vessel. A
turret protected by 10-inch armor
shelters the commanding officer in 40.
tion. The masts are hollow, with am.
munition elevators to supply the
fighting tops.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
NEW WONDERS.
HARVELS DESIGNED FOR THE
PARIS EXPOSITION OF 1900.
Huge Surveying Tower-A. Great
GIobe-An Enormous Hole in
the Ground-Lar9est Tele-
scope in the World.

n T OVELTY is the note of the
n times and Paris strikes the
v note. 1t would be hard in
y deed to provide posterity
with better illustration from which
to gauge the taste of the worlds pub
lie during the declining days OF our
century than the scientific and engine
ering eccentricities that will mark
this exposition. We of to-day are
lovers of wonders. We will find
enough in Paris four years hence to
tickle us to the end of our days.
Wonder number one will provide
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
hat Won are at the apex of the inner.

that you are at the aPeA VI tne 'nnoi
most.-and now uppermost section.
But the big tower will not stand
straight up. 1t will bend over, rain
bow fashion, in long arc, with you
dangling at the end OF it, for all the
world like fish at the end of sway
ing rod. Then it will revolve slowly
from it's base, swinging you in wide
circle over large section OF the ex-
position grounds, and finally land you
on a stationary tower, down which you
drop by an elevator to the ground
The scheme of this tower was chosen
rs the most startling of five hundred
remarkable suggestions One OF the
rejected schemes, by the way, was to
build temple of literature out OF
bricks composed of the compressed
pulp of rel jected manuscripts. The
idea appealed strongly to the imagina'
tions of the managers. but the sensa-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21

Standard Oil Company to Control Ice.
1t is reported that the Standard Oil Com.
pany will enter the ice business next season
with view OF gaining complete control Of
thut industry.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
These are the FIVE great wonders OF
Tho porio Evnoaifion

But it is four years off yet, and who
knows what those four years may pro-
duce? The Herald will doubtless yet
tell it's readers of other marvels
equally great or mayhap greater than
these with which the Capital OF Nov
city will signalize the close of the
greatest century Of the worlds his
tory. Paris may yet give US seven
wonders. New York Herald.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
HANGS On TO THINGS.

The New York Zoos New and Rare
Kinkajou.
There is q new animal at the Central
Park (New York; Zoo. He has series
of names and long toll, with which
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
A CAPITALISTS CABIN.
Built 1t With His Own Hands ana
Prefers It to Mansion.

Over in the Berkley Hills, says the
San Francisco Chronicle, Captain P.
R. Thomas, President of the Standard
Soap Company, has been busy for sew
eral years building a log cabin. Ev-I
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-11-06
Our State and County.

Every candidat" on the PEOPLES
state ticket has been elected hv an
overwhelming majority. The head of
the ticket, Gov. Rogers, carries the
state by LOCO majority, notwith-
standing the frantic cXcrtiuns OF the
McGraw gang to elect their tool Sud
Ivan. Their own unpopularitv, as
well as the notorious untitncSs of their
candidate for the high duties of Execu-
tive, conspircd to bring about this
result, and the sum OF all their lab
or- was more than overcome from
that cause. Mr.. Rogers administra-
ton will surprise the people for its
conservatism and common sense
policy. Those who have looked upon
him as a "crank' on moral or political
questions will he agrecably surprised,
and We feel confident that he will give
the people an administration tlrat will
he credit to himself and all who
have laborcd So zcalously for his cleo
ton.
In James Hamilton Lewis and W.
c. Jones We have congressional
representation that ensures faithful
and efficient service for the State at
the National Capitol.
In the remainder OF the State ticket
we have men OF ability and the dis
position to bring our State out of its
present critical financial condition.
The same can be truly said of our
county officers elect, every one of
whom is thoroughly imbued with,
and pledged for, retrenchment.
The people have much to rejoice
over in the result throughout the
county and State.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-11-06

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REAsoN.-
The silver cause is only held in abey.
ance. The Republicans have declared
themselves in favor of bimetallism
Their sincerity will now be tested. II
President Mckinley Immediately
demonstrates that what his friends
claim is a possibility, and an interna'
tional convention is held, and relief is
afforded by it, the issue will at once
down; but if it has only been put
forth, as so many promises of that
party have been incorporated into
platforms, the popular sentiment fol-
a money of the people will never be
abandoned. A grave responsibility
rests with the incoming administra.
ton, for four years more like that We
have passed through will make cor
ganized appetite" as Nick Owings
called it, desperate, and the good tenn
per of the many will be tested beyond
endurance. The only hope of the
Republican party is to respect the
sentiment of its many silver adherent:
who have yielded their conviction tc
party duty.