davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

painted dead black. He wears long
black robe when invoking the powers of
Space.
As Antone's customers cannot easily
come to him, he goes to them at the little
settlements along the bay shore. During
the day he receives calls from those who
want his advice, and at night he consults
the oracle and gives the answer the next
day. ALI the tomfoolery of past age is
gone through with, and also good deal
OF incarnation which is very impressive to
certain minds. Antone's charges vary
from 10 cents to 80 cents, for which sum
ne will cast horoscope.
"The reason / have such wonderful
power" Antoine said, sis because am the
first born of all my brothers and sisters.
'I have completely exploded the old
idea that the seventh SON had mystical
powers. Judge for yourself. The first
born nearly always dies an infant, while
the seventh born nearly always lives.
Whenever q first born is spared it is be-
cause he has a mission in the world. /
have fulfilled my mission for sixty years.
l know the past as far back as the tins
when the universe was only gas. and I can
look into the future far beyond the time
when even the sun shall cease to exist.
Thousands of men to-day are studying
things that l can answer in moment.
They are trying to find out what cleo
tricity is, but / know it is nothing but
astral fluid"
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
Venders
Fight a Lively
Fistic Duel.
Exciting Scene in
Daylight ON a
DOWNTOWN
Street.

The passers-by and loafers along Mont
gomery street were treated to the unusual
sight of duel between two men a few
days ago-not one of the common modern
duels, when men "draw beads' on one an
other over the sights of improved pistols,
but the good old-fashioned kind like our
ancestors of many thousands of years ago
INDUCED in, when they went u one an
other with tooth, nail, fists, feet and every
other natural weapon of offense. This
duel differed from the modern duel also in
the fact that both men were quite badly
used up at its termination.
Like most duels of any age, the one in
question was .'all about ladye." Like
most quarrels, the worst sufferer was an
outsider who was not even acquainted
with the combatants.
The men who fought the duel are fruit
sellers, known respectively as Charley and
Frank. Charley has his wagon in one
place and Frank in another, and for many
months the patronage and smiles OF fair
lady customer have been equally divided
between them.
About week ago the lady ceased patron
izing Charley and bought all her fruit
from Frank. At first she did not let
Charley see her doing this, but one day she
became bold. She walked past Charley's
wagon, which was Oh Clay and Montgom.
cry streets, and up to Franks on the cor
ner of Commercial.
Charley lost his temper and followed
her. When she had walked gayly up the
street, enjoying the fruit, Charley called
Frank into the alley and the fun COM
menced.
There were no police around, and inside
the ring formed by the spectators could
be seen a tangle of men mingling in
cloud of dust. They kicked and punched
and clinched and bit, and when Frank
was getting the worst of it man whose
name has since been found to be John Doe
joined in the melee.
Then the fight commenced in earnest.
The new arrival was anxious to help
Frank, but Frank didn't want help, so he
and Charley joined forces. They turned
on the intruder, who was almost match
for both of them, and the air was filed
with the sound of blows, mingled with
oaths. Biff-bang--crack - and the
intruder began TO weaken and in few
moments was laid out on the sidewalk,
bowling murder" until police whistle
was heard.
Charley and Frank forsook the scene of
conflict and went back to their wagons,
where they quickly wiped the blood from
their faces and began calling their wares.
AS the man lying on the street contin-
ued to howl for help it was not long in
coming. He was assisted to his feet by
the pollceman's club and sent to the jug in
the patrol wagon.
When the trouble was all over the lady
passed again, but this time she was talk
ing sweetly to dudish young man she
called Jim, and failed to even see the two
bruised fruit-sellers.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

shading. All the student is expected to
do is to draw on paper the object in front
of MIN or her as the case may be. This
is art. The shading can be acquired
later on. 1t is somewhat difficult to i'm
press this fact on many of the new stu
dents. They do not realize that the draw
ing is the hardest part of the study.
In order to get into either the antique
or life classes students must show samples
of work displaying proficiency. If they
cannot do that they must start in the sin
fant'' class. Most of them have started
there in spite of the fact that they brought
some elaborate samples of magnificent
stump shading. Many came to the school
with exalted ideas of their own powers
and specimens of commercial work from
lithograph to colored photographs. Unless
they have a good drawing made from
block, cast or life, they have to go into the
infant class.
Many of them show signs of great dis
appointment at being compelled to do
this.
''Why, worked whole year with Pro-
fessor -" said a certain young lady who
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

by monotonously until the Spaniards be-
gan to settle the State. He we'll remem-
bers the founding of Sonoma and the
establishment of the mission. 1t was
here that be became Christian and was
baptized. Shortly afterward he was hired
by General Vallejo to act as body-servant.
For over twenty years Vinciente served
in this capacity, and was with the General
all through the exciting years that pre-
ceded the annexation of California to the
United States. Vinciente remembers the
raising of the Bear Flag, but has no re.
spect for the men who did it, because, he
says, they took his master away from his
home when he was defenseless and also
treated the members of his family badly.
When all was settled and peace again
hovered over the land Vincicnte still re-
mained in General Vallejo's employ. He
held his position until just before the War
of the Rebellion, when he became too old
to work and asked permission to go and
live in the forest again. General Vallejo
granted it and also told him to come to
him VII en- he needed anything.
AS long as General Vallejo lived Vim
clente went to see him every week or so
and never failed to get presents of pro-
visions and clothes. He likes his life in
the forest, but cannot keep away from
Sonoma altogether. He says that General
Vallejo was the greatest man that ever
lived, and General Vallejo has frequently
made the statement that Vinciente was
always faithful, willing and obedient
servant.
In spite OF his great age Vinciente still
has considerable activity left. He walks
the fifteen miles from his present home to
Sonoma in day, but has to rest couple
of days before he is able to return. He
says that he feels well and strong as long
as he doesn't exert himself, but as soon as
he does he finds out that he is an old
man.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
Last Of the
Old Light Jowers

II the captain OF any OF the vast feet of
bay craft takes it into his head to sail into
the harbor of Alviso at night, he will have
to do so "in the dark" and this is no easy
task. II is easy enough to get out of that
harbor, because bearings can be taken on
the lights far up the bay, but which are
behind the skip per who tries to get in.
And yet there was time, long, long
ago, when the lower end of the bay of San
Francisco was like a torchlight procession.
At least that is what old shippers say, as
they heave sign for the good old days of
gold long gone by. 1t was when Alviso
WAS an important port; when all the
freight for San Jose went that way, and a
railroad down the valley was considered
only as wild Utopian dream.
Money was not as hard to get then as it
is now, and when the ship-owners and
freight-handlers at Alviso found it would
take years to get the Government to ap-
propriate money for navigation lights,
they put them up and maintained them
themselves. There were quite number,
and the fishing-boat owners also put up
mum Der of small ones, but of different
color, SO as to avoid confusion.
These relics of the past were all aban-
doned years ago, and most of them have
fallen to decay, although an occasional
bunch of sticks rising above low tides
marks where they once stood. But there
is one that seems calculated to stand for
ever. 1t is at least half a mile from the
present channel and is in about ten feet of
water.
It is said to have been the largest of all
the lights on the lower bay, and the man
who looked after it did nothing else. In
shape it is much like the stake lights in
use along the rivers but much more
strongly constructed. 1t rises about
twenty feet above the water, and the
keeper had to climb rude ladder to reach
the top. 1t must have been a dangerous
Undertaking in rough weather.
At present the old light tower is only
tipped sligh tly to one side. A few of the
rungs of the ladder are broken off, and the
top is in dilapidated condition. Still it
is possible that it could be used for light,
as the structure itself is perfectly sound.
The only use to which it is now put, how
ever, is to serve as q wharf where the fish
ermen can tie their boats while mending
nets.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

did all his work by inspiration, but it
might be well to remark that he worked
on an average fourteen hours a day.
1t is also known that he worked ten years
in a dissecting-room to acquire his won-
derful knowledge of human anatomy.
The class of instruction furnished at the
Hopkins Institute night class is of the
highest order. The aim of the instruction
is art There is no industrial work OF any
kind. The students are not taught to
make pen-and-ink illustrations, nor to de-
sign furniture or gasjets; they are taught
to draw. the methods used are the same
IS in any of the great art schools of the
world, and whatever the student is taught
will never have to be "unlearned."
There are at present thirty pupils
in the night classes, nearly evenly di-
vided >Ss to sex. They attend Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays of each week
and occupy >he same rooms and work
from the same nNdels as the day students.
There are three classes-the elementary,
antique and life. The rooms are well
lighted by incandescent electric lamps.
shaded and tempered by refectors. As
far as facilities go there is nothing lacking,
except daylight, which, after all. is not of
any great impor tance for drawing in
black and white.
All of the students of the night classes
manifest an earnestness of purpose that is
most encouraging. They have no time to
waste. The two hours of each night must
be made the most of. AS consequence
the rooms are almost silent except for the
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

forest among the hills, not far from the
present town of Sonoma, although he does
not know the exact spot. His people were
wild and he grew up like the rest of them,
with particular disregard for clothes.
The first event of importance that Vim
ciente remembers was the pilgrimage OF a
large number of his tribe to see some won-
derful man in place far to the south.
He was but child at the time, but from
what he has since been told he thinks the
journey was to Monterey, where Father
Junipero Sierra had lately founded mis-.
sion. At any event the members of his
tribe were not greatly impressed, fer they
returned to their homes in the north after
very short stay.
As Vinciente remembers, the years went
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

easiest way to draw, land if you do it right
you can go into the life class. If Bougue-
reau should come here and didn't know
him and was not satisfied with his work
would make him draw block Just the
same. After that he could get along as
fast as he pleased"
"Oh! that's easy enough to do" said
the young lady almost CONTEMPORARY.
"A little thing like that won't take me a
minute"
But she worked whole hour and then
had only a tangle of lines on her paper
that had very little resemblance to the
object in front of her. They ran in all
sorts of directions and the block appeared
to be out of plumb, lopsided and bigger
on one side than the other. The young
lady worked hard and rubbed out and did
1t all over again, so that when Mr.. Stanton
came back she was feeling little discour-
aged, but fully convinced that she didn't
know anything about what she was trying
to do.
"You see" said Mr.. Stanton, 'you know
nothing about perspective"
retrospective !" she almost screamed in
surprise. "Bo I have to know anything
dUout perspective TO uraW llLLle DlOCk
like that? Professor never said any,
thing about perspective and made
several large drawings under him."
''Most assuredly you have to know all
about perspective" the teacher answered.
There is just as much perspective in that
block as there is in the Mills building
"Oh, dear. is that soP Then I didn't
learn anything at all from Professor -
and cannot go into the life class"
"No, you cannot 20 into the life class for
many months. and what is more you will
have to unlearn a great deal. What you
have been taught in regard TO this work is
all wrong and you have to forget every bit
of it.. Until you dc that you can make no
progress in drawing. Now, I will show
you how this block should be drawn and
then you can gain an idea."
why, it looks like block already"
she said after the teacher had made about
half dozen lines. "And can learn to
do that?"
EYES," he answered. "AH you have to
do is to get the lines in the right places
and it will look like block. Now you try
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

An occasional visitor to the quaint town
of Sonoma is an Indian named Vinciente,
who is the oldest inhabitant in that part
of the country. He declares his age to be
lis years, and that fact is practically veri-
fed by many of the first American set
tiers in the locality. who say that in lS49
Vinciente was very old man. He was
badly wrinkled, and had no taste for the
sports of the younger members OF his
tribe.
Vinciente likes to talk about himself.
He speaks only his native tongue and
Spanish. According to his own story he
has had a most eventful career, although
he has never been more than l50 miles
from the place of his birth.
Yinciente says that he was borE in a
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

The latest addition to the educational
facilities of San Francisco is the night
class that has lately been opened at the
Mark Hopkins Institute of Art. It is the
hrst art night class ever started in this
City. in which respect the metropolis of
the Pacific Coast is about ten years behind
other places in the country of the same
size.
To be sure there have in the past
been a few private night classes,
where the students hired their own
model and studio and divided the
expenses among themselves. The Me-
chanicS' Institute and some of the public
night schools have had classes in drawing,
but all of an industrial character. None
of these in any way filled the place of the
Hopkins Institute night class. The hiring
of the modal by the students was expen-
sive, and besides they had no instruction.
The night class at the Hopkins Insti-
tute is on par with any other similar
class in the United States. 1t has the
facilities, casts and life models, and the
instructor, John Stanton, is an artist who
stands at the head of his profession. The
price charged for tuition is little lower
than in either st. Louis or Chicago
Coming back to first principles, it is the
same as the private night classes that ex-
listed in the past-just enough to pay ex-
penses. 1t is so low that any student who
really wants to study can pay it.
As things are now there is no need for
talented young men or women to COM
plain of the lack of opportunity. If they
feel that they have talent and cannot
afford to give up paying employment to
attend the day classes they can go to the
night classes and be sure that they will be
put on the right track.
The history of art study in the United
States shows that a great deal more
talent has been discovered in the night
schools than in the day schools. The Art
Students League of New York, which
started as night class, was really the
means of giving about twenty-five great
artists to the world. Had it not been for
the night class these men would now.
most likely, be still working at the same
uncongenial trades they were when the
league opened its doors to them. As it
was in New York, so has it been IN other
cities, and so will it be here. If no talent
is discovered, it is safe to say that none
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

ity of the ater is its explosive power, and
also the strange way in which it skaters
the bottle in which it is placed. The
spring is looked upon as a curiosity, but
visited by very few people on account OF
its out of-the-way location.
If a heavy bottle is partly filed from
the spring, and, after being tightly corked
and wired set aside, i. will explode vio-
lently in about ten minutes. The strangest
part of the phenomenon. however. is that
only that part of the bottle above the
water line will be shattered into frag-
ments. The lower portion will nearly
always remain intact and retain its con-
tents. A piece of iron gaspipe, with thim-
bles screwed on both ends, will explode
in about half an hour if 1t is filled with
the water.
The causes of the action OF the water are
hard to get at as it cannot be transported
to laboratory for analysis. To carry it
uncorked for even few minutes will de-
prive it of its power.
The water is of the soda and sulphur
variety, and it would seem as if it con-
tanned some solid substance that started
to transform itself into gas as soon as it
came in contact with the oxygen of air.
This part and the explosion might be
easy to account for, but how is it pos
sible to account for the fact that it ex-
plodes only in one direction, like some
kinds of gunpowder. Another strange
thing is that at the instant of the explo-
sion the surface of the water that remains
in the unbroken part of the bottle becomes
of dense black, like ink.
There is no variation in the direction of
the explosion, and bottle can be broken
off one inch from the top or one inch from
the bottom, according as it is filled.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
Mineral Water
That Will Explode

OF the hundreds OF springs in California
the waters that flow from one in Mendo-
cino County are undoubtedly the most re-
markable. The spring in question is
known simply as Little Soda Spring."
and is located about twenty miles north of
Ukiah, IN very unsettled country.
The water that flows from this spring is
unfit for use of any kind. 1t contains too
much solid matter to be fit to drink even
if the taste we're less like saleratus than it
is, and it is so nhard" that to wash in it is
simply out Of the question. The peculiar
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

And by. study she drew it as 1t should
be drawn. and is at present on the way to
success, although at the bottom rung OF the
ladder. But she has got the right ladder
and is really climbing.
"Do you know" she said last Wednes-
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

~ OfCl.
Oh, W h at a
struggle it was
for that young
lady to draw that
block But be-
fore the evening
was over she had
SO m e t b in g on
her paper that
looked a little
like the simple
object in front
of her and real
lied that she was
really learning
something.
As she said
herself, she could
hardly wait for
the next class
night. All the
next day she
thought of what
she had been
told about lines
r u n min G to a
common center,
and perpendicu-
lar and horizon
tai and was:crazy
to get at that
block agai n.
AID cha did
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

wanted to go into the life class, sand he
said was able to draw anything. And
bave got diploma from him, too."
"Well, just sit down at this easel and
make a drawing of the block in this posi-
tion," said Mr.. Stanton. placing it in the
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

1t is estimated that there are over 3O0,-
600. 600 sheep on the face of the earth and
that they produce 1000, 200, 100000 pounds
of wool annually
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

scratching of charcoal and the voice OF the
instructor giving his criticisms.
ALI the students in the Hopkins Insti-
tute night classes work with the same
material-charcoal and paper, with bread
for erasers. There is no stump and crayon
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

exists; or if it does the owner of it is too
lazy to attend the night school, which
practically amounts to the same thing,
for lazy person will never make a success
of art, even if he had the talent of Michael
Angelo. 1t is true that some say Angelo
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

There can be little doubt but what the
school will soon be crowded, as students
cannot fail to appreciate the advantages
offered them. The principal thing,
though, is that it will be the means of
discovering talent by giving an opportu-
nifty to all who think they possess it and
put it to the test.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-13
BRISTOL.

Saturday next will be gala day
here, as all Of the 30-footers built by the
Herreshoffs will sail a windwsrd and lee
ward race for the cup presented by A. {.
Van Wickle, owner OF the 30-footer Es-
peranza. Ii Q. breeze prevails that day
the race will be one OF the most inter-
resting ever witnessed in Narragansett
waters.
The Bristol Cornet Band gave an open
air concert last evening in front OF the
HydrauiIon Engine and Hose Company,s
hall.
Captain Harry Haff arrived here yester-
day In the cutter yacht Wasp, with the
owner, Harry Lippitt, on board.
The regular meeting OF the Bristol
Commandery Of the Golden Cross was
held last evening. Noble Command er +.
u. Tallman made the following appoint
ments on the financial committee; Hem
ry ii. Tilley, Frank Z. Child and Mrs.
Il. l.. Warner.
Mr.. Eward Sherman, keeper OF the
lighthouse at the Ferry, who several days
ago lost his boat from the shore opposite
the light and supposed it was stolen,
has recovered 1t. Tbe bcat was picked up
by a man at Coddington Cove.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-13
NEWPORT NEWS.
The City by the Sea Has Day Of
Unusual Excitement.

NEWPORT, Aug. Ia--Yeterday was an
exciting day in Newport. The nrst Incl
dent happened al Easton's Beach, when
the life patrol saved woman from
drowning. she had sank twice when
rescued. rnen there was tire on Heath
court, caused by spontaneous compus-
tion. During the fire John sheehsn fell
prostrated In the burning building. but
was brought out and resuscitated. Last
night there was lively runway on Long
wharf, two horses dashing up that
thoroughfare and bringing up on the
State House steps, badly cutting one of
them.
The heat yesterday was intense, 1t
seeming to be hotter than at any time
during the hot spell. Several persons
were overcome, but no cases resulted
fatally. The weather, although almost
unbearable, is hailed with delight by
tradespeople, who are resping a harvest
from the exeursionists.
A few. days ago two Newporters, Robert
Tuck.and M. j. Shea, came in contact
with a live eisctric light wire on Merton
road. Tuck was made unconscious and
Shea badly burnt about the head.