davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
MORGAN AND THE OPERATOR.

The Latter Was Not So Glad to See the
General as He Said He Would He.
The fall of Forts Donelson and Henry
compelled General Albert Sydney John
ston to evacuate Kentucky and northern
Tennessee. When he retreated from
Bowling Green, which had been his
headquarters, he left General John II.
Morgan, whose audacious enterprise was
beginning to attract attention through
out the country, with his brigade Of
Kentucky and Tennessee horsemen in
Kentucky to obtain information of the
enemy's movements.
One bright spring morning tall,
graceful looking man rode up to the
Louisville and Nashville railroad depot
at Bowling Green. Leaving his thor
oughbred in charge Of little darkey,
the horseman strobe across the platform
to the telegraph Office. He was dressed
in an ordinary riding suit. SLOUGH hat
and high riding boots, but there was a
martial air about him that would have
aroused the suspicion Of any one who
had ever had anything to do with sol
diers. His manner was charmlngly ara
BILE. and he was soon engaged in CONVEX
sation with the operator, sallow little
fellow with a thin. blond mustache.
s "What's the news?" he asked.
ssNothing much. Hear that scounG-el
Morgan is in the neighborhood cutting
telegraph wires and PLAYING hell WITH
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
The Glacier of the Dead Plain.

The finest scenery in this part of our
journey, at the west end of the famous
Bernese 0berland, was that Of the gla-
cier Of the great Dead plain. We did
not see it until we were on its edge and
the white expanse spread before Us. It
fills kind of elliptical hollow. some
two miles long by mile wide. Once
on its smooth, large surface the external
world is shut out by a ring of low
mountain wall Not trace of human
activity can be seen in any direction.
The largeness, simplicity and soclusion
Of this strange snowfeld make it unique.
We traversed its longest diameter. The
snow fortunately remained hard
throughout the hour Of our passage,
thanks to cool breeze and a yelled
sun. The surface was beautifully rip
pied and perfectly clean "A Thou
sand Miles Through tho Alps" by Sir
". n. Conway. in scEibner'a
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02

. The Railroad Gazette says: 'sThe rec
ords OF the new railroad building in the
United States in 1896, which we have
gathered, show that TT miles of road
have been built in the first half of the
year. The total is not very different
from the amount Of new railroad which
has been constructed in the first half of
any year, since the conditions in 1898
called sharp halt in railroad building.
Last year 622 miles of new road were
built up to July l, and the record in
1894, only 495 miles between Jan. 1
and July l, showed how decisivcly ex-
tension work had been stopped. It will
be seen how greatly railroad extension
has been checked by the conditions Of
the last few years, and there are no SUBJ
stantial signs that any large relative in
crease Is to be expected i'll the near fu-
ture. Much the largest mileage credited
to any one company, of the total given
for the six months, is that built by the
Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf-near-
~ 140 miles-in Arkansas. Texas and
the Indian Territory. The second Ion
gest line was built by the San Francis
CO AID Fen Joaquin Valley road-55
miles-in California. -
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
The Birds at Dinner.

If we notice carefully the beaks of all
the birds we see, it will help us, by in
dicating their habits of feeding, to To-
cate them in their families and thus
lead US to their correct names. ALI the
sparrows have short, stout beaks, well
suited to cracking open seeds and grain,
which is their usual food. The thrushes
have curved bill, convenient for hold
ing worms and digging in the soil
They find most Of their food on the
ground, poking among the dead leaves
and rubbish for grubs, beetles and lar
we. Our robins, which are true thrush
es, do valuable spring work in the gar
den and lawn pulling worms from the
soil. Have you ever watched a robin at
work? How he tugs and pulls when the
worm is long and does not come easily
There are an energy and certain bust
ness air about him when at work which
are very interesting.
The tiny humming birds, with their
long, needle shaped bills, are well
equipped for securing honey from the
very heart Of the trumpet flowers and
honeysuckles. They find numerous small
insects within the flower as well as
honey.-Popular Science Monthly.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
Tho Swiss Army.

The Swiss army is complete in every
detail, it is said, the medical, veter-
mary and commissariat departments be-
ing thoroughly organized, and this in
spite Of the fact that the average cost of
soldier is only 81 a year. The first
line forces number an effective total of
1877, $40 men; in the landwehr there
are 80, 900 more, and in the landsturm
27O, 900. Besides, owing to the encour-
agement given by the state to such in
situations as the Societies de Tir, nearly
every man in the country knows how to
handle rife and is more or less of a
soldier. Switzerland could at the short
est notice put into the field and MAIN
tain an army Of 100, 900 men at least,
properly found and equipped. When the
Swiss soldier crosses the threshold of
his house, he may be said to be in full
marching order, for he keeps his entire
kit, rifle-knapsack and cloak-in his
home, and every man takes an honest
pride in having each article in good
condition. Mall Gazette.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02

our COMMUNICATIONS Wisir could run
across him. He wouldn't cat any more
telegraph wires.
The operator jumped up, and, Sc zing
a horse pistol that lay on the table be-
fore him, began to STRUT up and down
the room shaking the weapon at I'm inn
aginary Morgan
The horsemal, eyed him sinilingly for
q moment, ana then, reaching into his
inside pocket, ne dra,w forth card case,
and, taking 6 It card, handed it to
the operator. The operator glanced at
the card and 'sudtienl y stopped His eyes
bulged, and his X ees s,no' together.
Without word ~ dropped the pistol
and card and fed ftaa1 the depot.
The horse,nan quietly mounted his
horse and ealloped eff. Tie .;ard lay on
the operators table near the pistol for
an hour. it boz, this lnscrir.tion, "John
Fl. Morgan, G. = A. New York Sun.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
r.s,sx E.ce balloon. In Paris.

TIE newest sport in Paris is the bal
loon game, which is played in this
fashion:
A number of toy balloons are entered
for the. competition, and in each Of
them is placed an envelope, containing
q postal card, which is addressed to the
Judge of the contest The little balloons
are then set free, and after more or less
time come to earth again in different
parts of the country.
These VIII ,so md mi. them see the envelopes
and notice thereon request that the
time when each balloon was found, and
also the place. be written on the postal
card, which is then to be dropped in the
postoffice.
At the end of week the various pos
tai cards are compared, and the prize is
awarded to that balloon which travelled
the greatest distance in the shortest
time.-Paris Letter.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
The Last of the Fa1stans.

A correspondent writes: "Apropos Of
the latest Falstaff, we'll remember a
memorable performance of Henry W.
on Dec. 18, 1852, at the Princess thea
ter, when George Bartley-called then
the last of the Falstaffs-madeh his fare
well bow to the public after so years
service. On this very night of the
week, the very date Of the month so
years ago. he said, he had made his
first appearance on the boards Iremem-
Der, too, his saying he had played Or
lando to Mrs. Jordan's Rosalind AS a
boy / was much struck by the trans
formation from the burly knight to the
aristocratic looking old gentleman in
evening dress as he tearfully babe his
audience farewell. Charles Kean was
the Hotspur, Ryder the King, Lacy the
Prince, while Harley, Meadows, ]. Vim
ing. H. Saker, Miss Murray and Mrs
DAILY were in the cast Poor BARLEY
died within six years afterward and
was laid in ST. Mary's churchyard, Ok
ford, when I was an undergraduate in
that university" - Westminster Ca
zette.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
THE PASSING OF A SUPERSTITION.


Sailors HecOnclleO TO Cn0 PRESENCE OF U
Dead Body Aboard Ship.
One of the most popular superstitions
of sa,ilormen used to be against having
a dead body aboard ship, but it no
snger holds good-on passenger ships
ut least-for most Of them are now pro-
vided with the means Of preserving the
body Of person who dies on the voyage
until port is reached. This is generally
done by incasirg the body in an alright
metallic coffin, one or more being car
ried by every first class passenger vessel,
and there is seldom murmur from
Jack. Steam and other modern i'm
provements have worked as many
changes in sailormen as they have in
the vessels they man, and in consequence
the old time salt, with his superstitions,
his foibles and his notions, is fast dis
appearing before the advance of his less
romantic and no more efficient brother.
''Going to sea amt what it used to
be" said an old sea captain, with a
sigh, to the writer, to whom he had
been bemoaning the decadence Of sailing
vessels, which he ascribed to the rapidly
growing habit of building enormous
steam freight carriers. ''The fine old
ships, barks and other, sailing craft are
going, and in place of real sailcrmon
you see lot of paint scrubbcrs and
iron Founders that hardly knows how
t0snlice a rome and hasn't as much su-
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
Big Prices Paid BY Magazines.

Fabulous prices are sometimes paid
for the sensational features in the mag
azines. A writer who claims to speak
with full knowledge of the facts claims
the Century company paid $50, for
its sLife of Lincoln" $1S, 900 for the
serial rights to Mrs. Humphry Wards
novel, "Sir George Tressaday;" from
$3.50 on up to $3.50 for Kipling's verses,
according to size. Charles Scribner's
Sons paid J. M. Barrie $25, 600 for the
serial rights to Sentimental Tommie :"
Robert Louis Stevenson received 81, 600
for one Of the serials he sold to the Nc
Clure syndicate. Other and equally re-
markable prices are not lacking. Sue
cess in literature nowadays means money
just as certainly as does success in other
pursuits. It's all in the name and the
Call.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
Much Misunderstood.

Bachelor Sheriff-Madam, I have an
attachment fer you.
Blushing Widow-Oh, this is so sud-
denl
Bachelor Sheriff. beg your pardon,
I think you don't understand me. You
must proceed to court.
Blushing Widow-Of counsel So l
must. I had really forgotten all about
this being leap year. Well, how must I
begin?
Bachelor Sheriff--Come, now, this IL
no time for trifiing. The justice is wait
ing.
Blushing Widow--Bnt. my dear.
wouldn't it be ila,r to have a ministerl
-Washineten Times.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
ART IN ST. PETERS.
There Are Few Pictures or Frescoes
the Great Cathedral.

There Are Few Pictures or FrescOes In
the Great Cathedral.
Nothing perhaps is more striking as
one becomes better acquainted with. st.
Peters than the constant variety of de.
tail The vast building produces at first
sight an impression Of harmony, and
there appears to be remarkable uni
formity of style in all the objects one
sees.
There are no oil paintings to speak OF
in the church and but few frescoes. The
great altar pieces are almost exclusively
fine mosaic copies of famous pictures
which are preserved elsewhere. Of these
reproductions the best is generally con-
sidered to be that of Gue1cino's EST.
Petronilla" at the end Of the right aisle
of the tribune. Desbrosses praises these
mosaic altar pieces extravagantly, and
even expresses the opinion that they are
probably superior in point of color to
the originals, from which they are cop
led. In execution they are certainly
wonderful and many stranger looks
at them and passes ON believing them
to be oil paintings.
They possess the quality of being i'm
perishable and beyond all influence of
climate or dampness, and they are mas
terpieces of mechanical workmanship.
But many will think them hard and
unsympathetic in outline and decidedly
crude in color. Much wit has been man.
ufactured by the critics at the expense
of Guido Reni's Michael" for in
stance, and as many sharp things could
be said about good many other works
Of the same kind in the church. Yet,
on the whole, they do not destroy the
general harmony. Big as they are, when
they are seen from little distance, they
sink into mere insignificant patches OF
color, all but lost in the deep richness
of the whole.-Marion Crawford in
Century.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
ONE HEART.


sometimes Iinger Ger the list
OF friends lost in other days
And still the question with me stays-
uWhon am gone. shall be missed2
doubt II others think the same,
Or even wish to share my thought
That men were foolish who have sougnt
To leave never dying name.
When thou hast run thine earthly race
Thou wilt not ssleave world In tears :
Nor will men come in after years
To view thine earthly resting place.
Thy Door remains will rest as well;
Thy spirit will be no less free.
Although it is not thine to be
A Milton or Raphael,
Fret not thyself, but heaven thank
II ali the good that thou canst do
Nav be SO done that only few
Need ever know thy place is blank.
Be thankful If but one true heart
Shall feel for thee the moments pain
Ere 1t can say, eve meet again.
OF knowing what it is to part.
One loving heart thou mayest crave.
Lest all thou caredst for on earth
Should seem to have no lasting worth
And end forever in the grave
One faithful heart beneath the sky.
In which to leave seed of love.
TO blossom in world above
And bear fruit which shall not die.
C. J. Boden in Chambers journal
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
He Only Wanted to Know.

''Papa," said an inquisitive boy,
"don't fishes have legs?"
'"They do not, answered papa.
"Why don't they, papa?''
Because fishes swim, and don't re-
quire legs"
The small boy was silent for few
minutes, and papa forgot about his
questions. Then he asked:
Papa, ducks have legs, don't they?"
."Why, yes, ducks have legs
"Well, ducks swim, don't they?"
eyes. /"
''Then why don't fishes have legs if
ducks do? Or why don't ducks not have
airy legs if fishes dom ?''
Papa gave it up.-Pearson's Weekly.
Tho Installment Plan.
''Now I'm engaged at last. It took
Mr.. Darlington three nights TO pro-
pose. F"
''Is he so bashful?''
''Not at all He shutters. Chicago
Record.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02

perst1tion as goat They don't care
much whether the cargo is dead bodies
or pig iron. -
In the old days the presence Of
corpse aboard was considered bound to
bring storms and other bad luck, and
even now on sailing vessels an immedi-
ate burial over the side is the proper
thing when a death occurs if the skipper
cares to keep the forecastle in good hui
NOR. On the big steamships, carrying
hundreds Of passengers each trip, a
death is no uncommon thing, and If
there are friends Of the dead person
aboard they are likely to have the body
brought to port. It has become COM
mon custom. too, to ship the bodies OF
persons who have died abroad home by
steamships, and on several occasions
small mortuary chapels have been con-
structed aboard. Otherwise the ccffins
are carried as if they were an ordinary
part Of the ships cargo.
The skipper already quoted told ct
one of the many examples of the sailors
superstition on the subject that had
come under his observation. A friend
Of his was few years ago commanding
big clipper ship engaged in the South
American trade. He was kindly man,
and sailors were always glad to ship
with him, not only because of his not
being hard taskmaster, but also be-
cause his ship was known as "a good
feeder, +" which is the highest encomium
Jack can pronounce upon skipper or YES
sci. On his last voyage the captain was
bound from Callao for Antwerp with q
cargo Of fertilizer He fell sick and died
soon after passing the Horn. His body
was prepared and boxed and placed be-
low in the depths Of the cargo.
The first mate, who succeeded to the
command, was not the best Of sailors or
popular with the crew. Head winds and
gales were encountered in rapid success
sion, and the grumbling of the men
soon broke out into almost open mutiny.
It was the presence of that body in the
hold of the ship that was causing all
the trouble, and it must be got rid OF.
The men went aft and so informed the
mate and then without ceremony heaved
the body Of tne;r late captain over the
side. Whether the weather improved
Their the skipper couldn't say. But he
was certain of one thing, and that was
that seamanship and superstition, which
always 60 together, would be things of
the past when the paint scrubbers and
iron Founders have crowded the real sail
ormen off the seas.-New York Tribune.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
( AND GRNFs'AL ADVERTISER

: PORTLAND. NE, Aug. 19.-Pi ofessor
! Frederick William Nichols Crouch, of
Baltimore, Md, the renowne6composes
to whose genius the world in indebted
for the soul inspiring strains of the
Irish serenade. kathleen Mavour
neen." died here very suddenly last
night at the residence of George a.
Thomas.
Prof. Crouch celebrated his eighty
eighth birthday few days ago by a
grand musicale, at which he sang the
song which made him famous.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
Thu IndiciaI Dictionary.

The Century, Standard, international
and Encyclopedia dictionaries are stead
lily falling behind the courts One re-
cent decision establishes that when a
man is hanged by mob it is an "acci-
dent. " A child whose parents are liv-
ing has also been declared by an emf
nent Judge to be an "orphan, and
when life insurance was taken by 3 Eian
while unmarried it was judicially de-
clared to have been effected by hus-
band" In addition to these an unmar-
ried woman has been declared by Ou1
highest court to be ''single man. -
Exchange.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02

One Of the most comforting things
fisherman or hunter can carry with him
is a cup to drink from. Some men get
along with their hands, or by leaning
over a stream or spring and drinking
direct from the water, but there is no
comfort, and there is a possibility OF
lizards in this One likes to stand erect
and drink comfortably when on the
march. It is more satisfactory. When
one forgets his cup, he makes one from
the large leaves of tree or bush, or
from paper, or uses the top of his hat
Noxry Vr,,.t Cr1u
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
WORE THE DIAMOND IN HIS LEG.

A Story of the Way the Orlof Stone was
Taken From Persia to Russia.
Gus Fox, dealer in diamonds on
Fourth street, has story about the IA
nous Orloff diamond, named after
Count Orloff, the first European who
bought it. Fox says: "It was originally
the eye of an idol in Trichinopoli. 1t
was stolen, according to the accepted
account by Frenchman, who escaped
with it to Persia, where he sold 1t for
the equivalent in our money of SO, 600
to a Jewish merchant.
"The Jewish merchant sold it to an
Armenian named Shafras, who had
travelled in Russia and conceived the
idea of taking the diamond to that
country and selling it to the Empress
Catherine for great sum. Shafras paid
him 100000 for it.
Having secured tho st2-,a. the next
question with Shafras was how to get 1t
to Russia, or rather how to conceal it
when he was searched by robbers, as he
was sare to be on the road. The journey
was a long and perilous one, and thieves
abounded everywhere. Shafras thought
of swallowing the stone when he should
be taken by the robbers, but was obliged
to give that plan up, as the diamond
was too large to swallow.
HE began to feel he had white ele-
plant on his hands when thought &C.
Cured to him. He procured sharp
lance, made cut in the feshy part OF
his left leg and thrust the diamond into
the wound. He sewed up the cut with
a needle and silver wire. It healed,
leaving the diamond imbedded fast in
the leg, quite out Of sight.
'sThel he started for Russia. On the
way he was seized by ROBBERS fbtbes again again ane
again and was thoroughly searched.
Being an Armenian and suspected O
going to Russia to trade, the thieves
marveled greatly at finding nothing O
value upon his person.
"He arrived in Russia at last, and
after extracting his diamond, visitet
the empress. He was willing to sell i
| for about $3.50, 600, but the empress hat
not SO large an amount in cash for thu
| purchase, and Shafras preferred to g,
| on to Amsterdam, the seat Of the dia
mond cutting industry, where he hal
the stone polished.
"Here Count Orloff, an extremel,
wealthy Russian, saw the diamond ant
was filed with determination to Sc
cure it for the Russian crown. He di,
secure it, but Shafras exacted from tn
Russian government $500, 900, an an
nuity Of $40, 600 and title Of nobility
He died a millionaire.
"The Orloff diamond weighs 49,
carats and is about the size of pi
geon's egg. It issmaller than the Kohl
moor. in the possession Of the Englisl
queen, which is supposed to be WORT
IS, $50, OOO.' '-Cincinnati Enauirar.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
HOW TO CURE YOURSELF WHILE
USING 1T.

The tobacco habit grows on a man until his
nervous system Is seriously affected, impair
ing health, comfort and happiness To quit
suddenly is too severe shock to the system,
as tobacco to an inveterate user becomes a
stimulant that his system continually Graves.
.'Baco- Curo'' is scientific cure for the tobacco
habit, in all its forms. carefully compounded
after the formula of an eminent Berlin physt-
clan who has used it in his private practice
table and guaranteed perfectly harmless. You
can use all the tobacco you want while taxing
"Baco-Curo." 1t will notify you when to STOP
We give a written guarantee to cure perma,,
nently any case with three boxes. or refund
the money with 10 per cent. interest: "Baco-
Curo'' is not substitute, but scientific cure,
that cures without the aid of will power and
with no inconvenience. 1t leaves the system
as pure and free from nicotine as the day you
took your first chew or smoke.
Cured BY Baco-Curo and Gained Thirty
Pounds.
Fromfhundreds Of testimonials, the originals
Of which are on file and open to inspection, the
following Is presented:
CLAYTON. NEVADA, Co., ARK, Jan. %.
: Eureka Chemical Mfg, Co., La Crosse, Wis.
ali its forms. For twenty-five II eye Years Of that
time was great sufferer from general de-
bn'ty and heart disese. For fifteen years
ID to gun So Bac "aIHSs
Indian Tobacco Antidote," Double Cnioriae
OF Gold" etc. etc. but none of them ditQe
the Least bit OF GOOD Finally eve i pur
entirely cured me of the habit in all its forms.
and have increased thirty pounds In weight
and am relieved from all the numerous aches
and pains of body and mind. l could write q
quire of paper upon my changed feelings and
condition. Yours respectfully
P H.. MARBURY
Pastor c. P. Church, Clayton. Ark.
Sold by all druggists at $10O per hox; three
boxes thirty days treatment), 80, with
tron-clad. written guarantee, or sent direct
upon receipt of price. Write for booklet and
proofs. Eureka Chemical & Mfg. Co., La
Crosse Wis.,. end Boston, Mass.
ir.!1 1yr
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
In Doubt.

And I am fully able to support your
daughter, SIR" said the young man in
conclusion.
Il dunno, Dunno" said the pork
baron thoughtfully. "Her last three
husbands all claimed she was insupport-
able "-Indianapoli Journal
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-09-02
Mr.. Peppers Suggests.

"How the wind bowls tonightr said
the melancholy boarder.
ssI shouldn't wonder if it had the
toothache," suggested Mr.. Asbury Pep
pers.
"TOothache?"
Eyes. Have you never heard Of the
teeth of the gale?''-Cincinnati En-
quirer.