davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times., 1896-03-10
FREAK OF NATURE.
Four Trees, of Species, Growing In
One Trunk.
BonyiIIe (MO.I DemOcrnt.

Four miles from Pineyille, Mcdonald
county, on the grounds of j. L. Parish. is
Il freak of nature so curious that ii | had
not seen ii with my own eyes, l could
scarcely have believed il possible.
On the ba nix OF the Elk River rises a large
tree that towers high above the neighboring
trees. At the ground u solid buttressed
trunk appears from eight to ten feet in
diameter. A little higher than mans head
this trunk divides into four lesser trunks,
the two smaller of which are in themselves
fair-sized trees, while the other two are
far above the average size. Here comes i'll
the queer part of the story.
OF these divergent trunks the two large
ones are Respectively an elm and syea-
more. Above the union OF the common
trunk each tree in leaf, branch and bark
is normal in type. The trunk itself seems
homogeneous whole.
would not presume to say that cioseex-
amina tion would not show in the bark from
different sect ions of the trunk those peculi-
arities that distinguish the bark OF one tree
from that OF the other, but certainly these
examina lion. nor are there lines of jointure
visible where the four trunks coalesce.
doubt if any one can point to stranger
growth han this is-twosycamores. .anoakand
an elm, all growing from one coil mon
trunk. This meeting together OF four youth
full tree trunks as they thickened with agriS
occasionally secn but this is an unusually
fine illustration. Each tree must, however,
form its own bark-that Is to say, no one Of
them has hccn wholly enveloped by another.
Hence careful investigation ought to dis
close a slight line where the incurying bark
of each original tree meets.
The evening times., 1896-03-10
The Salvation Army Break.

Judging from latest reports. the saliva
tion Army in the United States r. rarrily
iisintegrating. and It's componen, parts
crytaiiizing again as "a COMPACT orgini-
zation under the leadership OF Baliing,un
Booth and his WIFE From all parts II the
country comes news Of secession from the
elder Booth aud accession 10 tie younger.
and IL Is noteworthy that the movement ap
pears to bc dominated by the spirit Of
Americanism. However much 1t nav te
insisted uron 10y tie secel-rs that such Is
not the ease. the stubborn fact stands
forth IN bold relief that 1t Is II revolt
against foreign domination.
RlIlinGton Booth himself is hardly aware
how, having set the ball a-rolling, he ~
carried along 10y the forcc of th, movement.
When he stated the other night that the
organization he expected to lead would
not he in opposition to the Sa!vat ion Army.
but supplement TO IL, he deceived him
self. Except insofar that both will
labor ia the cause Of religion. their inter
csts viii be as far aSundcr as The poles.
Blllington BOOTHS followers are rang
ing themselves under his banner because
The evening times., 1896-03-10

he represents 10 them now the spirit OF
American independence OF foreign control.
II VIII take some lime. of course. before
the friction naturally arising through the
severance of So considerable u body OF
adhcrcn,s from the old oreanizat ion ceases
and the new conditions obtain full sway.
But there need be no fear that the great
cause FOR which the salvation Army has
fought and i fighting. and To which Bil-
iingion Booth has consecraicd himself and
his followers. will suffer by the temporary
interference with Tie hitherto prevailing
general scheme The efforts Of both are
based upon vital principles and directed To
none tut mobile ends Whatever may he
the name which may b. chosen for the
new American hos. nf SalyJt ionisis, there
VIII bc no change in the spirit OF .n,hu-
siIsm with which ;hc cause will be carried
forward.
Gen. Booth made a mistake in not fol-
lowing the example or Great Britain in
dealing with her colonies. Had he granted
the American cont iDgcnt of the Salvation
Army autonomy, IL would now be- as
IL was before, a part Of tie great whole.
The evening times., 1896-03-10
NEW WAY TO LIGHT FIRES.
Little Machine With Spring and
Fun That Does the Business.
New York journal.

New York journal.
isinvcntor may not get get 4 monument
in this generation, but in years to come
the new women will bc called upon to
subscribe the money that will in enduring
bronze commemorate the virtues of the
man who removed from their husbands
lives the great bugbcar OF making Il fire
in the coal range or the chilly and draugh-
ty CRATE. The new fire lighting fan does
away with the treachcrQus kindling that
gayly burns out and leaves no impression
upon the stubborn coal.
1t Is a simple mechanical sontrivance,
this fan shaped rs its name. 1T fits
close TO the stove front or the crate. With
In its sheet iron walls is Il main spring
and clock wheels to work 1t. II is wound
up by turning handle at the side and set
going or stopped by a lever.
When the apparatus Is to be used a small
quantity of paraffine oil is poured into a
cavity in the blow pipe. which is filled with
asbestos fibre. When the fibre is thorough
ly soaked. light is applied, and the fan
set to going, thus forcing from the outlet
into the CRATE an Oxidizng flame which
quickly spreads through and thoroughly
ignites the coal. with which the gra tc has
already been filled. The machine is also
used for blowing up dead fire. the spring
being wound up. and the fan set in motion
for from three to ten minutes.
The evening times., 1896-03-10
BOYS OF Long AGO.
The Gnme- They Played and the
Great Times They Had.
Cincinnati Tribune

Tue boys OF the early .ios enjoyed life. ~
the old men Of today dee lIre. and there lre
some vescra.,ie gentlemen who maintain
that in { heir barefoot days the : had vastly
more fun than do the vout ii- of the present.
II can rrmcm.pcr when ! was Il boy
said an old gentleman the oi her dry, who
u not far from The. three SEQ re a nd-tcn
limit, and do not believe that my grand
sons are having nearly as good time now
as had. bu; they do not know what they
missed ard seem happy with the present
methods of amusement
Il was born on Il farm in Indiana about
the time that the ':;os began and must say
that he time spent on that farm was the
happirsi of my life. and have had enough
money for lcnc while 10 crafty any
reasonable desire for prIsGrc.
We lived several miles from Il small
village Our farm was large and pr.tluc-
tive. We bad ncighbnrs. and all of them and
We, too, were well off as people went in
/ those days. Our house WAS built of logs
and it had a tremendously big fireplace
that took in four-fout wood with great
ease and cracked for more. There was
room eDough TO raise a family OF ten. and il
seems to me that we were pretty well
raised.
"In the summer we all went barefocted
from the time that the frost was out of the
ground until thin ice commenced i'll he fall.
For the first few days The feet were tcnder
and there were blister> and stone bruises
to be dociored. hut it was not long until
our feet became as tough sole Ieathe
and We could go over any kind or ground
without hurting us.
''One pair uf shoes was supposed 10 last
one year. and that meant simply the time
of year that we could not go barefuoted.
We killed our own beer and saved the hides,
and in the fall father would take them To
a tannery and bring back the lcat her. Then
the shoemaker would come and the leather
would be brought out and the family
lay the leather on the floor and measure
our feet by marking the outlines on Tn.
hide. Then he would depart, and in due
time the shoes or boots wuuld come. They
We're strong and simply made. had no fancy
flourshes. but they were well made. ard.
as We bad never known better. there was
no ycarninc for patent feathers or tanS or
tennis shoes.
II do not belize that we ever had So
in cash the year round, but We lived miri,iy
Well and Were never in want of focd or
clothing. In the first place. VIC raised our
own cattle. hogs and sheep. and every fan
killed what we would need. WesDokcd ham
and beef, made sausage. and, in fact. We
had meat the year round. Our garden patch
gave us the best vegetables that could be
imagined, and the poultry yard furnished
chickens and ducks and turkeys and geese
and all the eggs that we could eat
Mother and he girls did the honsewcrk
and wovc all the cloth that we used. and
that homcspun wore like iron. even II il
We're not beautiful. They spun he wool that
We got from our sheep and Snitte Ell the socks
that We Wore in the winter, and they were
warm, too"
The evening times., 1896-03-10
NEXT PRESIDENT KNOWN.
Man Who FOretOld the Election OF
Three Presidents.
New York .Jouruai

While statesmen of the different parties
are wondering who will bc the next TO sit
in the Presidential chair. there is in Wash
ington Il man who has foretold the election
of three Presidents. and now asserts that
he knows who is 10 he the successor of Mr.
Cleveland
This man is DR.. Keyscr, Il phvsi-
clan and spiritu1lst of note. Keyser is a
man of middle life He lives in comfort
able style, and there is in his conversation
nothing of the visionary.
He has held frequent communications
with spirits. Among his papers are photo
graphs alleged TO be of his dead children,
We're photographed 10y an ordinary camera.
When Questioned by Journal reporter
as to The truth of the facts that spirits had
communicated 10 him the name of our next
President, he did not deny the fact, hut
asserted that the story was true.
Il cannot explain just exactly how the
prcsentimcnt is made known to me-" ne
ans wered: but it is by method of COM
muncating Of the mind with the spirit
world. We on the earth plane are sur
rounded at all times hy spirits. and those
who are dead are stiIl all about US.
which Garfield was named | predicted
the event though Grant and B.iue stood in
the way of 1t. As everyone thought. Gar
field was not heard OF in the way of a can
didIte. Yet knew il WAS To be Garfield.
The fact had come to me from the spirit
world. and one OF my friends, who wished
TO bet on the subject came to me TO get in
formation | told him | could not give
knowledge OF the future for any such
purpose. hut on his promising not to bet on
the factS. | told him Garfield was already
named by those who were i'll the other
world. The election of Harrison WAS fore
told by me, and also the success of Cleye-
land when he ran for the third time
My mind has again been made the re-
cipient of knowledge of future events. 1t
is impressed upon me that the next man
to sit in the White House will bc Cullorn,
of Illinois. The convention will not nomi-
nate him at first. There will bc several
days of wraugiing. 1t will lie about the
2lst OF the month when Cullom Will he
chosen. Reed will lee the next man on the
ticket ifhe will accept the place"
The evening times., 1896-03-10
Obligations Should Not Be Repudiated.

fuse To bear its share of any other District
charge upon District revenues, to be pro-
vided for hy taxation, Just as the improve
mcnt OF st reefs. the maintenance of charities,
in fact, the whole machinery OF the District
government.
As for the argument that public library
would he of purely local benefit. il is the
flmsiest of all. There is no city in the
Union where Il pubic free library would not
he more open TO that objection, if objection
is the proper word to USE in this connections
There are about 10000 government en-
ployes, the majority OF them citizens OF
other States. and taxpayers there, who
would enjoy the privileges OF that library.
Then there are thousands OF others. who
gather here during the sessions OF Con-
Grcss and who do not contribute to the Dis
trict revenues. but who would stand upon
the same plane with the bona fide residents
of the District. rs far as the use OF the IL
brary is concerned.
Tue contention, therefore, that the Dis
trict should pay all the expenses OF the Ii
brary rests upon the shallowest founda-
ton Imaginable. and should not be adj
mitted as valid in the final determination ur
OF the two houses.
The evening times., 1896-03-10
Italy as England's Catspaw.

King Humbert is welded TO his idols. l
would abdscate, he says, rather than give
up the war i'll Africa. In other words. he
proposes 10 stick" provided the Abys-
sinians do not interfere with that process
of adhesion. His new premier, who was
reported to be firmly opposed to the colonial
policy, has yielded his convictions in that
respect 10 the wishes of the sovereign. and
the minister of war, who was credited with
the intention of reducing the army, has also
signifled his readiness TO leave matters
in statu quo. We may expect. therefore. TO
see more troops showed into Abyssinia and
serve as targets for the overwhelming hosts
OF King MeDelek.
Its curious to observe that Great Britain
is mentioned every now and then us the
possible or probable ally of Italy in the
lattcr's undertakings in Africa. This fact
lends color 10 the suspicion heretofore en-
tertained that England is making use OF
Italy as a sort of cats paw to pull some
chcstnuts out of the African fire which
The evening times., 1896-03-10
HEN THAT SINGS.
Ruby, an Ohio Fowl, CrOOns In Time
with IA Piano Accompaniment. 4
Phtladrlphia Times.

]. W. Walker OF McConncllsyile, Ohio,
has a remarkable hen. Ruby. as she Is
called. is a genuine Plymouth Rock fowl
! and She has taken more than one prize for
the purity of her breed and other good qua /
tiles.
What Is not generally known about her
! Is that she sings. As soon As Ruby hears
the sound OF the plano she will start ON the
run from wherever she may he and scam
per up the steps and enter the house by door
or window. as opportunit offers.
She is a great pet with the only child OF
the family. and if the little girl wishes for
her company, or wishes to display Ruby's
talcnts. she will take her up on the piano
stool beside her. where from that much
priced position Ruby will hold forth.
She will roll her head from side to side.
cruak and Groom. sometimes softly, some
times loudly. hut always following the
music, and apparently with rapture at her
own performance. Nor is she soon tired OF
singing, either. She will keepit up as long
as the accompanist is willing to play. and
even after lengthy performance retires re-
luctantly.
The evening times., 1896-03-10
SHE GUIDES TRAINS SAFELY.
Young Woman at junction city With
Important Matters on Hand.
...-


Miss Byrd Watkins. OF Topeka has the dis
junction Of being thc only woman train dis
patchcr ou a single track. in the United
states. and the responsibility of such a po-
sition attaches no little Importance to the
young woman who holds 1t.
Miss Watkins is stationed at junction City,
on the Kahsasdivisiono or The Union Pacific
Railway. a through line from Kansas City
10 Denver. and its branches, the Junction
City and For% Kearnes branch. from juno
Solomon City bean1,f from solouien CITY 10
Beloit, and thei kaiina and Southwestern
branch, from s Nina tfsMcPherson-
Miss Watkins51s One of three shifts"
working ei9ht b4urs each, and is on the
second "triBS' Rs the time between 4
O'Clock in he ateroon and midnight is
called. Shefi$ fl2 full charge OF the office
during that tiinf Her duties as a dis
patcher onAtf single track differ mate
rally from .,hoss of a double track dis
patcher. as Nrdfng points must be made
for all trairf ssibg in opposite directions.
She is a Ke1hatan bx birth. Her father,
who was ltw&Sf, died fourteen years ago
leaving Efes bnd three daughters, of
whom Miss Byrd is the oldest. She is just
past twcni y-,hrec, and her progress in the
line of work she has chosen has been rapid.
Her first situation was that of operator
for The Union Pacific at Deer Trail, Colo.
From that pI.,ce size went to Topeka. and
was employed by the same railroad there
for four years, until October, 1 1914, when
she was promoted TO Junction City as train
dispatcher.
Few women have the clear head and
steady nerve required TO fill such a position.
Miss Watkins is Il nice locking girl, with q
tall. slender figure. and has blue eyes and
light brown hair. Her manner is pleasing
and refined.
when Isfirst Went into the office she
said, the superintendent remarked that
would he accomplishing a great deal if /
learned to De a train dispatcher without
swearing / must confess that 1 have
more sympathy with men on that score,
but when feel obliged To find IN outlet for
my feelings | Just get up and walk around
and around the table. i have had no acci-
dents since i began, not even a narrow
escape
Miss Watkins is said to be the youngest
dispatcher on the read. An official of the
road is quoted as ssaying:''I would not give
her up for any man dispatcher on our
system
The evening times., 1896-03-10
WILD ANIMALS IEFT-HASDED.
Odd Di-covery-Madeb by an Ob>cryant
Keeper of Beasts.
Cincinnati Enquirer,

Supt Sol Stephan Of the Zoo has made ali
sorts of curious discoveries in the habits
and characteristics of animals, the latest
OF which il that Wild creatures are mostly
left-handed. Mr.. Stephan has been en-
deavoring to verify this observation on
two parrots lately brought from Mexico.
lie found that in grasping i finger offered
as n perch. the parrots almost always put
the left foot forward.
Usually the finger thus offered is that OF
the right hand. hut when the left finger is
offered to the parrots, they put forward the
right foot. There is, however. apparently
a small residuum of preference for the left
foot. This seems to be due to the fact that
men are usually rigbuhanded and offer tue
right hand 10 the parrot.
The left foot is the one naturally put for
ward by the parrot in this case, and, through
repetition OF this action, a species OF left
footcdness is induced. Mr.. Stephan's gen
eral conclusion is that there is no evidence
that the parrot is naturally left-fOoted.
The appearance OF that left-footedncss
is due entirely to the fact that those who
offer the finger or food to parrots do So, a a
rule, with the right hand. Repetition OF
this process makes the parrot more or less
tft-handed in time.
The evening times., 1896-03-10

cJohn Bull may dcyonr at his leisure after
they have chance Ia cool. Italy by hurI-
ing her whole strength against King
Mcnclck may Ultimately SO weaken him
as to afford Ensland the eopportunity Y estep
in as her ally and al expense Of very little
effort or cash cause an adjustment of
territory in which she will not come out
second best.
Germany and Austria have advised Hum
bert to Withdraw from Africa with the best
grace possible. Their counsel, of course, is
not altogether disintcrestcd. for as Italy is a
member of the Drcihund, they are concerned
that she shall No, waste her strength 10 what
is regarded as a hopeless underta king.
None the less. it happens 10 he good advice
albeit it will not he followed, for England's
seductive whisper appears to bcguile La
Bella Italia.
Meanwhile King Mcneck has offered to
submit the whole business to arbitration
and this offers Italy an honorable way of
going back home, if she will only take it.
The evening times., 1896-03-10

Now that the free library bill has to so TO
Il conference committee il is To be hoped
that the Senate confeTces will stand ont
against the adoption of the Powers amend
ment, which proposes to charge the main
tenance of the institution exclusively to
the District revenues. The government of
the United States by its own act has placed
itself in the position of a taxpayer in the
District and assumed to pay, in lieu OF as
scssmcnts, one-half of all appropriations
for local expenditures. Upon the basis
thuses,a blshcd 1t is both morally and legally
right that the United sta es shouId bea one
half of the cost OF maintaining the library,
just as il pays one-half of any other mu'
Didpal expenditure.
IS was stated in the course of the debate
in the House, the District revenues are
quite ample for the charge which this
library would entail upon them, if the
Powers amendment is finally agreed to.
But If the annual surplus were five million
dollars instead of five hundred thousand
the unfairness of the proposed charge
would be equally fragrant. 1t is not be
cause of the amount of money involved that
objection is made by the people of the Dis
trict, but because il is in direct viola ton
OF the agreement bctwc them and the
United States. Congress might as well re-
The evening times., 1896-03-10
After the War in Cuba-What?

bclligercnts will put them in such condition
that they can conduct the war on even terms.
II may enable them tOgive their government
n more cOmpa ct form and a home nd ha bita-
tiOn. and il will certainly put money intheir
Golfers. for it is pretty well ascertained that
a Cuban loan can be negotiated just as
soon as the Cuba n republic is put on Level
with her Spanish adversary by the United
States.
Nor should ii he forgotten, that Spain's
civil and military power extends only over
Il small portion of this land. She cannot en-
force the law. il she would, and the Cuban
government is not yet strong enough TO adj
minister civil law as II should he admins
tered. Recognition would change all this.
1t would cause a mctamorphosis all along
the line. II would bc a move not only in be-
half OF the spread OF republican institutions,
but OF law, of order and OF humanity.
The evening times., 1896-03-10

This lisa question whicbthose whooppose
the granting OF EeIligercnt rights To The
Cubans may wen ask themselves. If
Spain is unable TO suppress tie rebellion
and yet the insurgents are not tstrongcnough
10 drive Tic Spanish troops from the island,
there win result such state OF things as
one sbrinks to contemplate. There is a
limit TO the sacrifices of blood and treasure
that Spain is able 10 make, and when the
last soldier is sent and the last Collar
expended, the Cuban host, worn down by
constant frict ion, will oppose its adver-
saries in u warfare that will know DO
mercy on either side. To that complexion
must il conc AT last.
Is it better to give Cuba up TO anarchy
than grant her the means that will enable
her TO force Spain to terms? This is not IA
question OF sentiment, but of practical
humanity. Recognition OF the insurgents us
The evening times., 1896-03-10
HE WAS ABSENT-MINDED
How Mr.. Dubois Placed His Watcf
Under a Steam Hummer.
London lid Hits

''Ihavcbeen told, said Mr.. Dubois. watch
ing the stcanihammer in the rolling mill,
.'that Il good lianinerm;,n ca brca X The crys-
tai ofa watch withthat thirty I on hammer"
Yes" said the hamniefman, lit can be
DONE
Il should like to see it," said Mr.. Dubois.
eagerly. feelin. in his watch pocket.
Il can d o il sir" said the man.
And will you?" replied Mr.. Dubois, dra W.
ing out his watch. Come. am anxious to
see it tried
He laid his watch ON The great anvil-plate.
The hammer rose to its full height and the
next instant all its pouderous weight, with a
crushing force which shook the ground for
an acre round. came down on the watch.
There, sir" said the man, ..if you don't
believe that crystal is broken just step
down and you can see it sticking to he ham,
mer.'
Mr.. Dubois swallowed a whole nlouthful
of Jumps and gasped before lie could speak.
But forgot to say" he exclaimed that
IL was TO break the crystal without injuring
the watch.''
''Oh, yes. :" said the haI,,nierman. Yes
know. have heard that rubbish myself
The evening times., 1896-03-10
SALISBURY Is KEPT BUSY.
Works Cnremittingiy for Twelve
Hours, He Says.
Chicagp News.

Lord Salisbury is a very busy man,
and although he is sixty-six years old he Is
apparently unaffected by the strain through
which he is now passing.
Recently he told visitor that bis whole
official day. sometimes of twelve hours.
had been occupied, since foreign affairs
assumed a critical character, with un-
remitting work; that often when be had
completed an import ant dispatch he was
dissatisfied with it and tore it to pieces
and wrote the entire thing over again, and
that even when bis dispatches had been
completed they had to be submitted to her
majesty, whose suggestions had in turn
to be considered.