davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

heard anything so remarkable as three
white crows in a nest. In my time L have
owned some very curious freaks in the
bird line, but never anything like this.
never before saw white crow, except one
that was in q circus and that was about
fifteen years ago. When Mr.. Veatch wrote
me he had three white crows L thought it
was Joke and no one was more surprised
than | when they arrived"
While white crow is seldom found, a
white deer is still more rare. In all the
United States only three have been killed
within sixty years and the accom- mpanying
picture, drawn from photograph, is the
first ever printed of the third of this re-
markable trio, which fell victim to a
hunters prowess near the Little Canada
Falls on the Penobscot River in Maine.
Elijah Lukens, who iourneyed all the way
from Wilmington, Ohio, for hunt up the
Maine woods, was the fortunate man who
shot and brought down the rarest animal
that has been seen in the Maine woods
within the memory of the Oldest guide, and
guides up in Maine live to very old age.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Dining in London.

Upon every hand great new dining-halls
are rising in London. Good places in
which to dine are not merely embellish-
ments or attractions of modern cities:
they are necessities; and the character of
them may fairly be taken as marking the
degree of civilization which any particu-
lar capital has attained. In this regard
Paris for long time led the world. 1t
was almost necessary to betake ones self
to the "Ville Lumiere' in order to find
table, outside the range of private
taste and magnifcence, where con-
noisseur of good food, delicately
dressed and washed down with
fine and suitable wines, might ''dine''-in
the loftier sense of that misused word. The
cuisine of Paris gave laws and methods
nay, even an established vocabulary of
the art of eating and drinking-to CRATE
full foreign world. which had. however, to
pay pretty roundly for illustrations of the
art. In the latter years the renown of
Paris has good deal diminished, or has,
at any rate. been successfully rivaled
elsewhere. In London even they begin
to know how to offer TO her vast public
good, wholesome and inexpensive dinners.
BY these we do not mean the splendid
banquets of city magnates, the choicest
menus of good clubs. or, best OF all, the
SUN ptuous boards which are from time
to time spreads in the houses of we'll
to-do London amphitryons. What a
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Working Up Fame's Ladder.

One day many years ago bright boy
found employment in a photograph gall
lery in Nashville, Tenn. His wages were
small, but he took good care of them, and
in the course of time he had saved up a
snug little sum of money. One day a
friend less thrifty than he, came to him
with long face and asked for loan of
money, offering a book as security. Al
though the other knew there was little
probability of his evar being paid, he
could not refuse the request
"Here is your money; keep your book,
and repay me when you can"
The grateful lad went away in such
haste that he left the book behind. The
kind youth with curiosity examined the
volume. 1t was work on astronomy by
Dick, and it so fascinated him that he sat
up all night studying it. He had never
seen anything which so filed him with
delight. He determined to learn all that
he could about the wonders of the heavens.
He began thenceforth to read everything
he could obtain relating to astronomy.
The next step was to buy small spy.
glass, and night after night he spent most
of the hours on the roof of his house,
studying the stars. He secured, second
hand, the tube of larger spyglass, into
which he fitted an eye-piece and sent to
Philadelphia for an object-glasS. By and
by he obtained a 5-inch glass, which as
you know, is an instrument of considera-
BILE size.
Meanwhile he worked faithfully in the
shop of the photographer, but his nights
brought him rare delight; for he never
wearied of tracing out the wonders and
marvels of the worlds around us. With
the aid Of his large spyglass he discovered
two comets before they were seen by any
of the professional astronomers, whose
superior instruments were continually
roaming the heavens in search OF the
celestial wanderers. This exploit, you
may well suppose, made the boy famous
ae was invited by the professors in Van.
derbilt University to go thither and see
what he could do with their 6-inch tele-
scope. In the course of the following four
years he discovered six comets.
He was next engaged by the Lick OBJ
servatory in California. With the aid oi
that magnificent 36inch refractinR
telescope, the largest ever made, he dis
covered eight comets, and last summer
astonished the world by discovering the
fifth satellite of Jupiter. He inverted a
new method of photographing the nebula
in the Milky Way, and has shown an
originality approaching genius in his WORK
in star photography.
Perhaps you have already guessed the
name of this famous astronomer, which is
Professor E. E. Barnard of the Lick
Observatory. and this is the story of how
he worked up.-Chicago Record.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Il R4RE COMPILATION OF IRISH BULLS.

One of the interesting compilations the
Handy Book of Literary Curosties by William Walsh,
published by j. B. Lppinco From this book is gathered the
collection of Irish bulls hereto appended:
my dear, in and bed said the wife of jolly
of Erin who had just returned from the fair decidedly
howcomey be dreadful tired with
your long walk Of six miles Arah with your non
Pa t wasn't the length of the at all that
fatigned me- twas the breadth of it."
Irshman who had married when about 10 OF
complaining OF the difficulties which his early marriage
subjected him. said: He would marry again
if he lived to be as ould as Methuseah."
An invalid after returning from trip said to
friend Oh, shure an it's done wurrud o. good goin
away I've back another altogether; in fact I'm
quite myself again"
An eccentric lawyer thus questioned client: $50
uncle Dennis OFlahery, had famyf" "None at all
Honor responded the client The lawyer made
dunn of the reply thus continued "And your father Pat
rick OFlaherty, did he have chick or childI
Two Irishmen working in quarry when of them
fell into deep quarry hoe The other alarmed the
margin Of hole called out Arrah Pat ye killed
inely? If yere Dead spake Pat reassured him from the
bottom by saying in answer mo, Tm Pm dead but I'm
spacheless"
domestic, newly engaged, presented his master
morning pair of boots the leg of of which
longer than the other.
How comes it that these boots of the length
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

shall each assume costume in keeping
with some period during the many CEN
turies of existence of this ancient me-
mortal to love and faith. One lady to
whom the suggestion of this party was
made stated that she thought it would be
very good plan to present tableau OF
Faith, Hope and Charity in this connec-
tion-faith in the stanes past, hope that
it might influence the people of to-day
who went through the ancient ceremony
to keep the faith that they pledged, and
charity for those unwise persons who pin
hope and faith to woman's word.
The fame of the stane is even spreading
into the country about Toronto, for there
has never been anything like it heard OF
before. To the Scottish-Americsn it is
almost like having bit of Edinboro town
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

for while by one the tongue gains power
to charm, by the other one is enabled to
win the charmer. There is nothing like
the stone in all the world. and it is con-
sidered matter of very great surprise
that the good folk of Sutherlandshire, the
original home of the stone, ever allowed it
to be taken from the place where it has
stood so long that centuries have grown
old and gray.
David Boyle, curator OF the Canadian
Museum, treasures the stone as he would
the apple of his eye. He is greatly en-
thused over the addition to the museum.
This is what he writes concerning it:
"To the Editor: What is probably the
oldest European stone relic in America,
not excepting even Cleopatra's Needle in
Central Park, is the Plighting Stane
o. Lairg,' now in the Ontario Archeologi-
cal Museum in Toronto. This ancient
memorial of the faith and superstition of
our ancestors Is supposed to date as far
back as the days of the Druids in Great
Britain. For centuries it was connected
with the life history of the people in the
north of Scotland, where it was regarded
as silent witness to the VOWS and pledges
of young and old in matters of love and
com mmerce.
Scottish marriage ceremonies have
always been characterized by simplicity,
and those brought about through the
Plighting Stane O. Lairg are regarded as
peculiarly sacred. Here the lovers met in
the first instance. merely to promise each
other faithfulness and on subsequent
occasion TO renew their VOWS and accept
each other for better or worse. Disgrace
eternal or even death was supposed to
follow the violation of such a pledge, and
so universal was the belief IN the virtues
of an oath or affirmation made through
this stane that it was resorted to by all
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Three Surprises Of Nature.
>e Biggest Jure Record SnowWhite Deer, and Trio
Of Pure White Crows.

little school in its own premises where
the cash-girls can obtain instructions one
or two hours every day, as also those older
ones whose early schooling has been
neglected. In one OF the large dry-goods
stores of Chicago day and night school is
maintained. with competent teachers and
all the modern accessories of a frst-class
schoolroom. where the employees of the
store are given free education. In Mil
waukee one of the greatest breweries con-
ducts a school, library and reading-room
for its employees, who are over 10000 in
number All three were esta blished, de-
spite the protests of those who said the
advantages would never be utilized and
all triumphed from the outset. The school
compares favorably with the best public
schools in the city. the reading-room is
well patronized and the library is en-
ployed to its full capacity.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

Think of a turtle more than a century
old. After it had reached that age the
thought that it was too old to fight would
be iustifable. Fact is a great enemy of
supposition, and the truth of the state
ment has just been proved off Cliff Island,
near the coast of Maine. John Pettingill
is the man to whom this remarkable ex-
perience fell, and it came very near cost
Ing him his life, for battle with sea
turtle weighing S62 pounds is something
that no man is anxious for, especially
when he is located IN trail dory and his
enemy is in its native element.
The story of this battle between fish and
man is thrilling enough by itself. This is
what Mr.. Pettingill told the writer:
ION the morning of October % pushed
out to pull in some lobster traps. After 1
had pulled in a few 1 saw a dark object
sculling along about thirty yards away
was standing up, pushing my dory along,
and so I rode near to what I had seen. I
managed to get quite close to the object,
and then saw that it was a turtle and a
big one too. At tirst did not know
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

and in the making of every kind of
bargain.
''Sales of land. exchanges of cattle, pur-
chases OF all sorts and agreements to per-
form military or domestic service were
ratified in the presence of witness at the
Plighting Stane. Nor did the practice
cease when better light dawned on the
people. Even the reformation did not
eradicate a belief in its virtues, and up to
very recent date it was the custom OF
the people to travel for many miles in or
der to avail themselves of the peculiar
sacredness that attached itself to promises
sanctifed by this medium.
SIT is on record traditionally that nu-
merous attempts have been made by eccle-
sisstical authorities to do away with the
superstitious belief, but in vain. Kirk
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Old Scotland's Lore and Love.
The Famous PGghtng Stone and the Mystic Story That Its
Eloquent Silence Tells.

a famous relic OF ancient lore and love
has just been placed in the Canadian
Institute Museum at Toronto. 1t is 'The
Plighting Stane o. Lairg." Its history
goes further back than any one can re-
memb Der, far beyond the time when records
were kept. 1t is known, however, to have
been used by the mystic Druids centuries
before Robert Bruce and his bold clan
made Scotland ring with their shouts and
the sound of battle. For it is Scottish
stane of course. It's name tells that.
1t is declared by those who know that
thousands of true Scottish hearts have
plighted troth through an orihce we'll
toward the top that was made by nature
more centuries ago than one likes to think
of. This remarkable Druidical relic would
be fit companion to the Blarney stone,
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

with whom he had formed casual ac-
quaintance as fellow-passenger.
The old gentleman essayed TO answer,
but the question had strangely affected
him.
81 beg your pardon" said the minister.
''if have thoughtlessly awakened in y our
mind recollections of painful nature.
The world is full of sorrow, sir, and per-
haps my question recalls to your memory
fair. beautiful girl, whose blossoming
young life had withsred in its bloom. Am
right, sir?"
''No, not exactly" replied the old gen
tleman, sadly; 81 have five unmarried
darters, mister, an the youngest of the lot
is % years old."-Spare Moments.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
ne most is that

~ rally don't sir what bothers the most is that
the pair downstairs in the same fix. -
An lrshman, having feet OF different Sizes ordered his
boots be made accordingly His directions obeyed but
he the smallest boot his largest foot he exclaimed
petuany Confound that feIlow ordered him make
larger than other and instead of that he has made
smaller than the other.'
That triumphant appeal Irish lover of antiquity
who arguing superiority of the old architecture the
new said, 'Where will you find any building that has
asted so long the ancientr'
Irish magistrate ceusuring boys for lettering in
the argued W everybody to stand in the street
how could anybody get by
An Irishman got his carriage railway stat
for refreshments the bell and the train left before he
had finished his repas Houd on erie Pat he like
madman after the "hould murhern old stame
injn you've passenger board that's left behind"
Dublin went to the chanders for farthing
CANDLE being told raised to hafpenny account
the Russian war; bad luck them, exclaimed land
do they fight by candeightP"
Irish lover remarks that it comfort to be alone
especially when yer swateheart is wild ye."
Hbernan gentleman told friend studying for the priest
hood 81 hope may live to hear preach funeral
mon Another expressed the grateful sentiment MAY
live that grave ply
sician said oaculary of murdered This
i'll that if he had not been murdered he would have died
half hour before"
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
CHRISTMAS TREASURES
Eugene Field.

count my treasures Ger with care
The little toy my darling knew,
A little sock of faded hue,
A little lock of GOLDEN hair.
Long years ago this holytime
My little one-my all to me
Sat robed in white upon my knee
And heard the merry Christmas chime.
TELL me, my little golden-head
II Santa Claus should come tonight
What shall he bring my baby bright
What treasure for my boy?" said.
And then he named this little toy,
While in his round and mournful eyes
There came look of sweet surprise
That spake his quiet, trustfui joy.
And as he lisped his evening prayer
He asked the boon with childish grace;
Then, toddling to the chin ney-place
He hung his little stocking there.
That night while lengthening shadows crep
saw the white winged angels come
With singing to our lowly home
And kiss my darling as he slept.
They must have heard his little prayer,
For in the morn with rapiurous face
He toddled to the chimney-place
And found this little treasure there.
They came again on Christmas-tide-
That angel host SO fair and whitei
And singing all that glorious night
They lured my darling from my side.
A little sock, little toy,
A little lock of golden hair,
The Christmas music on the air,
A-watching for my baby boyi
But if again that angel train
And golden head come back for me
To bear me to eternity
My watching will not be in vain.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

The approaching Christmas was under
discussion in a Bellefeld household.
"What would you like Santa Claus to
bring, little girl?" asked the papa of his
small daughter.
.I would like him to bring Christmas
sooner" replied the maiden. -Pittsburg
Chronicle Telegraph.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

Mrs, Sumatra-I do wish l could get
my husband to swear off smoking for
while.
Mrs. Stogie-Why don't you give him
box of cigars for Christmas 2-Phila,
delphia North American
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
The Minister'S Mistake.

"You have a daughter, have you not.
sir?" said minister to an old gentleman,
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Schools for Cash-Girls.

Following the lead of Chicago. New
York dry-goods house is about to start q
The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-06
NITRATE ZINC NoRrn pEap.

The Multi-Millionaire Expires Suddenly
 in His Office-Had Amassed Colossal
 Fortune from the Nitrate Beds of Peru
 Went to Peru as a Clerk.
 London, May 5.-The Central News
 announces that Colonel North, the nit
 rate king, died suddenly in his office in this city to-day.
 John Thomas North, known as the
 nitrate king, because he accumulated a fortune reckoned by millions of pounds sterling in the nitrate fields of Peru, was born on January 30, 1842, at Leeds, England, his father being coal mer- chant. At the age of fifteen the son was apprenticed to a firm of mill wrights and engineers, with which he remained until his twenty-third year, when he became a foreman in the Fow- Ter locomotive works at Leeds. At this time he married Jane Woodhead daughter of the conservative chairman of that city, who survives him. His fa- ther dying soon afterwards North made over to his mother the small fortune which he had inherited and, with his young wife, emigrated to South Ameri- ca. Upon his arrival in Chili he se- cured an engagement at CarriZal as en-
 gineer with railway company, at a time when speculation about the wealth of the undeveloped nitrate fields in Peru was rife.
 Leaving the service of the company at the end of six months, he went to Peru and began to deal in a small way | in nitrate He soon mastered the de- | tails of the business and erected works at Tarapaca, the chief town of a prov | ince containing vast deposits of nitrate soda. He built railways to transport | his nitrate to the coast and steamships | to carry it abroad. Wanting water to develop the fields he bought out the ! Africa Water company. In twenty years he controlled the nitrate output and had made colossal fortune. l Just before the war between Chilli
 and Peru broke out he returned to Eng l land with the design of starting com
 mercial enterprises at Pisagua, Iquique and other points on the west coast. Ev-
 erything turned to gold at his touch. | By one purchase of guano in Chili he
 made G500,O O00 After the war Colonel North went back to South America to manage the affairs of nineteen com | panies which he had established in England and Peru. At this time his | fortune was estimated at G20,000000. 1 The late Samuel l.. Marsden of New l Haven, well remembered as 0 much es- ] teemed citizen, was an acquaintance of l the late Colonel North, whom he met while he was on a trip to Leeds some years before his death. MT. Marsden's s
 brother was chief magistrate of the
 city of Leeds
The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-06
 FUNERAL OF ROBERT STZER.

The funeral services of Robert SiZer were held yesterday afternoon at 2:S0 at the home of the family, No. 96 Howe street There was a very large attend so many years one of the best known Odd Fellows of the city and state, and having been for some years past grand master of the Grand lodge and the Grand encampment of the state, and his connection with Odd Fellowship covering fifty-five years. The Rev. MT. Masden, pastor of the First M. F. church, of which deceased was one of the oldest members, officiated and made beautiful remarks appropriate to the long Christian life of the deceased. The pallbearers were: J. l.. Hunger ford, Moses Thomas, John l.. Thomp- son, George D. Stevens, w. G. Scobie, and Edward Peterson The flower bearers were Charles Bement, Edward R. Parry. The honorary bearers were: Grand Master D. R. filling, Past Grand Master w. H. Marigold of Bridgeport, Past Grand Master Leopold De Lew of Hartford, Past Grand Master George N. Moses, Frederick Botsford and Loren H. Stannard, all of this city, Grand Master filling and Past Grand Master Marigold conducted the funeral services at the grave, which were in Evergreen cemetery. Among the floral tributes were a large standing wreath from the Grand lodge, I. o. O. F., of the State, a broken column from New Haven Rebekah lodge. No 3, and a very large easel from the Crusaders of Quinnipiack lodge. There was also a beautiful floral piece from the clerks of the store of A. H. Sizer, son of the de- cased and an ivy wreath from the fam fly, Keller & Son were the funeral directors in charge.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-06
rlNn coMMIssIoNNNs NENr.

Invitation to Go to New Britain Accepted
 Permits Referred Resignation Ac-
 cepted.
 At meeting of the fire commission CTS last evening an invitation from the fire department of New Britain was &C., cepted to attend the trial of a new fire engine and an aerial ladder on Thurs day. Chief Kennedy and two of the commissioners will attend.
 The resignation of Substitute Wins low Clark was received and accepted
 The following petitions as to the building of frame additions were re- ferred to the committee on permits with power: S. J. Stowe, 76S State street; Charles Fleischner, 92O Grand avenue; Timothy Mccarthy, 14 Park street; G. Rockwell, s4s Grand avenue; c. Kier- nan, 9S St. John street; l.. Constazo, l9l Hamilton street 9'.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-06
ANOTHER STATE LEAGUE.

The Naugatuck Valley League Organized tion Nine--Opening Game Here With Torrington To-day.
 The Naugatuck Valley Baseball league, which is composed of tlie New ports, Ansonias, Sheltons, Torriugtons and Winsteds, will open the season to- day. The home team will play on the New Haven Athletic clubs grounds in Westville at 3:15 p. m. to-day with the Torringtons, a strong team, which de- feated the Hartford team, now playing in the Atlantic league, a short time before the league season was opened.
 Each of the clubs composing the Nau- gatuck Valley league has been organ ized for several years and all are good teams.
 F. R. Greist of the Greist Manufact- uring company is at the head of the New Haven Athletic association team dlQ was LOT IWO years lH6 lSdQlnR SDIr- 1t in the Edgewood team. The players for the New Haven team include Rob- ert Cameron, George Bone. Joseph Me Hugh, Phil Lautenbach, Tom Madden, Bennett Farnham and Frank Beechar of this city and Omar Platt of Milford and George Lauder of South Norwalh
 All of these are good players, and cannot fail to put up good article of ball.
 The Bridgeport team will be managed by the veteran League player, James H. O'Rourke, whose nine, the Victors, played a fine series for the state cham pionship with the Edgewoods here last year.
 The Ansonias will be managed by B. W. Porter, president of the Derby Street Railway company and also pres ident of the league. This nine will in- clude in its membership Maurice Bren- nan, who has caught for the Edgewoods for two years.
 The managers of the Sheltons, Win steds and Torringtons are respectively Thomas Houlihan, T. M. Burns and Eugene Callahan. all of whom have been at the head of their teams for two years.