davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13
Fatally Injured in Cog Gear.

BATH. Me-. June s-Martin Cunningham.
II, son OF Ezra A. Cunningham, was fatally
injured at Bath iron works. where he was
employed. He was drawn into the cog gear
oil plate punching machine. terribly mu-
tilating both arms and fracturing his skull.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13

STOCKHOLM. Sweden. June G-The ex-
pedition of VI. Andree. who proposes to at
tempt to reach the north pole by balloon,
will sail tomorrow from Gothenburg, for
Spitzbergen. from which place the expedi-
tlon will proceed in the balloon.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13
Riu LOSS In NeW RcifniIl.

HARTFORD. Ct, June G-lhe most de-
structive fire in New Britain in many years
started in Booths block ut about thrc
o'clock this morning. In two hours it d,'.
stroyed property valued ut $4,000. Tn,
block was owned iy Horace Booth aud Wa
.he finest ia the city.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13
Old Soldier Dead.

GARDNER. Mass. June l0-Samuel ~
Laws one Of the Oldest and best known
residents of the town. died at hi, home GA
West Broadway. a-ri =. When th- wur
broke out l,' enlisted in to. q. 2ist Massu
ciusttls, IL musician.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13
Balcony Crowded With People Fell.

OTTAWA. Kan. June 10-A balcony,
crowded with people watching a circus pa
rade, gave way. precipitating 80 or 60 pco-
pie 30 feet to the crowded sidewalk. Several
persons are thought to be fatally injured,
while 20 others are seriously injured. Many
received slight injuries.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13

HARTFORD. Ct, June 1O--,Iudge Bill
fined William DUNCAN $50 and sent him to
Jail for six months for attempting to kiss
Mrs NJ &, Taylor.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13

he took his seat in the United States Senate.
subsequently prcsidxnt Arthur made him
secretary Of the interior. in which capacity
he served until March. 1885. Since that time
he has been twice returned to the Senate.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13

CONCORD, y. H.. June SIN the suprem,
court lust before adjournment. the hehrihG
an the DR.. Moore case was again po stponeo
from June 29 to July D.
The herald., 1896-08-16
JOHN UNDERSTOOD HER.

A member of the Foy Company, who Is
q graduate of Vassar, went up into Chi
natoWn to purchase some curios while
the company was in San Francisco. A
particularly ugly young Chinese was sit
ting on little stool behind the counter
in a dark and dirty little shop that the
young lady entered TO buy some punks.
AS the Chinese was wrapping them up
the young woman turned to her compan-
ion and said in Latin:
isn't he a beauty?"
'rhanks. I'm glad you think so," re-
piled the Chinese in English, without
Changing.
Did he understand that?" she asked
in French.
"Perfectly," said the Chinese.
The young lady smiled very sweetly
and asked:
"Were you ever back East. johns"
"Oh, yes; was in New York four
years." he replied.
''Dd Ysu live on Mott street?"
"Oh, at. l lived at the Continental
while x Vas taking the classical course
at CoIhltia. Fr"~"w''1 i'uss.
The herald., 1896-08-16
DECORATION WORTHILY BE-
SLOWED.

Given by the Queen to Captain Who
Would Not Desert Wounded Sea-
man.
The queen has conferred the decoration
Of the Albert medal of the first-class on
William John Nutman, late master Of
the steamer Aidar of Liverpool. The fol-
lowing is an account of the services in
respect of which the decoration has been
offered: At . a. M. on Jan. 49, while
the steamer Staffordshire of Liverpool
was on voyage from MarseilIes to Port
Said, signals Of distress were observed
TO be proceeding from the siaal,ar Aidar
also of Liverpool. and the .staffordshire
Immediately proceeded TO her assistance.
AS the Aidar was found to be sinking
fast, three of the tSaffordshire's life
boats were at once launched, and, with
great difficulty, owing to the darkness
and the heavy sea, succeeded in rescuing
her passengers and crew, twenty in
number. At 6:10 a. m. the only persons
left on the Aidar were Mr.. Nutman 0he
master) and an injured and helpless fire
man whom he was endeavoring to save,
and whom he absolutely refused to aban-
don. The steamer was now rapidly set
tlng down, and as it was no longer safe
to remain near her the officers in charge
of the rescuing boat asked Mr.. Nutman
for final answer. He still persisted in
remaining with the injured man, choos-
ing rather to face almost certain death
than to leave him to his fate. The men
in the boat were obliged TO pull away,
and Immediately afterward, at 6:17 a.
! m., the Aidar gave one or two lurches
and foundered After she disappeared
| Mr.. Nntman was seen on the bottom of
an upturned boat, still holding the fire
man. Half an hour elapsed before the
rescuing boat could approach, but even
tually Mr.. Nntman and the fireman were
I picked up and taken on board the Staf-
| fordshire, where the injured man was
with difficulty restored by the ships sur
| geOn.
The herald., 1896-08-16
THE OLD TEACHER.

She is about to be retired and she Is sor-
~. AS she says so she looks kindly at
the little children in her class and they,
hearing the words, yet scarcely COM
pretending them, look sorrowful, also.
Younger teachers may come with new
methods, but it Is doubtful whether the
children will learn faster. 1t is certain
they will not like school any the better.
They will miss the kind old face, the gen.
tie voice, the quiet step. They respect
her as they would their grandmother and
one fancies that, like the grandmother, she
has store of cakes and candies for the
very little ones who may have heart
breaking sorrows such as only little chill
dren know. She wears her hair oddly,
as she wore it thirty years ago, when
her shoulders were not bent nor her face
wrinkled. The children will think of her
when years hence they see pictures o6
dress and fashion at the time of ths
war. She does not rean the Sunday pa
pers. so she will nor see what Is here
written OF her. but as she enters upon a
term of well earned rest she carries with
her the respect of all those who have
known her. Content to fill little place
in the history of our great city, this last
lesson of patient work and unfeigned re-
gret at dropping a routine which seems
to many younger women a dull round Of
thankless toll, is fitting seal to her Ia
bors.
The herald., 1896-08-16

hair. The dust was powdered thick on her
little tan shoes. Her pretty hands had been
torn and scratched by the brambles. Her
| face was white and her lips almost color
less. She smiled when she saw me. and
called me by my name.
"Wilmay," said, poor little Wilmay! I
am glad have found you"
81 was coming back she said.
"You very nearly frightened u.s."
Eyes, l have been thinking about that
( would not have been away so long, only
/ wanted to get quite quiet again. That Is
why | came here, where there isn't any
body | will be good now."
Its all right. dear. l didn't mean to
find fault with you. It's all right now that
we have got you back again. Aren't you
very tired?"
mot very. slept for little time. un-
til the sun on my eyes woke me. Then
got these" She held out the roses.
They are lovely" said.
She put them in my hand. 'I want you
to give them to my father with my DEAR
est love. l shall not see him any more,
not any more now" Her voice was visit
full and sad, but quite steady. / think she
had made up her mind not to cry any more
that she thought it might distress us to
see her crying.
The herald., 1896-08-16
HE PREFERS DARK MEAT.
A Horribly Hungry Alligator on tn

A Horribly Hungry Alligator on the
Brazos River Devours Negro Baby.
At this season of the year the banks Of
the Brazos river and bayous are lined
with negroes, whenever 1t is too wet to
work in the cotton fields. Notwithstand-
ing the fact that a plantation negro is as
much afraid of an alligator as of his Sa-
tanic majesty, he will venture close to
the waters edge when there Is posi-.
bility of catching fish.
A dozen men from the Hallam cotton
plantation near Hidalgo Falls had what
they call an experience" few days
ago that doubtless will make them more
careful with their babies, at least when
they are in pursuit of fish. They We're
fishing in the BraZos and having such n
run of good luck that the women decid-
ed to take a hand in 1t. The children
followed them TO the river. and one old
colored NANNY laid her lwo-weeks-old
son. who bore the patriotic name of
George Washington, under the shade of a
live oak tree near the waters edge, and
went off for bait. In. a few moments
| she was startled by the screams of her
| child, and, turning back, saw big bull
| alligator at least ten feet long plunge in
| TO the Shiny waters of the Brazos with
| George Washington between his jaws.
She shouted for help and the rest of the
darkies hurried to the spot, but nothing
| could be done. The alligator had begun to
| dine off the baby's flesh.
Alligators are said to resemble tigers
in the one trait that when they have
once tasted human flesh they are ever
after on the alert for just such diet. An
old negro fisherman had disappeared
from the banks of the river at this same
place last summer, and the Hallam plan
tation darkies are now sure that he was
devoured by this same alligator. The cat
| fish Of Hidalgo Falls will have n peace
full summer as far as the negroes are
concerned, though it is said that white
boys may frolic in the water with per-
feet impunity and that it is only darkey
flesh that the alligators like
The herald., 1896-08-16

One. which had already occurred to me.
was that Wilmay should 60 to live with my
lister, Mrs. Enterland. He also suggested
that, though 1t might become necessary
now to put restrictions on her in some
ways, she should still be allowed to work
out her own education just as she liked.
In concluding he gave me little-a very
nttle-information. His wife's maiden
name had been Wilmay Portland. She had
died very soon after her daughters birth.
She was the best woman in the world"
he wrote simply. "and, think, one of the
most beautiful. l had no opportunity to get
her portrait painted, and we both disliked
photographs. That has not mattered. for
have always remembered her, and as the
younger Wilmay grows up think you will
be able to see what her mother was like"
He went on to say that after his death he
believed that Wilmay would have no other
relation living. though there might possi-
bly, be cne-her mothers brother. This
mans name was Charles Portland. Before
l arrived on the scene, am afraid he was
in far from comfortable circumstances.
He had already spent his own small capi-
tai and the greater part OF his sisters. He
was still getting money from her, from
time to time. in order that he might In flu
to-. Is lie phrased Il, adopt quite differ
The herald., 1896-08-16
LARGE AND SMALL BOOKS,

Near the city of Mandalay, Burmab. is 70
be found the largest book in the world, the
famous Kuth Daw. 1t consists Of 729 parts.
in the shape of white marble plates. Each
plate is protected by temple of bricks.
This enormous volume Is written in Pail
and contains 275,250 stanzas. These STAN
zas form the religious code of the Buddhists.
The kuth Daw is not an ancient production.
Buddhistic piety prompted its preparation
in this century. 1t was made by command
of Mindomin. one Of the last kings Of Bur-
mah In marked contrast with the Kuth
Daw is Konversationlexcon, published in
Berlin, which is the smallest book in the
world. The volume is less than half cubic
inch In bulk, although 1t contains 175,000
words. A microscope especially prepared
for the purpose is necessary to enable read
er to peruse this midget of book.
The herald., 1896-08-16

he lamp, drew up my chair, lit my pipe and
began to open and read them. There was
a terrible quiet in the house, almost as il
the inanimate house knew that a dead man
was lying there. SO much did this idea
impress me that the rustlng of the papers,
| or the noise made by the shifting of my
chair seemed to me like profanity. One
| gets into a nervous imaginative state when
| one is emotionally worn out, and then sits
| up late at night.
All the time that l was reading, 1 was
also listening intently. If the branches Of
| the trees outside moved in the light wind,
! the sound seemed changed to Wilmay's
voice and looked up from the papers. At
any moment I was ready to hear her step
on the gravel outside, to open the window,
and call to her. But she never came-the
| long hours wore on, tediously long, until
| the dawn came and outside in the garden
| the whispered chrpings of the birds broke
| into full song in the sunlight
Amongst the papers there was a copy of
| his will, the will itself being In the charge
| of his solicitors. l knew that he had ar
| ranged for his solicitors to act as his exec
utors, because he had often referred to this
81 may" he used to say, "have bored peo-
1 PIE uuIIHB my Uie-llIue. Will 20 luTlGer
| and say that when I have got on to any Of
| my hobbies, such as precious stones, OF
emendations in the Agaememnon, or horse
breaking"-and this by no means exhaust
| ed the list of his special subjects-'I must
| have bored people In fact, I've seen them
| get restless. and smile, and try to look in
| telligent, and have known that was boring
! them and yet been unable to stop it. But
don't mean to go on boring posthumously.
| don't mean to go on boring posthumously.
| badly for nothing what man of business
| can be paid to do we'll" | did not even
| glance over the will that night. / am not
| precisely a sentimentalist, but 1 was in no
| hurry to find out what money the dead man
| had, or what he had done with it.
| There was a long letter, addressed to me-
| and dated only couple of months before
| 1t began by referring to the uncertainty Of
| life, 'even for man living as quietly
| carefully, and unexcitngly as myself" 1t
| went on with his request that l would be
| Wilmay's guardian, and here when would
| have welcomed the most minute and elab-
orate directions he gave none or next to
f! none. There were only few suggestions.
The herald., 1896-08-16

We walked few steps further, and I
was just going to tell her that had the
doctor with me. when she said:
1--WE suddenly got tired, Edward. VIII
you-help me a little?"
l caught her in my arms, as she tainted,
and put her down on the grass by the
path. In a minute had the doctor by her
side He had come prepared for this emer-
gency and he soon revived her. When her
eyes opened again, she seemed surprised to
see him.
Il though it was Edward" she said.
1T was-I am here too.'
I'm so sorry-but l can walk again
now"
We would not let Ter Wa, .Al l carried
her the rest Of the way.
Before midday Bertha arrived and I was
never more glad to see her. She had given
up host of social engagements, and was
prepared to give up any number more for
Wlmay's sake. 1t was the greatest sacri-
| fee that could have been demanded of her,
and she made it most willingly. She heard
from me. and heard with composure, of
| Philips death, but she could not bear to
| hear how Wilmay had gone away to the
plantation where there isn't anybody"
and how had found her. She stopped me,
and said that crying woman would be Of
no good in the house and she would hear
| the rest some other time. She spent most
of her time that day with Wilmay, and
two days afterwards gave up the rest of the
London season and took Wilmay away to
the sea. Wilmay was quite willing to go
she had grown very fond of Bertha.
They spent the whole of that winter
abroad together, and l was with them some
part of the time. Youth is recuperative-
one blow may take away its strength and
spirit and gladness for a time, but youth
will have them all back. Wilmay became
| the old Wilrnay again, saw life with her
blue eyes as bright as BEFORE rode her
pony learned to swim and to fence, and
chattered the prettiest French without ever
learning it at all.
"She is at the awkward age" said Ber-
| tha some time afterwards to me, "but with
the awkwardness left out In a few years.
time l shall have to begin to think"
Bertha paused. "a beauty, four thousand
a year, and the sweetest nature in the
| world. She ought to do very well.''
There's a splendid auctioneer lost in
you," | said.
| Bertha said that that was merely rude.
well" 1 said, "at any rate wait until
! the time comes"
"Of course l never breathe word to her
about Tiny lord the guardian"
II should think not. And when the time
comes, remember that Wilmay has not an
atom of wordliness in her nature
Nor have T. retorted Bertha, "only a
| title common sense"
"You can call it what you like, but
| won't have her-when the time does come
forced into anything, however brilliant" ="
J "You don't understand these things" said
| said my sister, with sigh OF resignation,
| "but as the child's not yet sixteen, you
needn't begin to trouble your guardiansh
! mind just YETI
| On Wilmay's sixteenth birthday she,
/ Bertha and myself dined together at Ber-
tha's house There was no one else there.
We had dined together in that way many a
| time before, but this evening-this even
| De for the first time-it was different.
TO be Continued)
The herald., 1896-08-16
OLD ROMAN ROADS INTACT.
Constructed Centuries Ago They Are
Still In Excellent Condition.

Constructed Centuries Ago They Are
Still In Excellent Condition.
The Roman road was built for etcr-
nifty. When the roadbed had been pre-
pared by excavation 1t was carefully
refilled, regardless Of expense, .wlth law
ers of sand, stones and cement. The
surface was SO solldly dressed that the
wear and tear was reduced to a mini
mum. Investigations with regard to the
preparation of the roadbeds were made
years ago by Bergler on Roman roads
that are still in use in France, and with
the following results: In one road the
excavation down to hardpan was three
rect deep. This trench was filled uu
first with layer Of sand and cement an
inch thick; then came foot layer of
hattlsh stones and cement; then a foot
layer Of small Travelled stones and CO.
ment. These last two layers were so
hard and firmly knit together that tools
could break off fragments only with
great difficulty. The next layer consist.
ed OF foot OF cement and sand, covered
with top dressing Of gravel. In a"-
other road in France the foot lay er OF
cement and sand changed places with
the layer OF cement and travelled stones.
"A third road in France was examined
at point where 1t had been raised
twenty feet above the level of the sur
rounding country, and vertical section
revealed a structure Of five layers. First
came the great fill Of sixteen and half
feet; on top of this fill they placed first
a foot layer Of fiattsh stones with out
mortar of any kind, then. a half foot
layer Of firmly packed dirt, then q half
foot layer of small gravel In hard ce,
ment, and lastly, half foot layer Of
cement and a large gravel.
Paved roads were exceptional. An ex-
ample of paved roads is the Via Appia,
whose pavement consists Of hard kind
of stone, such as is used for millstones.
The stones of this pavement are carefully
hewn and fitted together so precisely
that the road often appears to be solid
rock, and has proved to be so indestruc-
tible that after 1000 years of continuous
use it is still a magnificent road. Ordi-
narly, however, the top dressing of the
road consisted of gravel and hard ce-
ment The width of the military road
was usually sixty feet, the raised center
being twenty feet WIDE with side tracks
each of the width of twenty feet. In
some roads the raised center was paved,
while the side tracks were dressed with
gravel and cement.
The viae priyatae and the feeders of
the military roads were usually dirt
roads. III pr we much narrower than
the n'litaly r"sds: sometimes they had
a width Cf -i'y 'cn feet. and, indeed, the
feeders Of The Via .Appia were only two
feet wide, but paved The width Of the
Roman roads, all told, varied, therefore,
from two to 12O feet
The herald., 1896-08-16

stiffness I only heard a watch ticking as
if 1t had gone mad, seeming now to grow
louder and now fainter, sometimes to stop
for a second and then to hurry on again.
philip l said
He made no sign that he had heard me.
I stepped softly to the door and opened it.
The doctor. the nurse, and Mrs. Biayd
were waiting outside. The doctor and
nurse went into the room now, and walt
ed with Mrs. Blayd. She was hard
featured woman, woman with an immo-
bile face that gave no token of her feelings.
l asked her how Wilmay was.
"She is lying down now, sir. She does
not speak and she seems worn out. The
rest will do her good, I hope"
Il hope So
The door opened and the doctor came out,
closing the door behind him. ut is all
over" he said. His look of relief was un-
disguised. "Can you see me in the library
in few minutes, Mr.. Derrimer?" he asked.
Certainly" said. 81 will wait for you
there" The doctor went back into the
room. and l turned to Mrs. Blayd. "Shall
l. l began.
81 think" she said, "rnat it would be
pctter IL lOlu w llTlay. AHu-tueTe are
other little things to be lonesome orders
l could see after all that for you.''
1 thanked her.
"And would you tell Wilmay that l will
come up and see her. if she would like it?"
eyes. sir, l will tell her. But I do not
think she would wish to see anybody at
all just now. Shall l press her to"
mo, no. 1t must be just as she likes. But
The herald., 1896-08-16
BAsELY DECEIVED.
He Had Trusted in the Weather Office

He Had Trusted in the Weather Oficc
and 1t Had Gone Back on Him.
1t was one of the hottest days that
usurped the privileges Of balmy spring.
The sun beat down until mist of heat
came from the stone walks and the brick
walls. Towards a furnishing store a fat
man, among Detroit's best known citi-
zens, made his weary way. In one hand
he used two handkerchIefs as mop,
while with the other he kept.up the busy
action Of palm-leaf fan. Perspiration
ran in merry rivulets down his shining
face, to be absorbed Ia the wilted collar
and collapsed shirt front that were i'm
maculate an hour before. He was pant
ing with the respiratory unction of a
porboise and at intervals muttered exc
crations that Missed with steam. His
hair looked as though he had been SWIM
ming and his nose was beaded with glis-
tening drops.
"Show me a straw hatw ordered the
man of flesh as he settled down on the
little round seat that ut once suggested
the frail stem of a great toadstool.
Looks like rain" ventured the clerk,
who is always under orders to be pleas
ant.
Don't look a bit Ike rain. Weather
forecast is for dry spell. This one
will do. Now, I'll get some ple-plant
leaves and put in 1t. Don't propose to
have my brain baked"
An hour later he was on the wooded
part OF the island, handkerchief and fan
still in commission. Suddenly, as If the
heavens had opened, he was deluged with
rain. The muciage from the hat ming
led with the extracted green of the big
leaf, poured down over his head, neck and
face blinded his eyes, filed his ears and
streamed over his natty light suit He
swore outrageously as he groped his way
TO the landing and by his hopelessly be-
draggled appearance excited the passen-
gers to say that the poor fellow must
have been drinking to cool Off and then
went in bathing without thinking to take
anything off. He was a study in water
colors that might have been mixed by
nature in frog pond. Now he is going
around with blank check trying to hire
some big lawyer to sue the government
for damages because it made false rep
reservations through its weather depart
ment. Detroit Free Press.
The herald., 1896-08-16
TESTS OF EYES AND EARS.

Tests of the eyes of the children in
the Utica schools, made by the teachers
under the direction Of an oculist, showed
that over one-sixth have defects Of WIS.,
ion. Some extreme defects were dis
covered. Children were found who were
practically blind in one eye, and who, SO
far as known, had never supposed there
was any difficulty. In many cases par
ents were advised to seek the adrc" 1T
an occulist. TESTS Were also rroe MS 70
the sense of hearirg. n practical result
of this physical examination Is q rear
rangement of the sitting of the children
in the schoolrooms, those with the defec-
tive vision cr herring being given the
most advantageous positions. :