davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Unusual facilities for matrimcny are offered at Americus, Ga. Justice Graham, while walking on the street one evening, was approached by ne- gro man and woman who asked to be united, and he joined them in the sol emn bonds then and there.
 "A gray wolf was killed recently at Cave Hills. Wyo. The creature is said to have measured five feet eight inches from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail, and was 34 inches high. From the point of the nose to the top of the head was 12 inches, and the hide and head bone weighed 20 pounds.
 --One kind of wasp found in Brazil and Guiana makes it's nest of bril- liant white pasteboard, saspending it from the highest branches of the trees, so as to escape the attention of the monkeys, which, in those regions. have troublesome habit of Investigating everything, even 2 hornets nest.
 "A Georgia man who lives in Cochran catches alligators in a novel way. He ties q rope around his foot and lets a 1nan stand on the bank and hold the rope while he goes down into the 'ga- tors hole and catches one by the tail. When he gets his hold he gives a kick and the man on the bank pulls him up and he pulls the gator up.
 The largest permanent store of coined money in the world is in the imperial war treasury of Germany--a portion saved for emergencies from the { e200,000,000 paid by France after the Fmnco-Prussian war, and locked up in the Julius tower of the fortress of Spandau. It amounts to the value of $30,0O0,000.
 --England's five new battle ships, the contracts for which were recently given out, are to be called after famous old war ships: The Canopus and Goliath, which fought with Nelson at the Nile; the Ocean, Collingwood's flagship in the Mediterranean; the Glory, which shared in Lord Howe's victory, and the Albin, which fought at Algiers and at Navari- no.-Military Gazette.
 Cincinnati has consolidated her street car lines and claims that she is going to have the finest street rail- way system in the world. The company will be required to make improvements which will cost $2.500,000 during the next IS months. The revenue to the city from the company will be $1T5,000 year. All night ears, free transfers, illuminated signs, lower steps and other improvements are guaranteed. The list of routes occupies 2h pages in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
COOKING AND EATING.
Not Every Man Knows How to Do
 Properly.

IrOpefiy.
 At one time, some 200 or 300 years ago, Italy held the palm for cookery. and the French mocked at what Mon- taigne termed le science de guelle. Then came other days, when masters of the art, such as Bechameil maitre d'hotel of Louis the Magnificent, and Vatei. the famous steward of the prince de condo, ruled over the aesthetics of the dinner table, and when great ladies. even princesses of the royal blood. and mattresses en itre, thought it no in- dignity to direct the course of a dish or to themselves prepare it. The prin- cess of Soubise invented the puree d'oignoDs that is even now called after her. The princess of Conte gave her name to particular mode of serving breast of mutton; the duchess of Mailly, wing with her, to a special way of dressing a leg of the same yiand. The gentle Louise de la Valliere was great adept in all culinary lore, and Mime. de Maintenon, femme sarante as she was, would herself prepare les cot elettes en papillote for the delectation
 
 was she when Louis XIV. showed a predilection for carre du mouton ? la Conte, that she called in Pere Lachaise. who in his turn invoked the aid of an other priest, with the triumphant re- suit that Canard au Pere DouiIlet is known historically as having been the dish that weaned the too susceptible monarch from the pitfalls of the prin- cess, and fixed him in the paths of vir- tue by the side of the Widow Scarron.
 With all due respect to Mgr. Savarin. it is not every man of sense whc knows how tc eat. Witness the first Napoleon and the great Carlyle, men who swal- lowed their food in great gulps, ruin- ing alike their health and, which is synonymous with health, their tenn pers also. Everyone is not like MT. Gladstone, who lays it down as an axiom and acts upon it, too, that food should be turned over in the mouth at least 20 or 30 times before it is finally swallowed, so do not deceive yourselves. The most important hour that day has in store for you, the axle on which all else turns, health, business, wealth, happiness, is that hour which is ushered in by what Byron calls ''the tocsin of the soul" that is the dinner bell. It is time for which to prepare ourselves with solemnity beftting such grave occasion, and is not to be rushed into lightly, as if it were of title or no moment. Otherwise, how has ii arisen that the favored ones of the etarth habitually cast off the garments of toll, the coat of varied, and unmen- tionable garments of unvaried form, and attire themselves de rigueur when ever it is the question of dinner Lon don Chat.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
Common Sense.

In the midst of a stormy discussion a gentleman rose to settle the matter in dispute. Waving his hand majestic ally, he began:
 "Gentlemen, all want is common sense."
 Exactly" interrupted another; ''that is precisely what you do want"
 But Sir Edward Clarke's retort in the Jameson trial is still more to the purpose. The attorney-general had ar gued against Sir Edward Clarke's points as being contrary to common sense.
 Sir Edward objected:
 "Then you think" said the lord chief justice, dryly, "that common sense has nothing to do with legal point?"
 .No,' replied Sir Edward, with that quickness and felicity which never fails him. "I am only of Archbishop What eley's opinion, who said that common sense is an authority to which everyone appeals on any subject he does not fully understand" - London Household Words.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
ANTARCTIC POSSIBILITIES.
Borchgrevink Dreams of a Future for
 Commerce in the Ice Land.


 Borchgrevink Dreams of Future for Commerce in the Ice Land. The recent Antarctic expedition wasa commercial one, and commercially it was failure, because we did net find the right whale so valuable for its whalebone. The Antarctic was fitted out for the hunt of that peculiar kind of whale. Nevertheless, lave no doubt that the commercial results of the expe- dition would have been much better had we worked under more favorable auspices.
 do not by any means consider the fact of our not having met with the light whale in these seas as conclusive proof of their non-existence in the bay at Victoria Land. The Antarctic found the right whales at Campbell island in the winter time, the boats fastened to five of them, of which, however, only one was caught. Now to me it does not seem improbable that these whales go south to the bay at Victoria land, where Rose saw them in the summer, and re- turn north in the winter. It would seem incredible that a man of Sir James Roses standing, supportsd as he was by the able scientists and experienced whalers, should have made q grave error when he said this valuable whale was to be found in large numbers in those attitudes.
 The difference in the appearance of the blue whale, as we found it there, and the right whale in the method of spouting is so striking that even the most casual observer could not easily be deceived. Very possibly, had we penetrated further into the large, open bay, discovered by Ross III the vicinity of the volcano peaks, Ercbus and Ter TOT, we, too, would have found the right whale in great numbers. We saw many blue whales, but had not the appliances to take them.
 As I remarked at the international geographical congress. we found few seals. They increased in number. how ever, in number as we worked east ward; they seemed afraid of the land- All the seals that we met on the shore showed much uneasiness and speedily made for the water, fact which strengthened my belief in the exist ence in large enemy of the seal on the continent. I do not doubt that the seals congregate together in large num- bers at some places on the bay.
 I consider the guano beds which We discovered of great commercial impor- tance, and they ought to be well worth the attention of enterprising business men. The specimen which brought lack with me contains large percent age of ammonia.
 Furthermore, from the analysis of tie specimen of rock which brought hack with he. the possible and probable presence of valuable minerals on the continent is proved, although the lava and volcanic extent of the coast line do not speak fnyorahly for the pres ence of heavy metals near the surface Century.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY.
The Finest Library Building Ever
 Erected.


 Erected.
 The library is noble, imposing, mon- umental structure, by far the finest building in the national capital, in many respects the finest public build ing on the continent, and, in the opinion of those we'll qualified to judge, the finest library building in the world. That building of it's size, solidity, thorough construction and elaborate and artistic establishment should be completed ready for occupancy for less than $7,00O,0oo is a matter for national congratulation. Not only will it be completed for less than the original es- innate, but within the time limit set nearly nine years ago. It is, therefore, both monument of good taste in archi- lecture and the decorative arts and a testimonial to the ability of the gov ernment, acting through it's regular of fcials, to plan and direct great public works, to finish them within the time originally fixed and to keep within original estimates of cost-and these are no slight gains.
 The building is, of course, fireproof. Little that will burn has been used in it's construction. The exterioc walls are of gray granite. The interior or court walls are of creamy white glazed brick. The framework of the roofs and ceiling of the dome surmouuting the rotunda is of iron and steel. Fire proof material has been used between the iron girders in all floors, and the partition walls are of brick. Floors and wainscoting, stairways and balus- trades are nearly all of marble, and there is good authority for the claim that more of this material has been used in the building than there is ;n any other building in the world. With the exception of the colored marble in the rotunda it is nearly all American marble.
 The library at present contains over 750,000 bound volumes, besides 220,00O pamphlets. The three book stacks now completed, together with the alcoves immediately adjoining the central read ing-room, will hold 1,16s,0oo volumes, which will provide for the growth of the library for Is years, at the present rate of increase, about 30,000 volumes a year. The unassigned rooms will hold 1,047,O00 volumes, which will provide for all additions for 50 years. For the growth after that date the main rooms of the first and second stories of the north, east and south sides will bold, on the stack and alcove systems of storage, 1,322, ,000 volumes, increasing the total capacity to 3,537, ,000 volumes, which will be sufficient for about 90 years frop' this date. The capacity can be still further increased by 100000 volumes by the building of one-story stacks ip the interior courtyards, without in the least interfering with the light in the second and third stories and only slight ly obstructing the light in a few in. terior corridors of the first or base ment floor. Unless the additions shall be more numerous than is now expected the new building will, therefore. prove ample for the needs of the library for 125 years, its total capacity being about 4,000,0 ,0OO volumes.-E. A. Hampstead, in Chautauquan.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

-WorlSmen putting in telephone at Springfield, Mo-, accidentally made a connection with the fire-alarm wires, and when they tested the instrument the department was called out and the firemen were unable to tell what the trouble was
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
Aid to the Anpetita.

ii your appetite is poor these hot pornings eat the sweet Spanish peppers 'pped in a little salt, as you would Pdishes. The seeds should first be re- |oved, as they are sometimes too pun ent for the average American palate. nese mild peppers are now raised in Feat abundance in New Jersey and on Png island. The more familiar you be- me with this tropical fruit the better Ph be your health. Chicago Tribune.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07
A Chance of Proving Tt.

q wouldn't mind helping you if 1 thought there was anything in you.'
 'Jes' you gimme the dime, mister, an see how quick there'll be sumthin' .n me."-Indianapelis Journal.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

Louis II. stuttered horribly, and when little excited or angry could not speak at all.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

-Ope newspaper for each of her birthdays is the odd collection which young woman of Hiawatha, Mo, owns.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

The game of checkers has beer played in Egypt since about 2.0oo 5. c
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

(-At Hood River. Ore, strawberrles Eiaed one grower this past season a
 |oht of $2os-79 on patch of 96 square s's' or at the rate of nearly S4o0 an
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

In ancient games of dice three were invariably employed.
The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-07

F,conrad H., emperor of Germany,
 T SIX fingers on his right hard.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13

The other day a gentleman who is at
the head of 4 firm that makes locomo-
tives got off a train at the station and
walked forward to the splendid engine
that, had pulled the express over the
country to New York at flying rate of
speed. He spoke to the engineer, ex-
planning who he was, and the two talk.
ed about her. as they called the great
mass Of steel and iron, as if it were a
human being. They were both proud of
her, the engineer claiming there wasn't
another like her ON the rails.
II don't say that" the locomotive
manufacturer said to a friend as they
walked away, 'but it is true that an
other locomotive built ON the same
model by the Same workmen with the
Same materials will not do the same
work. There's hitch somewhere be-
yond our understanding which makes
a difference in the hauling power :"
Which is curious when you think of it
and makes the engine seem almost hu-
man.-New York Times
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
How Much Do Dogs Know:

This is rather difficult question to
answer. A dog about 3 years old is no
doubt wiser far than child double that
age. At dog is i'll his zenith, and
can be taught but little more, but by
this time, although he cannot speak, ex-
cept il kind of dumb language, he
knows everything that is said about him
that is, if he has been the constant
companion Of kind master and mis-
tress. We are too loath to admit that a
dog can understand quite deal that is
spoken, especially if it concerns himself.
I am sure that, like myself, many Of
my readers could send me anecdotes in
proof of this. The following is sent me
by lady. 1t is worth reading:
My husband had at one time q very
fine collie. which seemed to understand
conversation perfectly. On one occasion
he told his housekeeper that he was 60
ing to ride next day to his father place,
80 miles away, and, turning to his dog,
said, You will stay at home Next
morning tho dog was not to be seen, and
when his master arrived at his destina-
ton the dog had got there first, and was
peacefully resting under table. The
strangest thing was that the dog was
taken to my husbands home by rail,
and had never Travelled On foot between
tho two places. Edinburgh Scotch
man
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13

last, and she couldn't do better he has
been very patient.
II ouly hope it may be true" said
Lady Appuldurcombe slowly, but with
a vague feeling Of slight to Ronny, Is
if soEs one lad llched from him Il Jew
ell he did not value, hut yet was his.
"And suppose that is a match, too:"
said Mrs. Fame, looking at Lesley and
Yelverton. who had the air OF thoroughly
good comrades as they talked together
''Oh, dear. no! There is young man
in the country" said Lady Appuldur-
combe in an absentminded way, fer she
was asking herself, WAS this another
of Miss Lesley's tricks:" And. if 50.
was she getting Cynthia out of the way
because she wanted Ronny for herself:
And Ronny? She knew that he had very
decided views of what yoarg English
maiden, strictly brought II, should &c,
and into the face Of every enc Of his
prejudices, great and small, deliberate
ly few.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
ITO BE CONTINCEp,l
Mrs. Billingsou.

Students Of the musical history Of the
close CO tba eighteenth century are IA
miliar vita the name Of Mrs. Billing
ton. Fog some 80 years, ct a time when
the art OF singing was perhaps ut its
zenith, she reigned as one of the bright
particular stars of the musical world
Sir Joshua immortalized her Us st. Co.
ella, and in the fulsome fashion of the
day it was said that instead of represent
ing her as listening to the angels he
should have painted the angels as silent
before her. Michael Kelly, the pupil Of
Mozart, said of her, Il thought her an
angel in beauty and the St. Cecilia Of
song" and Haydn naively recorded in
his diary. ''She is great genius, and
all the women hate her because she is
beautiful. Her history is very curious.
and tho brilliancy of her career as an
artist is in strange contrast to the scan-
dals which surrounded her from her
very childhood.
The Georgian era was not period
remarkable Tor morality, on or off the
stage, but making every allowance for
the exaggeratioI Of newspaper gossip. it
is impossible to come to the conclusion
that the life OF Mrs. Ellington was re-
markable for its virtue, even if the
darker accusations which were freely
brought against her are untrue. 1t says
much for her personal charm that she
remained from first to last a favOrite
with the public, and her fascination as
a singer enabled her to triumph over
difficulties which, even in those days,
would have wrecked the career of q less
popular artist. Review.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
Met the Emergency.

The following incident happened al
the Criterion theater i'll London the 9th.
er evening. At the end OF one of the
scenes Mr.. Wyndham tells fellow actor
TO 90 down stairs and he will follow
him in three minutes. Then. as he takes
out his watch, the curtain should de.
scend. On this occasion. however, il
failed TO do so. and the Squire of Danes
recliued ON the sofa, patiently waiting.
An almost painful pause occurred. The
curtain jerked, but would not fulfill its
mission, and Mr.. Wyndham. realizing
the situation. again pulled out his
watch. and said. An. two minutes
have passed" There was another pause,
after which he arose and announced
that 1.-THE time was up and be must GO -
As he left the stage the curtain &C last
descended. and Mr.. wyndham s ready
wit was much applauded - London
Globe
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
Queer Beliefs Abou. the Fern.

Tho fern was supposed to seed only on
st. Johns night and thus to posses.
those singular properties for which il
had become almost sacred The gather
ing Of the seed was believed to be at
tended with considerable danger. Povet.
in his "Pandcmonium," published in
1854. says: Much discourse hath been
about gathering CT fern seed (which is
looked upon as magical herb) on the
night Of midsummer eve. and / re-
member was told of one who went tc
gather it, and tie spirits whisked by his
ears like bullets and sometimes struck
his hat and other parts of his body. In
fine. though lie apprehended he had got.
ten quantity of it and secured it in pa
pers and box beside. when he got home
he fonnd all empty. But most probable
this appointing of time and hours is Of
the DEVILS own institution. as well as the
fact that having once ensnared people to
an obedience to his rules he may with
more facility oblige them to stricter
vassalage boston Herald.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
ECCLESIASTICAL, some.
AZ Always Present Tower That Gives the
City Its Importance.

"Ecclesiastic" Rene is the strong
ho.d Of 4 most tremendous fact from
whatever point CT view Christianity
may be considered. II enc could in i'm.
agitation detsch the head Of the Catho
lie church from the church. one would
be obliged to admit tina. no single living
man possesses the farreaching and last
ing power which in each succeeding pa.
pal reign belongs TO the pope. Behind
the pope stands the fact which confers.
maintains and extends that power from
century to century-a power which is
enc Of the hugest elements Of the
worlds moral activity. both in its OWE;
direct action and n the counteraction
and antagonism which it calls forth
continually
1t Is the all pervadirg presence of this
greatest fact. literally, in Christendom
which has carried on Rome's Importance
from the days of the Caesars across the
chasm of the DARK ages to the days of
modern pores. and it is this really enor-
nous Importance which continually
throws forward into cruel relief the
puerilities and inanities Of the daily
outward world. 1t is the consciousness
of that Importance which makes old Ro-
man society what il is. with its virtues.
its vices. its prejudices and its strange,
old fashioned. close listed kindliness,
which makes the contrast between the
saturna,ia of Shrovc Tuesday night and
the cross signed with ashes upon the
forehead of Ash Wednesday morning.
between the careless laughter Of the Ro-
man beauty i'll carnival and the tragic
earrestness of the sarne lovely face when
the great lady kneels in Lent before the
confessional to receive upon her bent
head the light touch of the penitentiary' S
wand. taking her turn perhaps with a
score of women of the people. 1t is the
knowledge Of an always present power.
active throughout the whole world.
which throws deep, straight shadows, as
it were, through the Roman character.
just as in certain ancient families there
is a secret that makes grave the lives of
those who know it.-Maricn Crawford
in Century.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
HER 3AsN SToRMlNG TOUR.
Mary Anderson dc Navarro Eecounts an
Incident of Her Early Stage Career.

incident OF Her Early Stage Career.
Mary Anderson de Navarro looks back
with evident enjoyment upon what she
calls the transforming period of her
stage career, which, however, in her
case was short, beneficial and pecunia
rily profitable. OF her experiences i'll
Owensboro. Il small Kentucky town,
where she and her little band Of actors
played for week, Mrs. de Navarro
writes in Tho Ladies Home Journal:
II was tall, slender Juliet and my
Romeo proved to be plump. pleasant
little woman, probably the mother of
several would he Romeos and Juliets.
The moon she (Romeo) swore by we
found to be the headlight Of railway
engine hired for the occasion. This was
held by small negro boy perched upon
ladder, who WAS SO amused by the play
that he laughed until he shook over the
most tragic scenes His mirth, as may
be imagined, was not conducive to the
moons steadiness. At one time she was
shining i'll an upper box. at another on
the head of Il bald musician, often
binding the unfortunates in the front
stalls. here. there, everywhere save on
the'face of her { Verona S lovely flower }
she had been especially hired to illumi-
nate. The conductor of the orchestra
was a carpenter by trade, and sawed
away as Justify during the day at the
boards he was converting into profile
statues of 'Evadne's' noble ancestors as
he sawed upon his violin ut night"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13
The Secret wss Safe.

Why did you talk in French to Ethel
last night?'
because had something to impart
to her that / wished no one else to
know
But there was French lady sitting
close behind you'
Eyes, but have discovered that she
did not understand word We said. -
Boston Transcript.