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

hood. The Judge could carry his State
by larger majority than any other man
in it.
Many of the old farmers have great rev.
erence for election day. l met one this
year, man 80 years old, who showed me
with great enthusiasm a pair OF boots
which had been newly creased and black
ened for the occasion. He told me these
were his election boots" which he had
worn for twenty-eight years. There were
little holes in them at different places to
accom- modate them to the corns of the
wearer. He remarked that four years ago
his feet were so sore he could not put them
on, and that, was undoubtedly what oc-
casioned the loss of the ticket This year
they were all right, and he felt great con-
fidence in the result. Sometimes these
farmers have very homeiy but clear way
of putting things.
-Four years ago spoke in room over
the store in small village in Indiana.
The day was inclement, yet the farmers
gathered in considerable numbers. One
of the hardest-looking men in the audi
ence was stout old fellow in canvas
trousers begrimed with mud, who, in an
swer to an inquiry regarding his health,
said that he was afflicted considerably
with the lneumatiZ. but could hardly ex-
pect anything better, since he was 80
years DID," Turning the conversation
to politics, he began to sum up the tariff
question, which was then pend
ing, as follows: "It seems to me
that the Republicans is claim in that
it is the duty of the Government to take
care OF the rich, in hopes that the rich may
then take care of the poor''-a statement
which to a believer in the tariff reform
represented by Grover Cleveland seemed
to epitomize the Democratic argument as
well as anything l ever heard. | afterward
learned that this old fellow had by frugal
ity and good management acquired
farm of some 500 acres in the neighbor-
hood, and that he was one of the wealth
lest men In the county. 1t does not do to
count upon appearances in making an es-
innate of the men who attend those meet
ings.- Correspondence City and State,
Philadelphia.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
THE DoMINIE's LUCK.
A Gambler willing to Pay Literally
for the Newcomers Secret.

A Gambler willing to Pay Literally
for the Newcomers Secret.
A few years ago, before the iron horse
had brought in a rush of settlers and had
made travelling a pleasure as compared
with the old stage-coach days, a devout
Methodist minister had invaded the foot
hills of the Rockies and, with light heart
and light pocket. was penetrating as best
he could into the further interior, where
he hoped to carry the glad tidings to the
mining camps. One day, after Calgary
had been left behind and when the stage
storped to make its change of horses at a
spot not particularly attractive, there
being only few miners huts and a board
ing-house or two. he signified his inten-
iion to walk mile or so until the stage
should overtake him.
Phiiosophizing on the great future in
store for this wonderful country he came
to the rorks of trail and was doubtful as
to which he ought to take He chose one,
h owever, and walking on for some time
and the stage not overtaking him he re-
traced his steps, only to find, by the we'll
defined marks in the trail, that the stage
coach had gone by on the other trail.
There was nothing for it but to return to
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
SHE BIDRD HER TIME.
He Told Her All About Wonderful
Creek and Got Pointer in Return.

He Told Her All About Wonderful
Creek and Got a Pointer in Return.
Perhaps the most popular man con-
nected with the Yellowstone Park Trans
portation Company is Captain E. c. Culver
of Gardner. In addition to the duties OF
Justice of the Peace he makes q daily trip
on the park train and personally inter
views every man, boy, woman and child
who travels on it.
He is walking encyclopedia of park
information. He knows the height of
every peak, the altitude OF every import
ant location and can give you Professor
Hayden's theory of the parks geological
formation. Besides all this he is prince
OF good fellows and has a fund of humor
which sometimes carries him away when
touching up descriptions and legends of
the park.
Some time ago the captain had an ex-
perience which was too good to keep. and
he gave 1t away to a friend in town. He
was going from the springs to Cinnabar,
and there were these very bright young
ladies on the coach. One of them
asked if it we're customary to have so
many mosquitoes in so high az altitude.
The captain assured her that ii was not u n
usual; that they were increasing year by
known in the park until, about eight years
ago. New Jersey schoolma'm m had care
lessly inclosed some in her trunk and let
them out at Mammoth Hot Springs, when,
like rabbits in Australia, they became an
increasing pest.
All agreed that it was remarkable, but
one girl seemed to carry smile of in
credulity. As the conversation continued
Mr.. Culver was asked what he considered
the most remarkable thing in the park.
He said that if beauty and grandeur
were to be left out of the count, he
thought the most remarkable thing" was
Alum Creek, little stream putting into
the river between the falls and the lake.
.Origininally, he said the distance be-
tween the hotels at the lake and the falls
was twenty-six miles, but when they COM
menced to sprinkle the road between the
two places with water taken from Alum
Creek some years ago they soon found
the distance between the hotels shortened
bv about eight miles. As the hotels were
then only about eighteen miles apart and
the road still shrinking, the super n
tendent ordered them to use no more
water from Alum Creek. And then the
captain told another little legend about
the creek that was quite well authenti
Gated. Last year, he said, a party went
through the park on a camping tour, and
a young lady with them came into the
PARK wearing No. shoes. Alter camping
on Alum Creek two days and bathing her
feet she went home wearing pair of no.
2 CATERS.
At this point the girl with the incredu-
lous smile said to him:
Don't you think it would be a good
plan to bathe your head in that creek q
time or rtwoP"-Livingston Post.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Action by the Railroad
Commissioners Will
Not Bar That.
Proceedings Will Be Rapid Fol-
lowing the Demurrer
Is Settled.
Thorough Inquiry With the Aid Of AL
Facilities Procurable for
Reaching Facts.

Whether the Board of Railroad Com
missioners shall or shall not elect to 60
ahead and investigate the rates of the
Southern Pacific Company it is certain
that the rates will be carefully inquired
intos in the United States Circuit Court,
before Judge McKenna. This fact has
been made public previously through the
columns of THE CALL. Nothing has hap.
pened to change this programme, nor will
anything happen to set it aside, unless the
court shall sustain the demurrer which
recently was filed by the Attorney Gen
eral.
Should the demurrer be overruled there
is no doubt that the answer of special
counsel for the Railroad Commissioners,
headed by the Aetorney-General, will get
in their answer promptly, and events will
rapidly develop thereafter. The court
will furnish all the machinery necessary
for an expert examination of books,
tariffs, accounts, railway officials, and all
sources of inform alton which may yield
light upon the proper basis of rate
making.
While counsel for the Railroad Commits
sioners have invariably declined to be in
terviewed on the subject of their acts and
attitude concerning the penang contro-
versy, information is aut hentically de-
rived that they do not believe that the
railroads of this State can be estimated as
worth any more than they can be repro
duced for as a basis for estimating the
reasonableness of rates. They also believe
that, while operating expenses may be
made by skillful bookkeeping to appear to
be very heavy, it will not be impossible
nor very difficult to ascertain what the
actual facts are.
So, whatever the Railroad Com mission
. ers NAV do the pending proceedings in
the United States Circuit Court furnish
the means for the most complete investi-
cation into the operations OF the South
ern Pacific Company that has been made,
and these opportunities will be made use
of fully.
While the Railroad Commissioners may
yet undertake to investigate rates the ma
chinery for such work is more easily at
hand in the court. The appearance OF wit
nesses who are competent to discuss the
making up of freight tariffs on even terms
with the Southern Pacific Company might
create a sensation, but that may be the
only way to get at the facts.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
A STORY OF LoNGFELLow.
Mrs. Fields Tells an Interesting, Anec-
dote of the Author.

dote of the Author.
Speaking OF Longfellow, in her recently
published volume of literary reminiscent
ces, Mrs. Jane J. Fields says:
His kindness and love of humor car.
ried him through many tedious inter
ruptiou. He generally overlooked the
fact of the subterfuges to which men and
women resorted in order to get an inter-
view, and to help them out made as much
of their excuses as possible. Speaking
one day of the persons who came to see
him at Nahant, he said: One man, per-
feet stranger, came with an omnibus
full of ladies. He descended, introduced
himself, then, returning TO the omnibus,
took out all the ladies-one, two, three,
four and five - with little girl, and
brought them in.
81 entertained them to the best of my
ability, and they stayed an hour. They
had scarcely gone when forlorn woman
in black came up to me on the piazza and
asked for dipper Of water. Certainly l
replied, and went to fetch her glass.
When / brought it she said: There is an
other woman just by the fence who is
tired and thirsty; will carry this to her.
But she struck her head as she passed
through the window ana spilled the water
on the piazza. 'Oh, what have | done +
she said. IF I had a floor cloth would
wipe it up 'Oh. no matter about tine
water said, If you have not hurt your
SELF Then I went and brought more
water for both and sent them on their way
refreshed and rejoicing.
''It would be both an endless and un-
profitable task to recall more of the Curl
Gus experiences which popularity brought
among Mr.. Fields notes, however, in
which he describes an incident during
Longfellow's last visit to England, which
should not be overlooked. Upon his arri-
val, the Queen sent a graceful message
and invited him to Windsor Castle, where
she received him with all the honors; but
he told me no foreign tribute touched him
deeper than the words of an English hod-
carrier, who came up to the carriage door
at Harrow, and asked permission to take
the hand of the man who had written the
Voices of the Nipht,n
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
ANXIOUS MOMENTS.
How the Bank of England Announces
Its Discount Rate.

SIT grows worse and worse each time,''
grumb bled venerable-looking member OF
the House, as the usual Thursday morn
ing crowd began to gather in expectation
OF per cent bank rate, and certainly the
Stock Exchange, from II AS clock this
morning until 12:I5 o'clock, presented a
decidedly curious appearance. At 1880
knots of interested parties had already
taken up good position from which to
hear the declaration they SO eagerly
awaited, and shortly afterward came a
small army of clerks, armed with "wire-
BOOKS" the names and addresses of the
principal clients of their firms being al
ready tlled in, each on telegraph form,
IN order to save time when the <all-lmpor-
tant moment arrived.
As the time drew on toward IL o'clock
the consols market became densely
packed, and it seemed as though fresh rep
resentatives of the other markets arrived
every second. From the Kaffir circus, the
Westralian, American, Brewery and rail-
way markets came the jobbers., while q
corresponding number of brokers and
their clerks helped to swell the crowd and
increase the sitting heat. Conversation
interrupted only by an occasional false
alarm OF Ssh Sh!" raised by the facetious
spirits in the center of the semblage-
noWed on, and as every man held an opin-
ION OF his own which he felt in duty
bound to communicate to his neighbor, it
was easy for bystander to see that there
was by no means a general consensus of
opinion as to what would be the action of
the bank directors. The only people who
seemed calmly unconscious that anything
OF interest was expected were those in the
consols market, who, above all others,
would feel the effect of any change, and
they acted their part very well.
Every one is getting tired of waiting,
and even the small diversions of throwing
pieces of paper at each other and such
like means of willing away the time be-
gin to pail. 1t is 1915 o'clock, and still
no signs OF the expected broker, who
makes the announcement He is men,
ber of the firm who are brokers to the
Govern ment, and has performed this Office
for considerable time, succeeding to it
in the place of his father. At length he
comes! There is 40 mistaking the final
"Sh p' and as he mounts the seat there is
not sound to be heard. His first words
are barely audible to any but those in the
front rank, but he raises his hand to his
mouth and shouts for the m ost important
part of his declaration. "* Bank
rate is 4 per cent?
Then he gets down and there is no need
for the fellows who occupy the prominent
Pooi',onS ~ noio up iour nhSeIs, oecause
the shout is taken up and carried round
and round the house. A mad scramble to
the telegraph-office by the clerks a rush
to their respective markets by the jobbers
and vast amount of noise. Then, as the
brokers walk round and ask, "How are
things with your" they are told. with half
sheeplsh shame, ooh. hardly any change.
Just sixteenth or so off, Verify small
result to compensate for the loss of time
and stoppage of businessl But then it is
almost the only excitement left to the
Stock Exchange nowadays.-Pall Mall
Gazette.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
ART OF ELECTIONEERING.
A Campaigner Writes Up Few Not
From Observation.

A Campaigner Writes Up Few Notes
From Observation.
With some men electloneering is fine
art. They can shake hands with the
mot her and kiss the baby with great
JUNCTION and apparent relish. There is
Judge -, who will walk through the
streets at rally before he makes his
speech and speak to everybody he meets.
He once impaired to me in low voice
the philosophy of his conduct. "if these
men don't know me- he said. there
is no harm done; if they do must not
fail to recognize them" Sometimes q
man whom he haa been greeting would
refer to previous conversation or
letter. or some other awkward clrcum-
stance which he could not remem Der. In
every case. however, he parried the stroke
so skillfully that the man left without
the slightest idea that he had not been
recognized. The Judges face was per-
petual smile. Sometimes when he saw
man approaching he would ask me that
mans name, but from the greeting which
followed, the inquiries about the family
and the news of the neighborhood, one
would imagine that the two had been
upon the most intimate terms since boy
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
HOTEL ARRIVALS.
GRAND HoTEL.

Jew Oatman. Reno. New Mrs France, st Louis
w 81 Heyman, Algowa.Ia 81 @ Marmon, Ind
w H shannon & W. Cal w Cohert q W, Ind
G P Hall, Peta una w II Scnweitzer& & W, Cal
NJ Lurke, Sacto Mrs T Mugter, Cal
n Johnson. Cal Miss Mugter, Merced
T l. Johnson. L Angeles Mrs e Beaupre, Cal
c G Judson, Fruitvale A Tenney d w, Fresno
Dubben. San Rafael McAllen & w, Cal
] LodZe. Sacto VT Hubbard, Vallejo
q G Guebela, Vallejo Lodge, Sacto
Ben Back, Boise City May e Wade, st Helena
Mllt Black, Boise City ] LeR Dixon, Stanford
F M Lafayette. Burlingm Baleter, Mare Island
J Barns. Napa ] W Spinger Cal
J NJ ethum, Sonoma r w Stewart, New
Miss Bethum, Sonoma Mrs w d stewart New
a Burbank, San Jose Z Waters, Burlington, Vt
Miss Burbank. San Jose Walter, Chicago
Theyton, Cal z A Treble, Cal
Miss Burns, Cal Wilson & W, Sacto
Miss Iliff, Cal w g Barr, stockton
c Nichols, Stockton w A ButterfieId, Cal
w Andrews, stockton M Osborne s Cruz
H Whitehouse, Boston Mrs N y Arnold, Cal
Z w Arnold, Berkeley
NEW WESTERN HOTEL
R T Ahgell. Snoqualmie E Schultz, snoquamie
J w de We're. Caistoga CIV Nelson, Oakland
G Van Dyke, Denver Miss Silva Burriss, Sacto
Miss Rosa Burriss, Sacto w IL McKennan Bolinas
T F Carter, AngelsCamp w Burns. Or
Hayek. Mare Island Z Torson, Mare Island
Hesslor, Cal Jackson, East Oakland
r slaughter. Oakland Williams, San Jose
] Kelly. San Jose w Proctor. LosA ngeles
Il w Miller.Los Angeles Quigley, Santa Rosa
J Hunter, Sacramento BOSNIAN, Denver
Miss webb, Walnut OK > James. Aicatraz
NJ Parks & W, Boston w Younger. Aloatrez
J f Jones, AIcatraz II Gopher, Gridley
PALACE HOTEL.
r smith, Hanford F Bishop. Louisville
9 c Cook & W, Conn Mrs Meredith, Conn
w Wilson & W, Conu Mrs E Haskell, ia
T Fl Figel & w, 3 Clara A Johnson. Los Ang
T NJ statler, Alameda Mr. S& Mrs Kaufman, Pa
d Kaufm an, Pa G Kriehn, Stanford
NJ Erckens, Germany McCreery, Burlingame
G Eddy. Chicago Hart. Chicago
r L Vandrick, Chicago F G Lawton & W. Stanfd
N w Hepburn, Chicago . II Cheppee, Lexington
J Kingsbury. Idaho Mrs Meyer &sn, Lexingtn
S w Mitchell, Chicago
BALDWIN HOTEL
w Murphy, L 0bispo NJ e Harris, Oakland
E z Edwards, Oakland B Medina, FrutvaIe
F Angel, Idaho ] Beatus La
w Knapp, lingo Josephs, NY
w Barrett dS W, La w James & W, La
w A Newton Chicago G Frende. Chino
6 D Culver, Chico NJ II Hylmer & W, Spok
Miss Pairchild. Texas Miss l. Bresley, Texas
G w Warfel & w. Cal A + Wattermire, Cal
] P Seymour, Chicago B Ward, NY
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
sHBRIDAN's BEST SPEECH.
A Newspaper Man Tells the Circum-
stances of When 1t Was Made.

stances of When 1t Was Made.
'The last time General Phil Sheridan
was in Milwaukee" said Bob Howard,
the newspaper man, Twas when the Army
of the mberland held its annual re-
union here in 1882 A banquet was given
the association at the National Home
General Sheridan presided. In his open.
ing speech he was puzzled for words, but
after fashion be managed to srammer
out something that but few heard and
less understood. | was reporting the
event for the Sentinel and had taken down
everything Sheridan said just as ne spoke
it. When he got through he came around
to me and said: Look here Mr.. Re-
porter. do you want to please me?'
Deed do, general
Then please don't print that d
slush OF mine. Just make up nice little
speech ior me-
Howard made up dainty little speech
for the commander of the American
army, which greatly pleased him.
A few years later, when he was on duty
at Washington, Howard's duties fre-
quently took him to headquarters and he
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
the settlement and wait another week for

the settlement and wait another week for
the next stage.
1t was Saturday and the next day was
Sunday, so he decided to improve the op-
portunity by giving sermon to the
miners. His discourse was eloquent, and
that there should be no question about his
denominational leanings collection was
taken up, at the suggestion OF one of the
audience.
The next day Rabe Garulson came up
from Montana. Rabe was one OF the most
expert gam blers in the Western country,
and made periodical visits to the mining
camps for the purpose of entertaining the
boys, and, incidentally, helping himself
He was popular, and his presence in the
town meant a holiday for the entire camp
Noticing the stranger over in the corner
of the room, Rabe asked the landlord who
ne was. He was confdentially informed
that he was a knowing one, that he had
a new game and had cleaned the boys out
on Sunday.
"Cleaned them out, eh2 Well. he must
have new game"
Eyes; cleaned them out. They have
not a bit left"
shortly afterward Rabe made his way
over to the stranger and, after the usual
remarks as to the weather, said:
''They tell me you have got new game.
Now. Pm no hog, but am willing to pay
you Well II you let me into 1t.
why, 1 don't understand you," said
the preacher.
'Oh. well, that's all right: but if you
cleaned out the boys it must be a good
one, and I'll pay well for it,
Again came the protest that his language
was not understood. At last it began TO
dawn on Rabe that there was some mis-
understanding.
Returning to the landlord he said: {:
"Y ou've put me on the wrong lay. l be-
ieve that nam preacher"
why, certainly. He preached corker
of sermon yesterday, and at collection
time the boys showed their appreciation
by giving him every cent they had"
Rabe went back to the minister's corner,
and, making his apologies, said, diving
into his pockets, Here, you may not
want this yourself, but you NAV meet
some one who does" he placed $50 roll
in the hands of the preacher. 1t was a
game that called even him.-Rrandon Sun.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Thomas Jefrerson,s Fountain Pen.

AS long as 1924 fountain pens were in
use, for in that year Thomas Jefferson
saw contrivance of this sort, tried it.
and wrote to General Bernard Peyton of
Richmond asking him to get him one of
them. The pen was OF gold and the ink
tube of silver. and, according to Jeffer-
sons letter, the maker was q Richmond
watch repairer named Cowan. The price.
as he understood, was fivepence The first
American patent for fountain pen was
granted in 1880 to one Douglass Hyde, but
the earliest English patent was issued
twenty-one years before.-New York
Times.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Tho Worm Turned.

A facetious lawyer had under cross-ex.
animation sim ple-Iooking youth, who
rejoiced in the name of Sampson. and re-
solved to raise laugh at his expense.
" And So" questioned the legal light,
''you wish the court to believe that you
are peaceably disposed and inoffensive
kind of person7"
Yes"
"And you have no desire to follow in
the footsteps of your illustrious name
sake and smite the Philistines2"
No, I've not" answered the witness.
''And If had the desire l amt got the
power, just at present.
Then you think you would be unable
to rout Thousand enemies with the jaw
bone of an ass?''
We'll" answered the ruffied Sampson,
might have try at them when you are
done, but I'll be teetotally swamped if I'd
want to use your jaw. columbia Falls
Columbian.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
COMMISSIONED BY REPARTEE
Quick Rise from the hanks by Ready
Wit.


An interesting anecdote is related OF
Marshal Suwaroff, says an exchange. who,
when receiving dispatch from the hands
of a Russian sergeant who had greatly
distinguish ed himself on the Danube, at
tempted to confuse the messenger by a
series of whimsical questions, but found
him fully equal to the occasion.
How many fish are there in the scar"
asked Suwaroff.
"All that are lot caught yet," was the
answer.
'How far is 1t to the moon?'
! 1.-TWO of your Excellency's forced
marches"
'tWha. would you do if you saw your
men giving away in battle?"
~ would tell them that there was plenty
of whisky behind the enemy's line"
Baffied at all points the marshal ended
with, What is the difference between
your colonel and myself2"
my colonel cannot make me a lieuten-
ant, but your Excellency has only to say
the word"
II say it now" answered Suwaroff, land
a right good officer you will be."-New
York Mail and Express.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
SAN FRANCISCO "cALL..

BUSINESS OFFICE of the San Francisco CALI.
ITO Market street, open until IL o'clock every
night in the year.
BRANCH OFFICES-527 Montgomery street
corner Clay; open until $3.50 o'clock.
SSe Hayes street, open until $50 o'clock.
713 Larkin street, open until $3.50 o'clock.
sW. corner Sixteenth and Mission streets, opsn
until o'clock.
2b1S Mission street, open until O'Clock
l16 Ninth street. open until $3.50 o'clock.
The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25

always met a hearty welcome. The first
time he called Sheridan said: "Oh. yes,
l remember you. You are the man who
made that nice speech for me in Mil
waukee."
On several occasions he introduced
Howard to his friends as the author OF
the best speech he ever made.-Chicago
Times Herald