davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
BATTLE BETWEEN SNAKES.
Anaconda and Boa Fight to a Finish
and Nearly XIII q Woman.


and Nearly XIII a Woman.
A battle royal between two large
snakes and an attempt on the part of
the surviving reptile to count woman
among its victims were the cause Of
a great deal of excitement at New York
the other afternoon, says the New
York Journal.
conda and an sHs-foot cross between a
python and boa constructor. They
were put into a box together. Sudden
ly there was commotion on the inside
of the box that brought over Miss
Madeline, to whom they belonged, in
hurry. She found the two snakes
intertwined so that it was hard to tell
which was which. The anaconda was
making frantic efforts to get the boa's
head into its wide-open jaws, and the
boa, on the other hand, was con tracing
its muscles around the body of the
enemy with strength born of despair.
Miss Madeline made quick dive into
the box through the glass lid, which
had been broken in the melee, and
seized the boa at the back OF its head
with one hand, while with the other
she clutched the anaconda in the same
spot. With all her might she began
Juggling away, but to no purpose. The
snakes then wound themselves around
her body. During the struggle one of
the woman's hands slipped, and quick
as a fash the boa turned and bit her
hand. making deep flesh wound.
Miss Madeline dropped the snakes
then in hurry. The anaconda twisted
itself with renewed vigor around the
boa's body, and with a spasmodic, sud-
den jerk finally succeeded in breaking
its enemy's back. 1t was caught and
put back into the box after much diff
Guilty.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
Field G,... RANGE F,,a.r.

An improved range finder for field
glasses has fat dial plate, subdivided
to correspond with the focus Of the
glasses, rigidly attached to the rear end
OF the adjusting screw; fixed pointer
secured near the screw to the frame of
the glasses, indicating the adjustment
upon a dial. small wheel upon the
adjusting screw turns Il 90 that 1t will
readily focus the glasses for various
distances, and enabling the user TO also
estimate correctly the speed of advanc-
ing or Withdrawing objects.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03

Wait until l get an insect to throw
to them and see what happens"
The Jerseyman began hunt for n
victim, and presently he found one.
Here" he said, sis gray wood spider.
| will drop him down and you watch
the gnats."
The wood spider was one of those
chunky fellows, of the color of lichens,
which are found upon the bark of trees.
They make no web, but lie in wait for
their prey. His legs were short and
hairy, but strong, and his mandables
large and prominent. When he was
shaken loose from the stick he was car
ried on over the pond; he spun slen-
der thread of web and settled
down gently upon the water. If he
had been a long-legged spider he would
have run off as readily over the water
as on land, but he was built for jump
ing and not for running. He lay COM
fortably upon the surface of the water,
without getting the least wet, and
would have waited and drifted to shore
if the long-legged water gnats had not
discovered him with their round, beady
eyes that are ever on the lookout.
1t was one of the biggest of the gnats
that made the discovery. His body was
an inch long, and the total spread Of
his legs nearly twice as much. He
skated up to the spider gently and
sought to clutch him between the knees
of his powerful front legs, as was his
wont with flies and such things,
The spider was on the lookout, and
the moment the gnat got close enough
struck back at him. Never was a water
gnat more astonished. He leaped up
ward two inches clear of the water and
six inches backward. He reconnoitered
for a moment and then, fully aware OF
the dangerous nature of his foe, he ad
vanced to do battle. He moved VI
slowly, with easy strokes of his long
oar-like legs until he was but an inch
away, and then he darted upon the
spider like lightning, struck with hi:
poisoned beak, and sprang away clear
of the spiders fangs and claws. Sew
| eral times this attack was repeated
| 1hdO hil NV NoNoPS AuA a.
was evident, for after some of these
encounters he would skate round and
round like dog with fit, but eacl
time he returned to the fight.
At the end of the sixth round h,
seemed to have given the spider dealt
wound. The spider made little effort t.
defend himself from the next attack
and upon the eighth onslaught the gna
stuck his beak deep into the spider ant
carried him off to devonr him at hi
leisure. He had a fight then with hal
a dozen other gnats who came to stea
his prey, but he had it secure and KEEP
it.
A shrimp net enabled the Jerseyma,
to catch specimens of the gnats, an,
some things about them are interesting
When one of them is held on his bacl
his fighting weapon is disclosed, and
is a formidable one. It is beak a
eighth of an inch in length, but thi
is only half its fighting reach.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
BEAR PLAYS THE PLANO.
Unique Attraction OF a Rhode
Island Summer Hotel
when Bruin's Nose Was Reached By
the Tempting Odors from the
- Kitchen He Reiterated to
the Dining-Room. T.

There are not many huckleberires|
being picked In the vicinity of the|
Rocky Point road just now, that is, by|
human hands. Somewhere in that
part of the country is bear, and there
Is a general feeling that this animal hasI
preempted all huckleberry. as well asl
all other rights. There are not any tool
many huckleberries for Bruin, and, BEL
sides, the Inhabitants of that district
have become tired of huckleberry pie,|
slump and turnovers, anyway.
Some brave spirits pooh-poobed theI
idea that there is any bear around,
and say If there Is one it is a stuffed es-|
cape from Brown university museum.
Nevertheless, they are not taking any
strolls in the woods. There Is bear,
however, and he has been seen by sew.
eral persons who were pronounced
sober when they told their story.
A week ago while the guests were
dining at David Sawyer's hotel, the
Willows, they heard the piano in the
parlor giving forth all sorts Of sounds.
First, says the Providence Journal,
t0eTt WOuiu Dc u tnuuutIOuS DoOltt iEon
the bass notes, as If some one had struck
the keys with a sledge hammer. Then
the unseen and unknown player would
run up and down the keys of the instru-
ment with the touch of pile driver.
The piano shrieked and groaned, clat-
tered and growled. The artist on the
stool was without doubt either drunk
or intent upon demolishing the instru-
ment.
As a matter fact, though the enter
tainment did not show It, the performer
had one OF the chief requisites of
first-class musician. That was a wealth
Of hair that Paderewski would envy.
A bear was the drummer, and ID was
having great time 1t had beentravel-
ing the hot and dusty road on a stomach
empty save few huckleberries, and the
shady retreat Of the Willows offered a
haven or rest. It walked into the yard.
unobserved, ON all tours, and entered
the parlor. After investigating the con-
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
AN AFRICAN POISON STORY
Strange Phenomenon Witnessed In
the Northeast of the Dark Continent.

strange -
the Northeast of the Dark Continent.
Charles NJ. Stern, of Chicago, who
lately returned from a journey through
Northeast Africa, told of curious me-
neurological phenomenon which he OBJ
served in the district called Gwallah,
reports the New York Mail and Ex-
press. 1.-THE vegetation in that region
is very luxuriant," said he, land the
plant life must give off an unusually
large quantity of carbonic acid gas. AT
least, that was the conclusion reached
after seeing three natives die and four
or five dogs.
"The moment the animals put their
noses close to the ground they would
fall over and gasp, and die in about five
minutes. The natives who died slept on
the ground instead of in hammocks, as
others did. My theory is that stratum
of the deadly gas covered the ground
for depth of three or four inches, and
any living thing breathing in that area
was asphyxiated.
~ could not understand, however,
how the gas was not distributed in a
thinner layer, and what kept it in one
place for a whole day. Nothing like it
had ever been known there before. The
deaths of the men and the dogs all oc-
CURED within "a hours. Then the gas,
if it was really gas, seemed to be dissi-
pated. 1t was very strange occur
renee and might have been induced to
make a more exhaustive investigation
if my presence had not excited distrust.
got away as quickly as possible rather
than be accused of being the cause of
the sudden deaths. The natives are SUI
perstitious, and attribute most of their
misfortunes to witchcraft, so thought
it the part of wisdom to get away"
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
Indu.triou, Uoosier Hen.

William Moore, of Anderson, Ind, has
hen which demands recognition to the
list of freaks by right of ability to turn
out a new kind of hen fruit. She has
been laying an egg within an egg and
keeping it up with regularity. One
of them was exhibited the other day.
The egg looks like any other egg on the
outside, and when opened there is the
usual proportion Of white and yellow,
but In the center Of the yolk is found
another egg with perfectly formed and
hardened shell. It is about the size of
a birds egg. The inner egg contains
no white.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
ENGLISH opplrlEs.
A Township which Has Only o
Resident.

A TownsAip which Has 0nly One
Resident.
Undoubtedly the most extraordinary
township In England Is that of Skid
daw, In Cumberland. It contains but
one house, the occupier of which is UNI
able to exercise the Briton's privilege
of voting because there Is no overseer to
prepare voters list and no church or
other place of worship or assembly on
which to publish one, says Parsons
Weekly.
The most remote village In England
Is that of Farley-cum-Pitton. This
truly rural spot is 30H miles from the
nearest railway station. As a contrast
to this may be mentioned the hamlet OF
Ystrad, about ten miles from Cardiff.
This tiny settlement possesses two I'M
portant main roads. two railways and
two large rivers.
A very unique feature IL exclusively
claimed by Trirnley. small village in.
Suffolk. In the one churchyard of the
parish two churches are to be seen.
Service is conducted three times a
WCCh AZ OdSA VI uuCcc CuuTCuCo az ubo
same hour.
The deepest well in England is found
at Hamilton, In Hampshire. Itstretches
$50 feet below the surface of the earth.
About halfway down this well shaft
Is q subway, three miles In length.
which leads to the seacoast.
On the top of the parish church tower
in Bicknoller. Somersetshire. Is a yew
tree, now five feet high and still grow
ing In a hardy fashion. It is generally
believed that the tree owes its origin
to a seed dropped by q bird.
Perhaps the most splendily decorated
church in the kingdom 10 that Of Whit
ley Court, Worcestershire. It Is entirely
constructed of white marble. the pews
are chastely carved and the pulpit Is Of
genuine Carrara marble, richly paneled
with precious stones.
On the village green at Meridem, In
Warwickshire, there IL a large stone
cross, which L. supposed to mark the
central point of England.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
spIder builds on Water.

What is known as the raft spider Is
the largest of the British species. 1t
receives its name from the fact that Il
constructs a raft Of dried leaves and
rubbish united by threads of silk and
thus pursues its prey on the water.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03
A New rabbit,

The new species of rabbit of a d.
minutive size, tailless and with short
ears, has been found near the volcano
PoPocataretl, in Mexico.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
A Painful Meeting.

A dramatic story was told at Ham,
ilton college alumni dinner in New
York, says an exchange. Gen. Schuyler
Hamilton gave some interesting Incl
dents from the life of his grandfather
and described the meeting between
Aaron Burr and Mrs. Hamilton,
daughter-in-law Of Alexander Hamil-
ton and the mother of the speaker. in
1880. "As Col. Burr entered the room, v
he said, my mother, In extreme agi-
tation, seemed about to faint. Col.
Burr, noticing this, but not knowing
her, Immediately went to the sideboard.
poured out glass of water and ad-
vanced to hand 1t to her. 1t was all
dcne most naturally. gracefully and
courteously. My mother shook her
head and murmured, I am the daugh-
ter Of Alexander Hamilton, Without a
word Col. Burr placed the glass of
water on the sideboard, bowed in sill
ence to the Misses Nathan and quietly
retired. It was to him, as to my moth
er. evidently very painful meeting.
Col. Burr deported himself like a dig
nif1ed gentleman. l was a little boy
about years old. Then l learned for
the first time to impress the fact upon
my memory that Col. Burr had killed
my grandfather"
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
The L,rx $. swing nrldxe.

build the largest swing bridge in the world
across the drainage canal at Thirty-frst
street and Campbell avenue. Its total
length will be 400 feet five inches. and Its
width will be 40 feet. The height Of the
center columns will be sixty-eisht feet: head
way under the tr,isses for trains. twenty.one
feet; headway under the bridge, eighteen
feet. and depth of water in the channel
twenty-four feet. The bridge will be OF
steel weighing 7.0OO. .0J0 pounds. 1t will be
capable Of supporting IA trainload Of s.OO0,OO0
pounds. The total cost is estimated at
100000, including the machinery. Three
railways will use the structure. crossing on
eight tracks The turn-table Will have 4
diameter of eighty feet, and the bridge Will
be swung in one minute, probably by elec'
tric power.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31

A deposit Of most remarkable mud
discovered In Indiana, has Of recent
years been attracting widespread at
tentic L. It is located at the Indiana
Mineral Springs, Warren county, and
has been formed by the action OF the
water from the famous Magno-Lithia
springs. Through countless ages the
foliage Of magnificent oaks on the hill
side has annually fallen into q basin.
and has been reduced by nature into
. pure black earth unmixed with roots.
stones OF sand The water from the
bis spring for thousands of years has
been soaking this deposit and saturat-
Ing 1t with mineral salts. until now
there IL layer of medicatsd mud
about two acres in extent and from
ten to twenty feet in thickness.
The strange medicinal value Of this
peculiar. black. porous substance was
accidentally discovered by an old SOL
dier. Sam Story. who had brought
rheumatism home from the war and
suffered with 1t for years. He was at
tempting to dig a drainage ditch
through the mud deposit. and after in
dulgtng in this useless experiment for
week or more, gave up the idea. but
meanwhile had been cured OF his rheu-
matism.
The fame OF the mud began to spread
and aflicted congregated at the Springs
from everywhere. The method OF US
ing the mud was at first very primi-
tive, the patient merely sitting down
in the deposit where nature had laid
1t. But since then improvements have
been made, beautiful hotel erected,
and the mud bath developed into a
luxurious experience The accompany.
ing cut shows how it's done.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
HIS WEDDING FEE.
After the Transaction Wss Fully kz-
| planned Maria Was Satisfied.

After the rran.art,on wss Fully Ez-
planned Maria Was satisiisd.
The wife OF a well-to-do Vermont far
mer called the attention of her husband
to a newspaper article describing a
wedding, where the groom had COM
pensated the minister for his services
in farm produce, says Youths Compan-
ion. How ridiculous!" commented the
good lady.
Her husband smiled. "It isn't the
ordinary thing" he remarked. but then
people who live in glass houses mustn't
throw stones"
What do you mean, Jonas FarmerT
asked his wife. sharply.
WELL" returned Jonas, when
married you l paid the minister two
pigs and he gave me IS cents change"
And with that Mr.. Farmer burst into
a laugh, to the great discomfort OF his
wife.
I've lived with you thirty years and
l never heard that before" she said,
land l should like to know what you
mean by it. believe you're saying
that Just to hector me-"
mo, M'ri," answered her spouse wnen
his mirth had somewhat subsidized. I'll
you how it happened"
You know ! had been running the
farm for father before we were mar
ried. and Parson Steadman, who mar
ried us. had just come to town. He
wanted a couple of pigs and came over
to our place to get them. | had gone.
but the hired man sold them to him by
weight and they amounted to Just
$1O.35.
''Parson Steadman told the man that
he hadn't the money by him, but would
be over again in few days and would
settle. and the hired man told him that
would be all right.
We'll, when we were married | gave
the parson a brand new $40 bill, one
that had got clean from the bank for
that purpose.
Next morning bright and early over
came the parson to our place. He
asked the hired man II was at home,
and when l came out he was pretty
much surprised to see that l was the
same man that he had married the
night before. He turned kind OF red
and looked little queer and said he
had come over to settle for those two
pigs, and he took from his pocket that
very $40 bill that l gave him the night
before and 35 cents besides and handed
them to me.
81 burst out laughing and he looked
kind OF sober for minute, then he
burst out laughing, too.
! owed for the pigs when you were at
my house last night he said. L could
have handed you the 35 cents and we
should have been square.
$50, you see. M'ri. that while we
went through the form OF passing the
money back and forth you were prac-
tically bought for two pigs, minus 35
cents"
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
AS TRUE AS GOSPEL.

Women desire sympathy, men pre-
fer help.
Never take crooked path while you
can find a straight one.
Idleness is only the refuge Of weak
minds and the holiday of fools.
Self-reliance, self-restraint, self-dis-
cipline constitute an educated will.
The soul and spirit that animates
and keeps up society is mutual trust
Hope is the word which the finger
OF God hath inscribed upon the brow
Of every man.
Cheerfulness is an excellent wear
ing quality. 1t has been called the
bright weather Of the heart.
The man who howls at the passing
Of the hat in church will pay big
hotel bill with smile on his face.
The man who. improving in skill and
knowledge, improves in modesty, has
an undeniable claim to greatness of
mind.
When we strive to do the best we
can we are sure to find that our best
is beyond anything that we had dared
to hope for.
Parental restraint. II it is wise, will
be exerted only with the view of rem
dering the child as soon as possible
independent of 1t.
The respect people show you in your
misfortune diminishes long before you
have begun to outlive 1t, and you feel
irritated as before.
II you have made a mistake, do not
think It q condescension to apologize.
The true gentleman is always ready
to rectify 4 blunder.
Weigh your own faults with the
scales Of Justice, but when you consider
the shortcomings of your neighbor,
borrow the balances of charity.
Write 1t on your heart that every
day is the best in the year. No man
has learned anything rightly until he
knows that every day is Doomsday.
To give . suggestion. or even serious
advice. to another may be kind and
wise: but to press either beyond GER
tain limits IL both rude and impolitic.
A companion that is cheerful, and
free from swearing or scurrilous dis
course, 10 worth gold. 'Tis the COM
pany and not the charge that makes
the feast.
Tho truest help We can render an
aflicted man II not take his burden
from him. but to call out his best
energy. that he may be able to bear
the burden.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
HE WAS EMBARRASSED.
The Yousg Man Forgot What oass He
Had Gone to Ask For.

The Youag Man Forgot what O0ss He
Had Gone to Ask For.
A peculiar incident Of embarrass-
ment on the part Of a young once
seeker occurred in Mai. McKinley's IL
brary one morning before the inaugur-
alton which illustrates that all ONCE
pear. A young man of forid complex
ion and golden hair from one Of th<
middle states had come many miles to
present . request to the president-elect
for personal consideration. says the
Cleveland Plain Dealer. He was ush-
cred into the library and took his seat
with the waiting crowd on the leather
covered sofa near the door. Tho score
or more OF visitors who crowded the
room chatted and read the newspapers.
awaiting their turn with the major in
the adjoining room. One after an
other was disposed of. and then the
president-elect appeared at the door In
person. The young man on the sofa
arose in difference to the majors pres
ence and found himself suddenly con-
fronted by the man he had come SO far
TO sse. Maj. Mckinley extended his
hand In the familiar way which he has
Of preventing a hand sqeeze and said,
Now, Mr.. Jones. will see you" TAX
en- % completely by surprise, the visitor
turned hrst crimson, then deadly pale
He tried to speak, but his words came
In gutterale, while his eyes seemed to
increase to the size OF dollars. Finally
he regained his voice and stammered
out. why. why. major, I came to see
you about an office, but l have forgot
ten what ONCE it is want" That was
too much for the crowd, and an audi
Bile smile went around the room. The
major saw that the young man was ac-
tually suffering from embarrassment.
The perspiration was standing out on
his forehead like beads. "Oh, II that is
all. said the major in the kindest
tones. you had better step out into
the hall little while and l will see
you after I have disposed of some of
these other callers" The unfortunate
victim thanked him and retired.
Whether he recovered from his en-
barrassment l do not know, but it is
needless to say that his card did not
read from Ohio.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31

Careful parents who are planning to send
their daughters to the city for study wish
item to be placed in surroundings rs nearly
Ike home ms poss bic In this respect the New
With its admirably equipped Home Depart.
m-nt, meets widely felt need and Offers an
yolng women students Of music Add to this
til. curriculum Of coGrsss leaving nothing rn.
don, to secure broad and muslcianly training,
sceool 10 any other and particularly to those
which make no provision for pleasant and shell
tered dofmliory life.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
Use q sntlepeaa.

Be gentle In stimulating the kidneys, other
wise you will excite and weaken them. The
happiest results follow the use of Hostel
ters Stomach Bitters TO overcome renal In
activity. Avoid the unmedicnte ted. fiery
stimulants of commerce. The kidneys have
q delicate membrane, easily irritated. and
upon this the action of such eNctants Is
pernicious. Malarial complaints. indiges-
ton, rheumatism, neuralgia and bliousness
succumb to the corrective influence Of the
Bitters.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
9eeklnR Solacc.

"well," said the Spanish general. as he
received the news OF his recall ITS great
misfortune, but II might be worse
81 don't see how" replied the officer.
ct had just started in the most elab-
orate pacification have attempted. and I'm
glad the news came before | completed II.
1t would be doubly hard to he left with a lot
of rejected manuscript on my hands. y
Washington Star.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31
s1o.so TO BUFFALO An.

01o.8o TO BUFFALO An. RETURN
Via Michigan Central, The Niagara
Falls Route" from Chicago. good 60
ing August 21-23. A rare opportunity
to 20 East at very low rates over "A
First-class Line for First-class TRAY
ell" Reserve your sleeping car accom-
modations early by writing to l.. D.
Heusner, Genl Western Pass'r AE't.
119 Adams Street, Chicago.
S1O.50 to Buffalo and return.
The Meeker herald., 1897-07-31

Alter all. Nature is the greatest Of
all chemists. and seems here to have
prepared In a gigantic receptacle an
enormous mass Of medicine for poultic-
Ing sore humanity. When all else had
failed, Natures treatment, the Magno-
Mud cure, as 1t is now called. has In
hundreds Of cases brought back health
and happiness.