davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Press., 1897-03-25
Life In olden Enr,anA.

In his youth Augustus J. c. Hare lived with his adopted parents at reo- tory in Shropshire, and of the life there he gives some picturesque details in the story of his life:
 When there was "a wash at Stoke, which was about every three weeks, it was rule with granny that, summer or winter, it must always begin at l a. m. At that hour old Hannah Berry used to arrive from the village, the coppers were heated and the maids at work. The ladies' maids, who were expected to do all the fine muslins, etc., themselves, had also always to be at the washtubs at a. m.-by candlelight If any one was late, the housekeeper reported to Mrs. Leycester, who was soon down upon them pretty sharply. Generally, however, her real practical kindness and generosity prevented any one minding Mrs. Leycester's severity. It was looked upon as only fher way" for people were not so tender in those days as they are now, and certainly no servants would have thought of giving up place which was essentially good one because they were little roughly handled by their mistress. In those days servants were as liable to personal chastisement as the children of the house and would as little thought of resenting it. "You don't suppose I'm going to hurt my hand box ing your ears, " said granny when about to chastise the school children she was teaching, and she would take up book from the table and use it soundly, and then say. :'Now we mustn' let the oth- CT ear be jealous, ; and turn the child round and lay on again on the other side. Granny constantly boxed her housemaids' ears, and, alas, when he grew very old, she used to box dear grandpapa's, though she loved him dear ly, the great source of offense being that he would sometimes slyly give the serv- ants elbow tip when his daily table spoonful of brandy was being poured nT7f
The Press., 1897-03-25
old Greek Painters.

The methods of these ancient days were totally different from those of the present day and were evidently vastly more durable. Panels of wood were used to paint on, sycamore and cypress, also panels of papier mache, and occasional ly they were formed by gluing three thicknesses of canvas together. These panels were usually about 14 inches long by inches wide The artist used liquid wax instead of oil to mix the co1ors, which were made, not from vegetable, of marvellous brilliancy and permanenoe blue powdered lapis lazuli, green malachite, red oxide of iron, etc. The colors were laid on in patches, some- what after the fashion of a mosaic, and afterward blended with an instrument called the cestrum, which appears to have been lancet shaped spatula, long handled, with at one end curved point, at the other finely dentated edge. With the toothed edge the wax could be capitalized and smoothed, while the point was used for placing high lights, mark ing lips, eyebrows, etc.
 The final process, which gives the name encaustic to this kind of painting, was the burning in of the colors. This was done by the application of heated surface to the panel, though George Ebers believes that in Egypt the heat of the sun was probably all that was need ed to complete the artists work. Monthly Illustrator.
The Press., 1897-03-25
The vendlsh Tongue In Germany.

Consul General de Kay writes for The Century a paper on the Serbian swamp Vendland under the title of "An Inland Venice. Mr. de Kay says These people speak German to the lord ings as we pass Vendish to our boatman, but the Vendish is disappearing because, for the sake of the army, it's teaching is discouraged Throughout all this dis trict, far over into Saxony, only a few churches still offer sermons in the old tongue. Yet if the Vendish tongue dis appears the names of places will tell the tale, even as such names in Bran denburg and Saxony still do. Dresden, Leipsic, these are Vendish words-or call them Slavic, with the broader term that now means the race. And here about are Cottbus, Vetschau, Muschen, Brahmow, Babow, Dlugy, Raddush, Leipe, Lehde, Byhleguhre. Straupitz and Lubben. And the fiesses that wind or shoot straight in and out of forest and cleared fields retain Vendish names: Mutniza, Blushnitza, Rogazo, Zscha- pigk, Polenzo, CAroblitzo and Nabasatz. Efforts have been made to give German names to many of them, but country people everywhere are great holders tC precedent, and the people who stick SC tightly to their old costume are not go- ing to give up their place names without struggle
The Press., 1897-03-25
Rossini's Laziness.

Rossini was one of the most indolent of men, and in his younger days used to do most of his composing in bed. Once he had almost completed trio, when the sheet fell out of his hand and went under the bed. He could not reach 1t, and, rather than get up, he wrote another. The lazy man, if he works at all, does so by spurts, and Rossini, work ing against time, wrote ''The Barber of Seville" in IS days. When Donizetti was told of this, he remarked, Tt is very possible-he is so lazyP' The over ture to the "Gazza Ladra'' was written under curious circumstances. On the very day of the first performance of the opera not note of the overture was written, and the manager, getting hold of Rossini, confined him in the upper loft of La Scala, setting four scene shift CTS on guard over him. These took the sheets as they were filled and threw them out of the windows to copyists be- neRth
The Press., 1897-03-25
He Abolished the Page.

For many years the Cincinnati En- auirer used to print solid editorial page and employed an exclusive editorial staff of six writers, who wrote all their matter at night in order to keep abreast of the telegraphic news. One Fourth of July evening as they assembled to begin work somebody suggested a patriotic drink in honor of the occasion. They filed down to a restaurant near by, and, as they lined up at the bar, the door opened and Washington Mclean, the presiding genius of the paper, came in. MT. Mclean did not drink often, but when he did he drank very hard. On this occasion he was celebrating the Fourth.
 The result was that round after round of whisky was ordered, and nobody thought of the editorial page except one writer (who tells the story in the Chi cago Times Herald), who went back to the editorial rooms and sat down to write an editorial. He never got beyond the first sentence, Yesterday was the Fourth of July" The next day, when the paper came out, on the editorial page there was just one line of editorial matter. At the top were the words, Yesterday was the Fourth of July, " and the rest of the page was filled with news. The reading public believed that the change was intentional, and MT. Mclean received so many congratula- tory letters commenting his enterprise in giving news preference over editorial that he abolished the editorial page per manently,
The Press., 1897-03-25
Service 8 Ia BowerY.

A waiter from ''de Bowery'' drifted into town the other day and got job in Royal street restaurant. He was dress ed in check suit, walked stiff kneed, with his chin out, and yelled out his or. ders like Mississippi mate. His first customer was a gentleman of delicate appetite. The waiter struck prize fighter attitude, leaned his head slightly down toward the guest and said:
 "Well?"
 The guest looked up in surprise. The waiter glanced down at hiIn.
 "Well, what can we do for yer, sport?'
 Regaining his control, the diner said, "Ah, I'd like something light. waiter. ''
 "Sumtin light? How would fedder do yer?"
 "A what?''
 GA fedder. Maybe you might get your whiskers trou lamp, CT p'r'aps a cup of barber's ladder might 1t yer mug. /"
 Having delivered Limse of these pleasantries, the waiter smiled broadly and tapped his customer lightly on the chest.
 "Dere, whiskers, don t get yer peppers on. Oats josh to git. yer appetite, see? No stringin, wouldn't an omelet sufaay tickle de cove i'll yer bread bas- key? Say, can rush it into yer face be- fore yer finish goin up against de pie kles. See?''
 The delicate gentleman nearly tainted and was rescued by the head waiter, who gave him another attendant and put the Ganymede from wicked New York on the dishwashing list.-New Orleans Times Democrat.
The Press., 1897-03-25
Japanese Alloys.

It is said that number of Japanese recipes for the making of alloys which have hitherto been kept a close secret have been revealed by workmen engaged in making them. Among these is the shadko, an alloy of copper and from to 10 per cent of gold. This, when placed in mordant of sulphate of copper, alum and verdigris assumes the cop pered or blue black hue of sword sheaths and decorative articles Gnishi- buichi is copper alloy with 30 or 50 per cent of silver, of the we'll known gray color. Mokume is compound of several alloys. About 80 plates or foils of gold, shadko copper, silver and the last mentioned alloy are soldered together. In this holes are made, the plate is hammered out and put into the mordant. The finest Japanese brass, sinchu, is given as con- sisting of ten parts copper and five of zinc. The bell metal karakame is made out of 10 parts of copper, of tin, one half of iron and 115 of zinc.
The Press., 1897-03-25
Where Golf Resemh,es War

"A grand joke developed itself not long ago., says Monte Video core spondent. "A native paper published alarming paragraphs to the effect that the British war vessels were making soundings and taking surveys and effect ing other highly suspicious operations near Maldonado and that they had land ed an armed force with instruments and terrible unknown engines.
 The government was warned to pre- pare for an invasion or at the very least a second Trinidad affair. These revela- tions were apparently confirmed by a telegram from newspaper correspond ent in Maldonado, who said that he himself had seen those dreadful Eng fish at their tricks
 Before such 8 denunciation the au- thorities could not remain silent, and accordingly an official telegram was sent to the captain of the port at Nal donado for information. His reply was to the following effect:
 It is not true that the English have been making plans of the port or meas uring lands at Punta del Este. What they have done is to mark out 8 course for an English game that they played here before and which is called golf. '' -Pearson's Weekly.
The Press., 1897-03-25
Peop1e po Read the Papers.

Some persons wonder why engaged people generally prefer to keep their en- agreements as quiet as possible until the day of the wedding. Perhaps the reason lies in the results of newspaper an- nouncement
 The other day an engagement was mentioned in one of the afternoon pa pers. It was in the last edition of the paper, but early the next morning sev- eral awning makers were at the home of the future brides parents, soliciting the contract for supplying an awning when the event came off On the same morn ing and ill the first mail no less than half dozen printers and engravers sent samples of their work and quoted prices for which they would be willing to pre- pare the wedding cards according to the latest dictates of fashion. During the remainder of the week milliners, cater CTS, dressmakers, liverymen, furniture dealers, hardware men and dry goods merchants made known their desire to supply the future bride and groom with all the outfit that they might need or imagine they needed. The young folks are now waiting for bids from ministers who are willing to tie the knot at bar gain prices. Buffalo Courier.
The Press., 1897-03-25
Nansen's Tram.

Nansen invented the model of the Tram, making her hull round and slip pery, like an eel, with no corners or sharp edges for the ice to seize upon. She is the strongest vessel ever used in arctic exploration. He said that pressure would simply lift her on the ice, and so her bottom, near the keel, was made all most flat in order that she might not capsize while on the ice surface, and her screw and rudder were also ingeniously protcted. The many experts who said her design would not save the Tram from instant destruction were mistaken, for she met these resistless ice pressures, and they merely lifted her out of her cradle, and she rested safely on the sur face.
The Press., 1897-03-25
A Wittr Rishnn.

A good story is told of war of words between the paradoxical Oscar Wilde and witty bishop whom he met at a social gathering. Church and stage crossed swords, and it was not the church that bit the dust.
 ''I am yours, nay lord,'' said MT. Wilde, lowing low and smiling ironical- ly, to my shoe buckles. !"
 ''I am yours, said the courtly bish- op, "to the ground. !"
 The author of "An Ideal Husband" continued:
 T am yours to the center of the earth. y
 The pillar of the church quickly re- sponded:
 ''I am yours to the antipodes.
 Oscar Wilde began to feel decidedly nettled Indignant at his defeat by a mere clergyman and man of piety he exclaimed, as last thrust:
 ''I am yours to the lowest pit of de- struction!"
 "There, MT. Wilde," responded the divine, 1T think I'd better leave youp' -Exchange.
The Press., 1897-03-25
A Painful Meeting.

A dramatic story was told at a Hamil ton college alumni dinner in New York General Schuyler Hamilton gave some interesting incidents from the life of his grandfather and described meeting be- tween Aaron Burr and Mrs. Hamilton, daughter-i law of Alexander Hamilton and the mother of the speaker, in 1880. |" As Colonel Burr entered the room, ; he said, "my mother, in extreme agitation, seemed about to faint. Colonel Burr, noticing this, but not knowing her, inn mediately went to the sideboard, poured out 8 glass of water and advanced to hand it to her. It was all done most naturally, gracefully and courteously. My mother shook her head and mur- mured, I am the daughter of Alexander Hamilton. Without a word, Colonel Burr placed the glass of water on the sideboard, bowed in silence to the Misses Nathan and quietly retired. It was to him, as to my mother, evidently very painful meeting. Colonel Burr deported himself like dignifed gentle man. was little boy about 8 years old. Then learned for the first time to impress the fact upon my memory that Colonel Burr had killed my grandfa- ther. "-NeW York Letter
The Press., 1897-03-25
A rAw Rords on Roohn.

A good remark somebody made once is that if you own books you do not have to read them. That is, if you hear of {. certain book, you say, II must get that out of the library and read it" If you do so, it is necessary to read it at once and return it. If you can buy it, you read what portion satisfies your par ticular want at the moment, and then there it stands among your other good friends, always ready, like any real friend, to serve you at 8 moments mo- tice ip. any way it can. Indeed, it is real friend, because it never deserts you, never goes back on you, never changes, unless somebody borrows it, and that is not the books fault The mere fact that your room is filled with books is good kind of influence, for there is something in the mere proximity of books that makes chap serious occasionally and induces him to sit and ponder once in awhile in the midst of his grind, his sport, his daily work and his other and less valuable friends at school or college.
 Then, too, in these days, when there are so many hundreds of books a year and so many millions already published, it is utterly impossible to try to read, as the old fellows in the later middle ages used to, everything that is published. It is far better to re-read some good, fa- miliar things again and again. They are good books, they are your especial favorites, and you will seldom fail to find something new in them each time you read them. It gives you little idea of how much the writing of them must have meant to their author if you can read them, say, 20 times and still go on finding something you had not succeeded in discovering in them before. .-Harper's Round Table.
The Press., 1897-03-25
The Story of
 Puritana.

Prof. Dixi Crosby, M. D., IL. D., who for thirty-two years was at the head of Dartmouth Medical College, belonged to the famous Crosby family of physicians, which for several gener- ations has furnished more distin- guished medical men than any other family in America. His father was Dr. Asa Crosby, of Dartmouth, who procured the charter of the State medical society, of which he was for thirty years conspicuous member; one brother, Dr. Josiah Crosby, in- vented the invalid bed and themethod of making extensions of fractured limbs by adhesive strips; another brother, Dr. Thos. R. Crosby, was chief surgeon in Columbian College Hospital during the war, and later professor of animal and vegetable physiology at Dartmouth College; while Dr. Dixi Crosby himself was the inventor and discoverer of various important Improvements in medicine and surgery, including new and unique mode of reducing metacarpo- phalangeal dislocation, opening of ab- scess at hip-joint, etc., etc.
 At the early age of twenty-four his extraordinary skill and success in over coming disease had already attracted the attention of medical men through out the world, and won for him the highest honors. His greatest achieve ment was the discovery of an original method for perfecting and compound ing in permanent form what has be. come known as his tprize formula, 1" and which, under the name of Puri- tana, is legally protected.
 The foundation of this remarkable medical discovery consists of simple New England roots and herbs, and the original family recipe for it has de- seconded to the long line of Crosby physicians from their Puritan ances- tors. Its peculiar vegetable compost ton rendered it necessary to brew it whenever needed in the early days of its history, and after the scattering of the Puritan families to remote 1ocali- ties, where the necessary Ingredients were not to be found, many attempts were made to put it up in permanent form, all of which failed until Dr. Dixi Crosby discovered means and methods, the result of which is: Natures Cure Compounded in the laboratory of oosnmon Senses
The Press., 1897-03-25
Katie,s Reply.

It was one of the days when little Katie seemed to be possessed by spirit of mischief, and before the afternoon was over she had tired herself and ex- hausted her mothers patience At last she did something so naughty that her mother said:
 ''There, Katie, shall have to punish you for that ''
 The child looked at her for 8 moment in silence, and then, without warning, burst into tempestuous weeping. Just at this crisis her father came into the room.
 "Why, little one, what is this2'' he asked. "What are you crying for?"
 Katie though for moment, and then, remembering that the manner of her punishment had not been announced, she answered amid her sobs:
 ''I don't know, papa. Mamma hasn' t told me yet. ''-London Answers.
The Press., 1897-03-25
u BETTER THAN EVERV
Fossi1 Renti1e Tracks.

The greatest region in the world for fossil tracks of the reptiles which lived in the early days of the world is that in the vicinity of Portland, Conn. Some of those old time monsters walked as bi- peds on feet that made tracks 16 to 90 inches long. These tracks are almost as broad as they are long, and the stride shows that the reptile" must have been fully 12 feet in height Formerly these wonderful tfossil tracks of the Connec- ticut valley were said to be tracks of ancient birds, but of late the geologists have taken a different view, declaring them to be marks left by reptiles. St. Louis Republic.
The Press., 1897-03-25

The carrier pigeon has been put to many uses, such, for instance, as mak. ing known the results of races and cleo. tions to people living at distance. But a doctor in Scotland has extended it's utility Tn a remarkable way. He has a large and scattered practice. and we gather from "The Medical Press and Circular" that when he goes on long rounds he carries a number of pigeons with him. If he finds that some of his patients require medicine at once he writes out prescriptions, and by means of the pigeons forwards them to his sur. .gery. Here an assistant gets the mes. .sages, prepares the prescription and dis. patches the medicine. If, after visiting patient, the doctor thinks he will be required later in the day. he simnlv leaves a pigeon, which is employed to summon him if necessary. To this en terprlsing physician the keeping of pig cons, means saving of time, expense and labor
The Press., 1897-03-25
Took Her Advice,

A clergyman in southern state was called to perform marriage ceremony in poor wleite settlement After the knot was tied the mother of the bride placed before the guests refreshments in the form of rye whisky. The pastor, by virtue of his office as Christian min ister, demonstrated with her for thus starting in life the new couple. The mother, a large woman, about a foot taller than the minister, placing her arms akimbo and looking him straight in the eye, said, Look a yere, mister preacher, yer kim yere to marry this yere couple. Yo've married this yere couple. Now git. "-New York Tribune.
The Press., 1897-03-25
Pearls A-pIenty.

A curious effect of the plague in India has been sudden increase in the num- Der of pearls reaching the London mar ket and a consequent marked fall in prices. This is not due to unusual in- dustry on the part of the divers, but to the fact that the native dealers at Bom- bay have been in such haste to quit the stricken city that they have eagerly dis posed of their wares at far below the customary market value. One English firm of importers of Indian pearls has accumulated stock which, if placed suddenly on the market, it is estimated, would send down quotations fully 25 ner cent
The Press., 1897-03-25

Now is the time when people most need medicine. After the long, cold winter and in- door life, the system requires toning up, and nerves and blood need that most perfect in- yigorator, that best spring medicine, Dr. Greene's Nervura blood and nerve remedy. Senator Marcus Peck, Brookfeld, Vt, one of our most prominent statesmen, who has been Senator, Representative, and is now State Road Commissioner of Vermont, tells you what at this season most vitally concerns you how to invigorate your system, restore lost energies, get back your health and strength.
 Senator Peck says: "Dr. Greene's Nervura blood and nerve remedy has been a welcome visitor in my house for 6 long time past. My wife used it for nervous prostration and was greatly helped. She is using it now and de-
The Press., 1897-03-25

DANGER OF THE GRIP.-The greatest danger from La Grippe is of it's resulting in pneumonia. If reasonable care is used however, and Chamberlain's Cough Rem. edy taken, all danger will be avoided Among the tens of thousands who havt used this remedy for la grippe, we have yet to learn of single case having result ed in pneumonia, which shows conclu. siveld that this remedy is certain pre- ventive of that dread disease. It vii effect a permanent cure in less time thar any other treatment. The 9 and 5( cent sizes for sale by w. w. Lathrop Stafford Springs; G. L. Philips, Soutf Couaptru
The Press., 1897-03-25
They Love Dante.

A magnificent upper chamber of the municipal palace (the PalazEo Vecchio) in Florence is set apart in memory of the great poet Dante. To it each of the 69 provinces and all of the larger cities and towns of united Italy have con- tributed banner in his honor. There are over 300 of these banners ill all, and the donors. in eager emulation, have tried to make each offering more beau tiful than the others. The banners are of the differing oolors of the provinces and bear their arms in exquisite em- broidery or in paintings by the first liv- ing artists.
 The fervor of the homage paid here to the immortal Italian poet stirs the heart of even the passing stranger. Whatever the jealousies or arrangement of these people, beside his tomb they are united. Youths Companion.
The Press., 1897-03-25
Signs of Brain Exhaustion.

An alarmist doctor says that when a person begins to have doubts about the spelling of common words, to write an unnaturally small hand that shows 8 tendency to waver above and below 8 straight line and to grasp the pen with unnecessary force, especially at the end of long word, then that person is suf- fering from brain exhaustion and ought either to take complete rest or else to find work of an altogether new and diff ferent kind. San Francisco Wave.