davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
MARTHA MORTON.
The Career of the Most Successful Woman
 Dramatist In the World.


 Ask the first ten important theatrical managers you meet in New York or Lon don who is the most successful woman dramatist in the world, and nine of them will unhesitatingly tell you Martha Nor ton. The other one will probably select Madeline Lucette Ryley.
 Miss Morton Is no creature of circum- stances. She has earned her present exalted position in the world of theatrical literature by dint of hard work, natural ability and indefatigable energy. She is now so much sought after by managers that she fre- quently is obliged to reject commissions for plays which many dramatists of riper experience would be delighted to accept. It would be difficult to select from Miss MertOns plays her best work. There are those who declare that "The Merchant" will never be equaled by her, but unprej- udiced judges assert that several of her works are superior to the play with which she won the rich prize offered by the New York World.
 Martha Morton was born in New York about 36 years ago. She studied at the Normal college, but, owing to ill health. was prevented from taking a diploma She went to Europe with her parents for 8 change of air, and while in Europe quickly became inspired with a deep love for the fine arts More especially she l3.id attention to the drama Iu London she moved in literary and theatrical circles and became friend af the family of Dut-gn Cook. .ll- lEgL-sa olIJIc. tE Has partly owing to Mir. Cooks advice that Miss Morton felt encouraged to make study of the drama.
 After leaving London Miss Morton went to Paris and there studied the works of Moliere, Racine, Victor Hugo and other celebrated French writers and dramatists. She next studied the French stage and was a nightly visitor at the leading Parisian theaters. That she was favOrably i'm pressed with the work of the French play CTS is made apparent in the first play that she wrote entitled Helene; or, The Ref ugee's Daughter" in which both Clara Morris and Cora Tanner starred with suc cess.
 Upon her return to America her services were enlisted for charitable affair in which society was to take a prominent part. For this event Miss Morton prepared a travesty of the then popular success, "May Blossom" A single performance of her work netted over $4,0O0. Every body that witnessed the play was delight ed, and several propositions were made for a regular production of the piece. Her
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
SERPENT POISON.
The Venom of the Cobra Is Deadly AL
 most Beyond Belief.

It was in the autumn of 1891 that Calmette, while acting as director of the Baoteriological institute of Saigon, Fu.' China, fTet commenced his oE- perimouts on the standardization of ser pent venom in the animal system. He had exceptional opportunities in the matter of serpent venom wherewith to carry out his investigations, inasmuch as band of cobras had recently attacked village in the vicinity of Bac-Lieu, and by order of the governor of the dis trict no fewer than 90 specimens of the terrible Naja tripudians, or cobra de ca pello, were forwarded in a barrel to the institute.
 Forty of these reptiles arrived alive, and several were at once sacrificed to secure their venom glands. Each gland, resembling both in size and shape shelled almond, contains about 80 drops of venom, and ill this transparent limp i'd liquid is embodied toxine of extraOr- dinary strength. As is we'll known. this cobra is the most dreaded of all serpents, and it is widely distributed over India, Burma, Sumatra, Java, Malacca and Cochin China Until Calmette, however, set to work to systematically study the nature of this reptiles venom, but little precise or reliable information had been obtained as to it's character. It was, of course, necessary ill the first instance to ascertain, within as narrow limit as possible, the exact degree of toxic power inherent in the venom, and to deter mine, if possible, the precise dose lethal in respect of each variety of animal ex- perimented upon.
 A correct calculation of the quantity of venom required in every case was, however. found to be quite impossible, for so virulent is the poison that sin gle drop of an emulsion produced by pounding up glands in 300 grams of distilled water is sufficient, when ill troduced into the vein of rabbits ear, to kill it in five minutes. All the mann mals to which Calmette administered this cobra venom, such as monkeys, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs. rats. sue cumbed more or less quickly, according to the size of the dose. .-Longman s Magazine.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25

Vines can be protected from the rose
 chater and other bugs by an application
 of one gallon crude carbolic acid in 100 ! gallons of water.
 Ambassador Patenotre of France, has made overtures to Secretary Sherman for negotiating reciprocity treaty under the new tariff law. Under the new law the estimated duty on French imports is $32, 400, 900. If the treaty obtains it will reduce these duties about $l, 000,0 ,000.
 The San Francisco Examiner will send to Trinity gold mines H. z. Os- borne, formrly editor of the Los An geles Express, who is also a we'll known mining expert.
 The Los Angeles Mining and Stock Exchange expects to move September to new quarters in the Bradbury block Tn he store room formerly occupied by the Futile Mercantile company. A gallery will be put in for the ladies, chairs and desks for the accommodation of brokers. Seven hundred dollars toawrds the project has already been raised. The rent on the Bradbury store Is S3OO per month, or $3600 per year. It IS proposed to rent considerable space to the brokers for desk room in the front, reserving the back of the large room for the call board and regular 'rNIVI'>es lr,Si-oCc
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
MOTHERHOOD.
Mrs. Pinkham Declares No Woman
 Need Despair,

There are many curable causes for sterility in women. One of the most common is gene dral debility, accom- panied by a pecr liar condition of the blood.
 Write freely and fully to Mrs. Pink ham. Her address is Lynn, Mass. She will tell you, free of charge, the cause of your trouble and what course to take. Believe me, under right condi- tions, you have fair chance to become the joyful mother of children. MRS. LUCY LITTLE, 255 Henderson St., Jersey City, N. J. certainly thinksso. Shesays:
 "I am more than proud of Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, and cannot find words to express the good it has done me. was troubled very badly with the leucorrh9a and severe womb pains. From the time l was married, in 1882, until last year, l was under the doctors care. We had no children. I have had nearly every doctor in Jersey City, and have been to Belvin Hospital, but all to no avail. I saw Mrs. Pinkham's advertisement in the paper, and have used five bot ties of her medicine. It has done more for me than all the doctors ever had It has stopped my pains, and has brought me a fine little girl. have been we'll ever since my baby was born. I heartily recommend Mrs. Pinkham's medicine to all women suffering from sterility."
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
Strain of Back Pedaling.

Hard back pedaling imposes on the bi- cycle the severest of all strains which it can incur while being idden. The re versal of the propelling force while the forward motion Is maintained does vio- fence to the running gear, and if practiced often will surely take the starch. so to say, out of the stiffest machine made Note the throbbing and writhing of a steamboat under reversed action of pad dle wheels or propellers, or the hitching and grunting of the trolley car under like circumstances, or the snappy snorting Of the reversed locomotive, and it is easily evident that each of these machines suHers uncommon strains when the motive power is applied to effect stopping. lG Is Just so with a bioycla
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
PREPARED FOR THE WORST.
The Hotel Didn't Burn, but if It Had He
 Would Have Been Fixed.

would Have Been Fixed.
 Do you believe that we are some. times forewarned of great dangers?" asked the commercial traveller. ''Did you ever have-what you call it?-pre monitions? We'll. 1 was premonished the other night had to pS up at a junction hotel, and they sent me clear up to the top of the building into oDe 1T those rooms with a slanted ceiling. You know the kind. You pay for the room, and the roof occupies it.
 "There was one window. I looked out of the window, and it seemed to be at least 50 feet down to the ground. It was wooden building, and an old one. understand? While was looking out of the window a freight train went by, and the engine threw out a million | sparks.
 We'll, l says to myself, T can see my finish right now. There'Il be 10 trains going by on these two roads to- night, and it's four to one shot that this hotel is going to catch fire.' I looked out again. There wasn't any fire escape, and they didn't have any rope Ill the room. You see, in a good many places like that they have hip coil of rope Tn one corner and a sign taat saws. lp case of fire take hold of tha rope and jump. A man reads tbar sign md then he can't sleep all night
 Well, l looked out of the window again, and switch engine pulled past and shot out lot Of live ciudors as big as your fist That settled it. Iwent over to the bed and found it had two sheets. I took out my pencil and figured that could tear each sheet into four strips, and, allowing for the knots, each sheet would make about 24 feet of fire escape, although, of course, there would be some waste where would have to tie it to the bed. l figured that I could push the bed over to the window, fasten one end of my rope to the headboard and play out about 45 feet. I had it all fxed-some water all ready in the bowl, so as to dampen the knots and pull them hard. Of course l still had some dis tance to fall after got to the end of my rope, but that was all right You know, as soon as I had my rope fixed I was going to drop the mattress, so as to have something to fall on.
 'l took my cardcase, watch, money and keys and tied them in handker- chief, which very carefully placed on the window sill, so that it would not be overlooked in the hurry of getting away. There didn't seem to be anything else that 1 could do until the alarm was given, so l turned in and fell asleep right away. wasn't worrying, because was ready, no matter what happened. had been asleep about three minutes. 1t seemed to me, when somebody pound ed at my door and told me to get up; that 1t was : o'clock. I got up and dressed, and you can imagine how badly was disappointed. Oh, I was sore! But, say, suppose the hotel had caught fire. Wouldn't that have been star storyT'-Chicago Record.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
Must Have Been Very Bad.

In this day of slang and slipshod English it is quite refreshing to find one home in which our mother tongue IS ap- preciated and sins against its purity duly resented.
 That there is at least one such was made evident in a quarrel which took place in a literary household between the two youngest inmates-a quarrel like most childish differences, soon over. but fierce while it lasted.
 When his wrath had reached its height, the small son of the house. ouivering with anger, sought for Ian euage to denounce his sister, who had been the aggressor.
 "You bad," he burst forth, stamping A stubby shoe; ''you bad, you bad"- Words failed him. Then with flash of truly literary inspiration he conclud- ed, "You bad grammar, you!'-Youth's Companion.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25

few months afterward Helene" was pro; duced at a special IoatiDeo at the Firth Avenue tbeater. The success this play achieved induced Miss Clara Morris to buy it and place it iH Ter repertory. Miss Morris in +urn disposed ofitt0 Core Tanner
 ''The MerchanJ' was Miss Morton s next attcmpt at playwriting. The piece won for her the prize offered by the New York World for the best original American play, and was afterward sold by her for the sum of $4,000. Miss Morton then wrote "Geoffrey Middleton, Gentleman, ' which the PitOu company produced.
 Since then Miss Morton has written "Brother John" and His Wife's Fla ther' for William H. Crane. Both of these were exceptionally successful, and it is said that her royalty on the two aggregat- ed more than $50,00 For the coming season she has one play for Crane, another for Sol Smith Russell and still another for a prominent London manager. She has never written failure, and this fact she attributes to her unwillingness to un- dertake anything which will necessitate a change from her usual slow and pains taking method of writing. It is not at all likely that Miss Morton will have any great trouble in keeping the wolf from the door for some time to come. inasmuch as it is said that her income from her plays is equal to the salary of the president of the United States.
 It has recently been announced that this talented playwright will shortly become the bride of a well known society man of Gotham.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
swlmmlNG THE CHANNEL
Dr. Paul Neumann win Try to Cross From
 Dover to Calais.

Dr. Paul Neumann win Try to Cross From
 Dover to Calais.
 McNally's attempt to swim the English channel seems to stimulate other aspir- ants. Dr. Paul Neumann has decided to go to England and try to arrange a race with J. Jarvis for the long distance cham pionship of the world. Jarvis won the worlds championship by defeating Tyre at Manchester, England, July 3. On the same day Neumann won the championship of the United States at Lincoln park. A glance at their respective records would seem to show that Neumann is faster man than Jarvis, as his time in the mile race was 30m. 24 2-5s. against 32m. 28s., made by Jarvis. The conditions under which they swam were, however, different, as the Chicago mans time was made in still wa ter, while that in which Jarvis performed was very rough. If he Is successful in his race with Jarvis, Neumann will attempt the great feat of swimming across the Eng fish channel. He is confident that with little practice he can succeed where so many have failed. The task has been at tempted by many, but only Captain Mat thew Webb succeeded, unassisted, in cross ing "the silver streak.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
Married to 8 Vase.

In China it is not unusual for fiancee to marry n flower vase in case her intended husband dies before she has a chance to wed him. This Chinese custom was imi tated recently by a San Francisco girl O good family. She had herself united in wedlock with costly flower vase of deep red hue. The vase stood in the place of a young Chinaman to whom the girl was engaged and who died short time before the day appointed for the wedding.
 From the day of the marriage with the vase the young woman is looked upon as a widow ard entitled to live in the house of her parents in-law, just as if she had been married to the man instead of the substitute.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
Judge Daly,s Sensible yiews.

Judge Joseph F. Daly, in a recent speech in New York, said: ''No public servant assumes higher duty than he whose function it is to watch the course of public amusements, to approve what is wholesome and condemn what is harm ful, to encourage on the one part the maintenance of a high standard of excel lence and on the other part the taste to ap- preciate it. His is not only hard task, but thankless one, unless the large class which recognizes kindred spirit in his steady adherence to the right resolve to make known to him that they have watch ed his career, comprehended h.s design and rejoice in his success.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
THE SACRIFICE.
1t Made Mamma sad. but the Baby GIOated
 and Was Glad.

She was a sweet little woman, with big brown eyes and pretty air of de- termination and hardly summoned for. titude, as she led 4year-old boy into an up town barber shop. She took of his hat and dallied lovingly for mo- ment with his long yellow curls. Then she spoke tO the man in the first chair, but her voice faltered and fell, and nc one else could hear what she said
 In minute the little chap was percbed atop of hassock placed in the chair, a big apron was around his neck, and the barber with comb and shears ill hand was preparing to begin his work.
 The little woman seated herself reso- lutely with her face to the street and gazed straight out at the stream of teams and bicycles that fills Woodward avenue just before noon, but she didn t seem to see anything of the long process sion.
 Snip, snip, snip," went the shears, and still she looked straight ahead be- fore her. Then her head began to turn slowly, but before the fatal chair came ill view she had recovered her nerve and strengthened herself with little shiver, fixing her gaze once more on the oppo- site side of the street.
 But that couldn't last long. Her hands were beating nervously on the arms of the chair, and the toe of a dainty boot made rat-a-tat-tat on the tiling. She shifted uneasily in her seat, and pretty soon her head turned again, very slowly this time, until she could see the devastation the shears had wrought.
 One side of the little chaps head was already shorn of its long locks, and the unfeeling tonsorial artist held another curl at full length Snip went the shears. The little woman gasped, and a big tear rolled down her cheek She licked it of, but another followed it. She didn't lCok away again. hur the par Der task was nearly finished before she trusted herself to speak.
 Then she swallowed hard, tried to smile and said in strained, wabbly voice:
 "They're almost gone now, baby"
 'Yes, responded the youngster, with an approving glance at his reflection in the mirror. "I guess Dick won't call me a little girl any more "-Detroit News.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
The Doucet Skirt.
The doucet skirt shirred on fine cords around the waist, the shirring extend ing below the hips, is a popular feature


 around the waist, the shirring extend ing below the hips, is popular feature Of summer frocks. n organdie this fashion is particularly adaptable. A pretty "summer girl, who looked as if she had stepped out of a picture at a wedding in the country recently, had an 0Igaudie with a white ground, pow dered with tiny pink rOSebUds, the skirt made ill this way and worn over a white taffeta slip. The waist had a little full ness gathered on the right shoulder and under the arm, the folds being brought across the breast diagonally and fas- tened with a ruffie on the left side, forming a curve around the collarless neck, which was left little bare, the Organdie forming sort of bolero, which was drawn tightly across the figure and the waist defined by high draped belt The sleeves were made without being gathered and drawn tightly around the arms, except at the top, where smart looking puff accentuated the shoulders. With this pretty frock was worn a leghorn hat tilted over on the side by a cluster of pink roses. Roses also formed a garniture on top, with loops of black velvet ribbon forming an aigret on one side New York Tribune.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
A LUCKY FIND.
Tale of a Valuable Watch That Was Lost
 on an Elevated Railroad.

VI
 on an Elevated Railroad.
 "This watch ill itself is valuable one, " said New York business man as he took the timepiece from the peculiar looking fob in which he carries it, "but It had an adventure last week that gives 1t a still greater value to me. The fot IS an heirloom, and, as you may see, would be apt to attract attention any where.
 One afternoon last week 1 was go- ing up town on a crowded train on the Sixth avenue elevated. The train was so crowded that I was compelled to stand on a car platform close to the brake wheel. AS the train was round ing the curve out of West Third street took my watch from my pocket, re- moved 1t from the fob, and, after not ing the time, showed it back into the fob and returned it, as I thought, to the pocket. Instead of getting it into the pocket, however, it was on the out side, and as I let it go it fell. The guard saw it as it fell and reached out his foot to save it from going between the platforms, but failed, and down It went.
 CT -o+ oF tLo tratn 7- TTiE'lt' street and ran back as fast as ! could to the spot where the watch had dropped, hay ing ! may cf course say. mot the slightest Hupe that -.. wH,eti =. anywhere to be seen. When I reached the place. my heart almost jumped out of my throat, for there Ill the street, conspicuous among it's surroundings, lay the fob. I picked it up. It was emp ty. No watch could find anywhere.
 "Some one has found it, was natu- rally my conclusion, and that was the last ever expected to hear or see of 1t.
 But as I walked back toward the Eighth street station I got to thinking about the matter differently. If any one had found the watch, why should he have left the fob? The more 1 thought of it the more made up my mind that the watch hadA't been found. I board ed train at Eighth street and went up town to the railroad headquarters. There 1 told of the singular thing that had happened to my watch, and the of- ficer in charge told me that after the commission hours were over for the day the track walkers would start from Fifty-ninth street down the line, mak- ing their regular inspection of the rails and roadway, and he would instruct them to keep an eye out for the lost watch.
 "But, said he, smiling, I guess you will have to come to the conclu- sion, after all, that some one else will tell the time by it hereafter if it hasn't been smashed to pieces by the fall.
 "Next day went to the office. My watch was there. A track walker had discovered it by the light of his torch at midnight lying snugly on one of the girders or braces of the iron roadway beneath the track. The ring was sprung out of its fastening in the stem, and the watch was open. There was dent on the case at the hinge. In falling the watch had struck ill some mysterious way so that it had been forced from the fob, which went on down to the street. Beyond the trifling damage mentioned the watch was not injured in the slight est. If there ever was a luckier find than that, never heard of it. New York Sun.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
Maude Adams, Starring Tour.

The two plays selected by Charles Froh man for Miss Maude Adams starring sea son are "The Little Minister" comedy by J. NJ. Barrie, who is the author of the book of the same name, and "Phroso," q drama, which is dramatization of An thony Hope's latest novel, made by Ed ward Rose and H. V. Esmond. Mir. Rose is the adapter of "The Prisoner of Zenda '' and "Under the Red Robe" The play ot "The Little Minister departs almost en- tirely from the story of the book and is absolute comedy, without any of the tragic incidents of the original story. Miss Adams season will begin at the Lafayette Square theater, Washington, Sept. 13, anc she will then follow the three weeks run of Secret Service at the Empire theater, New York
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
F1annagan's Greatest Throw.

John Flanagan has the hammer throw ing record at his mercy. In an exhibition at Albany he hurled the hammer 157 feet inches. As the rules of the A. A. U. do not recognize any performance made other than in competition, the figures will not count as record. In second throw he also beat his record of 150 feet inches by an inch.
The St. Johns herald., 1897-09-25
p;tvs,mmons Would Be a Horseman.

Robert Fitzsimmons, the champion pu- gilist, is ambitious to be turf king anc has already purchased Flyaway, promls, ing but not famous horse. He says that his plans are not yet matured, but that be- fore next year he will own fine stable
 The man who tries to turn out to the left always goes home with an impres- sion that the streets are filled by crowds of beoiish persons. Milwaukee Jour- nal.