davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1897-09-26
AN UNDELIVERED SPEECH.

| at Georgetown the sheriff asked me n
| l didn't want TO have talk with man
for whom the gallows was being erected,
] ana W no was TO hang next day and dfew
| minutes later / was admitted 10 the cell
! Tie condemned was calm and collected,
and after a little general conversation
about the crops and the weather, he care
| lessly observed
"Bll was telling me a little wh'le ago
that the hanging was set for o O'clock
| tomorrow forenoon. Does that Seem
| TO you to be crowdiHg thiugs??''
| Il believe that's the usual hour !
replied.
| Then it's all right. 1 don't want to
| be too particular about 1t, but Bill shouldn't
! take any advantage OF me. ] was think
| ing he ought to wait until noon, but IL
| 0 is the usual hour, L slan't kick. Going
to stop 9vcr?''
II don't think 500
Ever ste a hanging?''
II never did"
''Nor 1 either, but IL business amt
drivin' you'd better stay over. I've got
/ purity fair speech fixed up fur the
occasion, and ia ike a big crowd present
| to hear it
Don't you dread the fatal hour?"
asked. as l wondered at his cuulness.
Can't say 1 do he replied. Il don't
| imagine there's much TO lido you? I'd
| like to stay around for few years more.
but odds is the difference. If l was ont
/ o this 1 might he hit by a snake tomorrow
If you amt in a hurry, perhaps you'd
like to hear my speech"
l said l would, Iud he arose, removed
his coat anu vest, and said:
Il never W as mucn OF a hand at speech
making. but I thInkI can getoff something
purity good On this occasion. I hope il
viii be a nice day. II it should be a
rainy day things would go bad and
Bill would be upset and nervous Any Of
the folks outside seem 70 feel bad for me?''
Plenty OF them
That's good. Now fur the speech. !
stand like this reaching my arm out-sO.
| and saw: Ladies and gentlemen: 1t is
| needless TO remark that l am glad to
see you mere. on this auspicious occasion.
II seerhS--"
'hut viii there be any ladies present.
inter- upted.
"shore TO, sab, and I mustn't leave em
ont of my speech. Is auspicious occasion
all right?''
Yes; you get that in very we'll
"Thanlee- l go ON to say: 1t seems
that We are gathered here today with
an object in view. That object is worthy
of the noble character and undying pa
triotiSm of a race Of"
At that instant the sheriff came nEstling
i'll with telegram in his ha nd and called
cut:
Say, Tom, I've got news for YOU
Have eh? Well, don't iur.p ON all at
once. L was just going over my little
speech. What's the racket
Here's telegram from the governor
he has committed your sentence to im-
ptiSonment for ltfe''
And there won't be no hanging
no"
And no crowd and no speech?"
''No."
'Hh Say, Bill, you are purity square
man, and the governor is another. and
if there amt goin 10 be 10 hangin' l
want you TO take me out at least and let
Inc give 'em my speech. I've been four
weeks gettin' it up and practicin' M 1t,
and durn fny hide if j want 10 lie thrown
down in this way at the last minuter'
The times., 1897-09-26
PARISIAN FREAKS IN
UMBRELLA HANDLES

Paris, Sept 1s.- The women of Paris
are vsin5 with each other TO see who can
secure the most novel-looking and at the
same true most expensive handle to her
parasol, and designers, who get their
living by introducing novelties in this
line, are doing their best to make has
while the sun Shines for the crazes of
Paris feIaininity are never long lived.
Some of the designs are extremely odd and
exceedingly costly.
One of tnese handles recently obs
was formed OF a silver fish, with eyes OF
ruby. II made d very handsome, but
rather awkward handle, and cost the
owner no less a sum than $75 for the
handle alone
Another design consists of swans neck
and mead, fashioned out of gun metal the
twist Of The neck forming the handle; and
the value of the design, which, Of course,
has 80 be Brought up to high figure To
suit the vanityof the owner, is enhanced by
the insertion of two glittering and fla wless
diamonds whefethe eyes of the ould
be- A row Of diamonds is inserted in the
iitt-ihN Jue' " I6TG TUE neck OF IIE swan
ends-tte cost. diamonds and all, being
$50. \ similar design consists of a snake
IL gun metal, the green eyes OF the reptile
being represented by emeralds. The cost
of the saaKe handle is $125. Gun metal
is in high favor lust now with the DANES
of Paris who carry parasols, and many
handles are made of this material. 4
gun-metal design that is useful as well
as ornamental, consists of a knob with
watch set in the top, with row OF
diamonds, rubes and saphires around the
base. The cost of this design is $1oO.
Animals are in great favor as umbrella
handle novelties. One that attra cted much
attention recently was made to represent
d nudes head. 1t was done in oXidizea
silver, the harness being of gold set with
diamonds. This handle cost S125: but
tor the mere bagatelle OF $50 handles can
be secured IN almost all varieties of ami
mai designs. The favurites are those that
represent cats, dogs and ra abbits rearing
Ca Their hind legs or in an attitude of
angry defiance, with their diamond, ruby
OF sapphire eyes flashing. The cost, OF
course depends Chiefly upon the value of
the gems that represent the animals eyes;
but $50 is about the cheapest rate
lady who had parasol handle de-
lgnei after an origin al idea OF her own
was the envied OF ali feminine observers
cnthe bo uley ards no tlong since. Thisunidue
article was IN ade 10 representa- dolls head.
The face was of hisque surmounted by d
poke bonnet pf silver, which was tied md er
the chin with a cow of fine silver work,
studded with diamonds. 1t was learned
that the toy cost $50, the diamonds be,
inS exceptionally fine,
On some umbrella handles carried by
men. the diamond ornament idea takes
the form oc the name or initials of the
owner in diamond scroll work on the
handle These may 5e any price YOU
please, for small fortune can be set In
TIE handle OF b mans umbrella If one
wishes a N fnr ,1iunla-
The times., 1897-09-26

VIII possibly be the first tomorrow, Sir
William Astor, renow ned sportsman, W no
mas nothing more to learn of athletic
games, Wen6 q few days ago, "a Is his habit
each week, to run the express train from
the Grand Central of Illinois, Mounted
upon the locomotive, in the place of the
usual engineer. lie took extreme pleasure
IN running the train against time. Sew
eral or bis colleagues or tie New ork Club,
Where one may be admitted only upon
condlllcnOr ha VIng fOrtuneOf SOU, ,UBO,UUO,
nave sought Tit To dispute the record he
made, however. Thus NJ. George Gould,
son 3t the railway king, mas gooo reason
70 challenge him for u race, If he viii,
because ne has had much practice in this
sort OF thing, from the fact tnat every week
ue t,akes ms irleads out in a pleasure train,
"hicH ne runs himself.
Another episode was told by the Petit
Parisien in this way:
One ca Ii hardly tell " hat form The pIeas-
ure OF Americans will take w hen Cney nave
much money and do no. know now To spend
L.. BuO At bnc same time their spirit OF
calculation ana OF Jrickery often lnlpeIs
thefn 10 search for the most mean econo-
ihes. ha oil king, NJ. Rockefeller, for
lliht ttice, is on The point OF s-iiing MS besu-
tlIul property lat IaTytOwn tecause the
treasury has assessed it at $l1 600, 900,
Whea ne declared it to be worth only S2,-
100000. Well, the budget OF the re-
pubic being constantly IN a state OF Ue-
llclt, IL Is necessary To get money from
somewhere!
Again, quoting from the same article:
Inc most curious chapter OF the hypeTbOli-
cal customs OF the Americans concerns the
women. The American loves her IN man
ncr tnat is not ours. He doteS Un her. lie
Inakeslt point OF honor 10 refuse hernoth-
ing III she does not wear the breecueS, she
atleast carries JHe flag OF tine house as jock
.ys carry tile cOiOrS OF the stable. The nus
Dand, tie father, displays unnea Sured Os-
teutatIOn for the purpose OF aggrandIZing
MS Family, and To make good markets for
his children. Coming from low origin, in a
Country where the tailor, Lincoln, became
other than tnatOf money, ne dreamsOf titles
or nobility not Tor himself, but for his
daughters. Every seIf-respegting pig uler-
cnant from Cincinnati wishes 70 have a
Iiafquls for son-in-law, ana there Is not
Barnum suddenly enriched who does not
cream or dueal coronet for hIsuauGnter.
The article ended; Here, in d nutshell,
is picture OF the Americans at home
The young man read it through, then went
To the Frenchman who had advised hiu .
read the Petit Parisien.
Would yod,'' he said, he inclined TO
believe the statements you might read ia
that paper?''
Certainly said the Frenchman, With
out hesitation. Il have told you that its
leader writers are among the best in
fofmed men in Paris, which, Of course,
means France"
very we'll answered the young man.
But l want to tell you one thing. the
American Lincoln was not a tailor, even
if Felix Faure was u jodrneyman tanner"
New York Sun.
The times., 1897-09-26
Her Empty Place.
ZION the Youth,s companion. }

From the Youths Companion
A pathetic little tribute to a wife's tact
snd SelffOrgetulnesS was given by an old
New Hampshire farmer.
The couple had lived happily together
for nearly fifty years, and when the wife
died her husband seemed utterly unable at
first to act, or even think, for himself.
The funeral was taken in charge by an
energetic niece, and according 10 thuss.
who were present, everything was con
Quoted with propriety. One OF the neigh
bors stopped to speak to the poor old
widower when the last office at the grave
had been performed
William she said, laying a kindly
hand on her old friends shoulder, Il thinl,
everything was beautiful; it was Just sucn
a funeral as Mary wished am sure
You mean well, Mis- Snowden, 1 know. {"
said the old man, looking up at her with
dim eyes, but you dom take it in as 1 do
Niece Ellen couldn't see to everybody,s
comfort as Mary would have Why, I've
thought dozen times today, If Mary was
only here TO tend to the funeral, seems to
me could almost bear to have lost herp'
The times., 1897-09-26
peafness Cannot Be cured

BY LOCAL APPLICATIONS, as they can
not go to the seat of the disease Catarrh
is a blood or constitutional disease, and
IN order to cure it you must take internal
remedies. Halls Catarrh Cure is taken
internally, and acts directly on the bIood
and mucous surfaces. Halls Catarrh Cure
is not quack medicine 1t was prescribed
by one of the best physicians in this co Intry
for years, and is regular prescription.
1t is composed of the best tonics known,
combined with the best blood purifiers,
acting directly on the mucous surfaces
The perfect combination of tie two m
gradients is what produces such wonder
full results in curing Catarrh. Send for
testimonials free.
F. ]. CHENEY & CO., Props, Toledo, o.
Sold by druggists; price 75c S-1yr
The times., 1897-09-26
The Hush of the Plains.

AS some vast orchestra, listening waits
Full-breathed and tense in sudden lull,
With only the String-basS throbbing on,
Ready at fall of the leader wand
To bI eak into soft, slow swell,
So the plain lies, hushed and dumb as
death,
songless and soundless.
No crickeUs fill the pause with whlrr,
No bird wakes Il note or stirs wing,
Only the flute like note of the lark sounds,
Only the flashing, inaudible wing of the
gull moves;
All else waits, listens.
Only the wide wind droningon,
Wide as the plain, vaguely vast,
The string bass uhrobbing dimly on
--Hamlin Garland
The times., 1897-09-26
Microscopic AloraIities.

(From the Youths Companionl
There are fine distinctions, though
usually with a difference. In the days
when Scotland was even stricter in its
obscryan5cs than it is now, visitor 20
Edinburgh was whistling in the street on
Sunday
Nor" said another, reprovIngly, ''ye
maUIna whusTle."
II am nistling to my dog" was the
conciliatory answer.
"Oh,' was the Concession, 'ye may
whustle TO the doagie, but ye niaunns
whustIe."
The times., 1897-09-26

tain essential supplies; for, If she cannot
assert rer strength 50 far III that direction,
she cannot, from her nearness, go beyond
Cuhas reach III any direction. Abandun-
nent of the best road in this case means
isolation. and 10 that condition, if pro.
Ionged, there IS but one issue.
The final result therefore, may be stated
in tins way: The advantages of situation
st-sngth and resources are greatly and
decisively in favor OF Cuba. To bring
Jamaica to a condition of equality, or
superiority, rs needed mobile force capa
bic OF Keeping the Windward Passage CON
tinuousiy open, not only for a moment
nor for any measure bic time, but through
ont the war. Cnder the present conditions
Of political tenure, in case OF a war in
volying only the two states concerned,
such a question could admit of no doubt.
but in d war at all general, involving
several naval powers, the issue would be
less certain. Jnthe warof IT'S the tenure.
not OF the WiEdward Passage merely, but
of Jamaica itself, was looked upon by u
large party il Great Britain as nearly hope
less, and it is true that only happy
concurrence of blundering and bad luck
on the part Of its foes then saved the
island. Odds that have happened once
may corceivably happen again.
The times., 1897-09-26

Causes specifically very diverse. but es-
sentialiy the same, in that theyarose from
and stin depend upon lack Of local po-
liucaI capacity, have brought the Mediter-
ranean and the Caribbean, ir our own
time, u similar conditions, regarded as
quantitics Of interest in the sphere Of inter
national relations. Whatever the intrinsic
value of the two bodies Of water, IN them
selves or in their surroundings whatever
their present contributions TO the pros
perity or 10 the culture Of mankind, their
conspicuous characteristics how are their
political and military Importance, in the
broadeSt sense, as concerning not only the
countries that border them, but the world
at large.
Both are land girt seas; both are links
in chain OF communication between the
East and West; in both the chain is
broken by an isthmus; both are OF con
tracted extent when compared with great
oceans, and, in consequence OF these com
mon features, both present in an intensi-
fled form the advantages and the iimita-
lions, political and military, Which con
oition the influence Of sea power. This
conclusion is notably true OF the Mediter-
raneau. as is shown by its history 1t is
even more fprci5ly true IF the Caribbean
partly because the contour Of its shores
does not, as IN the Mediterranean PENN
sulas, thrust the power OF the land SO far
and 50 sustainedly into the sea; partly
because, from historical antecedents al
ready alluded to- in the character OF the
firS, colnuists, aud from the sn0rtness ur
the time the ground has been in civilized
occupation, there does not exist in the
Caribbean, or in the Gulf Of Mexico
apart from the United States-any land
power at all comparable to those great con
tinental states OF Europe, whose strength
lies In their armies far more than in their
navies.
Sc Tar as Observation-Disclosures, AS distinct
from tire cautious actions of statesmen,
can ne discerued, in the Mediterranean at
present the Sea powers, Great Britain
France, and italy, are opposed TO the land
powers. Germany. A ustria, and Russia; and
the latter dominate action. II cannot
Toe 50 in auy near future, in the Caribbean.
The Caribbean is pre-eminently the do
main OF sea power
The times., 1897-09-26
Am Astnnishing Rennes

tFronl the New York weekly.)
Little Dot Mamma! Mammal
Mamma lin next rooml- What?
Little Dot NV kittie has caught mouse
and she acts hungry. Please come and
cook it for her.
The times., 1897-09-26
England ard America in the Carib
bean

Regarded as positions, Cuba and Ja.
Laica are the real rivals for control OF
The Carl tbean and the Gulf of Mex
leo; and il may he added that tile strate-
Eic center OF interest for both Gu,r and
Caribbean is TO be found in the Wind
ward Passage, because it furnishes the
Ultimate test of the relative power of
the two islands to control the Caribbean.
For, as has been said before, and cannot
be repeated too often, 1t is not position
only, nor chiefly, but mobile force, that rs
decisive in war.
In tie combination OF these two elements
rests the full statement of any case The
question Of position has been Hdjudged
In favor OF Cuba, for re asons which have
been given In the case OF a conflict be.
tween the powers holding the two islands.
the question OF controlling the Windward
Passage Tould be the testof relative mo bile
strength: because that channel is the short.
est ana best line OF communications for
Jamaica with the American coast. with
Halifax, and with Bermuda, and as such
Il must be kept open. If the power OF
Jamaica is not great enough to hold the
passage open hy force, she is thrown upon
Easion- upon furtiye measares-to maiu-
The times., 1897-09-26
The American Revolution and the
Spanish system.

Elizabeth, as far as she dared, was d
despot. Philip IL. was a despot; but there
was already manifest in her subjects, while
there was not in his, will and power
not merely to resist oppres sion, bat to
organize freedom This viii and this
power, after gaining many partial vic
tories by the way, eliminated once for
al in the American Revolution.
Great Britain has never forgotten the les
son then Taught; for il was one she her
self had been teaching for centuries, and
her I.eople aud statesmen We're therefore
easy learners. A century and quarter
has passed since that waning was given,
not TO Great Britain only, but to the
world; ard We today see, in the contrast
ed colonial systems Of the TWO states, the
results, on the one hand Of political apt
tuce, on the other Of political obtuSeness
and hackwa rtlIsess, which cannot struggle
from the past into the present, until the
present n turn has become the past-irre-
Claimable.
The times., 1897-09-26
Jamaica and British Maritime su-
premacy.


premacy.
in the matters of entrance to the Carib-
bean and of general interior control of
that sea jamaica has singularly central
position. II Is equidiStant 900 miles, from
Colcn, from the YUcatan channel and from
the Mona Passage. 1t is even closer (450
miles TO the nearest mainland of South
America at Point GalIinas nd of Cen
trail America a I Cape Gracias-a-D Dios, while
it lies So Immediately in rear of the Wind
ward Passage tina its command of the lat
ter can sca;cely be considered less than
that of Santiago. The analogy of its sit
uation. as station foT a great fleet,
to that for an army covering a frontier
which is passable al but a few points viii
scarcely escape a military reader. \
Comparatively short chain of swift look
nut steamers in each direction can give
timely notice os any approach by either
Of the three passages named, while, If
entrance be gained al any other point,
the arms stretched out otward GaIIinas ana
Gracias -Dios viii give warning of transit
before the purposes OF such transit can
be accomplished Uudisturbed.
With such advantages of situation, and
WITH Darbof susceptible or satisfactory
development as naval station for a great
fleet, Jamaica is certainly the most i'm
portant single position in the Caribbean
Sea. When one recalls that it passed into
the hands OF Great Britain, in the days OF
Cromwell, by accidental conquest, the
expedition having been intended prim-
rily against Santo Domingo; that In the
two centuries and a half which have
since intervencd it has played no part adj
equate to its advantages such as now
looms before it: that, by all the proba-
bilities, it should have been rcconquered
and retained by Spain in the war of the
American revolution; and when, again,
1t is recalled that ike accident and a
like subsequent uncertainty attended the
conquest and retention of the decisive
Mediterranean positions of Gibraltar and
Malta, one marTe!s whether incidents ST..
widely separated in time and place, all
tending toward one end-the maritime
predominance OF Great Bntain-can be
accidents, or are simply the exhibition OF
a Personal Will acting through all time,
with purpose deliberate and consecutive.
10 ends not yet iscerned.-Capt. Ma
han in Harper's Magazine.
The times., 1897-09-26
u rOhhhlY.

tFrom the Atchion Globe.)
PEOPLE don't die of old age; they are
bored to death.
The times., 1897-09-26
THE CARIBBEAN PROBLEM
Americas Conquest of the Hemi-
sphere Must BE Won There.
CAPTAIN MAHAN'S WARNING

The Caribbean Sea the Mediterra-
mean of the western World-The
Great stake We Have Involved
aud the Conflict sure 10 Come
with England.
The times., 1897-09-26
The Strategic Strength of Cuba and
Jamaica

JhflialcA.
Nevertheless, when compared TO Cuba.
Jamaica cdHoot thcconsideredthe prepunder-
ant position OF the Caribbean. The milf
tary question OF position is quantiuve as
well as qualitive; anG situa ton, however
excellent, can rarely, by itself alone, make
fun amends for defect III the power and re-
sources, winch are the natural property OF
Slze-of mass. Gibraltar, the synonym of
intrinsic strength, is an illustration in
point; lis Smalmess; It's isolation and its
barrenness af resource constitute limits To
itSoffensiye power ,andeven toitSimpregna-
bllity, which arc Well Understood by mill
tary men. Jamaica, by its situation, flanEs
the route from Cuba tc the Isthmus as in
deed it does all coutes from the A tlantic and
the Gulf t. that point; but, as d military
entity il Is completely overshadowed by
the larger island, which it SO conspicuously
oonfroats.
II, as mas Just been said, it by situation
inIercepts the access of Cuba to the 18th
mus, il is itself cut off by its great neighbJr
FROM secure communication with the North
American Continent, now as always the
chief natural source OF supplies for the
West Indies, which do not produce the
friendly or Neutral. in case of war, there
can be no comp6 -ison between the adj
vautages of Cuba, conferred by its stua
ton and its size, and those OF Jamaica,
which, Icy these qualities of It's rival, is
erfecmally cut or from that source OF
supplies. Nor is he disadvantage of Ja-
maica less n,arke d with reference to
communication with other quarters thau
the United States with Halifax, with Ber-
muda, with Europe It's distance from
these points, ana from Santa Lucia, where
the resources of Europe may be said to
focus for it, makes its situation one of eN'
tFeIne isolation; condition emphasized by
tie fact that both Bermuda and Santa
Lucia are themselves dependent upon out
side sources for anything they may send to
Jamaica.
At all these points, coal the great factor
OF modernnaval wa T, must be stored and the
supply maintained. They do not produce
it. The mere size OF CGBa, the amount of
population which it has, or ought 10 have,
the number of its seaports the extent Of
the Industries possible TO it, tend natural
ly TO an accumulation of resources such
a great mercantile communities alwa Us
entail. These, combined with its other
advantages of situation, make Cuba a po-
sition that can have no military rival
among the islands of the world, except
Ireland. With friendly America, isolation
is impossible To Cuba.