davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05
CHARIED THE SPIDER.
Insect Shows That It Can Appre-
ciata Good Music.
Kept Excellent Time by Swinging on
His SiI<en Web-ChaEEes in Pro-
gramme Noticed with WOn-
derfEI Precision.

A spider at Coldwater, Mich, has de-
veloped musical talent of surprising
force. He keeps time to music, but the
sound of discord fills his mind with hor-
ror, and he shows it. The remarkable
qualifications of this spider first be-
came evident at rehearsal of the Apol
10 male quartette at Coldwater, the
ception, residents of the town. The
first tenor is Prof. Hartman. teacher of
sciences in the Lansing ;AIich.) high
school. Mr.. Bailey, the second tenor,
is the editor of the Coldwater Star. Mr..
CRUDE, first bass, is dry goods mer-
one of the staff of the Coldwater Sun.
All these gentlemen are willing to
vouch for the MUSICAL taste of the spi-
der, because they ali saw what he did.
1t so happened, not many evenings
ago, that the quartette was holding its
regular rehearsal. Song after song
was tried and not found wanting, and
the members of the organization were
in high glee that all was prospecting.
Another song was begun, when Mr..
Bailey noticed large spider who dam
gled in a visibly excited manner in
front of the music rack, just about five
feet from the floor. 1t was Down in
the Cornfield" that was being rem
dered, and the singers-Mr. Bailey hav-
ing called their attention to the spider
observed that the insect went up and
down with the variation of the scale.
At first they thought it was accident,
that a draught of air of their own
lung power swayed the tiny insect.
Still the time the spider kept was per-
feet, and it soon became evident that if
it was draught that was moving it, it
was a very musical draught indeed
This state of affairs naturally inter-
ested the quartette in great degree,
and they began to try various airs for
the sole purpose of noting their effect
upon the seemingly highly interested
auditor. They also observed that the
slightest evidence of discord in their
rendering of song provoked violent
indignation on the part of the spider,
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05
SEEING AND BELIEVING.
Some of the Tricks the Eyes Play on
The Undcrs handing.

shS
1t is an old and wise saying that "sec.
ing is believing" yet everybody knows
that very often what you see, and there
fore believe, proves to be not really true
at all. As we grow older, says a writer
in st. Nicholas, finding that our eyes
have so frequently deceived us, we are
often not sat SIZED until we have verified
it by touch or smell CIR hearing or taste,
or by looking at some doubtful thing
from different points of view, or under
a different lighting.
|. We are not willing to believe that q
COnjurer actually draws rabbits from
a mans ear or coin from the tip of his
nose just because our eyes tell US such
tales. Sometimes our receptions are
so lasting that things must be made
wrong in order to look right, which
seems rather contradictory. If we look
at the letter S or the figure as care
fully as we can the upper and lower
halves seem to be almost exactly the
same size. If we turn them upside down,
the difference in the Size, of the loops is
quite astonishing, and we wonder how
we could have been so mistaken; yet
perhaps the truth is that the loops are
neither so different nor SO much alike
as they seem to be, as we see when we
look at them turned upon their sides.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05
SHARK HOOKS.
Fitted with a Length of stout Chain
That the Shark Can't Bite Through.

Shark hooks are made in various
sizes, ranging in length from five inches
to ii inches, and in width from IA
inches to 81 inches. They are pro-
vided with chain and swivel, the
chain of the various sized hooks rang
ing from 1912 inches to 90 inches in
length. Shark hooks with chains sell
from so cents to two dollars, says the
New York Sun.
Shark skin and shark oil are utilized
for some purposes, and in Mediter-
ranean countries young sharks are
eaten; but the catching of sharks for
profit is mostly confined to Europe.
Here they are taken mainly for sport.
Every coasting vessel is likely to carry
a shark fishing outfit, and every fisher
man is sure TO, and shark tackle is
often carried on yachts. Fishermen
may catch sharks to get them out Of
the way so that they will no longer pur-
sue and disturb the fish. On a coast
er If they run across sharks the men
are likely to fish for them just for fun;
and shark fishing from the yacht would
also be q diversion. 1t may be that
in shark fishing from a yacht the owner
will try his skill on the shark with a
rifle, killing it before it is hauled
aboard.
Sharks are sometimes mounted by
the taXidermist as show pieces for eX-
hibition purposes, but they are never
mounted whole as trophies. Occasion
ally q sportsman or d sailor brings in
to be mounted a sharks jaws.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05
BONES OF ST. PATRICK.
Claim That Relics in Montreal Church
Are Genuine.

Recently a statue of ST. Patrick,
from the studio of a sculptor in Rome,
Italy, was placed in the chancel of St.
Fatricli's church, which edifce re-
Gently celebrated its fiftieth anniver-
sary. On the breast of the statue is a
small box which, it is claimed, con-
tains a portion of the bones of
Ircland's patron saint. The ques-
ton having been raised as to
the genuineness of this relic, docu-
mentary evidence has been produced
showing that it had for centuries been
in the possession of the monastery of
the Holy Cross in sSaXO Urvo, Italy.
This institution has q fully attested
record proving beyond question that
the relic is a portion Of the mortal re-
mains of Ireland's saint. Great in
tcrest is manifested among the Catho-
lie community as to whether the relic
will manifest any miraculous char
actcristics. 1t was presented to the
church through Mgr. lie Clair, one of
the professors of the Canadian college
at Rome, who formerly was one of the
priests of st. Tatrick's.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05

IN the form of a beak, dropping in this
fashion over a mouth in which the teeth
can always be seen. set together as
though in grimace. Altogether the
head and face are so uncanny and so
horrible that it is impossible to set
down anything like vivid description
of them on paper.
His arms and legs are inconceivably
thin and slender. Bones and nerves
are pressing close against each other,
and the tight skin holds them together
as though it were a sheath of India
rubber. The whole body, is, indeed, a
miracle of frailness and meagerness,
and the wonder is that good puff of
wind does not blow it away.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05

eye view the rolling gait and emphatic
appearance of the original singer.
Then there was an abrupt transition.
The Guartette sang "The Bridge" The
spider kept time mournfully, and
looked as if the change from the ridic-
ulous to the sublime did not agree with
him. Then they tried "Way Down
Upon the Suwanee River" The spider
was not beat behind, and apparently
as fresh as when he began to dangle at
the end of his silken thread.
By this time it was difficult to say
whether the quartette was most inter-
ested in natural history or music. The
spider gently swung to and fro and
waited for more. Just to test the ex-
tent of the spiders experience the
quartette sang White Wings" The
spider kept time with an effort. Just
Tell Them That You Saw Me" restored
him to his former vigor, while 81 Want
You, Ma Honey" cheered him so that he
kept time as enthusiastically as an
audience applauds when it is highly
pleased. Then the quartette began to
try other experiments.
A medley was sung. This kept the
new conductor very busy, and in the
absence of baton he swung himself,
but. never was out of time for an in
slant. All sorts of efforts were made
to catch him mapping or to trip him.
At last, however, the quartette, with
malice prepense, gave vent to one of
those discords that would have made
the Harp That Once Thro' Tara's
Halls" die years before it did, if it had
ever heard them. This was too much
for the spider with a musical ear. He
hesitated for a moment, and then, with
what seemed to be a glance of sorrow
and wrath, fled up the line of web and
disappeared fom view. Further sing
ing had no effect. His musical ear had
evidently been wrecked
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05
LIVING MUMMY IN PARIS.
French Physicians Examine an EN-
traOrdinary Creature.

French Physicians Examine an Ex-
traOrdinary Creature.
The Academy of Medicine in Paris is
just now studying one of the most ex-
traOrdinary human beings who have
ever been born into this world, says the
New York Herald. He is known as
the man mummy, and one glance at his
CHASTITY face and body shows that he de-
serves the title.
This phenomenal being is named Cas-
tagna, and, according to the civil regis
ter of Paris, he is now 20 years old.
He is about four feet high and he
weighs only 43 pounds. Even with his
clothes on he is a most singular looking
object-a veritable lusus naturae. His
forehead is large, and over it is
stretched a thick covering of parch-
ment-like skin. His eyes, the muscles
of which are atrophied, are quite round
and are wide open, like the eyes of
night birds. His nose, too, reminds one
of such birds, for not only is it entire
" without fesh. but it is also curved
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05
Easier in Her Time.

A good joke on a schoolma'am comes
from Cumberland Gap, and is told by
the Middlesborough News. A teacher
told one of the boys to name all the pres
idents, and when he replied he couldn't
the teacher said: when I was as old
as you could name all the presidents
in their order" The boy replied:
There were only a few presidents
chen"
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05

4 British naval writer says that
neither Casabianca nor his father per-
ished on a burning ship. They were
drowned while swimming for the boats.
But as the iconoclast was not there,
Mrs. Hemans will still be considered the
best authority.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-05

who on such occasions would oscillate
in a manner both vigorous and vicious.
Further tests showed that the spider
would ascend or descend about a foot
for every octave. The voice of the
singer might be the lightest tenor, or
the heaviest bass, the spider never
swerved from the absolutely correct
movement. The time he kept was as
creditable to him as the most finished
technique of the disciples of Paderew-
ski.
Presently the quartUtte sang 1.-THE
New Bully" When they came to the
line Use looking for dat bully, and he
mus be found" the spider nearly went
beside himself with glee. 1t seemed as
If he not only appreciated the very
catchy music, but the import of the
song as well, and could in his minds
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15

Doubtless the President, when he hears
of the performance of Webster Davis, of
Kansas City, assistant secretary of some
sort in the League convention, will wish
that he had no fool friends TO talk about
denomination at this period of the first
term. Mr. Davis is one of those persons
who would now have been crlticising the
President if he had not received an APP
pointment. The best personal service such
men can render the President is to keep
away from conventions or else detach the
handspring trigger from their tongues
which makes them specially dangerous to
friends.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15
Insect InteIIicence.

Flies is purity bad" said the man from
Potato creek.
They amt nothin to what seen 'em
down in Niggerauger," said the man with
the ginger beard. Wire screens didn't do
good at ALL
I've stood heap of your lies" said the
grocer, waking up, but when you tell me
wire screens won't keep out flies, it is too
durn much''
Wire screens would keep out the pore
de;nented things that tries to git a Twin
out of the stuff in this here secondhand
green goods an Goldfish emporium, / don't
doubt" said the man with the ginger
beard, but not the Niggerauger flies
When L putt up my screens they seemed
kinder puzzled an settled" -
Il wish some folks l know would settle, ."
said the grocer.
And settled on that there screen in
Clouds"
An got so thick they plum broke the
wires"
mo, they didn't git so thick they broke
the wires. They held some sort O. con-
vention, an had lot of fly talk an purity
soon they all flew away to the woods an
come back with--what do YOU suppose they
come back WITH"
with a ax?" asked the man from Potato
creek
mo. They come back with a swain of
these here giant pinchin bugs that do
abound in that country, an set them bugs
to work an had them wires cut outn the
frames in less time than it would take ole
Skinfint there to git mis- hand on the
scale if ole blind Uncle Billy Boggs come
in to git two pounds of Coffee
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15
THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

There is undoubtedly much Impotence on
the part of Republicans and business men
who expected that the conference commit
tee would be able to settle the differences
in the two tariff bills in a few hours and
make certain of it's enactment in few
days That the conference committee has
been industrious no one can doubt, but 1t
must be remembered that it had "a. large
number of differences to adjust and some
Of them are very important ones. 1t should
also be remembered that some of these
adjustments must be made with an eye to
carrying the bill through the Senate. The
democrats We're able to put substitute in
the Senate bill putting cotton ties and bag
cling on the free list. They have given
notice that if the conference bill does not
contain that absurd clause they will be able
to delay it's passage until it shall be re-
stored There is too good reason to believe
that they can make good their threat
1t is probable that the sugar schedule
is the cause of much discussion, though
nothing has come from the committee to
Indicate that deadlock is probable. The
country is for the House Schedule; lndeeu,
it would be for a schedule which would i'm
pose the slightest duty on refined over raw
sugar The House bill gives the refiners as
much protection as they should have UNI
less the statement of the head of the Sugar
Trust that theeAmerican refner can refine
sugar as cheaply as the European, is not
reliable. 1t should be remembered that all
of the reports regarding the proceedings of
the conference committee on the sugar and
other schedules are mere co1jectures' be-
cause it's members entered into an agree
ment not to make known their action until
the committee shall be ready to report.
Meantime it will be wise to wait in patience
the action of the committee, trusting to
the wisdom and discretion of its members.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15
THE WILSON TARIFF AND MINERS
WAGES.

Intelligent miners who care to seek for
the causes that have brought about the
present low rate of wages can hardly fail
to be convinced that the Wilson-Gorman
tariff is largely responsible for 1t. A state
ment in the Journal of yesterday, based
on information obtained from two repre-
sentatives of the striking miners now in
this city, said:
When the block coal strike began in the
spring the men were offered oil cents a
ton. The demand is now for 20 cents. which
the operators say they cannot pay. The
men say that in 1872 the miners of the
block-coal district were receiving $l.20 a ton
for the coal mined and could then make
a fair living. The prices gradually de-
creased until September. 1893. when the
price paid so cents. This rate prevailed
until May 1884, when the price dropped TO
20 cents. Late in 1895 the price went down
TO % cents.
Still later it fell to 81 cents. which was
the rate when the strike began. The oper-
ators admit that the demand of the strik-
ers. 70 cents ton. is not unreasonable if
business and the price OF coal would justify
them in paying it. In the Indiana mines a
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15
DEADLOCK IN THE SENATE.
Effort to Prevent Disposal of Govern
ment Lien on the I. p.

WASHINGTON, July lathe Senate was
in a deadlock for several hours to-day, with
business at a standstill, while calls of the
Senate, roll calls and other parliamentary
expedients were resorted TO. 1t was due
to the effort to secure action on the reso-
luton of Mr.. Harris of Kansas, designed to
prevent the disposal of the government lien
on the Union Pacific Railroad under the
terms of an alleged agreement. There were
many roll calls on Mr.. Harris's motion to
consider the resolution, quorums appear
ing and disappearing, and from II TO 5
o'clock no final vote on the motion was Sc
cured. 1t finally went over until to-mor-
row. Pending one of the roll calls, a resO-
luton was passed allowing the sculptor Of
the Sherman statue to erect studio near
the site of the statue. This afforded a
text for some structures by Mr.. Morgan
on the deadlock which had occurred. The
Senate had a patriotic duty to perform
The pending Pacific Railway resolution had
been unanimously reported from the Paci-
fc Railway committee, and yet the chair
man of that committee had conducted the
hIibuster. 1t was late u the session to
begin operations Mr.. Morgan said, how
ever. that there was no disposition on the
Democratic side of the chamberfto retaliate
against appropriation bills or the tariff bill
when they came before the Senate. Demo-
cratic senators would forebear from re-
sorting to this miserable method of hlibust-
ering although they might be fully justt-
fed in retaliating.'
Mr. Thurston, Of Nebraska, responded
that on all Pacific Railway debates the
Alabama senator (Morgan) and his associ-
ates had insisted on occupying all of the
time. When it was up at the last session
the senator from Alabama was the only one
to object to his (Thurston) continuing a
speech on the subject.
How many days had you spoken?" asked
Mr. Morgan
mot one-tenth of the time occupied by
the senator from Alabama on unimportant
questions" responded Mr. Thurston sharp
w. I'VE have sat here listening for days
and weeks and months to the senator from
Alabama, and some of US have thought
that we had some rights to the floor, even
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15

man will dig on an average two tons AID
a half OF coal in day At 81 cents this
would be SIPS per day, out of which the
miner must pay for his powder, oil, ETC.,
and perhaps~take his pay in store orders
payable in goods at excessive prices. AT
this rate a miner earns considerably less
than 81 a day, and does not have work all
the time, either. The foregoing statement
as to the fall of wages corresponds pretty
closely with one recently made by Presi-
dent Ratchford, of the United Mine Work
ers' Association. He said:
A miners wages in the western Pennsyl-
vania field ranges from "a to Al cents per
ton in thin-veined districts, and from
30 to Is cents per ton IN the thick
veined districts was 70 cents and in thick
Veined 60 cents per ton. during the same
year the rate in Ohio and Indiana was ~
cents and Is cents respectively. Now 1t is
81 cents with a reduction proposed in Ohio
to A. cents per ton. This ratio holds good
in a general way all along the line; Illinois,
a portion of Iowa, eastern and central
Pennsylvania and the Virginias are all
equally affected.
The point of interest in both of these
statements is the continuous decline of
wages and the plain connection between
the movement and the Wilson tariff. The
statements show a reduction in wages
of from 20 to 80 cents per ton since 1893.
The Congress that passed the Wilson bill
met in December, 1898 At that time miners
wages were so cents a ton. The tariff re-
formers" threatened to put coal on the free
list and the bill as passed by the House
did do so The Senate restored part of the
duty, making the duty 40 cents, or 30 cents
a ton less than the Mckinley bill. The
decentralization in the coal trade began with
the threatened repeal of the duty, and the
fall of wages from 50 cents a ton to 81 cents
a ton has all occurred since the passage OF
the Wilson bill The effect of that bill was
to close a great many American mills and
factories thus reducing the demand for
coal, while at the same time the reduction
of duty to 40 cents a ton had permitted Nova
Scotia coal to enter Atlantic ports at such
low rates as to drive West Virginia coal
out of the market This compelled west
Virginia operators to seek a Western mar
ket. and this in turn demoralized the min
ing business in Ohio and Indiana and con-
tributed to the depression of wages. There
could not be a palmer connection between
cause and effect than there is between the
Wilson-Gorman tariff law and the reduction
of roiOerS' wages
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15
Indiana Got Only One of the Consular
PIums, that of j. q. stephens,
of Charlottesville.
SCRIMMAGE IN THE SENATE
THURSTON AND MORGAN DISPUTE AS
TO WHO TALKS THE MOST.
Filibustering Against Disposal of
Government Interest in Union
Pacific Railroad.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July lathe name of
Joseph Gregg Stephens, of Charlottesville,
went in to-day as consul to Plymouth,
England The same man was appointed
several weeks ago as j. j. Stevens" and
the name had to be withdrawn to make the
correction in the name After the with
drawaI the friends of the incumbent consul
brought strong pressure on the State De-
partment for his retention and Represent
atve Lands, who is Mr. Stephenss hacker,
had considerable difficulty in securing his
reappointment. Everything is lovely now,
however Indiana got only one appoint
ment in the consular batch that came in
to-day, that of Mr. Stephens, as before
mentioned. Several were expected to be on
the list, including that of Col. w. r. Hol-
loway, of Indianapolis, but for some rea-
son known only to the President they We're
withheld for future announcement.
The President to-day sent the following
nominations to the Senate:
State-William l.. Merry, of California,
to be minister to Nicaragua Costa Rica
and Salvador; Horace n. Allen, Of Ohio,
to be minister resident and consul general
to Korea; Perry NJ. De Leon, of Georgia,
dor.
TO be Consuls Of the United states-Will-
lam l.. Sewan of Ohio, at Toronto ont. {;
Edward Fl. Ozmun, of Minnesota, at Stuff
CART, Germany Henry w. l.. Diedrich. of
the District of Columbia. at Magdeburg,
Germany; Charles w. Erdman of Ken
lucky, at Furth, Germany; Samuel f. Ma
gill, of Illinois. at Tampico, Mexico; George
j. Corey, of Illinois, at Amsterdam Neither
Prescott, Ont; Radeliff H. Ford, of Maine,
at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; Frederick w.
Hossfelder, of Iowa. at Trieste Austria !;
John c. Covert OF Ohio, at Lyons, France;
William *. Anderson Of Michigan, at Han
over, Germany; William II. Henry, OF Yer
mont at Quebec, Canada; John +. Caples,
of Oregon, at Valparaiso, Chile, Daniel II.
Phillips, of Illinois, at Cardiff Wales; NAH
Ion NanhOrne, of Rhode Island, at St
Thomas West India; Adam Leberkniel of
Illinois, at Zurich, Switzerland; James NJ.
Shepard, of Michigan, at Hamilton, Ont;
William Harrison Bradley, of Illinois, at
Tunstall. England Charles a. McCul-
Tough, of Maine at st. Stephen, New
Brunswick; Paul Lang, of New Hampshire,
at Sherbrooke Quebec; Charles Deal of
New York at St. Johns, Quebec; Delmar j.
Want, of Vermont at Charlottestown,
dowski of Illinois, at Breslau. Germany;
Joseph c. Stephens, of Indiana, al Plym-
outh, England.
Treasury-Robert A. Sharkey, naval Off
Ger of customs in the district of New York;
Thomas Fitchie, commissioner of immigra-
ton at the port of New York
To be Collectors of CuStOmS-CharfeS b.
Roberts, for the district of Milwaukee,
Wis; Charles NJ Webster, of Montana, to
be collector of internal revenue for the dis
trict of Montana.