davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
II l..
II i.
Study Of the Clouds
Their Formation Has Become Definitely Understood

Until John Aitkin proved by expert
ment that cloud particles are formed
by the adhesion of water vapor to the
dust-particles invisibly floating in the
atmosphere, little was known about the
real nature Of clouds, says DR.. j. G.
Mcpherson in London knowledge. The
lowest stage in the formation Of clouds
is in the once little-understood phe-
nomenon of haze. The sultry haze, the
suffocating fogs, the drizzling mists.
and the thin rain. as we'll as the great
thunder rain and pelting hail. and the
feathery snow. are now all known to
be different stages of the formation of
the Vapor in the air on the minute
dust-particles at different grades of
heat and cold. The formation of clouds
Is now distinctly understood. But the
attention of the meteOrologist has not
been so much directed to the decay of
clouds. Now the process of decay In
clouds takes place in various ways. A
careful observer may discern the re-
verse process of the formation of
clouds. In May, 1896, my attention was
particularly drawn to this in Strath-
more, in Scotland. In the middle of
that exceptionally sultry month l was
arrested by remarkable phenomenon
1T was the hottest May for seventy-two
years and the dryest for many years.
The sky was full of clouds of varied
thickness and form. But, suddenly, the
sun shone through a thinner portion Of
a cloud, and to the north the sky began
&c OPEN In quarter of an hour there
was more blue TO be seen than clouds.
At the same time, near the horizon
haze was forming, gradually getting
denser as time wore on In an hour
the whole clouds were gone, and the
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
WITH SHERMAN IN CUBA.
Gossip and Story About the New Secretarys Adventures
Among the Cubans.

Il was in de church a-praying, sah,"
the old negress replied.
And did you not run out?" asked
Senator Sherman.
No, indeed. I didn't, sah," was the
hearty answer. you see massa
knowed l was a sight nearder heaven
in de church, and I thought if 1 died
I'd get there shuah. If 1 died outside
I'd be nearder hell. So 1 just stayed
and axed the good Lord to save me,
and He done it,"
AT this the whole party of us laugh
ed, and the old lady doubled herself
up into yah! yah! yah! as she went
on.
Another story which we heard at
this time is especially applicable to the
help which the Cubans need in their
present struggle. 1t was concerning
an old negro who was out in the field
in Charleston when the earthquake
came. At the first shock he was
frightened almost to death. and as the
earth began to shake and tremble he
dropped down on his knees and prayed:
ooh, Lord! Come and help dis poh
nigger. Oh, Lord, come quick! Come
yourself! Don't SEN your son. Dis am
no place for chillenp'
SHERMAN IN FLORIDA.
We left Washington when it was cold
anu STORMY. w men we arrived at
Jacksonville the weather was like June.
The senators went about without their
Cvercoats, and the ladies threw aside
their sealskin sacques. We spent some
time at Jacksonville and then took
long journey up the st. Johns river.
This is one of the most wonderful
streams of the United States. Near
Jacksonville it is like an arm Of the
sea. The country through which we
passed was picturesquely tropical. Live
oaks and palmettos lined the banks,
and we rode for miles through a jun
gle as dense as that Of the great Dis
NAL swamp. 1t was cool and pleasant
in the evening and the sunsets Were
the most gorgeous l have seen in any
country. AS the sun began to fall
the waters gradually turned from steel
to gold They put on all the colors
Of the rainbow. and after his majesty,
the lord Of the heavens, had retired be-
hind the palmettos, these colors were
transferred to the sky, the golden sill
yer of the clouds being only surpassed
by the ripping golden waves which
the motion Of our steamer drove out
upon the silvery sands of the shore.
A little later on the moon came up.
and the tropical scene became more
weirdIy beautiful. The trees were load
ed down with Spanish moss. which
hung like sable silver boards from
their numerous branches. The palmet-
tos with their tall. round trunks, bore
aIoft their palmy heads in the moon
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

except the name OF a national protection and
aegis of a flag. is SIG, 600, 900. They have no
self-government Of any kind. From captain
general down to tide waiter at the docks the
official positions are held by Spaniards.
venture to say not a single native Cuban
holds an office or receives public emolument
In addition to the SIG, 900 sent annually to
Spain, Cuba has to pay the salaries of all
the Spanish horde fastened upon her."
WE DON'T WANT CUBA.
During this same interview he was asked
as to the annexation of Cuba by the United
States and whether the native planters the
Weather classes, favored 1t. His reply at
this time, inasmuch as he quotes it in his
book, is probably his opinion today. Here is
what he said Eyes, am told the planters
are anxious for annexation, but I do not
think we want Cuba as an appendage Of the
United States. would not favor annexation.
In spite of the drains upon her, Cuba is
enormously rich in resources and is a large
consumer of our products, on which at pres
emit the heaviest Spanish duties rest What
would favor would be a reciprocity treaty
with Spain as to Cuba, so that we might send
our goods there instead Of forcing the Cubans
TO buy of England, France and Germany.
We could do the island much more good by
trading with her on an equal basis than we
ever can by annexing her. Cuba to some
never let any other nation than Spain own
the island, but so long as Spain does own it
she is welcome to It, If she will only let us
sell our goods on equal or better terms than
the Cubans can get them for elsewhere"
These statements of the senator were
made ten years ago. He probably has a
much different idea as to Spain today, for
he would be the last man to sanction any i'll
treatment of Americans or others by for
eign nation. Still he thoroughly appreciates
the advantages Of American trade with
Cuba, and should the present administration
do anything in favor of Cuban independence
its action will be probably followed by such
trade relations will be of decided advan-
tage to the United States.
Frank G. Carpenter.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

the heat Of the air over the earth So
that on a summer day, with gold
fringed f1eecy clouds sailing overhead
1t is really raining, but the drops, being
very small, evaporate long before
reaching the earth 1t rains but much
OF this melting of the clouds is repro
duced by q wonderful circularity, the
moisture evaporating, Selling other
dust-particles in a cooler stratum,
forming cloud-particles, falling again,
and so ad finitum during the existing
circumstances. That is the reason why
surfaces may be exposed to cloud on
a mountain side without being wetted
Radiant heat is the cause Of the re-
markable result. The rays of the sun,
which strike the upper part of the
cloud, not only heat that suface, but
also penetrate the cloud and fall on the
surface OF bodies generating heat
there. These heated surfaces, again. ra-
date heat into the superintendent air.
This warm air receives the fine rain
drops from the decaying cloud, and dis
solves the moisture from the dust-par-
ticles before the moisture can reach
the surface exposed. That a vas,
amount Of radiant heat rushes through
cloud is clearly shown by exposing
a thermometer with black bulb IN
Yacuo. On some occasions a thermOm-
eter would indicate from forty degrees
to fifty degrees above the temperature
of the air, thus rendering the surface
quite dry. Hence seats, walls, posts.
etc, may be dry, though in the middle
of a cloud which is gradually decaying.
HOW SOME CLOUDS DECAY.
To the decay of clouds Mr.. Aitkin
has lately been directing his attention.
His observations, made in the clouds
themselves. have shown that there is a
difference nf oil dc n i a1o
are in the process of formation and
those which are in the process of delay.
In clouds in formation the water par
ticles are much smaller and far more
numerous than IN clouds in decay; and
while the particles III clouds in decay
are large enough to be seen with the
unaided eye, when they fall on a prop
erly lighted micrometer, they are So
small in clouds in formation that, if
the condensation is taking place rapid
ly, the particles cannot be seen without
the aid of a lens of considerable mag
nifying power. The form Of some
clouds cannot be explained by the pro.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
ABOUT THAT DELICIOUS BIvALyE.
Puget Sound, or Olympia, Oyster
That WRshIn EtOninns Like,

From the Spokane Review
The Puget Sound oyster is small,
fat and plump, by some not considered
equal to the Chesapeake Bay relative,
but by most residents Of the state
looked upon as the best oyster on earth.
Eastern oysters have been planted at
various points on the sound, appar-
emily with promise Of success, but no
considerable product from the beds has
yet come into market. The transplaAt-
ed oyster is said to retain his size and
acquire the tendency to plumpness Of
the sound oyster.
Oysters are found in all the numer-
Gus shallow bays and arms of the up
per sound, Of which there are hundreds
of miles of shore line, and in Willapa
harbor and Shoalwater bay, with a few
in Gray's harbor. These sections are
ideal oyster grounds, and some day
where now the oyster man ranges over
the field will be cultivated oyster
farms, owned and cared for as are the
oyster beds of the Chesapeake, and
instead of an annual output Of $50 900
it will be more than five times that
amount.
CLAIMS of several varieties are found
on all the beaches Of Washington and
form considerable element in the food
supply. The gigantic clam called
"goaduck" or Puget Sound Turkey"
often grows to a weight Of four or five
pounds. The stock clam is of good size
and much esteemed.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
Largest SpeCtroSCope in
the World Dust Com.
pleted.

The largest spectroscope in the world
has just been completed by Prof. John
a. Brashear, the famous instrument
maker Of Allegheny, Pa. 1t has been
made especially for DR.. Hans Haus-
waldt, a wealthy scientist of Magde-
Eurg, Germany. where it will be- used
In physical research, and it is expected
that many important discoveries will
be made with its aid. The two most
powerful spectroscopes now in use are
at the Royal University, Of Dublin, and
the McGill university. of Toronto, Can
ada. These instruments were also
made by Prof Brashear.
The powerful concave grating in
strument D is 81 feet long, and will re-
quire a room about 2S feet square in
which to operate 1t. 1t is to be used
for physical Investigations of a very
high character, and the design and con-
struction were settled upon by Prof.
Brashear and DR.. H. Kayser, of the
University Of Bonn
1t is also very probable that DR.,
Hauswaldt will have other powerful in
Struments of research made by Prof.
Brashear, as correspondence is now
going on in regard to great physical
and astronomical instruments that are
10 be placed in the new laboratory
now being equipped by him in Magde-
burg. DIR. Hauswaldt has gained con-
siderable fame in Germany by his eN-
periments and he is sparing nothing
In the equipment of his laboratory.
-whien, when complete, will be one of
the finest in Europe, and will far excel
any in this country.
The grating to be used on the power
ful spectroscope has a six-inch aper-
ture, and is ruled with 10000 lines
so accurately are these lines ruled
that there is no difference any greater
than three-millionths Of an inch be
tween any Of them. This instrument
Is SO powerful that where an ordinary
spectroscope would show from 100 to
2OO lines belonging to the spectrum of
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

hight, and the only things heard were
the rush of the steamer through the
waters and now and then the splash of
a crocodile as it crawled up the bank.
After leaving the st. Johns we eros
sed the country to the Indian river
and visited what is perhaps the finest
orange region Of Florida. Senator Sher-
man and the rest of us wandered about
among the orange groves, picking the
luscious fruit from the trees and eat
ing them. remember Senator Sherman
told us how to peel an orange, and at
one time there was quite a discussion
among us as to the proper way to eat
this very juicy fruit.
HE LIKED THE SPEECHES.
At the stations along the railroads
we met all sorts Of queer characters.
There were little negro boys selling
flowers, and there were many adj
mirers who came up in order to shake
Senator Sherman'S hand. l remember
the postmaster of one town where we
stopped who achived the distinction of
bringing the blush to Senator Mander-
sons face. The young man was, l
judge, about thirty years old, and he
had a voice like a calliope. AS he saw
Gen. Henderson he rushed UP to him
and held out his hand, saying: Sen
ator, l think you are the greatest man
who ever lived. like all your speeches
and I have a stack of them at home
as big as a four-dollar Bible" The
Nebraska sena tor blushed, and he
blushed the more when the young man
began to quote from his speeches and
to show that he was really telling the
truth.
We sailed from Florida to Havana in
the little steamer Mascot, stopping for
a time at Key West. A great part of
the voyage was taken during the night,
vOIr1 .s--l.H
OF Havana. Senator Sherman and all
the party were on deck as we steamed
by Moro castle, and as we came to
anchor a steam launch sent by the
governor general in honor of Vice
President Sherman, las the Cuban
papers had it," carried US to the shore.
We were landed in a sort Of court
buildings. Dirty children, coffee color
ed and black, half naked, sprawled
here and there about the court, and
at one end of it a shoemaker was work
ing at his trade in the open air. We
rode in victorias through the narrow
streets to the Pistage hotel and ate
after the custom of the country our
first breakfast of oranges, coffee and
rolls in place which looked for all the
world like bar room. Our hotel was
the biggest. hotel in Havana. 1t would
be a curiosity in America. 1t was deco
rated in the brightest of colors. Sem
ator Sherman had a room which was
finished in sky blue. Senator Palmers
room was painted a rich Indian red,
and my own room was as yellow as
gold. The halls were paved with mar
BILE tiles. There was no plaster on the
ceilings, and the windows were as big
almost as the sides of the room, and
on account Of the heat they were kept
open day and night. Our beds were Of
iron, and the mattresses were as hard
as boards l was told that most Gu
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
SHE SHRUNK.
The POrter's Curiosity After He Saw
Her Was But Natural

Washington is the MEGA for brides and
grooms, says the Washington Star. One Of
the last couples who spent the first days Of
their honeymoon in the capital city left yes
terday. The bride was very large and the
groom was correspondingly small. At the
first meal the groom confided in the elevator
boy and told him that his wife was of
very shrinking disposition, so NJ would please
have the clerk send meals to the room. This
was done. The groom approached the clerk
during the afternoon and told him that bis
wife was Of a shrinking nature, did not like
TO go out the public way and asked him if
there was not a private exit through which
they could go to take a carriage drive around
the city. The bell was rung quite frequently
during their stay, and the bride with the
shrinking nature became a subject Of great
curiosity to the help. When they left the
porter caught sight of her and stood in open
mouthed aston -shment. The clerk angrily
asked him what he meant by staring at a
guest.
Couldn't help it no how, boss. | jess he'd
ter look at that shrinkin pusson. I'd jess
like TO know how long she's ben shrinkin'.
an what she 'peared like befo' she shrunk."
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

moisture returned to its thin air form.
This was a pointed and rapid iIlustra-
ton Of the decay from cloud form
to haze, and then to the blue vapory
sky. 1t was an instance of the reverse
process. AS the sun cleared through,
the temperature in the cloud-land rose.
and evaporation took place on the sur
face of the cloud-particles until bv an
untraceable but still a gradual process
through fog the haze was formed Even
then the heat was too great for a defln-
lite haze, and the Watrr Vapor returned
TO the air, leaving the dust-particles In
invisible suspension. OF course, the
water Vapor was there; otherwise 1
could not have seen in the sky the
varied shades Of blue from the horizon
of the zenith, deepening as one looked
upward. Through this was striking
illustration on account of the partic-
ular temperature and drought, still it
was only a practical instance of the
theory Of cloud decay thus indicated
NEVER STRIKE THE EARTH.
Clouds decay in another way. When
ever cloud Is formed it begins to
rain, and the drops shower down in
immense numbers, though most minute
in size. No doubt it is only in certain
circumstances that these drops are at
tracted together so as to form large
drops, which fall to the earth in genial
showers to refresh the thirsty soil, or
in terrible detuge to cause great de-
struction. But, when the, temperature
and pressure are not suitable for the
formation of what we commonly know
as rain, the fine drops fall into air un-
der the cloud, where they Immediately
evaporate from their dust-free surfaces.
If the air is dry and warm Whenever
a cloud overhangs, fine rain is falling.
Sc that the cloud is in the process Of
decay; but this rain may not reach the
earth on account of the dryness OF the
stratum of air beneath the cloud, and
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
A NEW ENGAGEMENT RING.
1t Is n Double Affair and Has a Sweet
Significance.

Western gentleman has invented an en-
gagement ring that, while 1t will bring un-
told joys to the feminine soul, will cause the
same amount Of anguish to the masculine
purse. After purchasing one Of these new
engagement rings the bank account Of the
victim will wear mourning for more than
thirty days.
The ring Is actually two rings. The gold
is twisted in a manner to form two con-
Meeting rings destined to be worn on the
love and "pinkie' fingers respectively
The prettiest of these twofold rings has a
diamond IN one ring and a ruby in the other
Price not mentioned.
The rings when off look like two hoops of
wire, Upon the hand they are very becom-
ing They hold their place well, not permit
ting the stones to become turned inside.
Wearing this ing with a glove is trouble
some. But as an engagement ring 1t is very
fine. The duality idea is admirably told, and
that such ring cannot easily slip off.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

TO STUDY THE SUN.

iron, it will reveal more than 1000. 1t
used to be considered that a spectre
scope that could show the sodium lines
double was one of great power. The
great instrument to be sent to Germany
not only showsS each of>~-these lines
double, but with the sun=-foW in the
meridian, as many as f1ftAeenllnes may
be seen between the sodium lines
The new spectrosc0pe has its great
est power however in: the way Of pho
Biography. The spectrum Of the sun has
been photographed to a length of over
sixty feet literally crowded with lines
from one end to the other. 1t is so ar
ranged that no matter what part of the
spectrum it is desired to photograph
the Photographic plate Is always in To-.
Gus for every part of the spectrum.
This large instrument is also valu-
able in making comparisons of any
thing that may be burning in the SUM-
said Prof. Brashear in speaking of his
great work. Suppose for instance, we
wish to determine if the metal calcium
is in a state of gas in the light that
is coming from the sun. We have only
to turn the sunlight into the slit Of
this great spectroscopeS and photograph
in the centre Of our plate the center7of
the sun.
"A bar is now placed over this part of
the plate which has received the i'm
preston of tie solar spectrum, and now
we turn on an electric light, in which
we have placed a small piece of pure
calcium. In a very brief time the spec
trum Of the calcium is photographed
above. and below the spectrum that
came from the sun. The plate is now
developed, and here we have a picture
of the solar spectrum, running as a
narrow strip between the photograph
of the metal we have taken. We can
see at once the coincidence of the lines
that may be in the sun. If the lines are
in absolute coincidence we may infer
from the law of probabilities, which in
creases as the lines increase that the
metal We have burned in our electric
arc is burning in the great fire of the
sun.
Many hundreds of these photo
graphs have been taken, and we are
now almost certain of the elements that
are burning in our great luminary as those
that we burn in the furnaces of the metal
lurgIsts. So 1t is with the gases and indeed
all the chemical elements. Yet strange to saw
while we here on earth recognize oxygen as
the great supporter of combustion the most
careful researches with the Spectroscope have
failed to show the existence Of oxygen in the
sun. have in my library an elaborate lit
the manual giving Prof Diapers scientific
reasons and proofs that oxygen is burning in
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

ban beds had no mattresses. The
sheets are stretched on wire frames
and one Of the members of our party
who was rather longer than the aver
age, told me that the sheet that was
under him was no bigger than q nap
Kin; and that 1t kept him from sleep
ing by working out from under him
and leaving his bare legs upon the
naked wire
CAPTAIN GENERAL HONORED
SHERMAN.
We were treated with great honor by
the Cubans. AS soon as we arrived the
captain general sent request for Sen
ator Sherman to bring his party and
call upon him informally. He after
ward invited us to his palace and gave
us luncheon The captain general
at this time was receiving a salary
equal TO that of our president, and his
perqu1sfteS WERE was told, such that
ne usually become very rich within
rev years. This captain general had
Tne residence in the suburbs of Ha-
Vana, and we rode out in state to visit
him. We passed down the Paseo de
Iacon, the Champs Elysee of Havana,
gong by carriages containing beautiful
spanish ladies, by swell turnOutS,
of1Ven by coachmen in livery, until,
about mile from the edge Of the city,
we reached the captain generals house.
1t was surrounded BY groves Of great
palm trees. The wide driveway was
guarded by soldiers, and flowers and
tropical plants of all kinds were scat
tered about the lawns through which
we passed. Senator Sherman was first
received. He had some conversation
with the captain general, and a little
later on the captain general appeared
with his family and the party was in
troduced to them. None of the sena-
tors spoke French or Spanish, and the
captain generals family did not speak
English. Mrs. Gen. McCook however,
who is quite a good French scholar,
acted as interpreter, and we got on
very well. One of the curious incidents
OF the occasion was the bringing in of
the captain generals little grand
daughter
This was a baby of five months. 1t
was very bright baby and took es-
pecially to Senator Palmer. The Sen
ator jumped 1T up and down upon his
knee with all the skill of grand
mother nurse. The baby laughed at
him, and, strange to say, stuck to him
throughout the visit, and would have
nothing to do with the other gentle
men of the party | don't remember
that Senator Sherman made any ad-
vances, and, indeed, it was my impress
sion that he was rather afraid to do
SO. though he did drink a toast to the
mother Of the baby at the dinner, when
it was stated that, though the little
one was Spanish, she had been born in
New York. In company with the cap
tain general we visited his stables,
where his two magnificent Arabian
horses were brought out and put
through their PAGES, to the delight of
the senators. That night we came
again to the captain generals house