davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
PREDICTION AND WARNING.
What 1t Means to start for the Yukon
Country without Preparatton

Country without Preparation.
Here is prediction. Should the rush
TO the Yukon country continue, should
the multitudes, or any considerable por.
ton of the multitudes now striving
and pressing to get off TO that region
succeed, there will be a tragedy during
the coming winter the like of which
never has been known in America.
Do men realize that they are starting
for the Arctic regions? That the sum
mer is already well advanced, and that
winter will set in there by the time they
reach their destination? That winter
in those hyperborean regions lasts
from October to May? That the TEN
perature falls so low that cold performs
the effect of fire? That without ade
guate protection against the climate
and abundant food all life will dsap
pear? DO men who have always been
accustomed TO mild climates realize
what it is to winter at the Arctic circle.
Life there is possible during the win
ter only as careful preparation is made
tosupportit. Food, clothing and shelter
are indispensable. Exposure there is
no trifle, as in our mild climates. EX.
posure there means sure and sudden
death. Along the Alaskan and British
Columbian coast the climate, tempered
by the ocean, is not severe; but thu
gold fields lie in a vast river basin be.
hind a high mountain range, at great
distance from the coast, and very far
toward the north, where all the rigor'
Gus conditions of an Arctic winter pre-
vail. Water will not flow, the stream
are frozen to the bottom. Even in sum.
mer the ground thaws only at the sur
face. Transportation over mountain
ranges, where rugged trails furnish the
only lines of passage, is so SLOW costly
and difficult that scarcity of supphesi is
inevitable. If large numbers sueceedm
getting over the mountain ranges into
the basin of the Yukon, accessible with
difficulty in summer and not at all ac'
ccssible in winter, it may be set down
as certain that the greater proportion
will perish.
This is no safe adventure, like the
rush in former times to the gold mines
of California or to those of eastern Ore.
gon, Idaho and Fraser river. Climate
is fact that must be taken into ac'
count. In mild climates men may take
their chances for food and shelter; in
severe climates they cannot. 1t is
sure prediction that, should any great
numbers succeed in getting into ths
Yukon region this fall, there will be a
tragedy the like of which has not been
known to the world since Napoleon's
Russian campaign.
A good deal of grub will change hands
at Dawson this winter at the point OF
the revolver. Where there is only about
half enough provender to go around,
the man that draws first will continue
to acquire food This was the situa-
tion in the Fraser dggings, near as they
were to civilization. The extremity will
be accentuated in the polar regions
Portland 0regonian.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
The Slot Idea.

In some of the London tenements gas
is sold by penny-in-the-slot machine
attached TO the meter. Soon after the
doors Of London theater opened one
evening little girl Of about six years
Of age and her elder sister took their
seats in the pit. The little one had
been prattling away for some time.
when the footlights were turned up.
Upon seeing the sudden increase Of
light she remarked loudly TO her sis
ter: Look, Nelly; they've put another
penny in the slot."-San Francisco Ar
gonaut.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
WHAT MATTER.

/ care not il the hour be dawn
Or daylights close, or whether
The sun shine bright
From morn till night.
In cloudless harvest weather;
One CLEAN of sunshine from the face
OF her who keeps my dwelling place.
Is more than all togetheri
What matter II the cold gray clouds
OF winter-yea, what matter!-
Speed far and fast
Before the blast,
And aeecy snowfiakes scatter?
One handclasp of her heart-warm hand
VIII melt the snowdrifts from the land.
And bring the bluebird's chatterl
And though each feeting season bring
It's measured mead Of sorrow,
/ drink the wine
OF love divine,
And look to her and borrow
A ray of sunshine from the skies
That lie within her honest eyes
And bless the coming morrow
S. Q. Lapius, in Ohio Farmer
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
BAGGING GRAPES.
New Method Devised by n North Caro-,
lima Grower.

Mr.. r. II. Reeves, Buncombe county,
n. C., has for several years practiceG
successfully a new method of baggine
grapes, as shown in the accompanying
sketch. The bag is made of the cheap
est kind of white cotton cloth of two
sizes to hold grapes having small OF
large clusters. Two clusters are put in
each bag, which is pulled up over the
vine, then turned over and pinned, az
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
Repa rtee.

you should get your earz loppsd.
Bryan said a smart tourist TO an Irish
peasant whom he was quizzing;
they're too large for a man."
An bedad," replied the Hibernian.
- was just thinkin' Yours would want
TO be made larger; sure. they're too
short for an ass'-Jinks.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
Taxa,Ion Of Foreianers.

Norway and Sweden have adopleu .
new method of raising money. Com
mercial travellers from other ecdntrie'
are required to pay tax Of 100 kroner.
CS26.sO) for each calendar month tha'
they remain in the country. As mien'
be expected, the German and treuou
newspapers are making strong P'V
tests.-Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
Cast Iron Dogs and bogus statues.

For us, in America, ii would perhaps
have been better if the gardens oi
Italy did not exist to enthrall the traN
eler with their sensuous charms foi
to them we owe the unhappy attempN
at limitations which find expression in
the cheap substitutes for real mag
nificence-the zinc statues, the foun'
tains in which the feeble stream seems
glad TO hide itself in the cast irol
basins, the stays and ferocious mast'n'
in bronzed iron, the century plants ll
cheap vases, the bogus statues. ugly pa
vilions and summer houses which seen
a necessary adjunct TO our private gar
dens and public parks.-Arehiteetur'
Review,
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
Growing Usefulness of \ Rays.

NJ. Ollier showed, at recent meet
ing of the Academy of Sciences in Paris
how, by the use of Roentgen rays, the
progress of bone-growth in the human
body, after surgical operations, could
be watched and studied in a manner
hitherto impossible. In the same way
the position of diseased portions OF
bone can be readily located and
such portions can be removed without
amputation of the limb in eases where
such amputation would otherwise be
necessary; but while proving them
selves exceedingly useful when care.
fully and skillfully employed, the \
rays are also capable of mischief,
Messrs. Seguy and Quenisset reported
to the academy that prolonged expo
sure to the rays had, in several cases
caused violent and irregular palpita'
tion of the heart.-Youth's Compan'
ion
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18

shown. Birds cannot pick through such
bags; water will not stand i'm them. nor
can wind OF driving rain beat them 10
pieces, as is the case with paper bags
\ hundred cloth bags can be run up''
on a sewing machine in half an hour
and they will then last for years. There
are a few varieties OF grapes that do not
need bagging; and a few that will not
bear this confinement. but most Of the
grapes now grown can only be raised
in perfection by some protection OF
this sort.-American Agriculturist
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
HELM for Weary Traveller.

Isn't there d signboard needed at the
road OF street corner near your house &
Can't you put one up without waiting
tor the elimination of the Glow proc-
esses Of the powers that be2--cooo
Roads
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
A DInerent Kind Of GIa...

Beuham-Hou spend half of your
time before the glass.
Mrs Beuhum - But I don't fay:
Here's looking at you "---N. Y. Jour
laL
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18

Outside Of It's feed qualities, oil meal
Is better for stock than any of your
patent powders. II beats the patent
stock feeds, too.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
Struck by n Ball of Fire.
m the Philadelphia Inquirer

iioih 'ne fHuauelphit Inquirer.
Two instances of the occurrence of that
rare form of lightning known as "plob.
lightning" for which scientists have never
been able to offer an explanation, were re-
Gently observed in Europe. One case &C.
Cured at Szliaos, about noon, when a yio-
lent thunder storm broke over this famous
watering place. At PAS ball of lightning.
ABOUT the size of a mans head, was seen
to descend and float about six feet above
the ground. 1t whizzed past the stair rail-
Ing OF the Villa Buda, throwing a work
man, who was standing near against the
pillars that support the steps 1t then
passed through an open window into
room On the ground floor, passed within A
few PAGES of table, thence out again
through closed window, in which 1t cut
a mole the size of fist. When outside the
llshtning ball ran against poplar stand
ing hfteen PAGES in front of the building
From this it tore off the bark and wood
to a height of ten yards. whence it de-
scended on the other side to the earth
leaving behind 1t another channel The
sound which accompanied the lightning
was not louder than the report of a gun
Nobody was injured.
Another case is reported from Nioheim
Prussia A lightning discharge. accom-
panied by crashing thunder resembling the
noise OF a mass of broken glass on Il pave
ment, struck farmhouse near the sta
ton. and the following description of the
lightning was noted by six eye witnesses
1t descended from the cloud to the outside
OF the chimney in the form of a ball about
the size OF a cannon ball. After the ball
was an interval of perhaps five yards
then a tail of fire. one or two yards long
The ball appeared to be accompanied by
short. sharp report. while the crashing
thunder appeared to be due to the fire
sheaf or tail.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
A COwnrdly Crown Prince,
rom Harper's Magazina

In the old days prince was not exempt
from exposing himself in the fighting line.
1t is true he disguised half dozen other
men in armor like his own, so that he had
a seventh of a chance of escaping recoe-
milton. But there was that one chance out
OF seven that he would be the one set upon
by the enemy, and that he would lose his
kingdom by an arrow or blow from a
battieax- They led their subjects in those
days; they did not, at the first sign of a re-
bun, desert them on a special train
That unfortunately was what the Crown
Prince Constantine did at Larissa 1t was
only right that, both as the heir apparent
and as commander-in-chief, he should have
taken care to preserve his life. But he was
too careful: or, to be quite fair to him. 1t
may have been that he was Ill advised by
the young men on his staff. STILL his stan
was of his own choosing. His chief of stan
was young man known as a leader of
cotilliOns in Athens, and who so I was re-
peatedly informed, has refused to fight nine
dueis in a country where that relic of bar
barfsm Is still recognized as an affair touch-
ing a mans honor. 1t was this youth who
turned the Greek ladies out of a railroad
carriage to make room for the prince. and
who helped to fill 1t with his highness'
linen and dressing cases. 1t Is pleasant to
remember that one of the democratic nor
tiers at the railroad station was SO indig-
nant at this that he knocked the afd-de-
camp full length on the platform. One Of
of the crown prince. said. in an editorial:
I'VE are happy to state that on the arrival
OF the train II was found that not one
pocket handkerchief belonging to the prince
was lost-and so the honor of Greece is
saved" Another paper said: "Loues the
peasant won the race from Marathon; Con-
stantine the prince won the race from La
riss&''
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
NANSEN ON THE METEORITE.
Had No Intention of Dfsparag fne
Lieut.. Peary's Work.

Had No Intention of Dfspara gina
Lieut.. Peary's Work.
From the New York Herald.
On being pressed as to my opinion of tho
meteorite. told the reporter that did not
iron of the same formation as that found
by Hordensjold on the Greenland coast
further south. which has been found to be
of telluric origin.
When Lieutenant Peary says 1 have
spoken "thoughtlessly and with entire alb
sence Of personal knowledge" he is per-
fectly correct, as 1 didn't even know that
he himself regarded 1t as being different
from the iron stone found by Nordenskjo.d.
The only thing I knew about 1t was that
he had brought back the iron stones found
near Cape York, the existence Of which
was first brought to our knowledge by
Ross expedition in 1873 and which Nor
denskjold sent his ship. Sofia. to bring back
in 1883. without being able to get hold of
them.
This iron stone. 80 far as my knowledge
goes. has always been believed TO be Of ;he
same kind as those found by Nordenskjold.
and this was the only meaning of my
words. When now hear from Lieutenant
Peary himself. who is the first man who
actually found them and brought them
back. am only too glad to at once alter
my opinion.
shall just add one word more: That /
think Lieutenant Peary's valuable discov-
cry and the iron brought home will be Of
equally high Importance whether Il should
prove to be meteoric or telluric- While ex-
pressing my opinion in a necessarily hasty
manner, nothing could have been further
from my intention for one moment than to
In any way disparage the magnificent work
accomplished by Lieutenant Peary. who
has no greater admirer than
FRIDHOF NANSEN.
NsH York. ostober q. 1851.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02

It was furnished with elegant inclined
chairs costing over $500 each; wash
ROOM refrigerator for wines, and was
heated with my patent car heater. My
patent ventilating car buster kept the car
perfectly free from dust, with cast iron
ornamental bay windows. The manager of
the railroad invited over sixteen managers
of other railroads to take ride from Mil
waukee to La Crosse in this car. The writer
went with them. The expressions of ad-
miration for this car were very remark
able The managers all said it would
ruin railroads to attempt to build such
cars.
The New York Tribunes account of Mr.
Pullman's early work is not correct. Mr.
Pullman built two new cars q worked on
them) in 1860, on the very spot where the
Union depot in Chicago now stands. In the
year 1862 Mr.. Pullman and Mr.. Field put
on their Springfield sleeping car. which was
a great success. The firm of Cros, Dane &
Westlake put the cooking apparatus in
the cars that were built in 1865 The cars
up to 1868 were lighted with candles The
writer first introduced the burning of oil
in 1869.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
QUEER OLD CUSTOM.
Throwing Dice for Bible in tho
Church of Ancient St. Ives.
r,.... &ho Tomoc RudOpt

Throwing Dice for Bible in the
Church of Ancient St. Ives.
From the st. James Budget
On Tuesday. in accordance with the an
nual custom, there occurred at the ancient
town of St Ives. in the county of Hunt
ipgton, a ceremony which, If not absolutely
UNIQUE. is as curious a relic of ancient
times as may be found in a march Of many
days.
The queer old custom started in this way:
AS far back as the year 1875 bequest in
vested in land was made by an eccentric.
DIR. Robert Wild Of Oundle, Northampton
shire, for the purpose of distributing six
Bibles yearly among twelve children. 1t
was stipulated that six boys and six girls
should cast dice for the Bibles during
divine service every Whitsun-Tuesday
morning. When the custom was first car
rfed out In 1893 the dice were ratified on
the altar. This was done for many years.
but about half century ago the incon-
gruity of the thing was too much for the
reigning vicar, and during his time and
ever since the throwing has been done on
an ordinary table placed in the center aisle.
At about 8 O'Clock In the morning the
vicar or his curate appears with the church
wardens In the center aisle. Some or
binary little table IL procured from neigh
boring cottage, then In hle six nice little
boys and six nice little girls, who take up
positions near the table. The signal -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
THE CENTER OF sNUFF-DIPPING.
Not In the South. but Near the Good
Old Town of Boston.

From the New York Press
Passing through Lowell the other day
with a companion well informed generally
/ remarked: Here is the center of the
snuff-dipping habit in the United States"
He was astonished. DO you mean to say
snuff is used in Massachusetts" he asked.
II thought 1t a habit confined to the
Georgia crackers and the poor whites of
North Carolina" / then explained that III
the state of Massachusetts every year the
mill hands-mostly women and young girls
use sixty-five tons of snuff for dipping,
securing, chewing and pinching. The pow
der is sold in one-ounce tin cans, which re-
tail at 10 cents Thus We have 100000
pounds, making 2.0S0.0O0 packages. which
at 10 cents cost the operatives S2,SOOO.
While we have always associated the use
of snuff III this country with the very dregs
of humanity in the SOUTH let US glance at
the city OF Lawrence, Mass, where are
located such mills as the Pacific. Atlantic.
Cotton, Washington. Everett, PembertOn,
etc; population about 10000. The mill girls
are French Canadians and Armenians. with
a sprinklirg of American, Irish and Eng
lish- In summer groups of them, from six
teen TO twenty years of age, so across the
river and sit for hours along the banks
indulging themselves with the snuff and
snuff annually. Lawrence is only twenty
miles from moral, pGre. holy Boston.
Regard the Manchester of America" or
the Spindle city," as Lowell is called. She
was for years the chief seat of the cotton
man ufacture in the United States and has
a population of nearly $1,000. Boston is
only twenty-four miles away. The mill
girls use in Lowell, sitting afternoons with
sIuff and rag beside the falls of the Mer-
rimac. twenty-five tons of snuff annually,
or $4,000 of those wicked little 10-cent
packages Come nearer. to Fall River, for
instance. where are many mills and about
1890 people This city is forty-five miles
from Boston. Its mill grls-the dippers.
chewers. scourers and Dinchers-consUme
annually eighteen tons of snuff. or $4,000
ounce boxes. Sixteen thousand girls are
employed in the mills. and over 1900 use
snuff The production of snuff has IN
creased 10,cOO0,O pounds in the last seven
teen years.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02

A Canadian Says New York Custom
Officers Take Bril,es.

n Canadian says New York Custom
Officers Take Bribes.
From the London Times.
The following letter from "A Canadian
is interesting as showing how the customs
examination may be evaded:
II have Travelled between Liverpool and
Montreal. via New York, for nearly twenty
years. and invariably pay the customs
officer e to pass my luggage. If failed to
do so / should not only be compelled by
him to pay duty on clothing and personal
effects which would be into Canada the
next day. but 1 should also be delayed
twenty-four hours at least in New York.
i advise every passenger whose time is
worth e day to do as do.
II remember on one occasion the custom
house officer asked me to leave his fee at a
certain hotel and he would call for 1t. He
said that he was suspected and closely
watched, and TX his superior officer de-
tected him receiving fee he would compel
him to hand over half.
Some years ago Congress passed an act
forbidding Cinnamon to enter the United
States. and yet every ship from China to a
Pacific coast port brings Chinese passen-
gers The recognized bride to the customs
officials is fl0 head In case the customs
officer becomes too extortionate the China
man is landed. arrested and locked up by
the police. The next day habeas corpus
proceedings are taken by his friends. He
Is brought up in court and discharged by
the magistrate before any charge can be
a bride of flo. although at times competi-
ton between the customs officers and tho
magistrate tends to lower prices
That the system Is not confined to the
customs department the following will
show: A few years ago / was obliged to
get an amending act passed by the iegis-
lative assembly of one OF the western
states. The leader Of the party in power
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02

1t to be made plain how many of the
Romany blood there are in the upper
strata of society. Your lawyer, your doc
tor or your grocer-any Of these may be
gypsy, without your knowing it. There are
scores of millionaire gypsies. Two of these
have the pleasure Of knowing personally.
They are highly, respected citizens, and
go regularly to church q must frankly
own that 1 regard the gypsy's religion as
merely assumed for business reasons. The
gypsy is born pagan, while their social
ana business associates never dream for
q moment that single drop of the errant
Romany blood flows in veins so singularly
respectable. But bless you!-if those
wealthy gypsies did not have their annual
would pine and die of ennui. So they just
slip quietly out of town, have it noiSed
abroad that they are going to some fash
lonable watering place, and then make a
dash Tor liberty and the nearest gypsy
camp One of them secretly owns van
and travels In 1t when he can do SO with
out attracting attention.
A Gypsy Clergyman.
Il have 1t on the authority of William
Dean Howells and other eminent Boston
tans that there is in the capital of Massa-
chusetts certain clergyman Of widespread
Tame, who, unknown to the world at large,
Is Romany. Every summer this reverend
gentleman cannot resist joining some
gypsy band and roaming from place to
place as his kindred have done since within
the memory of man. Little do the good
mans congregation dream that, while they
picture him as sedately journeying abroad,
ne Is sitting beside gypsy campfres and
chattering tie wild Romany tongue, to
all intents and purposes a vagrant. But,
as Mr. Howelis pointed out none ever
heard it said that this preacher preached
any the worse for his wild, free life over
ROAD and prairie. Indeed, the increased
Visor, and eloquence of his sermons i'm
Hledlately after each successive annual
vacation have long been matters of COM
ment in Boston
Obedfent to the unwritten law which
their sizes have handed down, the Ro-
many chal ard the Romany Chi are leaving
the wampum-dyed woodlands of the north
ana hooking to the cities, or over the hills
towards the southwark in pursuit of the
meeting sun. And so, during the winter
months, when treading some busy street.
II you suddenly encounter swarthy
stranger, with great dark eyes and a
quaint, roguish look in them-with the
ithe oriental figure and graceful carriage
OF his race. you may safely say to him,
Saro-shan? for he is like to be gypsy