davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
A VALUABLE CAT.
An Indiana Feline That Is q Good
Quail Hunter-His Size Il q
Diaadyant0Re.

Colonel ]. C. Jocelyn. of Bedford. Ind.
is the owner of one Of the most valuable
and intelligent cats in the world. There
is nothing about Williams appearance to
indicate that he differs in any important
characteristic from other specimens of the
feline race. In fact. he is Il very ordinary
looking, rather dirty, brindle colored cat
of ordinary size. No one who does not
know him would guess at the almost hu-
man intelligence which he displays. 1t is
which cats are not in the habit of doing
which makes him so unusually interesting
and valuable. Though Colonel Jocelyn has
given William careful training, the ex-
traordinary propensties began to develop
very early in his kittenhood. and for ten
years his accomplishments have been the
wonder of the neighborhood. This cat is
known to almost everyone in this county
and to many travelling men from other
parts, and when he passes along the street
with packages in his mouth he is never
in awe of Williams prowess.
Last fall Colonel Jocelyn, who Is great
hunter, went to the fields with two bird
dogs and he took William along They
had been out but a short time when Will
lam began to initiate the settlers. Before
the trip ended William could find a covey
Of quail and hold them until commanded
to flush" He was used for that pur-
pose all last fall and is out again this year.
color and size. which make him difficult
to find in the tall grass or stubble. Fre-
quently the family enjoys feast of birds
brought in by William. who visits the
fields alone. and invariably brings the birds
home in good condition.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
COLONEL POWELL, A GIANT OF TEXAS.
He Stands Seven Stocking
at Grandview

accertuate H it. His % overcoat is big enough
to cover several ordinary men: He wears
a Iish SIX nat ana shoes Win Soies an
walking along the street.
My title of colonel is a genuine one"
he said. II wHs a colonel Of the Texas mil
itia on the staff of Governor Hogg. My
uniform cost me nearly s2o. but l only
wore it once. That time / did not cut Il
figure worth $500. It was at a general re-
view OF the state troops at Austin, ard
the cnly horse l could get was a dignitied
and sedats Texas bred pony "A hands high.
When bestrode him my feet almost drag
ged or the ground. and the cheers we
me as for the governor.
"A man soon gets accustomed TO being 4
freak and pays pay no ,; attention s,. TO people
busy ducking swinging signs on the streets
in the city. and he doesn't care what sort
of sensation his apps;aranee ere egsatss tn,
and until l was u years old was like
ctter boys in Texas. Then I began 10
grow and at IA l was six feet high. At Is
l was seven feet tall, and 1t took me five
ksa5R ksaakt. 10 get 'ns 0'nef SIX 'n'Aes '- NY
- ears ago, during the lifetime of P. T.
BarnUm. / travelled with his show, but
| soon quit it. The life of freak win d
circus is not pleasant. In the big cities
where we played never itss than week
we were not allowed to show ourselves OH
the street. 1t was too confining. being kept
| In the boarding tent or in the show all
| the time. / got tired and quit l had saved
some money and went into the mercdL tliG
| business at Grandview. where ] Was Iorn
| AID reared, and where I became a Mason.
| MY greatest trouble is in getting clothes.
Everything wear has to be made to order.
and Lnderclothes cost me almost what
would equip a five foot man. Ny shoes
| have to be made to measure also. The
| inside seam of my trousers is forty-two
inches long.
II have never been in quarrel o in Il
fight. / have too much sense. It takes
| two men to make a quarrel and am never
ono of them, for I know quarrels lead u
| fights. No one is going TO let Il man of my
size strike him. Down in Texas If lifted
| my hand against n man he would pump
| me full of lead. Therefore I will walk
| twenty miles TO get away from a quarrel Or
drunken man."
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

BENJAMIN Franklins grave is in a neg
lected condition. according to the Philadei-
phia Tribune No appropriate stone rises
over it, the ground round about it is un-
cared for and the tomb of the great schoi-
ar and statesman is as obscure as that of
a man whose name and fame were no part
of the glory of his country's history.
His grave is destitute even of a head
stone 1t is covered by an old-fashioneti
marble slab. which was placed there n
hundred years ago and Is now worn and
discolored by age.
Nothing has been done to it since Frank
lin was buried there. and even the modest
arrangements of the grave are not kept IN
the perfect condition that is expected of a
great mans tomb. The earth on an sides
is bare OF grass. the common matching of
the commonest grave. and an air Of total
desolarion Is about the whole place
The sexton of the graveyard in which he
was buried said that the defendants of
Franklin would not do anything to repair
the grave. neither would they allow any
body else to do anything. Every day he
has recei-ed offers of subscriptions from
visitors who are distressed by the forlorn
appearance of Frenklin's resting place and
who would like to see it improved. In reply
he says. as he has been instructed. that
Franklin wished 1t so. being n plain man
averse to display of any kind" Not long
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
OLDEST CANINE INHABlTANT.
After Twenty Years of Life, He Calm.
ly Awaits His

Old Bob. the yellow mascot of Fowler
Crumbaugh's boat store. Is probably the
oldest dog in the whole state OF Kentucky.
says the Paducah News. Bob was 20
years old yesterday, and he was given an
extra meal on this occasion of soft grub.
for Bob is so declined in years that he
can't eat hard, bony stuff
Old Bob came to Paducah many years
ago. He was a tramp dog, and. it seems as
though the hand of kind Providence guild
ed him to the Fowler steamboat store.
where his home has been ever since. Cap
tain ]. II. Fowler is very much attached
to old Bob. Although Bob's teeth are gone
and one eye out. Captain Fowler cannot
but point with pride to the by-gone days
when Bob was in his prime. Captain Fow-
Ter said that there wasn't dog in the
state that could wallop Bob. One ear is
slightly shorter than the other. and his
face is SCARED up about his eyes and nose.
This was done in fighting. Bobs tail is
short. This came out of fight.
Years ago Bob fell in love with one of
the drivers of the ice wagon and followed
him daily over his route until he was ac-
quainted with the homes of the customers.
as we'll as the driver himself.
Old Bob IS quite deaf. You are compelled
to speak his name very loud. and then the
sound enters his ear in Il bewildering way
Bob was fine ratter. In his hest days he
has caught more rats than any dog ever
did in Paducah: but now old Bob is n back
number. Quietly he creeps about the streets
awaiting his end.
His muzzle IS white with age. and grey
hairs are plentiful on his body and legs.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
SLEPT WITH A WILD BEAR.
Unique Contest Between Two Penn
sylvania Girls for
Husband.

Not many girls would care to spend
night in a pen twenty by thirty feet
square with black bear, just trapped. as
companion. for the sake of gaining
husband. Yet this is what two girls, in
Lopez Pa. undertook to do recently. They
both loved the same man, and. as it was
clear that both could not have him, they
decided upon a display of bravery as test
of devotion, the more courageous one to be
the winner. 1t was also decided that the
loser in the contest was to inform the man
them, it could never become anything
more. and that at any time he wanted to
get married he could do so without doing
her an injustice. The participants in this
Miss Mary Mcdonald. and the young mar
was Augustus Sheutzenbach. The owner
fessional bear trapper of Lopez. It was at
his suggestion that the girls agreed on their
hazardous undertaking.
Miss Fisher was the first to undertake the
task. She entered the pen and succeeded in
remaining there an hour, when she cried to
be liberated. She tried q number of times
successful and withdrew. The object was
to remain in the pen with the wild live
bear over night. no matter how the contest
Miss Mcdonald made her plans for the
following night. Dave Brown and Miss
Fisher were the only persons who accom-
she pulled from under her skirt wash line
and a muzzle. She jumped into the pen and
within an hour had bruin securely bound
and muzzled. and spent the night with him
as her companion and pillow. The wedding
was solemnZed within a few days. Dave
Brown did not make any money out of this
deal but he was prominent guest at the
wedding.
The young man whom Miss Mcdonald
won by her bravery has been living in New
York for over a year. but is said to be in
Chicago at present. He corresponded
with the two girls regularly. and managed
to make each think he loved her. Shuetz-
enbach had decided to get married but
could not determine as to which girl he
should ask. He was in a quandary. and it
was while he was giving the matter most
attention that he got letters in the wrong
envelopes. In these letters he hinted at
| something about getting married, but did
not put the question direct. He wanted
! to see which girl would give him the most
encouragement.
Fortunately and unfortunately, the letters
| showed him in his true light. The girls
were fast friends. and after much serious
| thought Miss Fisher called on Miss Nc
| Donald and an exchange of letters was
| made and the subject discussed. Miss Fish
er proposed that some novel way be adopt
| ed of settling the question to who should
| become the wife of ShuetZenbach. While
| each was anxious to become Mrs. ShuetZ-
| enbach. they would not quarrel and break
| what had been a warm friendship. So they
| decided on the test which ended disastrous
| ly for Miss Fisher.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
BOY DARED AND DIED.
Little 9-Year-Old Walter Christ!
Killed Through His BOyish
Recklessness.

A crowd of small boys were playing be-
side the tracks of the West Jersey & Sea-
shore railroad. near Camden, N. J.. when
the Cape May express train came in sight.
Fletcher none of youse fellers kin tech
de train when 1t comes past said one of
the lads. Il kim" cried 9-year-old Walter
Christy. "Aw. you git out. You can't.
l double dare you"
That was more than young Christy could
stand AS the train approached at a forty
mile an-hour rate he braced himself close
to the outer rail. The engineer blew his
whistle. but the boy paid no attention, ard
as the pilct of the engine whirled past
grasped one of the signal fiagstaffs. He
was thrown high in the air and came down
inder struck him in the back of the head.
crushing in his skull.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
HOW BEES FIGHT A BATTLE.
Attack on n Strange Hive Results In
Terrific COntest-TraitOrs
Among Them.

From the London Mail.
In battle the movements of bees are so
rapid that it is difficult to follow them
through all their evolutions. but the plan
of battle seems to be very simple. Two
bees from the hive are sent to kill one in
truder, and the latter always tries to force
an entrance. even at the risk OF lis NE.
Once inside, 1t makes room for others OF
its companions to enter. and then. Sather-
ing up its abdomen III as small space Is
possible. 1t assumes the defensive. Two OF
the hive bees pounce upon II, and, seizins
II fiercely they seek to find a Vulnerable
point between the rings of its body to sting
1t to death. The attacking bee just as te-
terminedly struggles to cover every I'M
protected spot. If sufficient time can he
gained and the attacking swarm Is large
enough TO force an entrance, the badly
mauled bees that have not been stung to
death will suddenly assume the offensive
an pursue the tactics OF their enemies.
Should the battle go against the attack
| ing body, the balance of the swarm flies
away to seek safety. and the. dead car
casses of their companions are thrown con-
temptuously out of the hive. But in the
event of an opposite termination of the
struggle the poor Inhabitants are slaugh-
tered. When their fate has been practi-
caily decided, many Of them turn traitors
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
CAUGHT A WALKING FISH.
1t Had No Gills, but Had Four Legs,
and Could Use Them-Endowed
With Spirit of the EVIL One.

From the Pacific Commercial Advertiser.
Frank Davey. the photographer, is the
possessor of a very strange fish. which. aft
er having exhibited to a number of friends
while still alive. he put into alcohol to keep.
The fish is known to some people here, but
Is quite rare. Its home is in the deep
water and If the story told by the China
man who procured 1t. namely, that tho
water just outside the harbor, is to be de-
pended on, the occurrence is indeed I'M
usual.
1t is about three inches in length, and
when alive was of a bright yellow hue with
spots of black here and there. Its mouth
Is quite large. and the part of the body
nearest is correspondingly large. 1t then
tapers of to a small tail. But the peculiar
part is that there are no gills or what are
should be the skin is just as 1t Is all over
the body. At distance of about half an
inch and protruding from the belly near
the central part are what might be called
arms or legs. They are jointed and have
some ten very fine claws. These, together
with another pair farther anterior, the hsh.
when alive. used to walk about with on the
bottom of the jar in which it was contained.
1t would show fight instantly when ap-
dowed with the spirit of the evil one, brist-
ling up its fins swapping It's sharp teeth,
elevating a sharp. knifelike appendage on
the top of its nose and sending two cur
rents Of water from holes or false gills Just
back of the large. armlike appendages men
toned above.
When the fish was killed and placed in
alcohol the bright yellow disappeared en-
tirely, and left in its place e whitish color.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

part of Croker" the larger of the two
fat West Indian seals. The fellow was
standing bolt upright in the water look
ing straight at a pretty girl. and then
suddenly. zip, siz. swish, flew a pint of
water straight from his mouth into the
fair ones face.
The crowd howled with delight. and
Croker" uttering hoarse bark. dropped
into the tank and swan once around on
his back Again and again Croker re-
peated the trick until DIR. Bean had to or
der the water drawn from the pool. Then
what did the clown seal do but go and
the water couldn't run out. Mr.. Spencer
the assistant superintendent. had to coax
the big seal away with an eel for bonbon
before he would allow the water to flow.
PLAT" who is somewhat smaller than
his mate. was a sullen witness of his part
ner'S behavior.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
DOG WITH ARTIFICIAL Teeth.
He Was on Exhibition at a Recent
Dog Show Mt the Crystal
PaInce London.

A dog with a full set of artificial teeth
was the leading curiosity of the recent
dog show at the Crystal Palace. London.
Undoubtedly it is the only dog in the
world thus distinguished.
The owner of this curiosity is DR.. E.
Mosely. dentist of Regent street, and
his account of how he fitted the dogs
mouth with an efficient set of teeth is
very interesting. He is a dog fancer and
is specially fond of the Schipperkes breed
of which this dog is a specimen. He picked
named him Myn Duyvel (my deviD as a
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

Some three-quarters of a mile from
Berryville, Clark county, Va, there stands
a little log cabin which was built and oc
cupied by George Washington. between the
years 174S and 1852, when he made his
first step into public life ard served as 4
young surveyor, under Lord Fairfax. The
cabin is made of hewn oak dovetailed at
the corners. and is a building of consider
able durability, though rapidly going to
decay.
The spot occupied by the cabin was orig
inally in the very heart of the Virginia
from the storms by huge ash tree that
still stands. and its occupants were re-
freshed by water from a brook that rises at
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
Reed Township. PA.

There is township in Dauphn county,
Pa. in which there are 254 Inhabitants
according to the census. and fifty voters.
In that township there Is no minister. no
Justice of the peace. no industrial work
of any kind and no place where liquor is
sold There are three grocery stores and
one schoolhouse. When the people want to
attend church they have Ito cross the river
10 Perry county and walk to Duncannon.
The township is Reed.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
A RUDE YOUNG SEAL.
He Threw Water Into the Face Of q
Pretty Girl Who Was Watch
ing Him.

From the New York World.
DR.. Bean was sitting in Castle Garden
laboratory yesterday figuring out the diff
ference in lateral thrust between the ven-
trail fin of the Irish pipe fish and the pi-
rate perch when a woman's scream sound
ed piercingly above the dull murmur Of
the big crowd shuffiing from tank to
tank in the rotunda.
There were shouts. shrieks, and laugh
ter, followed by the echo of hundreds of
feet scampering across the tiled floor, as
if general movement of the visitors had
set in for some particular spot. The doc
tor ran down the gallery stairs in hurry.
He found the throng pressing around the
West Indian seal pool. while the attend
ants and several park policemen were try
ing to force them back.
Superintendent Bean peeped over the
heads of the crowd and was astounded and
mortified beyond measure to behold most
fragrant breach of good manners on the
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

ago at his own expense he had the fadina
Inscription recut, or else even the only
distinguishing mark. the name. would be
gone ere this.
If he had not done so the last restine
place of the greatest man. outside of WASH
ington. in American history would have
been forgotten and unknown. Who Is re-
sponsible for this condition of afYairsj
Not the living relatives of Franklin. Tho
responsibility rests with the American peo'
pie. to whom the MAN belongs. Thes
should see to 1t in the future that whal
little there is to mark the grave is kept II
better order than II has been In the past
Before he died Franklin provided for hi
own gravestone and instructed q stonecut
ter of his acquaintance in every detail
even to the inscription which was to d
placed upon 1t. He desired to be buried be
side his wife, who had died some year
before. and a common slab was to b
placed over them both. The inscription az
ranged as he ordered II reads:
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

Colonel 4. a. Powell. of Johnston county,
Tex. the tallest man in the United States.
and. since the death of Chang, the Chinese
giPnt. probably the tallest man in the
world. is now a general merchant at
GraLdview, Tex. Colonel Powell measures
Z feet inches in his stocking feet, weighs
265 pounds, wears No. "a shoes and is Sc
years old. lie is bachelor, he says.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
CHAMPION JIMMY.

as many animals with fine pedigrees were
shown.
The biggest prize winner was Champion
Jimmy. a pedigree winner of many med
ais. owned by Mrs. Herring, of Lestock
House. Lee. The long-haired kittens and
a curious Siamese tabby attracted much
attention. The National Cat Club cup for
the best short-haired cat was won by
Zenophon, a massive animal, which was
priced in the catalogue at the modest sum
of ST., 2,J00-probably the owners valuation.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

| was readmitted to the tigers den after the
| operation she examined the wounded paw
| most tenderly purring the while and lick
ing her mate as If to soothe him.
Both animals appear to have realized
| that the operation was a beneficial one,
| for a week afterward, when DR.. Haughton
| looked in to see how his patient was pro-
| crossing. he was received in the friendiest
way. and was even allowed to examine the
| mutilatel paw.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
LONG PAST THE CENTURY MARK
Death of James Lynch at the Age of
Nearly 11S Years-Drank Whisky
for Nearly 100 Years.

James Lynch. who would have been lis
years of age. according to affdavits in his
possession. had he lived forty-seven days
longer, has just died at the county infirm-
airy, Muncie, Ind. A month ago the old
man climbed out of bed for the first time
in five years and attempted to walk to the
dining room unattended. He fell, break
ing one of his legs. The bone refused to
knit and death resulted. He had resided
in the neighborhood of Muncie for thirty
years and had always followed the vo-
cation of a ditcher. He came to America
from Ireland. where all his relatives ex-
cept his wife live. She is at the intirmary.
aged 81 years.
One of the biggest jobs that Lynch ever
worked on was the Miami canal. leading
into the city of Cincinnati, he having the
contract for a considerable amount Of that
work.
For twenty years the old man was nearly
a skeleton, and how he survived was a
mystery to all visitors. He often boasted
that he was a habitual drunkard for more
than eighty years and drank nothing but
the best of whisky for nearly 100 years.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

hogs. The mouth Is large, and from the
upper jaw two Notwithstanding tuSkS pro-
trude. The legs and feet resemble those OF
a sheep, but the toes are long and sharp.
making II appear that IL Is turnover. It
has no tail. The body Is covered with a
bristly coat. In color like that of a ground
hcg.
The farmers in the vicinity where the
arimal was captured say they can account
for the mysterious disappearance of grain
/ for the past three months
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
OPERATING ON A TIGER.
He Realized That the Operation Did
Him Good, and Afterwards Re-
ceived His Doctor Kindly.

From Tit-Bts.
An interesting operation was performed
in Dublin some time ago by DIR. Samuel
Haughton. A magnificent tiger, one of the
finest In the Dublin geological. was threat
ened with gangrene in the paw.
One of its claws. becoming distorted. had
grown into the foot. and to save the tiger S
life il was necessary to cut away the dis
eased portion. The operation was. to put
strong net was in the first place thrown
over the tiger, and in the net he was drawn,
struggling desperately, to the door of his
cage Four keepers. each of whom must
have been endowed with uncommon cour-
age as well as strength. then held the
animals paw while DIR. Haughton cut away
the ingrowing claw.
Meanwhile the tigress. which had been
placed in an adjoining den. was frantic
with rage fiinging herself furiously against
the bars in her mad effort to come to the
rescue of her lord and master. When she
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
Rooster or Hen, Which /.

Jacob Gergen. barber Of Arlington, N
j. has freak chicken that people come
miles to see. The head is that of hen,
with small comb. a slender neck de-
velops back of the wings into two bodies,
with two distinct bony structures. One
a rooster.
Both have fully developed legs, but those
of the hen are useless, as they cannot
reach the ground. The fowl is a great
fighter. and crows Justify, but never
cackleS.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

ture. are exposed that the Surinam fish is
worthy of comment. 1t will be seen that
the front view of its jaw gives an excellent
representation Of the crucifixion. while the
back view represents an ancient high priest
blessing the people. These bones have in
no way been tampered with. but are just
as they exist in their natural state and as
they are here pictured.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14

the very door of the hut. 1t was here that
Washington made his headquarters. when
engaged in mapping out the wilds of the
forest and discovering the force and loca-
tion of the neighboring Indian tribes for
General Fairfax. For four years of his life.
the greatest man that America has ever
had made his home in this hut. with no
white face near.
No relic could speak more eloquently Of
with a turf floor where the boy genius
grew and hardened of necessity. until he,
living the life of q savage. in many re-
their country. ard learned a trick of war
which, later. led him to victories where no
British trained officer could have succeeded.
Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
BICYCLE RIDING CHlNAMAN.
Goes Around Like Melican Man and
Gathers Up His WASH

The Journal artist made this sketch of a
Chinaman who was peddling along Grand
avenue the other day. He had been out
making calls on his customers and was
wheeling at good speed back to his shop.
There are three or four Cinnamon who