davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
BYG0NE MONSTERS.
Some Marvellous GIANTS
Of The Animal KING
dom In Ages
Past.

In the days OF it's youth our, old planet
earth was the home Of some extraordi-
nary creatures whose size was such as
to make a modern elephant blush with
shame. on all sides abounded reptillan
monsters OF proportions at which even
the awe inspiring sea serpent Of para
graph fame would turn green with envy
and. ostrichlike, burrow its head in the
sand. determined no more 10 terrify
poor crcdulous seamen. Each OF these
extinct animals. as far as can be con
jectured. seems hideous caricature OF
some beast living today
The geologist and the paleontologst
possess a creepy knowledge OF the living
creatures which have inhabited the
globe a past periods i'm its history. To-
day the fairyland OF grim monsters and
dragons-for such they wcre-of thou
sands OF years back i'm the earth's his
tory is as familiar TO some as "Alice In
Wonderland" is known by the majority.
Much If not all this knowledge is due
TO the Industrious researches OF Cuvier,
owen and their disciples.
II was Cuvier who on small and
seemingly unrecognizable bone OF some
fosslized animal being placed before
MIN WOuI0 glance at IL ana soon rattle
off the name OF the animal, its species,
method Of life and habitat. Rarely was
he wrong. An interesting story serves
10 illustrate the minuteness of his
knowledge. one Of his students thought
he would try TO frighten his master,
and. having dressed up as wild beast,
entered Cuvier's room by night Pre-
sentng himself by the great scientists
bedside, he said in hollow tone. "Cu-
vler. Cuvier. I've come TO eat you'
Cuvier, who on waking up was able 10
discern something with horns and dhoofs.
simply remarked What? Horns hoofs
--graminivorous-you can't" A better
or an apter illustration of the great pro-
fessor's Law of Correlation" no stu
dent could hope to receive.
What is known of all these cheerful
creatures before man appeared on the
earth is all gathered from bones. bones.
bones. The reptilian age, or. as geolo-
gsts broadly name IT, the mesozoic pc
riod, was fertile in big monsters. In
this age. IL you wanted 'potted lob
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
BRONZE BUST OF MELVILLE.


long and honorable career in the navy,
commencing July 20, 1861, with his ap-
polntment from New York as third as
sistant engineer. When the Jeannette
sailed. under command OF Lieutenant
George w. De Long, from San Fran
cisco, July 8. 1879. Melville, then passed
assistant engineer in the navy, was in
charge as engineer of the steamer. The
object of the expedition was to discover
an opening to the polar sea through q
northeast passage near Wrangel Land.
The steamer was caught in the Zee
jam and crushed, the crew taking to the
ice. De Long, with Melville, struck
across the ice to Bennett island and
there divided. De Long taking COM
mand OF one boat. Melville of the other.
The latter escaped. reaching one of the
mouths of the Lena delta Sept IL after
perilous passage. De Long and his IL
companions were never again seen alive
by the eyes of white men.
Finding that his commander had not
been heard from and having recovered
from his own experience, Melville
plunged into the jaws of death again
in the search for the other party. He
found some of the huts where the party
had staid and traced them. through the
natives. finding their bodies during the
next spring in another part OF the delta.
Melville brought the remains of De
Long back to this country and was
decorated by vote of congress for his
bravery. The drifting of the wreckage
from the Jeannette as subsequently
found formed in strong degree the
theories Of Nansen and had much TO do
with the lately returned expedition TO
drift to the pole.
Commodore Melville has been chief
OF the bureau of steam engineering and
engineer in chief of the United States
navy since Aug. s, 1887. He is the au-
thor Of "In the Lena Delta" describing
the experiences of the Jeanette sur
vivors.
1t is worth noting as a testimonial to
the very high order OF work in casting
this bust that the figures on the G. A.
r.. medal are clearly reproduced and
the small lettering on the Jeanette
medal is decipherable. A better proof
OF the delicate attention to detail in
such broad work as bronze casting
could hardly be adduced. The face is a
commanding one and shows strong
characteristics which would attract
more than casual glance under any
circumstances.
Henry J. Ellicott the sculptor. is
grandson OF Major Andrew Ellicott the
engineer employed with L'Enfant. who
laid out the city of Washington and
who became his successor in that work
when LEnfant and the commissioners
disagreed. Mr.. Ellicotts colossal eques-
trian statue OF Hancock, which was
seen and admired by many Providence
people during its casting just about
a year ago. was unveiled in Washington
on May ~. 1895.
Mr. Ellicott was born at White Hall.
Anne Arundel county. Md. June 2S.
1Sl7. The early part of his life was
spent i'm Washington. where he became
well acquainted with the residents
through modelling a portrait bust OF the
late distinguished Judge Otto. at that
time secretary OF the interior. The bust
was modelled I'm snow at the corner ot +
and Eleventh streets. opposite the resi-
dence Of Mr.. Ellicott's father. The
work created a sensation.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09

THERE I SAW MARK SEATED ON A
FENCE AND 4 LOT OF DOGS BARK
ING AND SNARLlNG AT HUM"
you will see how near Mark came to
getting a pocket and becoming a pocket
miner.
IShortly after this we started from
Murphys Camp for Angels An hour
after we started II became very dark
and began TO rain in torrents. We had
gone only short way when we dscoV-
cred we Were on the wrong road by
running into a pile eof brush. We re-
traced our steps to the road we had left
and there discovered two roads.
"As there were a good many brush
roads in that country at the time, we
agreed TO separate. each taking a diff
ferent road. and as soon as one dis
covered his TO he the main road he was
TO notify the other by hollering In a
short time | heard Twain's voice calling
me. / went back and took his road.
When / got up 10 where he was. he
was seated on fence, surrounded by a
lot OF dogs, barking and swapping at
him. Mark had accidentally found an
Italian vegetable garden. The men of
the ranch followed their dogs out. but
as none OF of them could speak Eng
lish 1t did not benefit us any. l actually
think they took us for robbers. When
j asked Twain TO come on to the other
road, he would not stir. but sat there
and cursed the United States govern
ment for allowing anybody to come
here who could not speak the English
language. Although he sat there i'm a
heavy rain. bowling like coyote
against the government, foreigners and
everything pertaining TO foreigners.
thoroughly enjoyed II and even forgot
the rain. We finally found the road
and got TO Angels little before ~
o'clock. but all efforts To divert Twain's
mind from anything ellie but the gov
errment and those non English speak
ing Italians were futile"
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09

ON the outskirts Of the town live much
wilder dogs. with brindle coats consid-
erably darker than the yellow ones, and
these dogs have sharp noses and look
a great deal like wolves.
The wolfish dogs never come into
town. The yellow dogs never go out Of
town. Indeed no dog ever goes out of
the particular section OF town where he
is born and bred. If he attempts TO
step outside his boundaries. the dogs OF
the quarter where he is visiting set
upon him and drive him back.
The reason why the dogs are protect
cd is that they are supposed TO keep the
city clean and healthy by eating up the
rubbish, just as vultureS do in some
tropical cities.
But for all the dogs, Constantinople
is neither particularly healthy nor at
all clean.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
THREE RARE FLAGS.
EnSiunS of The president.
The Secretary Of War
and the Secretary
Of the Navu.

Among the special flags Of the United
States there is now for the first time
one belonging to the secretary OF war.
About nine years ago a special flag was
made for the secretary of the navy, and
the president has had his private flag
for many years longer than that. In
regard TO the origin OF the new flag for
the head OF the war department ex-
Secretary Lamont said not long ago:
When / first entered upon my duties
as secretary OF war. one of the papers
| found awaiting action on my desk
was q recommendation from General
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
South Dakota Farmers.

A Sioux Falls loan agent whose busi-
ness is probably the most extensive in
South Dakota reports that the farmers
of tha. state have paid $4,000 600 OF in
dehtcdness during the past five years
and that they arc now getting so inde-
pendent financially that IL is difficult
10 make them many loans. and another
prosperous crop year seems just at
hand.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09

rule, confined strictly to ceremonious
occasions, and the natural result of this
is that they are unfamiliar 10 the gem
eral public. Wherever the presidents
flag flies il denotes his presence in the
vessel or building over which 1t is hoist
ed. Its employment in the case of build
ings in which the executive may happen
TO be staying is merely optional, and
the ceremony is more frequently omit
ted than observed. The naval regula-
tions. however, give explicit orders for
the use of this flag when the president
visits ship-of-war. At the moment
when he steps upon the deck the flag Is
displayed at the main and Is kept flying
there as long as he is on board. A ma
tional salute IS fired Immediately after
the flag raising. When the president
leaves the ship there is another salute
and the flag is hauled down az the fir
ing of the last gun. Any ship-ofwar
flying the presidents flag is regarded as
the senior ship present. and her mo-
tions are followed accordingly. When
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09

o
a
the
he 3 His ex
he
OF
o
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
Nansen's Men.

Norway's storthing has voted lump
sum of 1900 kroner S1 0S0) each TO
Nansen's ~ companions and 5000 kron-
er year for FIVE years 20 Ca~tain
Svendrup. who Is TO command the next
expedition in the Fran, planned for
1909
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
OF THE NAVAL SEC.
RETARY.

she meets at sea or I'm harbor any other
United states ships-of-war the latter
fire the national salute i'm her honor,
and the same ceremony Is observed by
All naval batteries which she passes.
The nag OF the secretary OF the navy
Is displayed at the main during the time
that the secretary remains on board Of
any war vessel.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09
MARK MISSED IT.
How Twain, The HurnoriSt,
Game Near Becoming
a Pocket
Miner.

The American. public little know how
near they came 10 losing Mark Twain,
their greatest humorist. by his becom-
ing a pocket miner. and IL IL had not
been for heavy rain the probabilities
are that Twain would today be still
pannng out gold on Jackass Hill in
California. II was close by this famous
mining camp that the humorist got his
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-09

Hungary's new bank notes have In
one corner a vignette Of Frau Luisa
Blaha the soubrette Of the Budapest
Volks theater
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

sought an explanation inside. What he
found was eminently satisfactory, but
thoughts OF the pledge again turned his
footsteps homeward.
Again he paused at the corner of Market
and Montgomery to keep from running
over Valencia street Car, and then again
he bravely went forward. A little later
and the familiar lights OF the place he
had left twice shone in his eyes. Fol
low'n' ne up. Shame OF s'loon all tn
way home. Mush see what's matt'r."
And the swinging doors closed again be-
hind the willing form of Jehosaphat
Smith.
Six times did Jehosaphat try last night
to get home. Six times did he pause at
the corner OF Market and Montgomery
while the noisy cable cars ran by in
iangling derislon; and six times did his
footsteps lead him back to whiskies
straight, until the barkeeper put him in
a hack and sent him home to his wife.
To her Jehosaphat swore, and swore
truly. that never after leaving the saloon
on his homeward way did he turn around.
Though unbelieved he protested that fate
moved the saloon TO meet his yirtuous
feet.
Only the Post-street turntable as il
whirled round and round in silent glee
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

1t took some small change to settle this
matter, but having settled it orr heroine
proceeded on her way.
Mindful of previous misfortunes, she
now raised her umbrella high in air TO
avoid the possibility of hitting anything
or anybody, and rude Boreas, seeing a
chance for fun. swooped down upon it.
moment later she was taking kind
of flying run along the sidewalk, the UNI
brella struggling violently to raise her off
her feet and fly with her to parts I'M
known. Regaining partial control of her
property she, in true feminine fas hion,
braced her back to the wind while en-
deavoring to take in sail" and in an in
slant the unruly thing turned inside out
and became an apparently hopeless wreck
"a confused tangle OF bare wires and wet
gingham. A gentleman coming to her
assistance righted matters speedily, and
she rewarded him by catching one of the
rib-ends in his whiskers, knocking his hat
sideways and nearly gouging out one of
his eyes while she thanked him.
Discouraged by her many trials, she
concluded to give up her shopping and go
home. Joining group waiting for cars
on the corner, she stood gazing straight
ahead OF her with lofty air of being su-
perior to and oblivious of the disagreed
bles OF her environment, until a half
smothered 'cuss word" from young man
near apprised her that her uni rella was
held at such an angle that good sized
stream had run from it inside her victims
collar and was meandering cheerfully
down his spine.
The car arrived OPPORTUNITY at this
juncture, and after nearly knocking the
breath out of the conductor by hitting
him in the pit of his stomach with her
all conquering weapon as she assembled
the steps, she wedged herself firmly in the
door by attempting to enter with it still
open in her hand. Extricated from this
unpleasing position she sat down, and
placing the tip of her subdued but drip
ping parapluie on the bottom of the skirts
of the lady next her proceeded to gaze
steadily and stonily al nothing.
When she was within three blocks of
her home the rain ceased; when she
arrived at her corner the sun was shining.
and when she arose to make her way ous
of the crowded car she forgot her new
purchase.
A seedy-lookins man slipped into her
vacated seat, worked a finger into the
handle of the deserted article and assumed
straigh tway an air OF proprietorship.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21
The Steam Hammer.

Thupp-Thump-Th
. Pals the steam-hammer upon the lump
OF glowing iron, like massy gold;
And stream OF sparks. like stars untold.
Fly out and flash with each thump-thump.
In the gloom around move Titans tall
Unearthly shadows that shift and call
cBlack-visaged, and bare of arm and breast.
Those gods that wrestle eno sweat nor rest
Meath the CLEAN of their stern yet hopeful
eyes
Comes Form out of grossness-the while Time
Marked by each gold-fashing shower and
:: thump
Upon that diyinely sharpening lump.
p-Thum'-Thu'-Th'-
The trip in the masters hand is raised.
The work of the hammer done and praised
From the workshops gloom TO the light of day
The still glowing metal is borne away
By those shifting shadows ere it is cold
That shape-set thing which once streamed
gold.
So, while Life lasts, the heart must thump,
And the Master watches the shaping lump.
SEAFoRTH YEo.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21
}. SMITHS PLEDGE.
Trouble Caused by the Geosraphi-
cal Eccentricities of Market
Street.
Street,

Jehosaphat Smith has been coming
home at all hours of the night for these
last thirty years, but if he hadn't SIGNED
the pledge it is probable that the remarka.
BILE geographical eccentricities of Marker
street would have never excited interest
in the Smith household.
Jehosaphat signed the pledge, and after
keeping it intact for three days, he felt SO
good over the fact that he just dropped in
at an old-time resort on Montgomery
street on his way home last evening tn
celebrate the joyous event with glass or
two of ancient elixir. When he came ont
he noted that the points of the COMPASS
had become somewhat mixed in the last
half hour, but, laying this rather unusual
event to the weather, he steered for
Market street, homeward bound At the
corner of Montgomery and Market streets
he paused for minute TO allow a car to
pass, and then proceeded on his way. A
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

fate and circumstance, she essayed to
open her new acquisition and bid defiance
10 the elements. A moment Of uncer-
;ainty followed while she explored the
inner mechanism of the article in hand.
Then came decided pressure on a stiff
spring, vigorous outward shove of the
curving ribs, followed by shrieKs of infan-
tile Indignation and disgust. An inof-
fenslve child troit ng by at the side of its
maternal parent stout lady with high
nose and peppery temper, had received
the full broadsid of the suddenly ex-
panded convexity, and sitting fat on the
muddy sidewalk, loudly howled its disap-
proval of existing conditions.
During the dialogue which ensued,
vituperative on one side and humbly
apologize on the other, the nalf-open
cause of it, held at an angle of Do deg. be-
hind It's owner, managed to trip up a
pompous and near-sighted old gentleman
and land him on all tours on the pave
ment.
Turning suddenly about, aghast at this
new misfortune, she hit a sober-minded
dog peacefully standing under the shelter
of the awning blow in the ribs that sent
him ki-yi-ing with his tail at half-mast
out into the middle OF the street and
brought his owner out of a cigar-store to
make excited inquiries as to the identity
of the individual who had dared 20 treat
his four-footed friend with such wanton
cruelty.
The innocent offender fed back into the
store which she had just left until the ex-
element snbsided. Then polite clerk
putting her purchase in working order for
her, she started out again.
As she was a rather short woman she
managed in a walk of half block to knock
off the hats of no less than five gentlemen
and by the simple process of leverage
wrest three umbrellas from the hands of
their proprietors.
Not wishing to continue these exploits
she then proceeded to hold her um brelIa
over one shoulder like musket, with The
result that she caught one of the rib points
in the fashionably disheveled hair of a
young woman walking less rapidly than
herself and dragged her unwilling captive
along for some distance before becomine
aware OF the state of affairs.
Releasing her prisoner with some LITTLE
difficulty she plunged into the depths of a
dry-goods store and coming out a few
minutes later found that the wind had
shifted, and therefore veered her shelter.
ing cotton to the front.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21
average weight of the entire team is only

average weight of the entire team is only
146 pounds. Now, it is a poor Arizona
Caucasian football team that will not
average 10 pounds at least, and in aver
age height and reach the red men have
usually been overmatched. The last VIC
tory won by. them, only few weeks ago,
was wrested from the Prescott team, with
average weight OF It's pounds.
One of the secrets of their success is
perhaps sort oftribal intuitive conscious
ness which men born of civilized parents
never seem to possess. Without speaking
word, with scarcely sound uttered
when the game is hottest, these red men,
and especially those who form the revolv-
ing wedge, act together as a single man as
If they were so many automatons all
moved by single hand. They seem to
possess a kind of collective thought or
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

THE revolving wedge will yet become
Fix thing TO con- ure by in all the foot
sJ1fS ball world or else the prophecies of
the experts who have seen it and felt it
will fail. 1t is claimed to be the inven-
ton of Arizonas Indigenous gridiron
team. Uncle Sans Indian School lads at
Phoenix are masters of it and the le-
markabIe work they have already accom-
plished with it has spread its fame far and
wide. Nothing in Arizona, at all events,
can stand before it, and yet there are some
crack players in the Treasure Territory.
The boast is openly made, too. by those
who have gone down before it and by
those who have seen it in successful oper-
alton that no football eleven outside or in
side the Territory can win a straight score
against it.
Who can describe it? Certainly no one
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

cyclone, and it moves always toward the
goal. And when the favorable moment ar
rlves-which always happens to be the
moment that everybody else thinks is the
least tavora ble-pop! goes the cyclone.
1t bursts, scattering the surprised opposi-
ton and releasing swift runner, who is
out of jurisdiction with the ball before he
can be located.
The Indian School football team al Pho
nix has played and defeated about every
thing on the Arizona gridiroa. The In
dian boys are not heavy weights. In all
the games they have played so far they
have been outmai ched in re and weight,
but never equaled in skill and strength
The heaviest man in the team, who is
Cyrus Sun-a straight-shouldered, strong
sinewed, pure blooded Pima Indian of IS
years-weighs only 1863 pounds, while the
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

consciousness that is altogether beyond
the com prehension of the ordinary white
man, and not little uncanny in some re-
spects.
They are all wards of Uncle Sam, and
though they are perhaps not the brightest
scholars in the world, they are docle and
tractable pupils, anxious 10 learn, and
some OF them are every whit as keen and
quick in the lower branches of the Eng
ish curriculum as they are on the grid
iron. The boys are very patriotic as we'll.
They are under strict military training at
the school and they drill finely and make
excellent soldiers. They form the only
all-American football team and they are
the originators of the now famous revolv-
ing wedge.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

but football expert who is also on
terms of considerable felicity with the
Queens English. 1t is circular, revolving
and altogether cyclonic in effect, though
it operates beautifully to the same end as
the ordinary wedge. Its swift motion is
the main thing and 1t is doubtful if ever
Caucasian team will learn to operate it
as do these Pima Indian boys of the
Arizona Government Indian School. The
revolving wedge Is formed suddenly, in
stantly, apparently without the least pre-
mediation, and inside of it is the player
who has the ball. Main force cannot
break the wedge, for the wedge is in
rapid, circular motion-so rapid. in fact.
that there is not an instant in time when
the opposing forces can bring any amount
OF concentrated effort to bear upon it at
any one point. 1t moves, indeed. like