davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

The story is told of remarkable in
stance of heroism in the case of an
Albanian peasant, who was left behind
by the Turks to warn them of the num-
Der of their Grecian foes who were
making advance into Epirus. 1t seems
that when Major Coumondouro reached
the neighborhood of Pentepighadia, he
entered the tower of the town aud
found as its sole occupant an Albanian
who was instantly made prisoner. AS
the man seemed very friendly and had
long story to tell of the atrocities Of
the Turks, it was decided to make some
use of him; and the major took him up
to the top of the tower to have him
point out the road by which the Turks
had retreated to Janina. While there
he led the conversation to rifles, and
asked to see the Gras rife, with which
the Greek army was equipped. One
was handed to him, whereupon he ex-
amined it, looked at the cartridge,
loaded and fired, and then turned to
his captors and said: ''Now kill me- :"
1t seems that the Turkish commander
had sent him ont to learn how many
Greeks were coming to the fort, and
had told him to fire one shot if there
was only one regiment, and if there
were more regiments to do nothing, as
the Turks only numbered 5000. As
there happened to be only one Greek
battalion with no guns and no supports,
the report brought forth the Turks,
who rushed forward and at once sur
rounded the Greeks. Whether the
Albanian was killed or not the reports
do not state, but at any rate the story
is as romantic as any episode in his
tory.-New York Independent.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
CELEBRATING THE FOURTH.
How Fireworks Are Made in the Worlds
biggest Mandatory.

As the Fourth of July is a day par
ticularly set apart for our self-glorifi-
cation, says writer in the st. Louis
Star Sayings, / suppose l may he par
doned for saying that, accustomed as
we Americans are to being "the hi~
gest" in any given direction, probao.y y
no youth in the land will be surprised
to learn that the largest mandatory
of fireworks in the world is in Amer
lea. The word mandatory will doubt
less call up to your mind, as it did to
mine, visions of huge brick building
of many rooms, more or less vibrant
with the noise and hustle of machinery
and labor. So you will easily imagine
my surprise when found myself es-
corted instead to vast meadow of
some seventy acres. dotted over with
little smokeless, noiseless huts, fifty OF
sixty in number, interspersed here and
there with larger ones and two-story
buildings. In these small huts are
kept all the more dangerous combusti-
bles, and they are therefore placed at
such distance from each other that
an explosion in any one of them would
not affect the others. Here all the
charging is done. The floors are COW
cred with rubber, and projections are
numerous. Talking is strictly forbid
den, as it is unsafe for mans atten-
tion to be distracted from his work. In
fact, only one man is allowed in hut
at time.
At respectful distance from the
huts are the larger buildings where
less dangerous work is carried on,
and where many boys and not less
than seyenty-fve girls are employed.
Here one finds enormous quantities of
brown and white paper, hundred
weights of pins for attaching the quick
match to set pieces, steel and iron
filings for producing the bright starry
coruscations, chemicals to give to the
stars their wondrous hues of red,
green, white and blue, and other
harmless materials.
Scarcely less interesting was it to
watch the nimble fingers as they filled
the Roman candles. Into one of these
strong cases were put the layers, in the
following order: Composition, pinch
Of gunpowder, a star; and so on until
the case was quite filed, the compost
ton and gunpowder furnishing re-
spectively the necessary combustion
and propeller for the variously col
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

"Few people run this canyon owing
to the danger of losing their boats and
lives, for if you once hit the side Of
the canyon it's all OF with you Most
every one portage their goods and
boats here, but our boat was too big
for two of us to handle, so there was
nothing left for us to do but risk it.
We took our sail and nailed it over the
bow Of the boat, packed all our goods
tight, and were then ready for the run.
We pushed off from the shore and the
current soon carried us to the mouth
of the canyon, where the boat hesita-
ted for second, as though afraid to
enter, then went forward like shot.
1.-The sensation while going through
is indescribable; first we We're up ON
top of a wave, then down, it requiring
all our strength to- keep the boat
straight. Once she came near hitting
the wall, but by hard work I got it
back on the crest again. About half
way through is large space, where
we had a chance to breathe, then for
ward we shot again to the last half of
the canyon, coming out of the other
end safe and sound, having made the
trip, tive-eighths of mile, in two and
half minutes. We pulled over to the
bank and then started over the rapids.
We pulled over to the left bank, ac-
cording to instructions, but soon saw
our mistake, as we hadn't gone hun
dred yards when we ran into rock.
We thought sure we were done for. as
our boat pretty nearly turned over and
cracked all over from the force of hit
ting the rock Both oars went over
board. BY jumping out we managed
to get the boat off on the rock, aud
then we led it down the rapids, a dis
tance of two miles, and no easy task
it was, for the river was swift and full
of boulders. We finally arrived at the
foot of the rapids, where we were glad
enough to camp.-Spokane (Wash.)
Statesman.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
A Pearl Divers Pcriis,

Charles G. ID. Roberts, in his book
"Around the Camp Fire." tells good
story of a pearl divers perils. The
diver, AL Johnson, suddenly found his
foot caught in the grip of monster
clam. His steel handspike had fall
len where he could not reach it, aud
he resolved to give the signal to be
pulled up.
"Just as had come to this re-
solve" he continues, "a black shadow
passed over my head, and 1 looked up
quickly. 1t was big turtle. Ididn't
like this, J. can tell you, but L kept
perfectly still, hoping the newcomer
would not notice me.
He padded along very slowly, with
his queer little head stuck far out, and
presently he noticed my hair stub. 1t
seemed to strike him as decidedly
queer. My blood fairly turned to
ice in my veins rs saw him paddle
up and take hold of it in gingerly
fashion with his beak. Luckily, he didn't
think it would be good to eat, but
knew that if he should bite it would
be dead man in about minute,
drowned inside my helmet like rat
in trap.
'In my desperation stopped down
and tore with both hands at the shells
and weeds for something L might
hurl at the turtle, thinking thus per-
haps to detract his attention from my
air tube. But what do you suppose
happened? Why, 1 succeeded in pull
ing up great lump of shells and
stones all bedded together. The mass
was fully two feet long.
'Just at this juncture the turtle
decided to take hand. I had given
the signal to be hauled up, and now I
could feel Larry tugging energetically
at the rope. The turtle left off fooling
with the tube, padding down to see
what was making such commotion
in the water, and tackled me at once.
Gas it happened, however, he took
hold of the big copper nut on the top
of my headpiece, and that was too
tough a morsel even for his beak, so
that all he could do was to shake me a
bit With him at my head and the
clam on my leg and Larry jerking off
my waistband, you may imagine 1
could hardly call my soul my own.
However, I began iabbing with my
handspike into the unprotected parts
of the turtles body, feeling around
for some vital spot In moment the
water was red with blood. All I could
do was to keep on iabbing as close to
the neck as L could, and the turtle
kept chewing at the copper joint.
II believe it was the clam that
helped me most effectually in that
struggle. You see, that grip on my
leg kept me as steady as rock. If it
hadn't been for that, the turtle would
have had me end over end in no time.
As it was, after few moments of this
desperate stabbing managed to kill
my assailant, but even in death that
iron beak of his maintained its hold on
the copper nut of my helmet. Larry
had to slash off the heavy creatures
head with hatchet."
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

ored stars. The Roman candle not
only shines by herself, "a thing of
sweetness and of light" but fills an
important part in pieces like The
Devil Among Tailors, Chinese trees,
etc. Altogether dainty modest crea-
ture, quite unlike her more noisy,
frisky kindred.
Letters, figures, Ill fact, all designs
for set pieces are made by means of
hundreds, yes, thousands of lances
connected by a quick match, and the
making of these requires many nimble
fingers. A lance is small tube
about the size of squib, filled with
ordinary composition, which is gun
powder debased by the addition of in
gradients to reduce its rate of COM
bustion, containing probably not more
than five per cent. of actual gun
powder.
The quick match, the indispensable
fire conductor, is made by saturatinga
piece of lamp wick with wet gunpow-
der and gum. 1t is then reeled off and
dried, and afterwards cut into lengths
encased in paper tubing. Girls are
chiefly employed for making this fiery
maccaroni, and turn out millions of
yards in year. Let us suppose, for
instance, that one wants the head of
George Washington to appear i'll the
heavens outlined by brilliant band
of light. A scale of the proportions
of his face is first made from pic
ture. A large frame is then laid on
the floor, and in the centre of this
frame with bit of crayon is drawn on
the floor, according to the scale, n
very much enlarged picture, usually
measuring at least thirty inches from
forehead to chin. A girl then takes n
piece of rattan and bends it to the ex-
act form of the crayon outline This
is fastened to the frame, and upon this
rattan outline lances are placed very
close together, and are connected by the
auick match. Naturally, for this sort
of work, and for all finishing off pro-
cesses, girls are preferred on account
of the superior Aexibility of their fin
gers and their general deftness.
Among the most fascinating fire.
works are always the rockets and the
beautifully scintillating complicated
wheels which give such charm to set
pieces. There will be this year an in
finitely new and beautiful variety of
both these devices. Rockets, display
ing swarm of magic dragon-like SER
pents with vermilion hued bodies,
rockets bursting forth into bread
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

To-day the birthright of her hopes tho
marching Nation sings.
And Ger the arms of laughing forts the
banner lifts her wings;
To-day in honor Of the flag the myriad la
bors cease,
And breathe the silver bugles low the mel
lowed notes OF peace,
HO, bugles, ho! Ho, glimnering bands.
Ho, veterans old and true!
HO, children marching for the States, mid
roses wined with dew!
Behind ye thrice a hundred years, before Il
thousand grand,
What says the Past to you to-day, o chill
dren Of the land?
What are thy legends, o thou flag that glad
dcnest land and sea?
What is thy meaning in the air amid the
jubilee?
Flag Of the sun that glows for ALL
Flag Of the breeze that blows for all.
Flag of the sea that flows for all
The silver bugles blow and blow across the
silver sea,
What is thy meaning in the air? Obanner,
answer me!
No azure pavon old art thou, borne on the
Palmer's spear;
No oriaamme Of Red Cross Knight, or coif-
fured cavalier;
No gold pomegranates OF the sun burn on
thy silken cloud,
Nor Shamrock green, nor Thistle red, nor
Couchant Lion proud;
No golden bees Of purpled isles on red taf
feta wrought,
Nor eagle poising in the sky above the oce-
lot.
No gaping dragons haunt thy folds as in
the white suns spray,
When westering Vikings turned their prows
from noonless Norroway;
No double crowns beneath the cross are in
thy hues unfurled,
Such as the Prophet Pilot led toward the
sunset world:
No Golden Virgin, circlet crowned, such AS
with knightly pride
Old Balboa threw upon the air DER the
Pacific tide.
Not cen st. Georges Cross is there that led
the MayfiOwer on,
Nor old St. Andrews Cross OF faith-thc
Double Cross is gone.
The silver bugles blow and blow across the
silver sea,
What is thy meaning, o thou flag, this day
OF jubilee?
children of the States, yon flag more
happy lustres deck
Than ori1ammes Of old Navarro or Cressy
or Rosebeq.
The Covenanter's field Of blue, caught from
the clear sky, see,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

NEW YORK.. Jdly Seth Low. accord
irg IT, the straw vote taken 10y TIL" National
tiv,.' cub OF Br.,"si yn. is thu first chuir. OF
he voters for tnayor III G.eater New York.
Patrick j. t..isrl 10y the same test. ia next
in the heart. f his fellow citizens. The re-
suits of Satur las test vote has
lust been given out. Tdey show that
"A total of ss37 ballots were filed out by
the patrons Of tn. New York aud Brooklyn
elevated trains and the pass n gers on the
bridge and the yari " ferries leading to
Manhattan island. seth l. " led the men
named on the ballot. r'c"ivinHa total OF
$50. Next ON tn. list GENES Mayor Gleason.
who's. admirers. TO the number of 1885. i'm
proved the opportunity to pay tribute to
their statesman i,lol.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
HUMOR OF THE DAY.

The Tramp's Motto-"Wot are yel
givin' us?'-Puck.
The European concert has given a
very expensive performance. Puck.
Ethel-"Do you believe in palmis
try?' Mabel-"Oh, it's all right for
starter, if the fellows shy. ."-Harp-
er'S Bazaar.
She-''Do you belong to cycling
club, or are you unattached?' He
Neither. Tn married. '-Indianap
! oils Journal
HAS the objectionable sin ever
been discovered;' Eyes: it is the act
of sprinkling tac'ls on n bicycle path, "
Philadelphia North American.
can allowance is something like II
bicycle" "How so?" "A man can
put his wife on it but he cannot make
her stay on it, Chicago Record.
Cholly (splashing about in the
briny)-"Oh. girls, love the ocean!
1t does me good Miss Pert-"Yes,
and the salter the better, Truth.
His wife-cleverest of dears!
She's held on to her cough for years:
For well shc knows at hcalth's bchcst
He'll take her east or south or west.
Chicago Record.
"It looks fresh" care you talking
about me, sir?' "Certainly not. am
talking about the paint ON the bench
you are sitting on. '-Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
"Gibbs Mt last has got his wife to
buy wheel" "How did he manage
it?" Had somebody start report
that he didn't want her to ride. -
Chicago Record.
Snooper-"I noticed you took no
part in the debate as to the best make
of bicycle" Swayback My physi-
elan has warned me 10 avoid all ex-
element Life.
Counsel Investigating clients story
Nov, you must keep nothing from
me-" Client-'I haven't. paid you
every cent had in the world for your
retainer. Pittsburgh Dispatch.
Jennie-"How did you enjoy your
trip across the ocean," Clara-'Im-
mensely. OF course, there was moth
ing to see but sky and water, but the
landscape was sublime. Judge.
War News" Goodness, Jimmy,
what's the matter with your cheek
and where did you get that black eye?"
"Me an Sammy Dix has bin havin' a
pound party!-Detroit Free Press.
"There was strange man here to
see you to-day, papa" said little
Ethel, as she ran to meet her father in
the hall. "Did he have bill?" "No,
papa. He had just plain nose. -
Household Words.
eyes said the young man just out
of college, 81 ain willing to do any
thing to make n living-that is, Of
course" he added, Sin any position
that brings in at least $2500 salary -
Somerville Journal.
"First Villager-"T There is no tell
ing how boy will turn out" Second
Villager-"No; but since we got the
curfew law we have the satisfaction Of
knowing when he will turn in. ."-In-
dianapolis Journal.
Dawkins - eff you had all the
money, Bill, you could possibly ever
desire, what would you do with it,"
Kilsam-"Do with it? Why I'd in
vest it somewhere where it would dou-
BILE its self. Boston Transcript.
"How did the manager get all those
women out of the burning building so
quickly?" "He went on the stage and
announced that man down ut the en-
trance was giving away samples of
baking powder. Puck.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
Tiiiv Haynes willing to share,

NEW YORK. July 3 In order to e'tab-
lish a precedent for lessrning the breach
that professional agitators deciare exiss be-
tween employers and employed. T.iIy Haynes
has informed his ten princi al assistants
in tn. management In the Broadway Central
Hotel that hereafter he would sh,r. with
them the profits Of that property. MIR.
Haynes sal, that he regarded that n.
practical way Of crmenting their mutua
interests. Mr.. Haynes, who is 10 yea old.
bought this property live years ago, an has
made an investment OF ?25O.000 in 1t. He
said he con idered that the heads OF the va
rious departments hal contributed largely
to the success OF the venture. AMI FOR that
reason he Wa willing they should share in
the lcaciits of the silr,css.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
THE PESSlMIS

He climbed peak all wrapt in snow,
And looked not at the view below.
To seek his treasure lid he roam,
Aud left il all the while AT home.
Before the swine his pearls he strcwcL.
Then cursed their base ngratitudc.
He carefully shut ont the light,
rhcn cried; "Thc world is dark as night;
And all he said. when this was done,
lis vanity beneath the sum-
Morley Chester. in London Literary
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
Shot the Grand Canyon Of Alaska.

John Dodson, Pendleton lore. J
young man, now deputy collector of
internal revenue at Circle City, Alaska,
has written Interestingly about how
Grand canyon was shot on the out
trip. Mr.. Dodson says: 1.-The can
yon is tive-eighths of a mile long, and
from fifty to 100 feet wide. 1t is SO
narrow the water rushes through at
such tremendous speed that it forms
a crest in the center six feet high. The
walls of the canyon are 100 feet high,
aud it looks as though each rock had
been cast and placed there by human
hanls.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
A Husband Instead of an Asylum,

In Jewell County, Kansas, when q
Judge, before whom q father had
brought his eighteen-year-old daughter
on charge of insanity, found that the
fathers real object in the proceedings
was to prevent her from marrying the
young man of her choice, he called the
lover, who was among the spectators,
and performed the marriage forthwith.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

A newly devised musical instru-
ment is formed of sounding board
with strings across the top and bow
set in sliding frame over the strings,
which are depressed at differentpoin
by the fingers to produce the proper
notes when the bow is drawn over
them.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
Both Found GniiiY.

FALMOUTH. Ml.s.. July .-Th,mas J.
Mnrphy AM iNirl J. Finley. who haze
been on trial in the sup'ri ~ court hcr'.
charged with att t'mptln: to iefraud in>ur-
ance com pani : l'y sui X iirc to their sioe
fa"tory in Broc to-. hav been founi guilty.
The jury was out about iiyc hours.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

Charles H. Hackley, millionaire
philanthropist of Muskegon, Mich,
restricts himself to simple living. It
is said of him that he has ridden in his
family carriage only once, and then to
attend funeral, and that although he
owns fine summer residence OH the
lake he has rarely seen it.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
The Lesser of Two Evils.

The Turkey-"What are you COM
planning about? You haven't Any
Thanksgiving to look forward to-
The What's biting yor
You don't have to live through em the
way l do through Fourth of Julys."
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
uuInerited Fame,

Rev. DR.. Primrose-''Wha are you
crying about, little boy?"
Freddie-"Dad promised to bring
me home package of tirecrackers,
and he was mean enough to let them
all 20 off in his pocket"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
l-nfnriunnfc &. T.. Trains.

CHICAGO.Tl'. July 2-rhr,e PEI so1s were
killed outright and about 20 or 30 persons
injured in IA rear-end collision on the Chicago
4 Northwestern railroad at West Chicago
80 miles out of Chicago on the Galena diri-
sion. The victims of the collision. all resi-
dents Of the West were Christian Endeayor
delegates who left Chicago en- route for the
great convention in San Francisco.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. July "A train
on the VandalIa railroad. which left this city
containing a large number of Christian
EndeaYorers, collided with an east bonni
train from st. Louis near Vandalla. Tw
railway employees were killed and two bu ,
ly, il not fatally. injured.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

WARRINGTON. u. G.. July l-President
au Mr. McKiuley w.llspend July at their
hniar in Can, m. u. where the presidents
axe uIlt."r /. living.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03

More women reach the age OF fifty
than men, but afterward the stronger
sex has the best Of it.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-03
U: TN119GSE5H,
House, Calriage and Sigl Painting.

Particular attcnti~h given to Paper Hang
ting anG Tinting of wallis AMI ceilings. The
best stock ALWAYS on hand for both nui,h
and inside painting, AMI paints mixed to
order. shop rear OF
INBNiE BIOCk, WOOdSiOcEs
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-25
Considerate Conductor.

1t was on the ] o'clock car of the State
street line early Monday morning, says
the Chicago Chronicle. The car, which
had been bowling along quite rapidly, was
hailed by a belated female at Twenty
ninth street. The driver stopped and the
young woman, who was not by any means
beautiful, jumped aboard the car. She
took a seat among the sleepy men inside,
but the next moment she jumped up again,
blushing furiously. She went out on the
back platform and whispered something
very confidential to the conductor. The
latter began Immediately to grin. The
car was now at Thirtieth street and the
conductor jumped off and ran ahead.
"Now's your chance" he called to the
girl. and she jumped off and lodged
around a corner. The car waited. Hurry
up, there. LADY, called the conductor. A
moment later the girl came back care
fully rearranging her skirts, and carrying
a 81 bill in her hand. She was blushing
more furiously than ever. The conductor
rang the bell TO go ahead and took the
lady's fare, giving her back a handful
of small coins what was the matter?"
asked an inquisitive passenger on the back
platform. ooh. nothin'," replied the blase
conductor, "on'y some Wimmin' uses deihr
stockin's fur pOcketbooks and sometimes
its announcement"