davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30

Englishmen and Americans frequent.
ly differ greatly irsthe names they have
for the same object. A we'll known art
list came to an American city from Lon
don, aud after becoming settled went
out 10 buy some artists materials. He
went to stationery store, and after
purchasing several things said:
By the way, do you keep gums9'
The saleswoman smiled.
"No, Indeed, said she, "but think
you can get them next door. "
The artist thought il was peculiar
that he could not get what he wanted
at stationer's, but thought perhaps It
was American. SO he went next door
and found 1t was shoe store.
A funny place to keep gums, "quoth
he, but in no walked and asked for
gums.
"What size do you wear?" said the
woman who met him.
That floored him.
"What on earth has that got TO do
with it9' thought he, out he discovered
that he wore sevens.
Soon the woman appeared, carrying a
pair of overshoes.
"Will these suit you?' said she to
the surprised Englishman.
81 don't want those. / want gums,
something to stick with. 1t comes in a
bottle"
"Oh, you mean mucilage," said the
girl radiantly. lyon can get that at
any stationer's. st. Louis Star.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30

The singular custom of leaving rags
and other worthless objects at wells
has not entirely fallen into disuse The
superstition in a modified form exists
in other portions Of the world. A trav-
eler in Persia found tree with rags
tied to its branches. They had been left
there by the inhabitants of province
infected with ague. A tree hung with
rags was found by another traveller in
Africa. Crooked pins, old clothes, peb-
bles, shells, rusty nails, small coins,
and even bundles of heath were consid-
cred appropriate thank offerings at
shrines in earlier days, for it was be-
lieved that the saints and apostles did
not care for articles of value.
Such was the superstitious alteration
of fountains that it was forbidden by
the sixteenth of the oanons issued in
900, in the reign Of King Edgar, and it
was condemned by the oanons of st.
Anselm. 1t was also interdicted by laws
passed in the reign of King Canute.
Since the reformation the practice has
not been prevalent except in Ireland,
where many old wells consecrated to
saints and martyrs are yet made places
of pilgrimage. There is scarcely parish
throughout the land that has not its
own holy well where, despite practical
admonition, the faithful and the faith
less come to pray for physical or mental
relief and leave behind them scrap of
rag as IN offering. -Godey's Magazine.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
why She Wanted a Pint.

Ethel is small, but extremely sober
minded and therefore to be trusted to
run ON household errands.
The other day her mother called her
from her play and said, "Ethel, / want
You to rup over to the grooer's and get
me quart of vinegar. Fl"
Ethel looked thoughtful and hesitat-
cd. "I'd rather get pint, mamma.
she answered.
"Why, Ethel, dear?" exclaimed her
astonished parent. II need a quart,
which you must get"
Again the little girl paused. "No. 4"
she said, "I'll get you pint
"Pm surprised at you. Why should
You buy pint when l wish a quartz"
insisted the mother.
Because, answered Ethel, the tears
beginning to come, 81 can say pint, and
l can't say krort i"-New York Sun.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30

We should say that the virtue in
thrift. so far as there Is virtue In it,
aud we have met with it in some Of the
meanest as we'll as some Of the noblest
OF mankind--lay in the development
which the practice must give TO tho
power Of self control I here are many
higher occasions for the exercise of that
high quality, but there are none, except
In the case Of i'll tempered men, which
recur so frequently. All men naturally
like to spend, and to be- thrifty the re-
solve not 10 spend whenever expendi-
ture Is avoidable must be acted ON 90
times week and will in short time
exercise a perceptible influence ON the
character. The man learns to resist mo-
mentary temptation and becomes there
fore stronger man, just as a white
man becomes more enduring from the
constant wearing of clothes. The weight
Of clothes ia seldom great, but the per-
petual habit of carrying them almost
imperceptibly strengthens the muscles.
The thrifty man is more master of him.
self than the extravagant man and in
self mastery is one most fertile seed of
virtue.
But thrift in itself is not virtue any
more than q pillow is agriculture or
mathematics accuracy of thought The
best test of this is that a Christian
teacher who in England would incul-
cate thrift would in many another
country be compelled to condemn it as
Of all qualities the one which most in
terfered with freedom of the spirit.
Now virtue which is a real virtue and
not merely an expedient practice must
be as independent of national manners
as of geography. No doubt in England
the use of carefulness needs to be incul-
Gated, the typical Englishman, if he
wants sparrows, being ready to shy at
them with half crowns, but it should be
taught as arithmetic is taught, not
praised as a Christian virtue. London
Spectator.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Character In FootRear.

"Shoes, said the aggressive philoso-
pher to the meek looking woman, "al.
ways acquire the traits of their wearer
The old proverb about wear at the toe,
spend as you 60, etc., is only tenth
part of what worn shoe can tell of its
owners disposition. Now look at mine.
Like me, amt theyf"
They were. Stubby, square, thick,
self opinionated looking boots, they
seemed to breathe aggiessiveness from
every seam.
"Now let's see yours. The demure
looking woman poked one shoe out tim
idly. 1t was long and narrow. with a
very pointed toe. 1t was stiff, slim,
unbending sort of shoe. The reader Of
character in footgear looked dubious.
Hem Perhaps you are not like your
shoe," he said evasively. "But / be.
lieve in the science, and so don't think
it would be safe for me to tell you what
/ read in the indications. We've
might both regret it. Good morningp'
New York Commercial Advertiser.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Tho Vow Of . Boy Nemesis.

Bring to me my large revolver and
my keen Damascus blade and the rub.
Der boots I'm used to when in gore
freely wade. Hither bring my trusty
sandbag, bring the sniokersnee, l say,
for my day has come for murder, and
I'm going forth to Stay. shall go forth
to the slaughter like bridegroom to
his joys. and I'll fill the nearest grave
yard with string of gifted boys. /
shall brain the boy attorney with a
spasm Of delight, and the boy who
breaches Sundays he shall fall before
my might. On the trail of boy physi-
oians' gayly, gladly shall l camp. Let
the boy pianists tremble when they
hear my roaring tramp. When l strike
the boyish statesman, he must say his
prayer and die. When the boy reporter
meets me, mark ye how the fur shall
fly, for I'm weary and disguised and
my mind has lost its poise have read
such beastly twaddle treating of the
gifted boys. -Atohison Globe.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
LobenguIa's Justice.

Only one old tree marks the spot
where the king used to sit administer
ing justice to his subjects. A large part
of this justice consisted in decreeing
death among his indunas or prominent
men who had excited his suspicious or
whose cattle he desired to appropriate.
Sometimes he had then Denounced
"smelled out" they called it-by the
witch doctors as guilty of practicing
magic against him. Sometimes he dis
pensed with pretext and sent messen.
ger TO the hut Of the doomed man to tell
him the king wanted him. The victim,
often ignorant of his fate, walked in
front, while the exeoutioner, following
close behind. suddenly dealt him with
the knobkerry, or heavy ended stick,
one tremendous blow. which crushed
his skull and left him dead upon ths
ground Women, on the other hand,
were strangled. -" Impressions Of Afri.
Ca" by Professor Bryce.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30

A case was being tried in court, and
the particular question at issue was the
number of persons present when q GER
tain event occurred. An honest but sim
pie minded German was in the witness
box.
He had never taken an oath before
and was not little disconnected. The
lawyer who conducted the cross exam
ination saw his opportunity and bad
gered him with questions after the
manner of his kind.
How many did you say there were
present." he shouted. bringing his fist
down upon the table as though the fate
of empires trembled in the balance.
"Vell," meekly answered the wit
ness, "off course gould not chust say,
but drinks dere vas between six and
sefen. "
Tell the jury what you mean by
that, 8" roarod the lawyer. Elbow could
there be between six and seven? Were
there six or were there severn"
"Vell, answered the witness, ,"may-
DO vas wrong. Dere vas more as six,
but dere was not SO much as sefen. One
was a fiery leetle boy. "-Pearson's
Weekly.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30

The name of Tommy Atkins, which is
a sobriquet Of the British private SOL
der in all parts of the world, had an
official origin and was originally used
In the instructions to nonoommissioned
officers for purposes of illustration as
John Thomas is often used ON election
forms.
Sample blank returns were furnished
to show sergeants and corporals and re-
cruiting officers how genuine ones
should be made out, and Tommy At
kins, private, Company B, was the fio-
titious name always used. Model indi-
vidual reports were also included in
tho regulations, signed "Thomss At
kins, private, Company B, " or Thomas
Atkins, corporal, Company O." or
Thomas Atkins, x, his mark"
Hence when recruit arrived at a
garrison the soldiers usually addressed
him as Thomas Atkins until they found
out his real name. Drunken soldiers re-
ported themselves as Thomas Atkins
when they were taken to police sta
tion until the public took it up, and
Tommy Atkins became an affectionate
synonym for the gallant warriors of her
majesty's land forces. London Globe
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
BRECKENRIDGE NEWS.
VFDr FsrAY. MARCH 80 lss.
Prehistoric Dentistry.


George Byron Gordon, the explorer,
contributes an article ON 1.-The Mysteri-
Gus City of Honduras" to The Century.
The article gives an account Of discov.
cries at Copan. Mr.. Gordon says:
No regular burying place has yet
been found at Copan. but a number Of
isolated tombs have been explored. The
location Of these was strange and unex-
pected-beneath the pavement Of court
yards and under the foundations Of
houses. They consist of small chambers
OF very excellent masonry. rooted some
times by means Of the horizontal arch and
sometimes by means Of slabs of stone rest
ing ON the top Of the vertical walls. In
these tombs one and sometimes two in
terments had been made. The bodies
had been laid at full length upon the
floor. The oerements had long since
moldered away, and the skeletons them
selves were in a orumbling condition
and give little knowledge of the phys
ical characteristics of the people; but
one fact of surprising interest came to
light concerning their private lives
namely, the custom of adjoining the
front teeth with gems inlaid in the
enamel and by filling. Although not all
of the sets of teeth found had been
treated in this way, there are enough to
show that the practice was general, at
least among the upper classes, for all
the tombs opened, from their associa-
tions with prominent houses, seem to
have belonged to people of rank and for
tune. The stone used in the inlaying
was bright green jadeite. A circular
cavity about one-sixteenth of an inch
in diameter was drilled in the enamel
Of each of the two front teeth Of the up
per row and inlaid with little disk Of |
jadeite, cut to perfect fit and secured |
by means Of a bright red cement.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
The English Patent once Library.

II the poor inventor is not entirely
ignorant of patent procedure, he knows
that the patent Office makes no search to
test the validity of his invention, and
so he comes to undertake it himself. II
he finds that his invention appears in
no previous patent, he is confirmed in
his belief that he will at last see his
dreams realized and that he will in
short time possess great wealth. If, ON
the other hand, be finds his ideas have
been anticipated, his dreams of fortune
fade away like mist before morning
sun, and life, as he has known it for so
many weary years-hard, toilsome, pit
iless to those who, like himself, lack
money-lies painfully clear before his
view.
A short three hours--or even less
spent in this library may plunge the
man who entered it hopeful and bright
into deepest despair, aud it is certain
that within its walls many silent TRACE.
dies of this kind are enacted week by
week and noticed by only few il any of
those around. But inventors are a hope
full race, and though some who suffer
such disappointment of all their hopes
may never recover from it there is no
doubt many reoommence their expert
ments and elaborate other inventions
from which they expect the same, or
even greater, realities Of wealth and
happiness. Chamber Journal.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Twain as n Liar.

Mark Twain, in "More Tramps
Abroad, tells how he lied out of con-
troversy about Scottish dialect In dis
cussion with some strange Scots he re-
marked that the poasantry pronounced
three "three, and not "thraw. :"
"There was a moment of astonished and
ominous silence; then weather ensued.
1t was a bad defeat for me. 1t promised
to remain so, but l had a saving
thought. While the storm was still rag
ing made up Scotch couplet and then
spoke up and said: Very we'll Dom t
say any more. l confess defeat. l thought
knew, but see my mistake. was de-
ceived by one of your Scotch poets. "A
Scotch poet Oh, come Name him.
Robert Burns. 1t is wonderful the
power of that name. These men looked
doubtful-but paralyzed, all the same.
They were quite silent for moment,
then one Of them said, with the rever-
ence in his voice which is always pres
ent in Scotchmans tone when he ut
tiers the name, Does Robbie Burns say
what does he say?' This is what he
says:
"'There was nae BARNS but only three
One at the breast, twa at the knee.
1t ended the discussion. There was no
man there profane enough to say any
word against thing which Robert
Burns had settled. There are people
who think that honesty is always the
best policy. This is a superstition "
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
His Requeat.

"You have scarcely spoken to me at
all this evening"" she said in tones of
reproach.
II beg your pardon, her husband
returned apologetically. II was Just
trying to think of something to say"
as there anything on your mind?"
eyes, to tell you the truth, there is. ("
Cant 1 help you in some way?'
"You might, if l could suggest it
without your becoming angry"
Tell me about it. 1t is my duty to
sympathize with you, you know"
ION my birthday anniversary you
gave me fountain pen.'
eyes. And now you are going to say
that it makes a horrid muss and that
you don't want to write with it. -
"lm not going to say anything of
the kind, " he replied stoutly. "I'm GO
ing to write with that pen every day of
my life. But there is one little favor
that would like to ask. "
"What is itf'
"Please make me a suit of overalls to
go with it. Washington Star.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Scared TennysOn.

Tennyson one day entered club read
ing room and sat down in large arm
chair before the fire. Much to the amaze
ment Of the other occupants of the
room, he proceeded to elevate his feet
until they rested ON the chimneypieoe
in real American" fashion. No expos
tulations on the part of his friends re-
specting the ineleganoe of the position
were of the slightest avail. Suddenly a
brilliant inspiration seized one of them.
Going close to Lord Tennyson, he wills.
pered in his ear. Take your feet down
or they II mistake you for Longfellow. Z"
In an instant the poets boots were ON
the floor, and he assumed the ordinary
position of AN Englishman. San Fran.
cisco Argonaut.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Carson and the Buffalo.

Kit Carson while with Fremont's ex-
petition had an experience similar to
that of tiger hunter in India when the
tiger hunts the hunter.
While hunting to get "meat" for the
expedition Carson chased buffalo bull.
On coming up to the bulls side Carson
fired just as his horse stepped into a
prairie dog hole. Kit went 10 feet over
the horses head.
The bull, maddened by the bullet,
which had struck low under the shout
der, chased the hunter, who ran toward
the river 1t was race for life case
of nip and tuck as TO which shoul,
reach the river first. Kit got there and
leaped from the bank just as the bull
stopped on the brink. shaking its head.
Kit swan round and round. The bull
watched. Then a companion crept up,
shot the animal. and Kit crawled on
shore, skinned the buffalo, cut off its
haunch and cut out its tongue. Youth 8
Companion.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
From Her Point of view.

A lady who saw that her servant girl
seemed to take certain interest in the
objects of art in her parlor said to her.
(Which one Of those figures do you like
best, Mary?"
"This one, num-" said Mary, point
ing to the armless Venus of Milo.
"And why do you like the Venus
best?"
"Sure, it's the aisiest to doost, mum. I"
answered the girl. Harlem Life.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Graceless.

A tiny girl of or thereabout gave a
dinner party the other day for which ~
covers were laid, and that number of
small maidens sat down to dine. 1t was
a real little girls dinner, and the little
hostess herself presided, sitting at the
head of the table. But she was anxious,
in looking forward to it, TO do every
thing as it should be done.
Mamma, she asked, "shall we say
grace?"
mo-" said mamma, sit will be a
very informal dinner, and l think you
need not do that.
That meant one less ceremony to be
gone through and was relief, but the
little lady was anxious to have all her
small guests understand it. So as they
were gathered about the table she ex-
planned:
Mamma says this is such an Internal
dinner that we need not have grace to-
day. New York Times.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
Three Lives Saved.

Two Partisan gendarmes were walk
ing along the banks Of the Canal
d'Ourcq one day. says La Gazette Anec-
dotique, when they came across a
beautiful Russian deerhound, evidently
astray. On his collar was nothing ex-
oept what was evidently his name
"Dimitri.
Tying a stout cord to his neck, the
policemen led him along with them,
meaning to take him to the pound.
Destiny seemed to be hiring him to his
death, for unless he were claimed with
in week or two he would surely be
asphyxiated according to law.
Suddenly the trio arrived at the Dual
de la Marine, where a large crowd had
collected. a child had fallen into the
water and was drowning, while its
mother was running up and down, cry
ing in agony:
"Oh, save my child Who will save
my child?"
Finally man named Emil Nolle
jumped into the stream and swan out
to the boy. Incumbered with his cloth
ing, he was seized in frantic grasp by
the struggling child, and both were dis
appearing, to the horror of the specta-
tors, when like fash Of light Dimitri
sprang into the canal. He had bitten
his rope through.
In two minutes the drowning pair
were at the side of the canal, where
willing hands drew them from the wa
ter. In the excitement Of the work of
resuscitation the bystanders forgot the
dog. When at last they looked around
for him, he had disappeared. His cap
tors never saw him again, and there
were three lives saved.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
lincoln. Kindly Character.

Mr.. Grow related a story about Lin
coin which illustrated two phases of the
martyr presidents character Mr..
Grow, then speaker Of the house, had
gone to the president to ask the appoint
ment of friend as a judge in one of
the territories. The president made a
note of the request A few days later,
when Mr.. Grow called at the White
House not about the judgeship, but
upon another matter, Mr.. Lincoln at
once began to apologize. "Mr. Speak
er, D." said he, ~ meant to appoint your
friend to that judgeship, but woman
came in here with nine small children
and one at the breast and pleaded the
bread act and Dreaded me out of it.
"While we were talking, however,
Mr.. Lincoln said that he would still at
tend to my matter and started to put
down my friends name. He went to his
hat, which was filled with papers, and
after remarking that he had queer way
Of doing things began fumbling until he
found blank Sheet / told the presi-
dent that if his hat should blow off a
lot Of state secrets would be scattered,
but he only smiled, wrote down the
name and said that he now knew where
to find it when the time to consider tho
matter came around. - Washington
Post
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
m. r.r Yerh L..In ouar.sr.

Eastward from quaint old Greenwich
lies Washington square, whose vioinage,
together with devious and doubtfully
defined district bisected by Broadway
and reaching irregularly eastward and
northward as far MS Stuyvesant square,
has sometimes been styled the Latin
quarter" of New York. Within this re-
gion few of the pioneer American au-
thors, many of those who belonged to
what John Burrou CHS calls our second
crop, and a still larger number Of au-
thors who "have not yet the advantage
of being dead, 4" have or have bad home
OF haunt.
Washington square has itself given
title to a tale by Henry James Of New
York life. At No. 81 Of the adjacent
Washington place that subtly realistic
novelist was born, and his father, 1.-THE
seer, wrote some of his metaphysical
treatises. We may be sure that the
school kept by "a broad bosomed, broad
based old lady with ferrule, of which
young James had knowledge, was not far
distant, and IL we sit Of summer even
Ing with Howells' Marches" among
the old trees of the square we see just
north Of it the "wide fronted house
with big balcony before its drawing
room windows'' and with steps and
trimmings OF white marble In which
dwelt the DIR. Sloper of James tale
with his dull daughter and her plot
ting aunt Another marble and brick
dwelling Of the same row is that from
which Kitty, the heroine of one Of
Brunner's merry Ballads Of the
Town, disappeared to go "summering"
in studio building ON the other side OF
the square. Hereabout N. p. Willis
suffered flagellation from Edwin For
rest, provoked by the poets conduct and
criticisms in relation to the latter's d.
voroe ligitation. -Lippinoott's.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-03-30
The Austrian Emnress.

The old adage that Christmas eve
child is born to sorrow is illustrated in
the case of the empress Of Austria, who
was born on the gath of December 1887.
The Duchess Elizabeth of Bavaria was
married to Francis Joseph of Austria at
the early age of l6, and was then con-
sidered the loveliest woman iii Europe.
She was not well received by the great
families Of Austria, who thought that
the emperor should have chosen a bride
from more famous house than a col
lateral branch of the Wittelsbaohs of
Bavaria. The Hungarians, however,
went mad with enthusiasm over their
beautiful queen and throughout her
reign have remained her devoted slaves.
She was passionately fond of riding and
for long spent portion of each year in
the hunting fields of England and Ire
land. The breakdown of her health
compelled her first to forego this pleas
ure, aud then she was debarred from
fencing and even from her mountaineer-
ing excursions. The unhappy marriage
of her only SON and the refusal of the
pope and the emperor to consent to his
divorce preyed upon her mind, and since
his tragic death years ago at Mayerling
she has led the life of a recluse. San
Francisco Argonaut.