davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
SLOW.BURNINC POWDER.


The Brown Prismatic- Powder and the
Way 1t Is Loaded in Charges.
E. B. Rogers of the United States
Navy in an article on "Big Guns and
Armor of our Navy" in the st. Nicho-
las says
Black powder, with its glistening
grains, is untitled for our modern
guns, because it explodes too quick
ly, and when the charge is fired it
turns almost inatantaneously into gas,
exerting Immediately all its force,
which, of course, decreases when the
shot moves toward the muzzle, be-
cause the gas has more room THAT is,
the inside of the gum to expand in.
But nowadays what is called "slow-
burning powder is used. When it is
ignited the proiecti!e at first moves
slowly; but as the powder continues
burning, the quantity of gas, and con-
sequently the pressure, is constantly
increasing; thus the speed of the
shot becomes greater and greater as it
goes out of the gun. Some ines
grains of powder still burning are
thrown out when the gun is fired,
which shows how slowly it ignites.
This new powder is brown, and it
is made up into hexagonal, or six
sided, pieces. with holes through
their centres. mass of it looks ex-
actly like lot of rusty iron nuts.
Each of these grains or "prisms," is
about the size of large walnut, and
when the charge is made up the
prisms are nicely piled, and over the
pile is drawn white serge bag. The
white bag is powder section," and
contains one hundred and ten pounds
of brown powder; and five of these
make up the full or "service" charge
for the great thirteen-inch rife, whose
projectile is two-thirds as tall as an
ordinary man, and is larger, and
weighs more than many of the very
csnnons themselves with which ADJ
miral Nelson fought the battle OF Ira
falgar in 1906.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
PEARLS OF THOUGHT,

The man is usually in the right who
owns himself in the wrong.
A kind heart is fountain of glad
ness, making everything in its vicinity
to freshen.
if man is busy, and busy about
his duty, what more does he require
from time or eternity ?
No matter how many mistakes you
may have made. The point is-what
have you learned by them 3?
What men want is not talent, it is
purpose; in other words, not the
power to achieve, but the will to labor.
The mind requires not, like an
earthen vessel, to be kept full con-
venlent food and aliment only will in
flame it with desire of knowledge
and an ardent love of truth.
Be resolutely and faithfully what
you are be humbly what you aspire
TO be. Be sure you give men the best
OF your wares. though they be po1
enough, and the gods will help you to
lay up better store for the future.
Mans noblest gift to man is his sim
cerity, for it embraces his integrity
also.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

Not only do the Yukon mosquitoes
attack men and overwhelm them, but
they drive the moose, deer and caribou
up the mountains to the snow line,
where these animals would prefer not
to be in berry time. They kill dogs,
and even the big brown bear, that is
often miscalled a grizzly, has sue
cumbed to them. Bears come down
to the river from the hillside in the
early fall to get some of the salmon
that are often thrown upon the banks
when the run" is heavy.
If Bruin runs foul of swarm of
mosquitoes and has not his wits about
him his day has come. The insects
will light all over him. His fur pro-
tects his body, but his eyes, ears and
nose will soon be swollen up and bleed
ing, and unless he gets into river or
a strong wind he will be driven mad
and bind to wander about hopelessly
until he starves to death.
Although the Alaska summer is
short, two broods of mosquitoes hatch
out each year, and are ready for bust
ness from one to ten seconds after
they leave the water. 1t rains good
deal along the Yukon, and rain is
welcomed, for it drives the mosqui-
toes to cover. They hide under leaves
and branches until the shower is over,
then they come out boiling with rage
at the time they have been forced to
spend in idleness and the miner has q
harder time than ever after his respite.
Mosquitoes and snowhakes are not
contemporaries in the States, but in
Alaska it is different. Snow does not
bother them so much as rain, and an
early snow may fall while they are
still on the wing. Fog does not choke
them, either. They appear to like it.
They float about in it as in ambush
and take the unwary prospector by
surprise. Denver Times.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
Merits of Steel Sleepers,

The question of the relative merits
of steel sleepers as compared with
wooden ones has long been a vexing
question to the railroad officials hav-
ing to do with such matters. There
is no doubt now, however, that steel
sleepers are superior to those of wood
in some cases, according to the report
of an official of the Netherland State
railroad. From this report it appears
that the Gothard Railroad company of
Switzerland, now has 70per cent. OF its
own track laid with iron or steel
sleepers. They began to use the me-
tallic sleepers Ii years ago and have
kept careful watch upon them all
the time. The road is crooked and
has long tunnels and steep grades.
When the sleeper of average weight is
put in it costs about 81. 90, but when
taken out it is still worth something,
and the net cost would therefore reach
about 81. .68 each. After the first two
years the cost of keeping the track in
order is decidedly lower with metal
than with wooden sleepers, and the
lateral displacement of the tracks on
curves is less. In long tunnels the
steel sleepers rust, so that they last
only eight or ten years, and on tan
gents in long tunnels wooden sleepers
are still used. The reports state that
except in long tunnels, the sleepers Of
metal will last as long as the rail-
Philadelphia Record.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
ALMOST A TRAGEDY,
why the Bungling Bucksaw Was Rele.
gated to the Barn.


"What want" said the young
wife who is bravely starting to do her
own work, ''is a saw for general use
about house. Here | am chopping
away with dull hatchet at this ham
bone" and the vigor with which she
hacked expressed her feelings better
than words could have done.
II can get you just what you want"
volunteered the man who was attach
ing weights to the kitchen windows
so they could the more easily be man
ipulated, "and it won't cost over
thirty cents"
He received the commission and
the result was a bucksaw with par
ticularly large frame, cost seventy.
five cents.
''There's saw" said the pur-
chaser, "as is saw. When your
trees blow down you can cut them up
into stove lengths, or you can cut an
old broomstick in two with it to make
clothes stick, or you can use it in
cutting bone when it has to be done.
That's a great all around saw, num-"
There was another ham bone to be
cut, and she called her husband to
hold the ham while she did the saw
ing. He laughed outrageously at her
purchase, but she stuck up for it and
made plain the opinion that his judg-
ment in practical matters was very
undesirable OF course the long, sharp
teeth of the saw struck too deep into
the bone and made it impossible for
him to hold the ham steadily.
"Give me that saw" he said, testi-
ly. "There are some things beside
throwing stone that woman can't
do"
He tried and she tried, but results
were no different.
'If you'd just go away and leave
the, whole thing to me-" she said, 81
could get along nicely"
He went as far as the door and
stood there laughing while she held
the ham with her left hand and made
frantic efforts to saw with her right.
When the ham made dash from the
table and slid clear across the floor
and down the cellar way, he leaned
against the door sill and she began
making arrangements to go home to
her mother. When they seriously
talked the matter over half an hour
later the bucksaw was relegated to
the barn and he went down town to
buy meat saw.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
Umbrellas in the Navy.

An umbrella is an ordinary, un-
dramatic thing, as rule, but when q
stout, weather beaten old sailor in
Uncle Sans blue rolled along Broad
way one recent day with an article of
the kind spread over his head, the in
terest it excited was prolonged and
sustained.
"No man in the navy" explained
the tar, fever includes the umbrella
in his outfit. Most of the commits
stoned officers do, however, although
it is never raised aboard ship, no mat
ter how much it rains. Any man or
officer who would hoist an umbrella
at sea would become an object of I'idi-
cule so long as he remained in the
service. But when an officer arrives
at port he may bring out his umbrella,
hoist it and even go ashore with it
over his head without making of him
self what the boys would call "holy
show
Down in tropical countries the
umbrella is most important. owing to
the ferceness with which the sun
shines. If an officer has to go ashore
'nere ne never neSlects TO take MS
umbrella, and even the men gen
orally try to get hold of the article at
those hot ports.
Umbrellas used by the officers of
the navy are just the same as you
people who live ashore use aud just as
fancy in the handles. No officer
comes ashore in his native land rigged
up in his sea togs. He dresses like a
private citizen, of course, and so
makes use of the little conveniences
of private folk.
Looks funny to see a sailor carry
ing one of these things? Well, 1 ex-
pect it does, and if the lads aboard
ship caught sight of it they'd have
more sport with me than bundle of
monkeys. New York Herald.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
THE CALL.
The clouds grow dark as the people

The clouds grow dark as the people paused
A people of peace and toll,
And there came cry from all the sky,
"Come. children of mart and soil,
Your mother needs you-hear her voice,
Though she has not a son to spare.
She has spoken the word that ye all have
heard.
Come, answer ye everywhere!'
They need no urging to stir them on,
They yearn for no battle-cry.
At the word that their country calls for mon
They throw dowu hammer and scythe and
pen,
And are ready to serve and die
From the North, from the South, from East,
from West,
Hear the thrill of the rumbling drum2
Under one flag they march along,
With their voices swelling single song,
Here they come, they come. they come!
List! the North men cheer the men from
the South.
And the South returns the cheer.
There is no question of East or West,
For hearts are atune in every breast,
lis nation answering here.
1t is elbow to elbow and knee to knee,
One land for each and for all,
And the veterans eyes see their children
rise
To answer their countrys call.
y
(Ah, we know of the graves on the hi!),
But these eager feet make the Old hearts
beat,
And the old eyes dim and fill!
The Past sweeps out and the Present comes,
A Present that all have wrought,
And the sons of these sires, at the same
camp fires,
Cheer one flag where their fathers Fought
Yes, we know OF the graves on the Southern
hills
That are flled with the Blue and the
Gray.
We know how they fought and how they
died,
We honor them both there side by sile,
And they re brothers again today,
Brothers again-thank God on high.
CHere's hand-clasp all around).
The sons OF one race now take their place
On one one common and holy ground.
--Richard Barry, in Harper's Weekly.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
A Logging CamD,

The summer logging camp ordina-
rily is not a picturesque place. 1t is
built beside the railroad, in order that
supplies need not be carried far by
hand or by "dray," and whatever
beauty it has is gained from its envi-
ronment of heavy forest. The vari-
GUS buildings, or "shanties," as they
are always called, are clustered in a
compact little village. Nearest the
railroad-it may be-is the cooks
shanty;" next it, perhaps, is the
"men's shanty,' or sleeping quarters
of the crew; near them, again, is the
office where the camp accounts are
kept and where the foreman and scaler
sleep. The barn or 'hoyel," is at
the end of the camp, with the granary
beside it. The blacksmith's shop and
the workbench of the "handy man"
are near by. The "root-cellar, which
is both pantry and cold storage room,
is blilt where the cook and his assist
ants have ready access to it.
The cooks shanty is the dining
room as well as kitchen, while the Of
fee is also a storehouseS from which
the timber-iacks can obtain tobacco
and such principal articles of clothing
as they may need. All the chief
buildings are long and low, made of
rough boards or logs, and roof d with
sheeting and tarpaper. The sleeping
hunks in the mems shanty are along
the sides of the cabin in a tier two
deep; this shanty is the loggers' rem
devious on cold evenings, and in it
the smell of strong tobacco constant
ly fingers. Such is summer logging
camp, and, rough and crude as it may
seem, it is no ba home for men
toughened by hard outdoor labor
Lippincott's Magazine.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

as white as American girls and dressed
as such.
The departure of All Fong from
Honolulu was as romantic as his COM
ing. About ten years ago one of his
grown-up sons in China visited his
father in the islands and induced him
to return to his first wife, whom he
had not seen for twenty-five years.
He told his Hawaiian family of bis in
tention to go home, never to return,
and made the most liberal settlement
of his property upon his wife and chill
dren, so that they were almost mil
lionaires, while All Fong went back to
China almost as poor as he came.
DR.. Thompson was formerly sur
geon of the monitor Monterey, but
went to Honolulu on the Collier Bru-
tus, being transferred there to the
Mohican. Now that thu war with
Spain is over, DIR. Thompson expects
to resign from the navy, marry his
young fancee and settle down in
Honolulu to practice his profession.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

A pathetic commentary on the es-
TEEN in which the world holds
the memory of Prince Bismarck
IS to be seen in the fact that
hardly word in the vast food of mes
sages of coincidence that flowed upon
Friedrichsruhe spoke of human pity
or human love for the dead, observes
the Christian Register. 1t seemed
that even Germany had ceased to re-
member that Otto Won Bismarck was
at any time man, but regarded him
as fallen political colossus whose i'm.
passive brow had reached far above
the lightning and the clouds; a sort of
modern Zeus, at whose imperious nod
united Germany had arisen out of
chaos; divinity whom human maligni-
ty might and did reach, but who was
beyond the love of man. Germany laid
her legendary hero into the grave
with vaunting upon her lips, but the
scalding tears that were shed by the
world when Gladstone was committed
TO earth were wanting at the cold and
formal obsequies of Prince Bismarck.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

Professor Mommsens complacent
prophecy that the British empire will
soon disintegrate, and that in the
process France will get Egypt, Russia
will take India, and Germany will ap-
propriate South Africa, is redolent of
the perfume of the cloister. He
Beems to forget that across the north
ern frontier of India nature has
stretched almost impregnable fortif-
cations in the steep mountain range
that guards the border; that Egypt
will be quite as difficult to take and
keep today as when Napoleon tried
the experiment, and that Germany in
South Africa is helpless against Brit
ish sea power
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
Captain Sigsbee's Lost Dinner,

Somebody aboard the auxiliary
cruiser st. Paul got fine dinner that
wasn't intended for him, and Captain
Sigsbee was the loser, says the Phila-
delphia Record. While the st. Paul
was making the run from Montauk
Point to New York, the captain s
cook prepared for him a fine pair of
mallard ducks, of which Captain Sigs-
bee is especially fond. Orders had
been given to the cook to be par
ticularly careful in the roasting of the
birds, and he brought them forth from
the oven nicely Drowned. The cap
tain, upon the bridge, had had his
mouth set for them all morning, and
occasionally fancied he could smell
them cooking. just few minutes
before dinner time, while the cook s
back was turned, somebody whisked
those two luscious birds out of the
galley, and disappeared with them.
The st. Paul is big ship, and the
thief had ample opportunity to hide
himself while he got ON the outside
of the roast duck. At any rate, he
was never caught, nor was there any
clew to identity. Captain Sigsbee was
obliged to content himself with can
of sardines.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

the letter ran, II send you n soldiers
cap"
Hastily Minnie opened the small
package and took therefrom bon
| bonniere, which was the ''soldier's 8
| cap" and it was filed with chocolate
| creams. "How lovelv" cried Minnie,
passing the candy to her mother.
"Isn't it dear little soldiers cap,
mammal"
And without waiting to hear her
mothers reply she went on with her
letter. "The shops are full of pretty
conceits in bonbonuieres, wrote
the cousin. "Knapsacks, sailor hats,
shells, ,shieldshaped boxes, tents with
soldier on guard at the door. But I
chose to take off my hat, as it were, to
my western cousin" SO the letter
ran on.
For two or three days Minnia's
thoughts were in a whirl. Now she
thought of Willie off for the south,
now of the dainty bonbonniere, and
now of her fathers papers. And out
CT the chaos at last darted an idea.
Mamma" she cried. "Comer'
"Come! Where?" asked the mother
in astonishment.
But Minnie held out her hand al.
most impatiently, her eyes shining
with excitement. GIVE thought,
mamma. Come!" she repeated.
Without word Mrs. Tilford laid
down her sewing and rose to follow
her daughter into their tiny sleeping
room. Down dropped Minnie on the
floor, and groping under the bed
brought out long flat box.
"What do You mean, Minnie?" de.
manded Mrs. Tiiford. "That is your
fathers old uniform"
81 know it, mamma. Open the box;
open it quick!"
''The child has been too much ex-
cited the last few days" thought Mrs.
Tilford, glaucing at her daughters
flushed cheeks. 81 will humor her,"
She opened the box.
Impatienty Minnie reached past her
mother and picked up her fathers
cap. Her sensitive fingers felt of
the crown. ''They arer' she cried.
"They are here Feel, mamma! Don't
you feel paper in the crown?"
A few moments careful work took
out the lining, and ont fell the papers.
Your father was wise," said the
mother, brokenly. 'He knew 1 was
careless and young. And, he knew,
too, that | loved him and would never
part with his uniform"
She said no more, but her heart
went ont in oro titu1a 10 tbot Uinba az
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

st. Petersburg dispatches indicate
that Russia may again require Ameri-
can wheat and corn to exc out her
needs. In many provinces, contrary
to expectations, the crops have proved
total failure, aad famine is impend-
ing. This will tend to arrest decline
OF prices for wheat and other cereals
consequent upon the heavy crops in
the United States, for the Russian
government is already taking steps to
purchase large quantities of these Sta
pies abroad. American farmers
should not forget that it is chance and
not their own foresight in this in-
stance that will have enabled them to
realize fair prices for their products.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
Promotion for the Enlisted Man.

The highest promotion to which IN
enlisted man in the navy can aspire is
from petty rating to warrant rank.
In this way he may become boat
swain, n gunner, sailmaker, car
penter, or, if the Navy Personnel bill
now before the Congress becomes law,
n warrant-machinist. Warrant officers
have no army counterparts. They
are not commissioned officers, and
they are not enlisted men. They are
something like the baronets and
knights in the British scale of pre-
elence, though, the parallel is not
exact. They wear uniform not un-
like that of the commissioned officers,
grid on the sword when on duty, are
addressed as Mr." and have their
own mess. Their names are borne on
the "Naval Register" in regular lists.
Their pay ranges from $1,000 per an
mum when at sea- during the first
three years of service up to $500
after twelve years from date ofappoint.
ment. They have all the benefits of
retirement and retired pay the same
as commissioned officers. New York
Independent.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

An interesting example of how ma
ture accommodates herself to circum.
stances, is related by a resident OF
the arid section in the western part OF
Texas. 1t was in connection with an
experiment in coaxing plum trees to
grow. In a portion of this arid re.
gion near Alpine, a stream of water
runs from thirty to forty feet below
the surface, too far for the roots OF
trees to reach it, and the country,
therefore, was treeless. But an emf
grant from Ohio thought out way to
force tree to bore for water. He
selected hardy plum, cut off the
small roots, leaving only the tap.
root, and planted it deep. He fed the
root with water daily, through q hole
In the ground, and by cutting off the
sprouts as they appeared, he concen-
trated the growth of the tree on the
tap-root. He proved his theory. In
time that tap-root reached the under
ground water supply, and no further
care Of the tree was necessary. Other
trees were treated in like manner, and
the result is thrifty orchard in q re-
gion where rain seldom falls. An.
other unique development is that
trees grown from the seed of the Ohio
mans stock need no education. They
bore for water as soon as they are set
out and there is little or no growth
above ground until the water is
Seached.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

Apropos of the auti-vaccination
crusade going on in London, it is in
teresting to note that in Norway and
Sweden and Denmark vaccination is
enforced in novel way. People can
not be married without each produc-
ing their certificate of vaccination,
Without this the minister cannot per-
form the ceremony.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
A Physicians Opinion.

An eminent physician of st. Louis,
Mo-, says that no person should be
permitted to drink tea or coffee until
he or she has attained the age of Is
years. In the young those beverages
unduly excite the nervous system and
have an injurious effect upon the di.
gestive organs.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

Tn an article in the Revue des Deux
Mondes NJ. FouiIle declares that,
while the modern Greeks are net de-
scended wholly from Slavs, as some
have maintained, they certainly are
not lineal descendants of the great
peoples who ma lie Greece famous.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
False Report.

IT was very sorry to hear that you
had failed, JONES'" said his ne1t-door
neighbor.
SIT was slander, sir. I did not
fail. 1t was my plans that failed, sir.
Had they succeeded I could have paid
every dollar owe and had a hand
some fortune left. "-Detrolta Fred
Press.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

st. Louis, Mo-, has issued instruc-
tions through superinteudents to the
principals and teachers that there IS to
be no more home work that shall in
involve the study of textbooks.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
A Generous Dentist.

A Toronto (Ontario) dentist gratu-
itously cares for the teeth of children
whose parents are too poor to pay for
the service. Last year he attended
over 1000 children.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

Theirs is a growing impression that
most OF the wealth in Alaska was
brought there by people desirous OF
getting rich.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17

Golf is r.co Aineude / its a sure cure
for degeneration, especially tina. which
accompanies old age.