davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

James B. Angel, The United States
Minister to Constantinople, has re-
newed our demand for indemnity be-
cause of losses suffered by American
missionaries in Armenia. The Porte
has continued to meet the demand with
the declaration that it is not responsi-
BILE for the losses because they grew
out of revolutionary movement. Min
lister Angel insists on Turkeys respon-
sibility because its troops participated
in the outrages. Turkey replies that
the troops were suppressing the reyo'
luton and that the missionaries and
their property happened to be in the
way. The chances are that this kind
of discussion will continue for some
time before any indemnity is forthcom-
ing. A surer way of getting it doubt
less would be that which Germany has
adopted in connection with other sim
liar outrages in China.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

Most of the many and serious trou-
bles that have occurred in the coal
mining regions of Pennsylvania in re-
cent years have been directly chargea-
BILE to the excessive greed of the mine
owners. In order to get cheap labor
they imported a squalid mass OF lg-
norance and poverty. In order to still
further cheapen labor they have, in
plain violation of the State laws, main
tanned company stores and virtually
compelled the miners to get their fam
lily supplies thereat. The law declares,
in the plainest terms, that no coal min
ing employer shall own or be interest
ed in a company or partnership store.
In some instances, the employees are not
permitted to save dollar, and many OF
them are kept constantly in debt at
stores where they are compelled to eX-
pend their money if they would assure
continued employment. This is sla-
very, and it is little better than that
peculiar institution" which once -four
ished in the Southern States. 1t is true
that the coal operators cannot buy and
sell human beings, and in that respect
their victims have the advantage over
the slaves that worked on the Southern
plantations. But the masters of the
blacks were obliged to feed, clothe, and
shelter the feeble and helpless, and this
obligation does not attach to the mine
owners Such liberty as belongs to the
men, who are kept in debt by manipu-
lation of book accounts, is a sham.
They cannot get means to move their
families if they desire to break away
from bondage. And if they could go to
other mines where that kind of slavery
does not exist, they would get no en-
ployment, because they had left unpaid
debts
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

solute Inconsistencies Of the existence
Of any such disturbing affairs as cy-
clones. AS a. result OF his lnJdries at
the time, Joe was Tclub-f footed" through
the whole of his life, and his right
forearm ha6 a big knot on it, and q
crook that made his right hand turn
out when it should have turned in. It
is said that Joe was proud of his de-
formities rather than otherwise, pre-
sumably because they had been incur
red in the defense of his baby brother,
and that Bill was, for the most part,
tendefly regardful Of the brother who
had sacrificed health and almost life
for him.
Naturally enough, Bill was the more
prosperous of the two Before he was
80 he owned considerable 'bunch" of
cattle, and leased quite body of land
In the eastern part of Baylor County
as ranch. Joe was his line rider, and
in that capacity was able to do great
deal of such work as did not require
any very great amount Of mere muscu-
lar strength. Everything worked
smoothly with them until May Conley
came to live with a married brother
of hers who lived only few miles from
the Savage ranch. She was not high
ly educated girl, by any means, and 1t
Is doubtful If she was more than fairly
Intelligent; but she was pretty, and she
was tickle-and that tells the whole
story. In this case Joe was the first
victim. He met May at one of the big
camp meetings that are common in
that country in the fall of the year, and
after that he was very pronounced In
his attentions to her for several
months. Then his attentions ceased as
suddenly and abruptly as they had be-
gun. People noticed this and they
also noticed that just about that time
Bill began going to see her.
Bill took it up just where Joe laid
it down." remarked ole cowboy to an
other during one of the intervals in a
dance on one occasion.
Nav, that amt It," responded his
friend. Il think Joe laid it down just
where Bill took it up
One day as the two brothers and one
or two others were engaged in brand
Ing some Of Bill's yearlings the subject
was brought up.
''Sure enough, Joe, whatever made
you quit goin' to see that Conley gal so
suddentT asked Jim Smith, one of the
helpers Ia a iocoSe way.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

May and bring her back. | rather
guess he's ready by now, too. Maybe
We'll get to eat a wedding, dinner to.
day, yet-only a little late, of course"
After some time had elapsed and
neither brother had showed up," rs
the phrase goes in Texas, Jim Smith
walked to the place where he had left
Joe. There the poor fellow was, still
tied to the tree-but deadl The thirty
minutes strain had been too much for
his crippled leg to bear, and it had
gradually given way, and this had al
lowed the poor fellow to choke to
death. Of course, Jim lost no time i'll
rousing the quasi wedding guests, and
in telling the real facts about May. 1t
is not the first instance in the history
of the world where a man has had the
truth told about him too late to do him
any good. A pursuing party was out
after Bill at once, but all was to no
avail. Some say he committed suicide
shortly afterward in San Antonio; 9th
ers, that he is still alive in New Mexico;
still others, that he is to-day in the in
sane asylum at Terrell. l do not know
what the truth about it is. Mr.. and
Mrs. Tom Jackson still live in Cottle
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

beside a tree and tied him to it, so that
his club foot touched the ground, while
the other, the strong one, was doubled
back in the coil of rope.
"Now, you ungrateful whelp," said
Bill, as he started to leave, cpl be back
in thirty minutes to see if you're ready
to tell me-"
Didn't he kiss your hand as you was
tying himY asked some one as they
walked away.
"Dogged If 1 know" said Bill. did
hep
Hardly had they left when Jim Smith
came up and at once began to unite the
ropes.
"Don'tv' said Joe. "Bill will be back
in a few minutes. Just unslip this loop
here. Thank you! The strain was on
my right arm, and it hurt, because it
was sore. Jim, this is hard-but l guess
l can stand it, for Bills sake. l aln't
hurtin' so much now, though, as l was.
It's mostly all joke. Bill was always
a powerful fellow to joke. l wisht
you'd go tell him when he comes back
please not to bring anybody else with
him."
At tie appointed time, Bill saddle1
his pony and rode off to where Joe was.
"I'll take the boss, SO that If Joe's
ready by now he can start off after
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
Borrowing Trouble.

Borrowing is poor business at the
best: but of all the unsatisfactory mo
return-for- -your-pains" occupations, the
very worst in the world is borrowing
trouble To begin with, it is based on
fancy, crankiness, undue nervousness,
or the mental Or moral idiosyncrasies
that should have been trained out of
the individual long before the years Of
childhood were passed. There are few
people in the world more depressing
and disheartening then those who are
always seeing some shadow of coming
evil. The world is sombre enough even
at the best, and it is scarcely worth
while to go out seeking for shadows or
to conjure up purely imaginary ones.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
SUBSTITUTES FOR PRAYING.
Parrots and Prayer Wheels Among
the Ka1muck Tartars.

Parrots and Prayer Wheels Among
the Ka1muck Tartars.
Finally, if you spend most of your
time, as did, among the natives on the
hurricane deck, your attention will be
attracted by a third class of worship
ers, namely, the Kalmuck Tartars, who
live in felt tents or kibitkas (kee- beet
kas) along the lower Volga, and who
wander, with great herds of cattle and
camels, over the steppes of Eastern
Europe and Western Asia. These fiat
! faced, Unlocking nomads are all Bud
dhists; and not only do they pray, but
they may fairly claim the credit of hav-
! ing reduced devotion to a science Pray
| Ing five times day, as the Mohamme-
dams do, or even twice a day, after the
custom of the fire worshipers, seems to
have been too severe a tax upon the
energies of the original Buddhists, and
they set their ingenuity at work to de-
wise some means of lessening the labor
The first eXpedient that occurred to
them was teaching parrots to pray and
then claiming the credit of the prayers
thus said by proxy. This answered the
purpose very well at first; but teaching
parrots was troublesome, and besides
! that, the parrots, in spite of all precau-
! tions, would occasionally pick up
scraps of profane learning, which they
intermingled with their deyotions in
manner not at all edifying. So the
Buddhists finally abandoned the in
struction of parrots and calling in the
aid of applied science invented the
prayer wheel. Nobody, it seems to me,
! but the LATEST of Asiatics would ever
| have thought of introducing labOr-saV-
ing machinery into the realm of the
| spiritual; but the Buddhists not only
thought of it, but put the idea promptly
into execution. The prayer wheel used
by the Kalmuck Tartars on the Lower
| Volga is a small wooden cylinder six
or eight inches in length and about two
! inches in diameter turning upon Il ver-
tical axis, the lower end of w,,ch is eX-
tended and thickened to form a ham
die. This cylinder Is stuffed full of
short, written prayers, and every time
it is turned upon its axis all the prayers
that it contains are regarded as duly
said. Could anything be more simple
or satisfactory? There is no shutting
of the eyes, no getting down on the
knees in uncomfortable positions, no
facing in any particular direction. All
that the prayer has to do is to give his
wheel a twirl and 1t grinds out prayers
with a rapidity and fuency which
leaves nothing to be desired. But from
an Occidental point of view the whole
performance is, of course, an absurdi-
ty. l could feel some respect for the
prayers of the Mohammedans and Of
the fire worshipers, but the wooden
wheels of the Kalmuck Tartars excited
only contemptuous amusement.-Ind
Dpndent
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

A pamphlet has been prepared for use
in the schools of a New England town,
which reverses the usual method Of
teaching history, and begins with the
town itself 1t describes the town geo
graphically in its relations to neighbor-
ing communities. 1t describes the
geological formation of the area which
the town covers. 1t tells briefly the
story of its settlement and early his
tory, points out noteworthy buildings,
and gives an account of the services Of
its citizens. Then 1t describes the
methods of town government, shows
what officers are chosen to carry on
the town affairs, and what each one
does, and tells how taxes are raised and
spent, and how money is borrowed for
town uses. The pupil who learns what
Is in this little book will have at least
the rudiments of local history local
geography and local government. He
will gain clearer ideas Of the relation
of things and men around him to the
State and nation, and of the relation
of present conditions to those that are
past. Usually history and government
and similar subjects are taught
through general statements and prin-
ciples. There is an obvious advantage
in beginning with what is near at
hand, for-the pupils own observations
stimulate his curiosity and interest. In
another way, such instruction as this
which is attempted in Brookline may
be useful. One of the greatest needs
of the time is higher standard of citi-
zenship. 1t is in town or city admins
tration that questions of government
come closest to the individual citizen:
yet it is these usually in which least
interest is taken. If some knowledge
of these matters be early impaired in
the schools, the voters of the next gen.
Grafton should take a keener interest
In local government, and should be
better equipped to deal with its prob.
lens.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

the two States which constitute the
monarchy an "Ausgleich," or compact,
which regulates their relations and fix
es their respective contributions to
common expenditures. This compact
runs for ten years, and expires the pres
ent year. An Intellectual attempt has
been made by Austria to secure a new
adjustment of the financial burdens of
the common government so that Hun
gary should bear a larger portion than
formerly. AS a compromise, it is pro-
posed to renew the Ausgleich for a
year on the old terms; and the Hungar-
ian Reichstag has passed bill for that
purpose.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

1t is truly singular that the slaughter
of few hundred or thousand seals on
and near the shores of far-away Alaska
shouiG get this and several other large
nations into F" "fiar fOaks much like a
quarrel, while campaigns. of extermina-
ton, now in progress right here at
home, and involving interests vastly
more important, create no excitement
at all. For what is the value of every
seal alive compared with that of our
rapidly disappearing forests? AS one
cent to a thousand dollars, perhaps,
and yet the work of devastation is go
ing on at rate so rapid that the end is
already in plain sight.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

County, Texas. Jim Smith is the man
who first told me this story. Joe Saw
age is buried on the banks of Plum
Greek, and on his wooden headboard
you can still decipher the inscription:
HE Loved Mutch.'
The Scripture had to be misquoted
to suit the gender of the pronoun and
the spelling is slightly peculiar, but
can not help thinking the inscription
a good one. Many people consider love
a very good thing, and Prof Drum.
mond has written book to prove that
it is The Greatest Thing in the World.
If these estimates are correct Joe Sav.
age was certainly a great and good
man; for greater love hath no man than
this, that he lay down his life for his
friend.-Utica Globe.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
Some Curious Watches.

With all our modern improvements
we rarely hear nowadays Of watches
so fancifully complex as used to be
made for great folks in the times when
all watches were expensive and com
paratively novel.
King George Ill, in the year 176O,
received a present Of watch that was
a kind Of mechanical almanac; 1t point
ed out the date and also had a device
to show the varying length Of the days,
according to the season. 1t was not
bigger than other watches Of the time,
but then they were all what we should
call turnips now.
The Emperor Napoleon l. had a
watch which wound itself by means of
IL weighted lever, which, at every step
his majesty took, rose and fell, and
having gathering click to it wound up
a ratchet attached to the barrel. Pc
dometers were afterwards made on the
ton had a watch which was given to
him by the king of Spain, from which
the time could be told by the touch, the
hours being marked by studs. In the
back of the case was placed an index
which, when moved forward, would
stop at the portion of the hour indi-
Gated by the watch, and then by means
Of the studs the time could be approx
mately computed in the dark.
Catherine of Russia had a watch con
structed by an ingenious peasant which
played a chant, and had within 1t tiny
mechanical figures which, moving
about, were supposed to represent the
scene of the resurrection Of the Savior
the chant was then heard all over Rus
sia at Eastertime. But this watch was
no bigger than a hens egg.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

The young Queen of Holland is learn
ing lesson common to human expert
ence-that the solicitude which sur
rounds us is, as often as not, a sad bar
to pleasure. The Privy Council of Hol-
land have agreed that Wilhelmina must
not ride bicycle. Ideas of propriety
have not been given as a reason. She,
in all likelihood, would combat those.
But it has been gravely announced that
the life Of one so precious and so neces-
sary to her subjects must not be endan-
gered. And all this is after the Queen
has learned TO ride and knows the fun
of it.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
A Good Yarn.

During the revolution a little Ameri-
can privateer once stole upon an Eng
lish line-of-ba ship in fog, mistak-
ing her for an East India merchant
man and ordered her to strike When
the seventy-four ran out her guns and
threatened to blow her puny assailant
out Of the water the Yankee skipper
stepped to the gangway and, taking off
his hat, said politely: "Oh, very we'll,
sir, if you won't surrender, I WILL"
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

1t would seem that one of the chief
cares of schools and colleges would be
that students should learn to speak cor
rectly. The mental drill that accom-
panies the study of language is invalua-
bic. OF course, it is easy to say that
there are many things in life more i'm
portant than correct speaking. This
Is true, but as a nation we are old
enough to have acquired not merely the
essentials. but some of the graces as
we'll. In other words, it is time we
were adding to our common schooling
evidences of culture. And one of the
most indisputable of these Is correct
speech.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

Patriotism In China is sometimes dis
played in peculiarly wise and praciti-
cal way. If a wealthy man wishes to do
something to benefit the district in
which he lives, he gives it a carefully
built road. Mrs. Bishop, the we'll
known traveller, passed over some re-
markable highways of commerce." cut
through the rock in mountain passes,
scaffolded over. rivers and carried
through galleries in which were tab
lets in honor of the giver of the road.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

Southern journals are discussing
with earnestness the propriety of es-
tablishing a system of Federal quaran-
tine as a more effective safeguard
against the spread of contagious dis
eases than either local or State regula-
ton. In fighting an enemy which takes
no cognizance of city limits or State
lines 1t is best to oppose it with an au-
thority equally uncrippled in the extent
of its operations.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

the time when the Indians were in the
country, although that time is by no
means so far distant as to be beyond
the memory of living man; nor does it
imply anything especially wild and fe-
rocious about the character Of the men
in question. 1t merely goes back to the
first half of the sos, when two brothers
of that name were among the promi-
nent inhabitants of that sparsely set
tied district. In some countries events
Of that period would be considered
comparatively modern, but In Western
Texas they are ranked as strictly an
cient history.
1t seems, from a careful survey Of the
facts in the case, that neither of the
brothers was really bad man at heart,
notwithstanding the fact that a great
many people who ought to know are
strongly inclined to think otherwise.
1t is certain that one of them is as true
a man as ever trod the soil of Texas, or
any other State, for that matter. All
who knew him agree that the final year
Of his life, at any rate, was year OF
such courage and self-sacrificing hero
ism as one reads of in books, but sell
dom looks for in real life. The people
Of West Texas are not much prone to
hero worship, and whenever they agree
that a man of their acquaintance Is
above the average of mortality there Is
very likely to be some basis for the be-
lief. Judging merely from physical ap-
pearanceS one would have had little
trouble in deciding which Of the two
men would be more likely to prove Of
heroic mold. Bill, the younger, was a
man Of magnificent physique, not un-
duly large, but with muscles of such
herculean strength as perfect air and
the free life Of a Western cowboy are
apt to impart. He was light-complex-
ioned and is said to have possessed a
vigorous, manly countenance, such as
ought to have made him more success
full in his love affairs than he really
was. Joe, on the other hand, was as
much a picture of weakness and de-
formity as his brother was Of health
and strength. He was not only peak
ed-faced, slender slip of man, but he
was cripple as well. When he was
years old and Bill was only 3, cyclone
had struck the log house in which the
boys and their parents were living. The
mother and father were killed, but
when the neighbors came to look
through the ruins of the cabin they
found Joe crouched ON the bed with his
limbs spread out in such a manner as
to protect his baby brother. A heavy
log had fallen across his right foot and
right wrist, crushing them both very
badly, but Bill was still sleeping in abb
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

In butter-making, how far can the
COW be from the churn? Certain New
Zealand dairy farmers have given a
practical answer to the question. They
have made a successful experimental
shipment of frozen cream to London,
where 1t was churned, and the fresh
pany is forming to carry out the idea
on a large scale.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
InSulted Him.

Ferry-What was the matter with
Johnson last night, that he should get
insulted when l asked him to drink {
He is not total abstainer, is he?
Wallace-1t was the way you put the
question. He is subject to attacks of
klleptomania, and when you asked him
if he wasn't beginning to feel like tax
ing something he got hurt, very natu
rally.-Cincinuati Enquirer.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

A striking illustration of one of the
changes that have taken place in this
country is the fact that a posse of
Cheyenne Indians has been trailing a
band of white train robbers in the
West. Probably the red men have
overtaken the paleface outlaws by this
time and caused them to mediate on
the sometimes queer reversal of situa-
tiOns through the advancement of civil
iZati0n
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

1t is now explained that the German
Emperor treated the Haytians SO
harshly because he wanted to teach
them some manners. The thorough
ness of the instruction is beyond ques-
ton, but in Port au Prince the opinion
landishly high.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

BAYARD'S GIFT. manhood. lie was
born, lived and died an Englishman,
and his life was a most extraordinary
illustration of energy, earnestness and
fearless persistence in following con-
scientious belief. 1t was his intention
to broaden, widen and deepen relig-
ion. He was driven from the use of
the churches and compelled to preach
in the fields and highways"
Mr.. Bayard said that the medallion
was the work of Josiah Wedgewood, a
remarkable man, also blameless, home
like and of pure life. He was potter,
but he had the genius that raised that
occupation to a fine art. The work of
Wedgewood in England led to the man.
ufactories of china baking. Mr.. Bay
ards mother and father secured the
medallion from Wedgewood while Wis
iting the latter's home in England.
There is nothing more uncertain than
q sure thing.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

The old Arabian tales, of mischief
done by evil spirits that had been con-
fined in jars and vials, are full of mean
Ing yet A party of hOodlums in
Windsor, Nova Scotia, released the
demon imprisoned In bottle of whis-
ky. Result: Half a town destroyed
by fire, and 5000 persons made home
legs
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

A medical authority asserts that $50
long as scorcher breathes through his
nose instead OF his mouth there is no
danger" But how is a pedestrian to
know when q scorcher bears down in
his direction at top speed whether the
fellow is breathing through his nose or
n0t9
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

Three hundred Western towns are
said to be under the curfew law. And
yet, by the time they're men and wom-
en- the boys and girls affected will be
melting the bell into latchkeys all the
same
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

"a woman" said Euripides, should
be good for everything at home, but
abroad good for nothing" The unbai-
anced women who make a practice of
attending murder trials satisfy at least
one of these requirements.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02
At the Foot.

Il hope they don't give my little boy
any naughty nicknames in school,"
"Yes, ma, they call me 'Corns.'"
"How dreadful! And why do they
call you that?"
"'Cause in our class, you know, I'm
always at the foot" detroit Free
Press.
The Winslow mail., 1898-04-02

Every now and then a European
country steps forward and makes it
clear that 1t will not stand much provo
cation from any country except Tur-
kew