davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1898-10-15
PORT SAID.
A Brief Survey of the "wickedest
Place on Earth"
recovered

From the Favorite Magazine.
In Port Said itself there is little whatever
to see, except diverse forms of vice and
wickedness. 1t is probably the most thor
oughly immoral and vicious place on the
face of the earth. But passengers are
more or less bound to go ashore, for it is
here that the steamers take in coal. The
ship Is soon black with fine coal dust and
as every portfolio and door is closed below
the place is decidedly dirty and hot and
generally uncomfortable
The only amusement on land is donkey
riding. There is an old Arab in Port Said
who looks as though he were steeped in
OIL and soot but who proudly informs you:
My name, sir? / am John Fer-r-r-guson
of Glasgaw-of Glasgow, mind We" He
owns six donkeys, of which he is extreme
ly proud. He is a cute Individual. and very
smart at detecting a. glance the partic-
ular nationality of any person he sees an
preaching. He sees a Frenchman coming
along, 'Qui, oui, monsieur, tres bon. tres
bon, master want a donkey ride? NY dom
Key tres bon donkey, go velly fast. Which
donkey master Hkee best? This one name
Napoleon, this one Victor Hugo and this
one Coloneeal Enterprise" he persuades
the Frenchman to try the powers of Col
onial Enterprise, which, by the way, are
remarkably feeble, and then turns to meet
a German, saying: "All my donkeys name
after Germany. Very gut country, Ger
many. Not same as dirty Frenchman
4adStef Want flde. Inns donkey Bis
marck, and that one the Emperor Will
Ham.' If the traveller is an Italian he has
Garibaldi, and if by dress and speech he
recognizes the visitor to be an Englishman
he bows profoundly and requests that for
a shilling an hour you will be pleased to
make Mr.. Gladstone. Queen Victoria or
Mrs. Langtry trot around the square
The journey through the Suez canal is
monotonous in the extreme, for the shin
moves very slowly, and on either side is a
wide eXpanse of sandy desert whose fear
ful glare is trying to the eyes. The canal
widens out at the Bitter LAKES across whose
northern end the Israelitish children made
their miraculous passage. 1t then narrows
again, and preserves its uninteresting an
pearance right on to the end. The steam
erS stop in the Gulf of SueZ for A few
hours and take in mails, and sometimes a
lew passengers, but no one goes ashore
here. as the town of Suez is several miles
distant The general character of the eli
mate and OF the morality of the countries
lying east of this place have been well SUM
puts into the mouth of Tommy Atkins the
words:
snip me somewhere east of Suez,
Where the best is like the worst
Nhere there amt no en- Commandments
And a man can raise a thirst.
Out of the Gulf of Suez and we reach the
Red Sea AT certain seasons of the year
the Red Sea is almost unbearable. The
water taken from seventy to eighty feet
in the morning will often register a tenn
perature as high as 80 degrees. If in ad-
ditfon,~a sandstorm thinks fit to blow the
whole air is full of a mist made of in
Vulnerable particles of fine hot sand which
blind and suffocate at the same time.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
How Canyons Were Formed.
From Harper's

-
The secret Of the great denudation and of
his wonderful achievement of the Colorado
IN carving out of rock series of CANYONS
about 900 rifles long, and. in one place at
least, more than mile deep with a multi
tuae OF tributary chasms and gorges is
very simple when you know it. The old
lake bed slowly rose. At first the Colorado
river and Its tributaries, or some nameIess
uCustrous ancestor of these sweepine over
the slowly rising surfaces. blamed thea
down IN most relentless ashiUn and thnn
Dhsan wearing out broad shallow stream
beds. But then the country rose more ran
idly, and the water had to cut deeDer cban-
nels in the rocks In order to get out snJ
away to sea. '''"
Owing in part to the wear of the ,-a+or
itself. but more to the ceaselcss hnpbard
neht OF the suspended sand which if hora
from the up country. or picked up as it
went along. and to the thulnp of pebbles
ana powders which it swept on in f1nod
time, the river kept cutting down as tho
strata rose, until finally, when what was
lett OF our inland sea bottom got thrust mn
so that, towering far above its erstwbila
rocky shores. it had to be called A nIataau
the Colorado and its auxiIiaries foun1
themselves at the bottom OF a series of
colossal canyons and gorges, where thnv
ar today.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
RANDOM VERSE.
Before the. Day.

From Chambers Journal. -
We wakened at the dawning, but we never saw
the day;
And we spoke our little prologue. but we never
reached the play.
Oh! our love was sweet and certain till gray Sor-
row dropt the curtain.
Ay, we wakened at the dawning. but we never
saw the day.
There buds within our. garden but they never
to flower;
There were birds among our bushes, but they only
sang an hour.
And we laughed to see the swallow, but the sum-
mer did not follow;
There buds within our garden, but they never
to flower. t.r'
'Tis garment ns white and silken, ills white and
'Tis pair of little sIippers-O dear love!-so white
Is the manhood in me dying; that I'm sitting here
and crying
Ger a garment and slipper and a never-opened
veil?
Dear, the world is empty-empty as the gemless
golden band
The token 1 had fingered and that never found your
hand.
They've been telling the story of an everlasting
But you were the only preacher could ever under
stand.
Ah, we wakened at the dawning, but we never saw
the day;
reached the play.
But our love sweet and certain till gray Sor-
dropt the curtain.
Hark! a single bell is calling = and this
should have been the day.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
\ "asp's Mistake.
From the Scientific American.

From the Scientific American
1t is generally supposed that instinct IN
erringly teaches birds and insects the hest
way in which to build their homes or nests
and also to provide for their offspring. The
following incident, recently under personal
observation, will show that instinct is nor.
always infallible.
A friend placed three small empty walls
in an open box. on n shelf in an upright
position in close contact, and thew wara
uncorked- A short time afterward it was
matter of surprise to find that these had
been appropriated by a female n,,5 Jyasn
She had placed a goodly number of sniJers
in the center vial doubtless intended IN
serve as food for her future brood: then
proceeded to deposit her eggs in those on
either side. She next closed tightly the
mouths OF all three receptacles with a
hard lime cement. Having finished her.
work, she then doubtless went on her way
satisfied all had been done for her on.
spring that a thoughtful mother could do
But just think of the sensations of those
little wasps when they come into existence
for, while starving in their sealed cages.
they can plainly see, through the impene-
trabie glass walls. the bountifui supply OF
food which was provided for their uss.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
AMONG THE BOOK SHELVES.
What Librarians should Know to
Achieve Success.

What Librarian should Know to
Achieve Success.
Pauline Leipzinger in the New York Tribune.
The librarian who loves children and who
makes a speciality of the study of child ma
ture and it's needs will be. l believe, the Ii
brarian of the future. Many of the circu-
lating libraries now pay particular atten-
ton to the guidance of the young in the
choice of suitable books. They ask the CO.
operation of teachers and arrange special
courses of reading for the pupils. and
schools are furnished with lists of books
adapted to the courses in the different
grades. We regard the public library as
the supplement to the public school, as the
former furnishes the readers and the latter
the books.
In our East Broadway branch of the
ASuilar Library one-half of the circulation
IS among boys and girls, and in time we
hope to have in each branch one room de-
voted especially to children's literature. In
the last two years we have made a special
ty of picture bulletins for the children. We
cut the pictures from books that are too
dilapidated for further circulation. and
from illustrated papers and catalogues.
These Illustrated bulletins, mounted on
large squares of pasteboard. are hung in
conspicuous places, and the children stand
about them in crowds studying them eager
ly. From interest in the pictures they de-
Velop an interest in the books to which
they refer For instance. we have posted
at present illustrated bulletins of naval
heroes and ships; scenes in the Philip
pines, in Cuba, in Porto Rico, and from the
lives of famous men whose birthdays oc-
Cured in this month.
On the death of Bismarck we posted
bulletin with Illustrations covering some of
the most important events in his career.
We have similar ones illustrating the lives
OF many famous men, Washington, Lincoln
Grant and Franklin, scenes from Shakes
peare and from the works Of number of
authors, and an illustrated list of books for
boys and girls.
All of our books are carefully selected;
We have not book in the library that is
not a good book. Sometimes young girls
ask for light fiction of trashy nature, or
boys want sensational detective stories or
books in that line, and they are ulspleased
when they learn that there is nothing of
the kind in the library; but, as a rule they
prefer good reading. Among the most popu-
lar juvenile books ''Pratt's American His
tory Stories "Grimm's Fairy Tales"
Life of Napoleon ''Franklin's Autobiog-
raphy,' "Putnam's Life of Lincoln -
-Cheney's Civil War" "Higginson's United
States History" Woods Natural His
tory American Boys Handy Book"
Collins Boys of 81. "Our Bodies and
How We Live Lambs Tales From
Shakespeare Little Women" Little
Lord Fauntleroy" and Uncle Toms Cabin"
are in constant demand, and so are Long
fellows and Tennyson's poems. The chill
dren come in large numbers to study in
the reference library in connection with
whose special province and delight it should
be to study and train the child nature are
better adapted to dealing with the children
in the library than men are.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
CANTON PIRATES,
In China Their Business is Neither
Hard Nor Dangerous.
From the ST. James Budget.

From the st. James Budget.
Probably never since Canton was open
to foreign trade, says Mr.. Consul Brenan
in his report on the trade of the CITY, has
piracy been 50 rife as during last year
The boldness of the pirate is, however, sur
passed by the apathy of the provincial gov
ernment. Perhaps the word piracy is
scarcely applicable to the acts of these ad-
venturous robbers. They have no armed
craft Of their own with which to give chase
and run down their victims The usual
plan is for band of half a dozen men to
go on board n passenger launch disguised
as honest men. When a suitable spot is
reached they throw off all disguise, over
awe the crew and passengers by fOurishiug
revolVers, and then half the party stand
by ready 10 shoot while the rest proceed
TO search the passengers and their luggage
and when they have taken all they want
they transfer themselves to another boat
or land near a friendly village, where a di-
vision of the spoil takes place. They are
not devoid OF 4 certain chiVairOuS feeling
Gases have been known where after haV-
ing robbed some rich passengers and made
n good haul. they have restored to the poor
er passengers what had already been taken
from them. On other occasions they have
oVerpOWered the master and crew of a
launch and borrowed" the use of the yes-
sci for few hours. during which they
have overhauled a junk known to have val
uabies on board. Having piIiaged the funk
they nave steamed away to their own vii
iaSe, and before landing they have offered
10 pay the master for the time his launch
has been detained. The owners of Dassen-
ger boats are now given TO engaging some
old pirate as a detective. He points out
suspiclous-looking characters whom it is
Better not to take on board and keeps in
check any of his own friends who NAV have
been premeditating a coup
Evening star., 1898-10-15
The Sea-

Richard Stiln an Powell in the Criterion.
Who has heard the cod line singing DER the bowl
Who has hauled the flashing prey across the vale
Who has felt the wet brine stinging on the brow
When the boat is all a-stagger meath the gale2
Who has laid him in the saggfng Of the sail
While the mssthead's nodding sleepy to the moon.
slumbered till the stars grow dim and pale
FIJI yeur bumpers! Join the chorus Of my Groom!
Oh, the tickle, fumIng. frplie iefretting sea!
Oh, the limpid tapping, laugbter-loVfng seal
We who love her fill glasses
To the best of all the La sses,
And we drink briny bumper to the sea!
Who has lain upon the sloping deck awash?
Who has hauled and clewed and cbanted in the
wiud? r..
Who has watched the mainmast bending nigh
a-crash ..-.
While the rival boats a-dropping OFF behind7
Who has leaned against the creaking, joltng wheel
Through moonlit summer night on southern sea
Who has felt the old sea longing that feel?
Fill your bumpers men, and shout aloud with me!
Oh. the singing, signing, salty scented seal
oh, the rushing, roaring. ramping. raging seal
On your feet and clash your glasses,
ITO the best beloved of Iasses-
Here's brmming. briny bumper to the seat"
Evening star., 1898-10-15
New to Hotel WAYS.
ruit Free Press

FROM the Detroit free Press.
Some one had told her that you always
have to register but she wasn't used to
hotels; that was apparent from the way
she fingered behind the old-time travelling
man who stood at the clerks desk She
wanted to see how it was done. The old
fellow had had the same room in the house
for nine years. 1t was always kept for
him; No. IS, on the second floor. He had
wired three days before that he was COM
ing, so it was ready for him. He dipped
the pen in the inkwell. and with an extra
flourish or two scratched down the name,
James Edward Clifford
The same old thing?' he asked of the
clerk.
"Yeup," was the answer.
Whereupon Mr.. Clifford wrote down op-
pcsite his name, ''63.''
Then the bellboy grabbed his travelling
case and conducted him to the elevator
The clerk dipped the pen in the ink and
handed it to the demure maiden who had
stood behind the old traveller. She glanced
at the last name on the page, then, turning
for parting look at the form just passing
into the elevator car, she laid her handker-
chief and pocket book on the desk and
wrote Faith Merreweather."
Then she shot the clerk a modest little
glance, and finished out the line by placing
'.24' after the signature. She looked up
blushing.
The clerk smiled, and when he had whis-
pered room number to the porter and the
girl had passed behind the screen he said
to himself by jove, she doesn't look it,"
Evening star., 1898-10-15
JEWELS FOR MERMAIDS.
Gold and Diamonds at the Bottom of
the Sea.
From the London Mail.

From the London Mail.
On the Cornish coast. about five miles
from the Lizard. it is quite common to
pick UP Spanish dollars which have been
washed ashore from the wreck of a ga!leo,f
that went down in 1884 with a large
amount of bullion on board.
1t is surprising that with all the modern
appliances for diving. systematic attempts
are not more frequently made to recover
treasure ftom the deep
As early as 1898 a great deal of treasure
was recovered. including the historical
golden cdp which once belonged to FREEZER
lex: hlng OF Sicily, from the wreck of one
OF the ships of the "Invincibie Armada"
In 1850 an American named William
fhipps came over from Virginia TO this
country, and craved the assistance of
Charies ii toward recovering some wreckel
treasure on the coast of Hispaniola Charles
provided him with ship and the neces-
sary FUNDS. but the first attempt proved
unsuccessful.
In aecond effort he was financed by the
Duke Of Albemarle. and this time he sue
ceeded in recovering specie % the value Of
tZooptD. and after paying all expenses he
was able to give the duke the sum Of $50 $50
as his share in the venture.
The specie on board H. NJ s Iutinc
wrecked in 1879 off the coast OF HelEan:
smounted to 81 1.2000O0. and the whole OF
TINS still remains at the bottom of the sea-
the year 1853. Attempts To recover the re-
nainder are still being made.
Diving operations resulted in the recov-
cry Of tSo.eo0 in gold from the wreck of the
Inflated Royal Charter which took Mace
close to Moelfra. off the AngLesea coast
but vast number of diamonds are still
lying about the wreck
Forty thousand pounds in specie was re-
covered from the wreck of the Hamilla
Mitchell. in the Chinese sea, after living in
tWenty-three fathoms of water for upward
of twenty years, and f30,000 in gold was
saved from the wreck of the Alphonso XII
which was sunk in twenty-six and ore-half
fathoms of water off the Canary Islands in
1885.
Some OF the French ships sunk at Trafal-
gar contained vast treasure. Five tons of
silver plate, excluding the famous silver
gates of st. Johns Cathedral. Malta and a
ton and a half Of gold plate, mostly stud
ded with jewels, the plunder of the Maltese
churches, We're on board one of these ships
Not all ounce of this treasure has been
recovered.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
CHINESE JUSTICE.
IL is sometimes Melted Out With a
'igor That Shocks Europeans


Figor That Shocks Europeans,
From Travel.
One night we halted at a place called
Hungay, which in the stern. stiff language
Of The Universal Gazetteer" NAV he said
to be small town in the Yunnan province
OF emma; population about 5,O00 products,
f1eas and other small deer. We were maxi
ing hurried escape from the wretched
place when Lowe suddenly missed his cam
era. Five minutes before starting 1T was
strapped on the machine, but now it was
gone. A swift run was made to the inn
HAD the landlord seen it? No, he had
not, and besides he didn't want to be dis
turbed, for he was eating rice. Had any
body seen the camera? Not soul. There
was nothing for 1t but visit to the man
young fellow of about our own age He
listened quietly while the loss was ex
planned, and when he understood there had
been thieving he turned the color of paper
with rage. A troop of soldiery was dis
patched to the inn with orders to arrest
everybody.
There is Chinese proverb about the ad-
visibility of the dead keeping out of hell
and the living out of yamens Landlord.
cook, sweeper, stable cleaner and all the
hangers-on were, however marched to the
yamen in chains, and every one was
trembling with fright. There was much
the men was marched away, but in ten
minutes he was brought back with The
camera. His countenance proclaimed linn
an arrant rogue, and when the mandarin
saw that the leather case had been cut
open with a knife and was Informed that
three Photographic appliances were still
missing his rage was unbounded. Putting
on his magisterial robes he sentenced the
thief to be thrashed. He held up one hand
as an inquiry If fifty strokes would be suffi-
Client punishment. Plenty, intimated the
foreigner. Down was the man pitched cn
his face the legs tied, the flesh barred end
heavy fell the blows.
WELL" said Lowe, "as I've been put to
considerable Inconvenience over this ras-
cal. / think III take snap shot of his
thrashing." And one was taken. The
beating went on and on. the ruffian scream-
ed and blood was running from the wounds
on his limbs. Hasn't he had the fiftv
yet?" was asked Fifty Why, his nun
ishment is five hundred strokes, and ne has
not had four hundred yet" A plea was
put forward for mercy. But the man
DARN, with his lips tight. would not listen
1t was no good telling him that the quality
of mercy was not strained, or that 1t dron-
peth like the dew from heaven, or that II
became the monarch better than his crown
He was paid to punish offenders and he
was going to punish them However II
was soon all over, and the wretch Law on
the ground groaning, writhing and bleed
ing.
Then In marched the soldiery with five
Evening star., 1898-10-15
Folk Song.

From the Westminster Gazette.
This is the lore the old w;fe-knows
Who sees the storm 3Ffw nigh,
And wind and cloud together close
The windows of the sky: n
''The north wind is mans wind,
Entangled with his fafe; u
In that he joyed In that he sinned,
1t chants his love and hate.
''The west wind is the angels wind,
He sweeps their Tyre strings;
And where The gray stoaa clouds thinned
We see their rushing wings
'"The east wind is the deyils wind,
And stings with fire and fee:
But the south wind is Gods wind,
And blows from paradise
"And whence they go hone mortal knows
Who hears them riding by;
We can but watch them as they close
The windows Of the sky
Evening star., 1898-10-15
When Midia Sings.


from the Pail Mall Gazette. ,--.4 .. s
When Midia sings, for many a mile
The feathered focks forsake the skies,
And, STOPPING earthwards, for awhile,
Hush all their liquid harmonies;
And lightly borne on lissome wings,
Listen and learn, when Midia sings.
When sffdia sings. the river stays
His own inimitable song,
And loiters down the watery ways,
And turks and lists the reeds among,
Z And lulls the myriad murmurings
OF his old march. when Midia sings.
When Midia SINGS the glad gales hush
Their fearsome shrilling o'er the foods;
No more they harp ON reed and rush,
no more they whisper through the woods,
Idle and mute their fronded strings
In branch and brake, when Midia sings.
When Midia sings earth's every tongue
is dumb before her larger skill,
But there be goediy sorgs unsung,
And music fingers In thrill; |
wherefore 1t Is my dull heart rings,
Most musical. when Aidia sings. ~ =
Evening star., 1898-10-15
In Absence.

Ella Higginson in the Globe.
Heart of my heart! Time was when moments went
AS petals cast upon rushing stream,
SO swift, sweet | could but catch their CLEAN
Ere gone all their beauty and their scent
With the slow-ebbing sea of ages blent.
Then thou vert with me, Now, alas. they seem
Long the long drawn torment OF dream
Long the endless way to sweet Content
Yon that murmurs-is it blue gray?
Yon moon that rises-is 1t dull or bright?
How can live to meet another day!
How, having met it. live to the night
When all my soul aches that thou art away,
And all my being for loves lost delight!
Evening star., 1898-10-15
The Spinet.

lima Irving in the New England Magazine.
Beneath the rafter. black and bare,
The ancient spinet stands;
The spiders DER its yellow keys
Have stretched their filmy strands;
Around its weak and tottering frame
The airy cobwebs blow,
In lieu of silken tapestries
That moidered long ago.
But windy nights quaint old tune
Comes stealing down the stair;
For then she wakes the keys again
ghost with powdered hair.
The mice go dancing in and out
To melodies she sung,
When fashion trod the minuet
And Washington was young.
Around her on the garret floor
Her shining satins trail;
haunting sorrow dims her eyesi
Her face is proud and pale.
But when ! climb the creaking stair,
The gusty moonlight falls
On nothing but the withered herbs
That hang along the walls.
And yet the spinet trembles still
To that forgotten tune;
The ashes If a crumbied rose
Upon the keys are strewn;
And yoGder chest below the caves
Her gown of satin holds,
With sprigs Of broken lavender
Between its faded folds.
Evening star., 1898-10-15

A new method of violating the lobster
law has come to light in Maine. The law
breakers save the eggs of all the shellfish
found in spawn. and when they have saved
up a bushel or more they put the embryo
Holsters through q cider press and make
wine of them. While the scheme is a rank
violation of the statute protecting the lob
sters. 1t does not violate the prohibitory
law. owing to the small percentage of aloo.
hol In lobster-egg wine.
Evening star., 1898-10-15
My Fate.
]. ]. Bell in st. Paul's.

:. J. Bell in st. Paul's.
The noon looked over the hill.
Coldy dspassionate;
And the dreamy dafodil
Bowed by the silent rilf.
Wan and disconsolate.
Never a breath of q breeze
Moved mid the ghostly trees-
All the night strangely still
When | sought my fate!
The moon looked into your eyes
Neither with love nor hate.
And | waited to hear your sigLS
In tender or worldly wise,
As a dying man might wait.
was doubling If Heaven were true,
Till you breathed: = 'Tis you, it's your
All, the night Paradise,
When found my fate!..
Evening star., 1898-10-15

Among the Chinese a coffin is considered
a neat and appropriate present for an aged
person, especially If In bad health.