davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
PLAYFUL VEST 1vDrAx SEALS.
Their Fup Hnterrered with Somewhat By .
strainer Placed In Their Pooi.

strhiher Fincea IN Thetr foot'
Mention has boon made from time to time in
THE Sun OF the pieyfulnoss OF the West Indian
seals at tho Aquarium. 1t was told Of these
soals lately how they found delight in stopping
tho flow OF water from the pool In which they
live when tho valve had boen opened below to
drain It. so that it might DO cleaned. Tho water
runs of through a PHO four or five inches in
diameter, whose opening is in the floor OF the
pool. Ono OF the seals would plug this opening
light with Its nose. and hold on as long as it
could retain It's breath, and then come mp again.
ma ihen 60 down again, once more to plug up
This was fun for the seals, and there was no
objection TO IL. whatever on tho part OF. tho
Aquarium was concerned. The seals could not
atop tho flow long enough materially TO delay
opcning as hard as they did the seals wore OF
the hair around their noses and broke their
wSSiss's and iAR !. % mns SseI tpsir , SePssrsnG 70 'G ssUp
their fun. This was done by putting
Hos siJ%'Por roi in ~, the opening. The 6hs water
bettor to have 1t run a little slower than to let
tho seals d~isigurc themselves. The strainer
to S" 1t % RsTy snug 1t SoB BUss;a Psf !. Was an GRa %ss m tSss
inc seals cal, would get It out II they could; and the
Of the pool than the larger OF tho two seals came
along and set to work on IL.
r, The str st5si inc %as set flush With the edge Of the
first to get It's teeth into the pcrtoratIons Of tho
strainer and lift II out in that way. 1t failed In
this. and then 1t tried to get its teeth under ono
edge OF the. strainer and pry 1t up; but the
straiper had been made to At all around and TO
ut tightly, and the seal couldn't get II started in
that way nor get any hold on it. Then the
seal opened It's mouth over the strainer.
spreading its jaws SO as to get n grip
with its teeth upon the edges of the
strainer on both sides at once; but, in this effort
IL was also unsnocessfnl. Then the seal, lying
brought, its under jaw down on the strainer as
hard as 1t could. giving It n number of blows in
this manner. apparently with the purpose of
battering 1t through. or displacine It. or start
ing 1t so that 1t could get at 1t in some way.
but n good Job had been made of it, and the
strainer stayed right where IL had been put.
Then the seal hauled Off and lay for a brief
time to oil appearances thinking 1t over and
wondering what 1t should do next to get that
straincr out. Then the seal again attacked Il.
but In the same manner as before and with the
same result.
The strainer still stays In place. but every
now and then. even when the pool is full. one Of
tho seals will go down to look. seemingly with
the hope Of finding 1t gone.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27

from me ~. Jdnsss Gazette.
Il was coming round the base of a little rocky
hill when i heard, as l thought, some pigs grunt.
ing up on a little bench jutting out from this
hill. l cooked tho old gun. slapped Bess to keep
her quiet, and climbed up on 10 this bench, ex.
pecting to see n big old boar, and all ready to
take q snap shot IL he ran. When / got up
there could see nothing. 90 / stepped up on n
blH boulder and there lnv a lioncss and three
ruos playing. She was boxing ones cars. Her
inouth was open. and the cub appeared 10 be
Looked big enough. Sho was facing me with
her head, up when frat saw her. but iust as
! covered her she dropped it and gave me n
5000 square shot NJ her head. Being at very
lose range gave her "A centre shot with a no.
low bullet. She never got on her feet. She
rolled over without even kicking. Next morn.
!9E yohn Ingram and | started back with four
,!nGks' We got there before nunri,c, and
,2uhd everything O.. K. saw by the spoor
ming her we went up the kople and found Two
OF the cubs. Then the fun began. The first
nnI we ran out was i male, and "A sCrPppcr.
an ny me way lie roarcd AID switched his
WI you would have thought he was papa. Wo
ran MN Gown The kopjc and across a littlo fnt
about ,lUp. Yards, and about 700 wards M an.
liner Eopjo. Hess grabbed him again By tho
mr. ana they both rolled clear 10 The bottom,
NY pnE 20" lndnl trying 70 got II hold. the mig,
SeFs Yelling. and Tho litIlo lion roaring for all lie
ana Threw them over the lion. and finally. by
getting on top of him. succeeded in tying Ills
iogs. We then took him back to the old one
ana tied him. We afterward went up in the
E1pJe and caught a cub liOncss. She had
could not tackle her. With a hort iasso and a
torked stick we got her out. The cubs are
Beauties and just the right ASS."
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
BEAy1NG JU1 Es rERNE.s NERO.
Time Table for Going Round the WorId in 80
DaJs-How Ii L. Worked Oar.

Ohi
Prince Khilkoff. the Russian Minister of Com.
mnnications. is reported to have stated that.
when the Siberian Railway is opened through
out its entire length, the tour of the world may
be made in thirty-three days. The various d.
visions of the journey arc covered as follows:
Bremen to st. Petersburg. one and a half days.
81. Petersburg to Vladivostok, ten days; vladi.
vostok TO San Francisco. ten days; San Fran
cisco to New York. four and a half days; New
York to Bremen. seven days; total. thirty.three,
another authority goes ono better than thar.
lie proposes to reduce the length OF tho
world 8 journey TO twenty.eight days. The fig.
ures given by the Russian Minister are evidently
based on the actual running speed OF the
various railway and steamship lines. an esti-
mated average speed OF about Twenty-Five miles
an hour from the Russian capital to Nladivo.
stok., But it is suggested that il the traveller
the ocean. and the trains were run at tho hirh.
est rate OF speed consistent with the gradients.
curves, and condition Of the permanent way OF
railways in the various districts passed over,
Wilhelm would he available for the
Atlantic passage. with her average speed
of 22.34 knots per hour. and a 2Oknot
speed IS assumed for the Pacific passage. To
maintain the high averages onthe special trains.
II Is further assumed that speeds OF from sixty
to seventy miles an hour would be maintained
on level stretches OF country to make UP for
tlme lost in crossing mountains. The probable
best lines that could be made by engaging
specia! trains. assuming tho ocean passages 10
be performed at the speeds mentioned, would be
as follows: London TO Moscow, 80 hours; Mos
cow TO Vladivostok, l49.1 hours; Vladivostok
70 san FRANCISCO, go hours; San Francisco to
1898 hours; Plymouth to London. So hours.
TOTAL. 665.2 hours. This gives a total of ~
days II hours for the whole journey.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27

toned that they will iaht at the drop Of the bat,
and no this 1rishman had his hands full; but not
too full. for, with his back up against q strong
atanchion, and his han-like fists. going ike
pistons in n tangent, he banged and h~ninnerod
every man OF tho Camperdown's ships COM
panv that got within range Of him. Then he
cleavcd his way through the, strugGline mass OF
sailors anxious to get ut him, and made the
main deck, shouting Poor ireland forever.
and followed this up with the announcement that
he purposed eating up the whole ship, fighting
tops and.all, down to- the, level Of the sea; in pre-.
cisely four minutes. Dublin time. At this point
enough Of the marines to make up a size
able landing party got Mt him from the rear
and hauled him down, and tho master alarms
OF the American vessel was slgnallcd for. The
Irish. quariermaster went back to his snip In
double irons, but when he came to In the brig he
was quite content when informed that no had
made q heap OF work for the Britisher's surgeon
in plastering and bandasing the linejuiccrs lo
had maulcd.
Incidents Of a character similar 10 this have
frequently happened on British men-of-war. SO
that IT. is not remarkable that American naval
Shippers have learned to feel somewhat I'M
easy while parties of their men forward arc
Visiting British vessels.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
RETURNING NTH HIS DEAD.
hauling the Bodies OF vire and Children from
Kansas to Illinois.
From the ST. Louis Globe. Democrat.

from the 81. Louis Globe. Democrat.
ST. JOSEPH. Mo, Feb. l6.-John A. Cowdep.
VINO drove through this city to-day on his way
from Wallace county. Kan. to Winfield. Ill.,. ia
probably making as sad a journey as was ever
undertaken by mortal man. None knew that
the stained and battered canvas.covcred wagon
sheltered the dead. and that the bodies of Cow.
deh's wife and two children were being taken
by him from a once happy homo 10 their old
home in Illinois for i%nterment. The nature Of
me load which the ponies had dragged across
dIsco ,rsr.sss state OF Kansas was accidentally
uhIert1ker's place TO obtain some assistance.
i,o sara ne went West ten years ago and took a
lurul IN inc extreme western tier OF Kansas
counties. His wife made the journey with him
ahd their children were born on their new claim
I,aIl were hopeful that better times were in sight'
Then misfortune came. In November fire de.
wretched dugout in which they were forced 10
take refuge the two children sickened and dicd'
1I In G GesPa Gnr Cow on Ih sn banks Tts OF the smoky.
BACK o heir old home in the East and take tboo
remain or me little ones with them. This, they
irceZinG, ATMOSPHERE OF the wind .swept n,ains
TToniG a,mos' Pctrity the bodies before starting.
ntl!G more than half the distance TO tnr Mis-.
souri, River. when Mrs. .Cowdcn s~uccumbei 10
uloh within twenty.four hours. They wer" in
G Sab,np on re prairie. far from any Town, and
When 1t became evident to her that lie eni
vas near she begged, for one moe leooobR
~ VIZ inGes OF her children, The husband
IN hi- Alins, he held her gently Within touch oes
me forms OF the children. The coffin lids werc
Her BODY was wrapped in blankets and ws:
hauIcd TO n small town. where n Iox Wa sn
eGnptny drove wcariiy on. lie avoided ali b""t mi
r nr sn,adiest hnmlet-,, fearing that he would be
Missouri on the bridge at this point, Ma nassan "
s ssr1ukn 81, Joseph was unavoidable. The un.
untiI ne " hsPt Inc mournful travellers secret
health authorities. ""o'oh OF tho
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
IiossJ Was VERY Homesicn.

DR.. !. A.. Smith. a Wabash physician. report,
8 wcii.dehned case VI u homesick COW. lhl
DOCTOR two weeks ago bought "a iinc mixer froIu
n v hnash county farmer. She was brought ia
and placed in his stable. but from the first DAY
refnsvd To- Q 4, and spent tho days and nights m
melancholy lowing. She the first day or ;wo
gave an abundance OF milk, but soon nfterwsrd
became dry and the doctor became fearful
sho would die. Day before yesterday he rp.
turned her TO the farmer. She appeared over.
loyed to get back to the old home; began 10 eat
Eoraciously, and is again giving milk, Tho
doctor attributes 1t all 70 inconsistencies.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
D.r''oo'sa DOG. No, III, for alaska service.
IT0m IA NonIrLnl Hlrll

Archdeacon Fhair. who has spent many years
~ mo reinntc Northwest as n missionary ~ tAe
nhurc', OF England, and is AT present 10 Mont
iS9Ii Hlnl". that intending Klordikcrs wh0
,nink or iskinR DOES with them a-c making
- iiuskics.' ar t.squimau dogs. az well rro.
teStea with a growth of hair between th' r toes,
Mhlcn prevents, Their feet from bcin: frozen
ettrSHity protection, and every dog taken 10
the hIondike during this winter is sure to snf
nhu % rendered quito useless. Dozens Of noble,
Iooklng mastiifs, have been leaving Montreal
aa.moSt aailS Tor The Alaska Territory. IL seems
come to such an untimsly Ond,
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22
ANSWER IT HONESTLY.
Are the Opinions of Skowhsgan Citi-
zens Not More Reliable Than
Those Of Utter Strangersp

The above is a vital question.
1t Is fraugbt with interest to Show
hogan.
1t permits of only one answer.
1t can't be evaded or ignored.
A Skowhegan citizen speaks here.
Speaks for the welfare of Skowhegan
A citizens opinion is reliable.
An utter strangers doubtful.
The impression created is lasting.
Curiosity is at once aroused.
Read what follows and acknowledge
these facts.
Mrs. Il. d. Langley of II Pine street,
says ~ had kidney trouble for years,
having very severe pains and other
symptoms which plainly indicated that
those organs were effected The least
exertional ways aggravated the complaint
Standing for any length of time, working
about the house more than | should u
the contraction of a cold caused severe
suffering. | used a number of medi
cines before took Doan's Kidney Pills
without effecting permanent cure, and
anxious to be cured and willing to Try
anything, got Doan's Kidney Pills al
Folsom's Drug store. | was more thar
pleased with them. They made an i'm
provement in my condition after few
days use. Every dose seemed to hay,
some effect. | found them splendt
remedy and very beneficial for kidne,
complaint
Doan's Kidney Pills for sale by al
dealers. Price so cents. Mailed b,
Foster-Milburn Co, Buffalo, n. Y, solt
agents for the United States.
Remember the name-Doan's Sane
take no substitute.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22
Remarkable Rescue.

Mrs Michael Curtain, Plainfeld, H.,
makes the statement that she caught
cold which settled on her lungs; she was
treated for a month by her family ply
stefan, but grew worse. He told her she
was a hopeless victim of consumption
and that no medicine could cure her
Her druggist suggested DR.. Kings New
Discovery for consumption; she bought
bottle and to her delight found herself
benefited from the first dose. She con-
tinued It's use and after taking SIX bot
ties found herself sound and well; now
does her own housework and is as well
as she ever was. Free trial bottles of
this great discovery at
e W. Folsom's Drug Store.
Large bottles 80 cents and S1OO.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

The discovery was made, Friday after
noon, about 230 by 1.-THE motorman
on the Waterville q Fairfield electric
road at a waiting room between the
two cities, of the body of Bert H. Laid
of Brooks, which was lying in a pool of
blood with bullet hole in the head back
of the right ear. Beside the body was
found 30 caliber revolver, having one
empty chamber with which the shooting
was done.
He took dinner at the home of his
brother, A. G. Ladd in Fairfield, and at
the time was very nervous but made no
remark that would indicate he had any
thoughts of suicide. Soon after dinner
he left for Waterville. taking with him
his travelling bag. He was seen during
the afternoon by several persons who
spoke TO him though he did not seem to
be himself. Shortly after o'clock he
was seen to enter the place where his
body was found.
Laid WAS printer by trade aud work
ed at Waterville, where he was asso-
eiated with his brother in the printing
business. During the Populist move
ment several years ago he stumped the
State in the interests of the movement.
and later made lecture tour, with his
lecture, "Why the Boys Leave the
Farm" which created favorable i'm
preston and much comment at the timei
He was the youngest of six brothers,
all of whom, except one, are connected
with different newspapers in the State.
OF late he has been working on the
Yankee Blade at Abbott, having gone
there to establish paper.
The young man had been great stu
dent and several times before has been
under care of physicians on account of
his studying too hard. His brother, A.
G. Ladd of the Fairfield Journal, is of
the opinion that the deed was done dur
ing moment Of temporary insanity and
was not pTemeditated.
His remains were taken to Wateryille
by Coroner Smell aud an inquest held,
Saturday morning. The verdict was
death by suicide.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

kennebec journal; one by one. as
the years pass, appear the evidences of
the almost seer-like instinct of James G.
Blaine. Writing to President Harrison
from Bar HarbOr on August 10, 1891.
Mr.. Blaine said: Sin regard to the
Danish colonies, my prepossessons are
all against the plan until we are by fate
in possession of the larger Indies. They
are destined to become ours. but they
are among the last of the West Indies
that should be acquired. | think there
are only three places that are of value
enough to be taken that are not con-
tinental. One is Hawaii and the others
are Cuba and Porto Rico. Mawai may
come up for decision at any unexpected
hour, and hope we shall be prepared
to decide it in the affirmative. Cuba
and Porto Rico are not imminent"
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

The Peace Commissioners expect to
deliver the Paris treaty to President
Mckinley, Saturday next, the 24th in
slant. Undoubtedly the President will
regard this as very valuable Christmas
present. There seems to be some doubt
whether the treaty will be sent to the
present senate or held until after the 4th
of March and then be submitted to the
new senate. This is matter that Pres
ident Mckinley will decide.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

The city of WaterVille is alarmed over
the water situation there and apparently
with good reasons. The city water
works have taken their supply for
domestic and public purposes from
Messalonskee river, and the people have
awaken to realizing sense of the fact
that the conditions at Oakland, where
wooden mills and the drainage of the
large village empty into this river but
five short miles above the point where
The city of Waterville takes its water, is
not pleasant to contemplate. This was
bad enough but now Oakland is to have
water works and sewer system that
will greatly augment the difficulty and
something must be done without delay.
The plan is to get legislation, the pres
ent winter, authorizing the formation of
the 'kennebee Water District" embrac-
ing Waterville, Fairfield. Benton and
Winslow, absorb the present water
works and change the source Of supply
so as to get better water 1t is very
important matter to these places, especi-
ally to the city of Watervile.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

President McKinley's visit to the
South last week was an event of signi-
ticance. He was met everywhere by
tremendous crowds and unbounded
enthusiasm was manifest wherever his
party went. At Savannah he reviewed
the troops under command of Gen.
Keifer. Gen. 10 Wheeler, the hero of
Santiago, attracted the most lively
demonstrations of any man in the party,
and the old veteran enjoyed it fully. No
commander of troops gets more glory
out of the war with Spain than Gen.
Wheeler, and he deserves it.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

Great gold strikes have been made in
Colorado aud Washington, recently.
Puma City camp attracts much interest.
Pixies Peak tunnel borers open rich
vein and fine gold is found in Green
Horn mountains in Colorado, while there
is great excitement at Spokane, Wash,
one repeated rich strike in Republic
camp on the Colville reservation where
gold belt seven miles long and three
wide has been discovered has been
located.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

The tongues of the cat family are
covered with recurring spines. In the
common domestic cat these are small, but
sufficiently well developed to give the
tongue feeling of roughness. But in
the lion and tiger the spires are strong
enough to enable the animal to tear away
the skin Of mans hand merely by lick
inc il.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

Shipbuilding in Maine is now enjoying
IA fair sized boom. 1t came too late to
cut much of figure in the tonnage
built this year in Maine ship yards, but
it will be favorably felt next year in
many Maine towns along the coast. In
years past Maine used to build from
10000 to 10000 tons of shipping an
nually, but of late, for reasons that have
been told over and over again, the in
dustry has fallen into decay, and the
figures have been too small to be worth
publishing. Bath, the headquarters of
shipbuiding in Maine, is the only place
that has felt the revival of the business
yet Bath is prospering as never before
The builders there have many contracts,
including several from the Navy depart
ment, and the Bath Iron Works is full OF
business.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

The deepest lake in the world so far as
known is Lake Baikal. in Siberia. While
nine thousand square miles in area, or
nearly as large as Lake Erie, it is four
thousand feet to 1900 feet deep, so that it
contains nearly as much water as Lake
Superior. Its surface is 1850 feet above
sea level, and its bottom nearly 1000 feet
below il.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

Wateryille Mail: The Mail is glad to
see City Marshal Call take needed action
in the way of suppressing the use of
gambling machines in this city. There
is absolutely no excuse for the existence
of these machines. Aside from the loss
of money on the part of those who can.
not afford to lose their money, the in
huence of the business, particularly
among the young, is thoroughly bad.
The situation has become 80 bad that it
has excited the surprised comment of
casual visitors to the city. The good
name of the city is at stake in the
matter, to say nothing of the immeasur-
ably worse feature of the case, the edu-
cation of big class of gamblers in the
community.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

Dnn's Review: December is adding
a surprising close to the most surprising
year of American history. November
had surpassed all other months of the
century in volume of business and pro-
duction, and thus far December is doing
even better, in payments through clear
ing houses, in railroad earnings, in for
eign trade, in output of pig iron, and in
activity and strength of securities. But
that is saying a great deal, for in all
these and other tests November was far
the best month of American financial
history.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

Tooth brushes, hair brushes, combs,
hand mirrors, pocket mirrors for Nmas
presents at SIMPSONS.
mans opportunity: "The woman's club
is great factor in eXerting good influences"
That's SO; now that my wife belongs to three
can put the stoves up to suit myself"
Why not buy the baby puff box and
powder for Nmas present. sampson
has some nice ones.
Hicks: There goes Stilson talking to him
self as usual" Wicks: Eyes; there's nothing
proud about Stilson."
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-12-22

The chances at birth that baby will
eventually marry are 9 i'll 20, or rather
less than one half. This result may seem
surprising, but ii is largely accounted
for by the great mortality of persons I'M
der marriageabe age, especially of in
fants up to the age of 8. No fewer than
38 per cent of babies die before they are
years old aud Al per cent of the
whole population before the age of Is.
In England, as in this country, accord
ing to belief, the females outnumber the
males.
Out of every 100 persons now living,
so are single, 80 are married and are
widowed. So that un the average ] per
son in every 20 you meet in the streets,
in the train, or wherever it may be,
will be either widow or a widower
and out of will be unmarried In
England an average husband and wife
on their wedding day may expect to live
together for n years, in France only : &,
in Holland and Belgium 49, but i'll Rus.
STA 80.-New York Home Journal