davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
Tho sixteen DISORDERS.

"And l had my turn at the picket
post and something in the line of adj
venture" said the man with the shat
tered hand as he lighted his old corn
cob. ut was just before the last cam
paign that I got my scare and promo
ton with it. A good many confeder-
ates were deserving to our lines, and
all night pickets were warned to give
fair challenge before firing. went on
a single post one night at ten o'clock.
1t was rainy and dark, and the post
was within so rods of a strong force of
confederates. was left under beech
tree, with orders to keep the most Wig
liant lookout, but no sooner had the
relief passed on than moved off to the
right and crouched down under bush.
l hadn't had any too much sleep for
three or four nights, owing to an ach-
ing tooth, and as l sat there, bumped
up like ribbit, was too drowsy to let
my nerves get away with me. didn't
intend to go to sleep, of course-no SOL
der ever does-but from nodding and
cat-napping 1 passed into dreamland,
and but for luck would have slept on
until relief came around. That would
have been the end Of me, very likely,
for sleeping on post in the face of the
enemy was considered as serious as de-
sorting. seemed to dream that some
body was calling me, and the dream
started me up like an electric shock.
| didn't know where was for few
seconds. Then heard voice calling:
"'Yank! Yank! Whar' ar you att"
81 rose to my feet and peered around
me, and it seemed as ii 1 could make
out human figures around the tree"
"'Say, Yank we want to be took
int continued the voice, and then l
began to get it through my head that
confederate deserters were around.
asked who was there, and this time an
other voice answered:
"Come up yere, Yank. Thar ar
IS Of us who want to go into your lines
and surrender
81 advanced to find that his count
was correct They were all from the
same company, headed by sergeant,
and all had their guns along. They had
deserted from the reserve picket, and
while 1 was sleeping they were crawl
ing ND to locate the post. | lied to
them about being asleep, and when the
sergeant came we mustered the Is
in behind the relief and tramped them
in under the shadow of old glory.
ought to have got at least six months
in the guardhouse for sleeping on post,
but instead of that the colonel called
me up and had many words Of praise
and made me a corporal. 1t went
home to the papers that captured III
confederates, and there are people who
still insist that am a hero, but l have
given you the truth about it. If they'd
been anything but deserters I'd have
got bayonet into me OF been booked
for Libby prison"
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

Il was in the service for three years."
said the man with the wooden leg,
"and I was never downright scared but
once in all that time, OF course | had
an attack Of the nerves now and then,
as was the case with all the boys, but
that didn't mean anything but being
laughed at. This little affair Of mine
happened at the most unexpected time
and place, and If hadn't been alone
l should have been drummed out of the
army for my cowardice. There was one
thing | dreaded more than battle,
and that was being on picket post at
night.
ION this particular night was sta
toned about 20 rods north Of log
cabin occupied by family, and the
confederate picket was supposed to be
about the same distance on the other
side. l was not in the road, but in
fringe Of bushes in field. 1t was
darkish night, with breeze kicking up
shindy all around, and when was
dropped off at Post No. and told to
keep my eyes and ears open as valued
my life, got homesick at once. The
first thing did was to move to the
right about 30 feet and lie fiat down.
I could see out across the field, though
but dimly. There was no light in the
house, and no sounds came from it. I
was as safe as n picket could be, but
in a quarter OF an hour my chin was
shaking. The wind made all sorts Of
noises, and every sound was taken to
be the approach Of the enemy. 1
hadn't been on post 30 minutes when I
was crying. I didn't realize 1t until
I felt the tears, and then got up and
kicked myself all around and did some
tall swearing. I realized that had
to break the spell or bolt, and there
was a hard fight before conquered
my nerves. had got the better Of
myself, and was thinking of going back
to the spot where l was first posted,
when 1 suddenly caught sound which
jumped my heart into my mouth and
shook me from head to heel with n
chill.
81 saw and realized, but if a thousand
lives had depended on it I could not
have raised finger. choked up and
gasped for breath, and it seemed as if
Iwaited for hours for the bushwhacker
to drive his knife home. Then it grad
ually came to me thatit was woman's
figure, and after making a half dozen
efforts to do so l managed to call out
and ask who was there. 1t was well for
that woman-for woman it was--thatI
was unnerved by my fears. There was
a spring within few feet of me, al
though I had not discovered it, and she
had come down for water for one of
her fevered children. She did not know
the exact location of the picket post
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

ang together, for all the world as
though the formation of the whole
wonderful island chain had been de-
termined by the law that governs the
movement of solid fragments on a
liquid surface.
And, regarded in this light, there is
mo other section of the West Indies
more calculated to awaken human
synpathies by display of pathetic
decadence and ruin side by side with
Hthe most superb exhibitions of piano.
lramic loneliness than the compact
little archipelago Of the Virgin islands,
extending northeasterly from Vieque
or Crab island, off the eastern point of
Puerto Rico, to Anegada on the bor-
derS OF the Atlantic, and which in
.cludes on its outskirts the well-known
Island OF st. Thomas.
With the exception of Tortola, St.
Thomas and st. CroiX, if the latter
. can he fairly included, neither of which
is, however, of any size, the islands
are so small as to amount to little more
than islets or quays, But what they
lack longtudnally they for the most
part make up vertically. OF volcanic
origin-whethe of subsistence or up
heaVal being a moot point-they rise
sheer from the bed of the sea, reach.
ing up to several hundred, and some
times over a thousand feet above sea
level, presenting broken and diversi-
fed surfaces covered with rich soil
that supports abundant tropical vege-
sation in some instances, whilst else
where coral formation prevails and
'the soil is highly arenaceous, support
ing nothing but cocoanut palms and
,cacti.
Geography books state that there
ARE 50 Virgins" all told; that, how
ever, may be taken not only as a
"round," but a rather fancy number;
for whilst they are numerous enough,
and as bewiIdering as Chinese puzzle
to sail amongst, the admiralty chart
shows scarcely 40, including rocks and
naked shoals, and the islands worthy
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

gives thought to the panoramic posi-.
bilities of those varying combinations
Of sea and landscapes that must APP
pertain to such group, Tortola and
Virgin Gorda, as the loftiest, present
the finest and most extensive pros
poets; and possibly nowhere else can
be found quite SC magnificent a piano.
rama of land and sea as that seen from
the heights behind Road harbor at sun
rise, looking through the mouth of the
harbor to the island chain beyond
Here, during the phenomenon of sun
rise, literally all the possible lights and
shades of nature are seen marching in
gorgeous procession over land and sea,
to which superb display both elements
lend themselves in perfect gamut of
perspective gradations-if may so de-
scribe it. Three to five hundred feet
higher and the spectator has the en-
tire panorama of the Virgins spread
out before, behind and on either hand.
Another interesting, and far more
important, feature of the Virgin is
lands that must be here noticed, but
which it would require an exclusive
letter land more) to deal with exhaust
;vely, is the thermal and medicinal
springs that seem-according to the ac-
counts of the natives-to have come
into existence after the great earth
quakes. So far as l am aware, they
have not been scientifically investigat-
ed. They certainly were not up TO
1885, when l visited the islands. The
natives claim that these nasty wa
ters," used both externally and inter-
nally, have, in their experience,
wrought miraculous cures for all sorts
of ailments to which tropical flesh is
heir; notably rheumatism, malarial
pains, sprains, toothache, etc, bowel
complaints, shortness of breath, sore
eyes and a dozen other troubles that
/ do not now remember. do remem-
Der. however, that one of the pools ION
Ginger island) completely cured me in
three days of muscular contraction of
the leg caused by wound, and which
Lad for six months defied liniments.
Here is field not unworthy the notice
of the scientific investigator, l should
think.
The point is, that these interesting
islandslie right outside the back door of
the United States new colonial acquisi-
ton, Puerto Rico. where they can be
leisurely done" by anyone SO mind
ed at triAing cost and little trouble.
TIP. PORTER
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
COVERED BARNYARD.
A Very Important Factor In the Man
nEement of n Successful
General Farm.

II appearances are facts, seldom in
deed is there farmer who appreciates
the real worth of a, covered barnyard.
At any rate, those seen by the writer in
his travels over and about the country
have been exceedingly few and far be-
tween. A covered barnyard, just the
same, is very important factor in farm
management, it not only being possible
with it to keep manure from teaching,
even in the slightest degree, but pre-
servesittoa certainty from that hateful
consumer of the majority Of manure
heaps, "fire-fanging."
With a covered barpyard one should
simply wheel out the manure daily and
throw some litter over it. Thus dealt
with, the cattle will run over it, and
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

the name, as supporting populations,
may be counted on the fingers of one
hand, il we exclude the Danish colonies
of st. Thomas and ST. John. These
are Tortola, the queen of the group;
Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke, Peters
island and Salt island.
The group was discovered by Column
bus on the feast of the Annunciation,
hence the name. Their first European
inhabitants were pirates, the innum-
cradle channels, inlets, lagoons, vol
caDic caverns and what not atfording
the essential elements of concealment
and security. A good deal of treasure
has, in point of fact, been found
there from time to time. AS
lately as 1867 a party of three Amer
leans turned up atTortola with an old
chart which they claimed indicated
the location of buried treasure in a
cavern on one of the islets fronting the
harbor of Road Town. They got a
concession to search from the govern
ment but strangely enough before
1heJ could get to work the great earth
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

for the night, and instead of making
her presence known and escaping all
peril she had hoped to slip down to the
spring and back unchallenged. But for
my being unnerved do you know what
would have happened? She'd have
been shot down in her tracks the in
slant she was made out. The shot
would have routed out the guard and
sent ap.alarm all along the front, but
the pickets were taking no chances of
being assassinated in the darkness.
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
Green Food for Winter.

The value of green food for poultry
during the winter months is recog-
nized by all well-informed poultry
keepers. How best to supply this is
more of question, particularly in the
northern states. In Missouri and
states south an almost or quite con-
tinuous source of green food for the
chickens can be provided by sowing a
small patch of wheat or rye near the
poultry house. This should be sown
early, and on rich, well-prepared soil
so as to secure a good growth before
freezing weather sets in and the fowls
should be kept from it until other
sources of supply are cut off by frost,
Even in sections of severe winters a
wheat patch for the chickens to work
on in late fall and early spring will be
a source of health and delight to the
fowls, and profit to their owners
Rural World.
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
Feeding oats in straw.

Though it saves labor, we doubt
whether there is any advantage in
feeding oats in the straw to ordinary
stock. Unless the grain can be ground
much of it will pass through the stock
whole and will be voided in the excre-
ment. But there is an exception to
this in the case of sheep, especially
II fed in the straw in winter. The
sheep masticate the grain so thorough
" that after it has come up and is re-
chewed in the cud there is scarcely
any loss of nutriment. 1t is best to
feed the oats in the straw before any
hay is given, and reqaire it to all be
eaten. This will prevent waste
American Cultivator.
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
@@@@@9@ a@@@@ @Da9aa@@@@@@@@@@5
By CHARLES B. LEWIS.

the relief. Lee might be advancing
with his whole army to make mid
night attack, but / wasn't going TO
leave my shelter to try to drive him
back. Nerves. Well, row you bet
had 'em! trembled like leaf, and
I'm telling you had to hold on to my
chin to stop the clicking Of my teeth.
/ wouldn't have run away for $4,000,
but instinct told me that was in peril.
and the fact that could neither see
nor hear 1t ate up my nerve. Without
knowing what / was doing got my
gun around and rested the barrel on
the log and made ready to fire. Idon't
know how long the situation lasted,
but I should say for good ten min
utes, All this time my heart was
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

the husker off the ground when damp,
the latter consideration being boon
to those troubled with rheumatism.
The seat is fitted with pair of cleats
so that it can be moved, thus making
it unnecessary to draw the stalks
toward you. 1t can be made of any
height and size desired and is very
convenient contrivance.-Farm and
Home.
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
CORN HUSKING BENCH.
Can BE Made of Any Size Desired, and
Is Really n Very Convenient
COntrivRnce.

The husking bench portrayed here
with is great help during the harvest
season, as it gets the corn in easy and
convenient position to husk and keeps
Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27

Corn is fattenipg food, but can
nearly always be given atnight to good
advantage.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

China has at last made it's first con-
cession to an American company. The
Secretary Of State has received notice
that the Ameriean-China Development
Company has been permitted to build a
railroad from Hankow on the Yang
tse-Kiang River to Canton In the Prov
ince Of Quong- Tung, and thence to the
sen. The line will be 900 miles long
and viii run through provinces tribu-
tary to q population Of nearly 100000
900 people. The company now is nego-
tiating for extensions to the main line,
which II Is also believed will be grant
ed. With q view Of enabling the Chi
nese ultimately to construct and oper-
ate railways the American-China De-
velopment Company is to establish q
school Of practical instruction In rail.
ways, where Chinese shall be educated
IN questions relating to railway con-
struction, operation, and management.
All materials and apparatus for the
proposed road are to enter the Chinese
empire free Of duty, in manner SINH
lar b that adopted In the case Of the
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

The conditions at Australia and the
Philippines show the differences in the
methods of government practiced by
Great Britain and Spain. In Australia
practically the same civilized condi-
tons exist as in England, and every
thing that can be done to reform the
natives Is being done. But there are
no cities In Europe that are more fine
~ built than Sydney and Melbourne or
which enjoy a higher civilization. In
the Philippines, with the possible ex-
ception Of Manila, where the presence
of few English, German and Ameri-
can residents, give some signs of civili-
cation, the people are In the same prim-
tive condition now as when they came
under Spanish sway three centuries
ago. Nothing whatever has been done
to develop the vast revenues of the ISL
ands or to educate and civilize the peo-
pie. All the means of public instruc-
ton are In the hands of religious So
cieties, which use every effort to keep
the natives In ignorance, that they
may be the more easily dominated and
oppressed. The people are robbed that
none may accumulate property enough
to send their children away to be edu-
Gated. It is through the few that have
been sent abroad that the late revolu-
tons have been encouraged, and the
natives made TO realize the tyranny
and despotism of Spain.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

InNew York, the great difficulty Of the
vacant lot farms committee in previous
years has been the obtaining of suf-
ncient land for the farms, but this
year 1t has for use during the summer
three hundred and twenty acres of
land In Pelham Bay Park. This is now
the fourth year that the vacant lot
farms have been carried on In New
York City. Each year a small number
of men have been so trained in the
first principles of agriculture that they
have expressed a willingness to take
positions In the country, and some few
heads of families have done SO. Thus
the vacant lot farms afford kind OF
farm training school.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

An intelligent effort is being made to
convince European nations that corn
bread, as the Yankee said of "punkin
pie" IL wholesome vitals." Some
Roadway is being made, and since the
United States produces more than two
billion bushels, the export supply may
be regarded as equal to any demand
the corn evangelists operating In Eu-
rope can create. The royal family Of
Denmark takes kindly to corn, and
when fully converted, as seems prob
able. q European corn-fed aristocracy
may be created.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

The titles Of the King of Spain sug-
gest large part of the history OF the
world. He is King of jerusalem,
which is Turkish; of Navarro, which Is
French; of Gibraltar, which Is British.
and Of the East and West Indies, which
are largely British; Duke Of Brabant
and Count Of Flanders, now the two In
dependent kingdoms Of Holland and
Belgium; and sovereign Of numerous
other lands long since Independent or
under the undisputed sway of other
powers. He bears upon his person.
indeed, an epitome Of the glory and the
fall Of Spain.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

United States government, the officers
Of the regiment, the fooo supplied and
other things which displeased him. He
was arrested, stripped of uniform and
marched through the camp between
two guards, while the angry troopers
shouted: ride him on a rail!" He
was then escorted outside the camp
limits and CURLY dismissed. This Is
the first case of "f1unking' in the
Eighth regiment
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

The Koreans are exhibiting the Wild
est delight over the announcement that
their king is about to marry. This act
on his part means more to those peo-
pie than Is commonly supposed by
such as are ignorant Of some Of the
curious customs Of that people. The
king takes precedence in all matri-
monial affairs, for SO long as the king
is single no marriage may take place in
his domains among his subjects. All
good Koreans, therefore, who obey the
letter Of the law religiously and patri-
otically postpone their weddings until
the king has taken a spouse unto him
self. Among the common people this
law is not strictly obeyed, but among
the nobility and the better class Of
people no one would think Of marry
ing before the king, as such violation
of the law would cause the offender to
lose caste. But marriages are arranged
In Korea without reference to the par
ties to 1t, and failing in love" is a
thing of which a Korean Is never
guilty. Since the murder of the queen,
some two years or more ago, none Of
the members Of good families have
married, and the people, more than a
year since, became so impatient for
the king to wed that they expressed
their discomfort openly. The kings ad-
visers made known to him the dissatis-
faction among his subjects, and he be-
gan the work Of hunting up a wife.
Although he is over go years Of age
his choice was the daughter Of a noble
man who had not reached her sixteenth
year. His ministers objected to the
king making that kind of fool Of him
self, since 1t Is against the time-honored
customs Of the empire for the king to
take a wife so many years his junior
The advice Of the ministers prevailed,
but while the king abandoned the
maiden he could not be induced to look
with favor upon any Of the others
whom his advisers presented for his
selection. This set the people again In
q rage, and finally the king delegated
to his advisers the power of selecting
a wife for him without his interfer-
ence. This selection has been made,
and the future queen of Korea Is re-
ported to be very handsome, according
to Asiatic ideas Of beauty, and about
30 year Of age.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

The American people lack something
of quality which Is certainly good 70,
the general community-that Of tenac
ity in the defence Of the small individ
ual rights which the greater rights are
sometimes found to depend on In the
end. The American is apt to ask HIM
self, "Will It pay" to resist an infringe
ment upon his rightsf If it lie not like
ly to pay he usually submits to the
outrage. Englishmen, on the other
hand, are tenacious Of their rights as
against corporations or public ser.
wants, even at great cost TO themselves
Frenchmen can also on occasion show
like spirit. A good example OF 1t has
lately been brought to the public atten
ton In Paris. A business man. forced
by mtsadventure to wait an hour and
a half at a railway station, took up the
table Of rates and charges, which the
railroad company was required to keep
open to the public. He found that the
advertised fare for the trip he was
about to make was twenty-nine francs
and ninety-fivc centimes, whereas the
fare usually exacted was thirty francs
When he bought his ticket he offered
twenty-nine francs and ninety-five cen
times; the agent refused to give him q
ticket. He paid thirty francs under
protest, and after his return to the city
demanded the return Of tho excess
about one cent In our money. The
company refused to refund it.. he
sued the railroad company for restitu
ton, and won his case. The company
appealed, and the first decision was
sustained. The case was then carried
to the Court Of Cessation, the highest
court open to it. Again the decision
was In the citizens favor; the company
was ordered to restore the cent to him
and to lower its fare to the prescribed
figure. The litigation cost the company
more than three thousand francs, and
the citizen about thousand. He had
INDICATED q principle, and no doubt
considered himself well repaid The
citizen would perhaps in our country
be called "a kicker" but he was kick
ing in the service Of the community,
and the community owes him its SIN
cere thanks for his self-sacrifce.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

The authorities in Washington per
petrated neat swindle on the Span
iards In Cuba Blanco has been In
duced to exchange two American news
paper correspondents for a Spanish
colonel and a physician.
Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

It IL said now that the German EN-
peror designs many Of the Empress
gowns. He Is able to do anything.
from directing his nations destiny to
dress-making.