davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1898-04-01
A MessaEe From the Elbe.
"a ris Core snOndefce London Teleeranb

Some fishermen recently found a corked
bottle in the sea eff Cancale, on the Breton
coast, and, opening it, discovered inside
small card with writing 1t. The char
acters traced, however, were nearly effaced
by the salt water, which had filtered
through the cork. A gentleman to whom
the card was given handed 1t over to the
experts of the National Library in Paris,
who have been able to decipher the writ
ing. 1t is German, and sets forth that the
writer. Bernard Ramsperger of Weimgar-
ten, was on board the ill-fated Elbe, which
was lost in the North sea a few years
since, and that he had lost hope He ac-
cordingly bade farewell 10 his affianced
bride, Nina Frankel of Wurtemberg whom
he hoped to see in the next world. There
was also a request to send the card when
found ID Nina Frankel. This has been
done. and copy of the message from the
sea has likewise been forwarded to the
firm of hosiers in Weimgarten, with which
house Herr Ramsperger was connected,
as was duly set forth by himself on the
card.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Usefulness of Newspapers.
From the New York Pest.

''"h tHe view 1ork resi-.
A woman who has been attempting to as
sist poor family during the winter finally
contributed one day parcel which proved
to contain much more comfort than might
be supposed. This was large pile of
clean newspapers. She instructed the
mother to tack two or three thicknesses in
the back and front of her husbands s
threadbare overcoat replacing them as
they fretted out to interine with them the
all too thin coverlds of her own and the
two children's bed; to put them in thick
layers beneath the thin carpet which
stretched on the floor of their tenement
room: to stuff them well crumped and
with the aid of a caseknife around the
cracks of the loose windows, and to wear
one herself as chest protector. and also
between the shoulders when she went out
in the bitter weather: and, finally. when
they were absolutely without coal, as more
than once had happened. to twist two or
three into a thick tight twist and light it
for the purposes of heat. 1t is a fact that
such a twist will burn nearly as long as a
stick of soft wood. The woman was told
to come for more when the supply gave
out and the suggestion was regularly COM
piled with. proving that the uses of the
newspapers were not only appreciated, but
were of value.
Evening star., 1898-04-01

uation this evening is that from the El
Liberal. which may be looked upon as un-
doubtedly rejecting the position Of the
Spanish government. The paper says:
I'VE have done all we can to remove a
pretext for a rupture. II President McKin-
ley refuses our concessions we. with e quiet
conscience. will await any threats which
may come. and defend our honor and our
rights.
The entire nation supports the govern
ment- This was the meaning of yesier-
day evenings enthusiasm. Rich and p-or
are working together. No one asks whether
the sum collected goes for warships. 1t
ST ffices to know that it will be employed
to rebut any foreign pressure. Spain must
no longer live under the continual menace
and unrest of the past three years. There
must be no more debating or hagglins.
Even a rupture is preferable. Intervention
is de facto even now. We desire and ap-
peal for peace, bu. the limit of our long
suffrage is at an end. We will not be the
aegressor, but we will defend our rights
with our traditional tenacity and bravery.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
The Major Has n Word.

From the Atlanta Constitution.
Well" said the major, he sawed OF
a plank for his Political platform. they
one feller who won't be In 1t. The war be-
tween the states as enough for me- 1t
cost me fortune"
In property. major~'
mo, sir-in cold cash. You see my fam
lily had the measles when the war broke
oat. and l lad to stay at home ard nurse
en-"
Certainly
But 1 was SO patriotic
''Of oourser'
THAT 1 eap,c. ed a substitute at 8 per
day"
Exactly"
And when they killed nim-"
You hired another"
Yes. sir-I did,
And they killed him, tooZ'
mo, And that's where I los; my money
years without scratch. He was In the
worst battles of the war. hut not a bullet
struck him. They took him prisoner. but
exchanged him Immediately. and tho
blamed idiot went to lighting again at 81
per day! And wien the war ended he turn
ed up all serene and demanded the remain
der of his morey. You see, 1 had paid his
wife a good deal of ii in monthly INSTALL
ments, but 1 still owe him big balance
as possible 1 had to shut up and pay up:
and the fool charged me interest for the
time I'd had 1t on hand. and wouldn't take
confederate money. either! Down with war
is what / say. It's beer the ruination OF
me. John, pass the Jug"
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Cautious

From Harper's Round Table.
He walked into the apothecary shop with
a hesitating step and glanced nervousIy at
the rows of bottles with a scared look in
his pale blue eyes. After fidgeting about
uncertainty for some time, he at last
caught the eye of the clerk, and. beckon-
ing mysteriously, led the way to a secluded
corner by the cigar case, where the clerk
was surprised by finding q trembling fore
finger hooked tenaciously into one OF his
button holes and an eager face thrust sud-
denly against his.
What's the matter?' asked the clerk
Il s'pose you can lay your hand right on
the morphine bottle, can't you?" said the
stranger, in an anxious whisper.
Yes. sir. Certainly" replied the astou-
ished salesman.
"An' 1 reckon II you was pushed you
could find the strychnine in a minute or
two?"
'Of course"
"Mebbe the arsenic hasn't got lost or mis-
laid clear beyond findin'. II you just had to.
has it?'
"Assuredly not"
AN the sugar-of-lead bottle couldn't get
away from you IL 1t tried?'
NO, indeed"
AN chasin' up the vitriol to its lair
would be just play for your
MY dear sir, Of course am familiar
with all the drugs here"
But s'posin' some of the other fellers
had been changin' them around. just as q
joke, you know?''
What do You mean?'
Suppose the bottles had got mixed?"
Impossible. Besides, everything Is plain
ly labeled"
"An' there amt no chance OF your
palmin' OF prussic acid for pepDermint?"
Not the slightest"
We'll, I've -half-a-notion-to-r
Yes, ycu may give me two ounces Of pep
permint. yossng man."
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Our Cosmopolitan Cities.


In cosmopolitan features New York city
once and for many years stood .inrivaled
In this country and throughout the world.
and today ii is still. as of old, the gathering
place of the peoples of all kindreds and
from under all skies: but Chicago in these
later years has been robbing New York
of its former uniGue position in this. and
in certain points is taking the emphasis of
distiI ction in this particular to itself. Chief
Justice Fuller is reported to have declared
that Chicago contained more Poles than
any city in Poland. more Bohemians than
any city in Bohemia, more Germans than
any city in Germany save Berlin. more
Irish than any city in Ireland save Dublin
and more Italians than any city of Italy
save Naples and Rome" What Associate
Justice Brewer Is noted as having said
more recently. IN the same type of phras-
ing. about saints and sinners and
heaven and hell is, perhaps, altogether
apocryphal, though it rs to be noticed that
the report of 1t has been well circulated
as to appear veritable utterance Of his
in the London newspapers.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
HE TOOK A LONG sMokE.
Engltshman Consumed Eixhty.sfx
Cigars fn Nine lours,


Cigars fn Nine Mours.
Finn Pearson's Weekly
A man well known In turf circles made a
curious wager in the year 1850. I'm which he
hacked himself to smoke one pound weight
OF strong foreign regalias within twelve
horrs. The conditions were that the cigars
Should be smoked one at a time to within
an inch Of the end
The match was decided on n Thames
steamer plyirg between London and Chei-
sea. the smoker taking up a position well
forward in the bows where he caught the
force Of the breeze that was blowing. The
cigars ran a hundred TO the pound. so that
win the wager. A start was made at 10
O'Clock in the morning, and the affair was
finished at 4 in the evening"
IN the ccufse of nine hours and twenty
Hinutes e'ghty-six cigars were fairly smok-
ed. the greatest number consumed being in
TIE second hour. when the smoker disposed
OF no fewer than sixteen. At the eighty
sixth cigar. when fourteen only remained
70 be smoked, the hacker of time gave in,
hrdinS that the smoker was bound to win
and the latter puffed the remainder away
at his leisure In the course of The sane
evening.
The winner subsequently declared that he
had not experienced the slightest difficulty
or unpleasantness during the whole time
he was blowing off the weeds. The only
refreshment taking during the progress Of
the match was chop at = o'clock, the eat
ing of which occupied twenty minutes, aal
4 gill and half of brai:dy in cold water
at intervals throughout the day.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
German Oath Reform.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
An important reform in judicial proceed
Ere. dealing chiefly with the mode of al
ministering the oath to witnesses, has
passed through the preliminary stages of
consideration by the committee of the
reichstag, and will now be submitted 10 the
full house. by which it is certain to be
adopted. The reform consists of two
pciEts. The oath Is to be taken in future
not before. but after a witness has given
his evidence. He will thus be afforded an
opportunity, before being solemnly sworn,
OF once more considering whether there is
anything to be altered in or withdrawn
from his testimony. 1t is hoped by
this means to diminish the number OF
cases of perjury, the frequency of which
Is attributed in part to the present system
OF the so-called 'promissory OATH
The second reform provides penalties for
Untrue statements made by witnesses or
experts. not upon oath, after the presiden.
hes warned them CT the criminal:ty of will
fully false utterances. Moreover the par
ties to civil action will be placed on the
fcoting of witnesses in regard to the state
ments made by them, SO that in future the
hitherto unpunishable falsehoods of plain
tiiTs and defendants in civil action may be
expected to cease
This step is a novel and bold departure
and as Germany is the first country to
take 1t, its effects awaited in legal
circles with the greatest interest.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
State Insurance for German Workmen
! ErOnI the Berlin TaRehlatt.


State Insurance for Germnn Workmen
From the Berlin Tageblatt. .f.,r,
rF Some astonishing figures have Just beer
Issued by the imperial home office respect
ing the state insurance of workmen. AT
the end of the year 1897 there were 442, 9go
Industrial establishments, with j. 100, $50 in
sured persons, and 4,645.gO0 agricultural
settlements. with 11O00,0OO insured persons.
This insurance has reference only to acci-
dents. In addition to the numbers given
above the workers in the building trades
have to be reckoned. The total number OF
Workmen insured against accidents
amounted roundly to eighteen millions The
number of accidents in 1851 was ISL 800
and the money compensation paid in lump
sums or annually to 5l5,GtW persons was
sixteen million dollars.
There exists, moreover, in Germany a
system of insurance for all workmen OF
employees against disa element and old age
DisablemenG pay was granted in 1897 to
900 working men and women; old age
pensions were awarded to 222.GW persons
The amount together made up one hum
Gred and thirty-five million dollars in one
year. The contributions in the same year
In the proportion Of one-third from the EN-
ployers one-third from the workmen and
one-third from the state-amounted to two
hundred and forty-five million dollars. The
contributions are high because it is intend
ed to create a reserve fund of one hundred
and twenty-five million dollars, the interest
on which will eventually permit of reduc-
ton in the amounts contributed.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Napoleon in Peters Bed.

rrcin tne LOUISVILLE COhrler-Joufnal.
Peter the Great hated Moscow, and
above all, that stronghold of oriental in
trigue and moral darkness, the Kremlin
II l remember right, he never inhabited
the place within its walls after he was a
child. The old palace is a network of in
credibly SMALL low. Ill ventilated rooms
some little bigger than closets, painted in
greens, blus3 ard reds, after the Swedish
fashion: rooms which seem. even today, to
reek OF plots. intrigue and murder Ma
poleon. always trifle theatrical, insisted
on sleeping in the bed Of Peter the Great
when he occupied the Kremiin in 1872 The
bed OF the boy Peter fitted the hero of
Austerlitz to nlcsty. 1t is a very abbre-
Waited coucn. In the very heart of this
oriental palace, with no window which
gives On the outer day and the open air.
Is the terem, or women's quarters. The
terem was. to all intents and purposes a
harem. Ths ladies, even the tsaritza and
the sisters Of the tsar, were only permit
ted to look down into the hall Of corona
tion through carved wooden lattice, lust
as ladies' do In every harem In the east
They received no men except their huss
bands and brothers. anG when they went
out 1t was in a curtained litter When
Peter mounted the throne Of the tsars.
the women of Russia were erientaIs. Inn
prisoned far more vigorously than the Ia
dies OF Constantinople today
Evening star., 1898-04-01
ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.
Prisoner Seeks Liberty Through
Basement Window mt City Hall.

Prisoner Seeks Liberty Through
Basement Window mt City Hall.
The fact that an unsuccessful attempt of
a prisoner to escape from the cage in the
basement of the city hall building occurred
Wednesday afternoon did not leak out until
today. Joseph Davis, alias Davidson, col
cred, who had been convicted of house
breaking, was the individual who took pre-
iminary steps toward regaining his liberty.
Had 1t not been for the vigilance of Deputy
Marshal Springman, Davis probably would
be wanted by the police at the present
time.
In the we'll of the room of the cage set
apart for male prisoners was circular
opening for ventilation. This opening was
near the ceiling and communicated With
one of the public corridors of the ba asement.
1t was protected by single iron bar. Dep
uty Marshal 81 ringman, who is in charse
o. the prisoners is located in the corridor OF
the cage, some distance from the door Oh
the room for male prisoners.
Five or six perSoLS were conhned IN the
room Wednesday. Noticing SUSPICIOUS
quiet the deputy marshal moved to a po-
sition In the corridor from which view
of the room was obtainable. He stood
quietly as Davis mounted a bench beneath
the opening and with apparently lttle
effort removed the bar and quietly placed
it in q corner of the room. The prisoner
was about to raise himself to the opening
when Springman stepped quickly to the
door and said:
Davis. here's the morning paper. Don't
you want to read it?'
Its pretty warm in here. was the an
swer of Davis, as he stepped from the
berrch to the floor.
Yes, 1T is" added the deputy marshal.
would you mind handing me that iron
bar over in the corner?"
Without a word the prisoner passed the
bar through the grating.
During the remainder of the afternoon
the deputy marshal was unusually vigi-
Ion T6< inc in, a w
morning was securely closed with brick
and cement.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
TO TRANSPORT NEW YORK MILITIA.
Starin Company Offers Its Services
Free of Charge.


Free of Charge.
ALBANY, N. Y. April 1.-The following
teiegraphic dispatch was received at the
executive chamber today:
NEW YORK, April 1, 1885,
Hon. Frank S. Black, Governor and Com
mander-in- chief Albany.
Sir: Upon behalf of Mr.. John H. Starin
and the Starin transportation lines Of this
city and New Haven, I beg to inform you
that in the event of such action being nec-
essary, We hold ourselves in readiness at
two hours notice. to transport the entire
National Guard of the state of New York
say fourteen thousand men-from this
city to any point or points in the harbor,
the lower bay. or to the fortihcations in
Long Island Sound. To this end there will
be furnished all necessary landing places,
steamers for the troops, steam lighters for
guns, Ca1ssons and ammunition. and barges
and tugs fer horses and wagon trains. For
this service there would be no charge.
have the honor to be
Very respectfully,
HOWARD CARROLL
Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery,
S. ". Y.
In the absence of the governor from the
city. his private secretary. Col. Griffith.
turled the dispatch over to the adjutant
general. The adjutant general replied as
follows:
: In the absence of commander -in-chief,
l beg to thank MIR. Starin and you for the
patriotic and generous proffer. Should the
occasion arise the governor will promptly
advise you of his wishes.
c. WHITNEY TILLINGHAST,
Adjutant General
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Expert Opinion ON "Tattling.o
From the New York Evening Post

Do school children of the present day
hold in less aversion the "telltale'' or tat
tletale' than did those who. a quarter of a
century ago. bravej the masters rod
rather than tell? The question ia sug-
gested by the report of a test made IN the
schools of Utica by Superintendent George
Grif1ith- At his prompting 1000 children
We're asked TO give their written opinion
anonymously, it is supposed. as to whether
one pupil should testify against another.
Voluntary telling or "tattling'' was not
meant in the test but only Is per cent of
the children noted the distinction. SO that
the result may be accepted as the chill
dren's opinion OF the "tattler" The ques-
ton asked was whether II was right or
wrong. and il appears that the boys hold
more robust views Judged in the remem-
brance Of old school days. on the matter
than do the girls OF the 2S3f who an
cent. and 3Ia girls, or - per cent. con-
sidered IL right not to tell, the larger per-
centage of both regarding IL as wrong,
Evening star., 1898-04-01
wAsHrNGTON.s Lors.
He Took shares IN the MancAssser
Real Estasc Lottery.

NE Took shares In the ManchosteR
Real Estatc Lottery.
From the Richmond Dispafch
When the gaze OF history first fell on
Manchester. Richmond was not on the
nap. The story OF the settlement OF the
city Is full OF interest. The tract OF land
where Manchester In now was owned BY
Col William Byrd. to whom also be-
lohged the capital city site. He hal the
iano-oeautfful and sunny. and sloplnx
gently to the riyer-laid out In lots each
OF square in size. To sell them he adopt
ed the lottery plan, and many Of the rich
est and most influential landholiers in
the colony to.,k chances. Among these was
george Washington. afterward the "Fa-
tner OF His Country" As she had done
before, and did so many times after For
tune smiled on his little gambling scheme
Two exce,lently located lots becamA Fa-
ther Georges and only some for.y years
ago DID they pass out of the possession
OF MS heirs. The tracts are situated on
wEat Is now Porter street and, as every
body wanted to live on or aear George
IN the event he got burned ont at Mt
vernon and came to Manchester to 1--we
forter became the fashion able thorough
rare OF the town, and remains such today.
when George died he left his Manchester
Possessions to the Randolphs, who lived
locates these lots on the north side of
fcrter between 11th and l2th streets. How
ever. instead Of building a dozen or mora
nouses on lot then. as now, a great man.
sion mouse was built in the center of a
square These residences. the palaces of
uheir time. were called tenements, in which
hVed some or the richest people in Virginia.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Could Not Guide n PIow.

A certain incident connected with the
great Napoleon. while he was in exile In
Elba, is commemorated in the island, to
this hour. by an inscription affixed to the
wall of peasants house.
A man named Giaconi was plowing when
the famous exile came along one day and
expressed an interest in his work. Napo-
leon even took the piowshare out Q. the
mans hand and attempted to guide it him.
SELF. But the oxen refused to obey him,
overturned the plow andAspofled the fur,
row.
The inscription runs thus:
NAPOLEON the Great. passing by this
place In MDCCCX1V. took in the neighbor-
peasant and himself tried to plow. but the
oxen, rebelliOus to those hands whicn yet
had guided Europe. headlong fed from the
furrow.'
Evening star., 1898-04-01
Canada's Whales Go 10 Aliens.
rv<un IN nr.r

At the sixth annual meeting of the On
tar1o land surveyors In the parliament
buildings Mr. J. w. Tyrrell OF Hamilton
read paper on The Economic Resources
OF the Hudson Bay District" The animal
wealth. he said. consisted in the various
arctic fur-oearing animals. walruses, which
supply ivory. and seals and whales, which
supply OIL He pointed cut the destruction
OF the valuable whale colonies In Hud-
sons bay by aliens. and thought It should
be stopped. One whale was worth Sl5 $50.
ana II was. In fact. the most valuable
creature In the world. The timber re-
sources he described as varied, but some-
what stunted In growth. Gold, he said.
existed on the west coast OF Hudson's bay,
and large deposits Of iron. copper and sil-
ver mixed with lead on the east coast. on
the whole. the country seemed to him q
rich one.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
POLICE REoReAxIzAr1ox.
The Bib Thonght to Have Bee
Beaten I'm the House.

The BiJf Thought to Have Been
Beaten I'm the House.
Special Dispatch to Ths Evening Star.
STATE HOUSE. ANNAPOLIS, Md, April
1.-The house Of delegates was thrown into
a turmoil today by an effort to change the
reference Of the bin to reorganize the Ball
timore city police board on bipartisan
basis from the Baltimore city delegation.
which Is unfriendIy to the measure. to the
house judiciary committee. which. 1t was
thought by the advocates Il the bill, would
render Its passage probable
The reference by the speaker precipitat-
ed a Storm of indignation among Governor
Lowndes' fr.eEds and tine administration
representatives. and intense satisfaction
among the Malster men. The democratic
minority, with the exception of Delegate
Writ of Cecil, are In favor of the bill, as
are the administration men OF the house.
The house was crowded today with spec
tators. Congressman Mudd. who came
over from Washington last night to assume
control of the fight against the bill. sat
beside the speaker at the opening of the
session, and drew sharp comments from
gestions to the presiding officer. 4 motion
to suspend the rules to change the refer
ence to the judiciary, committee was fol-
lowed by motion to lay that motion on
the table, which was voted down by n vote
of 80 to 30. The motion to suspend the
rules was lost. failing to obtain a two
third vote.
Delegate Gould of Montgomery led the
opposition to the bill on the floor of the
house. The opponents of the bill were jubi
liant at this result and claim that this kills
It. n great deal of excitement prevails, and
many invi1ious charges have been inter-
changed among those for and against the
bill.
The senate committee Oh elections pre-
sented a unanimous report in the Ciagett-
Gcrden election contest Of Prince Georges
county todav in of C1apatt
(dem.), who was returned as elected. The
rerort was unanimously adopted.
Gov. Lowndes has Withdrawn the name
of c. B. Baughman, nominated for justice
of the peace in the ninth election district
of Montgomery county, and substituted
Eldridge D. Kingsley.
Evening star., 1898-04-01
ADJoeHsMEsr OF CONGRESS-.
It 1. ExpfeieStTAaf both House. WIN

Senator's state chat the Senate will not
reconsider its purpose to adjourn over un-
til Monday, II, is. understood also that the
House U 70 adjourn over. There may Be
seme dff1eulty about adjourning the House
over. bat 1t VIII probably be supported in
manner to indicate that. such action Is
desirable Every possible effort will be
made in Congress to prevent action on the
Cuban question until Tuesday and longer
delay will be sought.
1t may be that recourse will be had to
an executive session of the House, such
as was hs.d by the Senate today Of leg
islative character. SO that members can be
privately given to understand the reason
for wanting few more days delay. 1t is
believed that If representatives and sena-
tors could know exactly the situation they
would be more willing to give the Presi-
Dent such time as he desires Nothing yet
has developed, however, in the direction
OF an executive session of the House.