davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09

sand dollars to make such-a gun. anu
a hundred and fifty dollars to fire II
once. This was the method Of firing:
Two bags Of coarse canvas, each per-
haps thirty inches long and ten inches
in diameter, we're trundled up to the
gun and lifted to the platform at the
breecb, ten feet above the ground. Each
bag contained sixty-fve pounds Of
smokeless powder.
Each grain Of powder is cylinder
two and half inches long and nearly
an inch in diameter, perforated length
wise with seven holes to give the
greatest possible combustion surface.
pointed projectile three feet long
and weighing thousand pounds was
placed in the gun, then two bags OF
powder behind it. The breech- block
was made fast, and spectators were es-
corted to pl,tform a hundred feet
away. The offiter blew shrill whistle
and the men scurried out of range. The
experienced placed their fingers In their
ears and the uninitiated initiated them.
The mizz)e of the gun became mass
Of flame. There was crash OF sound.
Half a mile seaward a waterspout
sprang into the air. Some SECONDS
later another waterspout appeared a
mile nearer Spain, and third was seen
still later fully three miles out to sea.
The smokeless powder was thus test
ed for the velocity Of its projectile and
its pressure on the breech OF the gun.
The charge Of q hundred and thirty
pounds was found to have given a We
lOcity OF two thousand one hundred
and forty feet a second, about double
the speed of sound, and a pressure OF
twenty thousand eight hundred
pounds on each square inch OK the
breech.
For second shot the officer wished
| to secure a velocity of two thousand
two hundred and fifty feet a second'
and so accurate was his calculation
and SO reliable the forces under MS
control that after the projectile had
ricochetted it's picturesque way fo1
miles to sea, the record showed speeo
of just three feet second more than
| had been planned.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
Two Incidents.

Here arc two incidents OF war times
which are full of meaning TO the
thoughtful American.
In the civil war companies OF col
ored troops on their way to the front
were forbidden to march through the
principal streets of Philadelphia, lest
they should be stoned by the mob.
They were going to give their lives
for their country, but they were led
through alleys and obscure streets to
do 1t, SO strong was the prejudice
against them in this northern city.
The Washington Star published the
other day an account of visit made
by one of it's reporters to the wounded
soldiers at Washington barracks. TWO
colored soldiers came up, both OF whom
were recovering from wounds. The
reporter spoke to one of them, bright
faced mulatto, asking where he had
been shot.
"In the charge up San Juan hill in
July" he answered. II belong to Troop
f, Ninth cavalry. The ball entered my
cheek. The artery was cut and was
squirting blood. l managed to get
back of the tiring-line somehow, but
the doctor said he could do nothing
for me. Just then Rough Rider came
up. He put his thumb on my jugular
vein and held it there two hours. TWO
hours-and me a negro! He saved my
life. Then the surgeon OF his troop
came up and sent surgeon"
Both the American and English cor
| respondents at Santiago bore testl-
mony to the courage and endurance OF
the colored troops. GAS soldiers. y
wrote one, "the black men in that fight
| ranked with the first"
The change of feeling between our
white and black defenders is surely to-
ward the line of good sense and Chris
tianity.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
Grant and = kissing Girl.

The kiss which Lieut. Hobson hero
ically received from st. Louis lady
at Long Beach recalls an incident IN
which the late General u. S. Grant hg-
ured, without, however, sharing the
blushipg honor. Just after the close
of the civil war General Grant, with
his family, went to the Union Hotel
at Saratoga Springs.
Major William w. Leland, the pro
| prietor Of the hotel, had been CHIEF
commissary on the generals stan. he
gave a banquet to General Grant and
his wife. Many officers who were from
the army of the Tennessee were pres
ent, as well as several prominent citi-
Zens.
During the dinner the guests were
somewhat startled to see a Saratoga
| belle advance, with gracious Grecian
bend, and ask permission OF the gen.
eral to kiss him. There was only one
there who received the generals salute.
To that high person he now deferred.
Turning, he said: with Mrs. Grants
permission"
Mrs. Grant had, as everyone ob-
served, dropping lid. She was obliged
therefore, to throw back her head to
get good look at the audacious sup
plicant, who now had not only the eyes
of all the distinguished company on
her, but those Of the other guests OF
the hotel as well.
After an embarrassing pause, in
which Mrs. Grant had time to con-
slider the offensive charge On her de-
fenseless spouse and fortify herself
against the fair enemy, she came to his
relief and declined to capitulate. Moth
ing daunted, however, and to prove to
those present that the American girl
has nerve as we'll as mettle, the fair
heroine seized the generals hand and
said:
"Well, as you will not kiss me, Will
shake your hand" and retired with all
the honors of war-vanquished but not
subdued.- York Mail and Express
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
Storage OF Celery.

A. report of the Maine Experiment
Station says: If on we'll drained soils,
celery plants may be left in the rows
till the last of November, by having
some litter at hand to apply in case
Of hard freezing. It should be re-
membered, however, that If the plants
are well banked a little freezing Of
the tips of the leaves will do no harm.
and the mistake is often made Of ap-
plying winter protection too early and
thus injuring the crop by keeping 1t
too warm. For winter storage the
method in vogue in some celery grow
ing districts is to make, on we'll
drained soils, beds Of four to six
double rows of plants with wall OF
dirt between. Bank UP on the out
side till the tips Of the leaves Just
show above the surface OF the bed.
Leave the bed in this condition till
hard freezing begins, then throw two
or three inches Of soil over the surface.
Let this soil freeze hard before apply
ing litter, and never apply heavy
cover at the first approach Of cold
weather. The soil in the bed is still
warm, and If heavy coat Of manure
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
Five Little Brothers


Five little brothers set out together
10 journey the livelong day,
IN curious carriage, ali made OF
leather,
They hurried away away!
One big brother and three quite small,
And one wee fellow, no size at all.
The carriage was dark and none too
roomy,
And they could not move about,
The five little brothers grew very
gloomy,
And the wee one began to pont.
11ll the biggest one whispered. What
do ye say?
Let's leave the carriage and run
away"
SO out they scampered, the FIVE to-
getheT,
And off and away they sped
When somebody found that carriage OF
leather,
On, my, how she shook her head,
Twas her little boys shoe as every
one knows,
And the five little brothers were Eve
little toes.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
When Mother Sits Down by tho Fire

When Mother Sits Down by tho Fire
Oh, the five o'clock chime brings the
coziest time,
That is found in the whole OF the
day,
When Larry and Gus, and the others
Of US,
Come In from our study or play;
When We push the big chair to the
hearth over there,
And pile the wood higher and higher,
And make her a space in the very best
And mother sits down by the fire.
There's great deal to say at the close
OF the day,
And so much to talk over with moth
er;
There's comical sight or q horrible
plight,
Or a ball game, or something or
other.
And she'll laugh with Larry and sigh
with Harry,
And smile to our hearts desire
al triumph won or task Weli
done
When sitting down there by the fire.
Then little she'll care for the clothes
that We tear,
Or the havoc we make on her larder:
For the toll and the strife OF our every
day life
she will love us a little bit harder
linen our lady is she, and her knights
we would be,
And her trust doughty deeds will
inspire;
For We long then anew to be generous
and true
When mother sits down by the fire.
Martha Burr Banks In Independent.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
Firing q Big Gun.

The Spectator" Of the Outlook tells
now he went to Sandy Hook and saw
the testing of smokeless powder from
one of Uncle Sans big guns, @ gun
thirty five feet long. weighing sixty
five tons.
It's powder charge is one hundred and
thirty pounds, more or less. Its pro-
iectile weighs thousand pounds,
and will do execution at eight
miles, It costs over sixty thou
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AORiCULTURlSTS
Some Up-tO-Date Hints About Gull
tivation OF the >Sil and Yields
Observation-Disclosures, vhicuIture and
Horticulture
Asparagus Culture In Missouri.

Bulletin No. 43 Of the Missouri Ex-
pertinent Station, by Prof. J. G. Whit
ten, horticulturist, describes in detail
the best methods OF growing aspara-
gus. which, briefly summarized, are as
follows:
This plant succeeds well in any rich
soil, loose and somewhat sandy soil
being preferred. The best varieties are
the Palmetto and Colossal For the
best results the seed should be sown
In the greenhouse or hot-bed In Feb
ruary. When the plants are two OF
three inches high put the best of them
In "a inch pots. The selection OK
plants is of great Importance. Many
of them will have stems that are nat
and twisted, or that send out branches
near the ground, are tough and woody
and should be discarded Select only
such as are cylindrical, smooth. and
make at least two inches Of growth
before putting out leaves. These Will
make crisp and tender plants. Re-
pot these young and tender plants ire
Quenly until about the first OF May,
when they should be planted out OF
doors. In the absence OF greenhouse
or hot-bed facilities for growing these
plants, it would be best to buy from
some flrst-class nursery good one-year-
old plants. For the asparagus bed the
soil should be pulverized thoroughly
to a good depth, and the plants set IL
to 1S inches apart in straight rows
four feet apart. Vary the depth OF
setting the plants in the ground from
four inches at one end Of the bed to
eight inches at the other; the shallow
set plants will come up earlier In the
spring, thus giving longer producing
season. Give clean cultivation during
the summer, and in the early winter
mulch heavily with old fine manure
In early spring ridge up the rows by
turning the soil between the rows over
the sprouting plants. The sprouts COM
Ing through this depth Of soil Will De
long, we'll bleached and tender. Ihls
ridging also facilitates subsequent cul'
tivation, as after the asparagus is cut
these ridges may be raked or lightly
narrowed to kill all weeds without in
juring the crowns below. No aspara-
gus should be cut until the plants are
two or three years old, but after they
have become thoroughly established
cutting may continue daily for six OF
eight weeks in the spring. Allow nc
stems to make leaves until cutting
ceases about the first OF June. After
that time the best cultivation should
be given until autumn. Under no cir
cumstances should the tops be cut al
ter harvesting ceases until they have
died in the fall. This summer growth
makes the plants strong and ready fol
the next springs crop. A bed treatet
in this way every year should produce
well for forty years.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
Merino Wool Decrease in Australia,

Merino Wool Decrease in Australia,
The annual wool trade review issued
by Messrs. Winchcombe, Carson 4 Co.,
Of Sydney, New South Wales, calls at-
tention to the decrease in merino wool
in that part of Australasia, and the
relative increase OF crossbred wOols
It says:
There are now so many different
degrees Of cross existing that the old
New England type of wool seems IN
danger of losing it's identity altogether.
Many solicitors have actually bred
from crossbred rams. Result. chaos,
some OF the progeny going back to
strong woods, c.hers tending tO fine,
and the greater majority being monde
scripts. 1t is stated that IS per
cent of the sheep in the Argentine Re-
public are now crcssbreds, and about
rs per cent of the New Zealand sheep
are either crossbreds or long-wools.
Consequently the man who breeds for
a crossbred wool abandons the class III
staple which can be grown nowhere
to such perfection as in Australia In
favor of q commoner grade which Is
being produced in immense Quantities
in various other parts Of the world"
Destroying Wheat Smut.-The bes,
method for destroying smut in Utah is
to submit the grain to bath of yitriol
and lime water just before time fo-
sowing. All the wheat sown is spring
grain, hence the bath is given after the
seed has been stored in the granar.y
during the winter. The bath is made
by dissolving ten pounds Of vitriol and
an equal amount of lime in barrel
Of water to make enough for one ton
of wheat. The barrel is filled almost
full of this solution and the wheat -
dipped in and allowed to thoroughly
saturate and then spread out to dry,
Some farmers use tin bucket or coal
oil can with holes perforated in the
bottom. Others shovel the barrel full
Of wheat. and after leaving 1t stand
awhile throw out the grain. Another
method is to put the grain in a gunny
sack and submerge the sack.-Ex.
Housing Poultry.-Don't house all
kinds OF poultry together. Ducks.
geese, chickens and turkeys should
each have separate sleeping places,
Hens and guineas do very well togeth-
er. but they are the only two classes
that do.-Ex.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
BONE GOOD STORIES FOR OUR
JUNIOR READERS.

When Mother Sits Down by the Ftre-
An Ideal Mamma al Seen by a Girl
OF Eighteen Years Two Little Misses
--MarCuerite's Ride.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09

In nine cases out of ten the father.
in-law of the man who claims to be
self-mahe is responsible for the job.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
CAMPFIRE SKETCHES.
GOOD SHORT STORIES FOR
THE VETERANS.

Two Incidents o: the Battle nf Santiago
Gen. Grant and n kissing Gixl--
Saratoga Jade from Whom Mrs. Grant
Rescues Her Husband.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09

Is put on the top, the frost ls soen
taken out Of the surface soil and the
temperature will be high enough 10
induce decay. The secret Of success
with the winter storage Of celery Is to
keep cool. As the severe weather Of
winter approaches. the covering Of lit
ter may be increased unless there Ia q
fall Of snow.
TO open the beds take the litter on
from one end, break the crust of soal
with a pickaxe, and remove any de-
sired amount Of celery. Then care
fully replace the covering. This plan
has the merit of cheapness, and for
holding plants through the winter fs
preferable in pit or cellar. II the
plants are to be disposed Of as early
as January, they may be stored in
cool cellar or pit. In this case the
plants are set very closely together on
loose moist loan. To avoid heating
consequent on packing largo Quanti-
ties OF the plants together. compart-
ments about two feet wide by eight or
ten feet long are made by setting UP
boards, which shall come TO the tops
OF the plants when in place. If the
plants are closely packed so as to OK
clude the air it is unnecessary to use
boards between them. When plants
are stored in this way it Is necessary
to keep the temperature of the pit or
cellar as near the freezing point Al
possible. If, however, It is desired to
hasten the process Of blanching, tho
temperature OF the place may DO
raised. The soil in which the plants
are placed should be kept moist to
prevent willing, but tie foliage should
always be kept dry, or there will be
trouble from rotting.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09
The Mushroom Season,


The mushroom season has opened
with good supply of this delicious
vegetable. Years differ very greatly
IN this respect. During the last five
years We have had three mushroom
seasons. They were 1894, 1895 and
1888 The years 1895 and 1897 weTo
on years, so to speak. The lack Of
rains during the summer and early tall
made it impossible for the nycelium
to develop. At least this was the con-
dition in Northern Illinois, and ws
presume the same was true over
wide extent OF country. Good rains ars
necessary some weeks before the fruit
OF the mushroom appears, for the plant
itself is of slow development.
1t would be OF value to our readers
it they would educate themselves on
the Wild mushrooms. At present
Agaricus Melleus is growing in large
quantities in the vicinity Of Northern
Illinois and we doubt not throughout
the whole country. This mushroom is
described in a report Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture for 1891. 1t is a
honey colored mushroom of great pro-
Efficacy. We will not try to describe
1t, for We think it unsafe for our read,
ers to attempt to gather this or any
other mushroom on word descriptions.
The government publishes colored
plates Of the principal mushrooms
that are good for food In this way
one could be about certain of the
variety he is gathering. If any OF our
readers wish to take up the subject
at this time, we would advise them to
send to Washington for reports on
mushrooms. We will add a word oil
caution: Do not take any chances on
| varieties that you do not know, and Dc
not trust any Of the rules that are
given for determining good and bad
mushrooms. Such rules are very dead
ly, as they fail at the very point whess
they are supposed to be strong. Take
for instance the rule that says put g
teaspoon in the cooking mushroom and
If it be poisonous it Will turn the spoon
black or at least discolor it. One oa
the deadly Amanitas will do no euch
thing, but nevertheless it is as deadly
as rattlesnake, no antidote havin1
been found for it.
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09

A litti. girl who knew nothing abont
encores. found fault with the audience
at a recent children's concert. I know
we didn't make one mistake" she ex-
claimed. and they made us coma ou,
and stng It all over again."
The Philipsburg mail., 1898-12-09

Little Misc Fret and Little Miss Laupb.
Cries little Miss Fret, in a very grea,
pet,
II hate this warm weather; It's hor.
rid to tan.
1t scOrches my nose and blisters m,
toes,
And wherever | go l must carry q
fam
Chirps little Miss I"ugh, why
couldn't tell hall
The fun l am having this brlgh
summer day.
| sing through the hours, I Gull pretty
flowers,
And ride like a queen on the swcc
smelling hay"
Wide Awake Temperance Reciter
Der Nordstern. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1874-1931, 1898-10-20
llmcrifancr unc Scmticbc.

Sn Der Submit, welde D. War=
imilian Sarben reoigirt miro unO Ell
lie 9roBe %erbreitung bat, per6nentz
lidt 6err 6uso Miiniterbers, Elm
Frofeilor an Der Saruarp llniperiitdt.
cine iebr intereiiante abbanbluns,
wel6e iiir Sic Seutl6en I'M alten %as
terlanbe bo6lt lebrrei6 lein pilrite.
SeipnberS bemerfenswertb lit bic
Stelle, in welder FroIeiior Miiniterz
berg aniiibrt, pie shmerifaner uno
Seuti6e burd permanbte i3i9e mebr
auieinauoer anscpieien limb, ais irz
9enb swei anbere Nationen unierer
3eit. Gr la9t: ,Imerita miro ni6t
mebr pom Der SIbne ser @eltpolitit
peri6pinben, uno wenn ii6 hie@rups
pen unb Yarteien biloen, werben bic
|.reinisten Straten ~fiinitis tets baz
BEL iein. Sn iol6er Gage lit es banr,
nidt mebr, wie bisber, BLOB elm tbso=
retii6er Srrtbum, lonoern wirb Elm
praftii6er Sebltritt, wenn Seuti6z
lamb elm unsliifli6es Ebantaliesebiloe
al bic Steqe beS Entertainers lest
unb auf loldes S6einwelen ieine
Spmpatbien unb antipatbieu be;iebt.
Tor benz Srie9e mar es 9anS ansez
bra6t, iiber 81. unslitli9.n Sri9i=
nen unb S9iloldule gu itreiten; mad
benz &riese itebt aber wirfli9 &i9=
tiseres arf benz Spiel, uno es liest in
Seutl9lanb tiefitem Sntereile, ni9i
MIR bic S9inten uno @epfel, lonoeru
por aIem bic @abnuoriteluns iibe,
bas amerifanilde Iolf pon Der Sin:
iubr aus3ui9lieBen. Die Spmpa:
THEN unb Nntipatbien bleiben MN
einmal, oft allen wirtbl9aitli9en Sn:
tereilen gum Sroe, elm md9tiser Sat:
tor, unb ipenn bas amerifaniide Soli
nod ierner fiblt, baB Oeutldlanb es
~fabrldiiis mibueritebt, mosen zines
Cages weber bic Selonnenbeit be,
Resierunsen, nod bic miaionenfa9er
beuti9en Namilienbanbe i'm Stanb,
iein, einem G%ulturunsliid uOrsubeu:
gen.
0euti9e unb @merifaner limb brrd
bic @emeinidait ibrer Sbeale, burd
bic 9eruanbidait ibrer ibealiitiider
Gbaratter,i9e aufeinanber an9emie.
Der Nordstern. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1874-1931, 1898-10-20
Ginlblntiser 3uiammenfob ,wii&en
streifern unn Negern.

Die fleine Srtl9ait Girben in iaiz
nois lpar an porlebten Mittmod Der
S9auplab zines blutisen i3ulammen=
itoBes swil6en ben sur Union sebOri=
gen &oblensrdbern unb 9tesern, bic,
I'M beren Fldse einsunebmen, aus benz
Siben bortbin sebradt wHrben. als
am %9enannten Sage 40 Winuten mad
II llbr Mittass elm !3us Der Chicago
unb @lton Sabn nit 200 Nesern aus
Dem Siioen e%intraf, beaam lefort cine
beftise SdieBerei, BEL wel6er, mie
man bis jest erfabren bat, s Wann
getobtet uno IS p%eripunoet morben
lino.
Die Streiter rparen i6on ieit ,pei
@o9en aui Der gSa6t, Inn 81 perbin=
bern, oaB frenoe Nrbeiter an ibrer
STEELE in bic SerSwerte 9ebra6t mir
ben, unb ais an Wittss pirtli6 bas
Grpartete e%intrai, sins Der Sanc TO-
tort los. ,. 9. &ilep, Elm Setectip
Der Chicago unb @lton Sabn, wel6sr
Die @ei6e an iioli6en Gnoe bas
Sabnbofes bewa6te, mar Der critic
Sobte. Ser !3ug iubr bur6 ben
Sabnbof bis sur Stodabe unb murbe
bic gauge ,3ett BON beiben Seiten beis
ti9 bel6onen. Die Ne9er i'm :3u9e
erwioerten baS Seuer, uno Der !3us
mar politdnbis in Y~ulperbampi sez
biat. @e9en 2 llbr wuroe Der Sapen
Der Gbicasos&ir pen Goal Gompasnie,
Der ben Nanlen Glimar Grabbing So.
iilbrt, angesriiien, uno Der &erpalter
oclIelben, :. i. Gplter, sur Sll6t
%9eSwunSen. Gr lob aui Die Sd6er
unp f~euertc 0 bort, ob9lei6 ielbit
perpunpet, in Die Weni6enbauien
aui Der StraBe, wel6e ibm Sii6ienz
tuSeln sul6itten. S6lieBli6 iiel er
leinen Serfol9ern in sic fdnbe uno
wuroe arg 9el%piBbanbelt.
@oup. Gamer, mel6er pom Dem
Sberiif Davenport pom Wacoupin
Gountp BON Dem &i in Niroen te=
le8rapbt'6 unterri6tet muroe, eab
Dem Sber't Craig, mel6er Die Satte=
RE = uno Gompagnie Der Cons Of
&eterans in Fanu commonoirt, Be
febl, lofort mad Giroen u6;u0eben unb
rproertc ferner ben Oberit Namilton,
Der baS Jte9iment Ser Cons OF &ete=
rams ~befebligt, uui, pier G~ompa0nien
'etneS Ne9lmento III Sprin9fielo III
%per'ammeln. @ouu. Gamer iaote:
sd perpe Dem Sberit Craig, Ser Die
Sruppen III &irben commandment rpiro,
befeblen, Nufrubr III unterbriifen, Sc
ben ulo Gigentbum I'll i6ieen, aber
nidt 81 9eltatten, oaB importirte Pr
better BORT ob9eluoen werben, na6oem
bic Wtinenbeliecr, our6 Sci; unb Sc
minnlu6t beeiniluBt, ibre Srobung,
Nurrubr uno SlutuergieBen berbei;u=
tlbren, wabr 9ema6t baben. Die
Vtinenbeliper lino perantmprtlid, ira
gen Die Sdulb an Dem Gerluit Don
Wenl6enleben, u1o lollten pon ben
WroB9e10lporenen Don Wacoupiu
Gountu we9en MoroeS III Glntla9e
perlebt werpen, mas, wie id CLAUDE,
audi 9cl0cben miro.