davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

of so doing (for everybody watches the glass; take into your left hand the glass cover" Then pick up the glass by bringing the hand down upon it from above Gin so doing gently lowering the cover on to the top), and hold 1t up as tity of water. T think that will be about right. I make a few passes over and round the glass (you make believe to do so), and now, if the conditions are favorable the mesmeric force will overpower the attraction of gravitation and the water will stand on it's head without difficulty. See, 1 place my hand on the top. l turn the glass up side down. The water does not fall out. Why? Because my hand keeps ait in, you say. But I take away my hand (you do sol, and the water still re- mains suspended.
 Tt is a curious experiment., isn't it? but anybody can do it if they know how it's done. In the first place, you must have the right kind of water. Secondly, when you take away your hand, you must hold the glass exactly perpendicular-so: Would any gentle Spread your hand over the mouth of the glass-quite flat, mind. Now turn it over. Get the glass exactly upright, and then take the hand away. An! I'm afraid you didn't get the glass quite perpendicular.
 In the course of your remarks you have once more brought the right hand over the top of the glass and removed the cover in the palm. When the ex- perimenter, following your instructions, inverts the, glass and takes away his hand the water pours out, as might be expected.
 We will now fill the glass again, and I will show you, as l promised, how to melt silver in water. Will somebody lend me another half-dollar? Mark it, please Now, who will hold it thl I'm ready? Hold it high up, so .--at every body can see that it isn't changed; and in the other hand hold the glass of water for me. Now must ask the loan of Iady's pocket handkerchief. Thank you. Now I take the half-dollar" (you do so): throw the handkerchief over it, and hand it trback to you. Hold it inn mediately over the glass, please, and we will drape the folds of the handkerchief gracefully round the sides. Now, sir, when 1 say three, drop that half dol lar into the glass. One-two-threei ! You all heard it fall? I just blow upon the glass and count seven-one, two, three, four. five, six, seven. Remove the handkerchief-the half-dolfar has ppeared-completely melted"
 The neophyte will at this point need a little explanation. While you are again filling the glass, which you do E this time with the left hand. you get into the right the glass disc. Just be- fore you take the half-dollar from the person holding it, you squeeze the disc with the thumb edgeway between the second and third fingers, so that it shall project at the back of. the hand. Hold ing the coin in the same hand, you throw the handkerchief over it. at the same time turning the hand slightly over and with the thumb and fingers of the opposite hand seize Cthrough the handkerchief apparently the coin, but really the glass disc. This it is which < is handed back to be held over the glass, and this it is which is dropped into the water, where it becomes, as already mentioned, invisible.
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

you transfer it to the left, letting it lie toward the tips of the second and third fingers. You rub 1t gently with the fingers of the right hand, and then, taking it again in that hand, hold it over the flame of the candle) No result as yet; Te must try again" CRe- peat. and then test it by pretending to bend it with the fingers.) Tt is getting soft, you see, for it bends quite easily"
 This effect is an optical illusion. If the coin be held as shown in figure l, and the fingers bent backward and for ward Gas though hinged to it's edges), some peculiar effect of light and shade makes it appear to the spectators that the coin bends with the motion of the fingers. To proceed:
 Again l place it in the left hand and rub it a little more, and this time 1t will melt clean away, right into the flame of the candle.' As you say these words you lift the candlestick with the right hand Gas in figure 9, and with the fingers and thumb of the other hand make rubbing movement immediately above the flame. as if crumbling the coin into it. The left hand is then
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

panion, a grabbed old fellow out to look at a mine, that he never liked to Tide on the box because 1t made him feel sick The remark was made on the way up from San Diego before Ramona was reached. But when he heard the people at the hotel in Ramona talking about a young lady being in charge of the Mesa Grande stage and when later he saw her drive the hand up to the steps of the hotel he wished he had not expressed himself so freely to his companion.
 The nervousness experienced by the two passengers as they left Ramona in the care of this young woman gave way to confidence in her ability as mile after mile was covered. They poked their heads out of the side when she drew up the horses with jerk not far from the top of the Graves Canyon grade and heard her begin conversation with an elderly man who had suddenly put in an appearance in a blackboard at a turn of the road just ahead. The two pas sengers gathered from the conversation that their handsome stage driver was the daughter of this man and that he had come down from the other end of the line to see if she had got through all right He evidently thought she had, for he. let her pass on, while he could
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25
SHE DRIVES H FOUR-HORSE COHCH OVER TUE NHIL ROUTE
 uurmMnm .mmAnR@h @h&uAmom

N HANDSOME young lady, Miss
 N Alice Westover, daily drives
 A he four-horse Concord stage which conveys mail and pas
 sengers between Mesa Grande
 and Ramona. in the mountains fifty miles east of the city of San Di- ego. It would not be strange if the duty were performed by a man, al- though the grades are steep and acci- dents are not uncommon when the brake fails to work and crowds the fretful horses into gallop down the long grade between Mesa Grande and Black Mountain Canyon
 But the novelty of seeing pretty AL Ice Westover alone on the box. deftlv guiding the fourth n-hand up and down the mountain grades remains as full of interest to the mountaineers along the route as it is to the occasional passen- ger who transfers his baggage and him. self from the San Diego stage at Ra- mona to the stage bound for Mesa Grande and places himself under the care of this alert and active young wo- man.
 Alice Westover is no ordinary young
 -SA o iAONIlldlHe6T, NnOSe He and surroundings have been influenced by the rough life of isolated communi- ties. She is not only pretty. but edu- cated anu refined, with all the culture and grace of the best city bred young woman of to-day. She is 20 years old her friends say-and is the daughter of M. N. Westover, a weII-known rancher of Mesa Grande who has the contract for carrying the United States mail in that section.
 MT. Westover is a busy man. He formerly employed men to drive the sta~- to Ramona, but things never ran smoothly. The horses were driven nearly to death, and complaints were numerous over the failure of the stage 10 make connections. MT. Westover has no son to share his responsibilities and was almost on the point of giving up his mail contract when his daugh- ter Alice one day asked to be allowed to drive the stage to Ramona and back.
 What" exclaimed her father. Those leaders would whisk you off the box before you could say Jack Robin son. You would never reach Santa Is abel Creek. much less Ramona"
 should like to try, anyway" was Alice's reply. Unless you absolutely
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

forbid me to make the attempt I will drive the stage down tomorrow
 Ho, ho!" was her fathers good natured but contemptuous response, and nothing more was said about the matter that day.
 The next morning Alice in becoming skirt, hitched up the four horses and was ready to start out with the coach before her father knew what was go- ing on. When he became aware of the situation he looked surprised, but said nothing, except to give her a few words of advice.
 So Miss Westover, who had learned few things about driving during her lifetime in the mountains, cracked the long whip and started with the four in-hand for the Mesa Grande Postoffice after the outgoing mail Postmast er Gedney was also surprised when he learned that the stage was to be taken down the mountain by Miss Westover, but he placed the mail pouch in the boot of the stage and refrained from -aying just what he thought about .he matter
 Miss Westover has driven the four bronchos down the mountain many times since then, but she will never for get that first trip to Ramona, eighteen miles over the rough grades, and the return trip later in the day. Over the crest Of the hump which hides Mesa Grande Postoffice from the top of the grade the stage numbered, the horses In nigh spirits and anxious for a gallon. There were no passengers in the stage that morning.
 The road takes winding course down the grade, and there are sharp turns to be made to avoid the trees and an occasional boulder. It makes a par Icularly sharp descent in passing Lace Falls, where the water from the noun tain falls sheer one hundred feet and runs down the canyon to Santa Isabel Creek. The creaking brake and clatrer- Ing hoofs of the horses had caused an early traveller on the grade to make a wide turn out from the road at cor Venient point even before he saw tha stage coming. He stared in unfeiened surprise when he saw nobody but young lady on the box the horses com pletely under her control, though rat
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25
How Miss Alice Westover Takes the Passengers Over Mo

ting along at a lively rate with the swaying stage.
 The end of the nine-mile grade down Mesa Grande ends at Black Mountain Canyon, where Miss Westover drew up the horses at a farm house known as Sutherland Postoffice, and took on an- other mail bag. It was not long after that before the stage was crawling up the dangerous Graves Canyon road, where even lighter vehicles have to be managed with great care to avoid acci dents at the abrupt turns among the trees. But the stage was taken through safely, and better time was made on the road leading through Hatfield Canyon.
 The arrival of Miss Westover with the stage at Ramona was a notable event. A small crowd gathered at the Post office when it was noiSed about that young lady had brought the stage down from Mesa Grande. Yes, it's SC" Postmaster Strachan had told inquisi- tive residents of the town, and she is now getting her lunch down at the hotel She's the daughter of MT. West over. and if the stage always got in, on as good time as it did to-day I'd never kick"
 Well, she did certainly get in on time" observed bystander,- but blame me if I see how she handled them bronchos on the Graves Canyon grade. Dunno as I'd care to try it my self, only as you give me time and a good brake"
 After the arrival of the stage from San Diego and the transfer of mails for Sutherland and Mesa Grande, Miss Westover started with the stage and two passengers on the return trip. One of the passengers-a young man drum ming up country trade for a Los An geles house-had told his elderly com
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

coin between the fore and second fingers. The coin is now as shown in figure 3. Taking up the candlestick with the same hand, as in figure 2. the coin is invisible being hidden immedi- ately behind the thumb.
 You continue: You are thinking, ladies and gentlemen, that this is rather a costly experiment.; and so 1t would be if the half-dollar were en- tirely lost; but, fortunately, I can get it back again, not precisely in the same shape, but without any loss of the metal. Do you see little red spot at the extreme end of the wick? That the coin in state of fusion, and by giving the flame pinch-so-I can pick 1t off You may not see it for the first moment or two, but you will do so as soon as it begins to cool. Here it comes, you see. Here is your half dollar. sir, still warm. Many thanks for the loan of it."
 What you really offer Is the little ball
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

Graves Canyon grade The unruly broncho kicked a trace loose, but the plucky driver, instead of calling one of the male passengers to her assistance put on the brake tightly and after wrapping the lines around the brake bar disniounted and hitched up the re- fractory animal before the passengers knew why she had stopped.
 At Ramona, where the stage horses are usually shod, Miss Westover super vises the operation at the blacksmith shop, having her own ideas as to how such an important piece of work shou.d be done On the road she has become expert with the whip and can fleck .. fly from the back of the off leader With the skill of an experienced Jehu. Her courage in driving the stage is all the more remarkable when it is remem-
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

latter one may be as nature made it, but the other must undergo a little preparation. Cut a deeo slit in the orange at right angles to it's axis. and into the opening thus made squeeze a half dollar Place an orange on each plate and the plates on the table. a foot or so apart, the prepared orange having the slit turned away from the specta- tors. Just behind the plate which is. on your right hand Gas you stand behind the table. facing the company, lay the smaller glass disc, and behind the plate positions they will be quite hidden from the company. The table should have a wooden cover.
 The above preparations duly made, you are ready to show the company. Water Bewitched and How to Melt Coin in
 Glass of Water.
 Your batter may now be somewhat as follows: Melting silver by the aid of fire is not an entire novelty, but now am going to show you something much more surprising; how to melt, it in cold water. Here is some water (you three parts fill tumbler from water bottle)-'smere plain water-the same stuff you wash with, or take with pills By the way did any of you ever try to mesmerize water? No? Then I'll show you how it's done. It's rather a curious experiment It will be better, by the way, to have the glass little fuller''
 Here, with the right hand, you pour in little more water and under cover
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

she started out in the morning. All his predictions of disaster to the young lady had failed of realization and he extended congratulations in most hearty manner. I'll say this, Miss Westover, remarked Mir. Gedney, you made good time-yes, very good time, and the roads ain't in the best of shape. either"
 Since that first trip with the four horse stage last summer Miss Westover has made the trip of eighteen miles and return almost daily
 Fortunately Miss Westover has had no serious accidents on the road ana very few minor ones, though she was frequently alone both going and return ing. One of the small mishaps was when one of the leaders got to kicking as the stage was about to start up the
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

THE feast is over and the crack
 CTS have been pulled. The vocal
 ists have warbled their latest
 lays and the elocutionist has en-
 livened the company with comic recitation. What shall be the next item of the programme? Cant somebody show us few conjurlng tricks?" I propose to put the youthful reader in a position to reply Il will I will not undertake to make him in one lesson a Bertram or Hartz; but if he will faithfully follow my instruc- tions he will be quite conjurer enough after a few days practice, to have been burnt as a wizard, had he but lived few centuries earlier. We will begin with a comparatively simple expert ment.
 To Melt Coin in the Flame of Candle.
 Two lighted candles should be placed upon the table. where they may remain throughout the show" One only is actually needed for the trick, but it looks better to have two, and il adds somewhat to the effect if you allow the audience to decide which of them YOU should use. The only other require ment is a little piece of tinfoi, crumpled LID and rolled into a ball of, say, half an inch in diameter This is to be dis posed of as follows: Run a black pin through your vest, point downward, SO that the head shall be almost level with the lowest button and an inch to the left of it. On the point of the pin irnpale the little ball, which will thus hang down just inside the front of the vest. This is, If course, done privately beforehand.
 Having proc ired the loan of half dollar so marked as to be easily recognized, you make little oration to something u.a the following effect:
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

opened and shown empty. From the position of the hand holding the candle the inside of that hand is also freely seen, but the coin has disappeared.
 This effect depends upon very sim pie little piece of sleight-of- When you are, for the last time, about to transfer the coin from the right hand to the left, you let it lie upon the mid dle joint of the second finger of the right hand. Just as the right hand ap- breaches the left you raise the fore finger a little, and clip the edge of the
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

People often ask how it is that the fu- ture of Palestine presents such dffficuI- ties. The reason is simply that Jerusalem you cannot separate Jerusalem from Palestine-is the sacred city of so many creeds and warning faiths. Not only is it the holy place of all the Christian churches. and two or them quarrel bit but 1t is also one of the most sacred places In the Mohammedan world. Mecca and Medina are hardly more sacred than the Mosque of Omar. That is a fact which ia often ignored by Europeans who foreef that to turn the Mohammedans out of fhs temple enclosure would disturb the whola Moslem world from the Straits Settle ments to Albania. We must never forget that Mohammedan pilgrims from India visit Jerusalem just as Christian pilgrin1a visit it from Europe. Lastly, JerusaIen, Is profoundly sacred to the Jews, and the Jews are beginning to be locally numerous and important.-The Spectator
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

ing'' the flame, which you do with this same hand, you make rubbing motion with the thumb upon the fingers, and gradually work the ball down again to the finger tips.
 The lender naturally objecting to re- ceive back lis money in such an un- marketabl shape, the performer con- tinues: You can't take it like that? My dear sir, that is the very newest style, However, I daresay I can hatten it out a bit for you. But while we have been talking the metal has got hard. I shall have to soften it over the candle again." (You hold it over the candle accordingly) Now I fiatten it out, give it another mesmeric rub and there you have it, in the very same shape as at first I have even restored the mark you made on it. Please tell the com pany whether that is really your own half-dollar."
 The restoration is managed as fol- lows: When you remark that the metal has. grown cold, and must be warmed again, you are holding the little ball with the tips of the fingers of the left hand. In the act of taking it back into the right. you drop the half-dollar from the latter into the palm of the left hand. Holding the ball for a moment over the candle flame you roll it round and round with the thumb, and in so doing work it in between the second and third fingers The moment it Is safe you make believe to transfer it again to the left hand but in reality bring the gathered finger tips into the palm of the left hand on to the coin already there, continuing the rubbing move ment, and moment later exhibit the coin restored.
 For the remaining tricks little more preparat tion will be oeceSsarv Tho only item which need be purchased specially will be the glass which you can procure at any conjuring depot. This is an ordinary champagne tumbler of clear white glass, but with the rim ground flat. instead of being. as usual
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

Look here!" exclaimed the woman who had made a sandwich for a tramp and then thoughtlessly left him alone for A minute within reach of two whole pies, what do you mean by eating all that pie?"
 Madam" replied the tramp, politely, as he let his belt out another hole. T am a believer in expansion. Chicago Post
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

With this half-dollar, ladies and gen. tlemen, I propose to show you a rather curious experiment. I am going to melt 1t in the flame of one of these candles.
 Which candle shall 1 use? This one? Very good. Now, in a general way, you might hold half-dollars over can dles for a twelvemonth, with no result, save burning your. fingers. But by the aid of little mesmeric friction the thing becomes as easy as possible.
 (Showing the coin in the right hand,
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

The old shoemaker took the doll and looked it over.
 A leg and an arm were gone. 1t had lost part of it's sawdust. and one eye had disappeared.
 '.Yes," he said. 'I can make red morocco shoe to fit this foot. but whats the use? It isn't worth it. Why don't you bring me one of your new dolls?'
 "This is my crippled child said the little girl. T love it better than oo the others "-Chicago Tribune
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

To resume: ''The gentleman who loaned me the half-dollar looks rather uncomfortable Cheer up, sir! Your half-dollar is still in the water, as I will prove by passing it thence into one of these two oranges on the table. Choose one of them-which you like. This one? Goodi" CYou thrust the knife into it, in the slit already made-) Perhaps this young gentleman will hold 1t for a moment. High up, sir, so that all can see it. And now, sir, will trouble you for the glass. pour few drops Of the water over the orange. Presto, Pass! Now, sir, if you will cut open the orange, you will find in the center the marked coin. There it is, you see, a little damp, but otherwise not a half-cent the worse. Do you see the mark? Wait one moment; let me dry it for you" ( ou wipe 1t with your handkerchief.) Now you can see the mark plain enough. Perhaps the gen. t1eman will tell us whether that is really his own half-dollar.
 As the other orange will not be wanted perhaps some one willg cut it open, and testify that it is just a fair. ordinary orange. as you would have found the other. Please remember that you yourselves chose which one should use"
 But suppose" says the reader, that the choice had fallen on the unprepared orange. IL would nave come to pre- cisely the same thing. The performer, in that case, says: You choose this one? Good; here is a knife-cut it in half, and see for yourself that it is a fair, ordinary orange This other, which you might have chosen if you preferred it, I will take for the purpose of my experiment"
 As. the acute reader will doubtless have surfnised, the substitute half-dol- lar is exchanged under cover of tba drying process. for the original, which has remained throughout the lat ter part of the trick in the right hand of the performer.
 The novice will, of course, understand that he must not attempt to exhibit the foregoing tricks in public without hav ing duly practiced them. till he has the needful movements perfect before a. looking glass. Given, however. the usual number of fingers and thumbs. a little perseverance and (this in conf dence)- plenty of check" he will be surprised at the effect he can produce with them.
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

hind as the road twisted and turned on the mountain side.
 Miss Westover was as promptly on time in arriving at Mesa Grande as she had been in getting to Ramona, and Postmaster Gedney peered over his Spectacles at her as he had done when
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

of tinfoil While all eyes are drawn to the imaginary spot of red at the end
 of the wick" yo-.r left ha-- goes unper- ceived, to the waistband and secures the little ball, which is then pushed by the thumb between the roots of the second and third fingers. After pinch
The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25

The Ohio man who hanged himself with a towel, simply wiped himself out of ex- kistence.-Chicago News,