davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26
The BOyless Town,

A cross old woman of long ago
Declared that she hated noise.
'The town would be so pleasant, you know,
II only there were no boysl"
She scolded and fretted about it till
Her eyes grew heavy as lead.
And thcn of sudden the town grew still,
For all the boys had fed.
And all through the long and dusty street
There wasn't a boy in view.
The baseball lot, where they used TO meet,
Was sight to make one blue.
The grass was growing on every base
And the paths that the runners made,
For there wasn't n soul in all the place
Who knew how the game was played.
The cherries rotted and went to waste-
There was no ono to climb the trees
And nobody had single taste,
Save only the birds and bees.
There wasn't messenger boy, not one,
To speed as such messengers can.
u people wanted their errands done,
They sent for messenger man.
There was little. ween Of frolic and noise
There was less Of cheer and mirth.
The sud old town since II lacked its boys
Was the dreariest place on earth.
The poor old woman began to weep,
Then woke with a sudden scream.
"Dear me-" she cried. ~ have beon asleep,
And. oh. what horrid dreami'
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

tried to rid the premises of mice. A
dog and cat also had a hand at trying
to exterminate them, but with no sue
cess. Then some one gave Mrs. Hayes
squab, which soon showed disposition
to ho pugnacious. When he was three
months old, he asserted himself First
he drove the dog off the place. In a
short time the cat ran away. The pi.
geon has long, sharp beak, and he pecks
with ferocity. He isvery adroit at dart.
ing and was never worsted in his en-
counters with the cat
After the two domestic animals left
Mrs. Hayes became mystified over the
sudden disappearance of the rats and
over the number of dead mice she found
in various parts of the horse But one
day it was all made clear IN her She
hattily entered one of the rooms and
found the pigeon holding a mouse in
his bcak She watched and saw the
bird shake the life out of the rodent.
Then he few over to a table, perched
himself ON the edge and watched a
mouse holo between the floor and the
woodwork. After awhile another mouse
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

Framed and hung up in the Agricul-
tural bank of Paris, KY. is Il check
which was made payable to Sweetest
of the Sweet" and SO indorsed.
President Mcclure of the bank tells
the story of the check as follows:
Zone Of our depositors gave his wife
a check for $40, the check being reg.
ularly filled out and duly signed, except
that it was made payable to. Sweetest
of the Sweet. When the lady presented
the check for payment, I innocently in
quired:
''Who is this Sweetest of the
Sweet?"'
why, it's me, she replied.
II told her to indorse the check,
which she did and handed it back
But, madam, l said, you must
indorse it just as drawn, to the "Sweet-
est of the Sweet.
"She snatchod up the pen and wrote
the words below the name, and paid
the money. "--Chicago Chronicle.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

At church in Lenox last summer
the pulpit was supplied by an assistant
clergyman. One Sunday in the course
of his sermon this minister told how a
man had amassed large amount OF
money simply by prayer, going ON to
give the incidents of the case. A litter
ran through the congregation when the
minister, after dwelling ON the fact that
prayer alone had brought about this
mans fortune, placed his hands togeth.
or and, looking upward in very prayer
full attitude, said, Lord, teach Us how
to pray p'-Troy Times
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26
Not His Day For Being Whipped.

Little Johnny was years old. There
fore he could look back to several
Christmas holidays with lively re-
membrance of what they were like and
what had taken place on those festal
occasions.
One Of Johnny's ideas (not original
with Johnny by any means, as many q
parent can testify was that it is boys
mission to make as much noise as pos
sible III the world, and in spite of fire.
quent admonishing and more or less
frequent whippings he perseveringly
carried out the idea ON all occasions
except when he was asleep.
Johnny was fulfilling his mission
with more vigor and enthusiasm than
usual on Christmas morning, but no.
body paid any attention to him except
his Aunt Jane, who was visiting John
ny's parents during the holidays, and
she finally grew tired of the noise and
said:
Johnny, it is very naughty to keep
up such din and racket all the time,
and it you don't stop it shall have to
speak to your mother about it,.
Huh! Wot good'll that do?" scorn-
fully demanded Johnny.
why, she will whip you if you don t
STOP" threatened the young mans
aunt.
"Guess not!" retorted Johnny with
an air of triumph. "Chris'm ain t
my day fer gittin whipped. 1 alters git
whipped the day before Chris mas and
the day after, but never do on Chris
mas. "-Harper's Magazine.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26
A Remarkable Cat.

Professor Hill Of Princeton university
once owned very remarkable cat. 1t
had but two legs, having been born that
Way, but in spite Of this deformity it
WAS . most engaging pet and walked
glibly upon its two forefeet and frisked
ebopt e. lively as cats blessed with four
leGG When alie died. her skeleton was
uQnnted end now reposes in glass oase
- ne oniverdty museum,
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

One thing ought to be aimed at by
all men--that the interest of each, in
dividually pnd collectively, shonld be
the same, for il each should grasp at
his individual interest all human soci-
ETY. would be dissolved. Cicero
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

crept out. The bird made dart at it,
caught it on the back with his beak,
and it Jared the fate of its relative.
The pigeon watched the rat holes in
the same way. He contented himself
with pecking them and then flying
away. But his method was a success.
Rats aswell as mice are no longer trou-
blesome at the Hayes home. San Fran
cisco Examiner
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26
An Expert Opinion.

Tomtom-That was q funny expert
ence of DR.. Pillbox When Jingo's safe
got out of order. he called the doctor in
to examine it.
Buzzfuzz-- What did Pillbox say?
Tomtom-Why, he saii its system
was all run down aud that it needed
change. New York World.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26

The fisheries Of tho United Kingdom
are worth $50, 800, 900; those Of Eng
and alone. eal, $50. 900.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26
FOR LITTLE FOLKS.
A FIGHTING PIGEON,

Tie Drove Dog and Cat on the Premises
and became Rntter In Chief Himself
John T.. Sullivan is a gray green pi-
geon with u record us fighter. Before
he became member of the Hayes
household, 220 Eleventh street, san
Francisco, all sorts of traps had been
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05
victory for Liquor Men.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
SALEM, Ind, April 4.-The liquor dealers
have won a victory in their fight here by
securing the resignation of the deputy pros
ecutor. Thomas Honan, the district prose-
cutor, yielded to their demands and re-
auested Prow's resignation. Mr.. Prov pros
ecuted several cases of illegal liquor SELL
ing, securing conviction. This SO angered
the saloon men that they brought pressure
to bear on the prosecutor to remove Prov
and appoint a man of their own selection.
Prov, with many other leading Democrats,
refused to go into the Democratic primar-
les Friday last Honan is a candidate for
denomination and many of the Democrats
who are independent of such influences say
they will not vote for him. This affair and
the manner of conducting the primaries
will drive many Democrats out of the
party in Washington county. AT the county
convention Saturday, held after the primar
les, certain Democrats were vigorously de-
nounced ring, and one speaker openly
gloried in that they had downed one fac
ton and continued by doubling others who
had spoken as being Democrats.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05

thing abroad. Europeans always fancy
that the Intervention of Emperor William
would have some effect, and that dis
patch from him to the President or the
United States would somehow modify Mr.
McKinley's decision. But this Is mis-
take. The Americans would like to nave
dispatch from Emperor William merely to
ard thus marking the profound dlsdaln
they profess for the powers OF old Europe;
How could Europe do anything against
the United States? For forty-tive years the
principle of fiibustering has been IN vogue
throughout Europe and the whole pollcy OF
Europe is based upon it. By what I1ght
should Europe reproach the United states
for doing what she herself has been ooiHs
constantly for nearly half a century
II repeat that not on Europe shoulo we
count, but on ourselves, on Goo anu I'll
our right. There is still in Spain plenty
of gold and good blood, and we snail spa o.
neither We shall send all the sololerS W.
can to America If Americans attempt ~
they will not vanqush the 250O0O men,
which is the number we shall snortiy ntsS
in Cuba We shall deal American tIdue
more rapid and telling blows than America
will ever deal us, for if we cannot cap ',.f
vessels we can wreck them. If we Succump
the Americans will soon seize other Suro-
pean possessions. .,
II am told that the Pope is intervening.
The Pope remembers the ironical triumph
which Prince Bismarck secured Tor MIN
over the Caroline islands, but TINS time ~. nc
will find the Americans madden WIN pIius e
and scorn of others than all the natlonS u
Europe They will not need him more than
Others and nothing will make lheIn nSsl
tate but the necessity of paying Tor pre-,
meditated conquest by mountains ol rum
and torrents of blood.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05
POPE LEo's WORK.
Efforts of His Holiness to Prevent the
Threatened War.


LONDON, April 5-The Rome correspond
ent of the Daily News says: "On II pellis
announced this morning (NLonday) that the
Pope would mediate between Spain ana the
United States and on it being circumstan-
TALLY stated that Emperor Francis Joseph
and Emperor William had seconded the et-
forts to get the Pope to mediate, visited
General William E. Draper, the United
States ambassador and later Monsignor
O'ConneI rector of the American College
in Rome, both of whom denied having any
knowledge on the subject whatever"
Monsignor O'Connell said: II think such
solution most improbable, the Republican
party in America being rather hostile to the
Vatican and the Catholic elements which
support the Democratic party.
A later dispatch from the same CORE
spondent says: Although representations
made through Archbishop Ireland and also
through Cardinal Gibbons to President Nc
Kinley have received an evasive answer,
at the Vatican, the Presidents indisposi-
ton is regarded as of a political nature
and is considered to indicate a triumph of
their policy and it is affirmed that it was
AFTER the papal action that the President
postponed his message, which all indlca-
ions snow would have meant war now
learn from the best source that, besides his
action through the American preIates in
the United states the Pope worked es
pecally through France, inducing NJ Han
otauX to send to M Cambon, the French
minister at Washington, most precise and
urgent instructions 10 do his best to pre-
vent war. | am assured also that the Pontiff
induced France to take the initiative for
collective European action, to take effect
at Washington, and also at Madrid, but at
the latter only nOmnally. However, the
project had to be abandoned, as, while
Spain has kept the different Cabinets in
formed of her proceedings, the United
States, on the contrary, have maintained
complete silence.
1T having been impossible to purchase
Italian war ships, the United States govern
ment bought several merchantmen, among
which is the North American, formerly the
Stirling Castle, the fastest steamer of the
Neloce Company, of Genoa"
The Times says editorially this morning.
1T is to be supposed that President McKin-
lay gave some encouragement to the idea
of Papal mediation, but found the country
not likely to accept it. The truth is media
ton and arbitration are very beautiful
theoretically, but very difficult in practice;
and the differences between Spain and the
United States are too great and too sub
stantial to be treated by that rosewater
method"
The general drift of the editorials in the
morning papers is that however desirable
peace may be, there is little hope left that
the Pope will succeed, as the insurgents are
not likely to consent to an arrnistice. All
the forecasts of President McKinley's mes
sage regard it as rather Warlike.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05

More boats were started and the rescuers
crossed to Shawneetown They found e sad
condition existing in the ill-fated town.
Hundreds of those who escaped the rush of
water were perched on roofs, trees and
along the top of the levee. They were
taken from their dangerous positions as
rapidly as possible. Owing to ths scarcity
of boats the work was very slow but over
two hundred persons. including many
women and children, were taken to the
roadway, two miles from Shawneetown, 10
Cypress Junction. Here the greater part of
them are camped tonight, with very little
to eat and exposed to the driving wind and
piercing cold.
Cypress Junction is almost surrounded by
water which has overfiowed the banks Of
the Wabash and is covering the entire coun-
try. The overflow from the broken dixie at
Shawneetown has backed up two miles in
land, but is tonight slowly receding. 1t
will be impossible to recover any bodies I'M
I'll the water recedes very materially. In
fact, the rescuers are making very little eff
fort in that direction, but are working to
save those who escaped alive. The River
side Hotel and courthouse and the Ridge
way Bank are intact and were found to
have been used by the fleeing inhabitants
for shelter. The upper stories were crowded
with several hundred. People were promen-
aiding on the top of the levee Sunday after
noon. Sunday schools had just closed and
the children trooped merrily along the
smooth walk enjoying the bright sunshine
This proved a blessing to them. A large
crowd had just passed Market street. where
the break occurred. Luckily no one was
passing there just at the moment.
The railroad station at Ridgeway has been
crowded all day and despite the steady
downpour of rain the people cluster about
the place, each anxiously inquiring for some
new tidings from the flood disaster at Shaw
neetown.
Mrs. Harriet Dumont was one Of the ar
rivals tonight from the flooded district
Mrs. Dumont, in company with a friend,
was walking along the levee at the time
the break occurred. She said 1T was
about 4:25 in the afternoon when we were
suddenly startled by hearing the bells of the
different churches throughout the city
changing. People began running in all direc-
lions and somebody shouted that the levee
had broken. We ran three blocks to my
friends home and went upstairs. Within
ten minutes the water came pouring down
the street and within twenty minutes more
1t had risen almost to the second floor of
our house. My friends husband soon came
to us with a skiff and took us to the River
side Hotel The first alarm was given by
Father Buchanan, who began ringing the
bell Of the Church of the Immaculate Con-
ception.
The lower portion of Carmi, ILL.,, on the
Wabash river, is entirely flooded. The
water reaches half way to the second stories
of the houses. The water is level with the
floor of the iron road bridge. but the rail-
road bridge is still two feet above. At one
point on the Big Four, a mile north of
Carmi, the track is but one foot above
water for a quarter of mile
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05
NO MEDIATION.
Concluded from First Page0

States minister afterwards conferred with
Senior Gullon, the minister for foreign af-
fairs. After the Cabinet council Senior
Moret again called on General Woodford
and had an hours interview with him. The
Pope in accepting mediation said the honor
of Spain would be safe in his hands and
that full justice would be done in the case,
owing to the high prestige of his Holiness
everywhere. The mediation" the Core
Spondencia then adds, clears up every point
at issue, but we must not be sanguine, be-
cause things in America have been precipi-
tated in such violent manner that even
taking for granted President McKinley's
goo Iaitn we are NOT sure the Heo3 SlIns
from making a question of it's own.
The ministerial Globo, in its leading ar
ticle to-day assumes an attitude of re-
serve. saying: THE papal mediation is sat
isfactory, but the government must not
discontinue its preparations for the worst.
The good offices of the Pontiff are ad-
mitted, but Spain can never countenance
her rights being ignored"
The Liberal moderate Republican,, re-
ferring to the Pope's Intervention between
Spain and Cuba says that it wants the las
surance that the Popes mediation is not
a pretext for the United States to obtain
a delay of some months, with the view
of recommending later the struggle against
Spain, within and without Cuba" The Lib
sight of the fact that the Pope's media
ton tacitly admits the American right to
interfere in Spanish affairs in the interests
of peace" and expresses the belief that
the government will be obliged to declare
that mediation does not mean conceding
through a foreign hand what Spain de-
clines to concede to the United States di
rect" explaining that SPANS effective
sovereignty must not depend upon the
Pope'S will
The Impartial independently halls with
satisfaction the Pope's mediation between
the Spaniards and Cubans
The Globo says: "A new political power
has developed in America, in Archbishop
Ireland equal to that of President Cleve-
land and President Mckinley" and asks,
''can it overcome the jngoes?"
The revolutionary Pals welcomes peace,
from whatever quarter it comes, 'as en-
abling Spain to repair the material losses
of two cruel wars. But" the Pals adds,
1.-The peace must be honorable otherwise
it will be greater evil than war;" The
Pals then strikes a warning note, saying
the Pope is in favor of Cuban independence,
quoting an interview which an Italian
newspaper man had with the Pope in
March last to confirm this statement, and
also suggesting that the Spanish pastorals
were part and parcel of a mature Vatican
scheme to secure on the same basis the
SilVellist policy and sell the island"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05

While Others Ran Towards the Hills
and Were Drowned.

MOUNT VERNON. Ind, April 4.-The
tug Isabella, which went to the relief of
the Shawneetown sufferers last night re-
turned here to-day for provisions. City
Marshal j.. B. Holleman returned on her
and reports the situation there as appalling.
He said: People who have not visited the
scene cannot picture in imagination the
awful suffering and restitution that exists
there. In the Riverside Hotel, last night,
there were at least five hundred men, wom-
en- and children huddled together, their
clothing wet and nothing with which
to build fires. Women were wringing their
hands and crying, searching for members
of their family who were missing and many
men even were weeping. 1t. is impossible,
at the present time, to give a correct esti-
mate of the loss of life, but it will probably
exceed one hundred. Sheriff Galloway lost
his entire family, consisting of wife and
four children. Two ladies who were visiting
his family were also drowned. Mr. Gallo
way saved himself by climbing tree, from
which he was subsequently rescued He is
Frustrated and fears are expressed that he
may lose his mind. The levee broke above
the city and the water came with such a
rush as to sweep all the one-story build
ings and many others before 1T. The area
covered by the water is about one mile
square, and in less than one hour the water
was fifteen to twenty feet deep The people
who are Gagged up in the third story of
what houses remain standing need fuel and
food"
Richard Barnett, who also visited the
scene of the calamity, returned on the Isa-
bella and. in an interview, said: 1.-THE wa
ter is within three feet of the top of the
levee. The levee is, perhaps, fifteen feet
wide on the top, and this space is crowded
with men, women and children and live
stock of all descriptions. 1t was raining
last night and many people could not find
shelter The Riverside Hotel, the court
house and upper stories of dwellings are
crowded. The levee had been in bad condi-
ton for several days but no one expected
it TO break. 1t gave way between and
o'clock Sunday afternoon and caught many
people on the streets Some climbed trees
and were saved, while others tried to run
to the hills, three-quarters of a mile back
from the river but were caught by the
rushing waters and drowned. NJ. j. Hart
nett, editor of the Shawnee News. is among
the missing. The work of rescuing victims
from trees and housetops was carried on all
night and this morning. But few bodies
had been recovered when We left there at
a. m. The loss of property will run into the
hundreds of thousands. Live stock suffered
greatly. Horses and cattle, i'll many in
stances, were pulled out of the water into
the upper stories and quartered with the
people
Mayor I.arlxin. of this city. called the
Mount Vernon Council together to-day and
a donation of 500 was made with which TO
buy food. Committees were appointed 10
solicit aid and this afternoon the Isabella
steamed away again with $500 worth of
provisions for the sufferers.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05
NO WARNING OF THE BREAK.
Wall OF Water Fifteen Feet High
Swept Through the City.

R1DGEWAY, Ill, April Al. Il. Hogan,
of Omaha, ILL.,, left the scene of the flood at
Shawneetown half an hour before the dixie
broke. His brother-in-law, Sheriff Gallo
way, of Gallatin county, whose home was
in Shawnetown, had the same good for
tune. The sheriffs wife and two daughters
were swept away and their bodies have not
yet been recovered. Hogan's story of the
flood shows that the townspeople had abso-
lutely no waning of the disaster. About
O'Clock last evening" he said, the levee
IN the north side of the town gave way at
the north end of Market street, near the
courthouse. An opening Ten feet wide was
at first made, bu, it quickly spread To
twenty and a wall of water ten or fifteen
feet high poured through the main
street sweeping everything before it,
About fifty small frame houses along
the line Of the levee to the south
were crushed like toys and none
OF the occupants, most of whom We're poor
colored folks. escaped Those living in the
more substantial houses managed to climb
20 second and third stories, where they
chung for hours through the chilly night
The houses in the western part of the town
did not at once feel the effect of the food
and residents made hasty steps for safety.
most of them fleeing to the tep of the levee
on the south side of the town. A large
number also reached the little hills which
are a mile from the town. and from there
saw their property crumble in the muddy
waters. When daylight came mis- morning
tile streets were full of water to depth of
ten or fifteen feet. Only the most substan-
tial buildings in the central business district
remain standing. Water is everywhere.
and the relief work is being carried out un-
der great difficulties"
RidEeway, town twelve miles from
Ehawneetown was made the basis Of relief
work All rail communication eeing cut of
four miles out, boats were constructed and
committee started 10 the scene 1t
reached cypress Junction. halt way to
sha1neetowp and found dry land extend
Us towards the river. Following this It ar
rived within two miles Of the nopded town.