davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

ELECTRICITY will play, its parr In the
next war. Edison has suggested that
armies SHOULD be equipped with fre
engines and dynamps, and shows that
a powerful stream Of water into which
a strong current was diverted would
disable every man whom 1t touched.
The searchllght. viii be used for pre-
venting night attacks, which will be
oftener made than formerly, for signal
Ing, and to light up, a field where the
wounded are lying. Motors will be
used to work machine guns, while the
gunners lie under cover until reload
ing is necessary. Wires may be stretch
ed around camps and guards. and
when touched sound an alarm. Mines
may be exploded by electricity miles
away under cover.
Smokeless powder has made new
conditions on the field. the absence OF
the sheltering smoke making the at
lacking party distinctly visible. To
make smoke and cover an attack the
English have invented bombs which,
when broken, give out a dense smoke
like a fog. Hand grenades are also
made which can be thrown into In
trenchments and give out gases which
choke and sufrocate without killing.
The dynamite gun has had fair
trial In Cuba with the most success
full results, and will be used In cases
Of extreme necessity, cruel and inhu-
man as its use may seem.
These are hut a few Of the many
new inventions suitable for use in war,
but description of these will serve to
show ''there are more things in heaven
and earth than are dreamed of by the
average peaceful citizen.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
KING OF THE WHEAT PIT.


Joseph Letter 10 the Most SuccessfuI
y, ung Financier In Chicago.
During the past few years Joseph
Letter lias made his way rapidly in
| financial circles and to-day Is regarded
as the most successful money king In
Chicago. Now he Is called the king Of
the wheat pit. All through the great
grain speculations of the second half
OF 1897 he played "A winning hand and
showed even shrewd Phil Armour a
few tricks.
Joseph Letter is son OF Levi H..
Letter, the rich Chicagoan whose
charming daughter married George
Curzon, the brilliant young English po-
litical leader'4 The elder Letter has
millions. The basis of his fortune was
laidin a country grocery store and the
great superstructure was constructed
In the dry goods business In Chicago.
Six fyears7ago Joseph Letter, then "A
years old, graduated from Harvard
University. He didn't look like man
Of business. 1t was somewhat OF dis
appointment and surprise to two sorts
of friends of his that he went into bus
mess at all. All the men and women
who knew him picked him to assume
at once the profession of a gentleman
Of leisure 1t was reported that he had
a valet. 1t would have regularly fol-
lowed In the natural order of things
that he should have frowned upon mar
kets and rentals and leases.
His father believed that he had bust
ness ability and placed $1,OOO,OOO in
the young mans hands. For few
months Letter was prey for the
wolves. Then he tried a new game
and succeeded. He studied the situa-
ton before investing. When he want
ed some of the Chicago City Railway
stock he learned the cost of operation
and all of the minor details of the
work. To-day he virtually controls all
the street railways of Chicago's South
Side.
When the father saw the sons abil-
ity he gradually turned the manage
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
A SURE SIGN.
She Spilled the Salt and Quarreled
Over 1t.


She Spilled the Salt and Quarreled
Over 1t.
"You women" said Mr.. birmingham,
''are always making fools Of yourselves
over your superstitions. Here you are,
worrying just because you happened to
spill little salt. Why, it's ridiculous.
Perfectly ridiculousw
"Oh, yes" Mrs. birmingham replied,
II suppose it is. But I've never known
it to happen yet, without making me
quarrel with somebody. I've noticed a
thousand times"
"A thousand times, your grandmOth-
err! What's the use Of exaggerating
things like that? I'll bet you never
spilled salt twenty times in your life,
and IL you quarreled after doing 1t it
just happened so, that's ALL"
Perhaps it just happened, but that's
the very thing that worries me. don't
want II to happen. And as far as being
superstitious Is concerned, / guess
you're just about as bad as the next
one. Didn't you have to spit over your
right arm and hop three times around
an imaginary circle, when you saw the
new moon over your left shoulder the
other night? p
II did that because you made such
blamed fuss about it,
''Oh, yes, it's well enough to try to
blame 1t all on me, but I guess you
wouldn't have done it If you hadn't
been afraid yourself
"Well, that's what fellow gets for
making a fool Of himself to please his
wife,"
st seems to me you are very willing
to make fool of yourself to please me,
but you are never willing to do any
thing else to please me-"
ooh, of course not! Why, I'm the
most horrible wretch that woman
ever promised to love, cherish and
obey!'
Henry birmingham, / want you to
understand that 1 didn't promise to
obeyv'
"You didr'
"No, didn't. When the preacher said
that didn't repeat itv'
Its all the same. It's part Of the
marriage service"
II don't care. There is no reason
why a wife should have to obey when
the husband isn'teompelled to do So"
There isn't, Ell? Why, most women
are fools. They've"
"Yes, know that. They prove 1t by
getting married"
"Oh, well, go on! OF course you've
got to have helast word. A man might
as well try to reason with a donkey as
to try to get gwoman to take a sensible
view of anything Confound it, some
times wish could throw down every
thing and ges out Of this forever!"
Then he grabbed up his hat and hur-
ried away without kissing the sweet
little woman good-by, after which Mrs.
birmingham threw herself upon the
lounge, buried her face in the pillows
and sobbed:
Il kn-knew the moment I sp-spilled
the salt that l would quarrel with
somebo- body! 1t ne-never f-f-f-fails!
o-o-o-o"'-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

Intended 60 Replace and improve Upon
the Block System.

intended 60 Replace and Inn prove Upon
the Block System.
The most disastrous wrecks known
to modern railroading are most fire.
quently occasioned by rear-end coils
Ions. A train may be running fifteen
or twenty miles an hour, while one fol-
lowing Is making thirty-tiyc or more,
the engineer of the rear train knowing
nothing Of the one proceeding. The
former is sure to be overtaken, and II
no warning is given, or II there is a
curve In the road or fog In the air,
u smash-up Is inevitable.
Mr.. John l.. Allen, at present an OPP
orator in the employ Of the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad, ut Loretto,
Ky. has, 1t is believed, solved the prob
lem Of the prevention of rear-end col
lisions.
BY means ef~an ingenius device on
which he has been granted letters pat
when he is dangerously near train
preceding him, and trains may follow
each other only a few minutes apart,
without fear of collision. This rail
way time signal flashes a warning Sig
nal In the face Of. the engineer, en-
abling him to determine the location
o: the train preceding him, and he can
thus keep his engine under necessary
control or run to the full limit, as the
never-failing clock hands of the sig
nails may instruct him. A train passes
over the track bar, releasing the hands
of the signal. and they drop to starting
point, commencing at once to register
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

n portion Of white blood I'm them, yet
none may be compared to him as a
statesman. Not drop of any other
blood flows through his veins save that
Of the Greek Indians, and his integrity
has never been questioned.
Isparhecher was born In the old
Creek Nation, in Alabama, more than
seventy years ago, and when quite
young went west with the Creeks. Lit
tie was heard of him from that time
until the civil war, when he enlisted in
the Federal army, and became men,
Der of the Indian Home Guards. He
served until the close Of the war, when
he returned home and at once became
the acknowledged leader of what was
known as the Loyal Greek party, which
was the name given to those Creek In
dlans who refused to join the Confed-
eracy. After his return home, Ispar-
hecher was elected as judge of one Of
the district courts of the Greek Nation
and held the position until 1888, when
Sam Checotah, one Of his bitterest ene-
mics, was elected chief of the Creek
Nation, and Isparhecher was removed
from Office. He believed that he had
been unjustly dealt with, and, gather
ing his forces, he attempted the over
throw Of the Greek government At the
head Of about 500 men, with the Stars
and Stripes as their banner, he
marched through the Greek Nation, and
but for the timely Intervention Of the
United States troops, would doubtless
have taken possession Of the capital Of
the nation. This instruction is known
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
Lowered by Block and Tackle.

The vicinity Of Sd and 1 streets in
Sacramento was both amused and
shocked recently by the sight Of coz
fin being lowered by means of block
and tackle from n second-story window.
Within the coffin, as subsequently APP
peared, was the body of woman who
weighed too much for the pallbearers
to carry down the stairs. The stairway
down which the coffin would have had
to pass was very narrow and two peo-
pie in front and two in the rear would
have found 1t difficult to walk down
together. Consequently, there was a
consultation among the friends and rel
atives of the deceased as to how to re-
move the body. This resulted in a re-
sort to block and tackle. With those
fastened securely above the window
the coffin was triumphantly lowered 20
the sidewalk and swung into the
hearse.-San Francisco Chronicle.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
THE TIME SIGNAL.

the minutes elapsfng since the passage
OF the train. Three minutes later, per-
laps, another train thunders up the
engineer that he Is dangerously near
to the train ahead and he slows down
accordingly, ready to stop should the
other train be sighted. A few miles
further another signal informs the en-
gineer rs to how the train ahead Is
progressing, and he can corresponding
ly increase his speed or still further
check 1t, as may be required, thus en-
abling trains to be run only few min
utes apart without danger.
Mr.. Allen told the story Of his in
vention as follows: 1.-The clock has
only five wheels and very little Of any
thing else. The track connection is
very simple in construction. These
signals will replace many block sys-
TENS less reliable and more expensive.
One winding up of the clock will run
IL for 800 trains. There Is no jar to
the clock from train passing over the
track bar. The bar Is moved only half
an inch by the tread of wheels. When
the wheels pass over this bar the clock
hands are released, and they drop back
to the starting point. When the last
wheel passes over the clock moves and
carries the hands to fifteen minutes
and stops, unless another train passes
before. The dials are lettered in
three-fOurths circle, so as to Obviate
confusion In locating the hands. The
dials are two feet square and the hands
fourteen inches long. As an engineer
remarked, all n man would want is n
glance and he Is shown exactly the
time since train passed that point II
less than fifteen minutes. In many
places the signals can be used without
being lighted, the dials being large
enough to be plainly seen some dis
lance by the light from the headlight.
lamp is provided inside and can be
used"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
A Rare Bird.

The rarest species Of bird now extant,
and one which Is almost extinct, has
its home in the jungles of South Ameri-
Gu. The archaeological curiosity is
known to science as the palamedra cor
nuda, and to the common people as the
horned screamer." AS rara avis
nothing could excel the cornuda, unless
1t should be the accidental discovery Of
a living moa, or an opinornis. But few
OF the bird books even let you know
that such n horned paradox exer ex-
listed, let alone telling you that living
specimens of the queer creature are
occasionally met with. The only one
now in captivity in North America, If
the writer was not misinformed. Is that
belonging to the aviary of the Philadel-
phia Geological Gardens, and which ar
rived in this country about three years
ago. The creature Is about the size of
a full-grown turkey hen, and of a
blackish-b brown color. One of its dis
tinguishing peculiaritles Is ruffie Of
black and white which surrounds the
head
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

book carelessly, others do not rest until
1t is read and returned to the keeping
Of its proprietor.
The first thing to do with a borrowed
book is to cover it with thick paper to
protect the covers from accidental
splashes or from lingering. Do not
wait a day or so, but cover 1t at once
as soon as you receive it. Write the
name Of the book plainly on the paper
cover, also the owners name. If you
are one of large family and the bor-
rowed book is likely to be laid on ia
BILE where any one can pick 1t up, write
on cover, This book Is not to be left
on the library table," for in spite of
dainty davenport arrangements the
library table often means close associa-
tiOn with an inkstand, a vinaigrette, or
flower vase containing water, or some
receptacle of fluid which may be acct
dentally overturned and spot the bor-
rowed book.
Do not read little in the borrowed
book and put it aside while you read
three or four other more interesting
books. Begin it and get through with
1t, reading as steadily as you can until
II Is finished, and then return Ii prompt
ly. Do not wait until Thursday or Sun
day because you will surely see the
owner them" return it at once and then
IL will be safely off your hands.
1t Is provoking to have a book Dor
rowed and kept for an indefinite time;
1t prevents others who may be await
ing the book from the opportunity of
enjoying it. If the borrower finds her
self not likely to find time to read it,
she should return II at once and ask
for the privilege Of borrowing 1t an
other time.
Never, never, lend to another book
that you have borrowed. Let not that
piece of superficial dishonesty be laid
to your charge. Never permit your
pencil to make any mark or annexation
in a borrowed book. If you think a
date is mis-stated or any piece of in
formation likely to be of use in collat-
eral reading recurs to you. Won are AT
liberty to write it on slip of paper and
TO leave it in the book at the page
where 1t belongs. No one should ever
score a passage or word ina borrowed
book. This Is inexcusable.
Few of us could subscribe to Charles
Lambs suggestion, advising possessors
of books to be shy of showing them, but
IL you do lend them let 1t be to one who
will return them with usury enriched
with annotations tripling their value"
Return borrowed book in the con-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

ment Of his own properties over to him.
BY his cleverness they have fattened.
1t Is considered conservative esti-
mate to put the properties under his
control-and he Is only 3O-at $4,000
600. 1t makes him the youngest finan-
cial king in the world. The fortune is
divided among the best institutions of
the city, extends into the big railroads,
out into ranch holdings in the far
West and great pits Of wealth In the
hills Of the ore countries. The more
he spends the more lie earns, and the
men who help him to operate claim
that one of the best reasons for his
phenomenal progress is his devotion
to the essential little things of his va
rious interests. His own fortune has
grown to great proportion.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

her greatest delight. and she is noted
among her friends as an all-around
athlete.
Miss Drexel Is a member OF the ia
nous Drexel family of Philadelphia
and New York. Her father was the
head of the banking firm of Drexel.
Morgan & Co., and his daughter in
herits much Of her fathers intellectu-
ality. She is only IL years old, but Is a
strong, athletic looking girl, with mer-
ry brown eyes and an abundance Of
dark-brown hair. She Is more fond Of
horses than of Paris gowns, but her
costumes are admirable in their SIM
plicity,
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
The siamese Army.

An English newspaper, In an article
on the Siamese army, says: I'm one re-
spect the Siamese army Is superior to
any other. and that Is In its elephant
corps. Eight hundred Of these animals,
which are stronger, though smaller,
than those of India, are organized into
a special corps, commanded by re-
tired Anglo-Indlan officer, and their
heads, trunks and other vulnerable
parts are projected against bullets by
India rubber armor."
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

not do. The balls go through the wood
and even through thin plates of steel.
In this emergency, only s0-called bull
let-prcof cloth seems to be available
for hasty protection, and will probably
be used, hung from light frames of
steel, in screens for skirmishers.
1t is not suitable for clothing, for
while ii stops ball, when worn on the
person, the ball inflicts a terrific shock
upon the wcarer. 1t has been found,
however, that when it Is hung up and
allowed to swing freely like curtain,
Il win stop n Krag-Jorgensen ball,
which first indents it and then drops
10 the ground. Consequently it can
be used in portable screens.
The United States Signal corps now
has n telephone outfit which weighs
emily sixteen pounds, and can easily be
carried by one man, and messages have
been sent 500 miles with this equip
ment and additional wire.
Dogs are extensively used as sen
tries. ammunition carriers and ambu-
hnce "men" in Germany, and could
be SO used here. No wornout, hungry
soldier can possibly be as alert at night
when on sentry duty as watchdog
which can DC easily trained to dis.
tfnguish an enemy from a friend, even
when disguised, and by relieving men
from picket duty, one-third OF an army
obtains rest II would not otherwise get
Large dogs can carry along line OF
hattie hundreds of cartridges, and how
wen dogs may be trained to bring sue
cor to the wounded can be learned from
the exploits Of the famous dogs Of st
Fsernard's hospital In the Alps. The
German wa-dogs are trained to seek
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
How Bees Fiobt n RattIe.

In battle the movements of bees are
so rapid that 1t is difficult to follow
them through all their evolutions, but
pie Two bees from the hive are sent to
kill one intruder, and the latter always
tries to force an entrance, even at the
risk of it's life. Once inside, 1t makes
room for others of it's companions to
enter, and then, gathering up its abdo-
men in as small a space as possible, II
assumes the defensive. Two Of the
hive bees pounce upon 1t, and. seizing
1t fiercely they seek to find a vuinera BILE
point between the rings Of Its body to
sting 1t to death. The attacking bee
just as determinedly struggles to cover
every unprotected spot If sufficient
time can be gained and the attacking
swarm Is large enough to force an Gu
trance, the badly mauled bees that
have not been stung to death will sud
denly assume the offensive and pursue
the tactics of their enemies.
Should the battle go against the at
lacking body, the balance Of the swarm
files away to seek safety, and the dead
carcasses OF their companions are
thrown eontemptuously out of the hive.
But in the event Of an opposite termfna.
ton Of the struggle the poor inha bitsnts
are slaughtered. When their fate has
been practically decided, many OF them
turn traitors to their cause, and IN or
der to save their own lives they join
the forces of the attacking party and
display great vlgor In killing their for
mer companions. But there Is honest
patriotism even among bees. In every
hive there are some who fight to the
last and prolong the struggle.-London
Mail.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

A German doctor, who has been col
lecting information about the habits OF
long-lived persons, finds that the ma
jority of those who attained old age
INDUCED In late hours. Eight out of
ten persons over so never went to bed
until well into the small hours, and did
not get up again until late In the day.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

here and there among Its waves. Her
eyes are big and blue, fringed with
dark lashes, and she has !, manner that
Is simple, frank and winning. She has
travelled widely and spent the greater
part of last year In England and
France. Her education has been en-
tirely In the hands OF governcsses, and
II II most complete and thorough. She
has never been to school, Sports are
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
TWO MILLIONAIRE GIRLS.
Fair Young ebutantes Who Are Each
Worth $5,OOO,OOO,

Two girls worth $o,0O0,0oo each in
their ow-- right make their debut in
New York this season. They are Miss
Mildred Stokes, daughter Of Arson
Phelps Stokes, and Miss Josephine
Drexel. daughter Of the late Joseph
Drexel. Miss Mildred inherited her
money from her maternal grandfather,
and Miss Drexel got hers from her
father.
Both girls are pretty. Miss Stokes
hair Is light brown, with golden glints
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

THINGS THAT WILL TRANSFORM
FIELDS OF BATTLE.
Ds.. VIII Act us sentinels and Locate
and Carry succor to the Wounded
M.rvefs Of Communication by Use of
the Telephone.
Kites that Drop Explosives.

Kites that Drop Explosives.
when war again comes 1t will be
waeed under entirely new conditions
and with modern improvements which
would have amazed and awed even the
great Napoleon II he could have beheld
them
Most people are aware that magazine
brcech-loading rides and steel breech-
lOading cannon have been substituted
for the old Misunderstanding musket and
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
Ioonociasm in Bavaria.

Bavaria iconoclasts have torn down
the old Hofbrauhaus beer room In Mu-
Mich and put up in Its place large hall,
adorned with historical paintings,
where the beer is served as In other
places.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

The steam power of the world may
be reckoned as equivalent to the
strength Of 1000 millions OF men.
which is more than twice the number
Of workmen existing.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

There is a good deal to admire In a
man who would rather pound dynamite
for living than live or any of his
relatives.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

II all the lies told In political cam
paign were nailed, the nail factories
would have to run twenty-four hours
Z day.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

sst wounded men on the field at night,
and Ia bushes, thickets and marshes.
They carry In panniers water and sim
pic remedies and bandages, and stand
by supposedly wounded man and
hnrk until aid comes.
In no department has a greater adj
vahre been made than In the medical
department-the ambulance service.
And In the next war the art Of treat
ne will almost succeed In overcom-
Ine thc ravages Of the art OF destruc-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
CRAFTSMAN or TnE oaEExs.

1sparhecher, Chief of the Nation, and
His Long Career.
One Of the most remarkable full
blooded Indians now living Is Ispar-
hecher, chief Of the Cherokees. There
are probably other public men among
the Five Nations who are more learned
than he, and while most Of them have
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

Bachelors are women's rights and
widowers are womens lefts.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06
ETHICS OF BOOK BORROWING.

How to Take Care of Volume Lent
You.
In spite Of Polonius' fatherly injunc-
ton to Laertes, neither borrower
nor lender be-" most Of us borrow a
new book now or then or receive 1t
from the generous owner who insists
upon lending it. Some people take the
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

It's the man who has the will power
to stop drinking when he sees at that
never sees fit.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

dition In which 1t was lent, aid rs soon
as possible.-Phlladelph Record.