davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
OLD SHOES.
ar. StayboIt Iias . Word AbOnt Them
and Other Things Old, In
Guiding cd Habits.

Gas easy as an old shoe is familiar
SAYING" said Mr.. StayhoIt, according
to the New York Sun, "and there can
be no doubt that an old shoe is a
mighty comfortable thing. After we
nave worn the new shoes, close fitting
uard and formal, how gladly we put
them off, and with what joy we put on
the shoes that are old and worn and
familiar to the feet! Old shoes, how
ever, are not the only thing old that
we like. We like an old bed, if it is
not too old, but just old enough, so
that while still soft and comfortable
it is also shaped somewhat to the body.
which it supports at every point, yield
ing degree of comfort which not the
finest of beds can afford when it is
new
''I}ut it is so with all things old. that
arc not too old, including habits. We
cling to them so long as they give us
comfort, and we hate to change. We
are creatures of habit, who would if
we could follow to the end along the
first comfortable rut we fall into. and
never look out above its sides. And it
is well for US that our shoes wear out.
and that We have 10 buy new ones and
wear them; that we are in various
ways compelled to change; that we
are rooted out now and then and set
going anew.
"And some of Us profit by this
change. Once lifted out Of the rut
we stay up on the plain, where there
is nothing to cramp US, ard where we
can lay about freely in any direction
in accordance with cur power. but
more OF us, fancy, rather welcome
the days when the shoes grow old
again and yield without much strug-
Cling to the enticements of ease and
comfort"
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
DRAPED LINCoLN'S COFFIN.
Flag Sacred with HallOwed Mem
cries in Moth Precf Case at
War Department

Inclosed in moth proof glass case
in Secretary Alger's Office is flag
with history. This emblem was used
to drape the casket of President Lin
coin when his remains lay in state in
the rotunda of the capital in April,
1865, and enveloped the casket on it's
long journey through the states to its
final resting place at Springfield, Ill.
After the ceremonies had been COM
plctcd the flag was removed from the
casket and shipped to Washington,
where it was draped and placed in the
case in which are moth balls to pre-
vent, as far as possible, its decay.
The flag is draped as only experts
employed by the government know
how to do this work. and on the case
is an inscription reciting its history.
The cowardly assassination of the war
president Immediately after the cessa-
tion of hostilities might properly be
called the last act of that great drama,
and by strange coincidence in the
next room, which is occupied by the
adjutant general. is found the base of
the flagstaff from which flew the stars
and stripes when Fort Sumter was
fired upon, and thus the relics of the
beginning and ending of the greatest
modern war repose within a few feet
of each other.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
FIRST ELEPHANT IN AMERICA.
Made Fortune for AM
other n:en.

1t is not generally known that a
former citizen OF Owensboro brought
across the ocean the first elephant
that was ever ia America, says the
Greensboro (Ky) Inquirer. The name
of the gentleman was Moses Smith,
who at one time owned q vast body Of
land from the mouth of PaEther creek
up the river, embracing nearly all the
present farms in the neighborhood of
Sorgho.
Mr.. Smith was at Paris with his
brother and had more money than he
knew what to 10 with" He tcld his
brother that he intended taking some
thing 10 American that the PEOPLE had
never seen. you had better buy an
elephant" said the jocular brother and
i that was what Moses did. lie picked
cut the biggest animal he could find
and paid an enormous price for it. He
brought it to New York. where it was
a nine days wonder, but the owner
soon found that lie had something
worse than the rroverbial white ele-
phant on his hands. lie tried to sell
it, but could find. no buyer and at last
undertook to give it away. in which he
was equally unsuccessful. Finally he
found man who agreed to pay him
$100 for it and this individual put it on
exhibition. He was so successful that
he went into the show business and
made a fortune out of Mr. Smiths fol-
ly. Col. Frank McKernan,of Adrian
Vile, is q grandson of Mr.. Snaith, who
lived TO a great agc at his home in this
county.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
A DEADLY BULLET.
New Man-KiIling Missile Adopted
by British Government.
The Case Is Sf Nickel. the Base Only
being Filled with Lead - The
Conical End Is Left
Empty.

A new service bullet has just been
adopted by the war office. says the
London Times. The eason assigned
for the change in the service bullets j 5
that the Lee-Metford, though it is
! more deadly at ten times the range of
the old musket ball, does not disable
an enemy as effectively as is consid-
cred desirable. The case is elongated
and SO hard that soldiers have been
known to go on fighting after half
dozen Lee-Metford bullets have gone
! through them, while the bullet itself
has passed through two Or three men
| consscutively, shock being sacrificed
for penetration. The Dunn Dunn bullet.
now also superseded, came into use for
the purpose of stopping the rush OF tie
hordes of fanatics, as it had the advan-
tagc of spreading cut ard breaking up
whenever it encountered resistance
but there has recently been some dis
cusslon in France rs TO the propriety CT
demonstrating with the British war
Office on the ground that it is contrary
| to the convention made with other
European powers in 1868. The new serv-
ice bullet is the same diameter (303), ,
the same length (an inch and one-ffth),
and the same weight (215 grains) as
| the Lee-Metford bullet, and fits all the
service rifles and machine guns in use
| by the British army. The case is of
nickel, the base only being filled with
| lead. The conical end is left empty,
and when it strikes the enemy burrs,
opens backward and lodges in the body,
| penetration being lessened and tie
| shock increased.
The new bullet is spoken of as ''the
/ man-killing bullet" in contradistinc-
ton to the E1an-penetrating bullet. It
i propelled with cordite. and has as
! much energy as the old Martini-Henry
| bullet Of 410 grains had with the best
+ gunpowder; while, as it is half the
/ weight, the soldier is able TO carry
/ double the number Of rounds CT ball
! cartridges. The new bullet is Icing
manufactured in the royal labora ,ory,
/ Woolwich arsenal, by men and boys
| working overtime. at the rate Of 2.C00,-
| 600 rounds Of ball cartridges per week,
| and if the test in the Khartoum eXpedi-
/ ton proves satisfactory a permanent
! stock will be kept On hand at the pow
! der magazines at Woolwich A contract
for 100C0,000 rounds of the new bail
| cartridge has been entered into with
Messrs. Kynoch 6 Co., and one with
/ the Small Arms Ammunition company
Birmingham, for a similar number.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
NOT FOR AMERICANS.
Congressman Wadswerth, of New
York. Docs Not Think We Can
Ever COIOnize Puerto Rico.

-'This government will not succeed
in colonizing the island of Puerto Rico. -
said Representative Wadsworth, who
has Just returned from the West Indies.
1t will fail in this attempt just as Eng
land has failed 20 people its West Indian
possessions, as the Ang!o-Saxon race
will not thrive and prosper there, be-
cause of the enervating climate.
THE debilitating effect of the atmos-
phere, which is devoid of that vital quail
ity which gives energy and snap, is well
known. The time will never come, in
my judgment, when the population of
this island will be made up Of the peo-
PIE of the United States. Those whoare
already there are rapidly losing that
push and energy which is one Of the
characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon race,
and children of that race who may be
born on the island will naturally be
affected by their environments and the
atmospheric conditions, and notwith-
standing the fact that they string
from the hardy Northerners they will
have many characteristics of the Lat
ins.
Business will not flourish there as
it does in colder and healthier climates,
and after the first rush Of American en-
igration is over believe there will be a
turn in the tide, and the West Indies
will not develop as fast as is now gen
orally believed - -ai
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
TIE PASSING OF GOLD LACE.
FIashy Uniforms Are Not Now as
Common as They Formerly


The sober-tinted and workmanlike
appearance of the American army
service uniform has attracted much
attention among the presentatives
offorsign armies. Zig gold epaulettes
startling rows of brass buttons, sashes
ana shakos used to hold the military
mind in spell, even in this country;
but the gold l1ce and the tinscl had to
so. The Indians and the iorg-rarge
rifles shot them away. The CLINT Of
brass button Or gold braid, bit of
trimming on dark blue, the eagle-eyed
Jedskin could see a tremendously long
distance away in the clear air CT the
mountains. Long range is his first
principle in war. A stand-up fight is
not in his line, and his aim is believed
to be less accurate at 300 yards than
il is at 500. So all the bits of finery
that caught the light had to be dis
rensed with, and even the polished
swords and the white trimmings dis
appeared. AS often as not dingy buck
skin would replace the blue cloth. A
company Of infantry came to look like
hunters and a troop of cavalry like
cowboys. One of the best changes thus
brought about was the substitution ot
the useful sombrero for the iaunty
but insecure forage cap. 1t remains
to be seen what further changes in
uniforms the present war will bring
about. If there should have to be
much more fighting in tropical eli
mates uniform not only of special
color but of special texture would
have 10 be adopted. In such climates
white men are not expected to walk.
Ii man has to go quarter of mile
lie jumps on his horse. If he tried to
walk the distance he would be bathed
in very inconvenient if not unwhole-
some perspiration. The idea of our
soldiers marching in such countries
with their ordinary kit and clothing
strikes anyone who knows the condi-
tiors as appalling, and if the war were
G last much longer the question Of
change of uniform for special condi-
ions would inevitably have to be
taken up.-St. Louis Globe-D Democrat.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
KINDNESS TO A MULE.
A HumOrOusIy Inclined Young Off,
GERS Experience Proved
1t to De Useless. r.

The mule was undoubtedly bad
mule, but Lieut.. Kellenberger, of bat
terry e. First Ohio light artillery, said
that his disposition had been ruined
and his confidence in human nature de-
stroyed by improper treatment, says
the Cincinnati Enquirer.
"He had been mistreated," said Lieut.
Kellenberger; 81 will show you how
this mule should be treated" Then the
lieutenant, with the assistance of ar
orderly, saddled the mistreated mule
in front of his own tent. The mule of
fered neither resistance nor profess
The lieutenant patted him on he neck.
HE needs kind but firm treatment,
said he Then Lieut.. Kellenberger
mounted. The mistreated mule danced
three bars of two-step, executed al
individual hop, skip and jump with
each leg and projected Lieut.. Kellen-
berger into the air directly beneath a
thorn tree. ..
Catch that man-eating monster and
beat him to death" said Lieut. Kellen-
berger, as the hospital corps assistad
him to his tent. Then several mel
came out OF. a company street and
erected tablet, reading thus: where
Kelley Fell, May 2s, 1885,
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
MAY BECOME REGULARS.
Effort to Get Enough Volunteers to
ReenIist to Bring Regular
Army Up to Full Quota.

Volunteers who have not had enough
of military service will be given an op-
portunity to enter the regular army.
1t is the intention of the war depart
ment 10 recruit the army up to its full
war basis Of 81 900 men and it has Cr-
dercd recruiting stations established
at all state camps where the volunteers
are to be mustered out Of service. y
1t will require the enlistment of
about 5000 men to bring the army up
to the basis allowed by the bill increas-
ing the army during period of war.
Recruiting in the regular army was
slow in comparison with the rapidity
with which the ranks of the volunteers
were filled up and the deficiency is
caused by deaths, wounds and illness Of
some Of the regulars.
The men who entered the regular
army enlisted for three years, with the
privilege of leaving the service at the
cessation of hostilities. 1t is for the
purpose CT providing against the con.
tingency of many men leaving the serv-
ice In the near future that the depart,
lnent has decided to reenlist the volun.
teers.
Those who reenlist will be given ad'
vantage of the time they served in the
volunteer service as part of continu-
Gus service in the regular establish
ment. Volunteers will be given pref
erence over all others who present
themselves, as the experience they have
had will be valuable both to the gov
eminent and themselves.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
A HYDROGEN SHELL.
Chemist invents an Z E1losive PrcJec-
tile That VIII lie Frightfui in
Its Execution.

The activity displayed in inventing
means for the destruction Of human
life, particularly of enemies in war
time. is as ceaseless as the efforts TO
prolong life and create for it tolera-
BILE conditions. The latest Ingenious
device for the former purpose is a
ten-inch shell that has hydrogen for
the eexplosive. Tie inventor is Chemist
Walter I. Forbes, and he announces
that the authorities at Washington
are about 10 give his shell trial. In
appearance it is similar to the gas
tank in the ordinary soda water foun-
tain. Hydrogen can be exploded by
fire, and as the pressure in the shell
is about 5000 pounds TO the square
inch, thus making it impossible TO keep
a fuse or percussion cap in place, Mr..
Forbes was confronted with the diff
ficult problem of designing some way
to set the gas off. This device is the
enc secret about the shell.
Mr.. Forbes says that the 5000 pounds
pressure is multiplied instantly, when
the shell strikes, 2O0-fold, thus giving
the enormous explosive force of 1,000,-
coo pounds. which would annihiliate
everything within many yards of the
srct that was struck.
The inventor says that the shell
weighs about one-tenth as much as
the regular ten-inch she'll and can be
made for about one-twentieth the cost
CT the ether. If Mr.. Forbes isn't at
fault, says the Oswego (N. W Times,
he will doubtless frd that he has done
much 10 avert war by making it too
dangerous a function to engage in.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
BARTENDERS ARE WEALTHY.
This Account Gees 10 show Why.
They Are Able to Wear Such
Good Clothes.

There is. no malicious intention to
cast reflection upon the honesty Of the
bartender, but it is not uncommon
that some one replies to an inquiry
as to the Identity Of some verygeie-
gantly dressed gentleman parading
down the street as if he owned it.
why, he is the bartender at such
swell downtown saloon" Few good
stories are told at the expense of the
mixer of intoxicants, and when an old
observer started to tell one his listen
ers were al attention, says the De-
troit Free Press.
Il knew r2aa once that ran sa--
loon who bored hole through the
ceiling to watch his bartender" said
he. "He had an idea that the fellow
was dishonest. On the first morning
that he watched him through tie hole
the bartender knocked down $3.50.
When the roprietor appeared in the
saloon, and, going behind the bar,
looked, into the till, he found only so
cents there.
"'Say,' said the proprietor. pacing
the floor in anger. where did you get
all your elegant clothes?' M
81 bought them replied the bar
tender.
swell, you get out from behind that
bar shouted the irate proprietor,
and I'll see if 1 can get money enough
to buy suit of decent Clothes"
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
PROBING SUPERSEDED.
This Painful and Unsatisfactory Meth
, Cd of Searching for Hidden Bull
90 lets Has Become Obsolete.

The report of Dr.. Sem on the nature
of the wounds inflicted upon our SOL
dier5 in the Santiago campaign con-
,taiHs large amount Of information
which should be interesting TO the sur
geCn and the layman alike. Perhaps
nothing will more interest the layman
than the surgeons announcement
that the probe as an instrument for
locating bullets has become practical
ly obsolete, says the New York Times.
The amount of suffering and of irrita-
ton Of wounds which is thus obviated
is incalcu!able. For this we have to
thank the benefcent X-ray. which
finds bullets without inficting mere
misery upon the wounded. Nothing
is more inspiring than the readiness
and skill with which the medical pro-
fession utiiizes the revelations of sci
ence for the elimination of human
suffering.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
IT'S DESTRUCTIVE WEAPONS.
A Description Of the Guns, Which
Find q Place on the Modern
A. Batfleship. -

A 12-inch rife is 38 feet long, with
Four feet external diameter at the
oreech, and weighs 4S tons. Its $50
pound shot driven by 430-pound
charge CT brown prismatic powder
caves the Inuzzle with velocity ex-
ceeding ,40G miles per hour and would
reach a target atits effective range of
ID miles in "a seconds, while it would
AXE the report of its discharge q
seconds to traverse the me distance.
1t range of ~ miles this shot would
,crforate 10 inches of solid steel. The
50-pourd projectile of the cight-inch
life will penetrate foot of armor at
he range Of enc mile. The six four
.nch rapid-fire guns within the super
structure each delivers eight 40Jound
Yrojectiles in a minute, while the rs
founders distributed over the 'vesse
AN be relied upon TO clear an enemy
lecks or to disable torpedo boats b,
maintaining terrific hail Of explosive
hell capable of destroying any IN
,rmored position. The final offensive
.csources Of the citadel, writes Rich
I'd Lee Fearn, in the Chautauquan,
re the four torpedo tubes, each rre-
;ared to launch automatic and dirigi-
lie destroyers containing 15o pounds
,f gun cotton.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

4 scientist looking for microbes says
there are absolutely none On the Gwiss
mountains at an altitude of 1900 feet.
Prof. Bilsilk says. The relative size
of the earth as compared with the sur,
is, approximately, that of grain OF
sand to an orange.
The beautiful colors seen in the soap
bubble arise from the fact that the
bubble, being very thin, reflects light
from both the outer and inner surfac ces
of the film.
It has been calculated that ordinary
gunpowder on exploding expands
about 5000 times, that is, fills a spac2
this much larger as gas than when in
a solid form.
Nearly 100000 women in Spain
work in the field as day laborerS; 350,-
600 women are registered as day serv-
ants-that is, they work for their food
and lodging. There is no such class
anywhere else.
The skin of the reindeer is so imper-
vious to the cold that anyone clothed
in such a dress, with the addition of a
blanket of the same material, may
bear the intensest rigors of an Arctic
winters night.
Coronium, chemical element hith-
erto found only by spectroscopic ex-
animation in the suns corrna, has
been found by Prof. Nasini in the gases
given off by Mount Vesuvius. It is sup
posed to be much lighter than hydro.
gen.
y Berlin patent agency announces
that a Polish engineer has found a way
of chemically treating straw in such a
way that it can be pressed into q sub
stance as hard as stone and cheaper
than wood paving, for which it is eX-
pected to prove substitute.
For several years the engines of the
Detroit waterworks were run with fuel
oil, and it cost 1855 cents a gallon. Al
that rate the city paid $2.1S per mil
lion gallons for pumping the water.
Soft coal, for which between So 30 and
$26O a ton is paid, is now used instead
of oil, and it costs only $1.40 to pump
100000 gallons of water.
Nickel is q modern metal. twas not
in use nor known till 1715. It has now
largely taken the place Of silver in
plated ware, and as an alloy with stee!
it is superior to any other metal, for i;
is not only non-corrodible itself, but it
transfers the same quality to steel;
even when combined as low as five per
cent. prevents oxidation.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
POPPING SEAGULLS' NECKS.
An EngeniOus Alabama Boy Describes
What lie Thinks Rare
Snort.

"Say, have been having barrel Of
fun" said Willie Green, of Greenvile.
Ala. to a New Orleans Times-Demo.
crat reporter.
81 have been popping seagull necks
popping them by the dozens, by the
hundreds. Fine sport. Never saw any
thing like it in your life. Say, do you
know whether the seagull is worth
anything at all on the market for any
purpose whatever? 1fit is, / can make
a fortune without any outlay of capi
tai at all, and at the same time have
the greatest sport in the world"
Mr.. Green, being interrogat>d more
closely as to the nature Of this posi-
bly, profitable industry of popping sea-
gull necks. explained: "Well, you see
l have been down on the gulf on a
lark. Have you ever noticed the sea
gull dart down for fish? A shot from
one of those big guns we read about
does not dart with more terrific speed
or hit the water with greater force. 1t
occurred to me that this afforded a
chance to get some of these boss fish
ermen and tried the experiment, and
it would have amazed you to see how
it worked. took fish had caught
and fixed him to couple of planks
The planks I weighted so that they
would float just below the surface a
short distance. Above the planks and
almost On level with the surface of
the water attached fish so that il
would have the appearance of swim
ming. Now. these foolish birds. see
ing the fish and naturally expecting
that, like other fish. it would make
lungc to get away, strike for il with
n force greater than is sufficient to
reach the fish where it stands. In
each instance they struck my boards
with such terrific force that they
poDped their necks. Ever try this?
Well. the next time you are out On the
gulf give it trial. You will he
amazed to see the number of gulls
you can kill in the course of one even
ing'
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-22
STUMP PENCILS ARE MAsCoTS.
Members of the New York Stcs.K EH-
change superstiHous About
Lead sticks.

Talking of hoodoos and mascots.
said a member OF the stock exchange.
reports the New York Post. "the boys
on The floor of the exchange are as SUI
persiitious as lot Of sailors. II you
don't believe it you look at he lead
pencils they are using The next time
you are in the building. as
You won't find man using long
lead pencil. Why? Because long
pencil is a 'hoodoo' of the worst kind.
They always cut a new pencil in half
before they sharpen it. Some of these
pencils acquire the reputation of be-
ing lucky. E,f.' 5Flr~
LESS than a week ago came down
without my pencil, which, by the way,
IS a lucky oue-every memorandum
made with that pencil results in
profit for me--and / borrowed one
from a friend on The iloor. Hehanded
me stump about an inch long. and
laid: You can use that; it's lucky
pencil 5 tf fntf
Sure enough, made two deals in
he morning. and each netted me q
| handome profit.
Was uDOut 10 MAKE q IHe III VI II
dunn Of some ST ock had bought when,
my friend approa eAed and said:f
Here, take this pencil and let me
have mine again. I've lost on every
deal since loaned il to you
Sure enough. lost on that deal and
he luck went back tothe owner of the
pencil. f~ &-'r
When you get hold of a lucky pencil
| you want to hang on 10 it.
Some Of the boys have little lucky
pencils not more than an inch long,
and they. guard them as they would
| heir lives.
IF you. through carelessness or ac-
| rident. cause them TO break the lead
| point they lose whatever regard they
| have for you and forever afterward re-
gard you as inimical. Some of them
wouldn't take five dollars for little
piece of pencil worth considera bly, less
than cent"