davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1898-11-19
HUMAN EYE AS A CAMERA.
Absurd Stories Have Originated FROM
Some Experiments.

From the Literary Digest.
The popular notion that the eyes of the
dead sometimes retain complete images of
scenes that have been enacted before them
at the moment of death has received fam
cied confirmation in late years by expert
ment, and there are some who from read
ing careless or exaggerated accounts of
these experiments, might get an impression
that science had placed upon this notion
the stamp of approval. The following note
from The Lancet Uondon) gives US the
very small modicum of truth that is the
basis of all such stories. 1t says:
Under the title of In Dead Eyes an
evening contemporary recently made a
statement which carries its own confuta-
tion with it, 1t is to the effect that a ply
sician and enthusiastic photographer, being
desirous OF testing the amount of truth in
the theory that dead eyes retain complete
images. had carefully examined the ewes
OF hundreds of dead people. and though
he had never seen anything like a distinct
picture mrrored he had certainly distinctly
traced both letters and objects on the iris
of the eye, and that when the Photographic
test was applied these images became Wis
lDIe. In one case capital letter of peculiar
form was shown which could be traced to
Testament held in the hands shortly be-
fore death. In another case a numeral was
distinctly pictured which was traced to q
clock face in the room. The article in
question continues: The chief scientific pa
per of France only the other day gave full
particulars of case where woman who
died in one of the hospitals had two num-
bers, 10 and 45. mirrored in the iris of her
eyes These absurd stories originate in
the well-known experiments of Kuhne on
the visual purple of the retina, in the course
of which he showed that by making special
arrangements the crosS-bars of window
focused on the retina could be brought into
relief. The enthusiastic photographer If
he be not misquOted, ought to have known
that no well-defined images of the external
world are cast upon the iris, and none
therefore, could be preserved. The surface
of the iris is far too uneven to act as a
mirror. Moreover, no arrangements
were made to prevent the further action
of light after death. they would if formed
be certainly obliterated the image on n
Photographic plate would be if permanent
ly exposed. The only mode in which an
Image impressed on the retina could be rem
dered visible would be to adopt the method
of Kuhne, namely, by exposing the eve
previously kept in the dark for minute or
two to an illuminated object, then ex-
tirpating it, opening it and Immediately
plunging 1t into solution of alum The
image develops in the course of twenty
four hours.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
The Age of an Oyster,

TFoH tHe lsnlng Gazette.
He who wishes may find out the exact
age of an oyster, though he has not the
telltale evidence in teeth. The lines in the
groove Of the hinge of the shell tell the
whole story, each line representing a year
An oyster is of age at four years; that Is,
ne is old enough to vote, take care of q
family and go to market. Going to market
ls disastrous undertaking. for a four
year-old oyster Is particularly palatable.
BY this it must not be supposed that after
an oyster has passed the four-layer period
and has five, six or even ten wrinkles on
MS shell he is back number. Indeed, there
are records of oysters being eaten just after
celebrating their thirtieth birthday. and in
most cases they formed a delicious meal
Thirty is an unusual age for an oyster to
attain, because few are given an opportu-
nifty to live SO long If left to enjoy life in
his own way, 1t is quite probable that the
oyster would become an octogenaran or
even centenarian.
Captain Cochrane on his last trip to Full
ton Market brought in an oyster found on
his beds that is believed to be at least thir-
ty-five years old.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
GREELEY PLAYED CHECKERS.
Refused Meanwhile to See an Impa-
tient ThrOnE of Politicians.

Refused Meanwhile to See an ImDa-
tient ThrOnE of Politicians.
From the New Orleans Times Democrat
MY father had curious experience with
Horace Greeley years ago." said Mr.. Albert
Caldwell Of st. Louis, who is spending a
few weeks in New Orleans, land the story
has never been told in print. 1t was in the
lively times just preceding the Greeley
Grant campaign My father was then liv-
ing at Utica, N. Y, and became interested
In some political scheme-I don't know
what-about which 1t was considered very
important to obtain Mr.. Greeley's advice.
After much consultation he was sent as a
committee of one to New York city to per
sonally interview the great editor. When
he arrived he found it almost impossible to
secure an audience. Greeley was besieged
by an army of ali kinds of people, big party
leaders from here, there and everywhere
ferences. The management of the Tribune
thing else, and he had found it necessary
underlings and secretaries. My father tried
vainiy for several days to run this gaunt-
let, and at last he succeeded in making an
appointment He was greeted at the hour
named by an assistant editor, who tool,
him aside and strongly impressed upon him
the necessity of stating mis- case briefly and
plainly. He also hiated that Gree.ey's
temper was none Of the best, and urgea
Evening star., 1898-11-19
PYRAMIDS OF NAPATA.
There Are Six of Them and All Are
UneNpIOred.

From the London Graphic.
The opportunity for making an excur-
sion to the pyramids of Napata presented
chance of visiting these interesting and lit
tie known relics of the past. The pyramids
lie clustered together on the western side
of Gehel Barkal mountain, a huge mass
of sandstone rock which rises majestically
out of the desert, as Gibraltar rises from
the sea This mountain, though of no great
height, is a landmark for many a mile
around, and from Merawi camp the pyra-
mids themselves were plainly visible above
the belt Of palm trees on the opposite
bank of the. Nile.
These pyramids are six in number, and
with one exception lie in a wonderfully
perfect state of preservation. None of
them, however. is of any such vast dmen-
sions as the pyramids at GiZeh, the high
est probably not exceeding sixty feet They
appear to have been built in groups of
three, placed at right angles to one an
other. The stones which form the outer
facing are in no case more than three
feet long by one and one-half feet in depth,
and are not very closely fitted to one an
other These pyramids have never been eX-
plored. What varied treasures may they
not contain! What priceless inscriptions
may adorn the walls of their sepulchral
chambers,
The temple which we first approached
on leaving the pyramids Is hewn out of
the solid rock. 1t contains three cham
bers, the central one being the largest
with the two smaller ones on each side of
1t. In each case the walls are richly dec
Grated with hieroglyphics, and In some
places the original coloring remains. 1t
is, however, extremely difficult to trace
the details of the carvings, for the wild
bees have found them convenient projec-
tions on which to build their little nests
Evening star., 1898-11-19
Sing n Song.

Ii you II sing Gong as you 90 along,
IN the race of the real or the fancied wrong:
In spite Of the doubt If You'll fight it out,
ANA SHOW a heart that is brave and stout:
II you II laugh ut the jeers aud refuse the tears
lou IL force the ever-reluctant cheers
Ihat the world denies when a coward cries
10 give to the man who brayely tries:
ANA You ii win success with little song
Ii you'll sing the song you 90 along.
II you II sing song you plod along
You IL nnd that the busy, rushing throng
w III catch the strain of the glad refrain;
That the sun will follow the blinding rain;
That the clouds Ill fly from the blackened sky;
That the stars will come out by and by
Ard you'll make new friends, till hope descends
FROM where the placid rainbow bends;
And all because of a little song
II you'll sing the song as you plod along!
II You ii sing song you trldge along,
You'll see that the singing will make you strong
And the heavy load and the rugged road
And the sing and the stripe of the tOrtuous goad
VIII soar with the note that you set afioat:
That the beam will change to trifling mote;
That the world Is bad when you sad,
And bright and beautiful when glad,
That all you need is little song
If you'll sing the song YOU trudge along.
Philadelphia Evening Telegraph.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
THE MARooNs OF JAMAICA.
slaves Left by Spaniards to Fight
English InterlOpers.

From the North American Review
The Maroons of Jamaica are an interest
ing people. Though coming of the same
race as the other negroes. they look down
on the latter and hold them in contempt.
their theory being that Maroons were never
slaves TO the English. When the Spaniards
hEally quilted Jamaica, after a guerrilla
warfare that lasted for three years, they
left behind them a certain number of their
slaves, to whom they gave liberty on the
understanding that the black men would
wage unceasing war against the English
lnterlopers. These free slaves retreated to
the mountains, where they secured posi-
ttonS inaccessible to the English soldiers,
and. with willing fidelity to the oath given
TO their Spanish masters, they were in the
habit Of sallying forth, killing, when pos
sibfe, the new arrivals destroying or carry
ing off their property. When such raids
became unbearably aggressive, expeditions
were organized and bodies of troops and
militia were sent to reduce the Maroons to
order. These expeditions are known in
Jamaica history as the Maroon wars, which
continued with more or less frequency for
over century. Meantime, the Maroons
were daily increasing in numbers by the
addition of runaway slaves, who must have
been numerous, for it was calculated, at
one time, that in the towns alone of ia
majca 10000 runaway slaves were living,
successfully eludlng all attempts made to
apprehend them. There is no record as to
how many took refuge with the Maroons,
but the number must have been consider
able, and largely consisted of Coromantees.
The Coromantees were a tribe so fierce and
turbulent that after disastrous experience
of the difficulty and risk of attempting to
turn CoTomantees into satisfactory invest
ments in the island. the Jamaica legisla-
ture in slavery days" passed a law for
bidding the Importation of any more of the
tribe.
The Trelawney town Maroons. the chief
offenders being banished to Nova Scotia
after their subjection by bloodhounds, the
inhabitants of other Maroon settlements
Were left undisturbed, and their descend
ants still remain In Jamaica. Their priv
leges have been respected, and they have
proved themselves faithful allies and
friends of the white people of the island.
In slavery days they received a reward for
every runaway slave brought back by
them. Their zeal in obtaining such reward
was unf1agging, rendering them objects of
dread to the slaves and keeping up the
link that bound them to the white people.
a visit to a Maroon settlement, even at the
pr esent day, is an interesting experience.
There is one Maroon settlement-that of
Moore town, on the northern slope OF the
John Crow mountains-to which there is a
road practicable for wheeled vehicles; the
other settlements can only be gained by
bride paths which wind through wood and
bush. skirting steep declivities, thickly
clothed with the luxuriant foliage of the
tropics the path now descending into
shady glade, now mounting over some
towering crest frnged with the stately cab
bage palm or beautiful with clumps of mag
nificent tree ferns
Evening star., 1898-11-19
AMERICAS APPLETON,
A Russian Traveller Who VIII Go
Home and Tell About 1t.

From the Denvec Post.
s. Hanfblum fifty years of age. blond
| gray, whiskered volatile, and all the way
| from st. Petersburg, Russia, Is at the
Brown Palace Hotel To the surprise of
caller. who had never seen the gentleman
before, Mr.. Hanfblum turned and, with an
expression of delight upon his face. ex-
! claimed:
'Ach, my friend. I am fill wis delight.
| You are ze zhentleman from Melboorn vich
| 1 meet on Ze high modntain, ze peak Of
vat you call heem? All! Pike, ze peak CT
| Pike. Eet ees wis ze greatest pIeasir l see
| you"
| When gently told that he was mistaken
| he could hardly believe it.
'Ees eet pcoseeb? Veil, eet ees remark
able re raysambIance."
His accent and vernacular were peculiar
Sometimes he talked like a German, some
times like a Frenchman His manner was
| wholly French.
Yes, sair,' said he in answer to a ques-
ton. Il am a resident of st. Peetairsbayrg
! | wass born in Warsaw. Poland, but l leev
| In R-russia tairty yairce. My name ees
Jairman, but am not. Eet ees only re
| name vich ees Jairman. Deed you noteece
Eat name? Hanf, you see. meence hemp
| and blum ees flower: zat ees altogaythair,
hempfioWer. Eat eeS preety, ees eet not?''
1t was and his visitor admitted it.
Il haf been in America some weeks and
haf noteeced many t'ings to pleeca me and
some Vich do not. Now. Zat seengular Gus
toom or eating gom. Eat ees most re-
| Inarkable. Eet ees not fair me to oonder-
stand. All Ze time Zey bite, bite bite
chewing zis gom. So many, too!' And Mr.
Hanfblum held up both hands and arms
like pair of exclamation points
On ze car from Boofalo to Neeackeera
zair wass young Teddy seeting in front of
me ating zis gorn-wsout stop, sink of it,
All re time! I ask: Vat ees zis zat re
PEBBLE all eating?' 1 vas told. I pairchase
some of ze leedle stoff an put heem in my
mouse-Pa-ah 1 shpat heem out. Eet ees
ike medeecen and worse. And eet ees so
ogly! wonder so much at zis mees-er-abIe
habeet and eet seemce to be ze habeet
deesteenkteef nayceonal-ees eet zo?''
The impeachment was admitted with
grief.
And ees zair no r-raymedee, no cure for
zees ter-raible sing? No? Eat ees sad,
Evening star., 1898-11-19
The POpc's Love of Chess.
From Tlt-BitB.


1t may not be ir own that Leo XIII is an
ardent lover of chess He has been con-
slant player for over thirty years, and his
skill in the game is anything but mediocre
His holiness' fasa-ite opponent used to he
Father Guilio, with whom he was in the
habit of playing when he was Cardinal
Pecci. On being raised to the pon,lficai
throne he summoned Father Guilo from
Florence, where lie was then stationed. and
gave him apartments in the Vatican
Father G1ilie VAS said to combine a re- re
mastery of the game with an exceedingly
iraseibie temper. Sometimes during a game
with his holiness Re would burst out into an
ergoNernabia n. or rage. On such oeca sicns
Leo XIII IL mediately interrupted the con-
test. and procee ded to deliver a little hom-
lily on the virtues of Christian resignation
and Self-control
Evening star., 1898-11-19
Climate of Cape Colony.

The climate OF the Cape Colony, and in
deed of South Africa. may be compared to
that of the south of Europe and the north
of Africa, with frost and snow on the nigh
est lands ami suotropical belts on the low
est-lying parts. as in Natal Zululand and
MashonalanI. II may be roughly said that
any rart of South Africa is better for those
suffering from chest complaint than is the
climate Of cur home country, at the most
trying time of the year But those who
ct me to South Africa hoping to escape from
h disease should not as a general rule
delay on the &C ast.
The Cape peninsula is delightful for most
people, bat II is not by any means best for
these who are ccnstitutionally inclined to
consumption. They must leave the coast
no matter how many inducements there
may be for then to stay, and climb the
tableland which faces them at Whatever
rcrt they may land. At irregular distances
from the sea We have probably nowhere
more than hundred miles of low-lyinr
coast lands before we ascend. Once or the
tabieiand, so far as climate goes, 1t mat
ters not in what direction health-seekers
proceed. the climate is equally good
Evening star., 1898-11-19
He knOweth,

Serene. fold my hands and wait.
Nor care for wind, nor tide. nor sea,
rave no more 'gainst time or fate.
For. 10! my own shall come to me.
stay my haste, L make DELAYS,
For what avails this eager mace?
l stand amid the eternal ways.
And what is mine shall know nv facs
Asleep, awake. by night or day,
The friends seek are seeking me.
No wind can drive my bark astTay
Nor change the tide of destiny
Nhat matter If / stand alone?
i walt with joy the coming years:
MY heart shall reap where it has sown,
And garner up its fruit of tears
me ne waters know their own. and draw
e. Inc brook that springs from yonder height,
30 news the good with equal law
Unto the soul of pure delight.
Inc stars come nightly to the sky
- Inc tual wave unto the sea;
nor time, nor space, nor deep nor high
snail Keep my own away from me-
JOHN BURROUGHS
Evening star., 1898-11-19

MIN TO consume as little time as possible.
with these iniunctions in his ear he was
admitted to the inner sanctum, where he
discovered the editor seated alone at q
large desk For some moments Greeley
paid no attention to him, but seemed lost in
thought Then he turned abruptly. Aren't
you a member of the Checker Club at Uti-
car he asked. My father was greatly
startled by the irrelevancy of the question
and managed to reply that he was.
Hmm" said Greeley. DO you play a
pretty good game? Fair. said my father
still more astonished. At that Greeley
opened drawer, took out a checker set
and invited my father to be seated. TN
try you a game now he said. They played
for about two hours, while the crowd
chafed and clamored OUTSIDE. According to
my fathers account they tied. and he won
the rubber. During the games Greeley
never said a word about politics. and my
father was so interested ana, / dare say, so
excited by the novelty of the situation.
that he clean forgot his errand until he
was on the train coming home. He never
saw Greeley again. A few months later
the editor was dead"
Evening star., 1898-11-19

collapsing hedgehog, which preserves the
bones from injury. A bear will voluntarily
roll over almost precipitous rocks and pick
itself up at the bottom no worse for its fall.
No animal with hoofs can climb a tree,
though goat very nearly succeeds in this,
and the writer has seen pig climb out of a
sIye over a paling of boards six feet high.
with interstices between each of the boards
and three crOss-pieces of wood. The pig
scrambled up just as dog might, and when
gave itself a hoist and a wriggle and rolled
over, dropping on its feet. The climbing
birds seem past masters of their business,
with the exception of some of the parrots.
These are clearly not yet fully accustomed
to the work, for every gray parrot climbs
with the aid of its beak, and so dependent
is II on this that even when crawling on
the ground a parrot will pull itself along
from one projection or piece of furniture
10 another by laying hold with its bill.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
Folk Lore.
From 1Iippincott's.

The research into popular beliefs is an
absorbing and not profitless study. Scarce
ly day passes that we do not run across
some piece Of superstition that dates, In one
form or another, from a far antiquity Salt
Is spilled at table, and we jest with our
neighhor over the prospect of a quarrel.
half believing in the sign. though we may
not know that the Romans did the same.
a dog howls al night and we recall the
widespread belief that the bowling of a dog
foretels death, but forget that our early
Aryan ancestors assigned to the dog the
office of messenger from the world of
spirits.
The everyday custom Is as old as hu-
manity: the nursery jingle may be traced
back 10 an origin in the worlds babyhood;
the familiar fairy tale which delights nine
teenth century children is found in varying
forms in all countries, pointing to p com
mon origin in remote age, embodying old
Aryan myths, and giving us interesting in
formation of the conceptions of our anceS-
tors regarding nature and human life.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
The Man Who Blocks the Way.

John Q. Shea in Buffalo News. 81
The open car is luxury in Summer time fair,
For riding on those open you always get fresh
air: a
The breeze is strengthened aSi you 60, with free
dom in its play, DO
And all is very pleasant save1the man who blocks
the way. . %
He gets aboard when one else is on the roomy
And always WA seems the largest man that travels
He plants himself right jauntily, and firmly. l
Does this great and grand obstructor-the man
You try to pass him carefully to get to t'other
The car lis, is none too roomy and the way is
You stumble in the effort, for his feet will there
betray
The awful, dreadful bulkness of the man who
blocks the way.
A lad, lady comes! All. pity her! She hesitates-
How can she pass the barrier those legs and feet
But. sss somehow she gets seated and her looks
seething sea of anger for the man who blocks
the way.
There's the lady with the buntlles--ah. she will
often take
The place bulky friend has held Objection
none can make.
For womans rights are crantel-she can always
have her say,
And If one has mind to she can safely block
the way.
But: on the ears elsewhere. there's murmur
An impulse from the angry heart that rises swift
slow;
And that murmur. grows in ferceness where peo-
pie work play
Against the man who heedlessIy will dare to
block the WAY.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
The Reading Terror,
From the Philistine.

Wordsworth was a terror to his friends.
His pull was genteel. but very dextrous
He could flash MS. on you before you
could say Good morning" He read all
of the Excursion" to Lamb, and HazIitt
once wrote to Coleridge: Il tried to escape
Wordsworth because 1 knew he had a new
poem with him, but he finally cornered me- >"
In Yesterdays with Authors James T.
Fields innocently tells of how Wordsworth
graeiously read aloud to him poem, SEEM
ingly not aware that Wordsworth was al
ways lying in wait for his prey II am blest
with great bodily vigor.'' wrote Leigh Hunt.
so do not much object to having Byron
read to me from his MS"
So We see that the desire to read ones
productions to some one else is a classic
condition. l myself occasionally tax the
patience of a good woman. although /
never. like John Jerome Rooney, took a
and then walked off, forgetting to order
anything to eat.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
Not as 1 Will.

Blindfolded and alone / stand.
With unknown thresholds on each handi
The darkness deepens as l grope,
Afraid to fear. afraid to hope;
Yet this one thing | learn to know
Each day more surely l go,
That doors opened, ways are made
Burdens lifted, are laid
BY some great law unseen and still
Unfathomed purpose to fulfill
Not l will"
Blindfoded and alone Itwait:
Loss seems too bitter, gain too late;
Too heavy burdens in the l1ad
And too few helpers on The road:
And JOY Is weak and grief is strong
And years and days tpng. so long!
Yet this one thing l learn te know
Each day more surely ash go,
That l am glad the gCad-and ill
BY changeless law are ordered still
Not as WILL
No, Not as wil!,' The stfnid grows sweet
Each time my lips the wsrds repeat.
Not as / will! The darkness feels
More safe than light when this thought steals
Like whispered voice to calm and bless
All unrest and all loneliness
Not as / w.ll,' because the One
WHO loved us first and best Ihas gone
before us on the road, and still
For US must all His love fulfill
Not we wiil''
HELEN'iHUNT JACKSON.
Evening star., 1898-11-19
RAN DOM l,YERSE.
O. 81
Roy.


Roy.
Written for The Ey ening STIR BY Sadie E. Davis.
The house is. oh, so quiet Il eeuld hear needle
fall.
The restless ticking of Che iclock against the
kitchen wall =.
Sounds like throbbing hnrnau. heart through the
silence all.
The house IS Oh. so lcnely the little dimpled feet
Have passed forever from Jour home, the childish
voice sweet
Is singing now 1.-THE great. new song before the
Savior's seat.
We miss him, how we miss him, at morning noon
and night. ~
We long to those loving eyes that yleamcd
with merry light
t. the sunshine of the face, now shrouded from
sight.
The fern loved is puseless, the loving heart
at rest
Th, dimpled hands are folded across the silent
breast;
But, oh, hearts are breaking though we know
that he Is blest!
Fn- the house is OH SO lonely through the silence
all
tn, clock sounds with restless beat against the
kitchen wall;
The very sunlight my eyes looks dark as funeral
pail ~