davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

fat old buffers who are taking up the
room required by ten ordinary passen-
gers. Either bounce EN- out or make
'em pay double fare"
Yes, sir"
and that 300-pound woman in the
corner with two bundles and basket
what right has she to occupy IA seats
for one fare? You conductors on this
line run things as if you were in the
hog business, and no decent man will
take one of your cars unless driven to
it by dire necessity. I'll make it my
business to see some of the newspapers
and have things written up
Good man-first-rate man. but it's
all owing to the weather." said the
conductor to the beetle-browed man in
explanation. "On a pleasant morning
I've crowded that man into a car with
IS others, and he vas as good-natured
as a clam over it. Take your own case,
for instance
Yes, I'm getting ready to kick. In
fact, l do kick. | say the man who
designed car with roof just long
enough to let the rain pelt down on a
feller's feet and knees as he stands
out here ought to be boiled in Oil.
There are 50 other Tomfool things
could mention"
But save EN- up till next time. All!
the fat man and the lame man have
got at it in there. l expected a row be-
tween EN-
The lame man had been hanging to
a strap for nine blocks, while the fat
man occupied seat and a half and
had his elbows in the ribs of the pas
scngers right and left. The lame man
was mad from the start, but he con-
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
capsule b

seeds literally are hurled in every direc-
ton. The wistaria has seeds which in
size and shape are much like a pistol
bullet, and, as the plant loves to grow
on hillsides and on eminences, the dis
lance these vegetable bullets travel be-
fore touching the ground is very great.
When the number of plants is large and
they all shoot off together, mimic bat
tie takes place which must be alarming
indeed to the small animals in the
neighborhood. One can imagine the
construction of the squirrels and the
birds during the time when the black
seeds are flying. If one of these bullets
were to hit bird in vital part, it
would undoubtedly injUre it. The wild
geranium is another plant that hurls
its seeds in all directions.
The story is told of an invalid lady
who had placed some wistaria plants on
her mantel near her bed and forgot
them. Some time afterward, when she
lay sick in bed, her family heard her
scream out, and rushed into the room
to find her in nervous frightened con-
dftion, eXclaiming that a bullet had
been shot into the room. She was
soothed and quoted by assurances that
such thing was impossible. But later
in the day she cried out again, this time
insisting that a bullet had struck the
window pane and had come across the
room. Sure enough the bullet" was
found at the foot of the bed. When eX-
amined, it turned out to be a wistaria
seed. Then she remembered the plants
on the mantel. They had ripened and
shot their seeds. One had gone across
the room, struck the window pane and
bounded back to the bed. The distance,
as measured, was 80 feet.-Cincinnati
Commercial Tribune.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
THEFT OF THE HOLY CARPET.
SacriIcgiOus Hands Laid Upon Sacred
Relics of the Prophet at
Paris.

Dispatches from Cairo report that
the holy carpet once the property
of Mohammed, and long guarded with
pious care in the Egyptian capital, has
fallen into the hands of Bedouins, who
attacked caravan of Egyptian pill
grims while on the desert march be-
tween Mecca and Medina. The carpet
is usually carried to Medina every year
on the great annual pilgrimage from
Egypt and is then restored to its keep
ers. 1t is one of the most famous relics
of the prophet. and the sacrilegious act
of the desert nomads will arouse much
feeling, particularly in North Africa.
Mecca attracts the faithful from tie
entire Mohammedan world, but by far
the largest part OF the pilgrims who
visit Medina are natives of Africa. The
reason is because Medina is second in
sanctity to Mecca, and visit to. the
tomb of the prophet at Medina, while
highly meritorious, confers no honor
nor blessing which is not equaled or
surpassed by the holy fruits of the pill
grimage to Mecca; and few non-African
deyotees have the incentive to incur
the sufferings and dangers of the 200
mile march across the sand waste be-
tween Mecca and Medina. OF the four
orthodox sects of Islam the Malikites
are very numerous in North Africa, and
large part of the pilgrims to Medina
go there not only to venerate the tomb
of the prophet, but also the tomb of
the Imam Malek-Ibn-Ansa the founder
of the Mali<ite sect.
The bones of thousands of these pill
grims whiten the route across the
Arabian sand waste. where they have
succumbed to heat and fatigue or to
the attacks of Bedouin robbers. This
journey has always been among the
most tryiasy experiences of the pilgrim
band. Some of the Meccans have made
fortunes supplying camels and food for
the desert journey to and from the
northern city. Thirteen years ago a
French steamship company spread the
news far and wide that thenceforth the
perils of the desert march might be
avoided. The pilgrims were advised to
return from Mecca to Jddah on the
coast. where steamers would await to
carry them 200 miles north to Jambo,
whence they might make an easy and
comfortable journey to Medina. In
recent years several thousand pilgrims
have employed this easier and cheaper
route. but the majority have chung to
the old w.y. The Hedouins who have
committed the latest act of sacrilege
are nominally Mohammedans, but they
neither pray nor give thanks to Allah.
They may be trusted to place the high
est commercial value upon any sacred
relic falling into their hands.-N. Y.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
PLANTS THAT SHOOT.
Wistaria and wild Geraniums Hurl
Seeds Out of Their Pods Very
Much Like Bullets.

Many common garden plants shoot
bullets; not as big nor as hard as those
shot from gun, but they go quite as
fan and are as effective proportionate-
ly. If the plants that shoot them were
as big as a gun, these vegetable bullets
might do great damage. As it is, bat
ties take place between plants, during
which the bombardments are fierce
enough while they last. The common
wistaria has been known to shoot a
seed bullet over so feet.
This curious property is the result of
natures effort to scatter seeds as far
as possible. Many plants have seed PODS
which are held, so to speak, in state
of tension. As the plant grows its
fibera become stretched, until when the
seeds are fully developed the retaining
capsule bursts open violently and the
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
"Nes. I've heard So"
They Could Not Understand.

In many parts of South Africa rail
ways are comparatively new depart
ure, and, in consequence, large pro-
portion of the farmers are entirely
ignorant of the way the engines work.
One stalwart colonist, who thought
himself cleverer than his companions.
was standing on the platform at small
up-country station during shunting
operations. He had been explaining
the principles of steam as motive
power to an interested crowd, when
suddenly the engine began to move
backward, pushing a string of trucks.
His jaw dropped and he gasped out:
Il can understand how the engine pulls
the trucks, but I'm hanged if I know
how the trucks pull the engine back
again.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
fl PRETTY GIRL CHANGED 1T ALL
BY CHARLES B. LEWIS

''Slow, amt it?" growlingly queried
the beetle-browed man, who was smoR-
ing his cigar on the rear platform and
looking out upon the rain with dis
gusted expression.
You bet!' replied the conductor as
he glanced into the crowded car. Yes,
1 hate a day like this, and am always
sure of trouble before it ends. There's
As passengers inside, and every one is
on edge and ready for a row. There's
cock-eyed man hanging to a strap
who'd give ten dollars to pick quar-
rel with me. Lands alive, but here he
comes, and he's got blood in his eye!"
Look here, now!" began the cock
eyed man as he reached the door, lis
this a passenger or hog carp"
Passenger, sir" mildly replied the
conductor.
Then, why don't you turn out the
IS or 20 hogs in there? There's six
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

Dewey and Schley touched his hat and
said in less aggressive tones:
"Of course, you will understand that
I'm not saying word against the
brave fellows who made up our army
and won the admiration of the world
at large"
Didn't l tell you SOL" laughed the
conductor at the beetle-browed man.
You did"
"You-you feel better YOURSELF"
Hanged if l don't, She's a jim
dandy, amt she?"
you bet! Say, old man, this road
ought to present that girl with $1,000
worth of stock. She's saved every
conductors head over and over again.
If any of us can get load of kicking,
jawing, scrapping passengers down as
far as her street we feel that we are
saved. See that old duffer brushing up
his hair to look purity for her sake"
And the man with the double-chin
is offering to hold her wet umbrella"
And the red-headed man is offering
her his morning paper. Album! If
purity women only realized what a won
derful influence they possessed they'd
they'd"
"They'd make it a duty to be out on
beastly days" finished the beetle
browed man. you won't mind if
whistle Yankee Doodle will you? I'm
feeling so lively and good-natured that
I've got to blow off steam some way.
Daisy of girl-regular Jim-dandy!"
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

trolltd himself until the fat man pushed
out Il foot against him by accident.
then he suddenly roared:
You blamed old hog, but do you
want to walk over everybody in this
carl"
who are you calling hog?' fiercely
demanded the fat man as he looked up
You, sir! If nature hadn't grown
bristlcs on your back you'd have got
up long ago and offered one of those
women seat. No wonder the Span
ish called us a nation of pigs!"
IF we were outside I'd knock your
head Off"
Come out and tYy it,!
It's the weather that does it-noth-
ing but the weather." sighed the con-
ductor to the beetle-browed man as he
turned from the door. "Now, then, The
pug-nosed woman and the red-headed
man are getting ready for a set-to."
The pug-nosed woman was sitting on
about an inch Of seat, and had been
mad about it all the time. The red
haired man was standing up, and he
had been swearing to himself for ten
minutes. A jerk of the car caused him
to lift one foot, and when he put it
down the pug-nosed woman uttered an
"Oh-oh!" and added:
"If there isn't room in this car for
your feet, why don't you go out west!"
You might go along and help me to
cover everything beyond the Missis-
sippi!" replied the rec haired man.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
.Copyr9bt, 1898

That's purity good, that isl" chuc-
killed. the man with the doub}e-chin,
who had been seriously thinning of
picking fuss with mild-eyed passen-
ger carrying a cheap umbrella.
IF anyone talked to me like that
I'd have the conductor break his neck!"
exclaimed the fat woman with the bun
dies.
81 say we couldn't have licked Spain
in 20 years if it hadn't been for Dewey
and Schley!" shouted a man way up in
the front of the car.
who's that IDIOT" cried five or six
voices in chorus, and everybody caught
his breath and felt that bloodshed was
near.
Lord! Lord! but if she'd only ap-
pearl" groaned the conductor. "Ah!
but she's on the next corner, and we
are saved! If L can knock down dol
lar to-day I'll give my share of it to
charity and be thankful into the bar
gain"
The beetle-browed man was about to
dSh WHO Silt WAS Dut INC Cdl SlOPPCb
and a girl with a blue rain-coat and ii
natty umbrella TO match stepped
aboard. She was daisy of girl, and
she knew it, and was smiling over the
fact. She half bowed to the conductor,
half-smiled at the beetle-browed man,
and danced into the car. Seven differ
ent men were jawing and gesticuiating
and 20 other men and women were hop
ing there'd be clean knockout before
the row was over.
its luck of the luckiest sort!"
chuckled the conductor as he rubbed
his hands together and forgot to ring
up the fare. Now, then, observe the
sudden and wonderful change, and
after this be prepared to bow to the in
fuence of beauty"
No sooner had that daisy of girl en-
tered the car than a wonderful trans
formation took place. The seven men
ceased to jaw and gesticulate; the big
man who had been called a hog bobbed
up to offer her seat; the fat woman
with the bundles dug the next passen-
ger with her elbow and tried to create
! an inch of space, and the man with the
big feet smiled blandly down on the
pug-nosed woman and freely fOrgave
her. Everybody grew good-natured and
accommodating in a moment, and even
the man who was ready to fight for
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

At a logging camp in lower MISSISSIPPI
pi one day hog commenced squealing
vigorously, and when the foreman in
vestigated, he found that the porker
had been seized by an alligator and was
being drawn under water. He called
for help and three men seized the hog
and pulled. Then began tug of war.
The men would pull the hog and alli-
gator up the bank, and then the alliga-
tor would pull the hog and men back
again. This merry game-for all but
the hog-went on until a fourth man
came running with an AK, and with it
he hit the alligator such rap on the
head that it relaxed its grip, and the
men saved the hog, or what was left
of it,
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
LATEST Man Yet Discovered.

One of the LATEST men on record has
been found in England. On a hot
summers day a gentleman who was
waiting for his train at a country sta
ton asked a ! arter where the station
master lived The porter was lying Oh
one of The benches, and without raising
his head, he lazily pointed to the house
with his foot. The gentleman, very
much struck at the mans laziness,
said: ~ you can show me lazier ac-
ton than that, my good man, III give
you two-and-sixpence." The porter,
not moving an inch, replied: Put it in
my pocket, guv-nor."
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
Costly Wine for InvaIids.

The most costly and precious wine
in the world is that contained in a
cask named the Rose, in the Bremen
town hall cellars. This Rudesheim, of
the vintage of the year 1868, is of the
color of old ale and has a wonderful
aroma. 1t is never sold, but is used
exclusively for the sick of Bremen, the
only exceptions having been when a
small bottle was presented to Emperor
William l., another to Frederick Ill,
and one to Prince Bismarck The sup
posed money value of this wine is some
thing beyond credence, but, as it is
never sold, this detail is of Slight i'm
portance. Old as it is, it is improb-
able that any but connoisseurs could
get it down, as the task is something
terrific.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
All The Family Of JOhnSOns
By NJ. QUAD. Copyright, 1898

I bad gone over to Bostonyille from
Prairie City to hunt up a man named
johnson and have him sign a quit
claim deed to a piece of land. His
initial was given as &C." and | thought
the landlord of the hotel would be able
to tell me where to find him. When L
came to ask him he replied:
There are just Is Johnsons around
here, and the given names of six of
them begin with C. 1t might be
| Charles johnson you want. Charles
lives about a mile to the west, and he's
so stingy and mean that he'd want $l0,-
900 for signing quit-cIaim deed to SIS
worth oil land. Jest beyond him lives
Chuck johnson. Chuck has had
trouble about a mortgage, and you
wouldn't get half through with your
explanations before he'd be tossing you
around on u pitchfork."
at must be johnson who once
lived at Prairie City" suggested.
The whole Is used to live there"
replied the landlord. Lets see. The
next johnson is Chauncey. We call
him Chaunce. When he amt too drunk
to know his own name he's too ugly to
do business with. The next is Chip
johnson. L believe he's in Jail for try
ing to kill neighbor, and even if he
wasn't he wouldn't sign no deed until
you had coaxed him for three months.
The other two are Cicero and Caesar"
"Perhaps it's one of them | want" l
said.
Then you might as well give right
up at once. Cicero would set his four
| dogs on you the minute you hove in
sight, and Caesar is hiding away some
where to escape the sheriff. That uses
up all the Johnsons whose first name
begins with a c."
But I'd like to find my man and
have him sign"
Yes, l suppose SO, but l don't see
how you are going to work it. Just wait
here for awhile and let me go out and
see what l can scare up"
In about 20 minutes he returned in
company with farmer and asked:
How much are you going to pay for
that quit-claim|'
iii give $25."
"All right-he'n sign it,"
But is this the c. johnson whose
signature l desire?"
His name is Johnson, and he'll write
any name before it you want"
But that won't do. I've got to have
the legal signature of the right John
SON."
Look here, stranger" said the John
son who had been brought in, do you
know that there are Is of us Johnsons
around here?"
Eyes, I've heard so.''
"Jest IS, sir. and the c. Johnsons, the
B. Johnsons and the o. and the E. John
sons hev got so mixed up that any old
johnson kin sign any old paper fur any
other johnson and there won't be no
kick over it. I've jest bin to the post
Office and got about 20 letters fur the
Johnsons, and I'm claiming every
blamed one of them fur my own, whilst
left word at home this mornin' that if
any johnson came along while 1 was
away he was to run the farm and lick
! the children same as myself"
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
SPINNING TOP WITHIN A BUBBLE

SPINNING TOP WITHIN A BUBBEE
other through; then a small key; then
larger key; then t%o nails; and then
concluded the remarkable exhibition
by pouring Sore water through, after
which the bubble broke. The I'M
usually long duration OF the bubbles
was due also, as Philip explained, to
the low temperature of the room. AS
soon as the little ones were assembled
in a colder room, dressed as if for a
sleigh-ride. Phil blew bubble yer!
carefully upon a small loolling-glass,
At the expiration of 80 seconds its
brilliancy was seen to be greatly
dimmed, and by the time SO seconds
had elapsed all transparency had gone.
"There," cried Pha, sis a soap-bubble
which will last a year, provided the
room is kept cold enough, for that
bubble is frozen" This performance
so delighted the children that Phil
covered the glass with a whole array
of frozen bubbles; then he broke some
with a pencil, and famed the light
pieces of ice, which were like tissue
paper, all about the room.
Our young magician now resumed
Ais wonderful entertainment in the
warmer apartment. He began by blow
ing a large bubble upon the lacquered
tray; then he blew another bubble in
side of this first one. 1.-TWO" he called
out: and next, as if to amaze his au-
dience completely, he blew another
bubble inside of this second one, fill
ing it, as he did so, with smoke.
Il am about to show you what I
think is the prettiest experiment of
all" he said, and began to blow large
bubble upon a plate. Then he placed
the lighted candle within lamp-chim-
ney, and thrust the chimney down into
the great bubble.
The browning triumph was yet to
come, however. Philip took tumbler
and half filed it with soapy water;
then he drew from the pasteboard box
small American flag, which he fas-
tened on stick supported by a bit OF
wire so that it f1oated over the tum.
bier. Then, putting long clay pipe
into the glass, he called to his uncle
to blow plenty of smoke through the
pipe. The moment Pills uncle did so
there issued from the tumbler an opal
stream of wondrous beauty-hundreds
and hundreds of pure white bubbles,
which poured down the sides of the
tumbler and upon the looking glass
on which it had been placed. In few
moments one of the little bubbles
broke. A puff of smoke shot forth,
forming, as it did so, a dainty, tiny
ring; then another bubble broke, and
another ring appeared; then the bub-
bles began to explode in such rapid
succession that it became impossible to
count the tiny wreaths.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

The beer which is consumed through
out the world IN a single year would
make a lake feet deep, 33 miles long.
mile wide, or 1919 acres in area. In
this vast lake of beer we could easily
drown all the English-speaking people,
to the number of 100000. 900. through
out the entire world; or wc could give
q beer bath to every map woman and
child at the same time in the entire
continent of Americas while all the peo-
PIES Of England, Sec tland, Ireland and
France could find standing room on its
bed.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
Hnrd-WOrking SOvereIgns

The king and queen of + v1mania are
doomed to live IL life of incessant hard
work. The customs of the country re-
quire that the sovereigns should al
ways be visible and at the beck and
call of anyone who likes to ask for
them. They are often obliged to walk
for ~ hours n: a stretch, and it was
owing to this 91at the queen once tenn
porarily LOST her voice. Her majesty
usually rists at four and works until
eight, the only time, she declares. when
she can be woman and author"
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
America'S ToOthDick Center.

Ninety-tive per cent. of all the tooth
picks made in the United States ire
formed from white birch timber in
franklin county, Me-, and yet scarcely
more than 100 persons are employed
in the industry in that state. Outside
of the Pine Tree state the principal
factories are in Pennsylvania, Massa-
chusetts and western New York Ma
pie and popular are sometimes used in
the manufacture of American tooth
picks, but white birch is the standard
timber in all the factories.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

1t is only possible at present to col
lect data from the duration of lives of
birds in captivity; evidence otherwise
must be unreliable, and it is purely a
matter of theory as to whether the
natural possible life is greater than
that under the unnatural conditions of
captivity. There are records of night
ingale having lived 25 years, thrush
II, blackbird that was still alive at
201h, a goldfnch, %, and skylarks of "a
and 20. Ravens, owls and cockatoos are
popularity supposed to live to very
great age, and the following records
appear to he authentic: Raven, SO; gray
parrot, so and 40; blue macaw, Ga; eagle
owls. SO, and one still alive at 6S. Some
aquatic birds appear to live to ripe
old age, for we hear of a heron of 60;
goose, so, mute swan, 20.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

Jcnkins-IIello, old man! Glad to see
you looking so we'll
Dobbins-Yes; I'm all right. I'm
leaving to-day for Il trip to Europe for
the benefit of my health, and that, you
know, requires an iron constitution
n. Y. World.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14
In His Case, mt Least,

Weary Watkins wonder if that guy
was right who said worry kills more
people than work?
Hungry Higgins know it is heap
more liable to kill me.-Indianapolis
Journal.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

There are three varieties of the dog
that never bark-the Australian dog,
the Egyptian shepherd dog and the
''lion-headed" dog of Thibet.--N. Y.
Herald
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-09-14

He--What's a fellow to do when
gin breaks his heart?
She-Get. new one.
He-A new what?
Shea new girl.-Town Topics.