davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-16

The Chambered Nautilus.
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

WENDELL HOLmh
This ia the ship of pearl which poets feign
Sails the unshadowed main,
The venturous bark that filings
On the sweet summer wind its purpled wings
In CULTS enchanted, where the siren sings
Aud coral reefs lie bare,
Where the cold sea maids rise TO sun their streaming hair.
Its webs of living gauze no more unfurl.
Wrecked is the ship of pearl,
And every chambered cell,
Where it's dim dreaming lie was wont to dwell
AS the frsil tenant shaped his growing shell,
Before thee lies revealed
It's irised ceiling rent, its sunless crypt unsealed.
Year after year beheld the silent toll
That spread his lustrous coil.
Still, as the spiral grew,
He left the last years dwelling for the new.
Sole with soft step its shining archWay through,
Built up it's idle door,
Stretched in its last found home and knew the old no more.
Thanks for the Heavenly message brought by thee,
Child Of the wandering sea,
Cast from her lap forlornl
From thy dead lips a clearer note is borne
Than ever Triton blew from wreathed horn!
While on my ear it rings,
Through the deep caves OF thought hear a voice that sings:
Build thee more stately mansions, o my soul,
AS the swift seasons rolll
Leave thy low vaulted past!
Let each ne v temple, nobler than the last.
SHUT thee from heaven with a dome more vast
Till thou at length art free,
Lasving thine outgroVn sh"ll by LIES unresti1g saal
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-16
Ito be Oatinued)

In the year 177O, the following Law
was in force in England:
"Whosoever shall entice into bonds
OF M itrimony any Male Subj ct OF
Her Mel 'sty's, by rouge, white paint,
Spanish cotton, eteeI corsets, crinoline,
high-heeled shoes, or false hips, shall
be prosecuted for witchcratt, and the
marriage declared null and void. "-Ex
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-16
TrN FOR The PROGRESSIVE FARMERl
Doctor Will RaymOnd's Secret,
BY SPENCER CHAPLIN, JR.
THE FOILBR FOOLED

there, awaiting him with a warrant
sworn out by Ray Hazlenut, charging
him with Islander.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
cYANIDE's ATTRACTION.
Those Who Handle the Deadly Dfss
Are Drawn Almost Irresistibly
10 Swallow Ii.


.Just now we are engaged in the max
ing. OF tons of cyanide of potassium"
said a member of firm of manufacture
ing chemists, "and of all poi-ons, this,
10 my mind, is the most dangerous, be-
cause Of a singular quality it possesses
1t is in appearance SO very attractive to
those who handle il that they are often
seized with an almost overwhelming de-
sire TO eat il. To one man II probably
suggests sugar, il he have a fondness
for saccharine substances, and to an
other snow newly fallen; but TO bothit
is so alluring that they may only over
come the temptation to put 1t in their
mouths by great force of will power.
1.-THE very men who make it and who
are most familiar with its deadly prop
critics are pursued by an unreasonable
desire to eat the poison, and as long as
they remain in its vicinity this extraor-
binary craving endures. They know
that 10 give way 10 the craving means
death almost instant and horrible, and
as a consequence are usually able TO re-
sist the strange temptation, but during
the last ten years we have been en-
gagged in the manufacture Of the drug
four of our most intelligent and steady
workmen have committed suicide in
this way"
Ever feel ike eating ii yourself?"
asked the reporter.
"Yes," the manufacturer replied.
'Many times when in contact with the
cyanide fumes, and have had 10 leave
work precipitately in consequence. So
well is this curious fact known in all
works where cyanide of potassium is
made that there are always two men at
work together, and jar Of ammonia,
which is the antidote TO the poison, is
kept at hand.
potassium is one of the most inter
esting substances known TO chemical
workers. The metal itself is scarcely
used al all in the arts, but its many salts
are of immense practical value, being
used largely in the production of gun
powder, fertilizers, medicines and dye
ing compounds. Cyanide is a compound
OF cyanogen with a metallic agent.
Cyanogen is n colorless, poisonous
liquefable gas which has the odor of
almonds and burns with purple flame.
Cyanide Of potassium is made by hurn-
ing potassium, an alkali metal, in
cyanogen gas, and is really prussiate
OF potash. II is produced also in blast
furnaces in which ore is smelted, with
coke or coal, and is permanent when
kept dry, but decomposes readily in
moist air. 1t crystallizes in dry, oc-
tagonal blocks, and is extremely solu-
bic in water. 1t has the odor of prussic
acid and kindred bitterness Of taste.
Cyanide of potassium is also used in
electro-metallurgy and photography TO
a considerable extent. Ii will remove
metallic oxides, the juices Of fruits and
indelible ink."-N. Y. Sun.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
AN EFFECTUAL EFFORT.
The E1oauence OF Three-Finger Sam
Proved Too Much for the
Tenderfoot.

"TallIin' about oratory," said Bron-
cho Bob, you ought TO have been out
to Crimson Gulch last fall, SO as TO hear
some of the real thing"
1--WE have some pretty luminous speci-
mems in congress-" ventured the man
who felt ii incumbent on him 10 show
little local pride.
Not a circumstance. I've read some
of them kind o. speeches. I've heard
'em, too. A feller come from the east
and started in TO tell Crimson Gulch
what it orter do. Some of the boys al
lowed things was gettin' ruther slack,
an they says anythin' fur change;
so they took his advice an blazed away
an organized city council"
~ see. You held an election"
mary. We didn't want any blood
shed. We jes' passed the word around
that the city council was goin' TO be
held, an made ii an open game. Every
body was there except Nevada Bill, an
he didn't dare show up because lie was
under suspicion of sittin' in q poker
game with a private stack Of blue chips
which he had bought unbellnownst from
"A store down in San Antonio. He wasn't
long until, under the instructions of
the tenderfoot, we had the city council
goin' in good shape. Only officers was
allowed to wear their weapons durin'
the perceedin's, an nobody was barred
from debate. The first business we took
up was the ease Of Nevada Bill. We
reckoned that il wouldn't be no more
than decent local pride TO prevent the
importation of any poker chips except
by the duly reco'nized authorities fun
said importation. Rattlesnake Pete
said the only way to make the law
bindin' was ter peryide that anybody
breakin' it should be shot at least once.
He jumped TO his feet, an got of the
most long-winded talk about constitu-
tionality an the rights of citizenship
an whereas and therefore that / ever
heard. He talked hard, an he showed
he had read books. But you orter have
heard Three-Finger Sans historic re-
ply. 1t jes' showed how quick n man
who has the gift of genuine eloquence
kin end an argument. Crimson Gulch
Hdsu got lHIOuBh Ndlhlu ubOul ~
yet. Three-Finger Sam drawed hisself
up to his full height and p'inted his fin
ger at the tenderfoot. i don't desire to
use harsher words than is necessary
says he, but I'd like TO know what you
mean, you low-down, lop-eared jack
rabbit, by comm into this town and
tryin' TO tell MS whether a man needs
shootin' or not. Have we got TO wait
fur some lantern-j awed coyote TO come
wanderin' in off the prairie an tell Us
what's good fur us? Beware' says
Thrce-Finger Sam, still p'intin' his fin.
ger an CROWN more eloquent every
minute. Beware, you bow-legged bur-
ro. Don't you think you can come here
an overawe people because you wear
specs. Have a care, or the fust thing
you know you'll be travein' out o this
town with bunch of patriotic citizens
on your trail, every one OF whom is dead
anxious to shoot freckle off'n the
back OF your neck!' The tenderfoot
didn't have another word 10 say, an he
left town the next Misunderstanding
ton Star.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16

vised box built in the left-hand corner
Of the rear OF the stall and a the side
of the door through which he backs.
Jacks popularity was discovered the
evening Of the first day he spent at the
institution. His introduction was a
days work az grading. and when he was
relieved from the harness and led TO the
door OF the stall assigned TO him he re-
fused silently, but emphatically, to go
nto it. The men thought this was due
TO the fact that everything was strange
TO him. and they began to coax and per-
suade him, but TO no avail. They then
resorted TO force, but this brought no
more satisfactory results, for Jack could
not be made 20 enter. After working for
some time the men became exhausted.
disgusted angry and weary. They sat
down on boxes and barrels 10 discuss
the stubbornness Of mules and TO devise
some means of making the new one
obey instructions. when, TO their sur
prise, before even a suggestion had been
made, Jack turned around, lined HIM
self up evenly before the door, and was
soon standing in the stall calmly and
with an air OF satisfaction, staring at
the men.
He was led out and another effort
made 10 have him go in the stall i'm the
proper manner, but he again. and just
as emphatically, refused; yet as soon
as released. he repeated the operation
OF backing in.
Since that time he has been allowed
TO have his own way, and never has he
followed the example set by the other
mules and the horses in the stable. Jack
is an honest and conscientious worker.
faithful and dutiful, and is prime ia
vorite with the employees and prison.
ers who work about the stables.-Cin-
cinnati Commercial Tribune.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
MEXICAN WASP AND NEST.

til she has placed as many spiders in
the tube as, according to her Judgment,
will be needed. She then lays an egg
in the cell and walls up the opening.
"The remarkable thing about this per-
Torrance is the magic effect of her
sting. Whether it is the result of a
subtle poison or whether il is n special
spot in the spiders nervous system
where the sting is inserted we do not
know. Certain ii is that after being
thus stung the spider lives on in a
paralyzed condition for weeks and even
months. 1t can move only slightly, and
remains helpless in its mud sepulcher
until the wasp egg matches into vora-
cious grub, which at once falls TO and
eats with great relish the meat thus
miraculously preserved.
Another remarkable thing is that
the wasp knows that the spider is a
great glutton and can eat in one day
90 times its own weight in food, and
when it wants TO can go weeks and
even months without eating at all. Now,
how does the wasp know this?
Another equally remarkable thing
is that the spider is the only animal that
is rendered unconscious by the wasp's
sting. The wasp does know it, for she
invaribly selects the spider to provide
food for her young. She knows that
when she stings the spider it is not
killed, but will live without food long
enough TO be fresh meat for the young
wasp when il Is Matched and until il
liberates itself from the cocoon. But
what kind Of an instinct or sense that
tells all this to Nine. Wasp we do not
know.
whether the wasp sting renders the
spider insensible to pain or not is a
question not yet settled. However, the
chances are in favor of the theory that
it does. Anyway, we need waste no
sympathy on the spider, the most blood
thirsty of all the little people OF the
woods. There is n sense of retributive
justice in the thought OF spider help
less at the mercy OF a small insect which
il would have mercilessly devoured had
IL been able
$50 we need not accuse our alert, in
dustrious cement maker of any unreal
sonable cruelty IL she, like us, insists
upon meat diet for her young, nor
need we have any fear of her sting, for
she seldom uses il as a weapon of of
Tense or defense."--B Brooklyn Eagle.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
ABOUT THE RAND.
The Mineral wealth OF the Country
Has Plunged 1t Into War
with England.

When the Dutch settlers in South
Africa were crowded out Of Cape Col
ony, they went northward across the
Vaal river and founded a republic in
the interior, where they fancied that
they would be allowed TO live in peace,
Without knowing it, they built their
capital, Pretoria, on the edge of the
richest goldfeld in the world.
When Mr.. Gladstone restored their
country TO the Beers in 1881, and made
treaty of peace by which their in
dependence was recognized, nobody
suspected that there was in the Rand
a great gold basin extending 30 miles
east and west and ten miles north and
south. IL was not until 1887 that the
value of this rich district was under
stood.
IL became a magnet TO draw gold
hunters and adventures from every
quarter of the world. In other regions
gold had been discovered either in the
beds Of streams as dust or as small mug
gets, or in veins OF quartz of uncertain
and variable extent. In the Rand there
were three parallel reefs Of sandstone,
quartz and other stone, and this con-
glomerate was powdered with gold.
IL was . new and previously I'M
known kind OF gold deposit A scien-
tific industry, with costly machinery,
was created for the extraction OF the
gold from the reefs. The sandstone and
quartz were broken up at deep levels,
crushed 10 pieces, and treated with
various chemicals until nearly all the
gold was got out OF it.
Johannesburg was the center OF this
wonderful industry--an English min
ing city richer and more populous than
all the other territories of the Beers.
Millions of capital were invested in the
mines and immense fortunes were made
by the largest owners.
The thrifty Beers smiled whenever
they thought of their good fortune in
seeking quiet ''lodge in n vast wilder
ness" and finding n goldfield. Their
English neighbors, who were forced 10
pay tribute TO them and TO submit TO
Dutch government, groaned whenever
they remembered that Mr.. Gladstone
had handed back this rich gold basin
10 the Beers.
In this way there has come about
race feud which has ended in n war
for the control and possession of the
Transvaal with it's oldfelds.-Youth's
Cnr,,noutou
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
A FUNNY OLD MULE.
Always Has His own Way and stands
with His Head where His Tail
Ought to Be-

At the Cincinnati workhouse is an
old white mule, known as Jack. He is
considered one of the most peculiar and
eccentric of mules because of one habit.
Jack refuses, and has refused ever since
he came to the workhouse, several years
ago, TO occupy his stall like the other
mules and horses in the same stable,
and instead of walking into it, as they
do, he approaches the door, and, turn
ing about, backs into the stall. In this
position he occupies the stall allotted TO
him at all times, his head being where
his tail ought to be.
No one knows just how Jack con-
ceiged the idea that this is the proper
way for him TO enter the stall, and tie
is known as 10 his views on the subject
beyond the fact that they are positive
and Interchangeable, for no living man
has ever yet been able to convince Jack
that he is in the wrong or to induce him
TO reverse his movements in taking his
place for meal or TO retire for the
night.
Thus it is that the stall occupied by
Jack, though originally like the others
in the row, has been readjusted to suit
his habits and needs. In the front
proper of the stall is the regular feed
box and the rack into which the hay
is thrown from the loft above, but Jack
has never seen them, because he takes
his subsistence Of life from an impro-
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
DON fRANcIsco's sTEED.


Don F-ancisco's suit Is blue
In silver buttons drest
He wears flowing neckerchief
And sllk-embroidered vest.
His hair is brighter than the sun,
His cheeks are rosy red, N #%
And in his flashing deep blue eyes
The stars their luster shed.
Don Francisco has steed
With skin as white as milk;
With sweeping tail and waving name
As soft and fine as silk.
This NJ ble steed can prance and rot,
Can jump and pace and rear;
Yet never does he oyerturn
His gallant cavalier.
He never wearies. though he runs
A thousand miles a day,
He knows just when TO halt-and when
To madly dash away.
He climbs the hills and leaps the streams
And scales the mountains Ger,
Then bears the fearless-hearted prince
Back 10 his native shore.
Upon n little chair there lies
Francisco's suit OF blue:
AS IN a little trundle bed
lie sleeps the long night through.
And In those dreams OF witchery
Which little children see,
Are flying through the misty air
His Pegasus and he.
Marie Zetterberg, in Chicago Interior
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
WISE MEXICAN WASP.
How IL Manages 10 Provide a FiAs
Meal of Fresh Meat for
Its Young.

Here is a picture of Mexican wasp
and its nest, or rather the nest in which
il lays its eggs. The natural apeci-
mems from which the artist made the
pictures were sent to John Dean, the
well-known Brooklyn naturalist, and
when asked TO tell about the habits Of
this wasp he said:
1.-THE wasp is not vegetarian like the
bee, and our cement maker has before
her the problem Of supporting her
young with meat, rather than with
bread. AS her eggs are laid out in hot
weather, and as enough food must be
stored in the cell with the egg TO ma
ture the young insects, the question is
how 20 preserve the meat fresh for so
long a time. She meets the difficulty
thus: After tube is finished, except
MT one end, which is left open, she flies
off on hunt for spiders. She finds a
fat, healthy one, pounces upon 1t, stings
II and carries it off and places il in
mud cell. She repeats this process un-
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16
A Dancing Procession.

A peculiar, but famous, dancing pro-
cession annually takes place at Echter-
mach. In Belgium, France and Ger
many excursions are organized TO the
little Luxembourg town, whose church
contains the remains of 81. Willibrord.
The pilgrims 10 Echternach execute in
certain rhythm what is called the
dance of the 'leaping saints" 1t takes
the form OF advancing three steps,
making n step backward, advancing
three more steps. and so on. IL is in
this quaint way that the procession, in
which 10000 persons take part each
year, starts from the bridge on the
Lure, the place OF assembly, TO the
church.-The Ball Room.
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16

with peach stones, TO prevent the wear
and tear of passing feet. II is furnished
with table. couches and chairs. seated
with strips Of hide.
Large game of many varieties, ante
lope and giraffes were once abundant.
but they are now comparatively scarce.
Nevertheless, the Beers are still famous
hunters and can handle rife perhaps
better than their English neighbors in
Cape Colony, Bechuanaland and Natal.
Frequent troubles with the Zulus and
Kaflirs have, moreover. given them quite
little knowledge Of warfare. A Brit
ish officer, who is thoroughly familiar
with Dutch customs and history in
South Africa, is authority for the state
ment that the older generation de-
lights in remembering Majuba hill,
Laing's Mex, lngogo and all the rest of
English humiliation, and some of them
to this day retain their old guns, with
notch in the stock for every ''rooinek,"
or Englishman, they allege to have
shot. They fill their cartridge belt,
put piece of biting in their pocket.
mount their horses and ride off to war.
Biting, ii should be explained is sun
dried venison cut into strips, and 10 said
TO be very nourishing and sustaining
The Beers, when out on the veldt, live
on IL for weeks at a time and seem to
crave no other food.
The same authority says that when
taking the field the Beers harass them
selves with no cumbersome commits
sariat or ambulance wagons. Every
thing is left TO chance, and in the war of
1881 IL seemed truly wonderful how
they escaped all manner of horrible
dangers. If they get wounded they
seek a refuge in the nearest farmhouse.
If they are MORALLY wounded they look
upon il as decree of Providence.
Practically every Boer is mounted,
and although they have no regularly
constituted regiments they join togeth
er in what is called commands"
These are the aggregate collections OF
the farmers and their sons from one
particular district gathered together
in heterogeneous mass under the
leadership OF the field cornet" or the
commandant Of that particular district.
In the past the Beers have never fought
in the open, but in the war now in prog
ress they have several times made bold
charges and accepted hand-to-hand en-
counters. They have also added field
hospitals to their equipment, and the
forces around Ladysmith are accom-
panied by an ambulance train and
staff of Boer physicians. who are, al
most without exception. graduates OF
Edinburgh.
The Boer women excel In marksman-
ship; and when the British troops shall
finally succeed in invading the Trans
yaal they will find them enemies by no
means TO be despised. They handle a
rifle with ease and can shoot bird on
The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-16

the wing without missing more than
once in ten times.
In view of the fact that Sir Redvers
Butler, commander in chief Of the Brit
ish forces in South Africa, is about
ready TO start on his march Of conquest,
the topography of the country to be
subdued is of timely interest. The two
allied Dutch republics are separated by
the Naal river only, and in physical ge-
ography are practically one region.
Natal cuts off the Orange Free State
from the Indian ocean, and Zuluiand
and Portuguese East Africa do the same
for the Transvaal. Both states have
British territory on the west, which nj
so forms the northern boundary of the
one and the southern Of the other. The
principal natural defense OF the Boef
country lies on the eastern side. where
il is protected by mountains. In fact,
the two states have been described as
a vast upland plateau, bordered on one
side by group of mountain ranges.
The Dfakenberg separates Natal
from the eastern part Of the Orange
Free State; then enters the Transvaal,
having Portuguese East Africa between
il and the ocean. North OF the granite
region OF Basutoand the Drakenberg
is not imposing, the mountains being
rounded and consisting of stratified
rock, sandstone and shale, capped &C.
casionally by sheets OF basaltic rock.
Cliffs now and then offer some striking
scenic variations. Majuba hill has such
a northumberland sandstone and
shale, capped with igneous rock; and
the adjoining ridge, TO which IL sinks
down. is Laing's Mex, over which tho
road from Natal TO the Transvaal once
ran, and which is now pierced by rail-
way. The mountain barrier once
passed, the great South African
plateau, of which the two Dutch repub-
lies is the eastern portion. is entered.
This plateau extends westward beyond
Mafeking and Kimberley; and that IL
the reason why these two towns were
so easily reached by the Beers who are
now besieging them.
After the British troops have once as
cended this great plateau they will have
no difficulty In maintaining n direct
line of communication with Cape Town,
nor will they experience much trouble
in carrying artillery across the noun
tains. That Is why the Boer generals
invaded Natal and fortified the passss
leading to Johannesburg and Pretoria
They know that the doom Of their coun-
try is sealed as soon as the British hay,
crossed the Drakenbcrg.
y. w. wEIPPIERT