davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times., 1899-12-08

paralyxed:'' 30 much So indeed that they
will not take kindly to any attempt to hold
the parties to the transaction to any re-
sponsibility therefor" ---
Once again we come in contact with that
grimly homicidal humor for which Ken
lucky is famous, yet Of which Its people
are totally unconscious. There Is more Of
wild frontier sentiment and practice within
a hundred miles Of Cincinnati now than
there was in Colorado in the early days
when the celebrated "Jim Bridger" reached
there-so long ago that according to that
veracious historian pixies Peak
was a hole in the ground" The frontier"
has disappeared in the life of the far West.
1t still exists in or has moved back to Ken
lucky. Inside the boundaries of that Com
monwealth an area OF nearly ten thousand
square miles is mountainous region, in
many parts Of which to be suspected Of
connection with the revenue service is as
good as more formal and written death
warrant, and where to differ from a man on
a question of religious doctrine is combined
suicide and an order on the undertaken.
We do not speak of the Sicilian vendetta
which thrives and counts its yearly scores
of victims throughout the eastern section of
Kentucky, because that practice is tradi-
donal. strictly local, and comparatively
amiable.
1t Is for obvious reasons that one OF
the richest States of the Union, In nat
ural resources, and generally peopled by
a type of Americans capable of the high
est advancement in the arts OF civiliza-
tion, is seen to lag behind in the march
of progress, when We compare what It is
with what it might be, were it's social
system less tinged with primitive con-
cepts and standards, of which private
vengeance and the blood feud are unhap-
py illustrations
The evening times., 1899-12-08
One of Mark Twain. Jokes.

tFrom the Cleveland Plain Dealer.)
The late Timothy d. Crocker. who was
always dignifed, self-possessed and some
what arrogant in appearance, was once
neatly taken down by Mark Twain. II
happened nearly thirty years ago. when Mr.
Crocker was president of lecture course
association, and on the list of entertainers
was Mark Twain.
It was the custom for the president to
introduce the speakers, and then to an
nounce the programme for the next enter
tainment in the course. On this particular
evening Mr.. Crocker and Mark came upon
the platform and took their seats before a
hall full of people. Twain waited for his
opportunity and stole a march on the digni-
fed president by stepping to the front of
the platform and saying:
Ladies and gentlemen, the next lecture
In the course will be delivered two weeks
from tonight by Blankety Blank. have
the great pleasure this evening of intro
ducing to you Mark Twain"
Then Mark paused a moment before he
added:
II would always rather introduce myself.
because then l am sure to get in all the
facts
Mr. Crocker, rather embarrassed, was
still sitting back in his chair. And it car
be imagined that the audience enjoyed the
joke much better than he did.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
CuttleAsh Ink.

Cornwall Letter, in the London Leader)
The cuttlefish are caught In great num-
bers off this coast, and are used as a bait
for the conger eel, for which this part of
the world is celebrated. The cuttlefsh pos
sesses no real mouth, but has a long, CYL
indrical sucker with which it adhere firm
ly to the bait. The method of capturing
the fish is as follows A long line from
which are suspended from two hundred to
three hundred hooks: baited with portions
Of pilchards (almost the only bait the cut
tlensh will take) is let down into the sea
and allowed to stop there for about half
IN hour: II Is then drawn up, and the cut
tleflsh are found hanging by means of
their suckers to the bait.
The moment that they leave the water
they eject with considerable force a great
quantity Of deep. black, viscous substance
which is about the consistency of treacle.
and the stain made by 1t upon the clothes
of the fishermen Is permanent II 1t happens
to fall upon them. had a conversation
with one man who has several times re-
ceived full charge In his face. and he as
sured me that beyond the smell, which. Is
most nauseous, he felt no Inconvenience
at all, no smarting or pain in his eyes,
and no bad after-effects.
II any of the liquid gets upon the nets
It rots them beyond repair unless 1t is
washed on Immediately. Another curious
fact is that this fluid will not inture cloth
in the slightest degree beyond making q
permanent stain. One man told me that
he had used q Jersey for several years
which had been squirted all over at Diff
ferent times By these celaphalopods. but
that, except for the cloth being stained; It
vas - good as ever. When this "ink'' ia
elected under water IL hangs in a sort Of
cloud and does not spread.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
HOW TO DETECT coUNTERFEITs
Differences in Weight Often Betray
Spurious Money.
From LeGie's Weekly.)

The weights of American coins are i'm
portant things for anyone to know who
has the handling Of any great quantity Of
coin, for weight is one OF the best ways to
detect counterfeits. 1t is difficult for
counterfeiters to get the weights of their
spurious coins exactly in line with the le-
gal weights of the genuine coins.
The weights of American coins now in
circulation are as follows:
Gold coins-The $50 gold piece, or double
eagle, weighs 516 grains; the SO gold
piece. or eagle. weighs 2oS grains; the So
gold piece. or half eagle, weighs 129
grains; the So gold piece (authorized
February Il. 1858. and discontinued Sep
tember &c. 1S9O), weighed IA grains; the
$3.50 gold piece. or quarter eagle. weighs
$40 grains, and the 81 gold piece (author-
lied March 3. 1si9. and discontinued Sep
tember 26. 1S90). weighed 25.s grains.
Silver coins-The silver dollar weighed
originally AIS grains, and then it was re-
duced to its present weight of 412.5 grains.
The trade dollar (authorized February II,
1873 and discontinued February 10. 1sS7),
weighed 420 grains. The silver half dol
lar weighs 1929 grains; the Columbian"
silver half dollar weighs 1929 grains; the
common silver quarter dollar weighs Sc 45
grains: the Columbian silver quarter
dollar weighs 9S45 grains; the silver 20
cent piece (authorized March 3, 1875 and
discontinued May 2, 1879, weighed 7I.16
grains; the silver dime weighs SS.5S
grains: the silver half dime tauthorized
April 2. 1872, discontinued February IL.
1879. weighed first 20.S grains. then
changed to 20625 grains, and finally to 1872
grains. and the silver three cent piece (au
thorized March 3. 1851, and discontinued
February II, 1879. weighed first Il S-S
grains, and then 11.52 grains.
Nickel coins-The five cent nickel piece
(75 per cent copper and % per cent nickeD
weighs 77.16 grains; the three cent nickel
piece (authorized March 3. 1865. and dis
continued September 26. 1890. weighed 80
grains (75 per cent copper and % per cent
uickeD: the one cent nickel piece (author-
lied February 21, 1857, and discontinued
April %. 1864. weighed 72 grains (SS per
cent copper and IL per cent nickeD.
Bronze or copper coins-The old-fash-
ioned copper cent (authorized April 2,
1922 weighed first 2S4 grains; 1t was then
changed to 20S grains, then to 16s grains,
and Its coinage was discontinued Febru-
ary 21. 1857. The copper Tor bronze) two
cent piece authorized April %. 1864, and
discontinued February IL, 1879, weighed
96 grains (s5 per cent copper and per
cent tin and zinc); the present copper cent
was authorized April %, 1854. and weighs
48 grains of which 95 per cent is
copper and 5 per cent tin and zinc, and
the copper half cent (authorized April 2,
1892. and discontinued February 81, 1850,
weighed originally 1872 grains; then 1t was
changed, first to 104 grains and finally to
"a grains.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
shocked. But Approyinx.

Governor Bradley, Of Kentucky, in re-
sponse to letter Of enquiry, has been In
formed by prominent lawyer and citizen
of Maysville that the negro Coleman, who
was burned at the stake, would not
have been brought to the town IL
the husband OF his victim had not
given assurances that he would not
be party to mob violence. The lynch
ing was perpetrated In broad daylight. the
leaders of the mob making not the least
effort to conceal their identity. Cover
nor Bradley's informant declares that the
people Of Maysvilie are as good as any in
the State or anywhere else. On that ac-s
sssnt Asy are shocked" and well nigh
The evening times., 1899-12-08
The Poor Author. Plea.

The Society of American Authors has set
on foot movement to reduce the rates Of
postage on authors manuscript, SO that II
may travel third class. The argument is
that when the work is sent to the publisher,
with postage for return, il costs the author
the same as if it were letter, while, II
accepted, the publisher may return it for
proof at only one-quarter the rate
borne by the unaccepted manuscript. 1t is
argued that as there are some twenty thou
sand people in this country who make their
living by writing for various publications.
and as their work is among the most val
liable to the development of our society,
they should be given whatever advantage
may accrue from a reasonable reduction in
postal rates. An additional reason for this
is that many of these writers are poor, and
the majority of them do not get large prices
for their manuscript, even If 1t is accepted,
so that, II it has been the rounds Of the
magazines, the postage may eat up good
part of the money obtained for it when
finally accepted.
1t will be said by unimaginative people
that authors cannot expect to have conces-
sions made to them which are not made to
people In other industries. They may say
that the patent-medicine man. the stove
polish man, and the manufacturers of par
ticular brands Of soup. shoes. or bicycles,
expect to spend q considerable sum in ad-
vertising their wares before they can hope
to make much money. and that the money
which the young author spends In postage
corresponds to this. But the two cases are
not exactly alike. The man who IL In
manufacturing or mercantile business aims
to make money. He must show. that hs has
The evening times., 1899-12-08

financial ability. II be Ii b make any sue
cess at all. When he advertises largely,
therefore, 1t is because he has the money
to spend. and believes that his course will
bring in much more money in the near fu-
ture. II is his business to be shrewd, to
watch the market, to look out for his own
interests, to grow rich as fast as he hon.
estly can. II he has ability enough to set
up in business for himself, therefore, he
has usually money to spare for advertising
expenses. II he cannot spend this money
so that 1t will bring proper returns, he
should not be In business for himself at
all.
But with the author 1t is different. He
will do his best work when relieved of
financial disabilities He is frequently
poor through NO possible fault Of his own.
His work may actually be too good for the
market Of that stage Of its existence. 1t
may be Of a sort which, while ultimately
opment OF literature, will never appeal to
SO large public as to make the author
rich His work is himself; 1t is his indi-
viduality. 1t will suffer If he Is forced
to deny himself the luxury Of doing his
best, and is obliged instead to work at
pot boilers" His work differs from the
product of the manufacturer or the goods
OF the merchant in that there is no certain
market for 1t. No one can tell whether the
public, at any given time, will take any
particular work or not; whereas, II GER
tain line OF goods is the best Of its kind,
it is reasonably certain Of finding buyers.
The matter of postage, while large to the
individual author, is small when considered
from the point of view Of the Government
The proposed reduction would make COM
paratively little difference in the revenue
Of the nation; but 1t would be a great
blessing to thousands of more or less i'm
pecunious men and women who have 10
count their pennies. and whose work ben-
efits permanently. not temporarily, several
millions OF readers.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
vAnDrns11r RAILROAD PLANS.
The Rumorea Completion Of . Cross
Continent Line.

. AC AeoAVHG9 NVAsPAttAOn VI - SEVUBs
Continent Line.
NEW YORK. Dec. 8.-Another link in
the chain to span the continent by the
formation Of Vanderbilt transcontinental
railroad. is rumored to be in process Of
completion. Gradually the vanderbilts
have been buying in the lines necessary
to complete their great plan. and the eb-
cago and Northwestern, deal which, it
Is said is now being consummated, will ac-
complish the long-sought end.
Some important conferences between
Union Pacific and Chicago and Northwest
within the past week, and there is a per-
sistent rumor, which Wall Street consid-
ers highly probable, that the former sys-
tenn will be absorbed by the latter, which
the Vanderbilts already control. This will
be done under a long-term lease, 1t is
said. Both President Hughitt and Pres
ident Burt. of the two lines, are now in
the city. They denied yesterday that their
presence here had any such Significance
as was indicated by the report.
Since the Lake Shore consolidation, the
Vanderbilts have been in possession Of a
direct line to Chicago. which was extend
ed west by the acquisition of the Chicago
and Northwestern, and wanted but the
control Of the Union Pacific to complete
the chain to the Pacific.
There was a meeting yesterday of the
Oregon Navigation Company in Wall
Street. but only routine business was
transacted. according to the statement
given out. The Vanderbilts already con-
troll large interest in this line.
AS projected, the Vanderbilts' new
transcontinental route will be as follows:
New York to Buffalo via New York Cen
tral; Buffalo to Chicago via Lake Shore:
Chicago to Omaha via Chicago and North
western: Omaha to Nampa, Idaho. via
Union Pacific; and Nampa to Portland,
Ore. via Oregon Navigation Company.
All the roads concerned, 1t is said,
would profit by this new arrangement
through greater economy in operation.
1t Is further said that many of the present
officials would be dispensed with under
the consolidation
The evening times., 1899-12-08
TRADE AT HAVANA.
A War Department stateuent ON Ex.
ports and Imports.


ports and Imports.
A statement made today by the War De-
partment, shows that during the month
of October 1899. 125 foreign vessels of
257.5n gross tonnage. entered the port Of
Havana. and that 125 foreign vessels Of
256671 gross tonnage cleared. There
landed at the port of Havana during the
month Of October, 1,162 passengers from
the United States: 2,24S from Spain. and
435 from others. There was imported dur
ing the month of October. Of animals. 259
bulls; 1888 cows, 1904 calves, 24,S36
steers. 527 horses, 621 mules, donkeys,
1S1 sheep. 2.349 hogs, and 143 OF other an
imals. Total number Of animals imported
for the month, 34,260. OF the number of
animals imported, III came from Porto
Rico. The United States furnished 9,76S
head Of cattle. and 2,979 of other animals
All Of the animals imported paid the US
ual duty. none being intended for
breeding purposes. The number of an
imals imported for agricultural purposes
during the month, Is estimated at IA. .000
There was collected in duties during the
month of October. s1s1.s4. for Postoffice
declarations. There was also collected
during the month Of October, 81, ,023, ,545.17
from the following sources: Import du-
ties, 1916, 1876; export duties, $751;
1882: tonnage dues $17.3S414: bar
Dor improvement. s14.790.25; cattle in
5pection fees. s3,775.10; storage and cart
age. $1,S41.33; capitation taxes. $2,625.00;
fines, confscations. ETC., s3,667.51; over
time work of employees. $685.; consular
fees $79.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
The WAY. Of the MvI.-

From the New Orleans Times Democrat)
II am afraid the British are going to
experience a good deal of trouble with the
mules they are sending to South Africa"
said a we'll posted New Orleans stockman
"As understand from conversations have
had with the officers. the animals are in
tended principally for pack trains. and to
make them available for such service re-
Quires considerable training. The best
mule packers in the world are to be found
at our army posts in the West, and they
are considered 30 valuable that they re-
ceive as much pay as lieutenants. They
have often told me that It takes from two
to three months to get q new mule fit for
duty, and it Is very Interesting to see them
putting fresh arrivals through their PAGES.
When properly broken the pack mules are
as reliable as a chronometer, and a great
deal less trouble to care for. They will
follow their leader up hill and down dale
over any kind of country, and nothing can
scare or stampede them. train of green
mules, on the contrary, is as hard to han
die as an able-bodied eel. They are con-
tinually going off at tangents, falling out
of line, tagging behind, or running away.
The professional breakers have the repu-
tation Of being the most fluent cussers In
the world, bar none, and, having seen some
of their tribulations, I am inclined to deal
mercifully with that weakness. The Brit
ish will have no time to train the big con-
signments that are going to South Africa
from New Orleans, and I'm willing to bet
that the whole lower end Of the Transvaal
will be full Of wild mules inside OF the next
sitxy days. I understand the officers here
are engaging as many skilled packers as
possible, but such men are very hard to
secure. II they are any account they are
sure to have good Jobs. which 1t would be
difficult to persuade them to leave for a
South African campaign"
The evening times., 1899-12-08
DIED DURING THE VOYAGE.
A Husband Expecting His Wife Find
Only Her Dead Body.

"a fNpcctlnk ME w HE fh0S
Only Her Dead Body.
NEW YORK. Dec. 8.-Isaac Waldheim,
Of this city. went to Hoboken yesterday
to meet his wife. Dora, who was a passen-
ger on the steamship Trave. In his hand
he carried large bunch Of flowers, and
he eagerly scanned each woman passen-
ger as she came down the gangplank.
Finally, when all had landed, Mr.. Wald-
helm went to the officer in charge of the
deck and asked for his wife. The officer
led him forward and as tenderly as possi-
BILE told the man that his wife had died
during the voyage.
The husband was heartbroken. He said
his wife was twenty-five years old. Some
time ago her health failed, and she went
abroad to see If she could improve it.
Three weeks ago she wrote her husband
that she was much better, and was COM
ing home.
The officials of the vessel said that Mrs.
Waldheim was i'll when she boarded the
vessel at Bremen. and died on December
!. Her body was brought to the sorrow
ing husband.
The evening times., 1899-12-08

When the Twentieth Kansas came home.
Lieutenant Ball brought little Filipino
boy with him from Luzon. intending to edu-
cate him. But the young rascal grew tired
Of school and levanted. He is understood
to be headed for Washington, and the
detectives have been warned to look out
for him. 1t is suspected that he may De
carrying secret dispatches from Aguinaldo
to a confidential friend of that Individual
I'D on the Hill. The cloak room OF the
Senate might be a good place to watch
for his arrival.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
KILLED BY A FREIGHT TRAIN.
Fatal Accident to w. X. Mays, of Am
herst, Va.

AMHERST. Va, Dec. s.-William R.
Mays, citizen of this village, was almost
instantly killed Wednesday by through
freight train on the Southern Railroad
track. Mr.. Mays attempted to cross the
track at the depot in buggy just in front
OF train No. Il, which was more than an
hour late.
The train was running at a very high
rate of speed and the wind blowing in an
opposite direction from the way In which
the train was coming. and as the engine
neared the buggy his horse became fright
ened and started off UP the track. and
few seconds later was struck. killing driver
and horse and smashing the vehicle into
splinters,
The evening times., 1899-12-08
SUICIDE OF A YOUNG GIRL.
Drank CarbOlfc Acid Because Her
Mother Punished Her.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, Dec. s.-Pretty
Ellen Barrett, aged seventeen, could no,
endure the disgrace OF being locked up
in her room by her mother and drank car
bolic acid and died.
Ellen went to a dance in Ansonia on
Monday evening after her parents had
forbidden her TO do so. When she return
ed her mother scolded her and made her
stay in her room till yesterday.
Late yesterday afternoon the girl Slip
ped out to a druggists, bought a bottle of
the poison. and, as she reached her own
doorway, drank it and fell TO the ground
moaning. Her parents summoned medi-
cal aid, but she lived only a few minutes
The evening times., 1899-12-08
Dreaded Horse I'm Solomon Islands.
From the Birmingham Post)

An amusing paragraph revealing the existence
modern rival Of the formidable wooden horse Of
ancient Troy 10 contained in the annual report Of
Mr.. Woodford, the resident commissioner In the
British Solomon Islands, issued today by the
colonial Office. During last year, it appears that
Q horse was imported from Sydney by a trader at
Rubiana for use on his cocoanut plantation This
was the first horse that had ever been brought to
the SolomonA There was some difficulty In land
ing the animal, and. after spending a day on q
platform lashed between two boats, it had to be
towed over 4 coral reef. After the landing was
effected, however. 1t made up for the inconven-
ience to which it had been subjected The na-
tivee evinced the greatest dread Of the (as they
thought io gigantic creature, and could-no be
induced to 90 near it, with the consequence that
1t soon became unmanageable and wandered at
will about the bush, terror to the neighborhood.
Prom some unexplained cause the animal died
month or two after arrival, doubtless to the in.
tense relief Of the nativea
The evening times., 1899-12-08
MAY BE VICE ADM1RALs.
A Chance for the Promotion of Botl
Schley and. Sampson.

President Mckinley, during an inter-
view with Senator Wellington yesterday,
expressed himself in favor Of reviving the
grade Of vice admiral, in the interest Of
both Sampson and Schley. He believes
that this is the simplest solution Of the
controversy. II is expected that Senator
Wellington will introduce bill in a few
days providing for the appointment of two
vice admirais without specifying names.
The President very frankly stated that
II such a bill became law he would
promptly nominate both Admiral Sampson
and Admiral Schley IN the order named.
This arrangement. both the President and
Senator Wellington believe, will meet with
the approval Of majority Of the, friends of
both officers, and II carried out will put an
end to further controversy as to the con-
duct Of the naval campaign at Santiago.
The evening times., 1899-12-08
TO PUSH THE oYsTERMEN.
New Jersey state Commission vii
Enforce the Law.

MILLVILLE. n. j., Dec. s.-The New
Jersey Oyster Commission, organized un-
der the law passed last winter, is about
to take aggressive action against hold
ers Of oyster grounds in Maurice River
Cove. who have not complied with the
law. This will bring the question of en-
forcing the law to an issue. which is what
the oystermen desire. They claim that
the law is unconstitutional, and believe
they can upset the commission.
The operations of the oyster commission
act are not satisfactory to the holders OF
oyster grounds, and they will ask the leg
islature to either amend the law or abol-
ish the commission
The evening times., 1899-12-08

A New York newspaper presents very
clever argument in favor Of confining the
education Of the Indian to an industrial
channel. urging that purely literary in
struction does not conform to the needs of
the race. The red men, however, may bs
inclined to cite as an evidence Of their
ability to grasp the rudiments Of the high
er education the recent overwhelming de-
feat OF Columbia by Carlisle on the football
gridirop.
The evening times., 1899-12-08

But now comes Robert Buchanan TO lay the
wbip Of contradiction upon the tagging chorus
of kipling -worshppers. MIR. Buchanan finds that
Kipling's is 1.-THE voice Of the street tough that
his popularity is due to his appeals to the
lowest and coarsest instincts. that ms writings
are filled with savage animaism and ignorant
vain -glcry.''-Ssw York World.
And thousands of people hitherto ad-
mirers of Kipling are prepared to agree
with Mr.. Buchanan. The bell sounds
cracked