davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

they led him into their play-room in the attic, unsnapped the chain from his collar and gave him the freedom of the wide space.
 First, MT. Coon must poke his nose or his forepaws into everything. He paced round and round the room, smelling at or feeling in every nook and cranny. When he was satisfied with his inspection, noth- ing would do but he must feel in Buster Johns pocket He pulled out marbles, nails, fragments of chinaware, which the youngster used in place of money. With few fragments of fine chineware in his pocket Buster John always felt rich. With this form of currency he had bought whole droves of ponies and large arsenals Of guns. pistols, swords and war cannon from imaginary vendors.
 Piece by piece Mir. Coon brought Buster Johns treasures to light and examined them carefully. The children noticed that MT. Coon's forepaws were very much Ike tiny hands. and that his hind feet made tracks in the sand that looked like those or a wee baby Of course. it was Sweetest Su- san who made this discovery. Whenever MT. Coon left the prints of his feet visible one could almost imagine that some small goblin in human shape had passed that way going on all-fours. Almost! Why, Sweetest Susan did imagine it-was sure or it. indeed-whenever she was in Make Be- lieye land where she lived most or the time. Surely 1t could not be more wonder- full than the country next door to the world, where old MT. Rabbit and Mrs. Meadows and the looking-glass children had their abode.
 For a few days MT. Coon feasted and then the children thought he should begin to pay for his board first, by giving an ac- count of himself and next in any other way that might be devised. So far as MT Coon was concerned, he was perfectly will ing to accommodate the children. He was never bad tempered unless he saw cat or dog, and such of these as were about the house and yard soon learned to give him wide berth for his claws and teeth were sharp and he was a born fighter.
 In Joe Maxwell's rough notes, MT. Coon began thus:
 If had to tell my tale from the talk think, as you talk your talk, I'd talk no
The age-herald., 1899-06-25
PART XII.
PAhI All. THE STORY OF MIR. COON.

THE STORY OF MIR. COON.
 Aaron smiled when the children told him how MT. Bobs could set a crow to catch crow. He said the same plan had been practieed for many long years. He had heard his father, Ben Ali, tell about it. h. deed the probability is that out of this prac- tice the saying, Set thief to catch thief" had arisen for nobody could trust thief to catch thief unless the first thief was securely fastened.
 But Aaron, on his side, had something quite as interesting to tell the children. From negro whom he knew he had bought raccoon. This was news, indeed, and so exciting in its character that Aaron was compelled to answer, or to parry, vol ley after volley of questions.
 70, how old is it, and what does it look iike?" cried Sweetest Susan.
 And who is it to belong to, and is 1t tame, so tame that you can put your hand on it?" asked Buster John.
 "Why didn't dey kill it an cook it?" in- quired Drusilla.
 Aaron put his fingers in his ears. He couldn't answer all the question put to him. Finally there was Hull in the excitement. What did you give for him?' Buster John asked after a pause.
 Something" replied Aaron, smiling.
 But how much?"
 Enough"
 i"Shucks," cried Buster John; 'if I had known there was great secret about It l wouldn't have asked"
 Aaron pinched the boys ears gently and said, "Comer He went to his cabin the children following and when they went in the frs thing they saw was MT. Coon, pae- ing back and forth the length of the small, steel chain which held him. He paused and regarded them curiously, twisting the end of his sharp nose about, and mechanically feeling in the cracks of the floor with ms forepaws, which seemed to be as supple and as useful as a boys hands.
 When Buster John went nearer, MT. Coon raised himself on his hind legs and utter ed cry almost identical with the scream of a rooster when bird suddenly flies oVer' or hawk appears in sight. Buster John knew it was a warning and so he stopped.
 "What is the trouble, Frog -Eater-Tad-
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

the tree until I came to one of the largest limbs, and by the time had climbed that the tree hit the ground with noise that sounded as the clouds sound when they clap together and make a big, quick shine. The limb shook so hard that came near falling off; but I held on the best could, and in a moment heard 0 great noise on fighting, ming, bowling and growing. l was wild with fear, but I could do nothing. Close to the limb I was clinging to was a black man holding torch. The light blind- ed my eyes, and the hot smoke stifed me. I thought none had seen me, but the man who was not a black man was standing apart from the others, and when I looked at him I found he was looking at me.
 q kept looking at him and he at me until I was no longer afraid. I had the feeling that he was friend (close to cousin-thing) and I wanted to go to him. But how could IF Ii was the Son of Ben Ali, and he said nothing to the others. But the thick smoke came in my nose and I sneezed. The black man yelled Here's anotherv and climbed on the tree. He was about to strike me with the torch but the Son of Ben All said, 'WaitY He came to the~limb, stretched out his hand to me and touched 1t with my tongue. Come he said. I jumped to his shoulder and felt safe; but when he carried me among the strange ones, when saw the dogs nosing around with blood on their ears, and when saw my nanny and the others lying there moving no more, fear came again, and but for the Son of Ben ATS hand and voice I should have jumped down into the middle of the pack.
 ''The Son of Ben Ali gave me to friend to take care of. and though went hungry many a time, 1t was not the fault of the black man Maybe he was hungry himself, and his wife and children, too. But now I'm here and if you'll excuse me I'll take . map"
 MT. Coon opened his mouth wide to gape, cuddled down in the corner, and was soon sound asleep.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

came, for we could hear her climbing the tree, and then, if it was not raining, shed sit on the outside and dry her feet and clothes with her tongue. Sometimes we'd get impatient and begin to cry, and once one of the others went to the door; the slap he got made him squeel, and none of us ever bothered our nanny any more by go- ing to the door. But, my! How hungry and angry I used to get while nanny sat out there cleaning her feet and drying her clothes. But she always took her own time, and then, when she came in, what scramble there was for the right teat. Mine was the middle one. but always had to claw and be clawed before I could get 1t. We were all ravenous. and never did get as much food as wanted at one time till came here. I think our kind are born hungry. and kept hungry that we may be able to escape from thos that follow us.
 "The first thing I really remember was once when heard bird chirping and
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

pole Catcher?" the Son of Ben Ali sharply inquired.
 'You can't fool me-" snarled MT. Coon. "Pye seen creatures like him before. They poked my sides with sticks and pulled my taii.''
 "But this one is different, Bug-Eater," said Aaron.
 70, call me what you please, Son of Ben Ali. I was glad to come with you but I didn't invite myself here, did I? If you were hungry, and thirsty and tied fast, and saw coming toward you one of the creatures that had made misery for you, would you grin and say, Welcome, friend?"
 Like not" replied Aaron. "But you have been fed, Frog-Eater You said you had enough"
 Enough of the kind, Son of Ben Ali; yes, and too much. If you want me to eat corn get some that Is soft on the cob and juicy. If you want me to be nice fetch me couple of young chickens-or handful or black beetles" Sweetest Susan shivered
 well, Tadpole- Catcher" said Aaron, If you want good things to eat go with these friends. They have been touched. They know everything you say, and when you are hungry or thirsty you have only to give the sign"
 At this MT. Coon paced back and forth very rapidly. This was the way he showed his impatience. He was anxious to go with them, Aaron unfaStened the cham anu placed one end in Buster Johns hand. The youngstar held 1t very gingerly and was inclined to shrink when Mir Coon came too close but he soon got over that feeling. and so did Sweetest Susan and Drusilla; so that, in a little whle they were more fa- miliar with MT. Coon than they had ever been with any of their pets.
 They lost no time in giving him his dn- ner. which consisted of chicken heads and giblets MT. Coon smacked his mouth over them, and when he had finished declared that he felt better than he had for many day, and remarked:
 ''Eg liblum gig loblum og iggle" which literally translated means Big dinner, bigger bed" Freely interpreted, 1t means: "If continue to get such fine fare I'll have to get my clothes made larger"
 It may interest readers who are no long or young to know that in the language Of animals the root word lablam stands for things, and its variations, liblum, loblum, leblum. etc. wean the thing at hand. or. to be more exact. the thing under the nose the thing talked about.
 It is a pity that Joe Maxwell. who Is re- sponsible for these dry details, did not take inc trouble to write the language down from Buster Johns receipt But he put 1t of from day to day, and now there Is noth- ing left but rough notes of these stories, and some scattersd fragments of explana- tiou Jne of which is presented above
 VI sfl fto shoo all this awayl MT Coon was highly delighted with his dinner, and was reaGy to curl up and take a nap or was willing to join the children in a frolic. So
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

talk of this thing" As this would be hard to follow it has been rendered into free translation form first to last.
 "If I had to learn my language out of books, as you do yours,' said Mr. Coon, leaning back in corner of the play-room and rubbing his face and nose with both hands, T wouldn't have much to say about myself, for wouldn't know how to say it. My home was in the hollow limb of tree, and can remember how nice it was to sleep in that soft warm place. There was four others besides me. and we used to sleep close together till our nanny came home We were always awake when she
The age-herald., 1899-06-25
PROGRAMME
At East Lake Sunday, June 25 5-Memo.
 lis Concert Band

1. March-'The Flying Squadron" (Scou- ton).
 2. Overture-"La Flandre' (Bouillon). 8. March-"The Fascinator" (V. D. Page).
 4. Concert Solo-"Fantasia" (Hartman), Phil Memoli. 5. Selection-"Madeleine" O. Edwards). 6. March-"The Cowboys" 6. D. Mor- ris).
 A Texas Two-Step. '.t
 Intermission. T. March-"Welcome, Volunteers" (Mem- olD.
 8. Clarinet Solo-"Air Varie" CTbe-.on), MT. w. H. Crumrlne. g. Overture-"The Silver Bell' (Schlepe- grelD. To- Fantasia-"The Tramps" Gauren- deau), descriptive. Il. Finale-"Commodore Dewey's March" co. D. HolD.
 PHIL MEMOLI, Director.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

whistling right at our very door. trem- bled and shook all over. The others were asleep and I was glad of it. Shaking and trembling, I crept to the door, and there, right at me, was bird with a long bill, which he was poking under the bark. ShiV- ering and shaking, I jumped on him, but came near falling to the ground. He was stronger than he seemed to be, and he had claws, too. He clinched me with these, and beat me over the head with his wings but didn't mind that l didn't mind anything.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25
Beware of Ointments for Catarrh That Con-
 tain Mercury,


 as mercury will surely destroy the sense of smell and completely derange the whole system when entering it through the mucous surfaces. Such articles should never be used except on prescriptions from reputable physicians, as the damage they will do Is ten fold to the good you can pos- sibly derive from them. Halls Catarrh Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney Ss Co.,, Toledo, O., contains no mercury, and is taken internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the sys- tenn In buying Halls Catarrh Cure bo sure you get the genuine. It is taken in- ternally, and made in Toledo, O.. by F. J. Cheney & Co. Testimonials free.
 Sold by druggists, price 75c per bottle. Halls Family Pills are the best WANTED-Second-han set Encyclopedia Brittanica, leather binding. Address w. l.. L., Age-Herald. 6-11-4t sun.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25
REPLIES
 TO CHALIFOUX He Produces Figures to Sub- Stantiate His Former
 Argument.
To the Editor of The Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
 Dear Sir-Please pardon me for intruding upon your valuable space once more ne- cessitated however, by the reply of MT. Oliver Chalifoux, in The AgerHerald of June 21 to my letter in your paper of June 1S but the subject is of such great impor- tance to all the people of Birmingham, and to the very life and existence of the city, that feel sure you will see the necessity of granting me space for this reply.
 No, MT. Chalifoux, l am no pseudonym, raked up for this occasion, but am in exis- tence, notwithstanding the fact that you do not find my name in the city directory; but, if you had taken the pains to have looked at the city tax books and records, which are open for public inspection, you would have found that l am a living tax payer of Birmingham-and before l have finished this letter you and your "board of trade will perceive that l am very much alive.
 You surely did not give the subject the usual careful attention which you, as good business man, should have done, for if you had you would not have made those rash statements contained in your letter, and accuse me of producing figures that would suit my purpose, ignoring figures which would tell a different tale" But I am rather inclined to believe that the infor- nation was furnished you by someone, and that you took 1t all for granted, without giving it careful scrutiny.
 You are correct, and I must admit that the real estate owners do not assess their property suffic. antly high; but they come nearer doing this than the merchants; however, under the constitution, the city cannot help itself but must take the values assessed from the county records for the state and county, for the previous year; but the merchants tax is assessed annual ly to a special city assessor and 1t there where the great injustice is being done the city
 The merchants have been for so long time posing as the martyrs and tax pay CTS of the city. that you yourself came to believe it, and have nearly succeeded in making the unsuspecting citizen believe it also; but this cannot continue any longer, and I propose to show that the merchants contribute almost nothing; or, nowhere near the amount they should, for the prop CT maintenance of municipal existence.
 You mention in your letter the item merchants licenses, $94 ,92000," collected by the city, and convey to the uninitiated ones the information that this big sum is collected by the city from the merchants alone, and wind up by saying that This shows conclusively that the merchants pay 40 per cent. per annum more towards de- fraying the city governments expenses than does the property holders"
 MT. President. where did you get this in- forma ton? Surely not from the tax books, for if you had you would have discovered. as have done, that the licenses collected F-II
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

Making a grand total collected
 from all dealers of ..............s .s5S, TOT .5o Add to this the license collected from non-merchants, such as
 bankers, doctors, lawyers, street
 railroad lines, electric company,
 gas company, circuses, cotton
 buyers, dentists, livery stables,
 job printers, telephone company,
 etc........ ........, ........ 4,2l2.50 And you have the grand total of
 all city licenses collected of. .$94 ,920. .00 Now deduct from this
 grand total the amounts
 paid by liquor dealers.
 both wholesale and retail sS6,375.50 And also from the total
 amount collected, the... .$41 ,212.50 Paid by the non-merchants as
 aforesaid, the bankers, doctors.
 lawyers, etc., and you will find
 that the merchants, little and
 big, dealers of all kinds. ped
 dlers, fish dealers, beef dealers,
 dry goods dealers, junk dealers,
 furniture dealers, and all other
 kinds of dealers and peddlers,
 not including liquor dealers, pay
 the ridiculous sum of only. .$17, ,Ss2. .00 Add to this the ...................... 4,429. .S2 Paid by them as merchant tax,
 and you have a total amount con-
 tributed by all merchants, and
 dealers of Birmingham, as emu
 merated above, including even
 all coal dealers and peddlers, the sum of ......................... $21, ,761 .S2 If you will submit this letter to your brother in Lowell, Mass, who understand is an expert, and well versed in municipal affffairs and taxation, I am confident he will tell you that with such a showing no city can exist; for it cannot furnish the indispensable clements of existence, viz: Maintenance of public education, public credit, health, police and fire protection. He will agree with me, even should you not do SO, that to relieve the merchant of the license tax he would be practically ex- empt from ali taxation.
 would advise you, MT. Chalifoux, pres- ident of the board of trade, to call your club together. and insist upon their act
The age-herald., 1899-06-25
Not Needed

From the Detroit Journal.
 Prospective Tenant of Flat-Why, there isn't room to swing cat in here!
 Janitor-No, we permit no cats in the building.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25
He Knew

 His Honor-Young man, do you appreci- ate the solemnity of an oath-do you know what an oath is? "Ye-es, sir. I caddied for you last Sum day"
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

Ladies! Your attention! Read Love- man, Joseph & Loeb's advertisement in rhis mornings Age-Herald.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

Outside Spar Yarnish. $.65 per gallon. Asphalt Paint Co.,, Second avenue.
The age-herald., 1899-06-25

Hoods Sarsaparilla cures catarrh by sc- entincaly attacking the disense through the blood.
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-29
CAPE NOME GOLD
The Discoverer Of That Alaskan
Field Says 1t Is a Rich
District. ....
A STEAMER BRINGS GOLD
The Passenger List Large and the Value
Of the Treasure Nearly Three-Q Quarters
Of a Million Dollars Two Men Die
on the Trip Homeward.

st. Michael's, July II, via San Fran
cisco, July 29.-Dr. Hultberg, the Swed-
ish missionary, who found the first gold
at Cape Nome, arrived yesterday from
his claim, en- route to Golovin bay,
where he owns valuable claims on Ophir
and Melsing creeks.
Hultberg brings information that sew
eral promising quartz properties have
been found in Nome district. He said
Nome is rich district, and an ex-
tensive one, but it is no place for a per-
son to winter if he is not well supplied
with warm clothing and sufficient
means to provide himself with COM
forts"
San Francisco, July 2S.-The Alaska
Commercial Companys steamer St
Paul arrived from st. Michaels this
morning, and brought 24S passengers,
the majority being returning prospect
ors. j. A. Fisher and Israel Desrosero
died.
The amount of treasure brought down
is believed to be 100000
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-29
COUPON SUITS.
Holders Of Refunding Bonds Begin Action
Against Santa Fe County for ST. 1870.

Bird Coler and Elerton r. Chapman,
of New York, to-day, through their at
torneys, WOlcott & Vail and c. w. Wa
terman, Of Denver, and N. B. Laughlin.
Of Santa Fe, filed suit against the coun
ty of Santa Fe and the board of county
commissioners thereof for the sums Of
$61, ,525 and $50,356, with interest on the
same, being for coupons on bonds Of
this county issued in 1891 and 1892 as re-
funding bonds. The complaint covers
$500 printed pages, and sets out in de-
tail every coupon on which the county
has defaulted payment for several
years. G. w. Waterman, of Denver, is
in the capital, and he and Judge Laugh
lin are looking after the case. For some
years past the board Of county commits
sioners has levied no tax for the pay
ment Of interest coupons on the bonds
refunded in 1891 and 1892, and originally
issued in favor Of the New Mexico and
Southern Pacific and the Texas, Santa
Fe and Northern railroad, hence these
suits. The refunding bonds were issued
under legislative enactment Of the ter
ritorial assembly, and were afterwards
legalized by action of the flfty-fourth
congress. M
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-29
KILLED BY HIS GUN.
A Man Who Carried q Loaded Weapon in
Cart.

A very sad accident occurred near
Lordsburg, Grant county, which caused
the death of Henry Baker, cowboy,
who had been spending several months
around Lordsburg. He accepted an invi-
tation to a picnic last Sunday, and came
home to Lordsburg with e. w. Webb,
the mail carrier. They were riding in a
two-wheel cart, Baker driving and
Webb leading horse. Baker had a
shotgun standing upright between his
legs. AS one of the wheels Of the vehicle
passed over small obstruction the cart
jolted and the gun slipped to the floor.
In falling the hammer of the gun
caught on the edge Of the cart and was
discharged. The shot struck Baker in
the abdomen, and went upward through
the left shoulder. The coroner pro-
nounced death to have been accidental.
Baker was about 25 years of age, and
came to Lordsburg from San Antonio,
Tex.
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-29
The FINAL SESSION.
Fifteen to Seventeen Nations Sign the
A reements Of the Peace Conference.

The Hague, July 20, 3 p. m.-The in
ternational peace conference met for a
final sitting to-day, when it was an
nouneed that sixteen states had signed
the arbitration convention, fifteen
states the other two conventions, seven
teen states the declaration prohibiting
the throwing of projectiles or explosives
from balloons, sixteen the declaration
prohibiting the use of asphyxiating
gases, and fifteen the declaration pro-
hibiting the use of expansive bullets.
POPE PROMISES COOPERATION.
The Hague, July ga letter was
read from the queen of Holland to the
pope, asking his moral support for the
conference. The pope's reply, which
was read, promised cooperation, and
recalled the fact that he had many
times performed the function of arbi-
tration, and assured her majesty that
despite his present abnormal position
he would continue to seek the advance
ment of civilization.