davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
" The CaIlao Painter"

A curious phenomenon Is observed
at Callao, the principal port Of Peru.
Very frequently sailors awaken in the
morning to find the woodwork and
iron of the ships covered with brown
ish moisture that looks like dew, and
unless it is rubbed Immediately off ii
will stain old paint permanently. 1t
does not stick to new paint, and may
be wiped off at any time within few
hours. This is called "the Callao paint
err" and the phenomenon has never
been satisfactorily explained. Nor is
it to be found in any other port in the
world One theory Is that fumes of
sulphuric acid or some other acid are
forced up through the water from the
bottom Of the harbor during the night,
and that seems to be reasonable, but
no discolored dew is noticed on land,
and when it is falling it is not percep-
tible to persons aboard the ship; nor
does it affect the health Of the sailors
in any way. 1t simply adds to their
labor and Injuries their morals because
it compels them to do lot of extra
scrubbing and to buy quantity of
extra paint. 1t is especially trying to
men-of-war, and they avoid Callao
harbor for that reason.-Chicago Rec
ord.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
THE BOLO OF THE FILIPINOS.


A letter from Lieutenant William NJ.
Copp of the Sixth Artillery, who is on
the gunboat Napidan in Laguna de
Bay, gives the following interesting
information concerning one phase of
the fighting with the Filipinos:
"An odd trait In the character of the
natives is that they never leave one of
their dead If they can possibly get him
away. They leave more now than
they used to, for this reason: Former
ly they had at least five men for every
gun, and about all these men were
good for was to carry away the
wounded and dead, although they were
armed with bolos. These weapons
were very effective against the Spani-
nothing for their own lives, and the
Spaniards did not have the courage to
stand when they charged; so, OF course,
they were cut to pieces, the bolo being
without doubt one of the most terrible
weapons at close quarters in the
world. 1t is very sharp and so heavy
that it will smash any sword in pieces
that l have seen. They use them in
the right hand, and long, heavy dag
ger In the left. had one of the
many amigos who could handle the
bolo go through the motions for me,
and it was truly wonderful. The rapid
ity of his moves was such that the eye
could hardly follow them, and all the
time he kept a constant guard. The
bolo is to cut, no point; the dagger Is
used to stab, no edge. When these
bolo men tried the same tactics on our
men that were accustomed to employ
so successfully against the Spaniards,
they were killed in large numbers, as
our men did not run, but simply shot
them. Now so many of these men
have been killed, there are fewer Of
them to gun, and they are not able
to get the dead away quite as well as
they did formerly.
''If your servant goes away day or
two, you can be certain he is with the
insurgents and In some fight. 1t is too
common to excite comment here when
an officers servant, who has been alb
sent several days, Is found in the in
surgents uniform killed or is brought
into our hospital for treatment"
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
Advice on Buying Bananas.

When buying bananas never pur-
chase the long thin ones unless you
want fruit which will pucker your
mouth. No matter how well ripened
these thin bananas may appear to be,
they will always be found both sour
and acrid. This is because the bunch
which contained them was picked too
soon. The banana grows fastest at
first in length. When 1t has reached
its full development In that direction
1t suddenly begins to swell, and i'm a
few days will double its girth. 1t Is at
the end Of this time that it begins to
ripen naturally, and the effort Of the
banana importer is to have the fruit
gathered at the last possible moment,
and yet before the ripening has pro-
gressed even enough to tinge the bright
green of the fruit with yellow. A diff
ference Of twenty-four hours on the
trees at this time will make a differ
ence in the weight of the fruit of per-
haps % per cent, and all the differ
ence i'm its final flavor between
puckery sour and the sweetness and
smoothness which are characteristic
of the ripe Observation-Disclosures Star.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

John Burns is the most noted and
able of English labor leaders. He
has visited the United States and sits
in parliament. In recent speech he
administered the following fagella-
tion to the newly acquired British
subject, William Waldorf Astor: Il
car tolerate decent duke or mil
liant marquis whose power is often
tempered by tradition and whose
caste feeling is qualified by service to
the community, but the migratory
money bag, patriot only when his
property is threatened, citizen only
when his comfort is encroached upon
he is too mean even to be tarred
and feathered."
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

ruary %, he reached the summit of
the mountain, which, to all appear
ances. was impregnable. The top Of
Majuba Is saucer shaped, with a per-
pendicular belt running around II
broken by some gulleys through which
access might be had from the slopes
below. These slopes are steep and
the upper parts screened from the
view above. General Colley distrib-
uted his men around the edge of this
position, but neglected to fortify 1t In
any way, not believing the Beers
would attempt to scale the heights.
At first 1t looked as though he was
justified In this belief, for the Beers
had already begun to prepare for a
retreat, seeing their flank threatened,
when under some inspiration their
leaders, Generals Joubert and Smidt,
decided to try the effect of direct
assault A part Of the Boer force TAX
ing cover with their usual skill opened
fire at long range, doing, however,
comparatively little execution, owing
to the British troops, after the exper-
ience at the Ingogo, taking care not to
expose themselves to the Boer marks
manship. While the attention of the
British was distracted by this firing
and they were unable to put their
heads over the edge OF the summit
without the very great risk Of receiv-
ing bullet, some $50 Beers, the OFF,
cial statement says 223, were creeping
up the steep slope of the mountain.
One of the Boer leaders, with a pick
ed party of about sixty men, made for
a small peak standing out on the edge
of the mountain summit, which proved
to be the key of the position. Arrival
at .this point he discovered a British
picket quite unconscious Of the prox-
unity of the enemy. BY well-aimed
volley the whole of the picket were
laid low and the Beers seized the peak.
By this manoeuvre the British were
caught in flank and rear and fell back
in confusion from the edge of the
summit. Meantime other parties of
Beers rushed up by another gap and
completed the defeat of the British,
who fled in panic, the Inflated Sir
George Colley putting an end to his
own life. The British losses at Ma
juba were about half those holding the
hill, while the Boer loss was six, Of
whom only one was killed.
The result of this memorable victory
was that treaty Of peace between
England and the Transvaal was signed
IT,
ing the independence of the Trans
vaal. On February %, 1894, a further
convention was signed by which the
British Government retained only the
power of vetoing, during six months
after their conclusion. any treaties be-
tween the Transvaal and any other
country except the Orange Free State.
1t was expressly stated by Lord Derby
that England gave up all pretensions
to interfere in the internal affairs of
the South African Republic. Swazi-
land was placed under the administra-
ton of the Transvaal Government in
1894, the SwaZis remaining under the
rule of their own chief and their 9th
er rights being guaranteed. Internal
troubles, said by the Beers to have
been instigated by outsiders, broke out
among the Swazis in 1898, but were
arranged without fighting through
their conciliatory treatment by the
Boer authorities.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The 'childrenas court" which has
been established by the Illinois 'legis-
lature Is an experiment that will well
be worth watching. Heretofore the
law has made no distinction between
Juvenile criminals and adult criminals
with the result that magistrates have
often exercised discretion in deal
ing with youthful offenders that the
law did not sanction. This is hardly
the way to teach young persons to re-
spect the law, and the Illinois legis-
lature has attempted to correct this
practice by the establishment of a
separate court for trial of offenders
less than sixteen years old and by the
adoption of code suited to the class.
Under this scheme no child under
twelve years of age can be arrested or
held in police station. A place of
detention for children must be speci-
ally provided. and when children are
to be brought into court it must be
by summons served on their parents
or guardians. Wide discretion is
then allowed magistrates in dealing
with youthful offenders. The great
advantage OF this scheme is that these
offenders do not come in contact with
the police or with hardened criminals.
They are treated much as a stern
schoolmaster treats unruly pupils.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

Indiscriminate and constant novel
reading is rather unwise. New York
women, as a rule, have little time for
it. But in the smaller towns, where
time can be found for anything, one
would naturally think that the young
and romantically inclined person
would be the natural victim of the
novel-devouring craze. But middle
aged women. so the public Librarians
say, are the ones that demand novels
and still more novels. After their
own romances are over then they be.
gin to appreciate those of other per-
sons. One wonders if the athletic
girl of to-day will take to novels when
she becomes hopelessly middle-aged.
1t is difficult to imagine, but one can
never tell.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

Many years ago, when the locomo-
prairies, the untutored savage used
to ride on the tracks and endeavor to
frighten the new monster away. The
trains hands seldom paused to gather
the scattered chief, but left his
Kaleidoscope remains to instruct, or
at least amuse, his fellow -savages.
When the Indian grew tired OF this
sport the buffalo took it up, with the
result that the labors of the chase
were diminished, and provident In
dians. instead of securing the plains,
just sat down by the tracks and wait
ed. These "reminiscences of by gone
time are occasioned by the manner in
which the cabmen of New York City
are now initiating both the Indian
and the buffalo in their dealings with
the pitiless trolley cars. 1t seems to
be the height of imprudence for a cab
man to undertake to wheel on the
track Immediately ahead Of a trolley
car advancing at rate of speed much
higher than his vehicle ever attains,
yet the destruction of cabs goes on to
the pecuniary, if not always to the
bodily, ruin OF the cabmen, and the
tribe of the trolley car is increasing,
even as that of the locomotive in
creased in the Far West in spite of
the Comanches, the Sioux, and the
buffaloes. There is lesson in this
for some one, but we do not believe
that the trolley cars will notice it.
Certainly the gripmen will not.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The PRNtSE or The PRESENT,
Poets there be who tune their Tyres
10 days of long ago
And sing a song OF sentiment In meas
ures sad and low.
10 them the golden age IL past, the
golden fleece is clipped;
The rose Of pleasure hath been pluck
ed, the cup of joyance slipped;
They live In longing for the lost, the
dead Of Might Have Been
But ia bard most practicai-count all
such singing sin.
To me these days, these present
Have fertile fields and flower
ways,
Wherein my fancy fondly
strays;
And II had song to sing, I'd sing
about these days.
And there be bards who rave stave
concerning Days To Be,
When all things shall be lovely and
luxuriant and free,
When Joy shall reach her chalice down
10 tnlrSty mOrtdl lip
And certain rare elected ones to drunk
enness shall sip:
The bud has yet to blossom and the
honey to be stored
Ere hungry souls may sit them down
and sweep the festal board.
But as for me say These Days
Hold pastures where my soul
may Craze
And drink delights and gather
bays;
And If l knew n stave to rave, I'd
rave about These Days.
To me These Days are golden tipped
with goodly thoughts and things,
And Opportunity but waits to spread
her splendid wings
At my command, to bear me up and
make my vision wide,
That may sweep the height. the deep
and know them deified!
The golden Days of Long Ago, the
golden Days To Be
Are not so wonderful by half as These
Days are to me;
And so These Days, these gol-
den days,
To me are rich with wine and
maize
And minstrel-sweet with har-
vest lays;
And were 1 piping Pan himself, I'd
pipe about These Days.
-Robertus Love in New York Sun.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
for pig iron Is 90 great - II has lately
been, we cannot afford to export II In
that state.

In Chicago nm effort is being made
to replace women servants with men.
In these days of demand exceeding
supply the domestic servant question
has assumed difficult apd, unless
the Chicago experiment be success,
almost unsolyable phase. Men in
household service are notable for
quickness, intelligence and respect
for authority, but the trouble is that
so few of them care to go into service.
The army of the unemployed would
dwindle into slim proportions if men
ceased to consider household situa-
tions as menial, and life would be
much less hard passed under the
shelter of comfortable home with
good food and wages.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

No American student of the signs
OF the times now visible in the United
States can have failed to be impressed
by the recent rapid increase in the
number of private schools observes
the New York Times. The public
schools, too, are multiplying in all
parts of the country, but they come
only under the stress of absolute
necessity. and, in many localities be-
sides New York, not fast enough to
meet an almost despairing demand
from the largest, though not the most
influential, part of the population.
Their rivals, on the contrary, are
springing up everywhere under COM
pulsion which if it exists. is well con-
cealed and almost unmentioned.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

1t is proposed in Kenosha, Wis.
to make wheel-women take out q
special license. A lawyer who was
run down not long ago by girl on o
wheel has drawn up an ordinance re-
quiring the license, and providing
that before girl may have one, she
must give specimen of her riding
before committee of three experts,
and if she succeeds in proving that
she can control her wheel, must file
a bond Of 500, to establish the vic
tins OF possible collisions beyond the
reach of loss.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

whss His Wife Exposed the Deceit He Prse.
tlced o. Her.

tlced o. Her.
''This fishing trip isn't going to be .
success without you," said Giggton.
earnestly, ''and hope that you won't
disappoint u.s.
Whittier shrugged his shoulders
with an air of careless indifference.
II admit he said, that I shall have
to arrange matters with my wife; but
haven't been married five years for
nothing, and you can count on me-"
II knew you would CO." said Gigg-
ton, confidently.
"You can bet on me every time,"
said Whittier. $50, au revo'r, old
man. Tomorrow morning at 7.30."
Jumping into car he passed the
next twenty minutes In arranging his
method Of procedure, and one hour
later he sat at the dinner table with
his wife-on his face an expression OF
listlessness and an unnatural stoop OF
his usually erect shoulders.
Whats. the matter, dear? said Mrs.
Whittier; ''you don't eat anything"
Whittier smiled feebly. Nothing"
he said, with half-hearted attempt at
brightness. ''Pm feeling little stale,
that's all. Been working too hard, I
guess.'
you do look rather tired" said his
wife. II hope you are not going to be
ILL.,"
"Nonsensev' exclaimed her husband.
"What l need is a good dose Of fresh
ofvs II fc nv
Come, my dear, we must take a day
off,"
"We" said Mrs. Whittier. "Yor
know 1t wouldn't do you any good to
have the children, and we certainly
can't leave them at home"
''That's just it," said Whittier.
despairingly. I'm nervous and run
down, and they would annoy me,
know. But 1 can't go without you,
my dear. That would be out of the
question. wouldn't enjoy myself a
bit. 1 guess we'd better not think
about it.
Mrs. Whittier looked anxious.
you mustn't break down." she said.
"Of course, L"
NO, eXclaiIneu w WnlttleT. WOu
hear of 1t. Giggton was urging me to
go on little fishing trip only to-day,
but told him no."
"When is he going?" asked Mrs.
Whittier.
Tomorrow morning." said her hus-
band. "But, really, such a thing
mustn't be thought of. 1 wouldn't
leave you for the world"
His wife smiled.
''You must co." she said. II insist
upon it,
Whittier looked at her with stern,
expression, which turned
gradually into one Of acquiescence.
Il don't know but you are right" he
said at last II hate to go, but 1 sup
pose must look upon it as question
of health. I'll write a line and send it
over to Giggton at once"
'It isn't necessary" said Mrs. Whit
tier.
"Why isn't it?' asked Whittier.
Because" said Mrs. Whittier, Il
saw Mrs. Giggton this afternoon
here Whittier began to look conscious
land she told me her husband had NJ
ready got your consent."--Life.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
RuffaIoes Plentliul In Canada.

Inspector Rutledge of the Northwest
mounted police, who has returned from
a prolonged patrol of the vast district
between Alaska and Manitoba, reports
that real buffaloes, so far from becom-
ing extinct. are numerous and increas-
ing. A bill has been brought into the
Dominion House of Commons extend
ing the close season for two years
more. and after that restricting the
killing to males.-New York Press.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
Tells Its Own Story.

In a pretty Wisconsin town not far
from Milwaukee there is 'spite
fence" which tells its own story to all
the world. 1t is high and tight board
affair, and cuts off q view across n
number of beautiful lawns. The man
who lives on one side of II evidently
feared that the fence would bring
down on his head the condemnation OF
his neighbors. Not wishing to be un.
justly blamed. he has therefore paint.
ed on his side of the fence, in letters
that can be read block away. these
words: "He built this fence. didn't
do It." The man on the other side also
had no idea of letting n false impress
sion get out. Accordingly he has paint
ed on the othesside of the high bar
rier: II had to do IT.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
Ioke on a German Town.

The Burgomaster of Spandau, Ger
many, recently received letter from
San Francisco signed Charles Wag-
ner," who, claiming to be native Of
the town, offered to leave a bequest Of
100000 for the betterment of the
pavement. The offer was accepted,
but 1t now has been ascertained that
no such person exists and that some
body has been playing practical joke
on the town.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
AIanruaae pliflcult to Learn.

The lack of an alphabet and the num-
Der of characters make the labor of
learning to read Chinese burdensome.
Each character must be learned by It.
self. When the student has mastered
5000 characters, the succeeding thou
sands must be learned in the sam
vav
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

Wet boots and shoes can be rapidly
dried by Pennsylvanian's patent de-
vice, which consists of a circular base
of tin, open at the bottom, and pro-
vided with a pair of vertical tubes,
ending in curved spouts, the boots be-
Ing placed over the spouts and the de-
rice set on the stove.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The latest specific for sea-sickness
has at least the merit of simplicity.
1t is merely to obtain and wear a pair
of red spectacles. According to the
German scientist who recommends
this remarkable remedy, it will count
eract the effects of the roughest sea,
because red excites the brain and
quickens its circulation.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The full name of the Sultan of Sulu
is Hadzi Mohammed Womoloi Kiram.
But that is no reason why he can't
become pretty good American. John
Walovicz and Zohia Ochromowicz got
marriage license in Chicago the
other day.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The health officer of Kansas City,
Mo-, blames prosperity for the non
removal Of garbage, saying that the
people can afford to eat more, and
consequently their garbage barrels fill
up 80 fast that the garbage man can
not keep them properly emptied.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The only choice which is being
offered to poor, bewildered China is
whether it is to be eaten with sugar
or with salt. The wall of the Chin ese
Empress about the greedy dogs" of
Europe is pathetic, but unavailing
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The hill country of the Western
Carolinas used to be called ''the Over
Hills OF Ottalay," or Ottoray) and
The Charleston News and Courier
urges that the poetic Indian name be
revived.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The Indians on the Usage Reserva-
tion, Oklahoma Territory, are taking
advantage of the bankruptcy law to
protect their property and Govern
ment annuities from the post traders
to whom they owe collectively about
$50, 600. The readiness with which
the gentle Usage takes in the lessons
of civilization inspires the liveliest
hopes for the future. He has learned
how to eat his cake and have it,
thus conquering problem too in
tricate for more advanced races. and
proverbially declared to be insoluble.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

General Wood says the Cubans in
his department are anxious for the
reorganization of their schools, and
are demanding American teachers.
No better indication could be had of
an early Americanized Cuba.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
Pleasant Travelling In Portugal.

A British tourist declares that for
persons who are in no hurry Portu-
guese railway trains are delightful.
They stop often and long enough to
give opportunity not only for seeing
the scenery, but for botanizing.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

1t has always been reckoned in civ
ilized countries that the production
and price of iron marked the pros
perity of the people better than any
thing else. Judged by this standard,
the prosperity of the American people
is now much greater than ever be-
fore. We are producing 270. 900 tons
OF pig iron per week, and yet the
factories which work up this immense
raw material cannot get pig iron to
fill all their orders. The present pro-
duct is sixty per cent greater than it
was two years ago, though in that
year our iron product was greater than
II had ever before reached. 1t is in
the manufacture OF machinery from
iron that most of this increase has
been made. While the home demand
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

cit Is better to laugh than to cry"
said the young girl, brightly.
mot II you are trying to manage n
husband" said the woman.-Indianap
oils Journal.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The classes of 1901 in the girls
schools are taking the name Of "The
Naughty Ones" 1t is supposed the
classes of the next year will be
Naughty Two"
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

The days of the prairie dog are
numbered. In Texas trap is now
being used that in one day wiped ont
IL, 600 of the little pests on single
ranch.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
A Bachelors OoInloa.

When woman begins a discussion
by agreeing with everything you say.
there Is terrific storm brewing. :
New York Press
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05

II the golf links maintain their
popularity there'll be an autumn girl
as we'll as summer girl one OF these
days.
Crawford avalanche., 1899-10-05
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Is Spain so badly off that even
Portugal can talk Of annexing her :