davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
The Catfish.
From the Popular Science Monthly.

From the Popular Science Monthly.
Inc catnsh belongs to an ancient type not
yet fully made into fish, and hence those
whose paired fins are all properly fastened
TO the head, as his are not, hold him in
Weii-merited scorn. He has no scales and
no bright colors. His fins are small. and
his head and mouth are large. Around his
mouth are eight long ''smellers," f1eshy
feeiers, that he pushes out as he crawls
along the bottom in search of ANYTHING that
he may eat. AS he may eat anything. he
always finds it. His appetite is as fmnar
tai as that OF goat. Anything from a
dead iamprey or a bunch of sunfish eggs
to a piece of tomato can Is grateful to him.
In each of the fins which represent his
arms Is long, sharp bone, with a Shiny
surface and serrated edge These are
fastened by bali-and-socket joint, and
whenever the fish Is alarmed the bone is
Whlr!ed over and set in place then it sticks
out stlf1fy on each side. There is another
such bone in tie fin on the back, and when
all of these are set there is no fish that can
swallow him.
VIII do If there is any hook to be taken,
he will swallow it greedily. AS he is drawn
Out OF the water he sets his three spines,
and laughs to himself as the boy pricks his
fingers trying to get the hook from his
stomach. This the boy is sure to do and
because the boy of the Mississippi valley
is always fishing for catfish is the reason
why his fingers are always sore The cat
fish is careless of the present, and sure
OF the future. After he is strung on a birch
branch and dried in the sun and sprinkIed
with dust and has had his stomach dug out
to recover the hook, if he falls into the
malice, and is ready to bite again at the
first thing in sight.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Mexican Customs,


1t Is a little startling to newcomers at
first TO notice the universal custom in Mex
leo of addressing persons of high and low
degree by their first names. AS soon as
friends are at all well acquainted they ad-
dress each other by, the given name, and
this Is done not only by those Of the same
age and sex, but indiscrimiuately among
young men and young women, young people
and elder persons In the latter case, or
between elderly persons, a respectful pre-
fix is used, as Don Ricardo. Public
characters are also commonly referred to
by their first names even the wife of the
president OF the republic being affection
ateiy called "Carmencita'' by all classes. IN
the household the head of the house Is
called Don Jose or Don Manuel by the ser
wants, and son in distinction Is known as
Manuelito Qfttle ManueD. Among servants
the customs regarding the names given SUI
perlors are not unlike those of the negroes
OF the southern United States. The lowest
classes, or the servants that have grown I'D
IN family, speak to the heads of the
mine Tor child). or call the wife and mother
senor1ta, regardless Of the fact that she
III ay nave attained 'three-score. Tia SER
wants distinguish between one of their own
c.ass ana friend Of their master or mis-
.fess by such distinctions. If a caller Is tn
pc announced 1t Is senorita regardless of.
her age, that Is in 4he parlor. If a woman
VI the common GLASS awaits the mistress If
IS sonora A gentleman of the upper
IiaSses is referred to as a senior while
iaoorer VIII be called a fnuchacho (boy),
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
The Capture.

From the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Across the western hills the first soft ruddy sun
beams peep;
And at Days faint alarm the earth awakeps from
its sleep;
The quail calls loud; the catbrd cries; the noisy
And in the. dropping, Developed grass the sun
warmed beetle huns.
The startled bullfrog punges to the safety of the
stream;
The softly laughing rifles send back many a silver
CLEAN;
The rose unfelds; the brook trout heaps; morn's
And make low music where the dainty grass-strung
|. wind-harps grow.
Upon the POOLS dark bosom then the angler casts
Full well he knows that in those depths the lusty
quarry lies;
Outlines before this battle-ground had sent him to
defeat
And patience. skill, sllurements-all with failure
dire did meet.
The miller nightly touched the stream. and scarce
ripple broke
Then in instant whirring reel the sleepy echoes
woke;
The fight was on! All. such strife had ne err his
As darting, plunging rushing through the stream
the monarch piled
The fleeting moments seemed long hours, vet fierce
the struggle stayed;
But finally speckled side, bright-colored. was
Upon the surface gasping. worm exhausted be had
His yietor-then a pause-a silence brief-and
then-the neti
As to the messy bank the angler hastens with his
prize
shout triumphant, joyons, seems to reach the
very skies;
1t echoes through the peaceful vale. disturbs the
singing bird,
That in that quiet sweet retreat such noises meier
had heard.
All, where words that can express the thrill a
man doth feel
As to his there comes the music of sticking
reel?
Or is there language adequate to tell of iingling
tide
That throhs and courses through the veins In sueh
hour OF pridef
There words, there Is no tongue Go win a
fight like this,
Where Nature smiles, where Wild thfn<s roam
where rose the stream doth kiss;
power, and then
Yoa'n know the gentle art Of angling maketh bet
ter men.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Eject of Red.


ErOnl the new YORK Press.
Why does the bull so strongly object 70
red rag? While the professional physiol-
ogists do not, as yet, appear to have found
any satisfactory explanation of the fact, a
french manufacturer of Photographic ma
terials processes to have discovered that
bulls are by no means the only members
of the animal kingdom who are excited by
anything red. large number of hands are
employed in the mandatory, both male
and female, and most of the work has
hitherto been performed in rooms to which
all the light that was admitted came
through panes of red glass. Hardly a day
passed without some terrific disturbance
taking place among the work people. Now
1t was duel almost to the death between
two of the men, now between two of the
women; sometimes the niece was general
Wv orkshop regulations" We're absolutely
ignored and no amount Of fines or other
punishments seemed to have any perma-
nent deterrent effect This state of affairs
was assumed, until recently to be insepa-
rable from work carried on in uncomfortable
conditions. AT length it occurred TO some
bright spirit that the red panes of glass
might be at fault and it was decided to
try what the effect of green panes would
be. The effect was instantaneous. From
that day a sudden peace fell upon the
whole workshop that had never been known
before. Bickering and fighting ended as If
by enchantment, and the voice of a man or
woman was never heard raised above a
whisper.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
PEACOCK AND RAT.
Former Comes Out Victor i'm a Fight
to n Finish.

to n Finish.
From the Philadelphia Times
in an encounter with a rat one of the
peacocks at the Zoo triumphed after a
fierce battle yesterday afternoon. The pea
cock was basking on the lawn in front of
the small mammal house. The rodent had
been circulating in the vicinity of the house
and made a dash to clear the lawn for a
new hunting ground. In some mysterious
manner it bumped into the peacock or at
tempted to crawl under the bird. Which
ever it did, the result was the same. A
fight ensued, the like of which has never
been witnessed by the oldest keepers of the
garden.
The peacock was remarkably alert Civ
ing his strident call. he made a plunge at
the rat with stretch of his neck. The rat
replied with a vicious snap at the pea
cocks neck, disturbing the harmonious ar
rangement of the plumage. Another plunge
with its beak and the bird scored a point.
The rat took alarm at the determination of
Its large and beautiful adversary and start
ed to run. But the peacock was full of
fight and acted as if it had a grudge of
long standing against the rat. Covering
the rodent with one of its feet IL pulled
him back into the arena, at the same time
thrusting its beak hard against his ribs
The rat was under his heels and. big as he
was, he was determined to give Brer Rat a
finish fight.
Relaxing his grasp upon the rat the lat
ter struggled to his TOURS, making ter
ritic Iunge at the peacocks shins, then at
ms legs and then again at his neck. The
peacock seemed affrighted by the rodents
ferocity and nimbleness. and for few sec
onds was unable to reach it. Finally how
ever, he got the rat again under his slim
loot. This time he meant business So
twisting his neck. he grabbed the rat by
the throat squeezing it with his horny
peak till 1T ceased squealing. After several
tremors OF the rats body. the peacock lift
M ha h.. 4
triumphant and proud, the peacock strut
ted across the lawn to smooth his rumpled
feathers beyond the gaze of the spectators
Inc battle had cost him four of his best
sunset feathers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Furnishing a Pirate.
From the Loadon Telegraph.


Revenge is sweet, and complete triumph
over the foe is a most satisfactory feeling
So there must be one young lady in London
who is perfectly happy. She happened, in
going from Kensington eastward, to step
into one of those pirate buses which are
particularly rife at holiday time. On ten
dering her customary twopence, she was
informed that there were no fares under
sixpence, and, as did two other victims
who We're her only fellow passengers she
paid. The day was dirty, the rain falling,
and walking most unpleasant, SO the We
hfcle was stopped many times to allow
would-be passengers to enter, but to each
and all the young woman, who was coziiy en-
sconced It an end seat, said In dulcet tones:
EXCUSE me, but are you aware that this is
pirate bus? There is no fare below
sixpence." Every one of the people thank
ed her and stepped down. At Hyde Park
there was quite a crowd waiting to get a
lift. AS they boarded the bus, however
they We're met with the silvery notes warn
ing them of their danger and the nature of
the vehicle in which they proposed to
travel. The result was that the bus re-
manned empty, save for its original passen-
gers, till Chancery lane was reached, where
the young lady alighted, and as she nodded
the conductor Good morning" she seemed
well pleased with herself.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22

AS most people are aware, Belgium is a
great country for homing pigeons there
being altogether about 1900 clubs in that
country for the encouragement of this
hobby, the number of pigeons owned by
the members being something like 5000, 600
It is customary to send these birds away
to great distances, and allow them to race
home for prizes. The birds are usually
conveyed to France, where there is a duty
of something like a penny on every i'm
ported pigeon. Now, England is a free
country for pigeons, and a scheme is on
foot among the Belgian societies to run
their races from that country instead of
from France as heretofore, since the an
nIal duty paid at present amounts to
about f20 900 1t is also said that the birds
will get from England to Belgium more
quickly than from France. since for some
reason or other they can fly better in a
southerly than in northerly direction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
willing to BE Generous.
rom the ChIcag, Times-Herald.

From the Chicago Times Herald.
'Hortense.' he said, 81 loved yer wunst
and do yit. but it can't never be. A guilt
has come between u.s."
Honri! Honri.' the weeping girl implor-
ed, you must-you shall take back then,
wordsi"
L cannot he answered. "Our FAM
lies Is no longer in the same class. 1t Is
late we must part. / cannot marry be-
neat me-"
"Oh, heavens" she cried, what has come
over him? You haven't got rich suddenly,
because you're wearin' them So clos YOU
got last winter. l must know the troot.
Tell me, Honri, tell me all, and l will be
brave. l will try to bear it,
Then he gave her a parting kiss unon bar
paie; chaste forehead and replied:
My Uncle Bill druv the carriage what
was hired to take Jeffries to his hotel from
you wit tender feelins"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
A Satisfactory Explanation.

From the Stanford Interior Journal.
Jim Frye OF Hustonvflle tells this of Jim
Coulter of Middleburg: One day when Mr..
Coulter was at Liberty very young man
with a very bald head came into the hotel.
He was a stranger, and Mr.. Coulter. by
way of commencing conversation, said
to him:
MY friend, I am not asking to guy you.
but would like to know how 1t comes that
SO young man Is so bald"
ut was in this way he replied. when
my time to get hair came they said there
was none left but red: so told them /
didn't believe / cared for any
As Coulter has very red head he was
satisfied to let the conversation DROP
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Kinsmieen Strong.
Charles G. D. Roberts In the Pail Mall Magazine


This is the song
VI kinsmen strong,
standing at guardn
In the gates of eaEth:--
Side by side
our flags flung wide
proclaim the pride
Of our kindred birth.
All We of theS.rood
Of an alien hipod
lake count of our folk
No longer twain.
Not twain. but one,
by the -tidesfthat FUN
with the new warmth won
In each kindred vein.
Be counseled each
" the alien speech,
From polar barren
10 isle empearled:
This shout you hear
So near and clear
Is the marching cheer
of the lords OF the world
Stout heart by heart
We work our part,
Ibat Light may broaden
ana law command.
This Is our place
By right of race,
by Gods good grace
And the strength Of our hand;
The strength OF our hand
On every land
TIL the mnster.work
Of the world be done:
For the siaye'ssreleasc,
For the bond Of peace.
!haf wars may cease
Srom under the sun.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
The Reg'Iar Army Man.

rom the Fishkill Weekly Times
He amt 10 gold-Iaee BeIvcderc
To sparkle in the sun:
He don t parade with gay cockade
And pOSies In his gun.
lie am no pretty soldier boy
So lovely, spick and span;
He wears crust of tan and dust
The leg lar amy man.
The marchin'. prsncin,
Pipe clay starchla',
Reg Lar army man.
lie amt at home in Sunday school.
Nor yet social tea:
And On the day he gets his nav
Hes apt TO spend IL free.
he am no temperance advocate,
He likes To till the can,
He's kinder rough and may be teueh
The reg lar army man.
The rariH, tarin,
Sometimes swcariu
Eeg lar Amy man.
No statc'n cell him mobile SON.
He Amt no ladies' pet;
But let 4 low start Anyhow
Ihsy II send for him, you bet
He don't cut any lee at all
In fashions social plan.
He gets the job 10 face the mob,
The regular army man.
The willin'. drillin',
Made for KILN,
Reg'lar army man.
There ain't no tears shed over him
When he goes on TO war;
he gets no speech or prayerful ''preachr
From mayor or governor
He packs his little knapsack up
And trets of with the van
To start the fight and start 1t right
The reg lar army man.
The rattlin', battlin',
Cclt GatliD'
Reg lar army man.
He makes no fuss about the Job.
He don't talk big or brave:
He knows he's In to fight and win
Or help MI up a grave
he Amt no 'manma's darling" but
He does the best he can,
And he's the chap that wins the seran.
The regular army man.
The dandy. haLdy,
Cool and sandy
Reg lar army man.
ARTHUR ]. MEKEEI.
Private, Co. @. 1lth United States InfantrJ
Mayaguez, Porto Rico.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22

merged distriet-wsding in water above his
waist part of the time. and forced TO swim
wide bayous where the water was very
deep. 1t was easy to see that the woman
was nervy and very proud of her husband
from the overlooked bottoms. 1t Is now
known that great number OF people have
been drowned.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
A Substitute for Tea.

From the London Leader n
Our cup of tea Is threatened with rival
in our affections. and one no less formid-
able than mate. the tea substitute of
Buenos Ayres, Paraguay and other South
American territories. The shrub from
which it is made is the Hex paraguayensis
and looks like an English holly tree, which,
in fact, is one Of it's cousins. Not only the
leaves are used, but the whole plant
stalks, bark and aIl-after being dried, is
chopped up rather finely, and is ready for
use. The mate cups are made of gourds
the stalk part forming a sort of handle at
the side. and a little opening is cut in the
top. The tea, stalks. dust etc, are put
into the cup. and boiling water is poured
over It,. You take your mate through
tube-instead of q straw-with a strainer
at the end. Milk and sugar can be added
and the mate poured into everyday cups.
but that Is not the really professional way
of taking it. The beverage Is paler and
more bitter than our own tea, but those
who have learned to like it drink it far
more iavishly than we drink tea. In fact
English residents in South America say
evidence there. Entering a bank to do
business, the usual thing is to have
smoke and a cup of mate before mention
ing the object of the visit, and at every
house the visitor learns that it is breach
of etiquette not to accept cup. At par
ty or circle of friends a larger mate cup is
passed around, and every one takes suck
at the same tube.
Old stagers who have lived out In South
America for a score or SO of years cannot
do without their mate, and have it sent
over here to them; but you may bra ak
yourself of the habit II 1t Is not too In
veterate. The British acting consul at
Paraguay Is bringing the mate under no.
| tice
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Onto the Carriage.

The logs are now resting one back of an
other on the inclines. the lower one kept
from rolling onto the saw carriage by a
couple of arms which rise almost parpen-
dicuIarly and are called ''kickers" There
is a whiz Of flying machinery. and the car
Rage comes to a mOnentary stop abreast
the logs. Quicker than il takes TO tell ii,
the perp endicular arms sink out of sight
and the foremost log rolls onto the car
rage.
For an instant you wonder why all the
rest of the logs did not come piling down
on top OF II, and then you notice that as
the upright arms sank from view two more
al ms came pushing up just behind the first
log and held the second log from following
the natural course of the slope 1t was
done In a twinklng, but no log is ever
quick enough to get ahead OF the second
pair of steel tenders
As the first log rolled onto the carriage
the two men who ride thereon were ready
and waiting for it. So was the head saw
yer. who stands at the levers blythe band
saw. The carriage riders had the "dogs''
(the clamps which hold the log from slip-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Thumb Rings.


In the collections of antiquaries are nu-
merous specimens OF thumb rings; signet
rings of this kind were worn by rich citi-
Zens or persons of substance not entitled
to bear arms. Falstaf Dragged that in
his earlier DAYS he had been SO slender in
figure that he could readily have crept
through an "alderman's thumb ring" In
Laborte's Hand Book of the Fine Arts
In the Middle Ages is 4 representation OF
a fine thumb ring of Hindoo workmanship
cut out of single piece of jade. decorated
with gold hlagree and inerusted with ru-
bies. At one time in England the wedding
ring was worn on the thumb. Orientals
wore a large ring on the thumb made of
cornelian. chalcedony and agate, with leg
ends In Arabic on the face. for the use of
signets> They are used on the thumb TO
help in drawing the bow string, which the
orientals pull with the bent thumb, catching
II against the shank OF the ring and not
with the first two fingers, as Is the practice
of English archers.
The ring was used In marriage among
Christians as early as $50. Prombal or
pledge rings passed between the contracting
parties among the Romans. When the mar
rage settlement had been properly sealed
rings be&ring the names of the newly mar
ried couple were handed around to the
guests.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-12-21
PLEA FOR A UNITED CHURCH.
The Mid-C0ntlnent Congress OF Religion
Wants the Nom Essentials of DenOmlna-
tiOnal Disputes Eliminated.

Chicago Dec. IA plen for united
church, eliminating the Mon-essentials
of UNCONVENTIONAL disputes and work.
ing out sociological problems from the
Bible, was made at yesterdays session
Of the Mid-Continent Congress of Reli-
gion in this city. DR.. II. W. Thomas
presided. Prof, Herbert l.. Willett, Of
the University Of Chicago, spoke from
the subject "The Demands Of the Times
Upon the Teacher of Theology" 1.-The
churches" said the speaker, should
affirm with fervor the great and evil
dent truths and let non-essential doubts
and negations take care of themselves.
We should recognize that all religious
forces in the community are closely re-
lated and that their mission is to work
in unity for solutions to the many
problems which confront them"
Miss Jane Adams, noted for her
efforts to better the condition of the
slums, talked on the ethical Demands
of the Times" She was followed by
Rev. Judson Ellsworth, of Milwaukee,
who defined theology as knowledge
and sociology as matter of relation.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-12-21
NEWS NOTES.

The railroads reported consider
able fall Of snow yesterday over Kan
sas.
The men in the coal mines in Web
ster county, Ia, have gone on strike
for an advance.
The Western Association Of Whole
sale Nurserymen held its annual meet
ing Yesterday at Kansas City, Mo.
The president yesterday sent the text
of the agreement between Gen. Bates
and the sultan of Jolo to the senate,
The battleship Texas, Capt. Sigsbee
commanding, has gone to Havana to
bring home the bodies of the sailors
who persisted on the battleship Maine.
1t is announced that the new revised
statutes of Missouri will be ready for
distribution by the secretary OF state
by January /.
A telegram from Ortiz, Mex, states
that the Mexican soldiers have had
several skirmishes with the Yaqui In
dams recently in which the latter were
defeated.
Group three Of the Missouri Bankers
association adopted resolutions at 81.
Joseph, NO.. yesterday urging the leg
islature to create the Office Of state
bank commissioner.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-12-21
Cakewaik as = Handicap.

The little ones often cause their ia.
rents a great deal of embarrassment.
This was exemplifed in an Omaha
household few weeks ago. Tho
parents are both prominent in the at.
fairs of their particular church and are
looked upon as bright and shining
lights. They have little daughter
close upon two years old, and the lit.
tie one is great mimic.
The mother is very musical, and
while not brilliant performer upon
the piano she does play well, preferr
Ing the more lively music. The little
one made such a pretty spectacle try.
Ing to do the ''cakewalk" that the
mother has encouraged her. And here
Is where the trouble came In.
The minister and his wife made a
call one evening not long ago, and Of
course the mother was asked to play.
She did SO, starting off with music
calculated to please the ministerial
mind. After playing for while the
mother hunted up some lively music
and found one piece that is very fa.
miliar to all patrons Of the Orpheum.
When she began playing II tho little
girl slid out Of her chair, grabbed her
tiny skirts and began prancing acrosa
The room with oil the chic and sban
don Of the professional soubrettA :.