davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
ABOUT SLEEP.
some Queer Things in Reu,rd to
"Nnture's Soft Nurse,


one OF the most remarkable facts to no
iouild III inc history of sleep consists in the
"''ei hiaoillty TO resist its onset in cases
Vi extreme fatigue. Several remarkable in
stances are given in which persons have
continued to walk onward while sleep has
overcome them, the. automatic centers of
the brain evidently controlling and stimu-
iatlns the muscles when consciousness itself
hao peen completely abrogated. 1t is re-
corded that at the battle of the Nile amidst
the roar of cannon and the fall of wreck
age, some of the oFeFfa tigued bows SERVING
the guns with powder fell asleen on tha
deck Or. Carpenter gfSes another instance
OF allied Kind. In the course of the Bur-
ihese war the captain of a frigate actively
engaged in combat. felt asleep from sheer
exhaustfon and sepl squndly for two hours
WITHIN a yard of pne 1pf the biggest guns
Whlch was being aciiVay worked during hi,
SUMMERS 1t is a matter of common medical
kno Tledge that extreme exhaustion In face
OF the seVerest pain viii induce sleeD Here
the imperative demanai of the body-a de-
mana implanted, rs We have seen in the
constitution OF our frames-asserts its in
huenCe; and even pain. the ordinary con-
queror of repose, has in its turn to sue
cump. one of the f,iostIextraordinary cases
III when the overrhilng, power of sleep was
ever eXemplified Was that of Damiens con-
demned for treason i'm Paris in 1851 He
was barbarously tbrtured, but remarked
that the deprivation ofHnsleep had been the
greatest torture OF ALI 1t was reported
that he slept s6unsiiy even in the short in
terVals which elapsed between his periods
OF torture. Among the Chinese a form of
punishment for crimes consists in keeping
the prisoner continually awake, or in arous.
Ing him necessarily after short intervals of
repose After the eighth day of such Sleep
lessness one criminal besought his captors
10 put MIN to death by any means they
could choose or invent so great was his
pain and torment due to the absence of ma
lures soft nurse" Persons engaged in
mechanical labor such as attending a ma
chlhe IN factory, have often fallen asleep
despite the plain record of pains and pen
alties attending such a derelictton of duty.
to say nothing of the sense of personal dan
ger which was plainly kept before their
eyes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
Application of Mary Jones.

From the Lewiston Journal
To Dear Director Merriam of the Census;
want to take the down in Mattagumpus,
can give you good credentials,
y. And know the full essentials
VI making up census that will please and enter
L m splnster and I'm proud to say I've reached u
Its an age of good discretion
~ . That, perhaps, is confession;
Bull IL shows III take the census SOS to liven
every page.
For understand my neighbors mighty well-mighty
well;
can give you every detail that is really fit to tell
nave had good OCCASION to examine every case.
for I've neighbored pretty steady since I've lived
here in the place. III
can give you lots Of items that you'd get no
other way
Not lot of musty fodder and statistics dry as
But some some spicy inform that is strictly up to
And the best of all, y6un Set it as get it, fresh
and straight. az III
I've netion Of census that will make the vol
But you've s got to plc your people If you want it
For fool enumerator ,will 80 browsing round the
And he'll never think sto question any women on
their gowns. ba4 y
He may sit around ana goksip for an hour in a
place
And forget to note the curtains are of imitation
lace:
ana nell never get the story Of how Mary Bark
er's Ann
has run away to Boston with wicked married
And III bet he won't discover If he hunts solid
week
HOW 1t happens Mrs. Atkins and her husband do
not speak
But I've got it-you can have 1t. II you'n pay me
well to tell - ~
And gracious. Mr.. Merriam, how your census books
will sell.
Now want to take the census down In Mattagum-
pus. Maine.
am strong on education
And I've lots Of penetration
ana III guarantee you plenty In a very lively
strain.
IL VIII be the kind of census that will stir the
dusty bones:
Twill go ringing down the ages
Folks will pore above the pages,
ana you're welcome, dear director, to the tip
1ourA MARX JONES.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
THE DOLLAR SIGN.
The Theory of DIR. Marcus Baker ms
to Its Origin.

fiVLh lIie new lork POST.
Several weeks ago DR.. Marcus Baker of
washington published in one of the maya
zines an account of a theory which he has
to account for the origin of the familiar
dollar sign This has long been in DISPUTE
All sorts of explanations have been given.
the most common of which is that the in
itials or the United States are crossed.
But there have been seven or eight other
theories to account for the dollar sign
which are about as good DR.. Baker. in
his researches in the library of the bureau
OF education, came across an old book en-
Titled "A Compendium of Federal Arith-
metic, Designed for the Use of Schools. and
especially Calculated for the VI aridian of
the United states, which was published at
Lanslngburg, n. Y, in 1897. Its author
was the Rev. Chauncey Lee of Rutland Vt
In this book was set forth a system of so
called characteristics, by which one YER
llcai stroke was to designate the mill, two
vertical strokes the cent, these two crossed
by one curved stroke the dime; and for he
dollar sign consisting of two verticals
combined with two curved strokes, low so
Ianlilar' was proposed. At that Tina the
people OF the country were just emeraiag
from the use of pounds, shillings and nence,
each separated in writing by a space f1om
phe next denomination. 1t seemed peCes-
sary 10 MI. Lee to have an arbitrary mark
Tor each OF the denominations of our none
tary system. But he soon found that enc
character, with the aid of a decimal point
was all that was necessary, and in the lat
ter part of his own book all of the elaborate
system of symbols except the one intended
10 mark the dollar was found to have been
dropped.
Dr. Baker certainly finds the dollar sign
IN this old arithmetic, and does not finl it
IN use at any earlier date. By the time
Adams arithmetic was published in 1905
the symbol had become we'll established
Or. Baker, therefore, regards Mr.. Lee as
the inventor, and believes the sign TO have
been absolutely arbitrary in its origin. Since
the publication of his paper in one of the
magazines DR.. Baker has received MANY
Letters on thu subject, but none in which
MS conclusions are challenged. He intends
Tor further verifcation to make study of
the departmental records to see when the
dollar sign first appeared in the treasury
accounts He also hopes to make a more
thorough search of the old textbooks 10
see II by chance any use of this sign
prior to that of the Rev Chauncey Lee can
bs discovered. Perhaps some of the de-
scendants of Mr.. Lee will be able to find
the authors manuscript, in which case ad-
ultional light might be thrown upon the
subject. 1t is certainly interesting to know
the origin of a thing in so constant use as
the dollar sign. DR.. Bakers discoveries
seem likely to take all the sentiment out of
the matter, but this is the common result
OF modern historical research
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
TRANs-SIBERIAN RAILROAD.
1t Runs Through Very Fertile and
beautiful Country.


Somehow L had formed the idea that ST.
IBERIA was, in the main, a mountainous,
broken, barren, and even sterile country,
covered with forests-which opinion, I am
inclined to think, is somewhat generally en-
tertained in the west Nothing could be
further from the fact. OF all the surprises
met with in my somewhat extensive trav-
els, Siberia is thu greatest AS a whole, it
contains, perhaps, the largest continuous
area of level lands on the globe. Excepting
spurs of the great Altai range of mountains
ringing it's southern border and cutting
occasionally to some distance northward
into Siberia, thu entire western half of the
country Is exceptionally level, almost to
fla tneSS
1t would not be far from the fact to say
that for 1000 miles east of the Cral noun
tains, and extending to the Arctic sea, ST.
IBERIA Is almost as level as the OCEAN. In
over loo miles / do not believe the grade
of the railroad varied 300 feet and in many
places 1t Is as straight as an arrow with
out the slightest curve, for forty or fifty
miles. Indeed, there is one stretch of per-
factly straight road for 116 versts. or nearly
eighty miles.
Along the whole line there Is the most
luxurious growth of grass L have seen in
any country. There are many varieties,
soma like the native blue stem of the west
Di'~ NfiiCtS tii1l III appearance seemed
closely allied to the Kentucky blue grass
Judging from the superb condition OF the
animals that Craze upon tn en-, they must
all be of ths most nutritious nature; it is
therefore, not only one of the finest but by
iar the largest grazing region in existence.
IL fully utilized, l believe Siberia could fur
nish the beef supply for the world.
Although the winters in Siberia are very
cold, they are not especially long or trying
" nile th3 extreme temperature during
winter may reach a point 10 to Is degrees
lower than in Ohio or generally in latitude
40 degrees in the United States, still as the
air is very dry and there are no high winds
L have no doubt the winter season can be
passed without especial discomfort When
winter sets in, which 1t does suddenly and
usually about the LIST of November it con-
tinues steadily through about five months
when there Is as sudden breakup usher
ing In permanently pleasant warm weather
BY those who have the experience, | am in
formed that the winters are far more agree
able than In other countries where the
temperature is highsr and more violent
changes occur. The rainfall in summer is
seasonable and abundant.
1t Is easy to see what a magical transfo--
NATION must take place in this great region
even if slowly, under the influence If an
extended railway system. 1t is all the more
easily imagined by one who has already
seen IN MS own country an object lesson Of
similar character. 1 doubt if tn, Rus
SLAMS 1uliy realize to what an extent their
great enterprise is going to modify II cir
economic. and, perhaps, social condi ions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
spA1N'sIITTLE HELL.
Beautiful Island THAT is a Terrible
Prison Colony.

From the Philadelphia PRESS.
SPANS rule, no matter where 1t ha- been
exercised has Always been marked by
atrocities that would not be couutenanced
by any civilized <HdtiSh. Now that Cuba
and the Philippines have been taken from
her she is forced 70 tohfne her cruelties to
the few small islahds that are left.
One of these, Fernando Pc, an island
lying off the coast, of, the Dutch Kane
rooms, just wherebthe west coast of Africa
stopping in its eastward curve turns to the
south again. seems to have been made The
object of all the cruelties of which Spain is
past master.
This island is one of the most beautiful,
and at the same time one of the most I'M
healthful in the world. Therefore, it has
been chosen by Spain as a fit place to send
her exiled political prisoners.
When, not very long ago, the Spanish
ship Larache was reported at the Canaries
bound for Fernando Pc with 800 Filipino
prisoners on board, those who knew of the
horrors of the island shuddered at the
thought of the imprisonment and the al
most certain death which they would be
forced to undergo.
While Spain was fighting the insurgents
IN cuba and the Philippines she sent
batch of 271 Cubans and Flipinos to Fer
nando Pc. In the course of the last two
years of this 271, 191 have died. forty-six
have been pardoned and thfrty-seven still
remain prisoners on the island.
VI tiieSt NISDiS III teen are fed by the
government, receiving two cups of rice and
a little meat each day. The others have to
get their food the best way they can.
The 800 Ffiipinos WHO have now been add
ed to the island convicts had been prisoners
in Spain, or in some of the islands belong
ing to her near her coast before they were
sent out to "Spains Little He'll They
We're evidently sent to Fernando Pc with
the idea that in that far-of place they
would be so lost to the world that no cues
tons would be asked as to what had be-
a. rernafldo 70 the convicts are huddled
together in a miserable mass. men women
and children being thrown together indis-
crlnllnateiy, without food. without water
without any ventilation and with nothing
put misery and squalor staring them in the
race 1t is small wonder that so MANY of
Inem are taken with the fever ana die
The wonder is that any of them escana Wv
spain Keeps force of soldiers on the
island recruiting partly from Spanish nris-
ons, They are of the same class 40 tho
guerrlllas whose Bloody work in Cuba
brought disgrace on the Spanish name.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
EARLY NEW YORK DEFENSES,
Citizens of New Amsterdam Carefully
Prepared for Only One Emergency.
From the New York Sim

Citizens of New Amsterdam Carefully
Prepared for Only One Emergency.
From the New York Sun.
1t Is just about 246 years since the tran
quill citizens of Dutch New York were
threatened with a warlike invasion from
New England. Holland and England were
then at war, the former laying claim to
Manhattan Island and the latter exercising
jurisdiction over what are now the New
England states. The Connecticut legisla-
ture in a formal resolution appraised the
commissioners sent by Peter Stuyvesant,
the governor of New Amsterdam of the
fact that they did not recognize Dutch au-
thority in this region, and some of the
towns in eastern Long Island petitioned
the Connecticut authorities to annex them
1t was while Connecticut men were
threatening to march on New Amsterdam
that the residents of Manhattan Island, or
rather of the lower end of Manhattan
Island, for the upper end was not popu-
lated, determined to protect the city at
any hazard and ito inclose the greatest
part Of it with upright palisades and small
breastWorks so that, in case Of necessity
all the inhabitants may retire within the
inclosure." 1t was next determined to raise
war fund in guilders and to invite bids
for the construction of a mammoth pail
sade, the cost of which was to be 5000
guilders. of which 500 were tc be paid for
the wages Of carpenters and 100 for the
purchase of nails. Proposals were invited
for 300 oak posts, each twelve feet long
and seven inches in diameter to be de-
iivered at the Beavers Path" the foot of
what is now Battery place.
For three weeks in July, 1858, all the
able-bodied citizens on Manhattan Island
engaged in the labor of digging intrench-
ments. the walls of protection outside of
which were built Of sods set of with a
curtain of planks." The expense of this
primitive method of fertilization was near
amt Of
money. and it was thought by utilizing the
labor of the citizens without pay an eco
nomical plan of defense could be provided;
but 1t was not very long before some ar
gumentatiye citizen, familiar with the ira
ditions of Dutch architecture, insisted that
the fortthcatton would be incomplete I'M
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
TrOvatO,
Charles ]. Bayne in the Cosmopolitan.

Charles ]. Bayne in the Cosmopolitan
Is ii but idle fancy
Of a mocking necromancy
That together. lea and blossom by the Indus oncs
grew,
And that Hafz came, or Omar
To inprison the aroma
In some half-remembered measure wbtcb has
rhymed me your
Is 1t false or Ia II real
That In ages more ideal
was song and you We're Sappho-you were sun
beam, the dew,
For long have felt the burgeou
OF q passion vague and virgin
winch You quicken to remembrance of a former
life knew?
Were you stream when I was willow?
Was l shell when you were billow?
For your voice has echoed through the busbas
of my heart;
And IL seems, behold you
That the very air foretold you
BY the fragrance which. In welcome all the bud-
ding boaghs imInrt.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
Pretty Pferrette.
ON London st. Paul's.

From London st. Paul's.
Fair as a butterfly. false as you're fair,
What do / care, Pierrette, what do cars3
Smile on me, little one, frown at me SO.
Love OF you lives not for Pierrot / know:
Fiaunt II most gully dauce for me, vet
give you good day, my pretty Pierrette
Fair as q butterfly. Butterflies die:
Love Is butterfly, so then good by
BUTTERFLIES fit away singing good day:
Butterflies kiss and then dutter away
Fair as a butterfly, false though SO fair.
What do care, Pierrette, what do 1 care?
False as a wonian butterfly fair
What do care. coquette, what do care?
Tears or your kisses, sweet kisses or tears
Heart OF mine hoideth not hopes nor YET fen m
Smile on me, frown on me, just as you will
o00uette, know you are Just the same stili.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
The Dawn of Pence,
John Ruskiu


Put on. put of your mail, o kings
And beat your brands to dust,
Tour hands must learn surer grasp.
Your hearts 4 better trust
On, bend aback the lance's point,
And break the helmet bar;
A Noise Is in the morning wind
But not the note Of war.
Iron the grassy mountain paths
ihe giittering hosts Increase
ihey come! They comet How fair their feett
They come who publish peace
And victory. fair victory
Our enemies are ours!
FOR all the clouds are clasped in light
And all the earth with flowers.
aye. sun depressed and dim with dew;
But wait a little while
And with the radiant deathless rose
The wilderness shall smile
And every tender, living thing
Shall feed by streams Of rest:
Nor lamb shall from the fieck be lost
Nor nursing FROM the nest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03

Statistics have been prepared by the gov
eminent showing that American exports of
manufactured goods now average s1.0O0. 600
a day. There were 2O4 working days dur
ing the first eight months of the current
fiscal year, and during that time the total
exports were S207 10000 This was a gain
OF S26.o00.000 or IL per cent over the cor.
responding period % the previous year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
Cross-Breedx.

The favorite animal for work is one of
the numerous cross-breeds between single
and double-humped breeds. There are more
OF these crosses forming distinct breeds or
recess than l care 10 tell you. As far as
nave been told. the first cross between a
drOmedary stallion and a Bactrian mare
10 considered rather too good for farm
work, and highly priced for carrying goods
IN caravans, being hardy, strong and swift
similar half-breed only bred from a
Bactrian stallion and dromedary mare, is
one of the best for drawing carts and farm
work generally. is also the cross between
? dromedary half-breed and Bactrian mare,
The National tribune., 1899-11-16
A Fighting Minister.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The
announcement OF the death of Rev. George
W. Pepper calls TO mind the story of his
devotion TO the cause of his adopted coun-
try. There was no day too holy for him to
advocate that cause, as those of us can
attest whose good fortune il was to hear him
on a memorable Sunday in the Autumn of
1851, as he stood in his pulpit in the little
village of keene, O., and so elouuently
told the story Of his devotion to the cause
OF this his adopted country, in which he
related the circumstances OF his standing
with his mother on the pier at Belfast
watching the American man-of-War Mace
donla come to anchor freighted with pro-
visions for his starving countrymen In
most 1mpasSioned language he told how
this generous act thrilled the heart of that
dear old mother. He said: "Th2t then
and there, as she took me by this right
hand, and raised my arm to heaven, She
made me VOW to God that. should any
calamity ever befall the United States, |
would never forget the Stars and Stripes. -
AS he pictured in words of patriotic elo-
quence the scene and oath in Belfast. the
effect upon his congregation was wonder
ful.
The time had come for the fulfiIIment
of his vow, and on the fly-leaf of a hvmn
book he wrote the form for enlistment,
which he signed, and appealed for yolun-
teers 10 Join him. Sixty came forward
at once and were enrolled. The next day
the list grew to 100, and with the pastor for
Captain, became Co. II, SOth Ohio; and no
soldiers were ever more devoted to or prouder
OF their commanding officer than were the
men OF Co. ii Of their Captain, Rev. George
W. Pepper.-W. II. ANDERSON. First
N c.
The National tribune., 1899-11-16
MUSTERED OUT.

ABERNETHY.-At Waverly, Neb., Jno
Abernethy, Co. G, 18th Ind, and member
OF Mitchell Post, 3S.
BOWLAEp.-AtN National Military Home,
Dayton, O., Capt. W. d. Bowland, Co. d,
32d Ohio. He was admitted to the Home
honors in the Home Cemetery.
BOWMAN.-At Soldiers Home, Whittle-
sey, o., Alfred Bowman, Co. b, 124th Ohio,
aged So He enlisted in 1862 and served
faithfully until the close of the war.
CRAWFoRD-At Monkey. KY, Richard
Crawford enlisted in 1861, veteranized in
1864, and was not mustered out until the
close OF the war. He was with the regi-
mcnt in all its many hard-fought battles.
A widow and 10 children survive him.
DRAKE.-At Gilboa, o., C. W. Drake.
Captain, Co. ], 18th Ohio, aged 90. He
was a member of Post 10, which conducted
the funeral services. A widow and two
daughters survive him.
EVANS.-At Sedalia. Mo-, Oct. %, Geo.
Evans, Co. A, 11th ILL.,, aged 81. Com
rade Evans Joined Geo. r. Smith Post, SO,
in 1887, and had been an active member
until his death. The funeral was under
the auspices of the Post. He is survived
by widow and two sons.
HARPER.-At Russell, Kan, Oct %.
Burris Harper, Co. G, 5th No Cav. He
enlisted in February, 1862, and was mus
tered out April 49, 1865. In 1872 he settled
in Russell County, Kan. He was buried
with military honors by Larrabee Post, 164.
HUTCHISON.-At Burlington, Wash,
Sept. %, j. l.. Hutchison, Co. /, 10th Ind
He enlisted Aug. 10, 1862 Comrade
Hutchson joined w. r. Sherman Post, 81,
Department of Washington and Alaska :
by transfer, March >, 1898, and had held
the offices of Chaplain and Commander.
His wife died at Leavenwofh, Kan, in
1883, and the same year Comrade Hutchi-
son moved to Washington Territory and in
1890 settled at Burlington. Five children
survive him.
JONES.-At Wales, Mass, Oct. %, Har-
vey NJ. Jones, Co. X. 43d Mass, aged 6S.
MAHONEY.-At Franklinton, KY. Sept.
10, Fleming Mahoney, Co. II, 9th KY.
aged SO. He served from October, 1861, to
June, 1865. He was captured at the battle
of Chickamauga, Sept. 10, 1868. and was
confined in different prisons until the close
Of the war. He was Color Bearer of Jas. S.
Drane Post, 124, New Castle, KY, and was
pensiOned at So per month under act of
June y, 1890. A widow and nine chill
dren survive him.
MILLIGAN.-At West Finley, Pa. Oct.
26. John Miligan, Co. X, 10th Pa. Cav,
aged so. He was a member of Taylor
Post 62S.
NELSON.-At Soldiers Home, Monte
Vista, Cal, r. B. Nelson, Co. A, 18th Ohio,
and Corporal, Co X, I'd U. S. Inf.
STONE-At Rutland, o., Oct. Z, W. W.
Stone, Co. Fl. seth Ohio, and member of
Serg't Holt Post, GAR. He is survived
by widow and five children
TOTTEN.-At Evans, Colo, Christopher
Totten, Co c, 18th N. H., aged 63.