davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28

frogs and at the end of the guard rails as they do now to keep brakemen from getting their feet fast. If we had l would not have been telling this story, because it wouldn't have happened.
 "As was poking around the frog l got one of my heels wedged in one of the numerous openings and could not get myself away. I tugged away and swore little under my breath, but machinists' wise could not have held that heel tighter than the frog did. You can easily judge the extent of my alarm when 1 heard train whistle for a crossing which l knew to be mile and half from the point where 1 was fastened; looked at my watch; it was the 4 o'clock cannon balr from the west and l knew that it would bear down upon me in three minutes unless 1 succeeded in wrenching the heel off my shoe, which appeared a hopeless task. The train would shoot around the curve, the engineer would not have time even to slow down in response to my signal, and I would be ground be meath the wheels. The train was ap- preaching from the direction of my men and shouted. hoping they might hear me and flag it, but it was a vain hope, and heard the train roar across bridge less than a mile away. I was beginning to despair, but cast a glance around to see if help was coming from any other quarter, when I saw a small, tow-headed boy standing in the middle of the track behind me.
 "'Run up there,' yelled. pointing to- ward the tool house, and flag the can non ball
 "The boy looked at me. but did not budge.
 Run, run, I whooped again. Or I'll be killed! Don't you see my foot's
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
WARFARE NOVELTY.
SEA FIGHTING MAY NOW hI
 REvOLUTIONIZED.
New Batt1eship Which Is So Co1s structed as to Be Practically Shot. Proof - ubmerged Earthworks to Render Harbors Impregnable.

Whether or not the art of battleship construction Is destined to be revolu- toned by the newly patented invention of William Weegar, of New York City, remains to be found out, but his idea Is unquestionably striking. He pro- poses to uplift from the hull of his yes sel, by means of towers, a huge ar mored chamber running from bow to stern and holding a battery of rapid fire guns arranged in broadside. Two of the towers, one at each end, will be coming towers, but the other two, of large size, will be surmounted by tur- rets containing pairs of 12-inch breech- loading rifles. There will also be four 8-inch rifles, forward and aft, so that, with forty quick-ires in all, the arma- ment will be most formidable.
 Perhaps the most notable point about this novel fighting craft is its invulner- ability. It is practically shot-prOof, it's construction being such that shell striking any part of 1t must meet a slant and so glance off. In order to accomplish this end, the armored cham Der is made polygonal in section, while the towers are cylindrical. The deck Is a whaleback, its upper part barely rising above the sea, and all the ma chinery and ammunition are below wa
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28

kea would go to work with it's iron bill, driving down into the kidneys of the animal, when, having pecked it's way into the spine of the sheep, the bird of evil releases his hold, flies slowly away surfeited with his feast.
 The kea does not sit around expect Ing those who are curious concerning his habits to look for him. He has a devouring curiosity of his own that will not allow him to wait to be studied. He comes right up and studies the stu dent. When 1 lay down they would have pecked their way into my anat- omy and eaten me alive had 1 not at fast sprung to my feet and driven them off.
 I began my studies, having erected my abode, which l had brought along with me insections on the back of a mule. It was portable house of stout corrugated iron. It would never do in such region to sleep with nothing to shield me from the keas. The auda. cious birds would have pecked the mule
 
 what we were made of.
 The next most interesting thing l dis covered about the kea is that he seems to have the power of conversing. If it was not a conversation that was be- ing carried on between a flock of these birds that lighted near me, and if 1 was not the subject of that cOnVersa- ton, then I am myself unable to speak and hear. The keas talked together while they gradually approached me and crawled around, hopping on to ev- cry part of my outfit, prying into my kettles, my boots, my bottles. They would take things in their beaks and throw them playfully over their heads, try to bore their way into the interior of my camp tins, and, finding the metal harder than they expected, would turn it over and over, looking for a weaker part.
 That night slept to the music of din that threatened to distract me. The keas were on the roof of the corru- gated house. They seemed to be play ing tag all night, for the scratching on the iron showed that they were con- stantly in danger of being crowded off the roof and saved themselves only by clawing at the metal. had had enough of the keas by the morning and got ready to pack up and leave. But they had not had enough of me. l was evidently the best show that had ever come their way.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
OpaIs for Good Luck.

The opal is no longer considered of evil omen by those who are the best informed. It has become popular to believe that instead of III luck the opal carries with it the best of luck and hap piness in its highest form. Indeed, it is now considered the token of mutual love burning brightly in all the colors of the rainbow. It is the gift of lover to sweetheart, the symbol of an eternal devotion, and of so devoted a chara cteI as to show itself in constant and fiery flashes of beautiful color.
 To emphasize this romantic idea the opal is now cut in the form of a heart. and the sentiment of a heart on fire with love is one which appeals to all lovers. This heart, when small enough. Is set in a ring, but Australian opals have recently been imported of suffi- clent size to permit of their being used in simple gold frame as pendant for the lorgnette chain. These opal hearts are also used for the centers of brooch eS.-New York Herald.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
Looking For It.

There is a patent lawyer in town who has a number of very bright chil- dren. so bright, indeed, that their fun loving dad" is invariably forgiven for telling what my boy said" to the men in his office. Here is the latest:
 i've got a tool chest out at my house that would make a carpenter sick with envy. I've been buying tools fer it for 20 years. Of course never let the youngsters touch it.
 ''The other day my wife went up stairs and found 'Bookie,' my young est. 2h years old, monkeying with that chest. He had the lid up and his head thrust in under it.
 'Bookie,' said my wife, what are you looking for?
 And the youngster, knowing he had been caught, locked up and with a twinkle in his eye said:
 Lookin for twoubleY Chicago News.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28

The old adage, take care of the cents and the dollars will take care of them
 selves" finds peculiar illustration in the coinage operations of the United States Government. The everyday bronze one-cent piece, made of 95 parts of copper to parts of tin and zinc, costs the government about One-tenth of a cent Uncle Sam's total profit in the one-cent and the five-cent pieces coined last year was more than a mill- ion dollars. The Treasury Department coins just enough One-cent pieces to cal year which ended June 30 these demands were extraordinary, a cOndi- ton probably due to reviving business
 the gradual introduction of pennies" into Pacific coast cities, and the prev alence of ''penny-in-the-slot" machines These mechanical devices keep a great many one-cent pieces out of circulation, and so increase the demand upon the Treasury for new ones. Various mi nor coins have from time to time been lSSucu' ] uc COppcI udll-Ccul pISCt WAS current from 1792 to 1857, although only a small number were coined. The two-cent piece, authorized in 1864, was coined until 1873, and may still be seen occasionally in circulation. The coin- age of the silver three-cent piece was discontinued In 1873, and the nickel three-cent piece in 1890. Whenever one of these coins finds its way into the Treasury, 1t Is not reissued. Of the minor coins the government now makes it a policy to keep in circulation only the one-cent and the five-cent piece.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28

ter level, so as to be safe from injury. ! Staircases and ammunition-hoists run up inside of the towers, and the waves may wash freely across the body of the ship without entering the gun ports or l interfering with the operation of the fighting apparatus above.
 Not less notable than the foregoing Is a method newly invented by Gin cinnati man, Andrew Van Bibber, for rendering harbors impregnable against l attack by sea. It Is guaranteed to ac- complish the purpose with the use or 1 comparatively small force of men and
 without the aid of war-ships, thus be ing equivalent to an increase of the l navy. inasmuch as it relieves fleets to | a great extent from the duty of de lending the coast. Of this latter point the importance was illustrated In the recent war with Spain, during which l the operations of our maritime forces were seriously hampered by the ever i present necessity of looking out for the protection of the cities along the Allan l tic seaboard. AS the inventor says: "The greatly increased range of naval guns demands that defensive works be more remote from the place defended than formerly -else the defended city may be ruined while the attack is being repulsed. A city. of course, affords very large tar get, and it's protection is proportionate- lv difficult, especially in these days of hIgh-power cannon. Besides, the fleet urgently needed for its defense may not arrive in time."
 The Van Bibber system consists in extending from the harbor mouth sea- ward two lines of embankments built of concrete and so arranged as to form an artificial entrance to the port. On these embankments are placed bomb proof forts, consisting substantially of revolving turrets containing high-pow- CT guns. The tops of the embankments are slightly below low-water mark, but submarine chambers are provided for magazines and other uses. The forts themselves, as a matter of course, ought to be protected by armor thick lO OC RLoSlAS1Aly by shell.
 From this brief description 1t will be understood that hostile war-ship ap preaching a city thus defended, could get into the harbor only by passing through the artificial channel referred to, and in doing so 1t would be exposed to murderous attack at short range by the forts on the flanking embankments. Meanwhile, another fort, situated at the landward end of the entrance would rake the latter from end to end with a storm of projectiles. Under such circumstances It would be impos- sible for the enemy's vessels to maneu- yer freely, and being confined in a mar row gut, they would face almost cer- tain destruction by mines, while held at a distance from tue city by guns much heavier than their own and capa- bic of smashing to pieces their armor plates. The channel may be POO yards or half a mile in width, but the longer 1t is the more efficient it will be for de fensiYe purposes.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
NEARLY EATEN BY BIRDS.
Strange Experiences in Domain of the
 Kea Parrot

StT0n8< EApSTlSnCeS III DOH-ahA Dk the
 Kea Parrot
 Tho gentle and well-meaning poet who extols the pretty timidity of the seathered songsters of the air should aave accompanied Irving Phillip on hk :ecent trip to the region where the kea parrot is lord of the air aud almost of he earth. He has studied this remark able bird at close range and the conclu- sion forced upon him is that he is the most fearless, destructive, highly intel hgent, extraordinarily gifted bird un. der the sun.
 The stories that were told to me, he says, had all to do with the killing of the sheep, that being the feature of the birds destructiveness that interested the New Zealanders most. The farm CTS dreaded the bird as they dreaded the evil one. Their hocks would be peacefully roaming the grazing grounds, when sweeping through the air would come a dark mass of flying feathers carrying small head that terminated in bill as sharp as a steel marliuspike. Each bird singled out victim and lighted on it's back. Once those claws had twined themselves in- to the wool of the sheep the latter might be given up for dead mutton. Firmly standing astride the luckless sheep, the
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
Two Happy Thoughts.

From far-away Ceylon comes funny little story. A tea planter who had a glass eye was desirous of going away for a days shooting with a friend, but he knew that as soon as the natives who were at work on the plantation heard that he was gone they would not do a stroke of work. How was he to get off? That was the question. After much thought an idea struck him. Go ing up to the men he addressed them thus:
 Although I myself will be absent, yet I shall leave one of my eyes to see that you do your work" And much to the surprise and bewilderment of the natives, he took out the glass eye and placed it on the stump of a tree and left. For some time the men worked industriously; but at last one of them. seizing his tin, in which he carried his food, approached the tree, and gently placed 1t over the eye. This done, they all lay down and slept sweetly until sunset.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
PRETTY CLEVER HORSE.
Never Tied by Its Master Because It
 Knew So Much.


 Knew So Much.
 "You see that little horse over there, said Major Tom Williams, standing on the edge of the sidewalk viewing a small black pony. 'That horse has more of the traditional horse sense than his size would show for" He continued, Watch him."
 The major whistled few times, and the little horse, which was nibbling from a bale of hay on the sidewalk, raised his head and crossed the street. He brought the cart to which he was attached at a standstill just in front of the major.
 "You see," said Major Williams, 'that horse has an eye for distance. couldn't have driven him better than that. That horse, too, Is a natural scavenger. He will pick up anything he sees on the street, if he wants to eat it. I never hitch him when I get out of the team, and he goes the length of the block picking up banana peel ings, eating hay, corn or anything he takes a fancy to. When I want him. only need to whistle"
 At this point a large, white dog brushed against the major with a friendly wag of the tail.
 "You never saw that dog kiss the pony, did you? Well, watch him."
 Major Williams climbed into his cart, and, calling the dog. said, "Kiss him" '" Without moments hesitation the dog ran to the head of the horse, and, jumping several feet off the ground, kissed" the pony several times.-New York Mail and Express.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
IS THIS THE COMING TYPE OF BArrLESHIP?
fast and can't get off the track |?

fast and can't get off the trackr
 "The boy said nothing, but put his hand In his pocket and pulled out his jackknife. 1 thought he would look for a stick next, so he could whittle while he discussed my proposition, as they do down in Texas. I could hear the engine bell ringing to warn my men to clear the track, and knew that there remained but q few seconds be. tween myself and death, as the boy had stood inactive too long to get any distance away and signal the engineer.
 But the boy was not as stupid as had thought him to be; indeed, he was not half as stupid as myself. He didn't look for stick, but he stepped up be- side ne, stopped down, ran the keen blade of the knife over my shoestring, straIghtened up, grinned and said:
 'Yank yer foot out, mister; here she comes'
 "I roll off the track and the train swept past, and the boy sauntered away down the track just as If nothing at all had happened. ."-Chicago Chron- icle,
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
A Wonder. ul Old Building.

The most wonderful religious antiq- uity in Europe, for certain reasons, is the church at BOrgund, Norway. This extraordinary building is supposed to be about thousand years old. It is what Is called ''Stav Kerke," or Slave Church, 1. e., 1t Is entirely built of oak en slaves or slabs, which are practical ly imperishable. It stands in utter sol- itude In one of the widest parts of Nor way, and many a visitor to the western fjords takes a special journey through the lovely scenery to visit this sanctu- ary. Worship is still regularly observ- cd In it, the farmers coming for miles from the country round.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
JACKKNIFE SAVED HIS LIFE.
Narrow Escape of a Railroad Man
 from Death.

ANdEEOW GSCdpC OA AAoAAA OoN NAo 4
 from Death.
 The bald-headed railroad man who frequents the rotunda of the Great Northern Hotel these evenings is usu- ally the center of quite a group of loungers, for he has many interesting incidents of adventure to relate.
 "When 1 was a section boss down In Texas" he said the other evening. "I had the crookedest piece of track in the State-couldn't see two telegraph poles at one time at any point on my section. Right where the tool house was there was a curve and at one end of the curve there was a switch for a passing track. had my men working one day around the curve, near the tool house, and while they were filling in a piece or track I moseyed down to take look at the switch at the other end of the curve. The men were about quarter of a mile from the switch, but out of view around the curve. In those days we didn't take the precaution to put blocks of wood in the chinks of the
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
A Mortgnged Bride.

When a Chinaman falls in love, he can be just as sharp and full of guile as the 'Melican man." Chow Sam Lung, therefore, when he looked upon | little An Moy and saw that she was beautiful and young, at once fell down and worshiped, fguratively speaking, and began to investigate as to his chances of making her his wife.
 Now, Chow Sam Lung was young himself and very successful gambler by profession, being the keeper of a gambling house in San Francisco. But the cruel parents of An Moy had prom ised her to old man Low How for his | fourth wife and would not retract their promise. Did Chow Sam Lung sit down and bewail his lot? Not at alL He at once made her fathers acquaintance, and, beguiling him into his gambling place, proceeded to let him play and win. Then he played and lost. And Chow Sam Lung said: No matter, you are my friend. l will trust you"
 After awhile the old man owed Chow Sam Lung $1 400. Now, old man Low How was to give An Moy's father | S1 900 on her wedding day, but when New Years came, and every China man must pay his debts before he can paste his prayer in the jOsshOuse, Ah Moy's dad was short and failed to raise the $1,4OO. So Chow Sam Lung, who had previously taken mortgage on the girl, promptly fOreclosed it and took her to his home in the very face of old man Low How. And that's what happened in San Francisco Chi natown. And An MOy was very muchee happy.-San Francisco Call
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28

In Rugby, England, few weeks ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury unveiled a statue of Thomas Hughes, the author of From Brown at Rugby" and From Brown at Oxford" two books which have given a most wholesome delight to many thousands of young people on both sides of the Atlantic, and which are sure to be read for long time to come. The London Spectator says that "he, more than any other man, made the modern schoolboy. = He took away from good counsel its flavor of priggishness, from piety its taint of sanctimoniousness, from the virtues their color of separateness and self righteousness. He convinced school boys that 1t was possible to be manly and truthful and pure, and even relig- ious. and yet remain healthy school boys still"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
AMERICAN SAYINGS
"ThouRhts that Breathe and Words
 that Rurn.U

"ThouRhts that Breathe and Words that Burn."
 Give me liberty, or give me death!- Patrick Henry.
 We must all hang together, or as suredly we shall all hang separately Benjamin Franklin.
 These are the times that try mems SOuls.-Thomas Paine.
 My only regret Is that have but one life to give for my country.-Nathan Hale.
 Iris our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.-George Wash ington.
 Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.-Charles c. Pinckney.
 To the memory of the man, first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen.-Henry Lee. Don't give up the ship!-James Law renee.
 We have met the enemy, and they are ours.-Oliver H. Perry.
 Our countryI In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.-Stephen Decatur.
 1 would rather be right than be Presi- dent.-Henry Clay.
 If any one attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot John 4. Dix.
 Hold the fort! I am comingLW. T. Sherman.
 With malice toward none, with char ity for all.-Abraham Lincoln.
 Let us have peace!-Ulysses S. Grant. Don't ar-shoot.-Leonard Wood. Don't cheer! the poor devils are dy- ing.-John w. Philip.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28

It is interesting to observe that an Eastern paper has taken up the work of reviving the Malthusian principle and is asserting with much vigor that population tends to increase faster than the means of subsistence" The exact value and significance of this rule have been so plainly illustrated in the century since Malthus elaborated it that they can be stated in few words. Where the means of subsistence are in excess of the existing population the tendency is for population to increase the faster. Where the means of sub sistence are only adequate to the exist ing population the increase of pOpula- ton cannot be faster because the ex- cess of population will perish for lack of subsistence. This has been proved signally in more than one way during the century of which Malthus saw the beginning. America and Australia, having means of subsistence with civ llized industry for vast populations, have seen an immense growth of popu- latiOn. In Europe, when he wrote, pop ulatiOn seemed to be at a standstill be- cause the means of subsistence were no more than enough for the existing population. But the principle worked out in a different way than it's author supposed. For the great inventions and devices of the century multiplied the means of subsistence so as to permit great increase of population in Europe as we'll as in the unsettled portions of the globe.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
Peculiar:ties of Colorei Children,

PecuIiar:ties of ColOred Children.
 Colored children are much more sen- sitive to heat than white children, which probably means that their power of discrimination is much better, and not that they suffer more from heat. Colored girls have larger circumference of head at all ages than white girls. White children not only have a greater standing height than cOlOred children, but their sitting height Is still greater; vet colored children have a greater weight than white children, that Is, white children, relatively to their height, are longer bodied than cOlOred children. The percentage of long head edness (dolicOcephaly) among cOlored boys is more than double that of white boys. This may be due to racial infiu- ence.-Journal of American Medical Association.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
Mnsic and Matrimony.

Captain Becker. an official of the Kongo Free State, won the affection of many of the natives in a very curious way. He bought a good loud playing barrel organ and allowed the natives to turn the handle. The captain was very anxioIs that the people should be married in accordance with the Christian religion, and when it was known the organ would be played at all such marriages the increase in the number of Christian weddings was re- markable. Things were generally ar ranged so that one wedding took place each day. in order that the organ might be heard regularly. It turned out afterward that several couples had been married twice, in order that the organ might be played at their nup- tialS.-SusSex News.