davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28

was bad enough, 1 thought, until I
found that the tariff placed on my
photographing outfit and trunk
amounted to just twice that figure,
making the thirty-mile trip to cost me
exactly 50. However, it was largely
inexperience with Cuban customs that
led me into such extortionate pitfalls.
The payment of that extra Sc on my
dunnage was quite uncalled for, as.
Notwithstanding the rules to the con-
trary, passengers are allowed to carry
all manner of truck in the cars with
them without additional expense. One
native who sat opposite me in the first
class coach had with him a dog, a
goat, two poll parrots and a hundred
weight or so Of mixed vegetables in
the section he occupied.
After leaving Havana I experienced
not a little difficulty through not un-
Outstanding the Spanish language. On
the train there was not a soul who
could speak a word of English. while
command of Spanish was limited
"Quanto vale?" or How much!"
and "Mucho gracias," or Much
obliged" Before 1 left Cuba, however,
| had added tt the foregoing vocabu-
airy a dozen or SO native CALCULATIONS
# doubtful significance but %indubita-
lie potency in various cases Of emer-
ency. At Batabano I learned that q
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND HIS MASCOT.

of quinlne and morphine furnished him
by DR.. Fernaniez's friends in Havana.
I became very mucE attached to this
little hero and kept him with me as
long as l remained in western Cuba.
Upon the return of the boat from
the Isle of Pines I at once set about
arranging for my transportation. This
was no easy matter, as the captain,
who was likewise purser and freight
clerk, in response to my inevitable
query Of "Quanto vale?" was unable to
demonstrate either by words or signs
the requisite amount Of cash for my
passage. Finally, in despair, I offered
him my wallet, from which he proceed
ed to help himself, apparently accord
ing to his own ideas of traffic rates.
However, he left me some small
change, upon p~erceiving which, and not
having, up to that time, made any adj
ditions to my original stock Of ex--
pressions, 1 said, somewhat lamely,
"Mucho %gracias." Then, as l sauntered
aboard, I caught myself wondering
wherefore the skipper had smiled so
broadly. Upon landing with my outfit
at Nueva Corona, Isle of Pines, = few
hours later, l found myself an object
Of much curiosity among the natives.
None of them could speak English, and
many of them had W seen an
before. Evidently the whole
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
I troubles of the Camera Man in
Cuba and Porto Rico.

steamer had but a few hours previous
two days would elapse before the de-
parture of another. I %thereupon de-
cided to spend the interval with the
Greek sponge fishers at that point. /
found a number of picturesque SUBJ
jects in the community, and on the
whole succeeded in employing the two
days to very good advantage.
While at Batabano 1 picked up a
mascot in the person of a small black
boy about 10 years of age. He was a
bright little fellow and had quite a
remarkable history. During the Gu
ban-Spanish war he was rounded up,
together with several thousand eco
centrados, and confined to the limits
Of the town. During the terrible suf-
fering which followed this boy was Sc
lected by DR.. Fernandez, a native doc
tor, to go to Havana in quest of medi-
cine for the dying people. The trip
was a most hazardous one, but the lit
tie emissary did not for a moment hes
itate to attempt it. By reason of his
tender years he was allowed to play
around the Spanish sentries on the
outskirts of the town, and, watching
for a favorable moment, he finally
slipped past the line and set out on
his mission. Inside of a week he was
back again, having trudged every foot
of the sixty miles to and from Ha-
vana, while, sewed up in various parts
of his clothing, were some 500 grains
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28

At the commencement OF the Pres
e year was engaged by a publishing
company to visit the West Indies for
the purpose of securing photographs
for a forthcoming history Of our new
ly acquired islands. l was not long
in finding out that in Cuba time is
estimated at only about one-third it's
relative value in the United States. In
other words, if l wanted anything to-
day, l could reasonably depend upon
getting it the day after the morrow.
Consequently l began by reluctantly
reducing my six months of actual time
on hand to three score days as reck-
oned from a standpoint of things ac-
tually to be accomplished within that
period. One of the most trying insti-
buttons with which I became involved
at various intervals was the railroad.
And just here I wish to counsel the
traveller who desires to dc Cuba with
in a limited period to beware of the
railroads and from an all-around
standpoint of economy invest in a
mule. BY sc. doing he'll save time in
the long run, to say nothing of X
Eense and mental friction.
When l left Havana my first object
i've point was the Isle of Pines, tt the
southwark of Cuba. In order to reach
this destination it was first necessary
to cross the island to Batabalo, the
southern seaport. The distance was
thirty miles, which, at the rate of 10
cents a mile, made the fare So. This
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
GLOBE OF FIRE.
Was a Rare Electric Phenomenon Seen
in Maryland.

Was a Rare Electric Phenomena Seen
in Maryland.
Easton (Md.) Special Baltimore Sun:
Some people in Royal Oak and it's
neighborhood witnessed a rare cleo
trical phenomenon recently-a large
globe of fire rolling about in the at
mosphere. Mr.. Philip M. Pastorfield,
a careful observer and accurate in his
statements, thus describes the phenom-
enon: Il was standing, looking from
my back porch toward the stable, be-
fore it had rained much, when sud-
denly l saw on the ground about twen-
ty-five feet from the stable a balloon
shaped mass of fire about as large as an
ordinary h%ogshead. 1t was like a bal
loon upside down, with the stem point
ing upward. Almost instantly it ex-
ploded with a tremendous report like
a cannon, and sprays of fire flowed
from it in every direction. l am posi-
tive it did not come from the clouds,
as l could not have helped seeing it IT
it had. Strange to say, no damage
was done by it to anything around. I
was sure that the amount of fire that
few from it in all directions would set
something on fire, but on examination
I could not find anything injured A
COW was standing within fifteen feet
of it, but was unhurr. Ny children,
three Of them, with the hired man,
were in the stable, and were badly
frightened, but not hurt. Two stacks
Of fodder close to it were not even
scorched. The ground was not dis
turbed in the least, and the whole mat
ter is very mysterious to me. I would
like some scientific man to give me an
explanation" A gentlemen of seien-
tifc attainments says: II have known
only two or three instances Of . sim
liar appearance, yet it is a phenome-
non that does happen at rare intervals.
and one that no one has been able
to explain satisfactorily by any Of the
known laws Of electrical phenomena"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28

Writing of universities 1 am remind
ed Of baths-which are apt to be small
and ill-supplied with, water at those
to which I listened the other day, says
a writer in the Pail Mall Magazine.
You remember Cor you ought to re-
member) a passage in "Pendennis" in
which Thackeray remarked on the in
feriority of old buildings in the matter
of baths and water. Gentlemen, there
can be little doubt that your ancestors
were the Great Unwashed; and in the
temple, especially, it is pretty certain
that only under the greatest difficulties:
and restrictions the virtue which has
been pronounced to be next to godli-
ness could have been practiced at ALL"
But it is by no means certain that con-
nection between baths and cleanliness
is so close and constant as Thackeray,
in the pride of the improvements of
which his generation boosted even
more than ours, supposed to be the
case. Somebody at this discussion
said that baths were a luxury, a stimu-
lus and a refreshment, but were not a
cleansing process; especially did he
deny this attribute to the cold tub of
the morning. Another person went
further (some one will always go
further) and expressed the reactionary
belief that baths were a hindrance to
cleanliness, because they interfered
with the natural action of the skin.
which does the business o thor
oughly. Water, he said, did not so much
matter; soap was the enemy and the
morning tub, If it were of the sketchy
and soapless. kind, was innocuous. AS
for me, l did not know what to think.
l seldom do when arguments are going
about. l remember that as an infant
l was soaped all w continually, and
I'm not aware of worse skin than other
people-more interesting revelations.
So that l will not give it as No. l Of my
Hints to Mothers" that they should
never have their babies washed. On
the other hand, we see numbers Of peo-'
pie in this and other countries who
appear to be quite clean, but who
would regard a bath as a novel and
dangerous experiment. Man was orig
inally amphibious-was he not?-and
many of us have an instinct for cold
water-many for hot, also. The ac-
tual practice of the morning tub, OF
which Pen and Warrington were so
proud, came, l suppose, from Anglo
Indians, and it is possible that but for
them it would not have occurred to US.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28

ward OF three months time. Though
availing myself of railroad and steam
boat facilities whenever practicable,
by far the greater part of my journey
was performed either on horseback or
by volante. The latter method of trav-
cling was much the more preferable,
for the two-wheeled conveyances in
question are constructed purely with
an eye to solid comfort-an element
which cuts a large figure in the life of
the average well-to-do Cuban.
After completing my work in Cuba
l sailed from Santiago de Cuba on
board a Spanish steamer for Porto
Rico by way of Santo Domingo. Une
of my fellow travellers on board this
steamer was Miss Gomez, a daughter
of the famous Cuban general, who was
on her way from Havana to her faith
er's home in Santo Domingo. Miss Go
mez was a good English scholar. and
in the course of our voyage we grew to
be very good friends, which fact subse-
quently proved most fortunate for me.
At the time We touched Santo Domingo
a rebellion had just started, but, in
blissful ignorance of this fact, I left
the steamer, in company with a chance
German acquaintance l had scraped up.
Managing to elude the custom-house
inspectors, the pair of us wandered up
the main street with our cameras. We
had taken some half dozen views when
two guards touched us on the Shout
ders and gave us to understand that
we were under arrest. In vain we pro-
tested. We were taken to a miserable
little Jail and locked up, and there we
stayed for fully ten hours before I
could secure an interpreter. Finally,
however, a native was admitted to my
cell who could speak a little English,
and l persuaded him to convey a note
to Miss Gomez, with the result that the
young lady in question at once inter-
ested herself in our behalf and secured
our release. 1t appears that we were
arrested purely on suspicion, on ac-
count of the unsettled state of affairs,
and but for the intercession of Miss Co
mez we might have been held indefi-
nitely pending our investigation. AS
it was. upon being released we were
ordered to go aboard our vessel at
once. We could not obey this a
date any too promptly. for our steam
er's twelve hours stop was just draw
ing to a close, and by the time we got
aboard she was ready to sail. AS we
were leaving the harbor l secured a
picture which l prize as M of the
most valuable in my collection. 1t is
a photograph of the late President
Heureaux going aboard his beautiful
yacht. Space will not admit Of my re-
counting the various adventures incl
dental to my six weeks tour of Porto
Rico. Suffice it to say that at it's ex-
piration l had entirely exhausted my
1000 dry plates. out of which. thanks
to the excellent weather that had ia
v.ored me throughout my trip, it
transpired that 1854 came up to the
standard of acceptance by my en-
ployers.
The trip as a whole, however. was
by nc means the sinecure l had at first
dreamed of. 1t required a deal of
close figuring to cover it within the
specified limit, not to speak of a six
months diet the staples of which were
cocoanuts and baked frijoles, or my
frequent bivouacs among the haunts of
a million land crabs.
W. B. TOWNSEND.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
A PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE ANTILLES.

town had turned out upon the approach
of the steamer, and upon landing I
determined to seize the first opportu-
nifty for photographing the community.
In obedience to the inspiration, there
fore, 1 opened my travelling chest and,
unlimbering my tripod and camera,
proceeded to train the latter on the
crowd. The enect of this act l shall
never forget. If that innocent glass
eyed box had been a battery of gat-
ling guns, it could hardly have created
tors. BY the time l had secured my
proper focus, two-thirds of their num-
Der had lodged out of sight, while, with
a few exceptions, the remainder stood
eying me with undisguised suspicion.
My instructions were to make a
thorough tour Of the Isle of Pines, and,
as there are absolutely no ~transporta-
ton facilities other than saddle horses,
I was obliged to organize my expedi-
ton accordingly. Through the assist
ance of DR.. Fernando Plazaola. the al
calde of Nueva Corona, to whom I had
letters of introduction, l was enabled
to secure the services of two good ma
tive attendants. together with three
saddle horses and two pack animals.
With this outfit I made a complete cir
cult of the island, the expedition &C.
cupying a space of nearly two weeks.
During this time 1 succeeded in pho
%tographing two localities which my
guides declared had never before been
visited by a white And the will
derness character of the islands in
terror regions seemed to thoroughly
bear out their statements. This is
s. of the great cienaga
swamp, which occupies the entire
southern half of the island. This vast
everglade is at once the most beauti-
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
III. H,<he.t Praise.

Edward Terry tells of q pretty Incl
dent which occurred during a tour In
Australia. "Do you know what I con
slider the most glowing tribute I ever
received? The compliment came from
a child. There was a crowded house,
an intent audience, and humor had for
the instant given place to pathos. YoQ
mixht have heard a pin drop, and I felt
the tension Of the house was at break
ing point. The intense silence was
broken by q childish voice. girls
who, turning to her parent, asked. in q
broken voice: Mother, is Il real?"
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
He Wa. . Scholarly Athlete.

It is said that the pope owe much
Of his long and vigorous life to the.
healthy outdoor pastime he enjoyed
when q boy. With his dog and gun
he would tramp for miles over the
mountains in pursuit of game. Never
theless he was a studious boy. wrote
Latin verses at the age Of II and
passed his examinations at the Roman
college with such distinction that q
special record was made Of it In the
college archives.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
PATENTS.

NOrthwestern Inventors.
William H. Barten, Allen, S. D., ink
well case;; Marshall NJ. Cram. Manka-
to. Mimi. boiler cleaner; Lucius A.
Doble. Huron. s. d.. draining attach
nent for vessels; Albert NJ. Fuller, st.
Paul, MIMI. wall cleaning compound;
Charles J.. Moore. Deer Greek, Mimi,
cheese curd aerator; Clarence o.
White. Minneapolis. Mimi, g~asolene
engines. John D. Wilson, Heron Lake,
MIMI, metallic ros tie.
Merwin. Lothrop & Johnson. Patent Attor.
neys, OIL. & 912. Pioneer Press Bldg, st. Poul
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
ord Controversy Renewed.
Nlaz3GE:l2;I:lHD

Two newly-arrived spirits met.
How came you here?" asked the
one.
Il died: Of hydrophobia," replied the
other.
"How ridiculous! Do you know that
the best Of 'medical authorities say no.
body eyer dies Of hydrophobia? 1t was
surely something else"
81 think not. However, we will let
that pass. How came you here"
II was; eaten by a shark"
"How utterly absurd! Do you not
know that scientists have found ont
that sharks never eat human beings"
And they gave, each other the incred-
ulous stare.-Chicago Tribune.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
Your Chance Of Iife.

The French statistician, DR.. Livrier.
says that half Of all human beings die
before II; that only one person in TO-
900 lives to be 100 years old, and that
only one person out of every 1000 lives
to be 60.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
ROaailHlv

Spa, why are they called practfcing
,hysiciansM
81 g~uess>it's because so many Of them
merely practice upon their patients IN
Ill the. latter. either succumb or get
we'll in spite. of the. practice Chicago
News.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
A. ale Of valor.

Longshorman-Yes. young gentle
men,, when 1 was in the royal navee
he enemy soon cleared, l can tell yer.
[ was an ugly chap to deal with, /
vas.
Young Bertie-Oh, yes; I can see
hat, captaih.-Ally Sloper.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
No. Room.

The Monkey-The hippopotamus
iaren't open his mouth in his W
house.
The Ostrich-AhH! Henpecked at ba&s
as that?:.
The Monkey-Oh. no! You see, he
ives in q: f1at.-Puck.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
Read. the. Advertisements,

You will enjoy this publication much
better if you will get into the habit Of
:eading the advertisements; they will
lfford a most amusing study, and will
,ut you in the way Of getting some ex-
.ellent bargains. Our advertisers are
:eliable;: they send what they adver:
.iSe
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
pa..tnr Of the Horse.

So soon as nature sees an improve
ment there is a change. The candle
gave way to electricity and the horse
to the automobile. The fact that Hos.
letters Stomach Bitters has been SOLD
for over half a century, proves Its val
ue. There is nothing to equal 1t. for
stomach or liver trouble.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
Naturally.

Patience-"What in the world did
you do at the seashore ON a rainy
day." Patrice-"Carried an umbrel-
la."-Yonkers Statesman.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
'sH IS an III Wind
That Blozvs Nobody Good.''

That small ache or pain or~ueakness Is
the I'll 1d" that directs your attention
to the necessity of purifying your Blood BY
taking Hodrs Sarsaparaza. Then your
zuhole BODY ,sceipes good, for the purified
Blood goes tingling to epery organ. Il Is
the remedy for al ages and BOTH SEXES.
H0od1 S0JqbmiM
a22asz5Z2;;ZdD
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28

A young man seeking a quiet spot to
Kiss, q girl should avoid her mouth.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
E-mphatIcally True.

Emphatlcallys True.
In the days Of interchangeable. neck,
wear it has become more emphatically
true that the wife and husband have
family ties.-Brooklyr Iite.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
Mot MN After Paw OK

Not Till After Pay Day.
Miss Summit-Can you tell me the
time by your watch, Mr.. Hardup!
Hardup (sadly)-Not before next
week.-Stray Stories.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
\ woman,s Answer

A woman's Ansv.er.
"Evelyn, would you rather be riga'
or be popular"
II would rather be g~ood-lookins ana
rich. Record.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28
DOBATHSR EALLYPAY
QUEER coNUNDRUM HAs,LATE-
LY RISEN.

A Commentator Makes Bold to Say,
That n Water Are q Positive Hind
rance to Cleanllness-A Very Lively
Discussion. q
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-10-28

Some. peoples idea Of . necessary
vii is one they don't want to slkf1Bk
The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-18
MAYCALL ON SOLDIERS.
To Work on Transports In Case of
Strike.

San Francisco, Sept. 1S-There are pros
poets of difficulties ahead for the trans
port service. A threatened strike OF the
painters is one source of trouble for the
government, and it is more than possible
that the bOiIermakerS to be employed on
the repair work of the steamer GlenOgle
will refuse to go to work on the trans
port tomorrow.
The painters union has intimated that
a demand would be made on the govern
ment that all painters employed on trans
port ships be paid So day, and that
addition to this is demand that no man
who is not qualified to mix paint be en-
plOyed. There is likely to be a split on
at the demands. The government takes
the stand that any man who can paint
should be given an opportunity OF going
to work.
It is said on the transport dock that if
there should be strike on this head that
requisition might be made to have sold
iers do the paint work.
The Glenogle is to be taken in hand to-
morrow and her boilers are to be over
hauled, and so great is the demand for
her that the work will have to be carried
on day and night.
The boilermakers have demanded ten
hours pay for eight hours work. for the
given reason that the work is dirty and
much more complicated than that in the
shops For night work, which consti-
tuteS eleven hours in duration, they de-
mand twenty-six hours pay. There will
be a hitch this. On the transport Cen
tennial a similar demand was made and
the boiler makers carried their point.