davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Pussy In n Mirror Maye.

A strange cat strayed into the Crystal
Maze the other night. Walking around
between the mirrors, she saw her own
reflection on all sides. She was not
pleased. Her tail started to swell, and
she rushed at the nearest cat, which ad-
vanced to meet her at the same rate of
speed. With "A shrek of defiance they
met, and the ugly tempered feline fell
back from fearful bump against a
mirror.
Up she jumped and looked around,
only to see an array of abused cats star
ing at her. When she moved, 1875 9th
ers moved also. With a mighty howl of
disgust she turned and fled. Groups Of
cats greeted her everywhere as she dash
ed into mirrors and tried to climb the
slippery surface of the glasses In the
course of few minutes the animal ran
through the exit Of the Crystal Maze as
if shot from a catapult. With two
jumps she rushed to the street and dis
appeared in one of the adjacent houses,
a very badly "rattled" cat.-Jackson-
Vile Times Union
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Treated Like Pet Monkeys.

The "Threo Little Spanish Prin-
cesses' of several centuries ago, Of
whom Isabel Nj. McDougall writes in
St Nicholas, seem to have had rather
tiresome time of it. even if the great
Velasquez did paint their portraits.
There were almost no fairy tales or
story books. Spanish princesses did not
read much in those days. There were
no such things as jolly games, or even
informal walks, or spending the day at
other girls houses Maria Theresa s
principal exercise was in those very
dances and reverential bendings Her
principal entertainment was in the un
couth antics of court fools and dwarfs.
Fools, or TESTERS used to be kept at ev-
cry court to make jokes and the Span
ish court kept more of them than any
other, perhaps because it was the grav
est Dwarfs, idiots and deformed per.
sons were also brought there in large
numb ers Many of them, according to
their portraits, were hideous. and many
looked i'll tempered and unhappy, which
is hardly to be wondered at in human
beings treated like pet monkeys. II
seems TO us nowadays strange taste
that surrounded children of high rank
with such unfortunate creatures.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
JuggIers of India.

Two men--nne old and emaciated,
carrying a native drum; the other young
and well fed, Enthusiastically gowned with
an overskirt OF colored handkerchiefs,
and a multitude Of bells which jangle
noisily at his slightest movement; long,
ragged hair: altogether hideous figure.
The drummer begins weird tomtom-
ing and the other man an incarnation.
Then he extends supra "a bamboo
tray used by all natives-on which any
one who pleases places large handful
of rice and the same quantity of grain.
The two ingredients are thoroughly
amalgamated, so that il would in the
ordinary way take hours to separate
them
Now tie fantastic man with his tray
begins He turns round slowly, gradu
ally quickening his pace (the drummer
also keeping time, faster and faster in
"a giddy vortex, the tray at times almost
ont of his hands, yet so cleverly handled
that not grain falls out. 1t is very
trying to watch but in couple OF
minutes both stop simultaneously, and
the man shows to the wondering spec
tators two little heaps-one of rice and
the other grain--at different ends of the
tray, which in his sickening gyrations
he has been able to separate by some
extraordinary manipulation. Pearson
Weekly
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Glad to See His Friend Cullom.


An interesting incident is told Of the
visit of Governor Cullom and his staff,
together with the chief executives of 80
other states, to Yorktown, Va, in 1891,
to celebrate the one .hundredth ami
versary Of the surrender of Lord Corn
wallis with 1000 men to General
George Washington. General w. T.
Sherman, who was an old friend Of
Governor Cullom, was present, and they
had not met for number of years. The
celebration was opened with prayer,
and the minister. impressed with the
Importance of the occasion, had pre-.
pared long invocation, which required
half all hour to deliver. Nearly every
one present seemed to be wearied by
the length of the prayer, and General
Sherman went to sleep. He woke up
when the minister had read about half
the prayer and saw his old friend for
the first time. Unmindful Of the min.
lister. he arose from his seat and started
toward Governor Cullom, shouting at the
top Of his voice: Hello, Cullomi How
are your" The generals interruption
almost broke up the preliminaries to
the celebration, when Cullom quickly
moved nearer the old warrior to quiet
him, and then the minister finished the
prayer without further interruption
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
A COMPLICATED Cnse.
..Is Slippy good pay?'l

''Is Slippy good pay?"
"Well if he is, Tanker, the dentist,
is the meanest man on earth"
"How's tbat?"
81 was in Yankers office when Slip
Ply came to have tooth pulled. Jaw
all swollen ont of shape. Awful LOOK
ing face. Fairly howled with pain. But
Tanker wouldn't pull the tooth with
ont being paid in advance -
Pretty tough on Slippy, wasn't it,"
"Oh, | don't know He's man OF
wonderful self command. Instead of
kicking up row he pulled out check
for So, received 81 in change and smil-
ingly ordered the doctor to go ahead
with the torture. ="
"But was the check worth anything!"
"Good as gold when it was given,
but Slippy reached the bank first and
drew out his balance Now he's telling
around that Tanker pulled the wrong
tooth and insinuates that there may be
suit for malpractice.
"Yanker will sue, of course?"
"Not he. The truth is that the dem
fist in his excitement drew two teeth
at one haul, the extra one being marked
by big gold filling. Slippy misses that
one, but what puzzles him is that his
jaw is getting well and that be has no
toothache. The dentist that filled his
tooth was never paid and the chances
are that Slippy will drop the case as
being too complicated. brooklyn
Citizpn
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

The following story is told of Phil.
adelpbia millionaire who has been dead
some years: 4 young man came TO him
one day and asked pecuniary aid to
start him in business.
"Do you drink" asked the million.
aire.
"Once in awhile.
"Stop it. Stop it for year, and then
come aud see me. The young man
broke off the habit at once, and at the
end of the year came to see the million
aire again.
"Do you smoker" asked the success
full man.
"Now and then.
"Stop it. Stop it for a year, and then
come and see me again.
The young man went home and broke
away from this habit. 1t took him
some time, but finally he worried
through the year and presented himself
again.
"Do You chew" asked the philan-
thropist.
eyes, do was the desperate reply.
"Stop it. Stop ii for year and then
come and see me again. The young
man stopped chewing, but he never
went back again. When asked by his
anxious friends why he never called on
the millionaire again, he replied that
he knew exactly what the man was
driving at He'd have told me that
now that / have stopped drinking and
smoking and chewing | must have
saved enough to start myself in bust
ness-and | have. youths Compan-
ion
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
ENJOYABLE MT N Distance

1--WE would have had a pleasant
evening if it had not been for one of
the most insufferable little youngsters
who was ever allowed to sit up late. "
"Why. what was the matter with
himP"
"Oh, he is one of those children that
say the smart things that tickle Us so
much when we read about them in the
newspapers and that drive us distracted
when we have to listen to them p'-
Chicago Post
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Railroad Methods,

The motive power department of a
railway keeps an accurate double entry
account with every locomotive and
every car, so that the manager or mas.
ter mechanic can tell in an instant now
much it has cost to maintain and repair
it, how many miles it has travelled and
how many cars or tons it has hauled.
A similar account is kept with every
freight and passenger car. The Pullman
company, for example, can tell you any
morning the exact earnings of every
sleeper or parlor car in service, how
much each cost originally and how
much has been expended in equipment,
maintenance and repairs. - Chicago
Record.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
SHORT NEWS STORIES.
How the Reoessional" Was Written.
Roosevelt and Polly-Glad to See
Hts Friend Cullom.

Rudyard Kipling has again been
trapped by the wiles Of the interviewer,
this time somew here in mid Atlantic.
Kipling's fellow voyager had heard Of
the last attempt on the authors (pri-
vate) life. when In reply to an innocent
question concerning his poems the
writer of "Rarrack Room Ballads"
curtly remarked he thought Kipling a
much overrated man and turned OH his
heel and walked away.
So the wise interviewer conversed
with Kipling on every subject under
the sun but his own works until in q
weak moment the famous author began
unconsciously to talk Of himself and
his poems. The interviewer then ven
tured a cautious appreciation of the
"Recessional" and sends the result to
The Daily Mail
"Ah." said Kipling, THAT poem
gave me more trouble than anything /
ever wrote. had promised The Times
poem on the jubilee, and when il be-
came due l had written nothing that
satisfied me. The Times began to want
that poem badly and sent letter after
letter asking for it.
II made many more attempts, but no
further progress. Finally The Times
began sending me kilograms. So l shut
myself in my room, with determi-
nation to stay there until l had writ
ten a jubilee poem. Sitting down with
all my previous attempts before me,
searched through those dozens Of
sketches till at last found just one
line liked. That was, Lest we for
GET Round these words the Recess
sional' was written. London Mail.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Not Abashed by a Knight.

Speaker Reed uses his wit without
regard to the status of those who hap
pen to be with him when he sees an
opening for it. He was the guide of Sir
Wilfrid Laurier and a number of mem
bers and attaches of the Canadian Amer.
lean joint high commission in their tour
of the capitol the day that Chairman
Dingley entertained them at luncheon
In his committee room. Mr.. Reed pro.
cured his visitors admittance into nu-
merous rooms that would not have been
opened TO ordinary visitors, or in fact
to hardly anybody, except upon an or.
der from the speaker
This was appreciated by Sir Wilfrid,
but when there was slight delay at
the dining room entrance, owing to
some confusion in arranging the tables
and chairs, he thought to have little
fun at the speakers expense by saying,
Your authority here, Mr.. Reed, doesn't
seem to be absolute. The speakers
eyes twinkled as he replied in his Gus
tUmary drawl, "Oh, it isn't hair trig.
ger, but it will be all right in min
ute. " The delay was forgotten in the
laughter which followed
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

An army surgeon tells story OF an
officer many of you know. IL was before
Santiago. The surgeon. going to the
front, came upon the young officer, SIT
ting beside the road, trembling like
leaf and whittier than the dead men
around him. At sight of the surgeon he
began TO talk.
"I'm a coward. I'm coward. I'm
a coward. " he said. II knew I'd run,
and did. Oh, Lord, wish you'd kill
mel I'm disgraoed forever. | just got
scared. knew | would. l was going
along all right, not thinking OF any
thing but getting at the dashed Span
iards, yelling to my men to come on
and running ahead as fast as l could,
when all of sudden | stubbed my toe
or something, and then / can't remem
Der being scared, but / must have been,
for came galloping back here, sick as
a dog. oh, feel SO awfully gonel I'm
a blanked coward, and | wish l was
dead Oh, Lord, why don't somebody
shoot mef I've got such an awful gone
ness right here. - And he put his hand
10 his stomach The surgeon gave him
a quick look and caught him as he
plunged forward in faint. Where the
awful goneness was Mauser bullet
had found its billet They carried the
wounded man to the field hospital, and
he chuckled all the way.
"Oh, my Oh, my y he said over and
over II wasn't scared! | wasn't scar
ed And then he would laugh delight
edly II wasn't scared | was hit
was Just hit | amt coward after
all. - Washington Post.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

An exchange quotes story said to
have been told at charity dinner. -
A man was brought into the accident
hospital who was thought to be dead.
His wife was with him. One of the
doctors said, 'He is dead" the man
raised his head and said, mo, I'm not
dead yet. whereupon his wife admon.
isbed him, saying, BE quiet the doc
tor ought to know best.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
No Wonder She Cried.

why, Clara" said mother to. her
little daughter, who was crying. what
are you crying about?"
'O-cause, sobbed the little miss,
Il started to m.make dollya b-bonnet
and it c-comed out b-bloomers.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
The Tadnola and the Frog.

A frog upon a river bank
Once rested from the hunt;
The reeds stood round him tall and lank
The river flowed in front,
But scarcely had his eyelld dropped
When. at the river brink,
tadpole rose The froggie stopped
And said. You called. think?"
IL came" the tadpole shyly said,
ITO ask IL II is true
That when little time has sped
A tadpole grows like you?
IL fills my heart with grief and fear
Each morning In the bog
To think that |. tadpole here.
Should grow TO be frog"
The frogs eyes opened very wide,
He stared and could not speak.
He felt the pain OF wounded pride
And showed Il on his cheek.
Then painted out with proper scorn,
As any frog would do.
ITO think that | was ever born
A tadpole just like your
Its more painful to do nothing thar
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

just before retiring for cup of coffee.
The last night on board ship the colonel
forward to the galley in deep thought.
Entering he found the cook absent. He
decided To wait, and to pass the time
away turned to the parrot, which was
sleeping.
"Hello, Poll!'' he said.
The bird looked up, pulled out his
feathers bit and replied:
"Hello, madam How are the ladies?
How are the ladies? How in hi a. o
the ladies?'
The boys blamed it on Ham Fish. -
Detroit Free Press.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Imminent srhnnlhn,s

Some years ago, at Winchester no.
tice was put up that Mr. So-and-so
Zone of the masters) Will give lecture
on Our Eyes and How We See Through
Them. " Underneath this some boy
wrote, "Or our pupils aud how they
see thrcuah Us - london Chronicle.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19
Roosevelt and Polly.

The colored cook on the transport 60
ing over had a parrot that was won
der. 1t could swear in both English and
Spanish and was willing and eager to
learn more. 1t was Colonel Roosevelt's
habit to go to the galley every night
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

The G. r. 81 michigan in summer" con
taining maps. views and descriptions of Mchi
gdn Summer Resorts. sent on application to
g. l.. LOCKWOOD, G.. II. q II. A.,
Grand Rapids Mich
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

The BANNER and Detroit Weekly
Tribune one year for lao.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

Keep yourself pure by keeping your
hands out Of obnoxious practices.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-19

Its more painful to do nothing than
something.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-12

.SHIPBUILDERS
ARE BUSY

NEWPORT NEWS. Va. Mas IA
The mammoth plant = me Newport
NeNa shipbutldiaE a psy Dock come
parry il buster than ever before Ia
sfa hfisg hui eventual history. ana
t,ctas cen sssa ana eaaa men are nos
smpiayed ou ths iarEn naval usr-
chant and rrpeif contracts which
fae Yard has On haad The snip
building eputfants uew held BY thr
company aFRreFafe 81 value His.sso,-
90 AMI ift.nzt tons.
The eaat 81 tauus &c n the work
on hand here are - great as iasne
on hand - ans ether twa American
nhipy ards ana tupgeaeHt fhc largest
total rnsf ~ contracts ever held bf
ons yard 81 one time.
Tho Morgan liners ~ sud ard n
Sarfe which were launched April
IS are rapidly approaching compile
ton. and wlii be ready for service IN
a fee weeks The Third Morgan iius
e. ~ Ria. res On the ways. elli Be
launesseA lee - WORK % the Nor
gan liner n CID and ths hrai q the
new Cromwell ships heels for which
were iaid last month. e EeluE ahead
rapidly. and e u HEfss ffd that theHe
veeseia wili be- ready Tor launching
about August r.. The Second Crofu >
well liner Nil also b. launched thiE
year. making els important launch
Inr NJ this yard n one year.
The keein far the two bis Pacific
mail isviathahs. whieh when com
plstrA viii b. the third largest
steamships aapnt in the world. and
the iarEess vessels ever attempted
BY an American Hhipyard. vii BE-
laid In n fsw weeks Work has been
started on the says for these YES
asia
Progress u being made on the nsw
steel crane under which the battle
ship Missouri and the monitor Ark
Hnsaa viii be bulit. and the next few
weeks vii zee active preparations TO
lay the ground ways Tor these ships.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-12
A COMBINE
OF LAUNDRYS
Owners Of the Steam.process
Plants TO Combine.

CHICAGO. Hay i2.--Juat about the
time the laundry bills Of the Chicago
young men begin to assume aba1r-
mai proportions through excessive
indulgence Ia which durk trousers
and neFiigee shirts the laundry
trust too0.0O viii come into be-
ms
Promoters Of the combine declare
its advent VII not inauKurate a
reign 81 terror for people who ae-
eumulatc big waahings, however as
20 per cent reduction In prices Il
one Of the Immediate results which
they say viii follow the cnnsunma-
ton Of the deaf The reduction IL to
be given BY way Of eommuta-
ton books good for o. worth ~ work
which VIII be retaiie 81 customers
for - cash IN advance. I'VE can
AFFORD 10 do H." exclaimed a laundry
man yesterday, 'in the saving OF col
irctDr hire alone
" " Dudds a Co. boi Stock Ex-
change building. arr the promoters
~ the nsw organization. which viii
BE- nfficlaiiy known as the Chicago
Laundry company Its capital stock
viii b. divided into s. 0oo. e1o % 7 per
cent preferred and - oa0. coo Of com
mon shares ay tuiy u is promised
The new company vii be Ia full
working order
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-12

CHANGE SHAPE
OF THE EARS

CANAL DOVER. O. May IA
Frank Bowen. a well known young
man Of this city. who IL a freight
brakeman ON the Panhandle running
between uhrichsviIIe and PittsburE
has undergone a most extraordinary
operation In the hands OF a Columbus
to.1 surgeon.
Since his birth Brown has possess
ed ears OF enormous size, being twiee
as large a. those % the average
man by actual measurement they
were each four inches long and al
fncst threee inches vide Ills ears
were not only large. but stuck out
on each side OF his head. giving him
a most extraordinary appearance.
Otherwise Mr. Brown was an attrac-
tive young fellow.
This peculiar maiformatIon was A
source Of great annoyance TO Brown.
and wherever he went his enormous
ears attracted attention. Recently
he determined 10 have them cut
down several sizes. and Dr. c. II.
Turner. a well known Columbus sur
Eeon, performed the operation last
Tuesday. The sixe Of the ears was
reduced easily one-half by skiiltui
manipulation OF the knife. They
VIII now assume n natural position
instead % sticking gu, NJ they ala
before. Brown IL healthy subject
and expects to be about In few
days.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-12
SCHOONER FROM
THE BERINC SEA
The Jeanie arrives With
Mushagak Cold News

The large steam schooner Jeanne.
q tho Pacific Steam Whaling eom-
pany. arrived ~ port early this
morning from nering Rea ports.
ahere shs has bcen engaged in sup
plying the Och ranneFies along the
enast. She brings The news tha, the
Zee = breaking % in TIE Nushagak
river. and other streams in that vic
ialty which makes navlsati *.
csedlnRiy hazardous. II i said nav
isatlnu Is to BE- practically sus-
pended until the pack has opened
up.
We would not have returned so
SCOT" said enc % the officers u the
Jeanne tbs morning. "hu, We we're
driven out b the breaking up q the
iee when tais happens. the coast
along ths Hsf,ng Sea IL not the SAT-
eht place ia the world As Il Was
We had snfue trouble in making our
way through the ice noes 70 ths
aran ocean. There were no vessels
up there Whss we left. and The coun-
trs a haFFrn aud deaaiatr A. Nu-
saaFak. there 10 considerable min
ing being done. and | uuJaTsfand
that much guid Is being taken out
There viii probably be = large rush
up there this summer The exnnrr-
les have been doing good work and
Wai probably DO a. good Or better
this SEASON"
The Jehnis came dewn bFht and
brought 10 passengers. She VIII 30
Ia QunfteHmsater harhor 10 be clean
"a. and wlii thrn o. cut foT a trip
80 Copper river ports. carrying
ffeisht and passengers
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-12
NICE POINT ON raY LAWS

4 tesf case IN a puint n tax law
was decided yesterday afternoon BY
Judge Williamson % the superior
court. The question az issue vas
the right ~ the county 20 sell for
delinquent taxes some town lots In
Kirkland owned by the kirkland
Land 4 Improvement company. J. =.
fssvfnan and Caroline s. MclEs. The
taxes amounted a. about $4,000 and
were ieview In 1891.
Under the statute which provides
that foreclosure proceed ings must be
brought within five years from de-
iinauency. the county nicd petit
ton for foreclosure IN tsaf. The de-
Tense entered demurrcrs 10 the petit
tlon. but the case was never argued
until yesterday.
Preston Gilman 3 Carr and Pres
ton 4 He'll. attorneys for the defense.
agreed that under the statute OF
Limitation. the petition ~ the county
ought 10 be dismissed. and the tax
declared uncaiiectable because the
suit had not been prosecuted TO
Judgment within the time required
by law.
Judge Williamson overrulcd the
motions made by the attorneys FOR
tho defense. and decided that the
taxes were coliectahle. The case
will undoubtedly be appealed
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-12
WORRIED BY
THE TARIFF
jamaica Has a New Law and Is
Doubtful About II.

KINGSTON. Jamaica. May IL
Thenew tariff law went into opera
ton Immediately on it, acceptance
for a first reading. The commercial
and Industrial crisis 10 which Il has
given rise Is already seriously at
fectlng the community. especially
because OF the uncertainty that pre-
walls as 20 what mod locations Will
be made in COMMITTEES.
This uncertainty is much intensl-
fed by what Is generally called "the
warning from Washington" The
government having refused to give
the newspapers any Information on
the subject. an elected member Of
the legislature lnterpeilated the col
onial secretary about IT.. That func-
tionary replied that the government
OF the United States had made Ger
tain representations 10 this govern
ment about the tariff" The matter
was. however, one 10 be dealt With
by the home governmental which It
had beeHsubmitted. and he could not
give the information asked for by
the member.
The reply has made tho public an
ziety more acute. il IL fully bellev-
ed, that even apart from possible dl-