davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
SPELL OF THE BIRD,
A STRANGE TALE OF FAScINA-
TlON.
A FlendIsh Partnership Between Seduc-
tive Songster and Repulsive Serpent
of the South American Wilderness
killing a Monster.

Fascination? Does any one believe
IN fascination? Yes, l do and 1 don't
mind who hears me say it or who
laughs at it. If you had had the ex-
perience l once went through, you
would believe in it tool"
The speaker was Mr.. George Crel-
aon, and he proceeded to tell one of
7he weirdest tales human tongue has
ever uttered. Several years ago, with
friend, he had gone to that part of
south America where Venezuela, Bra
zil and British Guinea meet, and was
engaged in working a gold mine owned
ny a Mr.. Soltram, who had settled in
these untrodden wilds with his beau
tlfui daughter, Ledra, and established
village of Indians about him, to help
work the mine. Among the Indians
was deep-seated belief in the exist
ence Of a monstrous serpent of unusu-
ally terrifying aspect, but of slug
sish nature, which is always accom-
panied by one or pair of birds equal
ly rare but of strikingly beautiful
plumage. This serpent is called in
some parts "kragi," in others, again,
tnere is no particular name for it, and
IL Is ranked as a kind of "camoodi,"
which is the Indian term for the great
Doaconstrictor of Guiana The bird
is called the kalon, or sometimes the
Krao-kalon, and is declared to entice
victims into the neighborhood of the
serpent, SO that the latter may seize
them with very little trouble or exer-
h. l..
warded by being allowed to pick out
the strangled creatures eyes and other
tit-bits before the dead body is swal-
lowed by the reptile. But let Mr..
Creldon himself tells his story:
One day, about noon. wei. e., Sol
tram. my friend Bringham, and myself
had come to the mouth of the mine
from the distant workings to have our
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

formed in the likeness of a set sneei
of the most sinister malignancy; bct
the eyes were much larger in proper
ton and had baleful glare in their
yellowish-green depths that sent cold
shivers through you as you met and
endured that fixed, cold gaze. A hooa.
somewhat after the shape OF that OF
the cobra, two horns, and a kind OF
crest on the neck at the back of the
head completed the terrible picture.
And still, while it rose slowly, menac-
ingly beside him, Soltram, who seemed
to be looking straight at 1t, never
moved; and still that bird-fiend sang
on and tapped its wings, and appeared
to be reveling in the very height OF
enjoyment.
SLOWLY, and with a sickening delib-
Grafton, which told only too clearly
how absolutely certain he felt of his
prey, that terrible beast drew nearer
and nearer to Soltram, swaying slight
ly to and fro, and protruding its forked
tongue, which darted in and out Of its
now open jaws. | remember won
dering vaguely why Soltram did not
run away, not comprehending that he
was in the same condition as myself
At last the monster gave quick leap,
and fixed its fangs in the throat of it's
victim, and Immediately coil after
coil wound around Soltram's body till
l could hear, even where | was, the
fearful sound of cracking bones.
Presently the creature slowly re-
laxed its folds. and. after lying inert
for short space, fixed its leering eyes
upon Ledra, and began to creep to-
wards her. / raised the piece
held in my hand, cooked it, and
aiming carefully, sent a bullet crash
ing through the head of the great
snake. which at once began to writhe
and twist about in horrid contortions.
Then turned the barrel loaded with
shot on the bird-or, rather, tried to;
SUIT the hateful creature had already
disappeared, frightened, l suppose, by
the sound of the shot; and, in short, I
never saw it again. l then rushed
down and out of the clearing, and
there, with the undischarged barrel,
blew the head off the still struggling
AA-oAASeSi, ahu hoW eoiuihS "
my assistance, we carrier >he uncon-
soious girl inside. and we laved her
face with water from the cold stream
that ran through the cavern.
II won't tell you of the anxious
time we had of it with the stricken
daughter: but she was well nursed and
tended by the Indian women, and slow
ly came back to the world, and to.
health If not to good spirits. We
gave up the mine to the Indians and
soon started off together to get back
through Venezuela.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
A Dog With SpectacIes.

Monsieur Blum relates that, being
somewhat fond of the chase, he was
presented by friend with a magnifi-
cent hunting dog. This animal proved
to have the great qualities of a dog of
that profession; his scent was keen
and discriminating; he was obedient
brave, not in the least gun-shy, and
would retrieve to perfection. He had,
indeed, but one fault. and that was
serious. In coursing through the woods
he often ran against trees, and in the
house would strike against chairs.
tables, doors, and other objects which
came in his way. His owner wondered
what could be the matter with him,
and took him to veterinary. This
man kept the dog few weeks, and re-
turned him with his bill, and the tn
formation that he was near-sighted.
He needs pair of glasses" said the
veterinary, with grin. The advice
was good. and the dogs master acted
upon 1t at once. He had pair of
sufficiently large lences made and
adapted to the dogs wear by ali in
genious artisan. The bows of the
glasses went round the animals ears.
and were securely fastened there. At
first the dog was much surprised at
these instruments and tried to get
them off. Soon. however, it seemed to
dawn upon him what they were for.
and he then wore them with great
pride and satisfaction. The dog ap-
peared to gain every advantage from
his glasses which human beings gain
from theirs. He often went hunting
after, not depending on his scent. One
day, alas! the dogs owner wen. to
hunt with him in a wood where there
were wild boars. The dog came upon
one OF those ferocious creatures aud
valiantly attacked him. In the midst
of the combat the boar drove his tusk
through the glasses, and not only this
but SO filed the poor dogs eyes with
the fragments of glass that from that
time he was totally blind.-London
Public Opinion.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Blew His Hand or,

Mr.. Harris Lohman, telegraph op-
orator on the Beech Creek district OF
the New York Central railway, Iocat-
ed at Garway. Pa. Clearield county,
met with a distressing accident the
other day. Lohman was shooting of
an old army musket on the platform
OF the depot. The target was n stump
In field near by. Remarking to
friend that he would show him how
to shoot. Lohman loaded the gun with
ten inches of powder. He was warned
by his companion that 1t was danger
Gus to discharge the gun with this
amount OF powder in 1t. but in spite
OF the warning Lohman placed the
musket to his shoulder and pulled the
trigger. AS he did so the barrel ex-
ploded and his left hand was blown of
at the wrist The injured man sank
to the platform and was picked I'D by
companions and carried iHso the depot.
Money Lost In tho Mails.
About ten thousand dollars cash is
lost every year through being inclosed
In letters and mailed. the postoffice au-
thorities being unable to Identify
either the sender or addressee. In ad-
dition to this something like ten thou-
sand dollars is found loose in the mails
every year. 1t Is officially STYLED
loose money"
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

however, began soon to- change to cold
horror, as l realized, all at once, that
l could not move! l was overrun by
a mixture of feelings in which sur
prise. perplexity, horror, incredulity.
and wonder were all jumbled up to-
gether. Yet were my senses almost
abnormally acute; l remember. as I
looked helplessly out, how l saw the
brilliant sunshine pouring down and
lighting up portions of the scene. in
glaring contrast to the deep, gloomy
shadows that lay among the trees of
the forest beyond. / remember Sol
tram, as he stood with his back to me,
just under the bough on which the
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

Indians had every one disappeared
with shouts OF 'drao-kalon' and 'kra-
gi.' Suddenly the bird began to sing,
and it had the most charming, thrill
ing note ever heard in my life. In
deed. it was not like the song of bird
at all; 1t resembled nothing SO much
as music given out by an Aeolian harp
when the wind sweeps across its
strings. The effect was inexpressibly
sweet; yet mingled with it was a
weird wild note that somehow repelled
while it charmed. And as the notes
swelled out fuller and louder I could
not but stand still and listen in a very
ecstasy of pleasure and delight; which.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Mexico,

On Tuesday. Jan. 20, a special vesti-
|iled train of Pullman palace cars,
impairment, drawing-room, library.
Aservation and dining cars will start
|0Q Chicago, going to the City Of
|exGo and to other prominent cities
the republic and back to Chicago
gain, making the tour of all
|exico complete. The party will be
[rictly limited and absolutely first
|ass. Tickets include all expenses
Ferywhere. The tour is under the
ersonal escort and direction of Mr..
eau Campbell, general manager of
|he American Tourist Association.
|or maps. books Of the tour, tickets,
C., call on agents of the Chicago.
[ilwaukee & St. Paul Ry.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
A Big Mall Train.

New York, Nov. 23.-Last night the
|acific and Oriental mail train of the
lew York Central railroad, leaving
lew York Mt 9:15, was composed of ten
RS loaded to their utmost capacity
ith bags and letters and newspapers
r the Asiatic countries, Hawaii, Aus
ALA and the Philippine islands, and it
cks up additional cars at Buffalo,
|hicago and Omaha, so that by the
ne it reaches San Francisco it will
i've not less than thirteen or fourteen
RS and carry the heaviest tonnage of
Jail that was ever hauled by locomo-
FetThis train will make the fastest
w ever made by n regular train
Yross the continent.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Natures MImicry.

One of the most curious examples OF
natures mimicries Is the substance
jewelers. call odoreta lete. The ordin-
airy observer would call this lovely
stone pure turquoise. But 1t is really
nothing OF the kind. 1t Is simply the
fossil teeth OF long extinct animals
which have become tlnged with various
mineral salts. 1t Is much softer than
the true turquoise. All the best tur-
quoise comes from Khorassan, In Per-
sia
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Floating Gardens In the Sen.

Not only the mainland, but the is
lands of California, which rise from
the sea like submerged mountain
peaks, have wonderful floating gar
dens through which vessels often plow
with difficulty in entering the small
harbors which dot the coast. At Santa
Barbara, the entrance of the bay is
a maze of floating vegetation, and the
islands off the coast, especially Santa
Catalina, are more or less surrounded
The floating gardens are formed of
long streamers of kelp, which. at
tached to the bottom, grow upward to
distance Of fifty to 500 feet, throw
ing out broad leaves and air-bulOs,
which act as so many balloons to sup
port them. The effect of this is to give
perfect forest of broad green leaves
rising upward and presenting sharp
contrast to the blue water in which
they grow.
Graceful in appearance, they turn, at
every whim of the tide; now floating
directly upward. their leaves high above
water, and caught by the breeze; again
reaching away in long streamers, they
are among the most striking and beau
tiful objects of the submarine world.
When in snore the huge plants assume
vertical position, and become float
ing gardens in reality. In the bay of
Avalon they present so many attrac-
tions that boats have been constructed
especially to float over them and af-
ford the occupants an opportunity to
observe the wonders Of the ocean
world
These boats are all provided with
large plate glass windows set into the
bottom, SO the observer can sit in the
boat and gaze down through the win
dow and see intensified small animals.
The glass as suggested magnifies OBJ
jects. and in floating along one can al
most imagine himself under the water
and roaming at will in these gardens
of the sea. Each leaf or frond is
covered with patches OF color, which
represents varied animals or plants;
some are purple. red green or yellow.
Here are delicate sea anemones, which
~ resemble blooming flowers that they
c.n scarcely be distinguished from the
true flowers OF the land. At the
slightest noise they close up. with
drawing their many colored tentacles.
then slowly blooming out again.
Here are minute plant-like creatures
that are really animals though grow
ing in a shrub-like form, and among
the wonders OF this floating garden are
some that give birth to minute young.
which become jelly fishes, to float away
and at night fill the ocean with won
derful phosphorescent light.
Strange shells crawl upon the great
leaves: crabs that mimic their colors
perfectly. and fishes OF the exact tint
cling to them, safe in this resemblance
from many enemies. The long leaves,
when unaffected by the current. rise
directly upward and form a maze of
arches down among which many
strange forms are to be seen.
Directly on the bottom a large octo-
pus comes limping along. throwing out
its eight srcker-lined arms, moving in
a strange fashion, waves OF color pass
ing slowly over It, that seem to adapt
1t to the color OF the bottom over
which 1t is passing Near by we catch
a glimpse of a cousin. the argonaut or
nautilus. crawling along. holding its
delicate shell over It's head.-C. +. Hol-
der in Sunset.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
NEGRO is LYNcHED BY AMoB
Suspected of Bartender's Murder, He Is
Hanged to Pole.

suspected of Bartender's Murder, He Is
Hanged to a Pole.
Weir City, Mo-, was the scene of a
double tragedy the other night. Gus
McArdle, bartender in Berry James
saloon, was shot and killed and in less
than two hours his supposed mur-
derer. George Wells. a negro miner
from Scammon, was swinging to
telephone pole, the victim of a mob
which had forcibly taken him from
jail. Earlier in the evening McArdle
and Wells had some words in the sa-
loon, after which the negro left. Short
ly afterward shot was fired from
across the street, the bullet striking
McArdle in the forehead. He died in
half an hour. A few minutes later
Wells came up in the crowd which
had collected and inquired the cause
of the commotisn. A spectator to the
previous quarrel pointed Wells out to
an officer, who arrested him on sus-
picion and lodged him in Jail. Another
spectator shortly afterward identified
him as the negro who had quarreled
with McArdle and the report quickly
spread that he was identified as the
man who did the killing. A mob
formed quickly and marched to the
jail. Securing Wells without much
trouble they dragged the frightened
negro from the building and strung
him up to the nearest telephone pole
Before the rope was placed about his
neck Wells admitted he was with the
man who shot McArdle. but denied
that he had done the shooting.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Talk
About 1t

That's always the way with
our Hair Vigor. When per-
sons use it they arc always SO
highly pleased with ii that they
tell their friends about it.
If your hair is short. too
thin. splits at the cnds. is rough.
OF is falling out. our Hair Visor
will perfectly satisfy you.
If your hair is Just little
gray. OF perfectly white. Ayers
Hair Vigor will bring back TO it
al the dark. rich color it had
years and years ago. ;Ii's na s.assI.,.. sf.,'s'
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
An Echo From the Kitchen.

John, I'm. going to sell these rolling
MS and flatirons in one lot. How
ball l label them for the auctioneer?"
|"War material, my love."-Cleveland
lain Dealer.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
A Prince of Commerce.

John NJ. Smyth, head Of the great
|ouse The John M. Smyth Co., has
hilt up, by years of hard work, the
Featest institution of it's kind in the
korld. His name is household word
k\Chicago.
Neir "ad." in another part Of this
hpef should be Of interest to every
pc. Get their catalogue Of everything
eat, wear or use.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

About 10000 tourists visited Swift
zerland during the past summer and
their expenditures are estimated at
100, ,000. 900 francs.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Money Lost In tho Malls.
Young Girl Lot, In tn. Woods.

Johanna Gursky, Crystal Falls,
Mich. girl who was lost In the woods,
was brought home the other morning
by a sheriff from a homestead near
Atkinson. She was seventeen days In
the woods without food. living on win
tergreen berries during the time.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

When girl begins taking lessons on
e piano she bores herself, her mother
hd the neighbors, and can no more
ay after she has grown than a girl
n read Latin who has taken Latin
ssOYS at schoOl.-Atchison Globe.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
No (.rrnt Induc.n.nt.

II a Chinaman saves mans life no
is compelled by law to support him:
the result is drowning folk often per-
ish unaided.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
In THE ODD CORNER.
QUEER AND CURIOUS THINGS
AND EVENTS.

Floating Gardens in the Sea - Dog
Whips LiOn-The King of Beasts,
Though Not Full Grown, Was Large
-In a CIngalese Bull Cart
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Do Your Feet Ach. and Rurn1

Shake into your shoes Aliens Foot
|ght or New Shoes feel Easy. Cures
|orns, Bunions. Swollen, Hot and
|weating Feet. At all Druggists and
hoe Stores, 25c. Sample sent FREE.
|ddress Allen S. Olmsted, Leroy, N. Y.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

why did the beautiful Miss Punk
Ave two wedding ceremonies?" The
ograph man was late, SO they had to
through the service again."
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

How did you photograph that fine
|rge meteor professor?' 81 spattered
on my closet door"
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30

The way to get over your troubles 10
to get under them.
Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
Use
1t

IL have used Ayers Hair
Vigor for great many years
and it has been very satisfactory
to me in every way. l have
recommended it to great many
. my friends and they have ali
Fbeen perfectly satisfied with it,"
Mrs. A. Edwards. San Fran
cisco. CAL. Feb. 9. 1899.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
"Mor. Me n Child Again" /"

"I'd like to be boy again, without
q woe or care, with freckles scattered
on my face and hayseed in my hair.
I'd like to rise at o'clock and do a
hundred chores, and saw the wood and
feed the hogs and lock the stable
doors. And herd the hens and watch
the bees and take the mules to drink,
and teach the turkeys how to swim,
So that they wouldn't sink, and milk
about hundred COWS and bring the
wood to burn. And stand out in the
sun all day and churn and churn and
churn, and wear my brothers. cast Off
clothes, and walk four miles to school,
and get a licking every day for break
ing some old rule. And then get home
again at night and do the chores some
more, and milk the cows and feed the
hogs and curry mules galore, and then
crawl wearily up stairs and see my lit
tie bed, and hear dad say, That worth
less boy-he isn't worth his bread! I'd
like to be boy again-a boy has so
much fun!-his life Is just round Of
mirth from rise to set Of sun. l guess
there is nothing pleasanter than clos
ing stable doors and herding hens and
chasing bees and doing evening chores. !"
New York Mail and Express.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
The Hardshell Preacher and Saddle.
bags Smith.

Whiskey does harm and good. In
the long ago the people Of Henry
County elected an old Hardshell Bap-
tist preacher for tax collector. He
preached the doctrine that whatever
was to be would be, if it never was,
and members If his Church must
speak the truth and pay their just
debts, money or no money. In those
days the collector went from house to
house collecting taxes. He had col
lected about 81, 900, and had it in a
large pair Of saddlebags thrown over
the back Of his saddle, and was riding
leisurely along, thinking Of the next
Sundays sermon.
All at once he missed his saddle
bags. He retraced his steps for miles,
but no trace Of his saddlebags could
be found. His friends and neighbors
all turned out to help the old man look
for the lost money. But not a trace
could ever be found. His property
and that of his bondsmen was all sold
to make the loss good. His friends
expressed great sympathy for the old
man. Among the number was one
named Smith, who was more sympa-
thetic than all others, bidding on the
property as it was sold to the highest
bidder. Years passed by, and the loss
had been made good and the matter
had been forgotten.
Smith was farmer. and was con-
sidered honest, sober and a man Of
good habits.
But he accidently got gloriously
drunk one day in McDonough, going
around shaking hands with his friends.
He came to the old Hardshell preacher
and got him by the hand, giving 1t a
hearty shake, saying:
Brother, Gunter, know where
your money is. 1t is every dollar in
your saddlebags up in my loft.
His statement was found to be true,
but his neighbors never ceased to rig
him about it and to call him Saddle
bag Smith.
The old Hardshell preacher consol-
ed himself by saying it was foreor-
dained that it was to be just that way
to prove that whiskey does good as
well as harm. For all the old Hard
shell Baptists love their morning
dram.-Atlanta Journal.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
1t Lost Him the Case.

aThe greatest jury orator I ever lis
tened to in my life was the late Daniel
w. Voorhees," said we'll known New
Orleans lawyer. "He had q jovial
presence, a great resonant oass voice
and a bearing 80 singularly compell-
ing that I know Of nothing except the
trite word magnetic that begins to de-
fine it's effect. I heard him in a naur-
der trial ut Louisville, and his speech
on that occasion was prefaced by a
most amusing incident. 1t was very
warm day, and the courtroom was
packed to suffocation.
"As Voorhees, arose to begin his ar
gument he cast his eye over the jury
and discovered that one Of the mem
bers had fallen asleep. Frowning with
Indignation, lie motioned to one of the
court officials, and in few seconds
the slumberer was shaken rudely into
consciousness. He was fat, timid
looking man and was so mortified and
aghast at the enormity Of his offense
that he could hardly find words in
which to reply to the sharp questions
of the Judge. Finally he managed to
blurt out that he couldn't help doz-
ing Off whenever it was warm and
crowded.
"Tf. the gentleman always sleeps
where it is warm and crowded. said
Voorhees, majestically, the gentleman
will no doubt enjoy himself hugely In
hades.' There was a roar Of laughter,
but the retort proved rather costly.
The fat man hung the jury against
Voorhees, client."-New Orleans Times
Democrat
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
THE SPOll.ER.

fAfter the manner Of Rudyard Kipling.]
woman there YVES, and she wrote for the press
CAS- you or might do).
She told how to cut and ft dress,
And how to stew IN ny sayory mess,
But she never had done it herself, guess
(Which none Of her readers knew.
OF, the hour we spent and the -four we SPENT
And the sugar we wasted like sand,
At the hest OF q woman who never had cooked
And did not understand!
goruan there was, and She wrote right fair
Gas You or I might do),
How out OF barrel to make a chair,
To be covered with cllintz and stuffed with hair.
'Twould adorn iny parlor ard give it an air.
(And We thought the tale was true).
Oh, the days we worked, and the ways we worked
To hammer and saw and hack,
In making chair in which no one would st,
A chair in which TO enc could possibly sit,
Without c-ick IN his back.
woman there WIS., and she had her fun
Better than You and u.
She wrote out receipts, and sue never tried one;
She wrote about children-of course she had none
She told us to do what she never had dons
(And never intended to try).
And it isn't to toll, and it isn't to spoil
That brims the cup Of disgrace
It'g to follow woman who didn't know beans
"a woman who never had cooked any beans),
But wrote and was paid to Eli space
Boston Congregationalist