davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-11-09
Written for The Prison Mirror.
Yorktown to Memo.

L noticed in last weeks issue an arti.
Gle entitled "The Deckaneers," the
author of which signs himself Memo -
'Tis mystery to me as to where he
secured that title, to say nothing of
authority. But perhaps it is another
case of $50 I've been told"
That a deck hand or foremast hand
should be dubbed deckaneer-perish
the thought! should as soon think
OF calling a duck turkey. However,
the title is a secondary consideration.
Memo would have us believe that a
deck hand is, if not next door to a hobo;
he would also have us believe that the
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-11-09
Written for The Prison Mirror.
The Other Side.

No where on earth can the student
of humanity afind material in such
quantity and confined to such small
territory as may be found in the tene-
ment districts of New York City.
Here may be found characters repre-
senting every strata of. civilization,
from the highly cultured and refined.
who have been overtaken by mans
most dreaded enemy, poverty, and
forced to a humblel life, to the ambi-
tionless brute who grovels lin the gut
ter; and representatives @of almost
every known tongue. all jumbled to-
gether in one confused mass, until it
seems almost a miracle that ones own
language is not entirely lost in the
jabbering babel.
1t is hardly within the bounds of
imagination to conceive the!sights pre-
sented to daily view in these contested
districts. The narrow ::ill-kept streets
are filled to overfiowing from the gray
of early dawn till.Iong linto the eve
sma" hours by trading, trafficing,
gestulating crowd of foreigners, en-
livened by the romp and shouts of
hundreds of childrenl who, having no
other place ofOrecreation, use the
streets for Fairgrounds.
The most thickly settled district in
New York City lies in the four blocks
beginning with Delaney St. and end
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
The Age of NIAGARA Falls.

The age of Niagara Falls, as indi-
Gated by the erosion at the mouth OF
the gorge, was the subject of paper
by Prof G. Frederick Wright, read at
the recent Boston meeting OF the Am
erican Association. The late DR..
James Hall early noted the signifi-
cant fact that "the outlet of the chasm
below Niagara Falls is scarcely wider
than elsewhere along its course" This
Is important evidence of the late date
OF its origin, and it has been used in
support of the short estimates which
have been made concerning the length
of time separating us from the glacial
period A close examination made by
Prof. Wright this summer greatly
strengthens the force of the argument.
since he found that the disintegrating
forces tending to enlarge the outlet
and give it V-shape are more rapid
than has been supposed. AS the re-
suit of his Investigations, he concludes
that a conservative estimate of the
rate of disintegration for the 70 feet
of Niagara shales supporting the Mag
ara limestone would be one inch n year
with a probable rate of two inches a
year. But at the lowest estimate no
more than $4,000 years would be re-
quired for the enlargement of the up
per part of mouth of the gorge 900
feet on each side, which is very large
ly in excess of the actual amount of
enlargement. Some of the recent es-
Inmates, therefore, which would make
the gorge from 10000 to 10000 years
old, are regarded as extravagant. Ac-
cording to Prof. Wright, the age of the
gorge cannot be much more than TO-
600 years, and is probably considerably
less
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
Two Viscaya Buttons.

A war correspondent returning from
the front brought as a souvenir to one
of his friends button found in the
captains cabin of the wrecked Viscaya
1t was black and ruined thing. the
royal arms of Spain hardly distin-
guishable through the crust Of cor
rosion which flame and flood had
spread upon it's once shining surface.
Impressive as relic OF Pompeii. 1t
spoke of ruin as fearful. The recipient
bore it about with him wherever he
went, proud to display it, this elo-
quent trophy of our splendid victory
the battle of July 3.
Calling one evening on n Spanish
girl of his acquaintance, he produced
it. Then the senorita looked at it for
moment, then rose and left the room.
Returning shortly she, too, displayed
a souvenir. bright and shining but
ton with the royal arms of Spain.
Capt. Eulate gave it me-" she said,
when the Viscaya was here for the
Grant monument celebration. New
York Commercial Advertiser.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05

The river of ice was moving between
great fields OF green grass, and beauti-
full flowers were blooming close to the
ledge of the ice. also noticed that
the small stream below the glacier had
increased to a raging torrent. After
moving many miles farther south 1
perceived that the glacier was rapidly
melting, and at last the ice above us
disappeared and we found ourselves on
the banks of swiftly flowing river.
For many centuries we remained on
that spot. Flowers and mighty oaks
sprang up about us. Ants and earth
worms made their homes beneath us.
With all our pleasant neighbors stSll
we were not happy. We could feel our
little colony growing smaller and
smaller as our brothers and sisters
crumbled away. Hold tightly as we
would, the frost would get between us
and force us apart. The wind and
rain, too, helped to destroy our little
colony. Finally we were all separated;
our bowlder crumbled away and l fell
to the ground. One spring the river
overflowed its banks and covered me
with several inches of fine black soil.
SeHluTy dllel century L lay
Sometimes / almost wept. i was so
lonesome. could see nothing and had
no one to talk to. Once a little root
came nosing along close to me. l
asked it to carry me to the surface, but
it could not, as it had to sink deeper
and deeper as the tree for which it
worked grew larger and larger. At an
other time an earthworm took me in
its mouth, anu as it wiggled forward l
felt sure that once more l would see
the green fields, but l passed through
its body and was left scarcely two
inches nearer the surface. At last an
ant came prowling about. He was very
kind, and taking me in his jaws carried
me up and placed me in the shadc OF
great oak tree. And there l have re-
mained ever since. But l fear l am
again doomed to pass some time in the
dark earth. AS the leaves and grass
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
Chinese Home Going.

One of the interesting features of the
life of the Chinese in America is their
annual custom Oh going back to spend
the holidays. Hardly a Chinaman who
is able to make the trip but Is now
packing up his belongings and prepar-
ing for the long journey across sea to
homeland. Each celestial, before be-
ing permitted to leave the country,
must get Identification papers from the
collector of the port in the district
where he resides. At the port he is
measured, his measurements and per-
sonal appearance being recorded on the
collectors books kept for the purpose.
Then the Chinaman is given a passport
to which is attached his photograph.
Each Chinaman leaving the country
temporarily must have interests in this
country valued at not less than $1,000
in order to entitle him to return.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
Remarkable Auction Bids


The Zola sale in France, at which a
little table was sold for more than $50
times It's value, recalls many instances
OF remarkable bids at auction sales.
Zola's table was worth ga 16s., but the
nrst bid for it was C ,2S0, and the auc-
tlon became probably unique in the
annals of sales by being closed after
single bid. 1t is not the first time
that table has been sold for such a
remarkable sum. Cicero's table was
put up to auction after his death, but
the highest bid was G75O. Another
historic article, for which an enormous
price was paid, was Cato's purple robe,
which Nero bought for e6,S0O. The
habit worn by Charles XII. at Pultowa
was sold for 6 $4,000, and a cup used by
Napoleon went for thirty-seven gum
cas-. The hat which Napoleon wore at
Eylau was keenly bid for at an auc-
ton by thirty-two persones, and it
was knocked down at Els.
Mr.. Quaritch, the famous bookseller,
recently advertised two of his rarest
volumes for sale for s1O,25O sum
which may seem ridiculous to most
readers. Mr.. Quaritch, however, once
bid 94,900 for a Latin Psalter, and
$4,000 for Mazarin Bible at an auc-
t1on sale. Five hundred and forty
guineas for snuff box suggests that
the bidder was verging on madness,
but snuff box from the emperor of
Brazils collection was once knocked
down at this price. Another, supposed
to have belonged tn Marie Antoinetfe
sold for 800 guineas, bids of fifty and
hundred guineas being quite COM
mon at snuff boxes. A vase in the
British museum was knocked down at
1000 guineas; and two violins-a
Stradivarius and Ruggari-were sold
at sale for 9760 and 1880 respective
ly. A violin bow by Tourte was sold for
s44. and the autograph of Sir Isaac
Newton once drew bid of G64 An
admirer of George ~. few years ago
bid ELS for walking stick which be-
longed to the king. A silver penny of
William the Conqueror's reign was
sold nine years ago for 932, and half
crown of the reign of Queen Elizabeth
went for G44. Lord Fitzhardinge once
bid 4,500 guineas for a calf at Lord
Dunmore's sale. The previous highest
price for bull was 1000 guineas. bid
at sale at Ketton. Lord Fitzhar-
dinge's bid was the highest ever paid
in England, but it has been beaten
Of course in America-an Englishman
having bid the unprecedented price OF
GS,120 for a bull at Utica twenty-five
years ago.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
Ten Little Servants.

Ten little servants Johnny has,
That know but to obey,
And to his slightest beck and call
They never answer nay,
And never argue or reply,
And vexing questions ask,
But with a good and hearty will
Do their appointed task!
OF different size and different strength,
Yet willing all and true.
And glad to give each other aid
In everything they do.
Five on his right, five on his left,
And each one has his pair.
Which matches him in size and form
Exactly to hair!
In every duty of the day
Each nobly bears his part
At school or home, no matter where,
In labor or in art,
And Johnny never speaks his wish
He only needs to think.
And straight those servants do his will
AS quick as you could wink.
And should these busy brothers work
A single deed of shame.
Not theirs the fault-you may be sure
That Johnny is to blame;
And SO are you in the same case
All children and all men
For who has fingers strong and well
can count his servants teni
Brace Baxter.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
The Mind nfa Child.

The mind of the average child OF to-
day is SO alert that it often almost
startles parents to know how extensive
Johnnie's or Lucy's information Is.
And Lucy and Johnnie are eagerly and
inquisitively anxious to know more, as
is evidenced by the questions they are
always asking.
MY boy of twelve knows more now
than l knew when l was eighteen
years old" said father, in my hearing.
one day recently. He car tell me
anything l want to know about history
or geography, and there is no limit to
his general information. Sometimes I
feel that he is more capable of teaching
me than l am of teaching him. And
his little tongue runs all of the time.
SO eager is he to impart information of
various kinds"
1t Is certainly true that the minds of
the children of this progressive age are
SO full of knowledge that many of them
are capable of teaching their parents a
good many things. There should not
be anything particularly humiliating in
this fact, and these little child teachers
should be allowed to freely impart
their knowledge. 1t is not wise to tell
them that they know too much,'' or
that they are too smart" They
should not be sneered at and wholly
repressed.
The old rule, that children should be
seen but not heard. does not obtain to
any marked degree in our day, which is
well enough, since it is not wise rule
when adhered to too rigidly.
The perceptions of children are
sometimes keener that the perceptions
of their parents, and many parents are
surprised to note how the keen eye dis
covers things the parent has not noted,
and how quick are the thoughts Of the
child. There are no wiser men and
women in the world than those who al
low themselves to ''become as little
children" and who delight in the eager
talk of their own children. The writer
once heard a well known American au-
thor say that he cared more for the
criticism of his work by his boy of
of the book reviewers. 1t is true that
the criticism of young people is often
singularly intelligent and just.
Every well-nurtured child is teacher
as we'll as learner, and parents can
make no greater mistake than to con-
stantly repress their children and make
them feel that they know nothing. A
snub often inflicts a wound which
leaves a scar.-Harper's Bazaar.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
The Chinese as Modern Soldiers.

Having succeeded in making good
soldiers of the Sikhs and Goorkhas of
India, the fellaheen of the Nile and
the negroes of the West Indies and
the Cape, Great Britain is going to
try her educational system on the
Chinese. A battalion of 1000 natives
OF Shantung are soon to be enrolled
under British officers at Wei-hai-wei.
In the length and breadth of China
there could be no more unpromising
material, for the Wei-hai-wei Chinese
are the ones that led the fiinching be-
fore the invading Japanese in the win
ter of 1S94-95; so, If the British officers
succeed with them, they may safely
count upon the soldierly qualities of
the race.
That such qualities exist was long
ago asserted by Gen. Gordon, and was
even recognized by Japan in the late
war. Gordon's "ever-victorious army"
as the corps with which he suppressed
the Tai-Ping rebellion was called, con-
tanned men of indubitable courage and
zeal So. indeed, did the hordes of
Tai-Ping. In the contest with Japan
the Chinese in the Far North held
their own gallantly, keeping Moukden
from capture by Marshal Yamagata's
army, while Admiral Ting's sailors
made drawn battle of the Yalu. For
eign observers. who saw them at their
best in 1S94-95, as well as during the
Tai-Ping war. concluded, as Mr.. Mach
ell of the British army recently put 1t.
that they are not at all a cowardly
people when properly paid and eff
ciently led; while the regularity and
order of their habits, which dispose
them to peace in ordinary times. give
place to daring bordering upon reck-
lessness in time of war. Their in
telligence and capacity for remember
ing facts make them we'll fitted for
use in modern warfare, as do also the
coolness and calmness of their disposi
tion. Physically they are not so strong
as Europeans. but considerably more
so than most of the other races of the
cast; and on cheap diet of rice, vege-
tables, salt fish and pork they can 90
through vast amount OF fatigue
whether in n temperate climate or n
tropical one, where Europeans are i'll
fitted for eXertion. Their wants are
few; they have no caste prejudlces, and
hardly any appetite for Intoxicating
liquors.
What prevented the Chinese from
doing well at Port Arthur. Talien-wan
and Wei-hai-wei are matters which
foreign organization and discipline
would remove. In the first place, the
Chinese government has never con-
sidered honesty or fitness as a sine qua
non in the appointment OF command
ing officers.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
The Buccaneers Bride.

A correspondent sends us this song
with the following note: 1T was very
popular thirty or forty years ago.
only hnow 1t from hearing my father sing
IT. The air is very beautiful. The last
TWO lines of each verse are repeated in
singing"
Away. away DER the boundless deep
We merrily, merrily roam.
Some, my bride. break the mermaid's 8
sleep,
With song of your Highland home.
On the deep they stand. my gallant band,
10 guide thee, love, over the sea.
10 spicy isles, where the bright sun
smiles
with her golden fruits for thee.
will make thee queen of brighter
scene
Where no chilly winds doth blight,
where the dark-eyed maid meath the
palm-tree shade
holds her joyous dance by night.
Dream on. dream on. my bonnie, bonnie
bride,
Think not of your Highland halls,
Ihere brothers shall watch for the buc-
cancers bride
Till the dew on the twilight falls.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05

missary depot in San Francisco, ana
their progenitor may be seen there any
day busted among the barrels and
boxes or doing lazily in some snug
corner.
1t is not generally known that the
government spends several thousand
dollars annually for the maintenance Of
cats, but the accounts Of the United
States depot commissaries prove it. In
every storehouse there are from one to
five of the animals, and their rations
are provided as carefully and regularly
as those of any of the gallant soldiers.
They are not fed on scraps, as are
those of the enlisted men. but they are
allotted so many pounds of choice beef
or any other delicacy their palates may
desire. or course, they may have as
much game as as they wish, and the
storehouses seldom fail to furnish an
unlimited supply of rats and mice.
That the cats save many times their
cost of support is well known, as such
supplies as crackers, cheese, bacon,
flour and meal are much sought after
by the rodents.
That the army cats in San Francisco
are well trained may be judged from
the fact that while New York quotes
cents per day per cat as the price of
cat meat, Col. Baldwin depot commits
stoner here, finds cents as low as he
can get the proper beef for the felincs
which protect his stores.
Some time ago a new attache of the
warehouse procured a terrier and in
stalled him in the territory of the Col
onel. which is the father of the animals
Maj. Gen. Merritt took with him. The
next morning the terrier was found be-
side two rats. badly scared, while
Colonel guarded five with pride that
spoke in the severe arch of his back
and his loud meouws. The terrier was
forthwith removed.
All men-of-war carry cats. Their
usefulness is never more apparent than
on shipboard. The writer was crossing
from Antwerp to New York on the
steamship Southwark when he was
awakened by the sudden stopping OF
the ship, an occurrence which, happen
ing in middle ocean, generally means
something serious. The passengers
rushed on deck half-clad, and were dis
gusted to learn that a rat, having
crawled into the cylinder, had caused
the halt. Such an event on man-os
war in time of action might be fear
fully paid for, and an active cat is the
only preventative of such possibility.
The Colonel has a host of admirers,
and in his many years in the army he
has become the pet of many officers
and clerks and the progenitor of many
other cats whose rafting qualities have
won them Washington
Times.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
Strange BrIdals.

The Chinese have an elaborate we'd
ding ceremonial. 1t begins with pres
ents and the reports of astrologers The
parents then correspond. The girls
father offers his ugly and ill-favored
child"-for such is Oriental etiquette.
The father of the boy, not to be out
done in politeness, describes his son as
"slothful. INDECENT. and weak of intel
lect." The brides procession fer
which even mandarin must make
way, goes to the bridegrooms house
and is carried over the threshold.
Japanese politeness is like the Chin
ese; female subsection is the same, but
tho national good humor makes 1t
more tolerable. There is beautiful
symbolism in the lighting of the
torches, when the brides and BRIDE
grGom's lights are permitted to
mingle.
The Persian wedding includes a
torchlight procession of the bridegroom
and his friends to the brides house.
where the groom and his companions
secure her and then return to the beat
ing of drums. An Arab wedding lasts
seven days. The husband sees his
wifes face after the ceremony is over.
1t is then proper for him to cry out in
delight at its loveiness, and then, as in
the Bible. "the friend of the BRIDE
groom, who standeth. and hearnth him.
rejoicing greatly because q the BRIDE
groom's voice"-the people outside the
tent raise an answering cry.
In Turkey the bride stands behind n
screen during q part Of the ceremony,
and is first seen at its conclusion. A
Moorish wedding is also seven days
affair. There is clever custom some
times followed in Persia. A crowd of
young men rush into the feasting
crowd, capture the guests and shut
them up In a dark room. They pay
ransom to get out and the money is
added to the brides dowry, n naive way
Of enriching the young couple.
Catching and capturing the bride
used to be a common item OF a mans
:ourtship, and one In which he took
Z masculine delight. 1t is still to be
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05

Once this soft turf, this rivulets sands,
Were trampled by hurrying crowd.
And fiery hearts and armed hands
Encountered in the battle-cloud.
An! never shall the land forget
How gushed the life blood of her
Gushed warm with hope and courage
yet,
Upon the soil they sought to save.
Now all is calm and fresh and still;
Alone the chirp of fitting bird,
And talk Of children on the hill,
And bell of wandering kline, are
heard.
No solemn host goes trailing by
The black-mouthed gun and stagger-
ing wain
Men start not at the battle-cry-
o be it never heard again!
Soon rested those who fought; but
thou
Who minglest In the harder strife
For truths which men receive not now,
Thy warfare only ends with life.
A friendless warfare! lingering long
Through weary day and weary year;
wild and many-weaponed throng
Hang on thy front and flank and
rear.
Yet nerve thy spirit to be proof,
And blench not at thy chosen lot;
The timid good may stand aloof
The sage may frown-yet faint thou
not.
Nor hee' the shaft too surely cast,
The foul and Kissing bolt of scorn;
For with thy side shall dwell, at last,
The victory of endurance born.
Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise
again
The eternal years of God are hers:
But Error. wounded, writhes in pain.
And dies among his worshipers.
Yea, though thou lie upon the dust,
When they who helped thee flee in
fear.
Die full of hope and manly trust,
Like those who fell in battle here!
Another hand thy sword shall WELD,
Another hand the standard wave,
TIL from the trumpets mouth is
pealed
The blast of triumph DER thy grave.
William Cullen Bryant.
Gilpin observer., 1899-01-05
E ~rigghng' ond vaggng his lille tail for joy!

Some of my brothers were separated
from us and lay on the bottom of the
gorge. but the river of icy water that
flowed beneath the glacier picked them
up, with many other grains of sand.
and carried them along. The glacier
moved very, very slowly. sometimes
not more than IA few inches in year.
Occasionally l got a glimpse of the
world through cracks in the ice as It
bent around hills. l could see the great
mass If ice was doing terrible damage
to the banks of the gorge. Vast rocks
and trees and thousands of tons OF
earth we're undermined and toppled
over upon the glacier and were carried
nlong. As the glacier moved forward
these stones and earth formed bands
along the sides, and / learned after
ward that these bands were called
moraines.
Once we came to ledge OF rock with
an upward slope and was pushed up
almost to the surface. Then / discov-
area tbst the landscape was changing.