davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

A European ambassador was asked to give the secret of success in a diplo- matic career. He replied instantly, "A handsome and agreeable wife" He was himself a successful diplomatist, and his wife was a great favorite at court and in society. The social side of diplomatic life is more important in England than in any continental coun- try. This is because the leading men, responsible for the government of the empire, are constantly visiting at coun- try houses. An ambassador Is expect ed to meet them on their own ground, and to adapt himself to their social re quirements. He should be a welcome guest at the country houses where they are entertained. The ambassadors g wife becomes an important ally when she is a favorite In social circles. She sits at state dinner between two cabi- net ministers or foreign ambassadors, and before the ladies leave their places comments have been made or facts stated in her hearing or in reply to her own thoughtful suggestions, that may prove of political value. If she is a winsome, attractive figure in the draw ing room, and is a favorite with the country house guests, her prestige and popularity increase her husbands facil- ities for serving the interests of his own government. At court receptions and balls. where all the state d.gnita- ries and diplomats are present, the wives of the ambassadors are on even terms; but there are few of these cere, moniOus functions. In a capital like London there is gayety in the town houses during a short season, and the country houses are social centers for nine months. It is in these splendid mansions of the dukes and the earls that friendships are made, and where the men who are governing England are closely approached. Here the cap tivating wOman-charming in person and manner, somewhat familiar with statecraft, and adroit in political con troversy-is virtually the peer of the ex- perienced and dexterous diplomat.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Kidnaper Barrow, or whatever his name may be, seems to be a genial sort of a fellow, with an eye to business that contemplates both the wholesale and retail departments of his profession. We read that it was one of his cherish ed schemes to abduct child and then, in the event of refusal to furnish ran som money, ito mail portion of an ear or the joint of finger, with a commu- nication something like this: We will continue to return him to you in small quantities, If you so desire, but should you desire to secure him by wholesale we will be ready to negotiate trade for $10,000.'" We learn, furthermore, that at one time Mir Barrow laid bold plans for the abduction of Grover Cleveland, and we have found our selves pleasantly speculating on the ar duousneSs and length of the task in- vOlved in supplying Mir. Cleveland to his bereaved family and friends in sec tions. However, this contingency is now successfully evaded and MT. Bar row is where his studies in dissection will be suspended. It Is to be hoped that the amiable gentleman will be fOrcibly impressed with the terrors of the law. This is one of the times when the kind of justice popular in the South could be resorted to without any over low of public tears.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
5es Million Miles of Ribbon.

Nearly O,O00.000,O0O yards of rib. bon of all shades and colOrs are con- sumed by the fair sex in general of the continent of Europe every year. Of this huge amount France alone takes one third, it being a well-established fact that French women are particularly prone to anything of a showy color. Britain comes next, but a long way behind, with 3O,OOO,OOO yards, and the rest Is divided principally between Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium, and the smaller principalities. Blue and the lighter pinks and scarlet are the favorite shades.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
TiMIDITY OF CHILDREN.
To Shield a Child from Fears Is a
 Sacred Trust.

Sacred Trust.
 "The first natural duty of a mother Is to protect her young; to create around it a shelter, in the midst of which the tender thing can grow, se- cure from shocks and seeing and hear ing only what is good for it to hear and see. By learning the signs of fear In a young child, and knowing how to distinguish true fear from willfulness, they will be able to exert a soothing and protecting infu- ence at the right moment, and avert danger whose consequences are seri- ous almost beyond belief in the case of our highly organized, excitable, mod ern children.
 Tt Is the mother, rather than the father. who Is called upon to secure the blessing of sound imagination to her children. She ought to begin away back in the beginning-with the very first surroundings of the newborn in- fant. Let 1t find its early life peaceful, quiet and unhurried. And when in- fancy merges into that older period when young faculties are springing forward in rapid development, and each day the little one takes on more of the hue of it's larger fellow-creatures, let her be doubly careful that no un- timely scare stunts its intelligence. It Is said that to be afraid of shadows Is an inevitable passing experience Of childhood. Yet know one small tod dler who never has shown any such disposition, but whose great delight is to play with her own shadow and other shadows, when the lights are brought In each night. She is a peculiarly sen- sitive, sympathetic little thing, and could easily be made timid by unwise treatment. But, under the sheltering care of fond and judicious parents, she is remarkable for not knowing what 1t Is to be afraid;' and although she Is given to unpleasant dreams, as many young children are, and often awaken ed with a start, a low word or touch soothes her into serenity. Happy above others Is the little child who thinks of his mother as a veritable refuge from trouble, bulwark against danger and a sympathizlng presence. ."-Woman' n's Home Companion.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
Conver.ation witbout word..

The traveller in a foreign land is not necessarily helpless because he does not know the language. Nor was a core spondent who admits that when he en- tered Italy his nine words of French and 15 words of German were of no great use to him. He says: ' In Genoa 1 went into photogra- pher's shop and selected q dozen photo graphs.
 pointed at the photog-aps and look ed at him inquiringly, which meant ''How much f'
 He nodded his head and wrote "14" on slip of paper.
 I nodded. signifying 'I will take them.
 He walked over to calendar hang ing on the wall and pointed to 29. Then he walked back and picked up the photo graphs and shook his head, which clear ly meant that he could not allow me to take the ones had selected, but would have the others printed by the 29th.
 Thereupon pointed to 25 on the cal endar and said "Roma, which meant that I should depart for Rome on that date.
 He nodded and then pointed to 80 and asked ''Eh 2" which meant, 'Shall you be in Rome until the 30thH'
 nodded violently.
 'HotelH" he asked.
 wrote my Rome address on slip of paper.
 In making change he held out ira.
 'Poste," Unexplained.
 Then departed. Ordinarily shop per selecting a dozen photographs to be printed to order and forwarded to him at the next town would spend ten min utes or more in making inquiries and giving directions. Our total conversa- tion was just five ords.-Chicago Rec ord
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

It is stated that Gilbert Parker's story, "The Battle of the Strong" is in Its thirty-ffth thousand.
 Max Beerbohm is finishing a novel in the same manner as his Happy Hypo- crite." It will probably be called "Zu- leika Hobson."
 A prominent publisher says that more copies of Ik MarveIs "Reveries of Bachelor" are sold in America than of any other book except the Bible.
 The "Senora's Granddaughters" Is story of modern Mexico. by Jane Prich- ard Duggan; and 1t contains much in' formation and handsome illustrations
 Jennie NJ. Drinkwater has issued a book called "Shar Burbank: Her Love Story" The heroine's peculiar name Is, doubtless a modification of Char lotte.
 Love Among the Lions" is a new book by F. Anstey, containing many appropriate illustrations, and abound Ing in fresh, clean humor, like all the authors stories.
 An elaborately illustrated biography of Oliver Cromwell, similar in scope to the lives of Mary Stuart, Queen Eliza beth, Queen Victoria and Charles l., already issued, is in preparation and will be published by the Scribners. Samuel Rawson Gardiner has been se- lected as the man best qualified to write the work, which will include much new material.
 Hall Caine strikes quite heroic atti- tude when confronted by the personal paragraphist. He values attacks, how ever silly and however much inspired by paltry feelings, as a recognition of the fact that am factor worth count Ing with and an adversary worth fight Ing" Mir. Hall Caine goes on to say that "when the most false, the most mean and the most belittling of the kind has ceased to appear shall knoys that 1 am no longer of the least ac- count"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

around to o'clock without an explo- sion.
 The cages were ready for us to get up to the top of the shaft, and most of the men had gone.
 ''You go now," says I to the dwarf.
 "NO," he answers; "I'm going to stay a little overtime tonight. You all go on and send the cage down again for me. And look here, give this to your sister Hetty-will you?-and tell her to open it."
 He put bundle into my hand tied up in handkerchief. took 1t gingerly enough, for with such suspicious in my mind l half expected 1t might go off in my face somehow.
 What are you afraid of?" he asks, sharp.
 Nothing" says as sharp.
 And we touched the signal rope, and up went Jim and me, and the dwarf stood underneath and turned his face up, watching us out of sight.
 Well, I felt more comfortable when we put our feet on firm ground on top of the shaft, and had sent the cage down again for him.
 "Wonder what's in that bundle Y' says Jim.
 Maybe Hetty will tell you some time," replied, little thinking how it concerned him.
 1 took 1t home and called Hetty to open it. Our cottage wasn't far from the pits, and it couldn't have been above ten minutes since. the dwarf had put it into my hand.
 She undid the knot, and there-if you would believe it-Were the title deeds of his cottage and $6O tied up in a bit of canvas and the scrap of paper had seen him Scribble under the truck. There were these words on 1t:
 What is here is for you. Ugly and miserable 1 am. wicked I am not. I said you shouldn't marry him while was alive, and I shall keep my word. Think kindly of dwarf if you can. God made me as we'll as him."
 We hadn't got to the end of the poor, dirty little letter when we heard a sound that made our hearts stand still "a long, dull roaring, shaking the floor we stood on, as if it was thunder under our feet.
 'An explosion in the minev' says Hetty, with face as white as chalk.
 It was no use trying to dig him out. He knew when he opened his davJ lamp-and he must have opened it that human help could never reach him there.
 She cried about 1t for a week, and said she should never be happy again. But think she is happy now, for she married come the Easter after They live in Matty's cottage still. and the garden is all abIOom with fowers.- London Evening News.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
Muscular Power. of a Beetle.

The following anecdote of a three horned beetle will give some idea of it's vast strength of body. A beetle was brought in. and, there being no box at hand in which to put it, it was clapped under a quart bottle of milk, which happened to be upon the table, the hol- low at the bottom of the bottle allowing the insect to stand upright.
 Presently the bottle began to move slowly and glide along the smooth ta- bIe, propelled by the muscular power of the imprisoned beetle, and continued its travels for some time. to the aston ishment of all who witnessed it. The weight of the bottle and it's contents could not have been less than three pounds and a half, while that of the beetle was about half an ounce. So that it readily moved a weight 112 times greater than its own.
 4 better notion than figures can con- vey will be obtained of this feat by sup posing q lad of 15 to be imprisoned under a great bell weighing 12,OOO pounds and to move it to and fro upon a smooth pavement by pushing it from within.-New York Sun.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
A Novel Exclamation.

A Georgia revenue man had a novel experience recently with moonshiner in suspected district
 Early one morning he discovered an old man standing near a grave in the mountain region.
 But the trouble about this grave was that the revenue man had observed smoke issuing from the place where the headstone should have been.
 He surprised the old man, who i'm mediately feigned great sorrow, ex- plaining his presence there by the statement that his brother was buried there.
 At the mention of his brother he feigned great grief, and said he never would get over it-it wuz sich a hard dispensation of Providence"
 But isn't 1t peculiar" said the reye- nue man, ''that I see a stovepipe at the head of his grave, and smoke issu- ing therefromg''
 Stranger" replied the weeping moonshiner, "he died in his sins, an hits my opinion they're a-roastin' of him down beloww
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
A GREAT WRESTLER.
His Encounter With the Cxar and
 His IgnObIe Reward.

His IgnObIe Reward.
 One of the stories of Peter the Great which are current at the court of St. Petersburg is of the great ezar's wres- ting match with a young dragOon- Once in the imperial palaee-so the story goes-Peter was at table with a great many princes and noblemen, and soldiers were posted within the hall. The czar was in joyous mood. and, rising, called out to the company: Listen, princes and boyars! Is there among you one who will wrestle with the cZar?" There was no reply, and the czar repeated the challenge.
 No prince or nObleman dared to wrestle with his sovereign. But all at once a young dragoon stepped out from the ranks of the soldiers on guard. ''Listen, Orthodox czar," he said 'I will wrestle with thee" "Well, young dragoon," said Peter, T will wrestle with thee, but on these conditions: If thou throwest ne, will pardon thee; but, if thou art thrown. thou shalt be beheaded. Wilt thou wrestle on those cOnditionS%
 ''I will, great czar," said the soldier. They closed, and presently the soldier with his left arm threw the cZar and with his right he prevented him from falling to the ground. The sovereign was clearly beaten. The cZar offered the soldier whatever reward he should claim, and he ignobly claimed the privilege of drinking free. as long as he lived, in all the inns belonging to the crown. What became of him his tory does not say.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
An Effective Retort.

The late Rev. Patrick Watson. vicar of Earlsfeid. a great authority on the Holy Land. was stickler for accuracy. An amusing passage of arms once took place between him and the archbishop of Canterbury. A committee report was under consideration. and MT. Wat son objected to the heading Removal of Premises" n-the ground that the things inside the premises were removed and not the building.
 Dr. Temple replied. ''I suspect you often tell your wife the kettle boils. but it doesn t.
 The meeting roared with laughter and passed on to the next business. -
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
Eccentric Tides.

Owing to the effects of shore-lines and other influences which are more or less obscure, it is very difficult to ac- count for the peculiarities exhibited by tidal waves in various parts of the world. Interfering waves cause once a-day tides at Tahiti, and in some oth- CT places, while on the other hand, in the harbors back of the Isle of Wight, and in the Fay in Scotland, there are three tides a day. The latter have re- gently been ascribed to "overtides," produced by the modification of tidal waves running ashore and resembling the "overtones" of musical sounds,
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
An Australian Rocking Stone

Can you picture to yourself an i'm mense powder, some twenty feet in diameter, which rests upon the ground in such a way that the slightest push from a person will cause 1t to move? Such a rocking stone is to be seen, among other remarkable rocks, on Mount Kingura, near Kingower, a min ing township 40 miles or so northwest of Melbourne. Resting only on a few feet of its surface, the huge powder is SO exactly poised that it can readily acquire a see saw motion.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

A glaring defect of our language is the use of words which sound alike but have totally different meanings. For example, take through and threw; wright, right, rite; eye, l, aye; nose noes, knows. How a foreigner man. ages to learn a language full of words sounding alike but having no other re- lationship Is one of the incomprehen- sible things, and 1t is creditable to the intelligence and patriotism of immi- grants that most of them get speak Ing acquaintance with English in a few years, many of them in few months.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
The Telescope.

The principle of the telescope was de scribed by Roger Bacon in 1259, and in 1537 Leonard Digges arranged lenses so that he could see very distant ob- iects. In 1908 telescopes were con- structed by Lipperhey and Jensen. A description of these enabled Calico, in the following year, to construct an i'm proved instrument, with which, in 1610, he discovered Jupiter's satellites.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Some interesting statistics have just been received from the Province of Quebec concerning the birth rate among the French-Canadians who in habit that part of the dominion. In France great alarm has for several years existed. owing to the rapidly de creasing birth rate. and 1t has been predicted that it is only a question of t'me when the republic will be depopu- lated if the present state of affairs con- tinues. But the French people In Que tee are not likely to let their race die
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
odd Name. of Maryland Farms.

odd Names of Maryland Farms.
 The curious names given to tracts of land by the owners in olden times are illustrated in a conveyance encounter ed by a clerk in the record office re gently while engaged in recognizing the indexes. The deed in question is recorded in Liber w. o., No. 60, folio 57. 1t was executed in 119O and con veyed from Joshua Stevenson to Rich ard Gettings five tracts of land in Bal timore county, the consideration being f2OO. The name of each tract and it's dimensions are as follows: My Sweet Girl, My Friend and Pitcher, 62 acres; Here Is Life Without Care and Love Without Fear, 41H acres; The Unex- pected Discovery, 262 acres; Hug Me Snug, 15 acres, and Stevenson's Cow Pasture, With Little am Content, 22 acres.-Baltimore Sun.
 Ds.s N1ghr.
 The architect and his friend the builder were driving back to the for mer's office They had been out to the edge of the city to look at some work on which they were engaged As they drove by certain house the builder looked up at it proudly. saying: ''There is house that 1 built myself. l not only built it. but I drew all the plans Every bit of work in it is mine. The architect looked at the house and smiled in provoking way.
 The builder noticed the smile and looked at the house in a new light. "How hard worked on thatl" he said ''In the daytime had to do something else, but every night l would sit up late drawing on those plans drew on 'em every night for a month.
 The architect looked at the house again and smiled once more. and the builder saw him.
 Again he turned his eyes toward the product of his brain, twisted his neck to squint at it after the carriage had passed it. Then he looked at the archi- tect with humility. ''It looks as if those plans were drawn at night. doesn't it 2" he said, and there was pathos In his voice Worcester Gazette.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

BOSOM CHECK. lyarrangementOf wear ing apparel. A simple means of hold ing the bosom in check has been thought out by Robert Cluett, of Troy, N. Y., and he has been recently award ed a patent on the same. It consists of a pair of tabs fastened to each side of the bosom, which are designed to fit loosely around the suspenders, being held either by a button or collar but ton. As there is a plurality of button holes the tabs can be readily adjusted to suit any figure. This tab arrange ment successfully performs the mission of the single tab sometimes put on the bottom of the bosom, which latter, however. was always regarded as the personidcatiOn of uselessness
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Why should not the penalty for kid naping be made Imprisonment for life? Is there a more detestable crime in the calendar? For nearly every other crime, including murder, it is possible to conceive of some action on the vic tim's part which while not excusing might mitigate the offense. But not so in Kidnapping. The child is incapable of having done an injury to his kid
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

The Filipino company admitted to this country under the immigration laws is restricted to acting. Such re- striction placed upon some of the Amer lean companies touring the country would force them out of business. It would be beyond their ability to live up to the requirements.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

The intensity of feeling manifested in every quarter over the stealing of a 2-year-old baby in New York showed how strong is the reproduction of this particularly heinOus crime. No pun ishment seems too severe for the brutes who will thus expose a father and mother to needless suffering, and the very rarity of the crime and the de termination with which the offender is always pursued go to prove its hein- OusneSs
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

The practical joker who said En- peror William would be assassinated if he went to Egypt has been sentenced to seven years Imprisonment. Ger many may be behind the times in a great many things, but she can give the world several pointers on what to do with practical jokers.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

The Pittsburg Telegraph is shocked because Hattie Hughes Cannon, fourth wife of Angus Nj. Cannon, refers com placently to tour husband" The Tele- graph should interview woman who can speak calmly of "my husbands" and compare characteristics.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Dewey says the only trouble with Hobson Is that he takes life too serious Iy. He takes kissing lightly enough. Just the same, the country will take all the Hobsons 1t can get and take 'em gladly.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12
A Suro CuPe

Anxious Parent-Doctor, my daugh- ter appears to be going blind, and she is about to be married.
 Docter-Let her go right on with the wedding: if anything can open her eyes marriage will.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

sometimes, as if mak-
 ing an effort to crowd its breadth between the collars of the wear CTS vest. This is not only uncomfortable, but imparts a decided appearance of careless ness to what would be otherwise a very order
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Mark Twain has announced his inten- ton of leaving book of personal rec ollections behind him which is not to be published until one hundred years after his death. Perhaps he can make this arrangement secure and binding on posterity; and then, again, perhaps the curiosity aroused by the statement will so enhance the price of the books that his heirs may profit largely by the premature disposal of 1t.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Mrs. O'Leary's COW was responsible for the Chicago fire, and a drunken woman upset a lamp and set ire to Dawson City. The gentler sex isn't al- ways to be commended.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

A perfumery trust with capitaliza- ton of s2O,OoO,OOO Is being formed in New York. What a lot of watering some of this stock will stand!
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

Some of the larger journals are dis cusslng brain flag. Most of them are reticent on brain fog.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-08-12

That a company has been formed to manufacture airships would show these various failures have not taken the wind out of their sails.