davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
LOOKING GLASSES.
Backs of Most Modern Mirrors Are
 Covered with Silver.

Backs of Most Modern Mirrors Are
 Covered with Silver.
 "How is looking glass made" was the question recently put by a writer for the Washington Star to a large manufacturer of mirrors in New York.
 Well" replied the manufacturer, most of the glass used in this trade is prepared for us at mOlding factory, and we merely cut, bevel and silver it in our works. All the bevels are cut in the same way, first with sand and water, then on an emery wheel and afterward put through several process eS to bring back the polish.
 Great improvements have been made in this line of business in the last six teen years. Formerly it took two or three days from the time work was be- gun on mirror before 1t could be fin ished. Nowadays we can get the glass in the morning and make it into look ing-glass perfectly finished and ready for sale before night. We make all sizes, from the smallest hand-glass of ? by inches, to a mirror 10 by 20 feet, or even larger, and we have a capac- ity of turning out 5000 feet a day.
 Not many years ago the backs of mirrors were coated with mercury; now sheets of pure silver are used in- stead. The old looking glass reflee+ 60 or 65 per cent. of the light that .en upon 1t; the modern mirror reflects nearly 95 per cent. The mercury look ing glass was very liable to rub off; heat and cold also affected 1t; the quicksilver would crack or melt, and thus the beauty of the glass would be spoiled. None of these dangers threat en the silvered mirror. Besides, mir TOTS, those engaged in this line of busi- ness cut a great deal of beveled glass for doors and windows. In fine build ings this is largely taking the place of stained glass"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

Scme changes have beer made In an old house in Philadelphia, IT. whica ev- cry American should have al interest. Beneath its roof the colonies threw off the yoke Of England, and declared themselves indepnndent States, and 1t
 was the bell Ill It's tower which rang out on that long age July day, and pro- claimed to the world the birth of new nation. h tie course of time the old edifice hss been greatly altered. Rooms. g steeple, e9en whole buildings have been added to IL Doors have been built up. and stairways torn down. For two years patriotic Philadelphians busied themselves with the task of It. storing the old house to its original con dltion. At first they depended wholly On tradition to guide them, but as the work went OF a picture of the original building drawn by an architect was found. d1G when the clustering was torn down, doorways and arches GOV cred up for more than century came to light. Some of the original doors and carved wood used in decoration  were found in obscure corners of the cellars. The whole building has thus been restored with zealoUs care to its first condition; an oblong colonial struc- turc simple and dignified in outline, 1anked OF either side by small wings. with which it is connected by oper arcades. The useless relics which had accumulated during a century have been swept away. The hall in which the Declaration was signed, stands as it did on that first Fourth of Jdly when that instrument was signed. There Is the table behind which John Hancock sat, and the very chairs which held the stern. grave men who signed away their title to property and life for their country. Every American should make a pilgrimage to the old house which has a prophetic meaning for all mankind.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
Every Animal Its own Doctor,

Animals get rid of their parasites by using dust, mud, clay, etc. Those suf- fering from fever drink water, and sometimes plunge into it. When a dog has lost it's appetite 1t eats that species of grass known as dogs grass, which acts as an emetic and purgative. Cats also eat grass. Sheep and cows, when i'll, seek out certain herbs. An animal suffering from chronic rheumatism al ways keeps, as far as possible, in the sun. The warrior ants have regularly organized ambulances. Latreille cut the antennae of the ant, and other ants came and covered the wounded part with a transparent fluid secreted in their mouths.
 If q chimpanzee is wounded, it stops the bleeding by placing its hands on the wound or dressing 1t with leaves and grass. When an animal has wounded leg or arm hanging on, 1t completes the amputatiOn by means of its teeth. A dog, on being stung on the muzzle by a viper, was observed to plunge its head repeatedly for several days into running water. This animal eventually recovered. A terrier hurt its right eye. It remained under counter, avoiding light and heat, although 1t habitually kept close to the fire. It adopted a general treatment of rest and abstinence from food. The local treat ment consisted in licking the upper sur face of the paw, which it applied to the wounded eye, again licking the paw when it became dry.-Saturday Even ing Post.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
How to Write to the Pone

A letter to the Pope is hedged around with more formality and difficulty than even a letter to the Autocrat of the Russias. If 1t Is to have the most slen- der chance of reaching his august hands, it must be written in Latin ou special paper made for this purpose in Fabriano. Then it must commence "Beatissime Pater:" and must be in closed In an envelope addressed in Latin to His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, reigning happily" If the letter be then handed to a diplomat accredited to the Papal court, or to a gentleman of the POpe's household, it may reach His Holiness. There is, however, one meth cd of insuring this object, and that is by addressing 1t to His Holiness the Pope, Prefect of the Holy Roman and General Inquisition." All letters thus addressed must be delivered into the Pope's hands under pain of excommu- nication.-Saturday Evening Post.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

From a recent article in the Engineer ing News it seems that the Panama canal is again on good basis, with fair prospects of the ultimate success of the gigantic enterprise. After the bursting of the Panama bubble and the conse- quent scandal in 1891 the cOmpany's affairs were put in the hands of liqui- dator and remained in his charge until four years ago, when the concession and assets were transferred to new company of French fnanciers, with a working capital of $13, 100000. No cash was paid for the assets of the old com pany, but stipulation was made in the conveyance providing that a certain part of the residuary profit of the canal should go to the holders of stock in the old company after charges on securities of the present company are provided for. The new company seems to have set about its work in a thoroughly prac- tical manner, its engineers ascertain ing the lift of the locks, the height of location, the control of the Chagres River and details of the great Culebra slide and how it best can be controlled. All of these engineering problems have been successfully met. and 1t is now definitely stated the work can be con- pleted in ten years at an expenditure of S100,000,000, as against S125,000,0O0 on that part of the canal already cut. So far no effort has'been made to inter- est any government or country in the work, but after the report of the en- gineering commission Is submitted, with statistics by NJ. Leroy Beaulieu and other eminent statisticians as to the probable traffic and earning power of this interoceanic waterway, a move ment will then probably be made to get some government to take over the en- terprise. If the estimates presented can be relied upon the remaining part of the canal will only cost about the sum said to be necessary for the con. struction of the Nicaragua route.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
BinhOp Buffalo Bill.

A rather good story is told about Bishop Doane and another member of the Episcopal house of bishops from the middle states, who is fond of joke, as many of the venerable gentlemen of the church are. Bishop Doane addresses his colleagues with whom he is on especial ly familiar terms by the name of their diocese instead of by their surnames, and in correspondence frequently makes use of his own and other titles, relates the Washington Times.
 It is related that on one occasion he wrote letter to the other bishop refer red to and in signing it used the term William of Albany" instead of his name. His correspondent promptly re- piled to the letter, and in his answer said:
 Ut is really too bad, bishop, that you are not of the western diocese of your state instead of Albany. If you were, you might very appropriately sign yourself Buffalo Bill. ."
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
When Ice Will Burn.

Most people are aware that a piece of
 ice roughly hewn into the shape of a double convex lens will, if placed in the drect sunshine, concentrate the rays of the sun to such an extent as to light an object placed at some distance behind it; but the fact is not generally known that it is able to produce materi- als for supporting the fire thus pro- duced. Ice taken from marshes, and other localities where vegetation or animal matter is undergoing decompo- sition, often contains bubbles of olefi- ant gas. Some of these cavities in the ice are of considerable dimensions, and if pierced the gas escapes with great force and may be lighted, burning for a few seconds with a bluish- white flame.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
SETTLED THE BORE.
An Abrupt Termination to a Restnu.
 rant Conversation.

An Abrupt Termination to a Restnu-
 rant Conversation.
 Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, when on his first visit to this country several years ago. was taking @ chop and 8 glass of ale in Washington restaurant one afternoon, and a man around town who is somewhat noted for his forward ness not to say his freshness, was din- ing in the same room, and he recognized the English parliamentarian. He walked over to Cham berlain's table, and, quite uninvited, took the opposite seat. With in the space of five minutes he was tell ing Chamberlain what third rate out fit he considered England to be. The mans talk, needless to say, was in very rank taste. Chamberlain adjusted his monocle firmly and looked at the ob- trusive chap anusedly.
 'Now, we'll take England in the matter of great men" said Chamber lain's uninvited table mate. ''Where does England cut in in the matter of great men nowadays, anyhow? England has got Gladstone, of course, but he was born about no years ago, and he's a back number. I'll just ask you. Mr. Chamberlain, a fair question, What really great man, what noted character, has England produced, say, within the past 50 years? Answer me that, sirl"
 "With pleasure, said Chamberlain, permitting his monocle to fall into his lap and taking his hat and cane from the rack. "Creat man, me. Noted char acter, Jack the Ripper. I bid you good afternoon. Washington Post.
 In one of Carlyle's private letters sold in London recently he says: "Oli- yer Cromwell had no squint, stare or deficiency of any kind in the eyes of him. One eye. probably the left-but am not sure-was considerably bigger than the other"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

According to Spanish authorities, the debt incurred OF account of troubles in Cuba up to 1895. when tie last insur- rection broke out, amounted to about $lG0,04O, ,1O0. and since then the expen- d:tdTes had been Increased by S450,- GGG, 900. NO;withst2 ndi2g t6aJ the Uni- ted States had declared that 1t would assume no responsibility for the great Cuban debJ, inc Spanish people believ- ed to the last that eventually this coun- try would share in the burden of this debt. To this large sum must be added nearly $30, 0,00c, ,o0G as the cost of the naval vessels ard equipment destroyed it Manila ard of Santiago. The losses OF vessels and stores captured by our blockading squadron and the losses of interrupted somnerce cannot be esti- mated. Above all. the war cost the Kingdom the loss Of it's sovereignty in the entire West Indies and possibly Of much :E the Pacific; destroyed it's inhu ence as q naval power; and reduced it's standing commercially and financially among the great nations of the world by many degrees.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
Wet and Damn.

The sudden application of wet sheet is a stimulus to which the system re- spends with 8 reaction which sets up brisk circulation, resulting in a healthy glow and general activity of the organs. In addition to this. it is probable that some of the evil "humors" of the body may be dissolved out through the pores of the skin.
 All this is healthy, provided the sys- tenn can withstand the shock and the heat is kept in by blankets nntside the sheet. In the case of damp sheets, how ever, there is no stimulus, and the body merely loses heat in absorbing the mois- ture.
 This loss contracts the surface vessels and drives an excess of blood back upon the inteenal organs. Added to this dis turbance of the blood circulation there is also congestion of the lubricating fluids of the surface muscles and joints, which produces stiffness and in serious cases rheumatism, complicated through the other causes with fever.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

An Austrian prince, commenting on the criticisms of socialists and an- arcnssts. said: My trade is royalty, and intend to work at it." The Prince of Wales works at that trade" and finds the work hard, unremitting and exhausting. During his visit to Ireland in 1868. he worked at his trade" and showed himself master workman, be- ing equal to every occasion, and never stuipd. There were presentations, re- captions, receiving and answering ad- dresses and processions. He had to walk, ride, drive, breakfast, lunch, dine, sup, review small armies, inspect col leges, libraries and cattle shows. He took part in balls, and selected for part ners the most important ladies. He listened to scores of speeches, and an swered them. He examined, with re- spectful interest. pictures. books. relics, bones, fossils and haywood; and he nev CT showed himself bored" But even the most exacting trades have their gleams of sunshine. While the Prince and Princess of Wales were on "eXhi- bltion" at Dublin, an Irish girl, mount ed on a horse, jumped over the barrier, dashed through the crowd, and galloped past the future king and queen, ex- claiming: Thank you. every one! I've seen them! Shall go home happy% The Prince. who has tact, smiled, raised his hat, and the Irish crowd, quick to take in the situation. cheered.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
Field and the Street Arabs.

McClure's Magazine relates the foi- lowing anecdote of Eugene Field, whose fondness for children was his dominant trait:
 Never was man more devoted to his wife. Nevertheless on the day that made her his he was guilty of keeping her waiting for him at the church. The bridal party had assembled and were rapidly becoming uneasy. At length, after an anxious delay, some one went out in search of the missing bridegroom.
 He was found on the street short distance away, down on his knees in the mud, absorbed in settling a dispute between two small street arabs, which had arisen over a game of marbles. Lis tening with eager interest to the testi- mony vociferated at either ear by the belligerent parties and their friends and trying to evolve a peace compromise ont of very lively quarrel, he was ab- ruptly reminded that just then he had something more important to attend to, and hastened penitently away to make his anxious bride Mrs Field.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
HANDICAPPED BY ABILITY.
A Man Is Refused a Job Because He
 Was Too Good for It.


 Was Too Good for It.
 Did you ever hear of a man being refused a job because he was too good for itT No one gave an affirmative answer, so the man who asked the question went on: Well, that is what happened to me few days ago. After l left the old firm 1 went into another office and told the head of the concern l was looking for an opening. He at once informed me there was a vacancy in his office and then added:
 "'But the position Is worth only a thousand a year and I don't suppose you would want it, and if you did wouldn't give it to you That knocked me cold and I wanted to know why I wasn't good enough for that kind of a job.
 That isn't it, he said, the trouble is you are too good for it. I figure that if man who is worth $3,OOO a year is willing to take a position at one-third of that, it is because he is hard up and he takes it as a makeshift. AS soon as DuSiucSS plChS u SO uc Cdu SSl HIS Iull value am going to lose him. Even if he is under contract he becomes dis satisfied and then there is no use trying to keep him.
 Tt was a new one on me, but 1 couldn't help seeing the good business sense in the old mans view of 1t. Aft erward 1 told friend about it and he said the same thing had occurred In his experience. He was trying once in hard times to get an SIS week job with a wholesale grocery house. His appearance and manner were all right, his reference satisfactory and every thing looked favorable until they learn ed that he had previously drawn a sal ary of $2,500 a year and then they wouldn't have him for the same reasons that were given me. Later on the First National Bank declined his services on the same grounds. It is good business, I say, but it seems tough that mans ability should be handicap"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

Some well-meaning Americans have recently become quite exercised over the fact that America has no Valhalla, that we have no building set aside in which can be perpetuated the names and glory of our grest men, says the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post. England has her Westminster Abbey, France her Pantheon and Germany her historic Valhalla, near Ratisbon; but America-what? In th:s one particular, at any rate, the American people have moved cautiously and slowly. In no one building have we gathered memo rialS of our great men; no single hall has been chosen as the burial place of our nations beloved and honored citi- zens. But ask the young American, ask the schoolboy or the newsboy to tell what he knows of Washington, Hancock, Lincoln, Grant, Sherman and the other great Americans. That boy can tell you more than any graven tab let, and fowery epitaph. The memo rials of Americas great men live in the hearts of the American people. Ameri- ca has, indeed, had long and an hon. Ored list of great men, and none of them has been forgotten. The Library
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
whr Girls Can,t Threw Straight.

The difference between a girls throw ing and boys is this: The boy crot ks his elbow, and reaches back with the upper part of his arm nearly at right angles with his body, and the forearm about at an angle of fOrty-five deg:ees. The direct act of throwing is accom- pliShed by bringing the arm back with a sort of snap, working every joint of the arm from shoulder to wrist. The girl throws with her whole arm rigid, the boy with his whole arm reIaxed. Why this marked and unmiStakable difference exists may be explained by the fact that the collar-bone in the fem mine anatomy is some inches longer, and set some inches lower down, than in the masculine frame. The long, crooked, awkward bone interferes with the full and free use of the arm. This is the reason why a girl cannot throw a stone; but she is his equal in many field-sports.-Saturday Evening Post.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

The tendency of the times-big fish eating little fish-is well Illustrated by the consolidation of eight Boston banks. It is only a question of time when the example Sat by Boston will be followed in other cities. The consOli- dation and absorption will doubtless go on, but when in the end all absorbabls is absorbed and the process of amalga- nation begins on the big concerns what an awful crash will come then! Thirty years ago a house in London, which had absorbed nearly everything outside the Bank of England, went to the wall, and derositors with Overend, Gurney & Go. lost over $50,000,O00.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
WAGNER'S METHOD.
When Possessed With a Poetic Idea,
 He Wrote 1t In Music.


 He Wrote It In Music.
 "In one of his writings Wagner tells us that he never felt any musical in- spiration unless a dramatic idea had taken complete possession of him, writes Houston Stewart Chamberlain on "How Richard Wagner Wrote His Operas, in The Ladies Home Journal. "When this was the case, the different persOnages would, one after another, obtrude upon his fancy, gaining grad ually in bodily consistency. Then, all of sudden. in the dusk of evening, one of these creatures of his fancy would rise up before him, gazing at him with eyes wide open. Fascinated and almost trembling, Wagner would remain with eyes fixed on those of his guest from dreamiand. But, To, the shadows lips tremble and open! What issues from them is neither words nor song. It is a superhuman language, but the poet un- derstands it, and it remains ringing in his ears when the apparition has van- ished. This is the precise moment of in- spiration. All that follows is more or less mechanical, more or less fortuitous. Whether a work be written out and completed sooner or later will depend upon all sorts of circumstances-time, health, etc.
 "This. then, is the essential thing to remember-that Wagner never could compose unless driven to do so by a poetical idea peremptorily demanding the language of music for its full and adequate expression, and that, once this poetical and dramatic idea clearly and permanently ingrafted in his mind, it 'included'-if may so say-the music, which came of itself whenever the au- thor could find time for the business of writing out the score."
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

A soldier needs other things besides a handful of hsrdtack and a gun. A clever woman who visited the Southern camps as a correspondent and then went to Santiago with the nurses, tells the ladies auxlllaries that some of these requisites are corn-salye, jack knives, court-plaster, plug tobacco, and socks without s=ams. It Is a hetero- geneous assortment, truly; but her sex having been engaged, all through the ages. in learning how to make men com fortable, one feels like taking the wom- ans word for 1t.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

The chronic rivalry between England and Russia is the most serious phase Of the foreign relations of the United Kingdom. Russia and England have gone s0 far in Asia that they can hardly avoid extending their already immense possessions and influence ir that conti- nent. Sooner or later the growth of their territory and trade rights must lead to a crisis compared with which the Fashoda dispute was as nothing.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
Waiting.

The ColOnel-Say, what have you got against our Congressman, anyway? l know he doesn't belong to your party, but really he doesn't deserve all the harsh things you say of him In your paper. I wonder if there will ever come time when you will be pleased to come out and say that he has done the right thing-when you will have a word of praise for him?
 Editor of the Weekly HidebOund-Oh, yes, I've got an article in type now, i'll which I praise him very highly; in which l say that he never did dis honest thing in his life and ought to be numbered among our greatest men. He'll die some day and then I'll print it."
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04
A Strong Combination.

"Your mother agrees with me exact ly, Johnny" said his father, proceed ing to trim the twigs from tough switch. "She thinks with me that you need good trounoing, and you are go- ing to get it, my son. '
 "Yes," bitterly exclaimed Johnny, 'you and maw always agrees when it comes to lickin me. You and maw's the whole thing. Idnn't never have no show. This fam ly's run by a trustP"- Chicago Tribune
The St. Johns herald., 1899-02-04

The frst external revelation of the "dry rot" in men is a tendency .o Turk and lounge, to be nt street-corner5 with out ineligible reason, 10. be going any where when met, to be about many places rather than any, to do nothing tangible, but to have an intention or performing a number of tangible duties tomorrow or the day after.