davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
stonewan Jackson at Chapultepec.

The infantry suffered terribly. It was impossible to advance along the narrow track; and when the guns were ordered up the situation was in no way better ed. Nearly every horse was killed or wounded. A deep ditch, cut across the road, hindered effective action, and the only position where reply to the enemy s fire was possible lay beyond this obsta- cle. Despite the losses of his command, Jackson managed to lift one gun across by hand, but his men became demoral- ized. They left their posts.
 The example of their lieutenant, walking up and down on the shot swept road and exclaiming calmly: "There is no danger, see? I amFnot hit, failed to inspire them with confidence. Many had already fallen. The infantry, with the exception of small escort, which held it's ground with difficulty, had dis. appeared, and General Worth, observ- ing Jackson's perilous situation, sent him orders to retire. He replied it was more dangerous to withdraw than to stand fast, and if they would give him 90 veterans he would rather attempt the capture of the breastwork. Hen derson's "Stonewall Jackson and the Civil War"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
FREAK LIGHTNING.
Went Through a House Without Find.
 ing the Family.

Ing the Family.
 During the severe storm Tuesday the home of c. H. Redlidge. in California Wicomico County, was struck by lightning. The bolt struck big locust tree In the yard, jumped from that to the peak of the house and burned or melted some nails in the wood From there it went down the attic window pOsf, which was splintered, wen; through the clustering in five small holes. It looked as though the holes were made by a gun. It set the lace curtains on fire and partly burned a feather bed. The bolt seemed to part here, part going out front and part going back The part going front dam aged the shutters, ripped off the plaster ing, followed some nails over the door head and melted the wire on a screen door, and went into the ground under the front steps. The part that went the back way doubled again before it en- tered the ground, one part taking one side, tearing out a window frame, fol- lowing a tin valley down a doorway. ripping off clustering and laths and then into the ground. The part that took the other side ran along a partl tion, ripping off laths and clustering down the back stairway and through a tin safe or cupboard. In this cupboard was glass spoon vase, with silver spoons in it. The spoons were blacken- ed and some of them were melted where they touched each other. In the same cupboard were knives and forks. These were melted and stuck where they came in contact with each other. From the cupboard 1t went through the corner of the house, tearing off the clustering and weather boarding and ripping open the corner posts. The family, strange to say, were not hurt in the least, nor did any one feel any shock.-Baltimore Sun
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
Antifiote for a Soldier.

They were at the first matinee after the return from the summer in different places. They were exchanging conf dences.
 What sort of a looking man is hep asked one.
 "Oh, tall and thin, handsome. smooth face"
 'Is he Swell?'
 Indeed, he is. He wears evening dress every night, whether he's going to party or not"
 Does he say bean or 'binT"
 Always says bean, and carries his handkerchief in his sleeve"
 How about his 'a's?"
 "Why, he uses broad ones, and heard that he took a cold bath every morning, whether the weather was hot or freezing"
 Really, and you know him well? You lucky girl! He must be a regular swell"
 And he wears his trousers turned up whatever the weather is''
 You lucky girl! Cant you bring h. m around to call on Sunday? I'd like Clara to see him. She's so stuck up about that soldier of hers who never got any nearer the fighting than Tampa. a."-ChicagO Inter Ocean.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
Marble Ponds of Persia.

That beautiful transparent stone call ed Tabriz marble, much used in the burial places of Persia and ip their grandest edifices, consists of tetrified water of ponds in certain parts of the country. This petrifaction nay be traced from it's. commencement to it's termination; in one part the water is clear, in a second 1t appears thicker and stagnant, in a third quite black, and in its last stage it is white like frost. When the operation Is complete a stone thrown on its surface makes no impression, and one may walk over 1t without wetting ones shoes. Toe sub stance thus produced Is brittle and transparent, and sometimes richly striped with red, green and copper col or. So much is this marble, which may be cut into large slabs, looked upon as luxury that none but the king, his sons and persons specially privileged are permitted to take it.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
Rats.

They appear to be turning snakes to good account in Brazil, for rats have become so abundant that a domestic snake, the giboya, which has about the circumference of the arm, is sold in the market-place in Rio Janeiro to be kept in the house as protection against TO- dents. It would seem that the serpent pursues its prey more for the pleasure there is in it than from sense of hun ger, since 1t is said 1t rarely eats the rats caught. Similar in its habits and attachments to the domestic cat of more northern attitudes, the. giboya will, 1t is said, find its way back to the house of its master. even if transport ed to a considerable distance.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
The Mote and the Beam.

When Lord Morris was chief justice of Ireland, a young junior barrister arose in his court one day to make his first motion and spoke in the hard brogue of the north of Ireland.
 "Sapel," said the judge in low voice to the registrar of the court, "who is this newcomer"
 "His name is Clements, my lord"
 "What part of the coonthry does he hail from in the name of all that s wun- dherful?" asked the judge.
 County Antrim, my lord," was the reply.
 "Well, wellP' said the judge. "Did you iver come across sich a froightful accint in the whole coorse of yer born loife?''
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
yaIue of n Good sneeze.

We all know from actual experience that a good sneeze is a wonderful loosen or of nasal bronchial mucus. Sir Dyce Duckworth comes forward in The Prac- titioner with the suggestion that the induction of sneezing be resorted to for the purpose of raising bronchial mucus. The idea is good one and worthy of being placed in practical operation. It has been explained how vomiting causes an expulsion of mucus or membrane from the respiratory passages, but sneezing appears to be quite efficient in doing this. Ordinary snuff or any of the many simple nasal irritants suffices and may be blown into the nose of even a child without any danger.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
Kingsley what my own hopes were. I

Kingsley, what my own hopes were. had loved you for year, although had made no confession. i could not believed that you cared for the CoSnr. or that you would sacrifice yourself for a title, even to please your father. Bnt the anxiety and suspense became so iu- tolerable that I resolved to end the un- certainty and learn my own fate. 0W- ing to your fathers espionage l was unable to find an opportunity to speaI; with you alone. So wrote that letter, confessing my love, begging the right to put an end to the rumOrs concerning you and the Count, telling you HOW anxiouslY I should wilt for an answer, and assuring you that if my offer were rejected I would leave Paris and Flu rope and never annoy you again" :, q never received the letter." she said, softly, without looking up.
 Never received it. Then how do you explain the answerT he demanded.
 'I wrote that note-yes; but not in answer to any communication from you. It was not intended for you. l do not know how 1t came into your pos session. You will see that the upper part of the sheet has been carefully cut off. On the detached part was the name of the person to whom It was ad- dressed"
 She raised her eyes, and he saw that there were tears in them, but before he could speak she asked: Did you send your letter to me by post or by messen- gerT
 "Why, sent 1t by Tomasso, the little Italian, whom I often employed in that way"
 And he brought you the answeri"
 Certainly" -.
 "Ah!I think understand 1t now" she said, her expression showing the light of sudden conviction. ''TOmasso, as we afterward learned, was in the pay of this Count, who employed him to spy on the movements of people whom he desired to keep under surveillance. It was he, am now sure, who intercepted your letter and sent back to you this note. His object was to get you out of the way. The note was originally ad- dressed to him-ln reply to his third proposal of marriage-and he cut off his own name and sent 1t to you"
 Camperton listened like one in a trance. Then he cried out sharply: Do you mean to say you are not en- gagged to the COuntT'
 Engaged! Why, hate him! He is a wicked, designing man. Papa himself is convinced of that now. It was on his account-to get rid of his persistent attentions that prevailed upon papa to take me home before we had finished our travels. O, Jack-Mr. CampertOn! how could you believe such a thing of me?"
 Ten minutes later, when they were released from their Imprisonment in the elevator, they parted with the un- derstanding that they were. to meet in the Kingsleys' parlor within an hour. And there was vacant seat at the club dinner that night.-WOman' Home Companion.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
German Thrift.

An American in Munich writes to 8 New York paper concerning German thrift with examples of petty econ omies he has seen in Germany. and that strike Americans as extraordin- ary. He tells of stout German gentle man who came into the lobby of one of the picture galleries of Munich one day last summer puffing a cigar. After depositing his hat and umbrella, he looked around uneasily. Big signs on the entrance doors to the gallery warn ed him that no smoking was allowed. Finally his face lighted up as he strode over to one corner and deposited his half-f1nished> cigar in a sort of metal rack fastened to the wall. "SO! he exclaimed with a sigh of relief, and marched in to see the pictures. Almost at the same moment, another German, having "done" the pictures, approach ed the rack In question, and, having scrutinized its contents, selected stump of cigar as his particular prop erty, and proceeded 60 light 1t before getting on his hat and coat. This pro- vision for saving the stumps of cigars was a novelty to the American, and he examined It with some curiosity. A sign, "Cigarre Ablade." placed above if in large letters, announced its pur- pose-a "leaving place" or 'depositing place" for cigars. The rack was of met al. and fashioned something like a ,,iDIotura vire-racE: there was SDe- cIaI groove for each cigar, but no par ticular mark or number by which one could identify one stump from another, and no particular reason why the first conner should not help himself to the best and biggest cigar of the lot. These cigar repositories are common all over Germany in galleries, museums, and other places where smoking is not al- lowed.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP co.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal LOUISVILLE. Ky. NEW YORK. N. r.
SHOPPING IN ITALY.
OutIandish Methods That Make It c
 Most TiresOme Task.

Most I1resOme Task.
 A source of trial is what appears to us the outlandish method of having things that apparently belong together sold in different establishments. Silks are found in one shop, woolens in an other and ribbons in third. At none of these can one buy needles and thread. If woman wishes to hang a pair of curtains. she purchases the materials at one shop, the rod and rings at differ. ent place, the iron fixtures at a third and has to go to fourth to find an up holsterer to put them up. She must visit tobacco shop for salt and cannot find, as with us, vegetables, fruit or bread at a grocer's. It may thus readily be seen that one must travel good deal to do her marketing or shopping.
 Add to all this the confusion incident to the fact that the standards of measure and weight are different from ours, 8 meter exceeding a yard and pound containing but 12 ounces, and faint idea may be formed of the mental com plicatiOns of the traveller.
 There is also a certain amount of beating down to be done i'll nearly every shop, and even after half an hours bar gaining the purchaser cherishes awful doubts lest she might not have bought the thing cheaper. Shopping is really almost equal to the contemplation of faded frescoes for lowering the mental tone, and it is hard to say which has the more to answer for in the exhausted state in which most travellers leave Italy.-Harper Bazaar.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
ThR SPaIInn.

The scallop accomplishes locomotion by series of leaps. When 1t is alarmed, or wishes to change its location, it opens and energetically closes its valves, thus expelling the water. The reaction shoots it backward. By this means the creature is able to travel long distances. Sometimes scallops make considerable journeys in large con- panies. One can scarcely imagine a lovelier sight than that of a flock of these pretty creatures, with shell of ev- cry hue, from purple and white to black, enlivened with shades of pink, yellow and fawn, darting about in clear water In their flightlike movements. vertical, horizontal and zigzag, they are more suggestive of flock of winged
 than of bivalve mollusks.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
What American Simplicity Means

what AmerlCan SlHipllC1ty MeanS.
 Baron Pierre de Coubertin writes an article for the Century on Building Up a Worlds Fair in France" Baron Cou- berth says: Not long ago I read in a French newspaper that the Emperor William, while studying In detail the conduct of the SpanishAmerican war, had been particularly impressed by the excellence of the citizen soldiery of the United States and by the efficient aid which they rendered the regular troops. This, however, was no surprise to me, for I have long been of the opinion that, even in the art of war, the thousand and one complications with which the old world Is saddled are in no wise in- dispensable, and that, although 1t may not be possible to improvise soldiers, there should be little difficulty in mak- ing good soldiers out of free citizens. In short, we see that though Europe, through all phases of national exist ence, has remained complicated, Amer ica has retained its original simplicity, which, indeed, is the chief characteris- tic of transatlantic civilization, and gives 1t just that elasticity. that possi- bility of progress, that rapidity of real ization, which makes if civilization superior in many points to ours
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
A Preference.

Once in a great while Mir. Blynkins | develops an impression that he is wiser than his wife. This state of mind is only occasional, owing to the com pleteness of demonstrations to the con- trary which almost Invariably follow 1t. The baby had been crying. All her efforts to sooth It had been in vain, and finally MT. Blynkins laid down the book whose reading he had interrupted two or three times a page to cast blameful glances, and said:
 Julia, are you aware we pay rent for only a portion of this building? Does it occur to you that while we have right to fill this flat as full of noise as we choose, we are not morally justified in causing noise to overflow and pervade the entire structure?"
 Its the baby that's crying" she suggested.
 You are not adopting the method likeliest to quiet the child. You have been humming to it, but what the child needs Is music. Give him to me and I'll show you what l mean"
 He took the child and proceeded to chant a lullaby. The little one stopped crying and stared at him.
 There" said Mir. Blynkins, as he reached the end of verse; what he wanted was music, real music. He wasn't to be fooled with any make believing humming. Of course, the fact that l used to sing in a glee club and had my voice cultivated may make a difference, too"
 He had not gotten very far into the next stanZa when there came ring at the bell.
 He gave the baby to his wife while he opened the door. A girl of fourteen or fifteen said:
 Were the people who have just moved into the fat above. There's sick lady with us, and she says If it's all the same to you, would you mind letting the baby cry instead of singing tO itP"
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
A Uniaus Collection.

A Philadelphia man owns a most unique assortment of pieces of plotting paper, collected by his father, who was long an official of the White House, each of which bears, reversed, the sig nature of a president from General Har- rison, who died month after his eleo- tion in 1841, to Garfield. On one sheet. the most highly prized of the lot, the last official letter signed by President Lincoln was plotted before he was as- sassinated by Booth.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
-=
QUITE UP TO DATE.
An illustration of the ArtfuIness of
 the Modern Girl.

the Modern Girl.
 1.-The artfulness of the modern girl, !" remarked woman who was girl years ago, "passeth understanding. I have, for example, young kinswoman of IS, whose mother, knowing that my hus- band was out of town, invited me to her house to tea one day. The girl was so sweet to me that in the end, though 1 hadn't the slightest idea of doing it when l set out, l asked her to come home with me and stay the night. She assented-not too eagerly-and as we walked toward the car together-she lives on Capitol Hill-she began to talk
 young MT. So-and. so, Commander So-and-so's son, who was so anxious to meet me. No woman is too old to be proof against f1attery, so expressed an interest in Mir. So-and-so, and told her she might bring him to see me some day.
 " It would be nice if he could come over this evening, wouldn't it?' she said thoughtfully. agreed that it would.
 You might have sent him note if yOO AhO hdOWbS SCA1U, TUT d6 IIly age it isn't too often that young men want to make my acquaintance.
 |" I tell you what, she said, quite as if the idea. had just occurred to her; I'll telephone to him and see if he has any other engagement.
 "We went into the nearest drug store, and idly 1 followed her to the tel ephone box, though she called nay at- tention to something at the other end of the store. Central gave her the desired number-the young mans brother is a physician.
 |" Is this MT. So-and SOP she asked
 Pause.
 " It's all right about tonight, she said. 'Goodby.'
 That's all she said. And then, and not till then, realized how that ,inno- cent young thing had played it on me. As said before, the artfulness of the modern girl passeth understanding. D.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
IT CURED THE COOK.
The Result of Her Masters Wres tIing Match With the Telephone.

The Result of Her Masters "Fes- ting Match With the Telephone.
 "About a week after the telephone was installed-any electrical device. is always installed when it is brought into the house-the cook was suddenly taken i'll i'll the middle of the night, and was requested to telephone for the doctor. It took me fully ten minutes of prolonged ringing and yelling before 1 could induce the central office to put me into communication with the doc tor. Then I sent an agonized howl through the telephone, begging the doc tor to come at once.
 ''In the course of the following hour six different persons carried on brief conversations with me, but no one of them was the doctor. In the case of each person it took about ten minutes of hard labor to induce him to say any thing intelligible, and when the intel ligible remark arrived it was to the effect that the speaker was Brown or Jones or Robinson; that he was not a doctor, and that he would inflict per- sonal chastisement on the man who had called him out of bed if he could find the criminal in the morning.
 "At last, however. my efforts were apparently crowned with success. A wretch who said he was the person of whom was in search promised to call at my house at once Accordingly one hour and quarter after had first rung the telephone I received hurried call from the local undertaken, who insisted that had telephoned to him to bring a coffin without moments delay. I got rid of him at the expense of shillings and glass of wine, and am happy to say that the shock of the visit cured the cook without the aid of any other med icine. w. A. Alden in Pearson's Magazine.
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
The Simple Minded Duke.

The Duke of Wellington was largely endowed with that modesty or sim plicity which makes a great man al most unconscious of his greatness. He met lady friend, who was going to see model of the battle of Waterloo, relates writer in The Cornhill Maga- zine, and remarked to her: "Ah. you're going to see Waterloo It's very good model. was at the battle. you know. Surveying field of battle be could de tect almost at glance the weak points in the disposition of the contendinq forces, but he could never tell whethe, his dinner was cnnkpti well or III
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
TRY ALIENS FooT-EAsE

A powder to be shaken in the shoes. At this season of the year your feet feel swollen, nervous and uncomfortable. If Aliens Foot-Ease. 1t rests and comforts {; makes walking easy. Cures swollen. and sweating feet, blisters and callous spots. sR Re heves cOrns and bunions of all pain and is acertain cure for Chilblains, Sweating, damp or frosted feet. We have over thirty thOus- and testimonials. Try it today. Sold by all druggists and shoe stores for 25c. Trial package FREE. Address, Allen s. Olm- sted. Le Roy, N. Y
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
THE EXCELLENCE OF SYRUP OF FIGS

is due not only to the originality and simplicity of the combination, but also to the care and skill with which it is manufactured by scientific processes known to the CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP Co. only, and we wish to impress upon all the importance of purchasing the true and original remedy. As the genuine Syrup of Figs is manufactured by the CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP Co. only, knowledge of that fact will assist one in avoiding the worthless limitations manufactured by other par ties. The high standing of the CALI FoRNIA FIG SYRUP Co. with the medi- cal profession, and the satisfaction which the genuine Syrup of Figs has given to millions of families, makes the name of the Company a guaranty of the excellence of it's remedy. It is far in advance of all other laxatives, as it acts on the kidneys, liver and bowels without irritating or weaken ing them, and it does not gripe nor nauseate. In order to get it's beneficial effects, please remember the name of the COmpanV-
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
Cautions Tennxnon.

4 clergyman is quoted by Sir M. E. Grant Duff in his memoirs as authority for the story that on the occasion of Hallam's going down to Richmond to be godfather to Tennyson's eldest boy the historian asked, "What is to be the ohild's name?' "Hallam," answered the poet. "I don't like surnames for Christian names, said the other. "Why not cali him Alfred?'' "What if he were to turn out fool?" was the re- ply
The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-21
SunRFIafiVRa.

pr. Johnson says in his Grammar of the English Tongue:'' 'The con- parison of adjectives is very uncertain, and, being much regulated by commo- diousness of utterance, is not easily re duced to rules. "
 Then he quotes passages from Para disc Lost" in which these words are found, "virtuousest, " "powerfullest, !" and passagefrom Samson Agonistes" which contains the word "famousest. 1"
 Surely Milton had an ear. Notes and Queries.