davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13

TIE RICHEST NAN.
In North America This Distinction u
Claimed for Mexican
Gypsy.

II YOU believe one of the Romanys, OF
Milwaukee. then the richest man in
North amt rica is not one of the VAN
derbilts, Astors or Rockefellers, but .
simon pure gypsy, whose name is SIM
pie John Smith. He lives in Mexico, is
50 years old and the owner of countless
acres. of myriads of cattle and sheep.
of gold, silver and onyx mines, of rail-
way and bank stock and of Plantations
without number in the heart of Mexi-
cos richest states.
Smiths wealth has never been figured
up. He cannot tell himself. His sole
ambition is to become the richest man
in the world. And it is this hope that
keeps him vigorous and drives dull care
away.
John Smith has no settled home. He
has hundred homes on his different
estates, and he moves from one 20 an.
other. In each he sees what is going on.
and gives his orders. Then he moves on
again. The Milwaukee gypsy, solid
business man, who comes home now
with the story of John Smiths amazing
wealth. saw him at Orizaba. They be-
came great friends.
"God alone knows how rich am, "
said Smith, simply, ''but / think am
the richest man on the continent
Smith was plainly dressed in suit OF
English tweed, with hobnail shoes. But
his home was revelation. Outside it
was q veritable fortress, with stout
walls of masonry, loopholed for defense
if necessary. A two-story wall inclosed
it in a space as big as two blocks, and o
great moat surrounded that. There
were the regulation drawbridges and
portcullises.
Two massive inner doors barred the
last entrance. Once open it was wor-
derful place, with courtyard in the
center, where played perfumed foun-
tains and where beautiful garden
grew. The entire Enclosure was paved
with brilliantly polished onyx-the
ransom of king in cost-taken from
one of his mines. Even the stables
where Smiths herd of pet Jerseys were
housed had the same costly flooring Of
onyx.
Servants lounged about, but one OF
the old mans eccentricities was to have
his own children wait upon him at
table. 1t was an incongruous picture tc
see him Gathering around on the splen-
did flooring in his coarse suit and hob
nails, while a soft light fell on the
strange scene shed by great candelabra
of solid gold from his mines.
Smith is an English gypsy. He went
to Mexico before there were any rail-
ways there, and was the first man to
haul machinery from the coast to the
gold mines. which now yield him an in
calculable income. He got in On the
ground floor on everything that has
made Mexico so rich to-day.
But his life has been series OF ad.
ventures. Twice he has been shot down
BIZ Mexican thieves who attacked his
t-goigi 4rafns.-He was-left for dead each
time. All the gypsies in Mexico are
wonderfully proud of him and call him
"Our John. milwaukee Cor. st. Louis
Post-Dispatch.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13

The Painful Scenes often Witnessed
Amongst InQUirers mt the
British War Office.

There is a constant stream OF cabs anu
carriages along Pail Mall conveying
anxious mquirers to the war office for
the latest dispatches and lists of wound
ed. Military men, naval officers. white
faced women and wondering children
throng the doorways, one lobby being
specially set apart for women, inside
which are mothers, wives and sisters,
eagerly scanning the lists pinned up on
the green-baiZed board.
"Nuthin' about him yut," says one
worn-looking young woman to her
mother. "Nuthin'. Dye think he's
killed."
mo, no, course noh Come on out,
and let's get back; you're better at
home"
But the wife's anxiety seems to chain
her to the bare little room. where one
well dressed matron was trying to keep
back the tears from her proud eyes.
One of the carriages outside con-
tanned two women. The eldest stepped
out. Are you coming to see?' she
asked the younger"
i
daren't. Go. go: oh, DO hurry" The
drawn, terribly expectant face sank
back amid the furs. a minute later the
elder woman returned.
'Home!" she said, briefly. 'Well--
well, what news, what" The face of
the mother. with its set, stony grief,
was sufficient answer; the delicate
glove was splitting with the uncon-
scious grip on the carriage door, and
with o half-stifled sob from the wife
the carriage rolled on.
Scenes of this description were to be
witnessed all day, and groups OF men
with care-lined faces stood around the
gentlemen's entrance.
"I've come up to see about my broth
err" said one. Hes wounded severely.
and I'm afraid-he's more than an ordi-
nary brother; we were twins and
chums. Poor Bert!"
"My sons dead, hear" A tall, COM
manding man the last speaker, address
ing the young man who had referred.
to his brother ''You mustn't worry,
lad; you mustn't worry; the fortune
of war. We all expect it, don't we? We
all expect to hear of our lads-onr lads
but, damme, sir, we don't want to!'
and with husky cough the old man
walked away.
Up to late hour the streams of anx-
ious callers at the war office continued.
Men and boys fresh from the factory
and workshop eagerly scanned the
typewriter List of Casualties" These
fellows as they came across the name
of brother or friend killed were not
as rule demonstrative. ''Poor old
Bill" or words to that effect, was all
that escaped their lips.
The stream seemed as though il
would never stop. but as the hour OF
midnight approached there was fall.
ing off. until at last the lonely sentry
WAS left to pace deserted dstreet.-Lon-
don Leader.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
THE AVERAGE MAN.

His face had the grimness Of granite;
II was bleached and bronZed by the sun
Like the coat on his poor narrow shoulders
And his hands showed the work he had
done.
His dim eyes were weary and pa atient.
And he srf.ile ! through his pallor and tan
Awistful, SAD smilc, as if saying.
I'm only an average man.
1 can't be a hero or poet,
Nor dictator wearing a crown,
I'm only the Woodworking servant
OF those set above me. I'm down
And it's no use complaining
I'll get along the best way / can,
And one O. these days'll come morning
And rest for the average man.
He wages all battles ard wins them,
He builds all turrets that tower
Over walls of the city to tell
Of the rulers and priests of the hour.
Without him the general is helpless,
The earth but place and plan.
He moves ali and clothes all and feeds all
This sad-smiling average man.
Then lifted my hand in promise,
With teeth set close, and my breath
Held hard in my throat, and uttered
VOW that shall outlive death.
/ swear that the builder no longer
To me shall be less than the plan:
Henceforward be guerdon and g,ory
And hope for the average man.
-Hamlin Garland. in Outlook.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
SHAPE OF PORTO RICO.
All Maps of the Island Proved to he
Misleadins: and New Surveys
DeInx Made.

One of the most curious results of
the annexation of Porto Rico will be
an alteration in the shape Of the is
land as it is known to the world.
The coast survey is now at work find
ing out what the real shape of Porto
Rico is, and it has already learned
enough to show that the old Spanish
surveys ere not only, worthless, but
that they give positively false inn
preston of the formation of the
coast.
Porto Rico has always had a
strangely regular shape on the maps.
Islands take all sorts of shapes, but
It is unusual to find one in the shape
of circle or a square. But Porto
Rico has been Of an oblong shape,
looking almost as exact and precise
as child's building block. 1t has
looked as if the sea. disgusted with
the queer shapes assumed by islands,
had determined to throw above its
surface at least one island as even in
contour as a cigar box, just to show
that il could be done.
The coast survey is beginning to
find out that Porto Rico has irregu-
larities and considerable ones, like all
other islands. At the eastern end,
which the Spanish surveys make as
sharp as the edge of a board. there is
really a long northwestern slant into
the. ocean. This will make the island
bigger than has been supposed, un-
less, as is quite probable. the coast
survey has to gouge a big hole in the
southeastern end of the island, corre-
spending to the rise to the northwest.
No one can tell what shape Porto
Rico will be, when it is finally sur
! veyed as an American possession, but
it seems certain that it will not be
the insular freak it has appeared on
the Spanish surveys.-Chicago Inter
Ocean,
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
A studied Proposal.

A young lady was acting tenn
porarily as hostess, and her time was
much occupied. One of her admir-
ers, nervous and absent-minded
lover, perceived that this would be
the case, and to facilitate matters he
determined to bring affairs to point.
He didn't get a chance.
"Afterward," says the object of his
ill-starred devotion, 'I found this
memorandum on the floor, where he
had dropped it in his agitation. 1t
reads thus:
".Mention rise in salary. Mention
loneliness. Mention pleasure in her
society. Mention prospects from Un-
Gle Jim. Never loved before. Pro-
pose "-Collier's Weekly.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13

One of the prettiest Partisan sights is
that of the bird charmers in the Tuil-
cries and the Luxembourg Gardens.
Every fine afternoon may be seen ad-
miring little crowds watching the bird
charmer and his feats, pigeons quietly
Pecking crumbs from the crown Of his
hat, sparrows flying up to his fingers,
snatching bit and returning for a
second or third. These caterers for
public amusement are amateurs. The
graceful little exhibition is gratuitous.
rewarded only by the confidence of
feathered friends and the admiration of
the public. It. is pleasant to see how
easily and amiably French people are
amused--business men, shopkeepers'
assistants, soldiers, elegantly dressed
ladies and gentlemen, all stopping to
watch the sight. As we know, bull
fights have not succeeded in Paris. The
fiery populace of the capital prefer the
bird charmer.-Westmins Gazette.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
SAYINGS OF DOM PAUL.
Shrewd Remarks by the COnxcPvR-
tive President of the South
African Republic.

Kruger sprinkles shrewd illustra-
tions through his discourses as$s can
only a person gifted with natural ex-
preston. Speaking about England's
desire to own the Rand mines, he
said:
'I'll tell you. the gold fields are like
beautiful. rich young lady whom
everybody wants, and when they can't
get her they don't want anyone else
to possess her. That is our position
among the nations of the world"
When a delegation of outlanders
brought petition to him. he said to
them: ''Oh, you are just like my
monkey. You know l keep a monkey
in my back yard. The other day when
we were burning some rubbish the
monkey managed to get his tail
burned. whereupon he bit me. That's
just like the outlanders in Johannes
burg. They burn their tails in the
fire of speculation, and then come and
bite mel"
Kruger forces his religion on one
constantly. Two-thirds of my ques-
tionshe answered with Scriptural quo
tations that usually were pat. When
l asked him if he intended to seize
Delagoa bay before the English took
possession, in order that he might
have seaport, he answered. briefly:
'Cursed be he who removes his
neighbor's landmarks!"
asked him why he did not give the
outlanders the franchise. This, l
thought, would open up an extensive
field, for it has furnished tones for
the archives of Great Britain and the
Transvaal. Dom Paul disposed of it in
one paragraph.
"a man." he said. quickly, and with
out removing his pipe from his mouth,
cannot serve two masters. Either he
will forsake. the one ana love the 9th
er, or else hate the one and cleave to
the other. Now, the English. though
they behave themselves properly and
are loyal to the state in a way, in
variably fall back on the queen when
it suits their purpose. The Germans
are not SO. Well, we have a law for
bigamy in this country. and man
must put off the old love before TAX
ing on the new"
An answer could hardly be more
concise and graphic. 1t defines Kru-
gers attitude in n nutshell.
I'm America" he told me, "the Eng
lishman merges with Americans. He
loses his identity. Here he empha-
sizes it. When an outlander shows a
disposition to share our prosperity and
troubles alike, him l give the fran
chise."-Allen Sangree, in Ainsley'l
Ma zinc
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13

When the Family II Out Of MOney
Somebody Goes Out aud Gets
q Little Gold.

ssWhen l was in the Olancho dis
trict, in Nicaragua, last month";" said
a visitor who is largely interested
in mining in Central America, II had
an opportunity of seeing how the lazy
natives tap natures till when they
need some small change.
''Near our camp by the river was
a hut occupied by typical Hondu-
ranian family, consisting of husband
and wife, grandfather and grand
mother, and a dozen or SO assorted
children. The only one of the crowd
who did anything except rest and
smoke was the wife. At intervals Of
perhaps week she would sally out
with the family tinpan, erstwhile used
for cooking, and proceed to an old
placer digging on the river bank.
There she would squat, throw few
gourds full of dirt into the pan, fill
it up with water and begin the usual
circular motion of gold washing. She
was very sklllful and would keep q
little sheet of dirty water spraying
over the edge like miniature cata-
ract. When the water was exhaust
ed few spoonfuls of sand would
be left in the bottom of the pan, and.
spreading it out thin, with a bit of
stick, she would go over it grain by
grain, looking for color Whenever
she saw speck of gold, she moist
ened the stick on her tongue and
picked up the particle by adhesion.
Each bit of the precious metal was
stored away in a quill, plugged with
clay at the ends, and / have known
her to take out as much as quar-
ter of an ounce in the course of one
day. Usually her limit was about
two dollars, and when she got that
she stopped. Then the head of the
house would arise languidly and start
for the nearest store ~ miles away.
Sometimes he would trade the whole
amount for whisky, but as rule lie
brought back tobacco. salt, meal or
calico.
There are hundreds of native fami-
lies who live in exactly that manner
in Olancho. Sometimes the worsan
will be lucky enough to strike rich
pocket, that will yield a dollar or
more a pan, but they never dream
Of washing it out at once and getting
a stake. It simply means that they
can secure their usual amount with
less work. O. Mmes-Democrat.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
Coined WORDS.

Coined words! have made little
study of them myself. always with dis
appointing results. l always run across
them, after discovering them, some
where about 100 years before the birth
of the inventor. once coined name,
away back in 1876, for one of my So
called humorous characters Bilder-
back. / put the Bilderback family In
jocus print for several years. One night,
about 1887, / lectured in Salem, n. r..
and told one Of my Bilderback stories.
The audience was convulsed with more
mirth than the story called for. After
the lecture ] was introduced to about
a dozen Bilderbacks, who enjoyed mv
story more thai anyone. else.-aohert
]. Burdette, in Chautauquan.s -
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
nis Iine.

Grandpa- Yes; it's quite possible
that you may distinguish yourself when
you grow up.
Grandson-Yes. i was trying to think
xhat sort Of great man it's easiest to
lse.-Puek.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
nritai.,. Popular surname..

In England and Wales the name Of
Smith appears 253,600 times and Jones
reports present" 242,foO times. GThen
follow, in the order of their strength,
Williams. Taylor. Davies and Brown.
In Scotland Smith is in the lead, and
then come Mcdonald, Brown, Thomp-
son, Robertson, Stewart and Campbell.
In Ireland Smith ranks only fifth, and
the Murphys take the first place, to the
number of $500, and then come Kelly,
$1,000 strong; Sullivan, 43.6oO: Walsh.
a1,700; Smith. $4,000. O'Brien. 81, 800,
followed by Ryan. Connor, O'Neil and
Reilly. The Reillys number g, ,o0o.-N.
7. Press.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
A,,oloKetic.

Bridget can't stand missus, sur.
Won Blumer (sarcas:ically)-It's a
pity, Bridget, that couldn't have Sc
iected a wife to suit you.
.Sure, sur, we all make mists kes."-
Brooklyn Eagle.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13

The Flemish philologists have in-
troduced a new term into their lam
guage. In Flemish an automobile n
a ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
troosijtuig.-Chicago Chronicle.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
n tRO NY.

Bigamy is simply an overssue of mat
eimonial bonds.-Chicsgo Daily News.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13

Recent studies of the Kaderx, a race
of short, dark-skinned, curly-haired ma
tives living in the Ans malai hills of
ss ythern India, show that they pos
ss.ss remarkable custom not elsewhere
known in India, viz: the sharpening Of
the incisor teeth. This they accomplish
BY chipping the teeth to a poin-, Civ
ing them the form Of cones.-Youth's
Companion.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-13
The "Kunjerin' ofSally Ann.
~ DAVID YOUNG.
THOUGHT it rather hard that Pris-

~>>s~>>~~s>>~>>~>~>~~
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-02-08

The large and increasing circulation
Of The Iowa Homestead in this county
is matter OF congratulation to the pub
fishers and to good farming for, Of all
the papers of its class in this country, it
is easily the best and most helpful It's
Special Farmers Institute editions,
issued with the regular edition the first
week in each month, have been for
years the admiration Of all practical
farmers. Written wholly by farmers,
full Of actual experience and smell of
the soil. We have been fortunate
enough this season to secure terms for
The Homestead and it's Special Farmers
Institute Editions, together with The
Poultry Farmer and The Farmers Nut
ual Insurance Journal, four OF the most
valuable farm publications in the
country, that enable us to offer the
four in connection with the REPUBLICAN
for 81 As for the entire five, for one year.
This is emphatically good thing, and
no farmer in this county should fail to
take advantage OF this offer. For a
large line of thoroughly practical farm
reading nothing has ever been offered
before that equals it. A county paper
farm paper, poultry paper, farm
insurance paper and the Special Farmers
Institute, all for $1.45 Come in and
order them.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-02-08

We are sorry to see the name of the
senator from this district, Hor. F. NJ.
Hopkins, among those who helped de-
feat the confirmation of Col. Rood for
member of the board of control. We
do not wish to call in question the
privilege of senators to exercise their
right of opinion in voting on such mat
ters, but that they wanted to exercise
that right is no excuse for him and
few of his republican colleagues vot-
ing as they did. So far we have been
unable to learn of reasons against Col.
Rood's confirmation that approached
sufficient Importance to give just cause
for them to do as they did. 1t is very UNI
usual for senators not to stand by their
governor in such situations, at least
when he is of their own political faith.
Both Gov. Shaw and Col Rood de-
served better treatment at the hands
of these senators. incidentally, we
mention that the action of these sena-
tors is receiving considerable praise at
the hands of the mocratic press. For
example Senator Garst is highly com
mended for his independent and cour-
ageous" action by the Carroll Sentinel,
the leading democratic paper of his
county.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-02-08

Mr.. Sheldon, author of I'm His
Steps" is to be given control of the
Topeka daily Capital for one week in
March. He will have charge of the
advertising and the local and editorial
writing. Nothing will go into the col
umns unless it can pass the test, ac-
cording to Mr.. Sheldon's opinion, of
meeting the approval of Jesus. We
think the man has more brazonry than
has heretofore been shown in the
world. He assumes to know and to
publish to the world what Jesus would
do concerning the hundreds of details
that come to a newspaper publisher.
This superior assumption on Mr.. Shell
don's part mark him as a man of cheek
to say the least AS he isn't news
paper man at all the probabilities are
he doesn't know anything about how
to run a newspaper, and that he will
have to rely on the skill and experience
of the trained editors of the Capital
The whole affair approaches farce if
it We're not so near blasphemy. The
Capital will get some advertising out
of it. Lots of people will want to see
how this one man thinks Jesus would
do as an editor. There are perhaps
thousands of other men whose opinions
on the same subject are more nearly
correct than are Mr. Sheldon's..
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-02-08

d. P. Repass, who was a County
Superintendent of this county for eight
years and who now is principal of the
Dexter Normal School, when in town
last week was talking to some of his
friends here about the movement for
new state normal schools. Mr.. Repass
is unusually we'll acquainted with the
condition Of the country schools and
with the needs of their teachers. He
is of the opinion that strengthening
of the small normal schools over the
state at the county normals will bene-
fit tile country teacher more than to
make more big state normals. He
contends that the average country
school teacher will not go away to the
big state normal as their wages will not
justify it, but if there are normal
school privileges i'll their own county,
or even in an adjoining one, they may
avail themselves of the advantage.
1t is the country school teachers that
need the improved advantages, as the
town and city schools are already
mostly taught by those having had
professional training.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-02-08

It now looks a little more like the
situation in Kentucky will be relieved
by therepublicans yielding the gov
ernorship. The shooting of Goebel
was very unfortunate. There is nc
doubt that he was the author of much
trouble and that he deserved his death,
but the public opinion outside of Ken
lucky will not sustain private persons
dealing out justice. There has been
too little disregard for law down there,
Goehel himself had not only killed
his man, but was the author of the in
famous election law now on their stat
ute books which makes Of the legisla.
lature an election board with authority
to pass on all returns. This law fails,
in its practical workin IS, to give both
parties a voice on the board. 1t is a
partisan board Taylor was no doubt
the choice of plurality of the voters,
but the law gave the democratic board
the right to reject returns, and having
the right, they used it. Taylor offered
to submit the question to disinterested
and non-partison judges outside the
state, but that was rejected. 1t seemed
there was nothing lawful to do but
submit to the law, no matter how
wrong or unjust it is.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-02-08
Teachers and Matrimony.

Creston Advertiser,
County Superintendent Peters in
talking with an Advertiser reporter
this afternoon said: "Out of the 10
teachers that were in our county
school two years agol probably only
ninetyfive are teaching now. Where
have they gone? Well, large num-
Der are married, that's the fact in the
case. A large number, but of course
not ALL The average life of teacher,
as snch, is only about three yesrs.
They teach and then they go Mt some
thing else. 1t is hard to keep the
bright girl in school room. Some
young man comes along with propo-
sition to place her in home and-of1
she goes. But as one goes another
comes. There were nine applicants
for certificates last week. Eight from
the country and one from the city
How many teachers will we loose this
spring? About forty, should think.
No, they want all get married, but
most of them will.