davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

People some times find pearls in oys-
ters, do they not?" inquired the young
girl, as the waiter placed a steaming
stew before her.
Yes" replied the popular burlesque
actress, who had asked her out to lunch.
And she continued, with a flourish of
her jeweled fingers, occasionally one
gets diamond out of a lobster. Phil
adelphia Press.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

The man stood in the dressmaking
shop waiting for a bundle his wife had
told him to get.
The telephone bell rang, and the dear
young person that answered it turned to
the manager and said: 1T is Mrs Jones.
She said you didn't cut her little girls
throat right at all, and she wants to
know what you are going to do about it.
Indianapolis Press.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

Biggs Ito cabman)-What will you
charge to take me and my wife to
Blanks hotel?
Cabman-Half a crown, sir.
BiggsEAnd how much for taking me
alone?
Cabman-The same-half a crown.
Biggs (to his wife)-There. my dear,
you see how much you are valued at
Tit-Bits.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

Mrs. Goode-You are the sixth man
who has asked me for something to eat
today
some Of us'l have to go to work-Broolx-
lyn Life.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

She Cat football game. as player is
carried off the held)-Isn't it perfectly
awful
He-I should say it isl Why, that fell
low is no more unconscious than / am
he'splaying to the gallery.-Brooklyn
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

This letter. said the counsel for
Mrs. De Worse, .'is a forgery. 1t was
not written by my client and, in fact, it
is evident it was not written by a wo-
man at all.
What proof have you of that?" asked
opposing counsel.
Simply this: There is no postscript
and the several pages run right along
in the regular order. er.''-Philadelphia
Press.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

Liquor makes men talk, doesn't it?''
said the citizen.
Yes, and sometimes it's the means Of
shutting them up said the policeman
Yonkers Statesman.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

Il suppose you will be glad to get
back to Washington and settle down to
business?"
Yes" answered Senator Sorghum a
little testify. although there isn't any
use of putting it in that language. 1t
isn't quite like a mans going on Change
you know. washington Star.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

Higgins-Was that your son I saw
with you yesterday
Wiggins-Yes; did you think he looks
like me?
Higgins-I thought those made-over
pants looked like the pair you used to
wear.=Boston Transcript.
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

"That fast express train is great,
isn't it?"
Yes, they say they can get fresh
milk to town now before the cream
rises. s.''-Indianapolis Journal
The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-22

Jackson-No, I never take the news
paper home. I've got a family of grown
up daughters, you know.
Friend-Papers too full of crime2
Jackson-No; too full of bargain
sales.-Tit-Bits.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
Gallantry Discouraged.

Fargo IN. d. special to the Mime
apolis Times: A new phase of the
prohibitory law was tested at Ellen
dale recently in the case of the State
VS.. Snow. The defendant was a sales
man and drove over the southern part
of the state. On one of his trips he
gave a woman a drink of whisky out
of bottle he was carrying. There was
no evidence to show that he gave the
whisky with any intention, or hope, of
its being an agent to assist him in his
sales, but he was arrested and taken
into court on the charge of treating,
which is against the law. The jury
was out for a long time and finally
disagreed. 1t is the first case in the
state against a man on the charge of
treating. Many people are unaware OF
that provision in the law, and it has al
ways been regarded as a dead letter.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
How Aby.s,nI,n, Train for War.

"A country OF lions and rugged men
this Ethiopia, as the people call it, not
Abyssinia, which is disparaging word
In use among the Arabs. An Ethiopian
worthy to wear in battle the lions
skin that Menelik gives to the brayest
must be one who car go three days
without food, fighting the while or
journeying over deserts and noun
tains; one who cares nothing for pain
or death. 1t is custom among these
men, after battle or warlike maneu-
vers, to squat down on the ground In
long line and fire their rifles in the air,
barrels up, butts between the knees;
no blank cartridges hero, but balls that
wound or kill whomsoever they strike
in the descent. A cannon shot gives
the signal, and forthwith the firing
starts far down the line, rolling nearer
and nearer, until 1t swells into a roar
of musketry above the emperor him
self; then dies away 1t the farther
side. And the bulleS5 como down upon
the soldiers or cit,zonJ o. may be; for
this firing, like as not, takes place In
a crowded city. Would It not be wise,
your majesty asked French travel
er, aghast at this reckless procedure,
to use blank cartridges:' why sos'
asked Menelik, 1t would economise
rifle balls and saro life 4 do not
mind losing : few rifo balls, II It makes
my people despiso them The italian
found at Adowa what. these soldiers
think OF riae balls: saw them come
bounding on In the charge. pierced
through and through with Mauser bul>
let's, and go on hghtings saw the em.
peror himself toward the close rush
In waving his sword. and kin with HIS
pwn hands, The Abyssiniaas (te use
he accepted werd1 90 late battle With
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
Showers of Fhhaa

Tropical countries wheIe v1D9ent
storms, ,sndden gusts of Wind and uhirl-
winds arc most common, often expert
ence showers of fishes Fish TRfy1ns
In weight from q pound and a halt tn
three pounds haye been known to fnn
in India. Sometime they Arr living
but moro frequently they are dad and
putrefying. Tney arc always nj kinds
abundant in the sea or hesh waters
of the neighborhood; and thsre can be
but littlH doubt that thay Are carriBd
up in the air by violent Ulnds- -althCESh
they sometimes fall at considerable
distance from any water which eoasd
supply then. There hRvs bean IN
stances whero falls OF fshas hAys ta&ha
place in eoQntries not tropical A
shower of small, thrse-sptned stickls-
backs fell near Merthyr-fydv1l. h
Wales. sprinlllng the ground and
housetops orer an area OF at lenst ssp-
erel square miles, some years 2Io.
They were sfrp when they fell. yet II
caught up by n whirlwind from aay
of the brae&ish ponds near the sea In
which this species abounds. they must
have been conveyed through the air a
distance of almost thirty mileA Al
Torrens, In the Isle of Null, another
similar instance occurred, In which
herring were found strered on \ hill
fyo hundred yards from the ssa. and
one hundred feet above.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
An rntn.ie.tinx Pit

Hashish is the Oriental name Of the
plant. or rather of the tops and tender
parts OF the plant, which is sc3en1nc1l-
ly known as Cannahis IndicA, and
which ve term Indian hemp. It Il cul-
tivuted in India, and has long been
employed a. a medicine in AHh AFaha,
Persians, Indians. Chinese md South
Africans esteem 1t for ft1 tntH1catfns
powerA Various preparations of ths
plant are employed for the purpu0 Of
producing this effect A fxyurtAs mode
of extracting its active prfndpls II by
boiling the tops and hovx1 with
water, to which butter Of oil hM bssn
added ev1por1ttng and thus forming
an oleaEiBoB solution Of f1tty Euh-
stanoe Tho effect produced by hlsh1ah
n that Of happiness, and by that II
meant IN enjoyment entirely mnrAi
and By no means sensual Ths hAshish
eater Is happy. not like the gournand
or the furnished man when sattkytns
his appetite. or the voluptnary IN the
Uattnc1tion Of his desires, but like
him who hear1 tidlngs whinn nu him
With joy. One of the nrBt appnnc11hs
effects Of the drng Is gradual TaAhnn-
Ing Of the power Of ounrn1lfnX md
f<ertfnB tho thouKhtA ThAn omnn
DO stage already d0cnbsd. and nn-
eoUgany1uE. nnd In p1rt following II.
thAse E1B observed errun OF e1nne,
fal1s omricttnns. and the prvtuuin-
mcs OF one or more ertray1yf lds.A
TheBs ideas end convictions nfs BHnsr-
ally not altpgsther of an imaginary
character, but are suggested by sItNnal
fmprezkiun1 which arc ernnnsca1fy In
terprefzd BY the percspdya f1uniffes
Finally. II the dose is snmEsnttJ pGR-
Tfh, then Ii cnmplets withtaHal
uf tn Mirt fum eItnrnAl thinU
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
K,piins's Autograph For $3.50.

A West Philadelphia girl, who is an
enthusiastic autograph collector, has
recently added Rudyard Kipling to her
collection, at cost of $3.50. From her
experience, it would seem that the
English poet is not such an absent
minded beggar" as he pictures Tommy
Atkins to be. On the contrary, he be-
lieves in turning everything to good
account. and 1t Is evidently this belief
rather than mercenary motive that
prompts him to place valuation of
$3.50 on every autograph he scribbles.
1t must not be inferred that he pockets
the proceeds. The West Philadelphia
girl sent modest request for an auto
graph, enclosing a stamped and ad-
dressed envelope, as is her custom.
III reply she received a printed slip
from Mr.. Kipling's secretary, setting
forth in brief that Mr.. Kipling would
be pleased to furnish his autograph
upon payment of $3.50 to any charity
which the collector might prefer, a
receipt for which should Immediately
be sent to him. She donated the sum
to the Children's Country Week asso-
citation, forwarded the receipt to Mr..
Kipling, and the other day she received
the autograph.-Philadelp Record.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
Priceless Volume.

About four years ago a London
blacksmith noticed on a secondhand
bookstall very old book priced at 2
cents. He bought it, and after at
tempting to read it, threw 1t aside and
soon forgot it. One of his dodgers
happening to see the book recently,
and, noticing that it was dated 1850,
asked permission to show 1t to the
British museum authorities. A day or
two later the blacksmith was request
ed to call. and the secretary, to his sur
prise. asked him what he would take
for the book. In some slight confus-
ion the man said, "What will you
give?" will $3.50 suit you?" was the
answer of the secretary. The black
smith was so dumfounded that the
secretary thought he was ridiculing
his offer, and thereupon Immediately
increased it to $500, which was at once
accepted. Sooner than have lost the
book. however. which was the first
book that Gutenberg ever printed, and,
therefore almost priceless. the mus
cum authorities would have paid al
most any sum that had been asked
Cincinnati Enquirer
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05

For the purpose OF sounding Chica-
go business men on the feasibility Of
holding an exhibition of Mexican prod
ucts in Chicago to stimulate the trade
relations between the United States and
Mexico two enyoys of the Mexican gov
ernment are in the city. They say
that modern machinery is greatly need
ed In Mexico for farming as well as
manufacturing establishments, and
that only from the United States it can
be obtained cheaply. On the other
hand, they declare there are numerous
products in Mexico which are not han
died in the United States at present
merely because of lack OF prop ar
trade relations
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05

Michigan university authorities have
determined that the employment Of
habitual drunkards as teachers. lectur-
ers or in any capacity will not be toll
Grated hereafter. 1t is somewhat
startling that any university should
be compelled to announce such a de
cision. II has heretofore been taken
for granted by the general public that
no drunkards were ever permitted to
be employed in any college or uni
versity. Has Ann Arbor been an eN-
ception?
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
Rsakin0 af0nA

R0fiug~stunrs or LoEAns,, as they
are 1ned gre numerous in many
ptnc1 In England. Ireland and Scot
land- and nearly every other country
One, s1tunt.d at a place on the island
Of Magee. IN Browns Bay, Ireland, Is
pcpu1nrfy believed to acquire rock-
ing. teuulous motion at the approach
rockinS-steues are large maan0 OF
rock SO finely poised as to mnye back
ward and forward with ths s1ixhfesi
impulse Some of them appeH To be
natural, others artificial TIM fumsI
are chiefly granite rocks, IN which
feldsp1r s1d porphyry are abundznffJ
present; and these ingredients bsuum-
ing rapidlJ decomposed, and ths tn1
and Hand washed away BY ratn1. vha4
was formerly a solid rock soon a.
sumes tie appearance of group Of r.
regularly shaped pthars having Z
rhomhoidal horizontal section. sA
separated into portions Of hnrMmtAl
and vertical assures. Az dKuha1-
ton proceeds, the edges Of ths b1na1u
forming the pillars become pn1 0 t1o
or more spheroidal rocks resting uUon
each other II, now, a maH af rock
be so situated as to preserve tn eqM-
librium in spite of the gradual dimtnn-
ton of its base or point Of support. a
rockinE-stone is the result rhs AZ
tiflcial ones appear to haze ben
formed by emitting away a mnEs OF roat
around the center point OF fty bnvH In
Greece, rocking stones occur N funsr1l
monuments, and arc generRRJ found
on conspicuous places near tho ~
Some rocking-stones occur near 10 ths
remains OF ancient fortthcattons. which
seems to bear ont stntement m ons
Of the poems of Ossian that tn ha1ds
walked round the stone dngtn&. and
made It more as an oracle OF tbs fate Of
battle
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05

modern rides. and know how 10 use
than: bat Ia the heat OF the Aof1oo
thetr spirit is to throw these down a1d
como II ths snemy man to maa With
Absr snA shield Each ous cas5tes on
his l16 arm convex buckleQ nnde OF
hippopotamns hide. 20 thick and tpuSh
thAt oetsn = swift Tying pro3ede11s ts
aa6sotsd By IT, OF 1000 mon, biAsks
and Whites, who fought in thas bsttIe
On he Italian side. about 1000 escaped.
about 1000 were made prisoners, Gnd
the rest were killed. Maya
xanA.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05

Congressman Curtis of Kansas has
introduced bill authorizing the sec
retary OF agriculture to establish two
branch stations of his department, one
at Topeka and another at Springfield,
Ill. Tine object of these stations is
stated TO be for the manufacture OF
such remedies for hog cholera and
black leg in young cattle as he may
think proper. such remedies to be fur
nished to farmers and stock growers
at actual cost. There is said to be a
general demand for such institutions
in Illinois and Kansas, and it is said
their naturalization will mean much
to the farmers. particularly those who
devote their time to the raising of fine
cattle and hogs.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
TURNED TO GOOD ACCOUNT
wretched Lon Ion District Turned Into
y Pleasant Abode,

wrotched Lon Ton District Turned Into
n Pleasant Abode.
From the London Mail: The Shore
ditch vestry. which has of recent years
Justly won for itself the reputation of
being a go-ahead, self-governing body.
has just topped all its previous achieve
ments by building artisans dwellings
for the benefit of its poor. This Ia a
feat which no other London vestry has
accomplished. There are three sets of
those tenements. which have been
built on the site of what Sir Charles
Dixie once stigmatized as being the
worst slum In London. In part of
Shoreditch. which goes by the pic
turesque name of the Nile" Several
thieves runs" Of the most pestilential
description have been cleared away and
instead there are now to be seen three
sets of handsome brick buildings Ave
stories high, which practically form
new street. The first Of these build
ings is completed and ready for use and
over 800 applications have been made
by people Offering themselves as ten
ants. The buildings, which have cost
upward of f17.00O, in addition to the
f45.0O0 paid as compensation for the
slums which have been swept away,
and the cost of the freehold land on
which they stand, have been construed
on the most approved method. and the
sanitary arrangements are considered
perfect. Great care will be taken In
the selection OF tenants. only respect
able people being selected. Overcrowd-
ing will be absolutely forbidden-a nee
essary course, as in Shoreditch, where
the "no-room- to-live" problem Is felt
most acutely, it is no uncommon thing
for fifteen or sixteen people to herd IN
two rooms. The rent charged will be
6s Cd for a two-room set and rs Cd for
three rooms, which is distinctly below
the average charge in Shoreditch, with
infinitely better accommodations. Inc
dwelling Will be run on strictly pay
ing basis, but at the same time philan-
thropy will not be disregarded, and
serious effort is being made to arrange
matters so as to enable the tenants to
purchase their tenements in the same
way that tenants can purchase their
houses under Mr.. Chamberlain's act.
Nothing is definitely settled as yet, but
it Is hoped that Lord Rosebery, who
has always taken very real interest
in the life of Shoreditch, may ultimate
ly be induced to open the dwellings.
No one would question for moment
that Shoreditch deserved the honor.
Shoreditch is already becoming the
municipal Mecca of the world. 1t has
been visited by deputations from Am
erica, Australia. Ireland and Scotland,
consisting of people anxious to dis
cover the secret of success in munich
pal matters. This. in brief. Is the rec
ord of Shoreditch. town hall with
music and dancing license; a me-
chanics' technical institute, which has
not ruf1led the feelings of any trade un-
ions; a splendid free library, baths and
warehouses; electricity works. supply
ing light at three half-pence below the
average figure, and dust destructor,
the last three all yielding profit.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
In THE ODD CORNER.
QUEER AND CURIOUS THINGS
AND EVENTS.
ousss Cases of Vessels That vaaAsA-
Passsnxsrs Never Hsaoh ThsiY Dasf3-
natisn and Arc Never Again Head
Of-shows-s Of Y1shss.
Pate

The sky is clouded. the rocks arc bars,
The spray of the tempest 10 white in air;
The winds are out with the waves at
play.
And shall not tempt the SEQ today.
The trail II narrow. the wood II DIN.
The panther clings to the archinS limb;
And the lions whelps are abroad at
play.
And shall not Join in the chase today
But the ship sailed safely over the sea,
And the hunters came from the chase in
glee;
And tho town that was builded upon a
rock
shock Bret HArta
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05

One of the numerous New York
promoters" who operated gilt
edged swindle among the good people
of Manhattan, was sent to the peni-
tentiary the other day, and others, it
is expected, will soon follow on the
same road. The greatest and most
successful swindler of the whole tribe.
howeyer-the handspring of the
Franklin syndicate"-seems to have
found the hidden tent where Dan
Coughlin. the Chicago defaulters, and
W. A. S. Graham dwell In calm seclu-
sion.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05

Charles G. Dawes, comptroller of the
currency, has made public the results
of the investigation into the number
of loans and deposit accounts, rates
Of interest and resources of the com
bined banks of the United States in
the years 1889, 1894 and 1899. The
general deductions from the investiga-
tion covering the last ten years is
given by the comptroller as follows:
That the number of individual de-
positors in the banks of the United
States is constantly increasing, as in
dicated by the regular increase in the
number OF deposit accounts of the
combined banking systems; that there
is demand from borrowers for the
use OF the greater proportion of the de-
posits of banks, and while the num-
ber of individual borrowers is increas-
ing the depositors greatly outnumber
the borrowers, and the increase in the
number of borrowers is much less than
the increase in the number of deposit
ors that the growth of the banking
systems is being characterized by a
gradually lessening rate of interest
charged on loans; that. considering the
large clientage of national and savings
banks, the average deposit of the in
dividual or corporation is slowly in
cfeasing; that the average size of the
loans, all classes of banks considered,
has not varied much in the last de-
cade.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
BEET ROOT SUGAR.
1t Comprise. Two-Thirds of tho Worlds
Product.

1t Comprises Two-Thirds OF tho "orids
Product.
Two-thirds of the worlds sugar crop
is now produced in beets. None OF the
other foodstuffs has seen such rapid de-
yelopment. In 1854 the total product
was less than 49,, 900 tons. Ten years
later it was about 100000 tons. In
1871 it reached and passed the l,ooo'-
600 mark. From that time on there
was gradual increase annually, as the
cultivation of sugar beets developed IN
the different countries of Europe, until
in 1898 the product reached the total OF
100000 tons year, more than twice
as much as was produced from cane.
The estimated crop for the present year
will reach 5,51O,OO0 tons.
The Springfield herald., 1900-01-05
Queer Csses of vessels.

1t seems passing strange considering
the enormous amount of ocean tranc
carried on nowadays, that 1t should be
possible for vessel to put out to sea
In fit condition only to vaniah from
the face Of the waters and leave no
indication Of its fate. True, there are
hundreds of unidentified derelicts noat-
ing about the seas. and some Of them
may be the vessels which have 30 N.Y.
teriously vanished. 1t is appalling to
think OF such mysteries rs the fates
OF these vessels. which, setting sail
with hundreds Of passengers to whom
the voyage perhaps promises happiness,
wealth and all the joys of Life, mover
reach their destination, and arc never
again heard Of Take tho case of the
Burvie Castle rs a striking enmpla.
She vanished. not In midocean, but BE-
tween the ports OF London and Ply
mouth. Into the latter port ahe put
on her way to Australia But she
never reached Plymouth. and not
living soul knows how or where she
vanished. 1t Is most extraordinary
that she should have been lost 90 near
to land without so much as a spar
ful fate. Equally mysterious In the
case of the Atalanta- This famous
training vessel was stationed on Br-
muda with more than $50 souls aboard.
Early in 1880 she set sail for abort
cruise and from that day to this she
has never been heard Of
A very considerable percentage OF
the vessels which disappeared forever
in this mysterious manner were rum
ming between England and America at
the time. 1t might be thought that the
terrific seas of the vast Atlantic were
responsible. but 1t has been proved that
many vessels were lost when the ocean
was almost at dead calm. A large
sailing ship left New Orleans some
years ago for London. Thrice she was
spoken and reported all well, and she
was facing exquisite weather and
smooth sea at the third time. Yet
1t Is known she was lost with all hands
within twenty-four hours. and to this
day no trace of her has been discov-
cred. In the early part of 1899 FIVE
mast brrk. the Maria. a newly con-
structed vessel, and at that time the
third largest in the mercantile marine.
set sail In beautiful weather from one
OF the biggest ports in Cochin China
for Hamburg. with every promise of
fair voyage. But she never reached
Germany. She vanished shortly after
being spoken of the west coast of Al
rica, and nothing has been found since
to indicate the fate that befelI her
Another vessel running between Eng
land and America which met an end
of kind none but those who shared
1t ever knew was the frst-class steam
ship President. She sailed from New
York for a journey to Liverpool in
the spring of 1871, having on board
full crew of experienced hands and
officers and a distinguished company
of passengers. She left New York In
fine weather in splendid condition and
with no reason for fearing anything
she was likely to meet But she was
never spoken and never heard of again
and although fifty-seven years have
passed, no one yet knows to what dire
calamity her end was due.