davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

use in the ornaments of the world, into
the scrap heap. Several experts who
have seen the model of Burkin's gun
pronounce 1t n marvel of ingenuity and
a terrible weapon. The boy is said to
have refused an offer Of $50, 900 for his
invention.
The boy has never had any mechani
cal training, vet all the work on his
model has been his own. The first idea
of the weapon came to him during the
Spanish American war, when the mag
niticent work Of the American gunners
directed his thoughts to guns and their
Improvement. He constructed his first
model of wood. his only tool being a
jackknife.
The lack of funds then threatened to
put stop to the young Inventors work,
but he finally obtained enough money
to go into an iron works on the West
Side, which gave him the use of its
tools and machinery for IS day. Here
he constructed the model, which he
sent to the patent office at Washington,
which has already allowed seventeen Of
his claims Oh the weapon.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
] OLD TIMES INES,
There are no days like the good old

There are no days like the good old
days
The days when we were youthful!
When humankind were pure of mind
And speech and deeds were truthful;
Before love for sordid gold
Because mans ruling passion,
And before each dame and maid became
Slaves to the tyrant fashion.
There are no girls like the good old girls
Against the world I'd stake 'em!
As buxom and smart md clean Of heart
AS the Lord knew how to make 'em!
They were rich in spirit md common
sense,
A piety all-supportin';
They could bake and brew, aud had
taught school, too,
And they made the likelicst courtin'!
There are no boys like the good old
When we were boys together!
When the grass WAS sweet to the brown
bare feet
That dimpled the laughing heather;
When the pewee sung to the summer
dawn
OF the bee in the willowy clover,
Or down by the mill the whip-poor-will
Echoed his night song over.
There is no love like the good old love
The love that mother gave us!
We are old, old men, vet we pine again
For that precious grace God gave us!
So we dream and dream of the good old
times,
And our hearts grow tenderer, fonder,
As those dear old dreams bring soothing
CLEANS
OF heaven away off yonder.
Eugene Field.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
The si.nane.

The gentle siamang is a gibbon and
no monkey, says writer IN Black
woods Magazine. In assemblies on the
treetops live the siamang, whooping
through the octaves, calling to their
friends from miles away, and swooping
off to meet them, racing steepiechases
with the winds. have seen, and hope
to live and see again, pack of the
siamang going through the jungle-a
long black arm and small crumpled
body swinging wildly from 1t like a
pendulum run mad, then a suicidal
ding. a crash in the covering green, and
so they are gone. Tame they are the
gentlest of creatures. The Malays
catch the young ones and bring them
to our doors. knowing that buy we
must. 1t is not among the possibilities
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

AS n train was approaching town
on the Great Northern Railway in Ire
land an intelligent-looking young Irish
man observed lady standing up
searching her pocket. She commenced
TO Weep. Have you been robbed?"
he asked.
''Oh, no." she replied; 1--WE lost my
ticket, and they will accuse me Of
Fraud
Seeing her distressed state of mind
he said:
ooh, don't mind; here, take my ticket,
and will give the guard problem"
while their fellow-passengers awaited
the scene at the station with interest.
When the train stopped the guard
collected all the tickets but one.
Where is your tlcket?" he asked the
young man.
You have got my ticket" he replied.
NO, have not got it. Ill call the
stationmaster and see about It,"
Where Is your ticket?" asked the
stationmaster, when he appeared.
HE has my ticket; see II he has a
off the corner"
Yes, you have, Dave: there it Is
well, see, will that fit it?" said Pat,
handing him the small piece, and it did.
A look of surprise crept over the
guards face as he left the carriage,
while Pat caused much amusement by
exclaiming, "Begorra, knew he
couldn't solve lt."-Tit-Bits.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

said, was Ditiful. Not one of his men
but would have stood his ground, am
bush or not. But the leader, terror
stricken, turned, leaving the greater
number of his men in the trap where
his own folly had led them, and TAX
ing with him small guard for his own
protection.
1t is not likely that there is another
such instance in the recent history of
British arms. Teck and his men did
not draw rein until they had fed 1900
yards, where the untaken guns were
unlimbered and a perfunctory attempt
was made to shell the Beers, who
quickly got out of range with their
booty. Nor were the guns followed up,
though 1t is known that recovery was
feasible
The only sequel, says the Chicago In
ter Ocean, to this piece of egregious
cowardice has been the victimizing Of
Gatacre. Teck was major In the First
Life Guards. An untitled Brltisher
holding such position and committing
such disgraceful act would have been
promptly shot. General w. r. Cat
acre was the Duke of Teck's command
ing officer. In dispatches to the war
office, at least those made public, the
entire blame for the disgrace of Koorn
Spruit was laid upon Gatacre by Lord
Roberts.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Not to BE outdope.

James Russell Lowell was a great
student of dialect. One day while in
England lie entered South Shields
restaurant, and sat down opposite n
barefooted Shields yokel, who had been
walking, and whose feet were tired.
Waiter" he said, bring he steak
and fried potatoes"
The yokel leaned his elbows upon the
table. Bring me yam, tee," he said.
Bring me a cup Of coffee and rolls. !"
continued Lowell.
Bring me yam, tee" said the yokel.
) "And. John. you may bring me n boot
jack"
Bring me yam, tee" added the yokel
"Why. what on earth can you want
with bootjack?' asked Lowell, sur.
prised into asking the question. The
retort nearly took away his breath.
Gan away, We fule," said the yokel.
dye think Gamma eat boottack ma
well as ye?-Glasgow Scotland,
Times.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Intense Artificial He, t.

The greatest heat produced artificial
ly is that of an electric arc furnace, the
kind that is used in the production Of
artificial diamonds, calcium carbide,
etc. 1t is so intense that nothing exists
with which TO record it. 1t is esti-
mated. however, to be of about 400 de-
grees Fahrenheit. The coolest known
temperature is that of liquid air, which
freezes alcohol and mercury and dis
tances all means of measuring. 1t Is
claimed for it that with it tempera-
ture of 400 degrees below zero, Fair.
enheit is reached. The present limits
of heat and cold are. therefore, repre-
sented by the are furnace and the
LIQUID air.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
that she had put it away. after reading
1t hastily. for there We're people waiting

that she had put 1t away. after reading
1t hastily. for there We're people waiting
below. 1t announced that he was COM
ing to see her that afternoon and re-
quested that she would not fail to be
In. Just above the signature was SEN
tence In Latin, rapidly and illegibly
written-hls handwriting at Its best
was difficult to declpher. She started MS
she remembered that in the hurry of
that long-ago afternoon she had put off
translating Latin. He knew that she
had studied the language, for he had
once asked her, seemingly apropos of
nothing, but she, had not told him that
she had forgotten nearly all of 1t since
leaving school. She rushed for the die
tlonary and read Understandings for
the first time the neglected message,
the gist, as 1t proved, of the whole:
20 love Of mine; my bleeding heart
lies at thy feet; deign to accept the Of
fering of thy slave"
She had not been mistaken; he had
loved her, after all, but why did he
how could he-trust living story to a
dead tongue? And why had she, how
ever hurried, left word Of that letter
unread?
The letter was clutched convulsively,
the lexicon dropped to the floor, and.
her head went down on her arm in a
passion Of futile tearsS Philadelphia
Item
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

work. They arrive early in the morn
ing, and are at first placed at table
and fed. The food is coarse, but sub
stantial AT the conclusion of the meal
preparations for the field are begun.
The party is divided into three rellefs.
To the beam of the plow is attached a
long rope, into which are tied stout
sticks equal to half the number of
women in each relief. AS draught ami
mails the women go to their places, di-
viding on either side of the rope, and
the days work is begun.
The owner of the land, holding the
handles Of the plow, gives grunt. The
women bend forward to the yoke, the
plowshare enters the ground, and at n
rapid rate the first furrow Is turned
over. For four hours each relief works.
AS fast as returned the women are
privileged to go home. During working
hours not word is spoken. The wom-
en- are as dumb as the animals they
represent.
Last year the Canadian mounted po-
lice, in order to assist the Impoverished
settlers, gave them several small con-
tracts for hay. In the execution Of
these contracts the women again played
an important part. Harnessed to small
wooden sulky rakes, they could be seen
daily during the summer toiling up and
down the prairie meadows harvesting
the hay. The men did the loading into
the police wagons.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Only Women Can Pronounce II.

The state Besjukoyschtschin In Rus.
STA is probably the only place in the
world that is run entirely by women.
This state is made up of seven villages,
each presided over by mayoress, the
whole under the superintendent of
lady named Saschka, who acts as pres.
ident. There are women magistrates,
women preachers, women policemen
in fact, every capacity in the state is
filed by women. The roads are made
by women and women sell milk and
deliver letters. If you want to bring
an action against your nelghbor In this
State you go to woman lawyer, and
If there is anything in your house to
be stolen then burglar of the weaker
sex steals 1t. No place of any import
ance is filled by man.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
HELD Reformer to ri. Word

When a beggar asked Philadelphia
stationer the other day for help the
latter offered him two lead pencils.
saying: with half the effort required
in begging you can easily sell these for
s cents apiece" The beggar gazed at
the pencils scornfully. Who'd give
me cents for them2' he demanded.
"Why, anybody said the statIoner.
go out and try it." Would your,
asked the beggar. "why, certainly"
was the reply. A smile of triumph
spread over the grimy features Of the
mendicant. Here you are. then" he
said. Gimme the 10 cents You can't
go back on your own word" 1t took
the stationer several minutes to re.
cover his breath, but he finally entered
into the deal, and hereafter he will
adopt other tactics Hartford Times.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Danger of Nleht P.rtie.

81 abomlnate night parties for chill
dren," said Il prominent city physician
recently, while speaking of the care of
the young, "and believe every phy.
Stefan does. 1t is not SO much the ex.
posure and the eating in the night, but
the breaking into the sleep habit
Equally bad is 1t for children to study
in the evening. 1t gorges their brains
with blood, and If they sleep they
dream. had little patient of 12
years who was wasted and nervous and
whose dreams were filled with his
problems. 1t was marvel and
pride to his parents that the young.
ster worked out hard problems in his
sleep such as he failed to master when
awake. But he came near his final
problem, l locked up his books Mt 4
O'Clock. He must not touch one after
supper; he must play and romp and
then go to bed. He is now robust.
You cannot emphasize too strongly the
mischief of children's night study
Chicago Chronicle.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
NOT A CHEAP JOURNEY.
Americans Going to South Africa VII
HaYe to Pay RoundIy.

Ameritans Going to South Africa Will
Have to Pay Roundlv.
Those Americans who contemplate a
trip to South Africa to witness the
scenes of conflict will have to pay a
good sum for the journey. In spite of
the large American interests in the
Transvaal and other parts of South
Africa no direct line of passenger COM
munication between the United States
and that country has ever been estab-
lished. All passenger traffic for the
scene of the present war between the
Boer and the Briton must be by way Of
Europe. From there one may have the
choice of several lines. The steam
ships of the German East African line
touch at Amsterdam twice a month on
their way to Delagoa Bay and Durham.
Steamers of the Union and Castle lines
sail each Saturday from Southampton,
England, for South Africa ports, but
first go to Holland to pick up passen-
gers and freight. The British and Co
lonlal steamships sail every fortnight
direct from London to Cape Town.
They are Of light draught, especially
designed to cross the bar at East Lon
don and Natal, but carry only first
class passengers. Rates of passage
from London to Cape Town range from
$66.43, third class, up to $199.2S. first
class.
The distance from London is 5,051
miles and the average time of the voy-
age by royal mail steamers is seven
teen days and by other lines about
twenty-one days. From New York one
must add, of course, to these figures
from six to nine days of time and from
$50 to 500 for fare. In brief, trav-
eler from New York to Cape Town via
England might reasonably hope to
make the voyage in something less
than thirty days and possibly in TWEEN
ty-fiye, at an expense for steamer fare
of from $136.43 to about $500, accord
ing to me accommodations desired.
Most of the English lines sell through
tickets to Johannesburg via Cape
Town, the first-class fare being S225. 10
and the additional time from Cape
Town by rail about two days.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Everybody Has Work, Ehr

Every man with eyes that wants to
see 1t, knows that there is vast army
of idle men in the United States seek
ing work and not getting it. These
men are not tramps who will not work,
they want work. A simple thing like
work in the big tunnel in New York
draws thousands thither.
THE commencement of work on the
big Rapid Transit tunnel III New York
has brought about strange state OF
affairs" said Charles NJ. Groves, of
Manhattan, at the Normandie. "As
soon rs the news Of the proposed tun-
ned was noised about, unemployed la
borers from every large city in the
country began to arrive in Gotham, and
to-day l should Judge that there are at
least $4,000 idle laborers waiting for a
chance to get work on the new enter
prise. 1t had been printed everywhere
that an army of men would be required
to dig the hole, and these men came
without funds, expecting to be put to
work Mt once. AS an actual fact, it
may be six months before one-tenth of
the number will get a. chance to do
anything. The sub.contracts are let to
contractors who have already men
enough of their own to do the jobs, and
the army of unemployed will be forced
to tramp back to their homes. Nothing
but little work on sewer at Blocker
and Greene streets has been begun as
yet, and there are plenty of New York
men waiting to be put to work"
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
But. unfortunately, he selects en-
companions.

But. unfortunately, he selects en-
traordinary companions
Thereby hangs fish story. Long
ago, in the days Of the second empire,
Gallifet was the aid-de-camp Of Napo-
leon III. At st. Cloud his quarters
were just over the imperial bedroom.
Everything around him was very grand
and very gloomy. The window Of his
room looked upon the pond that wash
ed the walls of the chateau. The water
was clear, and the surrounding seem
cry was beautiful; but the young lieu
tenant felt like prisoner Early one
morning while seated at his window
trying to drive away the blues with a
cigar he espied below In the crystal
water an enormous carp. The instincts
OF the angler, strong In Gallifet, made
the young mans eyes snap and set his
heart a-throbbing.
lhe big fish was the private property
of the Emperor. Consequently, for
Gallifet 1t was forbidden fish. But 1t
was such fine fellow! The resist
ance of the soldiers conscience was
useless. 1t surrendered uncondition.
ally. The remaining part of the cam,
paign against the carp was simple
enough. Gallifet went to his trunk,
brought out his trusty line, to which
lie fastened hook and an artificial
bait. With his accustomed skill lie
cast the line. The carp was hooked
and hauled in through the window.
Here the lieutenanrs fun ended and
his trouble began. The fish landed
UPON n table, overturned large globe
filled With water, and caromed from
that to magnificent vase, which it also
upset ana smashed to pieces upon the
floor. Then 1t began to execute n genu.
Inc pas dc carpe among the smither-
Gems.
The Emperor. hearing the strange
racket overhead and seeing tile water
trickling through the ceiling, was aston.
ished. He rushed upstairs to find out
what was the matter. Gallifet heard
him coming and endeavored to grab
the carp and throw it out of the win
low. and thus destroy the evidence of
his poaching in the imperial pond. But
the slippery thing was hard to hold; SO
lie tossed 1t into the bed and covered
1t up with the bed clothes. When the
Emperor entered the room lie noticed
Immediately the quivering bed clothes.
He pulled them down and uncovered
the laundering fish. His majesty's
face assumed an almost jim jamie ex-
preston, which gradually faded into
faint smile. He took in the entire stu
alton. saluted, and left the future War
Minister to mediate upon the mysteries
of a fisherman's luck.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

loose fruit If any one removed the
fruit, he would growl, snarl, gnash his
teeth. and endeavor to bite, until it was
restored. Another was an oval gold
snuff box, about four and one-half
inches long by three inches broad, and
one inch and one-half thick. 1t was
double, as though one box were placed
on top of another, with lid for each.
One contained snuff. In the other, rs
soon as the lid was opened, there rose
up very small bird of green enameled
gold, sitting upon gold stand. Imme-
diately this minute curiosity shook its
wings, wagged Its tail, opened its bill
of white enameled gold, and poured
forth, minute as 1t was, being only
three-quarters of an inch from the beak
to the extremity of the TAIL such
clear, melodious song as would have
filled room of twenty or thirty feet
square with its harmony.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
some BIG Fires in Eurone.

In 1902 there was an enormous con-
migration at Liverpool, which destroy
ed more than $5,00O,0O0 worth of prop
erty. In the year 100 over one-half Of
the city of Edinburgh was destroyed by
fire. In 1865 there was fire in Con-
stantinople which destroyed $500
buildings, shops and bazaars. But
Constantinople's greatest fire occurred
in 1870, when almost half the peninsu-
In on which the city is built was swept
by the contlagration. No record exists
of the number of houses destroyed on
this occasion, but the value of the prop
erty lost was roughly estimated to ex-
coed $25OOO,OOO
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16

rage frequently on the dry and dusty
veldt. Just as sometimes pieces of
paper and bits of litter are caught up
by the wind on street corner and kept
twisting round and round in the air,
so on the great African plains great
columns of sand are raised high into
the air. in shape and in motion like a
waterspout. Sometimes the sand
devils are driven at high rate of
speed by the wind, and people who get
in their way come out of the inter
view looking and feeling as if they had
been thoroughly polished with emery
paper. With the coming of the rains,
of course, the sand is laid and danger
from Sandstorms is over.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Even tn, sermon. were Dry.

The late Rev. Lawrence Lockhart,
d. D., before his succession to the fam
lily estates in Lanarkslire, was parish
minister of Inchinnan, in Renfrew-
shire. When, on his succession to the
estates, he was "flitting" from Inchin-
nan, he left number of things behind
him stored in a garnet. Some time
afterward he wrote to his successor to
ask him whether the things in the gar
ret We're all right and in particular
whether they We're well aired" In
reply he was told, "The things in the
garnet are all right, well aired and quite
,lry-sermons and ALL"
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Observation-Disclosures
A LATIN LESSON.

SIT was year since he had left Gill
cago, and in all that time she had
heard nothing from him. 1t seemed,
strange! they had been such friends
indeed, more than friends, for he had
seemed to like her much, and had
sought her society on every possible oc-
casion. The day before he was to leave
he had come by appointment to see
her. She had noticed with concern
that his manner was chill and con-
strained, but had had no opportunity
to dissipate that chill by her own cor
diality. Although it was not their reg
ular reception day, the drawing room
was full of people. and her sister. who
was apt upon occasion to monopolize
his attention. never left them alone for
moment, although he prolonged his
stay until after the last visitor had left.
Surely he will WRITE" she had said
to herself, and for weeks the postman's
ring had caused a quick fluttering of
the heart which subsidized into the dull
ache of disappointment when the long
ed-for letter never came. She had heard
of him often from common friends, of
his success socially and financially In
the distant city which he had made his
home, and had slowly and unwillingly
resigned herself to the conviction that
their friendship had been but an cpl
sode. And now she held in her hand
the announcement Of his marriage to
another woman. She felt glad that the
family had regarded him as her sisters
admirer.
Slowly she went upstairs to her room
and unlocked her desk, taking from an
inner drawer small stock Of treasures
"a dozen notes, some dried violets, candy
box, ribbons, and other souvenirs equal
" trlfing. She must destroy them now,
she was too old-fashioned to preserve
such memorials of another woman's
husband. Violets and ribbons were
soon In ashes on the hearth, but each
note in the packet was opened and
read before being sacrificed. She was
naturally methodical and they came in
correct order. She smiled bitterly to
herself TO see how little there was real
ly In them. Even Mrs. Bardell's law
yer would have been puzzled to find on
those pages anything tender or COM
initial. What a fool she had been! She
finished the holocaust and turned to re-
place the empty drawer. 1t stuck and
had to be pulled out again. Looking
for the obstruction, she found another
note-the Inst one-which she had.
incurred as lost. Now she remembered
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
Checking Ticket speou,ator..

There Is stringent ordinance.in At.
lanta, Ga, against speculation in tickets
to places of amusement, and one of Its
violators came to grief during the re.
cent engagement Of Richard Mansfield
in that city. The Spectator was ar.
raigned before the city judge, the case
proved against him and he was prompt.
ly fined 500 and sentenced to thirty
days in jail. The Inter part of the
sentence was afterward RENTED. Mr.
Mansfield expressed pleasure on being
informed of the sentence. He said his
own agents charged the public for ad.
mission as much as they We're able to
pay.