davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
Chinese Minister Acts.

Washington, July 16.-The Chinese
minister, Mr.. Wu, has undertaken to
get through a cipher cable message
from Secretary Hay to United States
Minister Congcr at Pekin and to have
ger is alive. The message was pre-
pared by Secretary Hay andits contents
are unknown to any one save him.
1t was sent to Shanghai with explicit
instructions from Minister WI to
spare no efforts or expense to get it
into the hands of Mr.. Conger
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
Fought Fire Three DAYS And Nights.

Boulder Creek. Cal, July IA fire
that was started west of here on July
by a fire balloon, is still raging.
Thousands of acres of timber has been
destroyed and there does not seem
much probability that it will be soon
gotten under control.
Twenty-Five or thirty families who
were camping at Brendleton have had
to leave. Several families are also
camped along Bear Creek and these,
too, had to abandon their camp. They
fought the fire for three days and
nights, and, finding their efforts I'M
availing, abandoned the place.
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
Fights And surrenders.

London, July 12.-Lord Roberts tel
egraphs to the War office from Pretoria
as follows:
1.-The officer commanding at Hebron
reports that. State Secretary Blignaut,
state Attorney Dickson and members
OF the council OF Vantander and Kup-
pervergen came in and surrendered.
E'As the enemy for some days had
been threatening our line of railway
by trying to get around our right flank
1 dispatched Hutton with mounted
infantry to REINFORCE Mahon and with
orders to drive the Beers to the east of
Broenkerspruit. These orders were
effectually carried out by Mahon, who
was attacked by some 3,6e0 men with
six guns and two maxims."
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21

Firm Fences.-There is nothing in
relation to poultry keeping that gives
more satisfaction than q weIi-built
poultry fence OF wire On posts that are
50 deeply set they will never incline IN
any direction. It pays to have fFEn
fence. It viii save great deal OF
yexation. The posts should be so deep
" set that they viii stand wind and
rain. frost and soil moisture. This can
be obtained only by having the holes
dug 50 deep that the bottoms OF tbs
posts viii be below the region subject
to beaYing In the spFiag, which does
not necessarily mean below the region
az hos6
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
Tbe Rastile Ce1ebration.

Paris. July 1.-THE celebration Of
the fall of the BastiIe ended in n
tragedy. When the crowds tried to
disperse they found it impossible to
move They were packed like herrings
in barrel Men. women and children
began pushing. and a panic occurred
Women tainted by the scores and many
children were trodden under foot. At
least 100 women were carried to the
cafes in the neighborhood. 1t is inn
possible to tell how many were injured.
It is a marvel if no deaths occurred.
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
state boundary Line Settled.

Cincinnati, o., July 1.-THE United
States circuit court of appeals has set
tied question of boundary line be-
tween Tennessee and North Carolina
in favor of Tennessee. The dispute
arose from two grants of the same
land to different parties.
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
Ouar.utined ChLnese win she.

San Francisco, July 16.-The Chinese
of the recently quarantined district of
this city are preparing to demand COM
pensation for losses alleged to have
been sustained owing to the action of
the health officials Detailed lists OF
losses are being prepared which are
expected to form the basis for a suit
for damages estimated by the attor-
neys at about s., 900 600 against the
city of San Francisco or OF claim Of
about that amount against the federal
government
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
v.r,at,o, OF Temperatars.

Probably the greatest diurnal tenn
perature range on record Is that re-
ported by Il. ZIehy, late traveller in
Mongolia. The temperature at URSa
was 800 degrees at 3. m, and 81
noon It had risen to 10s.s degrees
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21

skimmilk and dried blood. The secoHd
lot was fed on wheat bran. corn meal,
ground oats and skimmiIk or curd.
Both lots were fed green alfalfa; and
sand and coarse grit were freely sup
piled. Before the experiment had been
long under way it was not unusual to
notice scrawny, granted birds,
with troughs full OF good, apparently
wholesome food before them, standing
on the alert and scrambling in hot
haste after the unlucky grasshopper or
fly which Ventured into their pen;
while the contented-looking meat-fed
ducks lay laZily in the sun and paid
no attention 10 buzzing bee or crawl
Ing beetle. The 80 meat-fed birds lived
and thrived; but the vegetable food
birds dropped on one by one, starved
to death through lack of animal food,
so that only 20 OF the SO were alive at
the close of the fifteenth week of con-
trasted feeding. They were then fed
for four weeks on the meat meal ra-
ton, and made nearly as rapid gains as
the other lot at the same size, two
months before; but they never quite
overcame the disadvantage of their bad
start on grains alone. Some OF the
comparative averages for ten weeks
from birth, the period OF profitable
growth for the larger ducks, are shown
graphically below, the first figure or
upper line representing the meat fed
birds in each instance:
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
Clean and UncIean DairIes.


A California milk inspector has this
to say: Unclean dairies have been so
widely advertised in official reports
and newspaper articles that many citi-
zens think well-conducted dairies do
not exist, or, if they do, no way is
known by which one can be assured
of getting their milk. And many per-
sons will go without milk whenever
possible rather than run the risk of
getting the dangerously impure arti-
Gle which they are convinced is very
common. Thus the scarce articles have
the effect of reducing the production
and use of impure milk; but they have
the same effect also on the use of pure
milk. 1t is unfortunate that the ex-
cellent features of the best dairies are
not given as much prominence as are
the defective features OF the worst, so
as to show those interested that good
milk is on the market as we'll as bad.
A practicable plan by which this could
be accomplished could easily be fol-
lowed, greatly to the benefit at ali con-
cerned. Although only a few diaries
were visited. it was readily seen that
at least a part of the milk going into
Sacramento and San Francisco is pro-
duced with great care and can be re-
lied upon as 4 safe and wholesome
food. As already suggested, il these
hrst-class diaries and others like them
could be brought to the attention OF
the public as forcibIy as the worst
types, decided step would be taken
toward the Improvement of the general
city supply.
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAL READERS.

How Successful Farmers Operate This
Department. OF the Parma Few
Hints as to the Care of Live Stock
and Poultry.
Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-07-21
city supply

EozIs VFIsh sr Without Neat Fooda.
The Geneva experiment station has,
as previously mentioned in the Farm
era Review, been making trials in feed
ing fowls with and without meat IN
their food. A part of the report says:
The results were convincing, aln80et
startling. in the case Of ducklInss Ted
the ceHfrasted Taticas. The hrst Lot OF
dueklinks vas fed On corn nssal,
ground cats. animal meal. and little
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27
replied Sturgis, land perhaps Is min
utes more in the hall, While Murdoch

replied Sturgis, land perhaps Is min
utes more in the hall, while Murdoch
was engaged"
II suppose Chatham was still with
him?" unused Spragne.
SturSis started at the name.
"Chatham." he ejaculated; what do
you know about Chatham"
What, are you interested in Chat
ham?" asked the artist, curiously. Il
know very little about him, only that
he is one of my disappointed rivals"
And he thereupon related to the re.
porter what he knew of Chatham's
suit.
! sturgis listened with deep attention
l. his friends narrative, and Illuminated
in silence long after the artist had
ceased speaking.
At last he started up with sudden
exclamation, and, walking over to the
side of the tank, he looked into the
depths of its oily contents, as if fas-
cinated by some horrible thing he saw
there.
Sprague came and stood beside him
and gazed curiously into the viscous
liquid. There was nothing there that
he could see.
what is it?" he asked.
Without replying, Sturgis took from
his pocket a bone-handled knife and
carefully dipped one end of the handle
into the fluid in the leaden tank. At
once the liquid began to seethe and
boil. giving out dark, pungent fumes.
81 thought So" muttered the re-
porter, under his breath; shat man is
truly Il genius-thc genius of evil.'
"Who?" asked Sprague.
Sturgis made no reply. His eyes
We're wandering about the room, as it
in search of something.
Gland me a couple of those long
glass tubes from that shelf yonder,"
he said, earnestly.
The artist complied with the request.
Dipping these tubes into the oily
liquid, Sturgis, after considerable diff
Guilty, managed to seize with them a
small dark object which lay at the bot
ton, of the tank. With infinite precau-
ton he brought it to the surface. 1t
had the appearance of flattened lead
Ell bullet.
"What is it?" inquired sprague.
"sit down." answered Sturgis, in a
low, tense voice. Il have just found
the last link which completes my chain
of evidence; l am now prepared to tell
you such Il story as you will scarcely
credit, even with the absolute proofs
before YOUR ewes"
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27

"All | wanted to tell yo,l--and you are
the first to hear of it's the, to me,
rather important fact that l am en-
gagged to be married.
You are"" exclaimed Sturgis, with
genuine pleasure. u congra tulate you,
old fellow, from the bottom of my
heart
He seized the artists hand and shook
it i'll his hearty grasp.
"ro the original of the picture you
wanted to show me yesterday" he
asked.
YES"
'Then she was not bctrothed to the
other fellow, after all?"
"No; that seems to have been mis-
take"
II am glad of that, very glad" said
the reporter. by the way, you have
not yet told me the young lady's
name"
II thought I had mentioned it yes
terday morning. Didn't 1? No? My
tiancee is Miss Murdoch"
AT the sound of this name Sturgis
started visibly, and shadow crossed
his features.
Miss Murdock?" he echoed.
YES" said sprague. what is it?
You do not seem pleased"
Then. as u sudden thought struck
him:
Il hope am not treading on your
toes, old fellow" he said, putting his
hand gently upon his friends shout
der and trying to read his thought iii
his clear gray eyes. But how absurd!
Of course you cannot be rival for
Miss Murdocl's affections, since you
do not even know her.
NO." laughed Sturgis, regaining his
composure, 81 am not your rival. AS to
the other point. while l can hardly
claim an acquaintance with the young
lady, think l saw her not more than
a couple of hours ago"
"A couple of hours ago!" exclaimed
Spraguc; why, was with her myself
|, then
Il know that now, although was
not aware of it at the time"
what. were you at the Murdocks' at
the same time as I WASP" asked
Sprague, surprised.
II had just come from there when
met you. was in Murdock's study
while you were-er-busy in the par
lor."
SIN Murdock's study? How long
were you there?"
About half an hour, I should Judge, -
r-:.s7F. -, ~,W-1v--~yy---
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27
1A0moAeAaAssA1AoA1Ak
: THE STURGIS WAGER :
) A DETECTIVE STORY. <
D BY EDGAR MORETTE.
E Copyright, 1899, by Frederick A. Stokes Co. !:
yE9&4&NgS&
CHAPTER NIN.-CoSr1NuEp.

CHAPTER NIX.-CoNTINuEp.
"That will do" observed Sturgis
presently; the old woman is coming
as fast as she cam"
"What old woman?" asked the de.
tective.
81 don't know. Perhaps I ought to
have said an old woman. I hear her
hobbling on the stairs.''
The detective placed. his ear to the
keyhole. After listening attentively,
he turned to the reporter with an in.
credulous smile.
''Well, Mr.. Sturgis," said he, eff you
can hear anything in there, your ears
are sharper than mine. That's all l
can say"
''She is on the second fight" replied
the reporter, quietly. ''Now she is in
the second-story hall-and now you
can surely hear her coming down the
last fight"
BY this time, sure enough, the sound
of footsteps began to be audible to the
other three men; and presently the
door opened and disclosed the scared
face of an old Irish woman.
Sand phwat might yez be wantin,
gintlemin, to be after scarin' an ould
woman most to death wild yer ring
IMP" she asked, somewhat aggressive
ly.
''We want to see Mr.. Chatham" re-
piled one of the detectives.
"Nfister who, is it?'
strTbn,pns Clio In,n Cbo1y,,o 41,o wow
to his room. I'll go right up, and my
friends will wait for me here"
"Mister Thomuz Chathum, is it?"
said the old woman; "well, we've come
to the wrong house to see him, do be
thinkin', fer he don't live here"
Come, that won't do" said the de-
tective, sharply; 1--WE belong to the po-
house."
AT the mention Of the police, the old
hag's parchment face became shade
yellowcr and her eyes glistened.
"Sure, thin. if he do be hidin' here,
it's mesilf as 'ud know it," she said.
after a short intervals; "but ycz can
toind 'um; if ycz loille; yez can foind
'um."
Whereupon she turned and hobbled
off, leaving the intruders to their own
resources.
They found themselves in a narrow
hallway. On the right was a rickety
staircase leading to busincsssof1ic in
the upper part Of the building; on the
left, door opening into the office of
the Manhattan Chemical company, and
marked:
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27

no truck, even unloaded, could pass
below that lowest shelf. The conclusion
was evident. / sounded the back of the
shelving and found that it covered an
opening OF some kind. After that, all
| that remained was to notice that one
of the shelves was slightly soiled i'll
just one spot, as though by the re-
peated contact of Il hand. From this,
urgued that the bolt must be attached
to this board. And it was. That is all"
AS he spoke, the reporter entered q
dark and narrow passage.
Don't shut the door," said he to his
companion, who followed him.
At that moment, however, the artist
stumbled; and, instinctivsly holding
out his hands to save himself from fall
ing, he released his hold of the door,
which closed with slam.
THAT is unfortunate" said Sturgis;
eve may have TO lose some time in
learning how to work the bolt from
this side. Hold on; it will be prudent
to keep open line of retreat, in case
of unforeseen emergencies. Hello! we
are in luck. Nothing concealed on this
side: the bolt in plain sight; works
easily. Ais well. Then let us go on;
unless l am greatly mistaken, we shall
find another exit on the other side"
After following the underground
passage for some distance the men
climbed some steps and reached a
square chamber, on one side of which
rose a stairway leading to a door
above. The room was surmounted by
skylight, which was wide open, admit
ting a draught of cold air from the
outside.
Sturgis set down his lighted candle
and proceeded TO examine his sur
roundings. In the middle of the room
stood a truck, upon which lay long
pine box. A table and chair consti-
tuted the only furniture of the place.
AT one side there was long, low,
leadiined tank. filed TO the depth Of
about two feet with Il dark viscous
liquid. Near it lay few empty car
boys. In the floor there was what
seemed 10 be Il hot-air register, of large
size and of peculiar construction. The
walls were bare, unbroken, save by the
projection of the mouthpiece of q
speaking tube, and by set of shelves
filled with TASKS, crucibles, alembics
and the other paraphernalia of chem
lists laboratory.
After the reporter had finished re-
connoitering he sat down upon the
long box in deep thought. Sprague OBJ
served him with silent curiosity for
awhile, and then, with growing impa-
thence:
Il say, old man." he vcntured at last
to ask, "did you bring me here, armed
to the teeth, to see you go off into a
trance?"
Sturgis started like man suddenly
awakened from deep sleep.
"Eh? What? Oh, yes-those conf
dences. Well, you start in with yours.
L am trying to find the denouement of
my story. l feel that it. is just within
my grasp; and yet cannot seem to
see it yet. But can listen to you while
am thinking. Go on.''
81 have not any story to tell" said
Sprague, somewhat offended at his
friends apparent Indifference to what
lie had to say.
ooh, yes, you have" retorted Stur-
gis, with a conciliatory smile; "you
said you had news to tell me. Well, tell
away. I am listening most respectful
ly, in spite of my apparent absorb
ton"
what strange fellow you are, Stur-
gis," laughed Sprague, good-naturedly.
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27

intellect doesn't amount to any
thing" "What do you mean, Miner
va?" "The most intellectual woman
in the world can be squelched in three
seconds by her dressmaker."
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27

Hard water can be made soft by
the addition of soda," said the profess
or. ''Now, can soft water be made
hard?" eyes. sir,' replied Thomas
f. Taddells.. Indeed! How?" "By
freezing it,
The Irish standard., 1900-10-27

Mrs. Gold Nugget-"I cannot see
any callers today, Nanette"
Nanette, five minutes later to caller
-"Monsieur, I hat re plaisure to in
for you Eat madame is blind today
The San Juan County index., 1900-10-26
A Unique Tower Bell


When the first settlement was made
on Commencement Bay, Puget Sound
it was simply lumber camp and trad
ing post. After the Northern Pacific
railroad was completed to Commence
ment Bay a city was built on the nigh
ground above the lumber camp south
ward, and that is the handsome city OF
Tacoma, Wash.
The ancient lumber camp is now that
part of Tacoma which is called "Old
Town" locally. Early in the history of
Old Town an Episcopal clergyman,
now Bishop Morris of Oregon, built a
little wooden church in the place
alongside of huge fir tree that had
been broken off about 40 feet from the
ground.
1t was first the intention to build the
church behind the tree and cut a door
way through the trunk, thus making
the tree the entrance as well as the
bell tower, but this plan was aban-
doned A belfry tipped with a cross
was built upon the top of the tree, a
bell placed therein, and swung To
this day the ivy-clad fir is the bell
tower of the church. A ladder runs
from the roof Of the church to the bel
fry. and this is used as the approach
to the bell whenever it becomes neces-
sary to visit it for any purpose.
The ivy that clings to the tree has
crawled under the roof and into the
The San Juan County index., 1900-10-26
PLAYED BY KEYS.

New Method Has Been Invented for
either Playing.
Any one who has attempted to play
either knows that it is a difficult in
strument to learn, and the fingers must
be kept in practice every day or they
will soon become soft and liable to
blister. This prevents many people
from taking up the playing of what is
one Of the sweetest instruments, but
with the keyboard attachment recent
ly patented by J. c. st. John of Boston.
Mass. it should be an easy task to pick
up the playing of the instrument Ev-
cry key is mounted on a rod, which
passes through the bridges and into
the sounding board beneath. being pro-
vided with springs to maintain them
at their highest point To the rod is
attached a ,shortt horizontal piR, which
normally rests against the under side
Of the key. and the rod also supports
a block, which carries the curved pick.
When the key is depressed the pick
slips across the string and as the pin
is depressed at the same time the
string starts to vibrate, the tone being
maintained until the vibrations cease
or the key is allowed to rise, the pin
stopping the sound in the latter case
The short spring directly above the
block serves to throw the key upward
independent from the block. and the
cam face on the lower end of the key
presses the pick outward as it de-
scends. causing it it touch the string
in its downward movement
The San Juan County index., 1900-10-26
sEcREr coRRnaPonnrNor.
Inks oomposet Mainly of salts and
Cobalt Are tho neat


Inks oomposet Mainly Of salts and
Cobalt Are tho Best
OF the many invisible and sympa-
thetlc inks that have been used for Sc
cret correspondence perhaps the best
known are those composed mainly OF
salts Of cobalt Marks made with these
fluids remained invisible until they
were subjected to heat, and then we're
revealed In lines OF pale green. The
phenomenon was transient and entire
ly dependent on the temperature. As
soon as the sheet Of paper grew cool
writing would disappear. Now, 20 those
who had occasion to employ such means
Of communication It was desirable to
know whether any one tampered with
their letters or not So long as the
fact OF the correspondence was kept Sc
cret, Of course, there would be no dan
GER But II that once became known
the contents Of a private letter might
be ascertained by anyone through
whose hands the letter passed. Cobalt
writing can be made to appear ana
disappear dozen times without giving
the least evidence OF having been read.
But a patent was recently granted In
Germany which meets this difficulty,
and in some other respects, also. is an
Improvement on the old system. In
the first place the paper used in soaked
in the cobalt solution and is prepared
in advance The inventor aims to put
his stationery on the market The
writing is done with a solution Of com
mon salt and behaves as the cobalt ink
did formerly It can be seen only
when warmed and disappears immedi-
ately on cooling. Moreover it appears
as often as heat is applied It's color
is blush green. But the German also
provides what he calls a control ink"
This may be prepared by adding two
grains of resOrcin to eight drops OF
water and six drops of sulphuric acid
When a person has written his letter
with salt water he makes a few sup
Elementary remarks, in a spot pre-
viously agreed upon, with the con-
troll ink. SO long as the letter remains
cool these test marks are invisible, but
when the heat is applied they come out
and they come out to stay. They are
Of brown hue, different from that oil
the salt writing, and they will not dis
appear when the green writing does.
If the authorized recipient of a letter
finds these marks on a letter before
he himself warns it he has reason to
suspect that his secret is known. But
If they are missing the opposite con-
clusion is justified
The San Juan County index., 1900-10-26

that action a Boer leader said to A
newspaper correspondent:
Our Gen. Olivier is one of the slim
NEST men in Africa. You don't know
Olivier. If you Britishers were to talk
to him you would reckon him up as a
rather stupid sort of fellow. He knows
how to know nothing-when 1t suits
him. He can make his face as express
sionless as the back wall of a ceme-
terry on a wet day, even when he is
just boiling with excitement inside.
You may think that it is an easy trick,
but just you try it some day when
some one springs a big surprise on
you; perhap- you won't find 1t so easy
as it may appear Olivier knew all
about Gen. Gatacre. He had studied
him.
1--WE beat you Britishers that day,
beat you pretty badly, too, but the men
who think Gatacre isn't a general on
that account don't know the country,
nor know Olivier, don't know the Beers
and don't know what quick firing rifles
can do in such circumstances. If either
Kitchener or Roberts had been in Gen.