davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Meerschaum Found in Mexico.

iroH tHe beuFet fost.
mining, yes: but not for gold. nor for
silver, nor for precious metals said Henry
F. Bledsoe Of the City of Mexico.
"The stuff that dig out Is this" he con-
tinued, picking up package which lay near
where his arm rested on the clerks desk.
He unfolded the paper and brought to view
cube of yellowish chalky substance that
was saponaceous to the touch and nearly
as light as air. The smooth surface seemed
full Of infnitesmal pores. One face Of the
cube had been rubbed with some raspy sur
face until 1t had taken fine polish.
1T looks like meerschaum," was the YER
dict Of the Denver man.
That's what I call it-Mexican meer-
schaum." said Mr.. B}edsoe smiling, land
IT anybody can distinguish between that
stuff and the material of which the expen-
sive tobacco pipes are made, I'll give him
half interest in my mine. quarry. or
whatever you call It. I'm on my way to
my home in England. I've only sojourned
in Mexico for the last nine months'-he
added parenthetically-"bu I shall return
VEIN"
But do you think it is the genuine meer-
schaum?' the discoverer was asked
es. I am certain that this is the real
thing; in fact, I believe that the only real,
COMPACT. extensive body Of this material
IN existence Is that which 1 have found.
You see." Mr.. Bledsoe proceeded, most
OF Inc meerschaum heretofore used has
been found in Asia Minor. particularly in
the plains of Eski-Sheh, where it appears
In small Jumps or nodules. embedded in
layers of clay. The nodules are found in
small clusters here and there. and are
gouged out of the clay by the natives
Now, what do you think when I tell
you that in my quarry. as call 1t, there is
a vein of this stuff-just like that you have
IN your hand-a vein five feet in depth and
how far?"
But how did you discover this ledge, and
Where?' asked his excited listener.
Well" said Mr.. Bledsoe, with shrewd
smile, Il don't care to tell very much about
That part of 1t just now, but can say this
much. the location is in Coahuila, on the
banks of little dry arroyo called Eel Lobo ;
water course that runs right down
through a nearly level plain"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
From the Chicago News,


In enumerating the remarkable examples
OF forest growth, the banyan tree {fcus
lndica) would assume an honorable place.
1t ID a native Of several parts of the East
Indies, Ceylon and some parts of the West
Indies. 1t has a woody stem, which soon
divides into many branches
Every branch from the main body throws
out Its own roots, at first in small tender
nbers several yards from the ground; but
these continually grow thicker until they
reach the ground. when they strike in and
AFTER being nourished, increase to large
trunks and become parent trees, shooting
out new branches from the top and the
process Is continued until the tree covers a
considerable area, says the Scientific Amer
lean.
1t Is reported in authentic works that a.
banyan tree on the Nerbudda once covered
a space SO great that 1t sheltered 1000
men: The power of the floods has now
much reduced 1t in size, but 1t Is still 1900
feet in circumference, and the trunks, large
and small, exceed 5000 in number.
Other trees have been known to cover an
area or thirteen acres. They are frequently
FOUND near temples and on or near funeral
mounds. The figs are insipid but abundant
The leaves are of a bright green and form
a dense shade. They are five inches long
and four inches wide. and they are used by
the Brahmans as plates and dishes. The
WOOD OF the tree Is porous and is almost
worthless. The natives use various por-
ions OF the tree for medicinal purposes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Railway Work in the phiIipp,ne..

From Casters Magazine.
The fact that the entire railway system of
the Philippine Islands at present consists of
single line of antiquated pattern, having
length OF less than 125 miles, gives some
Idea OF the neglect of this economic form of
travel and transportation under the long
Spanish regime. The road intersects the
rach peninsula northwest Of Manila and
connects that city with Dagupan, a town
on the east coast of the Island of Luzon
which will eventually become an important
one To be exact, the length Of the line ia
~ miles The gauge is three feet six
Inches, and the ties are of the finest ha nd
wood, obtained from the forests along the
line On the entire length there are s,xty
iron iron Driages. AS compared with the fairly
SUBSTANTIAL character of the roadbed. the
rolling stock Is very light. In speed and
capacity the locomotives are insignificant.
pelng OF less than ten tons burden
The usual speed varied from fifteen to
twenty miles an hour, and when the Amerd.
can troops TOOK possession their railroadine
aston1shed the natives, the speeds heinz
frequently doubled. Compartment coaches
are used, and these are divided into three
classes or apartments, each apartment seat
ing eight passengers. The few first-cIass
coaches are provided with comfortable cane
chairs, while the second-class apartments
have rough wooden benches and the third
class are bare and are usually sI,Gtia d
with natives carrying baskets and bundles
or all descriptions. An ordinary train ia
made up of eight or ten carriages most NJ
them third class, and the fare ranges from
to cents. Mexican. per mile. The bulk
Of the freight now carried is made up of
and the rates on all classes Of trafRc are
considerable
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Derivation of Boer.

1t is curious to note, in connection with
the national designation of our present foes
in South Africa the survivance in Scottish
legal and agricultural parIance Of the close
ly allied term Bower" pronounced Booer.)
The expressinon is properly applied to
person who hires, from the proprietor or
principal tenant Of a farm, a stock of COWS
along with the right OF grazing them on
certain fields. The Bower makes In return
a money payment Of so much per cow, and
trusts to making his profit out of the sale
Of the dairy produce. The precise legal po-
sition of a party who has bowling lease
in somewhat indeterminate. being midway
between that of a mere manager and that
of subteTant. Instances of this mixed
contract of lease of land and hiring of labor
are now rare but 1t is still to be found in
agricultural districts. An instance of 1t in
Arran was the subject Of judicial consider
alton In 1894. The word bower" is allied
to the Gaelic 'bo," cow, and among its
numerous cognates in the Aryan languages
is included the Dutch term 'Boer."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
The Gulf STEFAN.
From the Spectator. 81 an


Owing its existence primarily to the revo-
luton of the earth apon its axis. its out
flow through the tortnousr channel connect
Ing the gulf Of Florida with the North At
iantic is more constant and steady in dfrec-
ton than any ebbing or flowing tide in the
world, 1nasmuch as it's "set'' is invariably
upon one course. Its rate is not SO uniform
varying somewhat with the season, but in
the narrowest part of the channel remain
ing 1airly constant at about four knots an
hour: Yet sail but few score leagues into
the Florida gulf whence this great river
IN the sea takes its apparent rise, and the
1nnuence disappears. The mariner NAV
seek there In vain for that swift silent flow
which in the Straits of Florida sweeps him
nor5heastward irresistibly in the teeth of
the strongest gale What has happened
Does the mighty stream drain westward
INTO that great iand-locked sea by hun
oreos OF channels from the equatorial re-
gions, but far below the surface, and. obey-
ing some all-compelling I'M pdlse, rise to the
neht upon reaching the Bahama Ranks
pouring out its beneficent flood as IT comes
at the rate Of 100 miles per day? II sweens
INTO the broad Atlantic, and immeliatelv
spreads out into a breadth to which Tho
Amazon Is but a brookiet losing It's yeIocity
meanwhile, until having skirted the North
american coast as far as the Grand Banks.
It rolls In sublime grandeur eastward Ia,
ward these fortunate isles"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
The English Khaki Tunic.

FROM Good words.
The khaki tunic has two large outside
breast pockets. each with flap. These are
really double pockets, for they are sub
divided 30 as to hold a store of reserve
ammunition In addition to the handkerchief
and any small personal belongings. The ordi-
nary supply OF ammunition Is. of course
carried in the bandolier which is of brown
leather to match the khaki. There are also
two small skirt pockets One holds a card
with name. number and statements as to
the next of kin of the wearer. the other a
supply of lint for first aid" The old serge
tunic, which the khaki has ousted, was de-
signed to serve for either home or foreign
service. But the two outside pockets were
In the skirt instead of the breast. And the
haps were sewn down SO that the pockets
could not be used. The two pockets on the
inside. for the card and the lint, exAted in
the same rudimentary condition. 1t was an
easy matter. however. to bring them into
use when on active service by simply rip
ping up the stitches
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
LIFE IN MARS.
III There Are Human Beings There
They Are Probably Giants.
From the National Review.

From the National Review.
Mars possesses so many features in COM
mon with the earth that 1t is impossible to
resist the thought that it also has inhabi-
tants. This is. however, by no means
equivalent to saying that Marian folk are
constituted in the same way as human be-
iugs; indeed, every consideration points to
the contrary. Whatever atmosphere exists
on Mars must be much thinner than ours,
and far too rare to sustain the life of a
people with our limited lung capacity. A
race with immense chests could live under
such conditions. or a folk with gills like
fishes could pass a comfortable existence
In spite Of the rarefed air. The character
OF life anywhere is. In fact. nodded by the
external circumstances. and as these are
known to be different on Mars from what
they are on the earth, Marian Inhabitants
must nave developed peculiar characteris-
lcs IN order to adapt themselves to their
envfronments-the forms Of life capable Of
fourishing in attenuated air have survived,
while those requiring denser cir have
dropped out of existence
The tenuity of the atmosphere of Mars
Is not the only fact which suggests that
the inhabitants Of that planet are not fash
Toned after the image Of man. 1t is known
beyond the possibility of doubt that the
force with which substance Is attracted
to the surface Of Mars is but little more
man a liiii u Strung dS IL Is on lUe edTtn.
or, to express the point in figures 100
pounds on the earth would only weigh IS
pounds on Mars If tested in a spring bal
ance In consequence of this weaker pull
1t would be possible for a human being to
perform astonishing feats on Mars with
out excessive muscular exception A man
who could jump five feet here could top
fifteen feet there; he could lift thres hun
dredweight by putting out the same
strength as 1t required to raise one hundred
weight on the earth; he could spring across
a road as easily as he now leaps over a mud
puddle, and couple of bounds would carry
him to the top of a flight of stairs.
But, paradoxical as 1t may seem, the
smaller a planet, and, consequently the
less the pull of gravity at its surface, the
greater is the probability that its inhabi-
tants are giants compared with US. Teres-
trial giants are generally weak in the
knees they are crushed by their own
weight. But on Mars they would only
weigh one-third as much, and would there
fore be able to move about in a sprightly
fashion, so that an elephant there might
be quite nfmbe animal.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
AGEING OF THE EYE.
An Old Theory Controverted by n
Young Chicago 0culist.

From the New York Wcrid.
All occulists know that, from middle age
on. the pupil of the eye grows smaller, un-
til in old age 1t is no larger than a pins
head. Heretofore they have tried to ex-
plain this by saying that the muscles and
nerves controlling the pupils become stiff.
or weak. sooner than do the other muscles
or nerves of the body.
This theory is controverted by young
Chicago oculist, DIR. Norburne Jenkins,
who criticises many old theories in regard
to the eyes.
DR.. Jenkins was in New York recently,
and was seen by a reporter. Il find said
he. that advancing age only brings into
action certain defects Of the eye, and these
pupil. whether in age or in youth: and the
greater the defect the earlier the pupil gets
small.
This is proved, because the pupil re-
sumes its normal size and activity after the
defects are relieved by perfectly fitting
glasses. In brief. the small pupil comes
from eye strain, and is not present in per-
feet eyes. AS only about one person in a
thousand has perfect eyes, the mistake has
easily been made of thinking the small
pupil came from natural loss Of tone from
age, but perfectly fitting glasses show that
these defects have existed from youth and
that age only reveals them, and also that
when these are relieved, the pupil resumes
its youthful action.
muscles or nerves that causes the pupils to
be small in adults. 1t Is either caused by
astigmatism, unlike eyes or far-sighted-
ness.
'Astigmatism Is an eye trouble seldom
understood. The apple of the eye and the
curtain of the eye are covered in front by a
tough, round and clear, Saucer-shaped skin,
something like a watch-crystal. This is
about as wide and thick as silver half
dine, and the white of the eye frames it.
If 1t is perfect it has a shape something
like the big end of an egg. If it is faulty
it is more like the side of an egg, or a
warped saucer, and blurs the images that
pass through it.
'In about half the people the two eyes
are not alike in their defects; for astigma-
tism, farsightedness or nearsigflt edness are
apt to be worse in one eye than In the
other. One eye may be perfect and the
other not quite so good, or even very i'm
perfect.
"In farsightedness the eyeball is too
small, or too short; the images come to
focus behind the retfna, causing eye strain
and small pupil. The great. work of the
pupil Is to act in harmony with the lens
and the focusing muscle to focus perfect
images on the outspread nerve, and this
smallness of the pupil that attends the ad-
vance Of age is a sign that the pupil Is
striving to make up for shortcomings In
other parts of the eye.
This discovery will prove of Importance
to spectacle wearerS, for 1t will enable them
to tell by the size of their pupils whether
their glasses fit, a matter largely of guess
work heretofore"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
The Brave at Home.

The maid who binds Der warriors SASH
With smile that well her pain fissembleS
The while beneath her dropping lash
,, one starry tear-drop hangs and trembles,
Though heaven alone records the tear
And lame shall never know her story
Her heart has shed n drop as dear
As e'er bedewed the field Of gloryi
The wife who girds her husbands sword.
MID little ones who weep or wonder
And brayely speaks the cheering word
What though her heart be rent asunder
Doomed nightly In her dreams to hear
The bolts Of death around him rattle
Hath shed as sacred blood as e'er
Was poured upon the field Of battlei
The mother who conceais her grief,
While to her breast her son she pressex
Then breathes few brave words and brief
kissing the patriot brow she blesses
With no one but her secret God
To know the pain that weighs upon her.
Sneds holy blood as e'er the sod
Received on freedoms field Of honor!
THOMAS BUCHANAN READ.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
When Baby Laughs,

j. Waterhonse in San Francisco Examines.
/ wonder what she's dreaming bout,
Long some time In the night,
When of q sudden she laughs out
In infantiie deiightf
/ guess some angel from above,
Swift winging to end fro.
Doth pause 10 whisper to my love
Such words as babies know
And when she laughs guess he flies
Straight where Gods hosts rejoice
And bears beyond the bending skies
The music OF her voice,
Then. through the mighty anthems SVEN
Her laughter striketh clear
Sweeter than tone OF any bell
And angels pause to hear
For what hath heaven compared with this;
The laughter of n child,
Who still the note Of pain doth miss,
By dreams OF night beguiled?
There beat 50 many voices here
OF anguish and despair,
What wOnd y II they hold It dear
The laugh that hides no care!
So. when my baby's laugh rings out
I watch her Heetirg smile,
And say. Some angel is about
And listen for while
To Try to catch the whisper, too,
In vain. in vain try;
For angels heed what babies do,
But pass their elders by.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Primitive Telegraphy.

seaiou haipn III Sciuer eekly.
The kafirs, Basutos and ZuIus are the
native runners" But it is not by run
ming that they do the best of their work.
This they do by shouting their messages
from hill to hill. They are the South
African telegraph system. The first news
of the battle of Glencoe which reached
England and America came to Cape Town
In this way. Whatever message is given
by native negro is never altered by any
one who forwards it, though 1t may be
passed along by 1900 men. The precise
are the Identical ones which the last one
hears. White men have often tested this
by sending messages in this way, and no
one has ever known the message delivered
to have been exaggerated, diminished or
altered In the slightest degree.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
When Bob's Away at School.
ichard Stillman Powell In Puck

Ali dear delightful season, all
Too rare and far too brief!
Sweet time when silence soft doth fan
As falls the floating leaf,
IT'S ushered in with slam Of gate,
And out with flying stool;
And Quietude doth rule In state
When Bob's away at school.
Upon the porch the tabby cat
With blinking eyes doth doze,
In tranquil dreams forgetting that
Her LIES a round Of woes.
And Towser, stretched upon the grass.
In visions Of the pool,
Forgets to bark at feet which pass
While Bob's away at school.
What blessed charm enfolds the house
Throughout that season rarei
Each buzzing fly and cheeping mouse
Sleeps sound within its lair.
The elms beside the garden gate,
So freshly green and cool.
Scarce stir their giant limbs sedate
When Bob's away at school.
But all too soon It fades away.
Hi, Towserl Sic her, siri''
Puss leaps the fence. a dash Of gray,
Towse just a yellow blur!
Bang! goes the door! In runs the ladi
And yet the chaps a fool
Who'd not be Just little glad
When Bob comes home from schooff
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
The Street Called BY and By.
3va Lovett in the Independent

The street called by and By is smooth,
And down a hill II windeth,
And he who starts its crooked way
Much cure for trouble hndeth,
But at the entrance IL a sign
Here put away endeayor,
For down the street called BY snd BY
You reach the house called 'Never!'
The house called "yever'' stands below
A grim and CHASTITY tower,
Whose broken windows, shattered roof
And ruined turrets lower,
While from the easement gaunt Despair
A warning shrieks forever:
''Take heedf The street called BY and Rys
Leads to the house called 'Neve-r"
What matter though the street b faic,
And flowers tempt my straying,
Though strife be hard and rest b sweet =
And easy the delaying
II at the end surely ind
That hope and must sever,
When down the street called 'sBy and By
reach the house called ''NsEsSf'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Reverenced the uro...

The Natal Witness relates that after tbs
battle of Colenso a Boer soldier came unon
the corpse Of a private OF the connaurht
Rangers. He had stripped It OF valuables
when his eye fell on a cruciix suspended By
cord round the brave fellows neck In.
tently the burgher gazed on the emblem, and
then hastily replaced the booty he had an
nexed, covered the dead mans face, and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
The "sixth Sense" in Animals.

correspondent of the Daily News states
that lady residing in the hotel at AmaI1
the day before the iandslip. refused to stay
there for another night, because she was
certain that the earth was moving. and
compares this sensitiveness with the OBJ
servations of the symptoms of unrest and
apprehension shown by domestic animals
before the serious earthquake Of 1897 in the
Riviera. The facts then observed corre-
spond generally with those remembered In
the case of other great disturbances of
earth and air. A number Of cases are given
in which horses, dogs. a monkey and even
ducks showed signs of panic for day, two
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Ozymandias of Egypt.

I'et II ITaFtI"r Ii"ru an dntltu6 Iand,
Who said: Two vast and truukiess legs of stone
stand In the desert. Near them on the sand
Half sunk, q shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer Of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these nfeless
things.
fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
My name Is Ozymandias. the King of kings,
Look on my works, We mighty. and despair"
Nothing besides remains. Round the decay
OF that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and love. sands stretch far away"
PERCY BYSSHE SHEIJEY
The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-06-27
TIME ExrENDrD.

For Making FinaI Proof-Sew Instruc-
tions to Land Ofices.
The land offices have received from
Binger Hermann, commissioner Of the
general land { flee at Washington, in
structions supple menting his frst cir
eulsr directing the registers and re-
ceivers as u their duties as modified
by the free homes law.
His FIRST circular does not make
plain to the registers and receivers
the status of the acts of June :, 2s97,
extending the time of final payments
and proofs for settlers swho had taken
homestesds prior to 1894. His last
circular holds apparently that those
acts are no longer in force and are
supplemented bg the act of May 81,
1900. Ast circular is as follows:
Your attentionls called to that por-
ton of the act of May 81, 1900, entitled
AN act making appropriations for
the current and contingent expenses
of the Indian department and for
fulfilling treaty stipulations with
various Indian tribes for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1901 and for 9TH
er purposes, which reads as follows:
That the settlers who purchased with
the condition annexed OF actual set
tlemeDt on all ceied Indian reserva-
tions be, and they are hereby, grant
ed an extension to July l. 1901, IN
which to make payments as now pro-
vided by law.
"As proof ami payment must be
made at he same time, an extension
Of time for making payment involves
a corresponding time within which to
make final proof. This act does not,
! however, limit the time in which
proof a nd payment are to be made in
cases wQere. under former acts, such
payments viii not become dCe until
af er July l, 1901.
This act extends the time for max
ing final proof and payment Of final
commissions on the lands affected by
the act of March Il, 1900, where such
payment becomes due prior to July l,
| 1900 "
a large number of homesteaders in
this land district, to be On the safe
side, are making final proof. The To-
cal land Office is doing fully three
times as much business as it did be-
fore the passage of the free homes
| bill.