davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
Tit for Tat.

Here IS . good story they are telling
IN Europe about the German emperor:
The kaiser, at a recent review In Ber-
lin, reprimanded old Gen. Won Meer-
scheidt for losing his mind at q criti-
cal moment. "If your majesty thinks
that am getting too old, beg OF you
to allow me to resign" 'NO, no." re-
piled the kaiser, you are too young
to resign. Indeed, if your blood didn't
course through your veins quite so
fast you would be more useful army
leader" On the evening of that day
the kaiser and the general met at q
court ball. The general was talking
to some young ladies. "Ah, Nicer
scheidt," cried William, hat IL right;
get ready to marry. Take a young
wife, then that excitable temperament
Of yours will soon vanish" The gen
eral bowed low as he retorted: SCI beg
to be excused, your majestyi A young
emperor and young wife would be
more than could possibly stand."-
Philadelphia Telegram.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

iy proposed to Yankee Bill" that they
slids down on the pan and shovel.
TN beat you down." said Pete, suit
Ing the action to the word by getting
into the pan.
"You can't beat me, )" replied yankee
Bill" at the same time seuattlng down
on his shovel, unmindful OF the possible
danger ahead.
At FIRST both slid along in a jerky
fashion, for they were obliged to push
themselves along at times. Suddenly,
however, the descent became much
more abrupt, and the two men launched
into ozone and shot down with acceler-
ating speed Ike comets through space,
The sensation they felt can neither be
described nor imagined They tore
down the mountain side like an ava
lanche, each holding on to his metal
sled with vise-like grip. A mile was
covered in apparently an instant, when
ridge formation turned them Off their
course, and they few still faster at An
acute angle. The +o-toot chasm of Cow
creek was inevitable, and before thew
had time to realize the danger they
had leaped over its edge, cleared Cow
creek and, az If human drills. bored
the snow drift rs feet.
When dug out Pete and yankee Bill"
did not exactly need the coroner. but
there were not enough plasters and
IMMINENT In camp to soothe their
bruises. They came up smiling, how
ever, each stoutly maintaining victory.
The shovel and pan will be exhumeS
next spring by nature.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
SATURDAY, MARCH %, 1901
wB1M.1N:s
]SlAz[F|llEaa|sss1
A WARTIME DRINK.
over Which Billy Florence Told GEN
eral sherman He Was No
Gentleman

BILLY Florence" said the doctor,
relates the Chicago Inter Ocean, "told,
the day after Gen. Grant was buried,
one of the best army stories 1 ever
heard. Several of us were at the St.
James hotel, in New York, and ths
conversation drifted naturally into
"reminiscences and anecdotes of Grant.
Sherman and Sheridan. Florence, aft
er listening to the stories of the off,
GERS present, said that, while he was
not in the army, he had had some adj
ventures and experiences with army
men, and in his inimitable way he pro-
ceeded to tell a story, which give in
outline:
EARLY in 1862 Mr.. and Mrs. Florence
were at Cairo, Ill. Between one and
Two o'clock on a stormy night they
went to the wharfboat to take a
steamboat up the Ohio. There was
no shelter, cold wind was blowing,
and there was fall of half-rain aud
half-snow. The two were cuddled up
In their wraps, sitting on their trunk.
when q man in soldiers dress came on
the wharfbost and walked past them
two or three times. He wore a long
military overcoat, the collar of which
was turned up about his ears, and a
SLOUGH hat, which was pulled down
pretty well about his face. He had
evidently been out in the storm and
was m no very good humor.
AT last he stopped in front of Flor
ence and said: Il have been out in
this storm since six o'clock this morn.
Ing. have had nothing to eat and
nothing to drink. If you have any
thing in the way of stimulants about
you, you would do me n great kindness
to let me take a pull at your flask
Florence replied at once that he had a
small flask with little whisky in it,
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
A Close shave.

A Sand Hog In red shirt and grimy
trousers sat down by me one after
noon on heap of boards midway be-
tween the Sand Hogs house and the
hospital" This pressure worker.
whose knees showed traces of "the
bends" evidently had n story to tell.
ut was only the other day." he said.
II seen it, and how the man ever hap
pened TO live I dunno. 1t was one o.
these little catssons here we're putting
this big building on. He was one of
the superintendents, a young college
Teller that knows his job. Well, he
went down with US. There wuz four
in the gang, and one o. them, Tim
that Harp yer might see drinkin' cof-
fee now. They wuz a rock there, and
the foreman told Tim to have a go at
1t. he got his pick and swung it for
good crack. There was tearin' an
a rippin' an Tim dropped his pick.
AS he swung It the young Teller had
stepped out, and the pick had ripped
off every button from the blue Jumper
he had on without even scratchin'
him."--Cromwelf Chiide, In Leslie's
Popular Monthly.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
Tramps in Mexico.

The tramp question is becoming a
serious one, even in New Mexico.
Tramps are learning that New Mexico
has en- ideal climate, and they are
drawn hither, especially In winter
time, for they share with other people
the idea that New Mexico Is as warm
as Florida in winter. When they ar
rive here they find that It Is a mighty
hard matter to make living doing
nothing, and they resort to petty theft
in order to get along. IA tramps have
an sntipathy to work, this fact seems
to suggest remedy. All tramps in
the territory should be corralled and
be compelled to build good roads, such
as New Mexico stands in need OF very
much.-Santa Fe New Mexican.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

went to sleep, with the little girl, in
Che bedroom of the kitchen.
"I woke up" said Mrs. Ferris, with
tho feeling that some one was in the
house and simply thought of bur
glars. Presently the piano started to
play, and I did not know what to
make of 1t. I never associated the
music with young Kessler, though ]
knew he was fond Of music. thought
the burglar was very daring, imagin-
ing that the whole family had gone
to the funeral. Hardly knowing what
to do, turned to the little girl, and
found she was awake and listening.
what are we going to do2' whis-
pered.
"'Do,' said the child, why, that's
Barney. I know his music
"Ln few moments the music ceased,
and the footsteps moved into the bed
room leading from the sittsng-room.
heard the hat boxes moved around on
tina shelves of the clothes closet, and
concluded that the burglar was pre-
pairing to throw the stuff out of the
window. I jumped out of bed and went
into the sitting-room, and from thence
into the bedroom, but found no one
there. The doors were locked and the
windows were fastened just an secure
~ as when + went to bed. The floor
OF the sitting-room was strewn with
sheets Of music, that had been lying
In neat piles on the piano when we
retired for the night
"The little girl was not 90 nervous
then as she became later, and she as
Eured me that her cousin Barney vns
playing. He always plays when ho
comes into the house. she said"
Mrs. Langmire's eyes were full of
tears as she spoke of the young man
whose untimely death lad brought
them so much sorrow.
"We don't like to talk about the mat
Ter" she said, "for people don't believe
Us. just couldn't stay in the house,
where he was so lively and happy. No,
he didn't board with US for the last
two years, but he was In and out, and
always went to the piano FIRST on en-
tering. He was SO kind and good-na-
tured that cannot see why he should
want to distress IN now"
To the question as to whether she
had ever seen her nephew since his
death she replied in the negative.
Barney knew how nervous I was,
and l don't think he would wish 70
hurt me. Ny husband saw him quite
plainly on the night of January IT.
We were too nervous to go to bed, and
we sat back of the sitting-room stove.
About IL o'clock I saw my husband
start and stare in the direction of the
room where the piano stood. He said
nothing, and did not know until next
day that he had seen Barney enter the
door and cross over to the piano Then
hehesitateda moment and disappeared.
suppose he was afraid to play, know
ing the state Of my nerves." and Mrs.
Langmire looked as if she were on
the verge of nervous prostration.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
BABY SAVED FIVE LIVES.
remarkable Courage ana JudEmeAs
Dizpiaysa By six-Year-oId
MaGEis Bradley.

Little Maggie Bradley. Of PhIladss
phia, who Is not yet six years OLD
saved Ave lives the ether night sy hsa
prompt and intelligent action Gha
woke up IN the night feeling siek ana
weak, and tried to rouse her moxhsz.
who waS sleeping with her. Hea
mother slept on, however, and the lit.
tie one had no better success With hsa
father, O. with the three ether people
who were rleeping In the Aouss> Eha
had recently been taken 70 the fsns~1l
Of relative, and abe made up her MIND
that AL the people whom she could nee
wake up were dead Then, vita wAAa
appears TO DO = most remarkable kis.
play of courage and good judgmsns o.
the part Of such o child. she eusnaSa
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

gate and entered the yard. Miss Wal
ston was sleeping on a cot on = Httls
porch in front of the door. In the yard
q negro boy was sleeping under china
tree. Mrs. Walston, who was i'll, occu-
pied bed in the parIor, her baby In .
cradle within easy reach.
When the monsters burst into the
room Mrs, Walston called to her daugh-
ter. The brave girl Of is rose on her
cot, a. she did % putting one Of her
hands on the head Of an alligator. At
that instant little dog ran out of the
parlor and was snapped between the
jaws Of another alligator at the girl's
side.
In her fright she leapsd over one OF
the orutes to reach her mothers bed.
Both allgators pursued her, one up
setting the cradle. The baby rolled out
on the carpet.
The noise awakened the Htsls negro.
and he ran toward the women They
called on him TO run Instead he STUN
bled and fell In q moment the mon
ster had crushed him between his jaws.
Aiss Walston got her brothers rifle
The larger Of the brutes was dsvourinS
the little negro. She aimed carefully al
one OF bis eyes, hrsd. and the alligator
rolled over dead.
Instantly the other saurian rushed
into the room, with java wide open,
straight toward the bed. Miss walston
showed the barrel Of the rifle into the
brute's mouth and Aired, and It fell quiz
ering On the carpet
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

Little Isaac, who waA barely ak
years old, was paid by his mother a
penny per dozen for pins picked up
from the carpet to keep the baby from
getting them,
Nurse" said little Isaac, rs his stock
of pennies increased, do you know
what I am going to de when have ten
cents?'
'No," answered the nurse.
Il am going to buy q paper Of pins
and scatter them all over the floor, and
then pick them up" replied the young
6nancier.-Jewish World.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
&c Wanlea ner Fare-

A conductor on the Park line had an
experience the other day that is quite
certain to cause him many uncom-
Portable minutes in the future. His
car stopped at Spruce street to let
. middle-aged lady on, ard a. she took
her seat the conductor gave the mo-
torrnan two bells and the car shot
ahead. When the conductor entered
The ear the woman in question was
locking out Of the window and aid
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
MADE A QUICK TRIP.
Daring Adventure of Two Popular
Wyoming Miners.
Coasted Down n PERCEPTIONS Moun
tain Side, Two Miles I'm Length,
on Pan and ShoveI-DaE
Out by Their Friends.

1t is difficult to imagine a more dare
devil and thrilling adventure than that
of two men sliding down a steep, ice
crusted mountain, one in prospector's
pan and the other on a miners shovel.
Yet such q hazardous undertaking was
accomplished the other day by Pete
AcGeR and Yankee Bill" Murphy,
miners and Prospectors in the Sierra
Msdre mountains, when they few like
the wind down one side of the treeless
Ouartsite mountain, q distance of two
miles with a descent of about 35 de-
grees, and landed in 25 feet Of snow
drift IN the 40-foot chasm Of Cow
creek, . few miles west of Grand En-
campment, Wyo.
Pete and yankee Bills" love of adj
venture viii brook perils Of any kind
and at any time for the pure love of
sport-psrils at which the tenderfoot
would stand aghast. Both are known
for the chances they take with their
hveA The greater the danger, the
more ready they are to enter into it.
Peculiar "cusses" these two rough
fniners, and it was in jesting wager
simply that they raced down this
mountain, Pete in the pan and Yankee
BIZ squatting on the shovel, both fin
fshing with record breaker and what
might have been a neck-breaker.
They climbed to the top of the peak
over two feet Of snow on the day of the
adventure to wash out a deeomposed
quartsite, which showed rusty iron ore,
and which led them to believe would
carry gold In the afternoon it turned
OH cold and froze crust on the snow,
so that the surface Of the mountain
resembled glass. 1t was near shutdown
when the two men finished prospecting
and started to retrace their way down
the mountain. The slippery iced-snow
impeded their progress, making the
journey slow and dangerous at best.
Less than 100 feet down Pete testing
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

general didn't make himself known.
Then he might have had not only the
whisky and the flask, but the coat
and the hat and the purse and every
thing that Mr.. Florence owned. Sher.
man explained that he was on a Sc
Isxet mission fer Gen. Grant; that he
Had been riding all day with q single
er6srly who had in bis saddle bags
the provisions and ether refresh
nsnts; that he had become sep
erated from his orderly and there
fore had been left without food or
drink during the day.
He explained further that he knew
Ar. Florence at the time, that there
was great temptation to make him
self known, but he remembered that
there were always listeners about
such stations, and as he could not
explain why there was q necessity
for secrecy, he decided to let the mat
ter stand as it was. He, however, had
kept the favor in mind all the years,
and being at Concord the day before,
he had received a telegram from an
old friend saying that Florence was
going up to Lebanon, and that he
would be q very thirsty man before
he got drink in such a dry town
Thereupon Sherman decided to pur-
chase jug Of the best Jersey cider
and send Il down to Mr.. Florence.
Fearing that a messenger could
not break through the lines without
exciting suspicion, he finally decided
to bring the jug himself, and here il
was. But why in the world, gen.
eral,' Florence burst out; why in the
world didn't you bring some good
whisky Jersey cider Is good enough
In its place, but Just then he
drew the cork and said: why, general,
It's No, it isn't said Sherman; mo,
1t isn't. You don't want to embar.
rass the porter who brought up that
jug, Mr.. Florence. Smell again. It Is
Jersey cider" Mr.. Florence obedient-
~ said: Yes, general, it is as good
Jersey cider as I ever smelt.' The
porter was dismissed, and the two
men sat down and began the &C
quaintance that was so treasured by
both OF them in later years"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

which he rendered the stranger. The
officer put the flask to his lips and
drank the last drop. Then he returned
the hank with an apology for drinking
1t al, saying there was no excuse ex-
cept his deplorable condition. Flor
cnce replied. with some warmth: You
are welcome to the whisky, but you
are no gentleman
! THAT closed the incident. The off,
Ger walked away from them, took the
boat and neither Florence nor his wife
saw anything moro of him either on
the boat or at Paducah, where they
landed. Some years after the war,
MI. and Mrs. Florence went to Leb-
anon, N. H., where they expected to
visit relatives of the latter. They
stopped for the night at the leading
hotel and on Sunday morning Flor
encs went down to the bar for his
morning drink. He was informed that
no liquors were sold in the town, and
the clerk told him conf1dentially that
no whisky could be secured under anv
pretense whatever. Florence pooh
poohed this, but the clerk assured him
that it was q true bill. When he found
that he couldn't get anything to drink,
the popular actor wanted something
to drink more than ever before in his
life, and he worked himself into q sort
OF fury over the situation.
q Mrs. Florence went off to church.
but Florence himself, disappointed
and surly, shut himself up in his room.
After a time the porter raped at the
door and said that a gentleman, who
had just come in, sent jug of Jersey
cider up to Mr.. Florence with his com.
pliments, and he placed on the table
a gallon jug plainly labeled Jersey
cider. Florence asked the name Of
the donor, but the porter said that no
name was given, but the gentleman
was waiting. He was invited to come
up, and tall man of military figure
In citizens dress walked into Mr.. Flor
ence's room. In introducing himself
he said: My name is Sherman-Wil-
liam L. Sherman Florence greeted
him cordially and said that he had
never in his life had the pleasure Of
meeting him, although he had looked
about his audiences scores of times,
hoping to see the general of the army
In one Of the boxes.
He repeated that he had never met
Gen. Sherman, and that he was par
ticularly glad to see him then and
there. You are mistaken, Mr.. Flor
ence,' said Sherman. you have met
me. You met me en- one occasion
when you said that was no gentle
man. 1t was on q wharfboat down
at Cairo. when drank up &ll your
whisky!' Florence was greatly sur.
Ipriseds but he was equal e the occa-
aEioA and Asksd why In the Nsrld the
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
GHOST PLAYS PIANO.
Indiana Town In q State of Excite
ment Over His Music.
UncanRy selections, Played I'm the
hiddle of the Night, startIe the
Relatives of a Young Man
Who Died Recently.

Residents of Whiting, Ind, are in
a state of excitemenk over some oc-
currences that SAVIOR strongly of the
occult. A young and very popular man
who died month ago is reported as
having been seen in his former
haunts, and witnesses of undoubted
probity have testified to- the truth of
the statements Reports of these
manifestations have been circulating
In Whiting since the young mans
death month ago, and the town has
been divided between scoffers and be-
levers, his relatives-an uncle and
family-decGning to be interviewed.
John Langmire, the uncle above
mentioned, much respected employe
of the Standard Oil company, has
moved his family in most unpropi-
tious weather from the house IN which
they have lived 5h years, and he
makes no secret of the fact that IL
was impossible to live there any long
er because of the mysterious mani
festations above referred to.
Barney Kessler was killed on De-
cember % last while employed by the
Calumet railroad. He had worked
eight years for the Standard Oil com
pany, and had only just started on
his new employment. His sudden
death was terrible shock to his un-
cle's family, with whom he spent q
great deal of his time, as well as to
the many societies and clubs to which
he belonged.
1t was while his uncle and aunt
were conveying the body home to
Cleveland that the first manifesta-
ton occurred in the house. Mrs, d.
Ferris, neighbor, says the Chicago
American, was left in charge of Mr..
Langmire's house and his little daugh-
ter, aged IL years. Mrs. Ferris, after
seeing that everything was secure,
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
Riding q Monster shark.

Oneofthe morewOnderfui fish stories
OF the century is told in the New York
Press Of DR.. Ralph Smith, noted sur
geon of Jacksonville. While in bathing
In surf about up to his waist over on the
east coast, big shark swan between
his legs forcing him to sitting pos
ture and swimming out to sea with its
burden astride. The sensation nearly
cost the doctor his hair and whiskers.
He declares he was on the sharks back
fully half minute. When the monster
got into deep water he slid of.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
Vaccinnt.d on Hi. NO..

One Of New York city's official vac
cfnators, belonging to the bureau OF
contagious diseases, while vaccinating q
patient in a tenement house thought
lessly scratched pimple on his own
nose. There happened to be some vac
cine virus on his finger, and he thus un-
wittinglyvaccinated himself. It took"
beautifully; and in a few days the doc
tor had very brilliant nose, displaying
an effective combination of red, pur-
pie and blue tints.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

not see HIS outstTetched hand.
,~v.fu

not see HIS outstTetched hand.
Fare, pleased" remarked the con-
ductor.
The woman evidently did NOT hear
him, for she did not turn her head.
Neither did she hold cut the necessary
coin.
Fare, pleased" said the conductor,
In a louder tone.
But the woman paid no heed. Then
the conductor touched her on the
shoulder, and in q tone of voice that
rang through the ear, exclaimed:
Your fare, please, ladyi"
Then the woman turned hastily
around and looked at the conductor.
The knight of the bell cord gave one
gasp and fed to the back platform.
The woman was his mother-in-law.
Omaha World-HeraId.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
The HHabit- eff Fruit BEARING

Fruit bearing in trees is merely a
habit. Tor young tree, taken in hand
at the commencement, need only be
pruned during the first three or four
years, after which II will continue to
produce fruit spurs Of itself. For it
must be remembered that fruit bear
ing Is habit which may be encour-
aged In trees. and when once they
are well trained TO do It they will not
vary except In untoward circum-
stances Therefore, the aim of all
pruning, whether of root or branch,
OF young trees or old, Is to induce the
fruit bearing habit-Prohtablo Farm
and Garden.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23
KILLED TWO SAURIANS.
Fiueky Southern Girl Boldly At
tscks Couple OF Antgators and
Reseues Her Mother.

Savannah Walston is heroine as
pretty as she is brave. She lives in
Tunis, Tex, on the Bayou Sarah, an
arm of the Brazos river.
Last week two monster alligators
entered her mothers cottage during
the night. The house stands within 20
feet of an irrigating ditch, across which
is foot bridge. At the bridge the yard
gate opens.
The alligators, It Is supposed, were
prowHng in search Of food, when they
crossed the bridge, pushed open the
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

the front door and ran out to find %.
aoeman.
There are five people dead over "a
my house." she said to him, and the
policeman asked her to lead him 70 the
place. Az soon Al he entered the does
he smelled gas. The doors and win
DOVE were thrown open and phyxisiana
were called. At last AL the people whs
had been overcome were brought bash
to consciousness. A broken gas main
In the street was responsible for theta
condition
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

Her horse took fright and ran away.
She held on to the reins untN she was
thrown from the vehicle -Rd the reins
dragged from her hands. She was
bruised, but not seriously injured The
horse ran on down the mountain and
was caught inside the limits OF Mount
Carmel The mail was intact
The next morning Miss Bowman
brought the mail in a. usual, however,
declaring that the runaway was only
an accident.
II have been faced by highwaymen
several times" abe says, land had to
use my revolver. After that I'm not
afraid of a horse"