davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

Or. George Fordyce, the celebrated
snatomist and lecturer on chemistry,
used to eat one meal a day and one
meal only, but 1t was mighty one,
washed down with liberal drafts OF
wine and beer. At 4 o'clock every day
he used to enter certain chophouse
and take his seat at table always re-
served for him. A silver tankard con-
tanning a quart of strong ale, a full
bottle OF port and quarter Of pint OF
brandy were placed before him imme-
diately.
The moment the waiter announced
the doctors arrival the cook put a
pound and a half of rump steak en- the
fire. and to while away the time until
the steak should be properly broiled
the waiter brought the doctor some
'empting mOrsel like n broiled chicken
or a plate Of fish. When he had eaten
this, Dr. Fordyce drank half of his
brandy and then began on his steak.
While eating the steak he drank the
taHkard Of ale and after that the rest
Of the brandy. The waiter then un-
corked the bottle of port, and the doe
tor proceeded slowly to enjoy ii until II
was all gone. He spent an hour and a
half daily at his Jne meal and after 1t
returned home to give his lectures on
chemistry, which are still quoted as
classics of that science. He ate nothing
else until the next day, when he re.
turned at the same hour TO the same
chophouse for the same sort Of meal
DR.. Fordycc lived to be siXty-six years
old and kept up his one meal custom 10
the last.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
REVOLVER WOUNDS.
More Dangerous, For Many Reasons
Than Those of the Rifle.

Wounds in civil life differ from those
IN military life in the greater after dan
ger of septic Involvement Revolver
cartridges are more liable than are
rifle cartridges to have been handled
frequently, to have been carried In
dirty pockets and to have come in con-
tact with various forms Of infectious
materials that may prove of serious
consequence when buried in the It's
sues. Moreover, revolver cartridges
are covered with coating of grease,
and this encourages an accumulation
Of manifold microbic material, some OF
which may prove to be Of yirulently
infectious nature.
Rifle bullets are practically always
stcrlized by the intense heat developed
by the powder at the moment of their
discharge. Their rapid progress through
the air while in heated condition still
further serves to cleanse them Of any
eXtraneous material that may chance
to have accumulated on their surfaces.
This cleansing process Is very effectu-
ally begun by the rifling Of the rife
barrel through which the bullet forces
its way.
All these favorable factors are lack
ing in the case Of the revolver bullet,
and so 1t is possible that in any given
case such bullet may carry infectious
material with il into the tissues. II
this were in small amount, nature
might effectually wall it off and no Sc
rious consequences result. On the 9th
er hand, such infectious material might
lie seemingly dormant for days, but
really slowly gathering strength by
multiplication, and when its toxins
were elaborated in sufficient amount
they might paralyze protective chemo-
taXis and produce a septic condition.
New York Medical News.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
A NOVEL HOTEL BILL.
The Man 10 Whom IL Was Presented
Could Not Understand IL.

The Man 20 Whom IL Was Presented
Could Not Understand IL.
Talking about bookkeeping. there
used TO be man in Yankton whose
system OF bookkeeping accounts was
wonderfully efficient. He kept hotel,
and he could neither read nor write.
he did not know how 10 spell his own
name, but he did a thriving business
and collected every dollar Of his ac-
counts. Once, years ago, when l first
came to this country, went to his ho-
writes Milt Brinben.
when | left. he presented me with a
statement of what ! owed him, and il
was curiosity. He had copied 1t from
his ledger. At the top OF the sheet
there was a rude picture Of soldier
on the march and after II three straight
marks. Then there was a scene show
ing n man at table eating. Then ap-
peared q bed with a man IN IL. In the
amount column there was picture of
q doll and after II the two letters RS"
After the picture Of man eating there
were forty-two marks; after the view
OF the man In the bed, fourteen marks.
! looked at the account. then at the
proprietor, and told him II would take
me a week to answer that conundrum.
81 was completely stumped, and when
that hotel man deciphered the amount
for me II was this: The picture Of tho
soldier walking meant march. and the
three marks supplied the date, March
8, when began boarding. The man
at the table with forty-two marks after
IL indicated that had eaten forty-two
meals. The man In bed with fourteen
marks showed that l had slept In the
house fourteen nights. The doll with
the RS after II meant dollars and
IN the figure columns appeared the rg-
ures IA. which was the amount / owed
him. And 1t was a true bill."-Yank-
ton Press.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

JIm'S arm he pulled a revolver from
his breast and mouoncd for me to
stand back The man had not gone
crazy. hc had not misunderstood his
orders. but what was he doing in thus
passing the siding? In a run Of three
or four miles We must meet the eX-
press. For a second | thought of at
tacking him with poker, but he look
ed over his shoulder at me with grim
smile and motioned with his head for
me TO jump. Then It occurred TO me
that the train had got away from him,
and | turned and sprang from the cab.
Ii was soft prairie for the fall but IL
seemed TO me that | turned over and
over 500 times before the breath was
finally knocked out Of my body. When
my senses returned, | heard the hiss OF
steam and the shrieks and cries OF in
jured men and women, and l had stag
gered along the track less than a mile
when | came upon the frightful wreck.
The engines Of the express and freight
had met head on, and 30 people had
been killed and 20 injured IN the awful
smash. 1t was the most terrible rail
road wreck for a score of years.
| helped to get old Jim's crushed and
mutilated body out, and helped to get
out the crushed and mutilatcd bodies
of his wife and Frazer, but II was days
before | got at the true facts in the
case. Finding himself betrayed, the
old man had deliberately brought about
the collision that he might have re
vengc on the guilty pair and be wiped
out at the same time If he thought
Of the innocent who would suffer a4
we'll he had no pity. He must have
hated the whole world as well as those
who had directly wronged him. Is
was an awful thing ne did but he Of
fered his own life with the sacrifice,
and somehow 1 have always felt that.
even though he presented such a cooL
calm front 10 me, the fires of insanity
must have been blazing In his brain
every minute after reading that tele
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

A Persian barber works In style
very different rom that In vogue In
this country. A typical shop Is q
square room, with one side open to the
street. In the center Is a tiny bed OF
flowers sunk In the floor, from the
middle OF which rises an octagonal
stone column about three feet high.
The capital OF the column forms a
receptacle for the water in which the
barber dips his hand as he shaves his
customers scalp. In Persia they do
not lather. The shop is very clean. In
two recesses stand four vases filled
with flowers and the implements Of the
BARRIERS art-scissors, razors, lancets,
hand mirrors. large pinchers TO extract
teeth, branding irons to cauterize the
arteries in amputating limbs, strong
combs, but not q hairbrush. for that
implement IS never used by Persians.
From the barber's girdle hang q
round copper water bottle. his strop,
and a pouch TO hold his instruments.
In his bosom Is a small mirror, the
presentation Of which to his customers
Is a sign that the Job is finished and
that the barber waits for his pay. The
barber shaves the heads Of his custom
ers. dyes their boards. pulls their teeth,
blisters and bleeds them when ailing.
sets their broken bones and shampoOs
their bodies.-EIchange
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

AS the fly glides rapidly over smooth
surface every step presses out supply
of gum strong enough TO give him q
sure footing and to sustain him in safe
ty if be halts. So strong Is the cement
that that upon one Of his six feet 10
quite sufficient 10 sustain the weight OF
his whole body. But II he stands still
the gum may dry up and harden quick
ly and so securely fasten the travellers
foot as to make sudden step snap the
leg itself.
If you wish TO hear a fly walk. you
can do II without the aid OF the nuga-
phone. Having made friends with the
fly. spread a silk handkerchief over
your ear and induce the insect TO era wi
across the handkerchief. AS he ap-
proaches your ear you will distinctly
hear a harsh. rasping sound. made by
the contact of the Insects feet with
the filaments OF silk.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

The average adult American is n
statistical octoroon. If the blood in
the veins of all our people white and
black were pooled and redistributed,
each person would have about seven
parts white and one part negro blood,
The white strain in him, moreover, is
by no means purely American. White
strains of foreign origin, derived from
Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, Can
ada, Great Britain and the countries
of southern Europe, are collectively
more powerful in his composition than
is the negro strain.
Thus, going back only one genera
ton, we find him TO be a composite,
the creation of widely differing bloOds
and natiOnalitles The peoples of the
earth, from the KOngo under the equa-
tor to the North cape of Europe, have
contributed, either Immediately OF re-
mOtely, to his composition. But with
IL all we find the Anglo-SaXon strain
the dominant one. His political in
stitutlons, his laws, his social condi-
tions and his mental characteristics,
his power of initiative and his inde-
pendence of thought and action are
Anglo-Saxon, sharpened and intensified
by fresh contact with nature under
new and untried conditions
1t Is a strange and n gratifying thing
to witness. in connection with this
mixture Of blood, the complete domi-
nance Of the Anglo-Saxon strain, and
II argues we'll for its strength and
vitality as well as for the welfare Of
the country which he occupies and
governs.-Ev Everybody's Magazine.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
House Ventilation In Bombay

Most OF the new houses in Bombay
have a fine show OF windows on the
outside, but no corresponding opening
TO allow a current Of air to pass
through. The mean annual temper.
ature is 1913 degrees F., and the mean
relative humidity II per cent. The
mean annual range OF temperature Is
46.9 degrees, but there are periods dur
ing the rains when the diurnal range
of temperature does not exceed de-
grees. and, unless there is wind, venti-
latiou is practically stopped because
the outer air and that in the buildings
are reduced to nearly one temperature.
With the thermometer at 81 TO 81 de-
grees, and the air heavily charged with
moisture, the surplus heat OF the
human body escapes too slowly, and
much discomfort enSues. As 1t IS not
possible to dry the air in an ordinary
house, the usual remedy is TO produce
a current by means Of punka, and
although the influence of this IS very
local, ii has been found that in the
worst Bombay weather life Is made
tolerable in its current The chief
drawback Of the punka is the punka
walla. He is dirty, unreliably, especial
ly at night, and his work, counting day
and night, costs p rupees per month
FOR q single punka-COllier'S
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
A STRANGE MEETING.
How Four Sisters of Widely sepn-
rated Homes Met Under One Roof.

rated Homes Met Under One Roof.
-Four sisters, ranging in age from six
ty TO seventy-four years and living re-
spectiycly In Massachusetts,, Florida,
Kentucky and Ohio, met the past week
under unusual circumstances Simulta-
neously from their far apart homes
three Of the sisters arrived to visit the
fOu.;n in Dayton, .. Neither Of them
knew that the others were coming.
Each lady had made up her mind so
suddenly for the visit that there had
been no time for mail communication
by any member Of the families. There
was no birthday occasion, no illness, no
known cause whatever, that might eX-
b.ain bow the three ladies at the same
time conceived the idea Of visiting
their Ohio sister.
Having decided very hastily on com
Ing, each lady started at once and had
in view the extra pleasure Of giving the
sister in Dayton a happy surprise.
There was an unexpected general sur
prise. Just as the kentucky lady walk
ed into her relatives home the Massa-
chusetts sister arrived. AstoniShment
was at great height Warm greetings
were not yet over, bonnets had not yet
been removed, when in walked the sis
ter from Florida.
The four sisters are Mrs. Elizabeth
B. Bradford of Pensacola Fla; Mrs.
Dr. Annie r. Campbell of Boston, Mrs.
Jennie Butterfeld Smith of Cynthiana,
Ky, and the oldest, Mrs. Wiley, aged
scventy-four years, Of Dayton, Q. The
four sisters had not met since they
were called together twenty years ago
at the deathbcd Of their father.-Cin-
clnnat Enquirer
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

Railways in France are forbidden to
carry persons visibly or notoriously az
fected by contagious diseases in COM
partments that are used by the public.
In the second place, the daily cleaning
and the periodical disinfectlon Of all
cars are required. Linens Of sleeping
cars must bear a ticket indicating TO
the passenger the date Of the last
cleaning and they must be properly
washed and afterward subjected TO a
high temperature. Dry sweeping and
busting, which only serve TO scatter
disease germs. are prohibited, 1t being
required that all floors, seats and wood
work be wiped with cloths moistened
with some antiseptic solution.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

The iceman and the coalmsn arc
often suspected of giving short weights
maybe oftener suspected than guilty,
maybe oftener guilty than suspected.
The means Of testing the weight Of
from ten to thirty pounds OF Ice are
not always at hand in the house, but )
close estimate Of the weight cen be
reached by multiplying together the
length. breadth ana thickness OF th"
block in inches and dividing the prod
uct by thirty This VIII give very
closely the weight IN pounds. Thus, #
n block of Ice IS 10 by 10 by ., the prod
uct IS 300, and this divided by thirty
gives thirty pounds as the correct
weight \ block 10 by 10 by . weighs
twenty pounds This simple method
can bv easily applied, ana It may serve
to remove uatnzt suspicion or to detect
short weights.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

Bteered Into ii Junior Partnershlp
by Chance Gust of Wind.

Speaking of taking in partners,
said a downtown business man, our
Junior was, you might say, blown in on
US, and | saw him started in our di-
rection, though | had no idea Of it at
the time.
Going down town one summer morn
ing on a Ninth avenue elevated train
| saw sitting opposite TO me a young
man who caught my fancy, substan-
tial, earnest, straightforward looking
chap, whose looks liked first rate. He
was reading paper, and presently he
tore off from his paper an advertise
nent leaf that he didn't want and
threw it out OF q window or tried TO,
for as d matter Of fact 1t didn't 90 out.
4 gust of wind with just the right
twist TO 1t came along at just that mo-
ment and blew the paper back, to fall
ON u vacant seat next to him.
And as IL fell something in 1t caught
his eye, and he picked up that part
which he had just been trying 10 throw
away and began earnestly to read II
and ended up by folding 1t carefully
and putting it In his pocket.
About four minutes after I'd got In
here that morning this same young
man walks in and applies for place
that we had been waiting for some
body TO fill Our advertisement for q
man for 1t was in that paper which
had seen this young man try to throw
away, and which a gust Of wind, by
one chance In a million or more, had
blown back upon him and in such q
manner as to fix his attention.
LAS a matter Of fact | hadn't liked
the young mans act of throwing the
paper out of an elevated car window
A paper floating down and around as
that would do might frighten horses
and lead to no end Of trouble and lot:
Of damage, but no one man thinks
about everything, and he'd learn bette
about this, knew, and 50 as mattei
Of fact | took this young man on th'
spot on my first impressions OF him
He far more than made good and II
due course Of time he came Into hi
Junior partnership, literally and trul!
blown into IT.
Sort O. queer, eh?"-New York Sun
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
APHORISMS.

The man who procrastinates strug.
giles with ruin.
An apt quotation Is as good as an
original remark.-Johnson.
Progress is the activity Of today and
the assurance of tomOrrow.-Emerson.
To be vain of ones rank or place is TO
show that one IS below it.-Stanislaus.
The desire Of appearing clever often
prevents one becoming so.-ROchefou-
cauld.
God is on the side of virtue, for who
ever breads punishment suffers it, and
whoever deserves it breads lt.-COlton.
The mind that IS much elevated and
insolcnt with prosperity and cast down
by adversely is generally abject and
base.
Human nature is so constituted that
all see and Judge better in the affairs
Of other men than in their own.-Ter-
cnCc.
Despite all refinement, the light and
habitual taking Of Gods name in vain
bctrays a coarse and brutal will
Chaplin.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

Cases OF forgetfulness on matters OF
interest are on record. While DR..
Priestiey was preparing his work en-.
titled Harmony OF the Gospels he
had taken great pains to inform him.
self ON a subject which had been under
discussion relative TO the Jewish Pass
over. he wrote out the result OF his
researches and laid the paper away.
His attention and time being taken
with something else. some little time
elapsed before the subject occurred to
his mind again. Then the same time
and pains were given TO the subject
that had been given 70 II before, and
the results were again put on paper
and laid aside. So completely had he
forgotten that he had copied the same
paragraphs and reflections before that
il was only when he had found the
papers On which he had transcribed
them that II was recalled 10 his recol-
lection. This same author had fire.
quently read bis OWE published writ
ings and did not recognize them,
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

was running on fast freight as fire
man, and my engineer was a man nam
ed Colvillc. He was ten years my sen
Tor and also an old bachelor. Jim was
what everybody called a square man.
HE had lots of sentiment for a plain.
uneduCated man and a conscience so
tender that he wouldn't have knowing
" hurt the feelings of an Indian. He
was sort of daddy" for 200 miles
along the line and had the esteem OF
officials and men alike. The idea that
have been laughed TO sCorn by all who
knew him. and yet he not only went
soft on n girl, but made the mistake
that old bachelors often do. She was
a chit named Mary Blaine, only half
his age and a coquette and tiirt. We
figured it out that there was more sym
pathy than love on his part and that
she was marrying him instead Of
younger and better looking man be-
cause he had several thousand dollars
in the bank and would baby her up.
They were married on the quiet one
day, and for few weeks old Jim's
face carried look Of contentment and
things went well in his little home At
Pine Hill.
BY and by | noticed a change TO anI-
iety, and at times the engineer was
preoccupied and absentminded. 1 new
er asked Jim or any other man ques-
ton, but through the gossip Of my
landlady | learned that the young vito
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
why the Joke Fell Flat.

\ big, good natured farmer was
awaiting the suburban train, accom-
panied by a handsome Gordon setter.
Two sons Of Britain stood near him.
The dog strayed away from his owner,
who was reading Il newspaper.
Hey" called the farmer, Come
here, Locksmith," and the dog imme.
diately ran to his feet.
One of the Engllshmen approached
the farmer.
May l ask" he said. what you
called that dogf"
"Locksmith," said the farmer.
And why, prayT
Because every time | kick him he
makes a bolt for the door"
There was general laugh, IN which
the Englishman Joined.
When he returned 10 his companion,
he remarked;
Most extraordinary name that man
over there calls his dog"
"WhatW asked his friend
"Locksmith," replied the first Briton.
And why such a namef'
Because. he says, every time he
kicks I'm he bolts for the door'-St.
Louis Republic.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
Seem bN the Practical Girl.

At the circus the practical girl found
an object lesson in clothes. 1t was
furnished by the women acrobats, who
came out attired in ball gowns and did
everything. from haudsprings to pyra
mids
There" she said lis an Illustration.
Now Just watch those skirts get all
tangled mp. I've been watching those
people, every instant expecting them
TO get caught and perhaps killed, and
If the material weren't so light it
would surely happen.
But IS there anything graceful
about a long skirt if YOU want to do
anything 1t is all right II You want
to sweep into ballroom and just
stand ana look nice But If you want
to do something they're always in the
way, and the modern young woman
wants to do something.
Now YOU mark my words, women
are going to find out Just how clumsy
long skirts aro, and there's going to be
a revolution. The Rainy Daisies are
on the right path, but they've only
begun. New York Herald.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14

Helen Keller spent her summer vaca-
ton In Halifax, and when the Indiana
visited that Canadian city Miss Keller
was invited to 20 on board Lieuten-
ant James J. Raby did the honors Of
the day. In letter which speaks Of
that visit he writes: 1T was an honor
to show Miss Keller over the Indiana
and the very happIest incident Of the
cruise for me Her delight at being
aboard was a great pleasure TO me,
and more than once my eyes filled with
tears when ! looked at her beautiful
face that could not return my gaze.
She Is a wonderful woman, and | was
astonlshcd at her knowledge Of ships
and their appliances When we show
ed her the turrct she wanted to know
where the sighting hood was. l had
never before known q woman who
knew what sighting hood is, SO that
you can well imagine my surprise
When the Spanish war was in full
blast, Miss Keller first heard from the
newspapers Of the sighting hood and
II was ever after her ambition TO know
for herself what it was.-Boston Tran
script
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-14
It Takes a Remedy OF Un-
common Merit 10 Draw
the Unqualified Praise Of
a Successful Practieing
Physician.

Or. J. w Bates Of Corfu ~ Y. states
"A most remarkable c case has come under
my hands OF late and has fully convinced
me OF the wonderful power Of Or. A. w.
Chase's Nerve Pills over diseases Of tho
nerves.
"A young lady who was treateu Il. over
Two years for epilepsy by two doctors was
given up TO die ! found that her sickness
was not epilepsy. but nervous troubles. dus
10 menstrual arrangements. and prescribed
four of Dr. Chase, Nerve Pills a day. after
meals and at bed time Since that time she
has not had a single bad spell Her health
has rapidly improved She has gained about
fifteen pounos in weight. and DO not hesi-
tate 10 state that Dr. A. W. ChaSe's Nerve
Pills have saved her life and restored her TO
health
See that the portrait and signature OF Dr.
A. w. Chase are on every box. Price so cents
q box Six boxes for $50. Manufactured
by the Dr.. A w. Chase Medicine Co.
Buffalo, n Y