davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
CHAPTER XIX.
THE FATAL THIRTEEN.

THE FATAL THIRTEEN.
Sandy chances to be wise little fel-
low, and evinces no surprise at the
state Of affairs. He guesses instinct
lively that Kassee has made a discov-
cry Of some importance, and is now
communicating the result Of his work
to the master he loves so we'll.
Somehow it seems quite natural that
they should get into a tangle, that
mystery should crop up around them.
They are surrounded by strange
scenes, which the human mind could
hardly imagine without positive ex-
perience. The very air Of India seems
to breathe Of mystery, as though it
were impregnated with it.
He watches Mynheer Joe and the
Hindoo with considerable curiosity,
while keeping an eye upon the crowd
near by, as If seeking to discover
whether any one else is interested In
them.
Joe now appears to be questioning
his faithful servitor, as though he has
heard it all and knows that 1t is se-i-
GUS. At the same time he does not
exhibit alarm, for his experience has
been great in the past, and he knows
how to preserve his mental equilibrium
in the face of the most astounding
difficulties.
"Ten to one it's all on account Of
that miserable Russian. I expected to
hear from him again. What in the
deuce is the sly rascal up to now"
mutters the correspondent, as he twirls
his cigar between finger and thumb
and keeps his eyes fastened upon his
friend.
He sees Joe look around him, as
though seeking the danger of which he
has been warned. Then their eyes
meet. The traveller cannot help but
note the eager look upon the face of
Sandy. He smiles and beckons to him.
This, of course, means that he is to be
il it; and as the correspondent usually
manages, by hook or crook, to get
there, he feels satisfied that matters
are shaping themselves all right. 1t
suits him to meet difficulties as they
fly. Sandy was never known to turn
his back on the foe.
With his curiosity aroused to most
intense pitch, the correspondent, there.
fore, advances to the fray. He casts
keen glance at the face Of Mynheer
Joe, but that worthy shows little OF
the emotions that may lie deeply hid
den under the calm exterior.
Thus Sandy draws up alongside OF
his friend and awaits the communica-
ton that is to decide a momentods
epoch in their lives; nor is 1t long in
forthcoming.
"Well, the baron has been at work,
Sandy" remarks Joe, with a peculiar
smile. II knew he would not be long
in Bombay without attempting some
manner of evil against US, particularly
myself, for whom he entertains no
great love, you understand"
Sandy mods his head in that vigor-
Gus, thoughtful way Of his, more elo-
Quent than words.
ITO be Continued
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
ooooCoC0oo oooooooCccs
3 FHs CULTIVATION OF COCOA 6
3 INFHE WEsF INDIA ISLANDS {
the active young man pos
= sessed Of q limited amount
of capital, who is looking for

!" o the active young man pos
: sessed Of q limited amount
of capital, who is looking for
an occupation as well as In
vestment, in the Lesser Antilles or IN
many parts Of Venezuela, the cultiva-
ton Of cocoa is at the present time
the most inviting Of the agricultural
pursuits. The island Of Trinidad,
which is the one most familiar to the
writer, produces cocoa of quality Sec
ond to none, and only equaled by that
grown in the vicinity Of Caracas. and
always brings the highest price in the
London market. Considerable patience
Is required to grow 1t from the seed
lings, as it takes five or six years OF
cultivation before there Is a harvest
worth mentioning, and seven or eight
years before full crop can be real
lied, but when the trees are once full
grown they will continue to bear fruit
for an almost indefinite time.
The cultivation Of cocoa consists
largely of draining the land, keeping
down the underground Of bush and
weeds, and trimming the trees. The
flowers occur in clusters on the main
branches and on the trunk Of the
trees, usually only one of each cluster
reaching maturity. The fruit, which
is seen in the illustration, is hard
ped six or seven inches long, resemb-
ling a cucumber, growing from the
trunk or large branches, and looks
very much as though it were artificial
ly attached. Buds, blossoms and fruit,
In all stages, occur side by side, and
ripened fruit is harvested at all times
Of the year. The main crop, however,
natures in the dry season, and is usu-
ally harvested in February, only small
quantities ripening during the remain
der of the year.
The pods each contain five rows of
seeds or beans, quite similar to q
large, thick Lima bean, embedded In
Il pink, acid pulp. These seeds are the
cocoa beans of commerce. The har-
vesting consists of cutting off the ma
ture pods by means Of a knife on a
long bamboo pole, gathering them into
heaps on the ground, where they are
allowed to lie for about twenty-four
hours. They are then cut open with
q cutlass, the seeds and pulp coming
out in a mass; these are carried to the
dry house.
AS soon as the beans reach the dry
house, they are placed in the "sweat
box" or pit, where they are closed up
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

"My head is crammed full of ideas
which I must put into some shape be-
fore I sleep. This has been revela.
tion to me, Joe. I never before saw
such life as old Bombay presents
Think Of the rough sketches I've al.
ready drawn-the weird Towers Of
Silence, that wonderful burial-place
of the Brahmins-that magnificent
statue out on the avenue-the Parsee
broker-what's his name?"
"Jamsetjee Jeepeebhoy." smiles Joe.
"Drops from your tongue like oil, old
fellow. I must practice on these names
About the sketches: I have the har
Dor, the strange coasting-craft yon
pointed out, a patamar with its two
masts, the small rakish manche and
the long, narrow felucca with it's Ia.
teen sails. Besides, I've got glimpses
of mosques, that lovely idol and an
array of such things, to say nothing
of the ideas now in my head which,
roughly drawn, will fill pages in the
notebook. Yes, I'm in clover, Joe, and
L"
Mynheer Joe has left his side, which
fact causes the voluble Sandy to turn
around. He discovers his companion
talking earnestly with a Hindoo, and.
looking more closely, recognizes Kas-
see. whose brown face is very serious.
and whose whole manner proclaims
that there Is trouble brooding in the
air for the Americans in Bombay.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

sometimes accomplished by the labor
ers mixing and kneading them by
trcading them with their bare feet,
as shown in the illustration. This is
known as dancing the cocoa" and
renders the beans smooth and uniform
in color. 1t usually requires ten days
or two weeks to finish the drying, de-
pending on the weather. The dried
beans, when ready for market, are put
in canvas bags holding about $50
pounds, and the name Of the planta
ton stenciled Oh the bags, these names
or brands at times becoming very
prominent in the market for the quail
ty OF cocoa the plantation is reputed to
produce.
The manufacturing, which is invari-
ably done in Northern factories, con-
'sists of roasting the beans in revolv-
ing cylinder; this develops the aroma
and fits them for crushing. After the
beans are crushed they are screened to
separate the "nibs," OF crushed nuts,
from the shells. The nibs are then
ground to q fine meal; this is put in
sacks and put in powerful press.
where it is subjected to heat and pres
sure, and the fat, known as cocoa
butter" is squeezed uut, and the nard
substance left in the sack has only to
be broken or powdered to become the
pure chocolate, and this more or less
adulterated is the chocolate o. COM
merce.-Scientific American.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
Small Books.

Publishers to-day are bringing out
the very best books in the world IN
pocket sizes, says st. Nicholas. The
portable little classics can be carried
about and read at odd times, and there
is 10 longer the same excuse for read
ing trash because it is more conveni'
ent." Reading a little now and then'
there is time to think between times
and a good book gains greatly in III
terest il it be not swallowed at q
mouthful. Our readers should remem
bcr. when about to bur some booS
they Ought to read" that it is usually
to be had in half 1oze1 forms al
least. When we see certain enormous
volumes in fine print OF Scott's novels
for instance, we wonder that any ona
ever had strength. patience and eye
sight to read them.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

very different species are distinguished
by possessing relatively large heads,
the use Of which is extremely problem
atical.
And vet the smaller members Of the
commonwealths find a use for the
great creatures. Numbers Of them may
often be seen riding about, as human
beings do upon elephants, upon the
backs and heads of their gigantic con.
freres. Even this use, however, does
not account for the disproportionately
large heads of the giants. But the Col
obopsis ants, which burrow in
branches, seem to have discovered how
to proftably employ the big-heads
among them. They are placed at the
entrances of the Formican dwellings,
their great heads fitting in and filling
the doorways. AS worker belonging
to the household approaches she is rec
ognized by "the animated and intelli-
gent front door," which draws back
sufficiently to admit the entrance of
it's friend and then resumes its double
office of sentry and of barrier.
The Eciton are the Arabs Of the ant
tribes, always at war with all other
animals, with no settled places Of
abode, but ever wandering in journeys
that have no end. Yet in their temper
ary resting places the necessities and
instincts common to the whole Formi-
can family impel these nomads to build
habitations which conform to the char
acter and style Of the fixed and per-
manent abodes of ordinary ants. AS,
however, both the time and natural
apparatus for digging possessed by the
latter are wanting to excaTate gal
leries and apartments necessary for
feeding and sheltering larvae land
pupae, these remarkable animals
overcome the difficulty in most as
tonishing manner by constructing liV-
ing habitations, using their own bodies
as building materials.
But the most amusing instance of
the manner in which an ant left by ma
ture to her own devices overcomes q
difficultyfs perhaps that Of the Deco
phylla smaragdina. This ant, one OF
common occurrence in Eastern Asia,
forms shelters by bending the edges of
the leaves of the trees upon which IT.
lives and fastening them together The
adult ant possesses nothing with which
to secure the edge of the leaves togeth-
er after they have been brought into
the required position; but its larva is
furnished with glands that secrete an
abundance Of adhesive, gelatinous sub
stance, by the aid Of which it forms.
it's cocoon, and these intelligent in
sects actually make animated mucil-
age brushes Of their larvae in order
to effect their purpose. A number OF
the ants, seizing the edges of the
leaves in their mandibles, bring them
together into the form needed and hold
them there, while other ants, each one
of which bears larva in its jaws, ap-
ply the. mouths Of the larvae to such
parts Of the leaves as require to be
cemented together, and induce their
offspring to disgorge as much sticky
material as they find necessary to ac-
complish the desired result.-Sclentifc
American.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
Showing toothed mandibles.

sects grow them; vessels being needed
as receptacles for liquid food, man
learns the art of the potter, but the
curious honey ants transform them
selves into living bottles. to which the
working members Of the commune re-
sort for refreshment.
The tools of insects, exquisitely
fashioned and finished are much more
perfectly adapted for the purposes they
serve than are any contrived and
manufactured by human beings, but
there is a disadvantage connected
with them-they cannot be laid aside.
The tools dominate the tool-bearers
and check development in any direc-
ton not connected with their use.
This leads to the extreme specializa-
ton We find among insects. The egg
producer, the queen Of the termites,
although she possesses the usual num-
ber of limbs belonging to her species.
is totally incapable of loconlotion. as
are the living bottles Of the honey ants.
The queen lays eggs; she can do moth
ing else; the living bottles store up and
yield food to other members Of the
formicary, and are as incapable of per-
forming other uses as if they were
mere lifeless cells in q honcycomb.
Among the Formidable this tenden-
cy to specialization has resulted in es-
tablishing species limited to particular
industries or to particular methods of
living. Some species of slave-making
ants, for instance. confine themselves
so entirely to military affairs. and
have so entirely lost the arts of peace
and efficiency in domestic matters, that
they are not only obliged to depend
upon their slaves to care for the young
In the formicary. but to have the food
paced in their own warlike mouths,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
hit and allowed to ferment for some

tight and allowed to ferment for some
time. Il
The next process is the drying, which
q accomplished by spreading the beans
in layer over the platform and dry
ing them in the sun. Laborers are kept
constantly stirring them, while exposed
to the sun, with a wooden rake, so
that they will dry evenly. Each morn
ing, during the early stages Of the dry
ing process, the beans are gathered
into heap in the middle of the floor
and given thorough mixing. This is
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
k SOME NEW FEATURES
8 IN JHE ANTS LIFE.
VIE recent discoveries Of Was
man. Florel, Belt and others,
BY j. CARTER BEARD.

THE recent discoveries Of Was
man. Florel, Belt and others,
added to the wonderful re-
suits of the Investigations
made a few years ago by McCook,
Moggridge and Bates, have deservedly
awakened a new interest in everything
connected with the lives and habits Of
ants. The remarkable evidences they
exhibit of something which. notwith-
standing it's limitations. seems akin to
human intelligence; the perfection, as
compared WIFI other insects, Of Its
physical st, lire; the greater proper
tion borne by the brain to the rest OF
the body; and its wonderful social life,
so much more highly developed than
that Of the bees or of the wasps, have
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

A box just bit higher than a hand
lamp has both top and bottom re-
moved. Across the top are stretched
wires. The box is then set down over
q lamp, and the kettle or dish is set
upon the wires, where it's heat will be
fully maintained.
This device will often prove of the
greatest service, and can be made BY
any one in ten minutes.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

Guide (referring to Egyptian Pyra'
mids)-"It took hundreds Of years to
build them" O'Brien 1.-THE wealthy
contractor)-"Thin it wor Govern
mint iob-eh|-Tit-Bits
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
O,;te Like a Jewe1ry Store.

In q Kansas town the other day
Miss Ruby Opal entertained Miss
Pearl Diamond. They were seen
romning on the emerald green Of the
lawn with sparkles of fun shooting
from their turquoise eyes.-Denver
Post
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

tender mother, fiercely defending her
eggs and her young ones. First, he
says, the spider weaves a silken bas.
ket like repository for the eggs, using
the rear part of her body as form.
In this basket she lays the eggs,
piling them up carefully and neatly:
Then she covers the exposed eggs with
a fabric of silk threads, the whole
forming a minute hall within which
the eggs lie snugly and well protect
ed from cold, etc. If this, be instinct,
q good deal of what is called human
intelligence" should be called 'in'
stinct," too, says the author. I
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

Author Reveals Spiders Methods.
Professor D. Hess has just pub
lished IN interesting treatise on house
insects. with especial reference to spi-
ders and flies. The spider, he says,
is q blood-thirsty insect Of prey. But
she is also q great artist and a most
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
Distinction in Journalism.

To be connected with an important
paper is always distinction carrying
more weight with the public than q
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
connection with any law firm or bust
ness house.

The man who shakes hands most 10
generally the hardest to shake.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

and would starve in the midst Of plen-
ty were this not done.
The mandibles of these ants. Polyer-
gus rufescens and =. lucidus, the form
er a European, the latter al American
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

time, and at least as inexpensively as
under the old conditions. The space
under the seat is devoted to the Stow
ing away of milady's purchases. Tbe
Illustration is reproduced from Auto
mobile Topics.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

If some people can't borrow trouble
they will steal it.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

Keeping Up the Heat.
The top Of the stove is often crowd
ed. There are dishes that are cooked,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17
species, are entirely unified for work.
They can neither crush, cut nor saw;
but. being sharply pointed and curved,
they make most serviceable weapons;
with them in attacking an enemy,
Showing pointed and curved man
dIbles unified for work.

Polyergus seizes the head Of her foe
between the points Of these curved
poignards and penetrates the brain ut
once.
A number Of ants among those of
Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-03-14
.lRELAND'S BIG WIND.
Blew the Paint On buildings wad Drove
Ssraws Through Oak Piaaks.

Jan. 8, was the sixtyfrst ann!ver-
sary of the "big wind in Ireland.
There have been other big Wrds. but
there never was che that equa.ied the
first one. Births, marriages and deaf as
are fixed before and aftLr th11 Dig WIND
and there never was a true-oorn l.ish
man who mas not heard of the night
of the big wind"
Many tales have been told about thi:
hurricane. According to the REALTORS
il came UP about 8 O'Clock at night
IL came like a Summer bre re, but IN
very short time 1t became furious.
Some OF ule simple peOple of Ireland
said 1t was the work Of the fairies, who
dad become uispIeased at the people.
So they crawlei Under the bed and low
cred themselves IN wells TO escape the
fury of the elements. The next morn
ing they Game out TO see what tie
fairies had d-ne. They said they
found that every haycock in ireland
had blown down. They found that
straw had been driven through oak
boards as clean as a carpenter would
drive a nan, and there are some who
declare that a stone as big as
freight car had been blown seven
miles from Its resting place. They
found that the waters had Seen dashed
INTO 4uch terrible state that huge
whales were lying upon the shores or
the lakes, and that sharks and small
fish were found in the forests miles
rom tAefr home in the ocean. The
tale 10 told Of the sailors who became
shipwrecA8d, and laLdei on the back
Of a whaAe supposed to be az Island.
and the wind carr. ~ whale and sa l.
ors to q place OF fe ;. Every clock
IN the public stoerlcS VS. stopped. and
The wind blew tho W istleF on the
boats anchored a. the wharves vii Ut
gauge. The people who remeqHbea this
teEr. bic wind tell how It carried the
rwOrd> OF the Knights and Lo de- iron
TIE scabnards ana left the powdered
hair OF the Queen as natural a. the ca
She was barn, AMI they say that tie
paint was removed from the barns
leaving the boards as hare rs tine day
:hey came from the forest. and rocks
were carried from Mount CheVaer to
the town, seven mi es away. Others
say the bells in the churches and
clattered as they never
clattered befone, and chickens were
tound the next morning withu&t q
feather In their tails.
Leaves we're found driven into the
trunks of the trees, and corn was fouRd
cleaned from the cob on the stalk.
Other terrible things happened SIXTY |
one years ago On the night OF the big !
" ind Enquirer.
Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-03-14
A Useful Gain.

1t + not generally known thet n.
'-cenf '-ichel c in Cf the Unite! Stetes
cure g was designed with sDsci,i
1efe euce to its use az IN CT weight
or measurement by the decimal system
but it is true
From some re son the metric sys+e,r
though is use has been leea ':zed n
TINS county, is no. p cpular with the
Americans. and it has not come into
general use and perhaps never VIII r.
1t does. the usefulness of this coin vi
at once become apparent 1t is exactly
i've sramHes in weight and two senti
metres In diameter.
This is, of course. not an acciden-
and Ii there shall be any change in II.
ssetsm OF coinage. other convenient
ne af-uTe ents and weights NAV
adopted. according to tn same sy I =.
Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-03-14
STFA MBOAT SERVICE

StN9'' "'s leave Fd"ntOn daiiy f. Y
CeN' >n"""N) I2:45 m for PLY rn0u,h.
gainesville, William~tou and Wind
so
lt'9'" T1"rtrn Tuesday Thur.1ov
and ST'"rd9v r2'4= . m for Chowar
Hlver LANDINGS; and Friday for Scum
perronv River
S''"1n"rS leave Elizabeth Citv 70,
Eoanokr l>l@nG. Oriental and New
nernr, Tuesday, Thursday and oatur-
1aN 600 = III connect with A & NC
K. K aud " & W K r. for Colo, boro
ard Wilmington, &c.
For ~Cup!e1nOng River Moudav and
" cones Az 1900 noon and Fri.7av for
Pasquotank River landings 1870 = m
steamers leave Relhaven dailx ley
,ep' Su'd7v for WASHINGTON. NC and
: a. ~, Tuesday Thursday and Catur-
Vile etc.
For further information apply 70 M
a. SnoTden, Agent, Elizabeth Citv
u 70 the General Office of the n. & s,
K, X Co., Norfolk, Va.
II. K. KING, H u1rDc1~c
zGen. Mgr. Gen. Fl. Pass, ACT
Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-03-14
KnasiSns Testing Antidotc for Hunger

a,. l.,
'ou' .ne oes,hn@hg OF This CEN
eneu rrenon philan-
a. 'ouA' ADVISED poor people
~ p a9 nlucii as pos '0ie curing tbs
"oh'ns' as only thus would
nfcrt Tb;o t atran WIN ans cesree o:
49, $780,. ". IneosS IS now
- go oaD ~. Icy PERSONS IN rus
has bean iseua - 49, ~ Ieport "h1cn
,la,s a'nost COM
"a $50, 'o'o1 has Pr o1c-
~ 10! Niui result, ana mas even
oo( '' iI,I'' 30 an pom, proved h1shly
,,I.-.1. peorl- i've it i'ko~,
81, ~ 'ou'h VI 81: fe'ersours. anti
Va t'Is> nave a"cplf" me
" az C u = c N1g cur NJ tie via er
IS BECAUSE loF t:c la lew yeas their
oI'' "ee;l l1'S'''>l"len TO pr vida
!,oi-L Win Tue acc S:ary means CT sus-
'on &c.
When the elders q tie II trict saw