davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Fortunate Findings.

One of the. rOmances of mOney-mak- ing is the story of a man who found newspaper inside shark when fishing in Australia in 1870, and who learned the news of the Franco German war in this way early enough to make a for tune out of it. The story may be true or not; everybody in Australia knows it. Another after the same kind Is that of the Milford Haven trawler. which, while fishing off CarlingfOrd LOugh year or two ago, caught up in the net a packet of papers, tied together with red tape and carefully sealed The skipper of the boat handed the dOcu- ments to a lawyer, and it was found that they provided a missing link which stood between a woman and her fortune. They proved the right of Miss Macdonald to certain estates in Ireland, which she had claimed ten years before, but which she had failed to win because the will could not be produced. It was this will which was brought up from the sea.-Philadelphia Telegraph.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
A MASTERPIECE IN THE wAxs
How an English Artist Escaped Wis
 ming an UnenviabIe Notoriety.

 ming an Unenviable Notoriety.
 When Irving Montagu, the war art ist. was a very young man, before he had mastered the elementary princi- pies of his art, he narrowly escaped an adventure that he says would have brought him a sudden notoriety in the art world which few would have en- vied. He was wandering through Marlborough House, then Vernon Gal lery, with a party of friends, and as they were exploring deserted passages. his companions playfully shut the door, not knowing that 1t fastened with a spring lock, and expecting him to turn up presently, ran off to continue their work in the galleries. Thus ''cribbed, cabined and contin- ed," says Montagu, I remained patient enough at first, hoping it would be but short-lived jest; but half an hour hay ing elapsed, my patience began to di. minish and the situation to pail upon me. In vain did I try to make myself heard, so 1 set about to find some means of exit.
 1 commenced by slowly feeling of the walls around me. Now, strangely enough, and much to my relief, the back part of my prison house was as flexible as if the paper of the adjoining room were only strained on canvas across 1t.
 An idea struck me. Nothing cOu'd be easier than to take my penknife and cut slit sufficiently long for me to step through into the next apartment. was just on the point of carrying out this idea when 1 heard footsteps. and a cheery voice without exclaiming:
 "Oh. say, old fellow, you there still! We'd forgotten all about you till a mo- ment ago. This is almost too much of joke. You might have been there all night"
 Then, seeing the knife in my hand. he inquired if had contemplated suicide during my solitude.
 Certainly not; only wasn't going to be shut up in such place when 1 found that 1 could cut through that partition"
 Partition! What, that canvas at the back?"
 His look of horror startled me.
 ''Yes, and why nOt?"
 Good heavens! Why, you were on the point of walking through 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage getting through six thousand pounds at one step, to say the least of itv'
 It was true enough, too. as l after ward discovered. It was Turner's masterpiece which stopped the way, and not, as I had supposed. 8 canvas wall. One moment more. and 1 should have gained a notoriety in the art world which few would have envied me.-Youth's Companion.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
A Oniet Wedding.

"Yes, Jlmson's wedding was quiet affair, owing to the death of a second cousin of the brides mother, who left the family little money"
 ''Dhat must have been pretty hard on Jimson. He likes excitement"
 "Oh, there was excitement enough. One of the brides little brothers hit Jimson in the left ear with a bag of rice and tore 1t loose; and another little brother nearly broke one of his floating ribs with an old slipper; and somebody flung a horse shoe after them for luck, and it caught JimsOn in the neck just as he stuck his head out of the carriage window. And one of the uncleS came out with a megaphOne and let all the neighbors know that the happy pair was spliced; and somebody broke >the carriage window with a rabbits foot made into a paper weight; and the horses ran away, and the driver fell off the box, and Jimson had to drive the horses the rest of the way, and got to the station just in time to miss the train. Oh, there was plenty of excite ment for just a quiet wedding.""-Cleve- land Plain Dealer.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
How Things Grow in Hawaii.

How great are the possibilities of Ha- waii as a fruit and vegetable growing country will be understood when it be- comes known that four crops of pOta- toes have been produced in succession on the same piece of land within twelve months. Radishes become edible ten days after sowing. Strawberry vines bear fruit all the year. The berries are of the finest flavor.
 Cabbage grows all the year and it ap- parentIy makes no difference whether it is planted in the spring, summer, au- tumn or winter. Parsley once sown grows forever, apparently. Lima beans continue to grow and bear for over a year, and they have to be gathered every week after starting to bear. Gu cumbers bear the entire year and so do tomatoes, which, with proper atten- tion, bear for years. Raspberries bear for six months.
 Piueapples come into bearing when the plants are four months old and bear in abundance for years. Lettuce can be planted at any time, and 1t de velopes quickly. The same Is true of celery.-Fruit Trade Journal and Pro- duce Record.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Again the Servant Question.

The WOman's Club is at last having its effect on the servant question. buI it is not exactly the effect that the clubites wished to produce It was last week that a suburban hOusekeeper had this fact borne in upon her. She had advertised for a cook, and the plump colored girl who came in resp0Hse looked a very capable person indeeds but-she must have two evenings 0H a week, she said.
 1.-TWO eveningsw exclaimed Mrs Blank; "why, it has been customary with me to allow my maids only every Thursday and every other Sunday evening. I cannot agree to do more than that for you"
 Pm very sorry, but I can't come then," said the plump one with deci- sion. You see, my whist club meets on Monday evening and my literary club on Fridays. and I must have the afternoons of these days to study rules and prepare my papers" and before Mrs. Blank could get her breath sufh- ciently to ask whether it was ~Bridge" that was played, and what author the literary club was pursuing at that mo- ment the sable damsel stalked out Of the room in stately dignity and the Op- pOrtunity was lost.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Trapping a Proressor br Wire.

l Among some intensely amusing col | legeScrapes told by "A Graduate" in the Ladies' Home Journal, is the story of a certain professor, not much liked by his pupils. who was to be married The lady lived in Cleveland And the studnts that loved @ him were not. Of course, invited. But they determined 1 that in some way he should hear from them. And he did. On the day ap- pointed the professor took the train at 10 a. m., due to arrive at Cleveland ar 12:30 D. m. About II o'clock Jim Townsend rushed to the telegraph Of flee and sent off this dispatch:
 ''Chief of Police, Cleveland. Ohio Man coming on train No. 6, tall, well dressed, frock coat, silk hat, side whis- kers. Escaped lunatic. Hold, Shrswd. therefore bewareI Strange case VIII say name Finall. Mistake. Thinks hs is professor in a college. DelusiOn- Es- cort to home of friends at No. - Euclid avenue"
 This message reached its destination long before train No. reached -Cleye- land, so that when Prof. FinaIli alight- ed it was to walk straight into the GUS tody of three detectives. They would listen to no words of reason. but es- cOrted him out to the house on Euclid avenue, the home of his intended bride.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
TOO MANY BRANCH OFFICES
Community of Interest Railroad Plan

Com unity of Interest Railroad Plan
 Not Carried Out, Says Critic.
 '@This community of interest plan" chattered an old-time railrOad man at the Hotel Manhattan, according to the New York Times, about which rail road managers talk so glibly has not proved so beneficial to the stOckhOld- CTS as was expected.
 Did you ever consider the enormous expense, and much of it needless. O. maintaining the scores of richly ap- pointed branch offices in expensive buildings in this city? Why, some or them are almost within stones throw of another operated by the same cOrpO- ration. And what is true of New York is equally true, in a lesser degree, In other large cities.
 "All these branch ticket and freight offices require managers, superintend- ents and corps of clerks and book keepers. Much of this expense Is a needless waste, and millions could be annually saved to. the stockholders by economy in this one direction alone While the railroad business has very largely increased in recent years. the growth has not been equal 10 the growth of the army of lsyishly well paid employees. There is an excellent field for economy in the interest of the stockholders, merchants and the travel ing public in the abolition of much of this branch office business"
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
TAKEN FOR INGERSOLL.
Ex.Senator Lindsay of Kentucky Has
 Same Cherubic Countenance.


 Same Cherubic Countenance.
 "As everybody knows who has seen | former Senator Lindsay of my State, and now a practicing attorney of New York city," says a Kentuckian, accord ing to the Detroit Free Press, ''his face has the cherubic rotundity and the saintly innocence which characterized that of the late Robert G. IngersOll, and had no little to do with the powerful at traction he exerted over most people who listened to his masterly elOquence. On one occasion when the Senator was on a train going home from Washing ton passenger at some point in Vir- ginia came into the car and sat down across the aisle from the Kentucky statesman. It was some time before the new arrival had taken his bearings, but as soon as he had become accuS- toned to his surroundings and had set tied down to a more careful inspection of the people about him, he spotted the Senator. After that there was no one else in the car for him, and he stared at the big, gOOd-lOOking man across the aisle as if he had been a pretty girl. The Senator caught his eye two or three times, but a United States Sena- tor is used to being looked at, and he didn't give 1t second thought. Not so with the new arrival. He was ut terly unable to get his mind off of it, and at last he got up and crossed over to the Kentuckian.
 CT beg pardon, sir,' he said with extreme pOliteness, aren't you Col. h. gersollY
 "'Do you mean Robert G. Ingersoll, the noted infidel and Republican? ask ed the Senator with well assumed amazement and horror. "The intruder was abashed, but held his ground.
 "Y-y-yes,' he stammered, backing away bit.
 "'No, sir" replied the Senator with the severest dignity. am a Presby- terian minister, sir
 ''The man apologized profusely, but was so embarrassed by his mistake that he went forward into the next car, and the Senator had a chance to laugh without giving himself away"
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21

The chief of the Good Roads train, which made spring tour through the South, declares that people will flock to see the actual construction and ope- ration of a model road who would never go to a convention to hear the subject discussed by the highest authorities. Acting on this principle that a dozen of observation is worth a gross of hear say, a firm of Scotch publishers sent twelve representative British workmen to the Buffalo Exposition to inspect American machinery and industrial methods, and to form in themselves a nucleus of future progression in their various trades.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Grow Shorter.

Everybody has noticed that in ex- treme old age people grow rapidly shorter, so that a person formerly of average height grows down" into quite a diminutive man or woman. A German contemporary now points out that this decrease of height begins as early as the age of 8 years. At 30, we are told, the human body has reached its full height, which is re- tained for few years, after which the growing down" process begins. At first, and for many years, the process is so slow as to be almost imperceptible, but at the age of about 60 it begins to be noticeable, and after 70, even though the veteran does not stoop at all, the fact that he is growing down" be- comes apparent to every one who sees him. f91f
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Smoke and Fire.

"SIr. Waff1es," said the landlady, "I have a word to say to you"
 "Make it a dozen, Mrs. Fry" remark ed the young man.
 "Mr. Wafies." said the landlady, 'yOu have been smoking in the parlor."
 "Yes, Mrs. Fry"
 "You have smoked in the parlor many times, Mir. Waffies. And you have smoked in your room, and in the H. brary, and even in the dining-rOom- and you owe me for three weeks board. MT. Waffles."
 "Yes, Mrs. Fry"
 "Where there is so much smoke, Mir. Wafies, there must be some fire"
 So she fired him.-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21

In England the automobile comes into favor less rapidly than on the Conti- nent. A London writer calls it ga fad, and an extremely dirty, dusty, uncom- fortable fad" and a nuisance on the public ways. He thinks 1t will be many years before these crude, impractica- ble machines" displace in the English mans affections "a fine trotting- horse and a smart trap" No doubt the horse is here to stay, and no doubt the auto mobile is still in its clumsy beginning; but just wait a little, till the problem of light and cheap storage-battery has been solved.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Women's Pockets.

A police magistrate in New York as- serts that "a woman has no more right to go through her husbands pockets than a husband has to go through his wife's pockets"
 He must be bachelor.
 The cases are not analogous.
 The impossibility of finding a wom- ans pocket is its sure defense.
 You need a map and search war rant to make a successful raid on its contents.
 When found there is likely to be noth- ing in 1t but recipe for making cur rant jam.
 It is ridiculous to talk about hus- bands going through their wives pock- ets.-Pittsburg Commercial Gazette.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
but win a migbtv efrort she rall,es eh.

but with mighty effort she rallies. She can now feel the hot steam from the engine upon her cheek, and then two short, shrill whistles and she knows her warning has been seen. But can they stop in time? Staggering from the track just as the engine reaches her, she sinks into a swoOn, from which she was aroused several hours after ward to find herself in her own room with the doctor bending over her, and is tolC the train was saved. For six weeks she tossed in a delirium, and when she was again able to be around. Harry was always to be seen by her side
 But her services and Harry's were not forgotten. The company sent her check for 5000, and our hero was given a position as clerk in the general offices some three months later, and rap- idly advanced until he is now head clerk.
 The lightning which stunned Harry struck and instantly killed his enemy, Jamison.
 
 Over two years have passed since that eventful night, and the autumn brings visitor to E.. It is none Oth- CT than our hero, who has come to claim his bride.
 A few days later and quiet wedding takes place, and the lives of Harry and Mary Strand are linked together in those holy bonds which nothing but death can part.
 With a bright future before them ws leave them to battle with life's duties as they did on that stormy night when Handsome Harry" proved himself the King of Operators, by his daring.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
One of Worlds Greatest Heiresse,

One of the greatest European heir esses Is Miss Lucienne Premelic Hirsch, who is shortly to make her debut in Brussels, where she has been brought up in strict retirement. Most of the millions left by the late Baron Hirsch go to this granddaughter, who had a somewhat romantic history. Her fath- CT, Lucien Hirsch, when living with his parents in Paris. fell in love with Mile. Premelic, a governeSs of the household, and married her.
 The child of the marriage was recog- nized by the baron, and to her he left his vast fortune, amounting, if We re- member rightly, to about twenty mill lions sterling g.-Philadelphia Ledger.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Real Names of Some Noted Rulers.

Suppose that some morning there should appear in the newspapers such an item as this: MT. and Mrs. Albert E. Wettin, accompanied by their nephew, MT. Frederick w. V. A. Hohenzollern, sailed yesterday from Liverpool for New York" How many people would give more than passing glance at this announcement? Yet it would be a piece of news calculated to throw the people of New York, and the whole of this country, in fact, into a paroxysm of excitement and feverish expectation, as must be admitted when the names of King Edward VII, Queen Alexandra and Emperor William of Germany are respectively substituted for the true family names given In the supposititious item. Then there is the youthful matron, Mrs. Henry Schwerin, who wields more power than any other woman of twentyone now living. She Is known to the world as Wilhelmina of Holland, and Is the only queen in the world to-day with the same powers as King-Ladies' Home Journal.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21

It is highly gratifying to be told that the average age at death in 1900 was 35.2. as against 31.1 in 1890. Everyone now has the chance to live four and one-tenth years longer than he had ten years ago. There can be no doubt that better food, more abundance of food and better sanitation are accountable for the increased length of life. Every improvement in sewering, every sue cessful quarantine. every benevolent work, every new medical discovery will aid in prolonging life.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Without Assistance

The sentiment recently expressed by good-natured Swede, when interro- gated by a young bride, may be shared by a good many queens of the kitchen.
 ''Now, Ina, can you cook?" asked the bride, earnestly. Are you good cook, Ina?'
 "Ya'as'm, I t'ink so" responded the girl, with perfect innocence, if you vin not try to help me"
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21

Robbers are able to Overawe train loads and stage-loads of people for two reasons. One is that the people, rely ing on the theory that they are travel ing in country where life and proper ty are fully protected, are always taken unawares. The other is that both by habit and by social rule the majority of people are not trained or prepared to shoot quickly in defense of their prop erty against outlaws.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21
Cat That Earned a Raise in Salary.

Cat That Earned a Raise in Salary.
 Some time ago the cat of the St. Paul postoffice made record by staying 8 hundred and twenty-five rats and mice in one month. In recognition of her abilities the postmaster wrote to Washington, asking an increase in her salary, and she now receives $1O.4O a year. Soon after she showed her grati- tude by presenting the Government with five kittens. each of which enter ed the United States service as soon as 1t was old enough to tackle a rat Ladies' Home Journal.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21

NJ. Hipptolyte CharbOn, of the Paris faculty of medicine, says the modern theory of ruthless warfare against mi crcbes is all wrong, since there are mi crobes of health as well as of disease, and we can't destroy one without de- stroying the other. The best way is 10 let the rival microbes fight it out among themselves. This is certainly com fortable theory for lazy man.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-12-21

Hastily repeating the order and tim ing it he pulled the signal board.
 It lacked but fifty minutes until No. lwould be due and the special had pass ed the last telegraph station before she reached E. three minutes ago.
 Without 1t was now blowing perfect gale. The rain fell in torrents and loud peals of thunder rent the still night air. Swans Creek bridge was full two miles away. Could the bridge be made in the face of such storm before the special arrived there?
 Telling Peterson, the night switch man, to see that the switches were all right and to guard the crossing care fully, Harry hastily put on his gum coat and boots, and, securing a lantern, started out into the darkness and storm upon his perilous task.
 As he passed the section house he thought he saw the outline of a man as the rays from his lantern penetrated the darkness; but no time could be spared 10 investigate, 50 Ou ue Speu.
 Let us leave him to continue his way over the slippery roadbed and return to the station and see what 1t is that caused him to imagine he saw a man lurking there.
 As Harry passed the section house the form of man crouched nearer the little building, as if afraid of being de- tected, but as Harrys form disappear ed in the darkness, the man gradually assumed an upright position. and, rais- ing his clinched hand high above his head. he muttered:
 My time of vengeance has come, you railroad sneak! You think I have for gotten the. whipping you gave me, but IF show yOu,> I see the signal board out for No. s, and I'll turn it back againL Then see what my revenge is.!'
 Gliding stealthily from the spot. he hastened toward the depot.
 In his hurry Harry had neglected to close the door leading from the waiting room into his office, and it was but the work of a moment to steal into the lit tic office and pull the lever which holds the signal board in place.
 As Jamison passed silently out into the night once more, after carrying out the first part of his fiendish plot, pair of dafk glittering eyes followed him with suspicious look.
 What can he be doing there at this time of night?" unused the person of the 1 dark eyes; surely he is about no good. Why did he slip into the office so stealthily and pull the lever? Can it be possible he is plotting to wreak some revenge on Harry? I'll follow him and See:" and the mysterious person came forward from the shadow and we see lady closely enveloped in water