davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
Soda as Fire ExtinSuishcr.

druggists generally realize the
value Of soda fountains in eXtinguish-
ing fires" said Chief Musham, of Chi
cago, the other day to an 1nter-Ocean
reporter. They have not, however,
carried the idea very fal. If each drug
store which has a fountain were sup
piled with q slender line of hose,
which could be attached. many small
fires which afterwards grow to large
ones could be extinguished promptly.
An average soda fountain can force
a small stream Of water ten or twelve
feet. 1t carries a pressure of 10 to
1SO pounds, which is enough for hre
extinguishing purposes.
Many an incipient blaze has been
extinguished by the use of soda
siphon. The great point is to get at
the flames at the beginning. If hose
were provided, with attachments by
which it could be coupled to the foun-
tain. a saving of thousands of dollars
In small fires could be effected each
year."
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

a strong resemblance to the Sphinx,
as far as style is concerned. Unlike
that great monolith, however, the La
NAL Sphinx is built up Of rough stones
which have been covered with NOR
tar.
The interesting feature Of all these
ruins, from the modern and utilitarian
point Of view, is the proof they afford
that at some time, not very remote,
the country of Yucatan was almost as
crowded with people as modern China.
Wonder has been expressed that such
O bleak, arid and almost streamless
land should have ever become the seat
of empire and the home Of flourish
ing civilization, but from a geographi-
cal standpoint the absence Of rivers
On the Yucatan plateau appears to be
due not so much to deficient rainfall
as to the extremely porous nature OF
the ground, which absorbs water like
q sponge. and thereby prevents the de.
velopment Of surface streams.
It is to this problem that modern
methods will be applied, although, In
their very application, they will have
been copied from those of the ancients.
Yucatan is not dry and waterless
land at all, only, like many another
country, it will only yield its treasures
to those who will work for them. Be-
meath the surface of Yucatan the
waters accumulate in such abundance
that sufficient supply may always be
had by any one who will take the
trouble to sink a we'll. The water is
so thoroughly distributed, indeed, that
any part Of the tableland may be sue
cessfully tappedefor water.
In that fact lies the secret Of the old
time prosperity Of Yucatan and its
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
from him. He was obliged to leave

from him. He was obliged to leave
the town suddenly. He wrote some
thing like this:
1--WE found her at 320 Water ave-
nue.. Imogene Munroe. Will give you
particulars when I return tomorrow.
She is anxious to recover the minia.
ture.'
But I could not await the next day,
and saw no reason why it would be
necessary. I had the photograph and
would take it to her Because of 1t !
should insure myself a reception at
least.
II went to 800 Water avenue that
evening. 1t is an elegant residence in
perfect keeping with the case and
face. 1 had scribbled on. my card
The finder of the miniature The
maid who admitted me said that Miss
| Munroe was at home. She took the
card and left me in the reception
room. It was one Of the most-whai
shall I cali it?-delicious rooms I was
ever in. One side was lined with deeE
windows draped in soft, dainty cur
tains and filed with plants and fiow
ers. The air was heavy with the
scent Of roses.
II stood before one of the windows
looking at the blossoms when she
came. She came so quietly and gen
tly that 1 did not hear her. 1t was
only when the sweetest, lowest. clear
est voice I had ever heard, said, AT
last am to have my miniature that
1 knew she was in the room. I con
fess 1 trembled. as turned and took
the hand Of"
Allyn stopped and smiled. 1t was a
half sad, half amused, wholly inscrut-
able smile. My sewing had fallen into
my lap and leaned forward listen.
Ing breathlessly.
1.-The hand of the original of the pic.
ture. These eyes, this mouth. this del.
icate complexion, this same soft curl
ing hair. I was looking on it all, the
same but"
Allyn raised his eyes. The amuse'
ment had faded away.
1.-The hair was snowy white and the
skin was wrinkled. Hers was indeed
the face of the miniature, the face of
fifty years ago. My foolish fancy was
destroyed. but in its place came the
sweetest little white-haired lady that
man was ever privileged to call friend.
And this miniature-some way had
strange reluctance to part with 1t,
and so here it Is with me now. That
is ALL" concluded Allyn abruptly.
THAT is enough" said quietly. Il
think that face has stood between you
and 81"
Allyn broke in hastily.
20 that is nothing. I couldn't carry
this" holding up the photograph,
Into such places as I had been fire.
quenting, and so, well, it's all right"
Allyn buttoned up his coat and smiled
at me frankly as he went out by way
of the office door.
The doctor has always said there
was the making of man in that boy.
st. Louis Star.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
70 A GOLDFISH,

What wee world is yours. indeed, o fish
Of burnished.metal hue imprisoned
there.
How small the sea of your transparent
dish.
Yet would you have it larger at your
wish?
Or don't you care?
See! can raise tempest with my pen!
Thus. when you're rocked amid your
sandy lair
By two small fingers of my lady's ten,
The thought comes over me to ask again,
Fish, do you care?
I don't suppose you do, there with your
lass
80 As rare to you as is my lady rare
Your Liliputian mermaid OF the glass;
Why, | could live in JOY with Maud the
fair,
And in a smaller world the seasons pass,
Nor would I care.
Freeman Tilden, in Boston Transcript.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
New York Goals Up on Hottest Days.

1T is strange that on the hottest
days of the year the pavements should
be blocked up with loads of coal that
have just been delivered and black
ened with the dust of other loads that
have already been consigned to the
cellar" grumbled the woman in the
white pique shirt. II have had occa-
sion to walk O long distance to-day.
I travelled over many different streets.
and everywhere I went was obliged
to sweep up pillows Of coal SCOT with
the hem of my garments. I never be.
fore realized how much coal Is deliv-
cred on hot days when everybody is
supposed to cook with gas and to flee
from fire as from the plague. don't
own a house or have anything to do
with the management of one, but If
ever I do get rich enough to have
something to say about how our house
hold shall be run, will positively for'
bid the delivery of coal during June,
July and August. The mere sight OF
so much fuel raises a persons temper
ature about ten degrees, and its con-
cealment from the public gaze ought
to be enforced by law."-New YORK
Sun.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
present day desolation.-Brooklyn
Eagle.
Beefeater With a Sense of Humor.

Some years ago followed party OF
tourists around the tower, and heard
one of the "beefeaters" who garrison
that venerable fortress narrate the
history Of the various trophies. He
was a man of humor and INDUCED in
frequent jokes, and as he came to q
long row of dismounted cannon he
winked at me and remarked:
'These ere cannon was hall cap
tured from the Yankees"
"When?" I asked.
"In various wars" he responded
boldly.
"Then why do you label them as
having been captured from the Turks,
the Russians and other nations:"
"To spare yer honor's feelings, sir"
he responded politely.
But no cannon or flag or any trophy
among the thousands that may be seen
in the Tower Of London ever belonged
to the army or navy of the United
States. If there were ever one even
Of the most Insignificant character it
would be shown with pride to every
American tourist.-W. E. Curtis, in
Chicago RecorG-Herald.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
"a
ma-y:: IT,
e ss1:szgsssss:::zssSS5 - @sy
NsNz5s as0gs.:
V2
-saHISs, ToN

gether unrivaled for the magnitude OF
it's buildings, the richness of Its sculp-
tured facades and the almost classic
beauty of its statuary. Its most con-
spiculous edifice bears the name OF
the Nunnery, though there is slight
evidence that nuns ever inhabited the
building. There is also a beautiful
building known as the Governors
Palace, which possesses a wonderful
frieze, 325 feet long, decorated with
a row of colossal heads in high relief,
divided into panels, and filled alter
nately with panels Of heads and PAN
els of designs resembling arabesques.
One of the strangest and most signifi-
cant monuments in Yucatan is found
at AXE, ten miles east of Merida,
where there is a huge pyramid, with
an immense fight Of steps, presenting
features different from anything else
where discovered in Yucatan. This
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

provides curved spring plate, slotted
to conform with the rows of teeth in
the comb, with hinge at one end
to attach it to the side of the comb
frame. eThe plate Is provided at its
opposite edge with crinp extending
either part way or clear across, which
serves to lock the plate against the
back Of the comb while the latter is In
use. When it is desired to clean the
curry-comb q slight pressure of the
thumb on the locking crimp will allow
the plate to spring clear Of the teeth
and assume It's natural curve again,
at the same time ridding itself Of the
dirt and hair which it has dislodged
from the teeth. The best feature OF
the improvement is the curving Of the
cleaner so tnat it will fly clear Of the
teeth without the necessity Of pulling
it free with the hand.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
Handy Rarrel Roller.

Here is an invention which will be-
appreciated by those who have had
occasion to handle barrels filled with
any heavy material, or even empty
ones, the device being intended for use
in steering and propelling the barrel
along much more rapidly than can be
done with the hands or feet The in
vent0r is Andrew C. Rowe, and he
has designed the roller especially for
use in -four mills, sugar refneries and
breweries, where it is necessary to
handle large numbers Of barrels daily.
In use the tongue or handle is pressed
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
1t Was Easier.

"Sam" Elder told the doctors some
pretty good stories the other afternoon
at the Massachusetts, Medical Society
dinner, about their own profession.
From the way his hearers laughed
l should think the yarns were about
all new. One was about an old prac-
titioner, who. because OF advancing
years, had relinQuishcd all Of his out
of-town practice to his young assist
ant. One night the older physician
was called on by two men in 4 buggy,
one Of whom wanted the doctor to
come to his house, eight miles away,
and attend his wife, who was very ILL.
"She will have no one but you, doctor, "
said the man.
"Well, I'll go for $40, and not cent
less" said the doctor.
A whispered consultation went on in
the carriage, and finally the physician
heard a voice say: Better pay the
ten. It's 4 good deal cheaper than
burying her.
And the doctor got his money.--Bos-
ton Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
aThncllsray Street."

Another new kensington street
name, says the London Chronicle, has
literary interest. The improved street
between Charles street and KensinS.
ton Square has been named Thackeray
street, in honor Of the author of "Eanl-
ty Fair" who lived for eight or nine
years in Onslow Square. close by
At the house which lie had built TOR
himself AT No. Palace Green. Ken
sington, ne died on Christmas Eve.
1868. Apparently there is no other
street in London bearing HIS name
though 4 large temperance hotel Ill
the Bloomsbury district has been
named the Thackeray. and has been
followed by Kingsley.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
SWINGS LATERALLY AROUND THE TREE.

the advantage of being adapted for
use on a single tree or the side of a
house, where only one support is avail
able. Of course, it will not curve from
end to end like the ordinary hammock,
but it has a swinging motion OF it's
own, and it can be made quite as com.
Portable for resting as those now in
use. The attachment to the tree Is made
by a ball and socket joint and the
two hooks, with the suspending cables,
the joint allowing the hammock to
swing laterally in substantially the
same plane. BY providing duplicate
heads for suspendirg the hammock, it
can be moved around the tree into
another position, as the day advances.
thus always keeping under the shady
side of the tree, and when not In use
it folds up fiat for storage in small
compass.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

of that which Is now but wilderness
of sand and desolation. and to again
set flowing the tide of life and COM
merce which once profited by the nat
ural resources of this old-world land.
In its conception the project is as
daring as if an attempt were made
to restore the life Of ancient Egypt and
people again the palaces of the Phar-
aohs.
The country upon which this re-
markable experiment will be made
lies at the southeastern extremity of
Mexico. It has been characterized by
travellers as the hottest place on earth
death Valley only excepteC-bur SCI
entists, who trust to thermometers
rather than to the perspiratory renem-
brances Of explorers, say that the eli
mate of Yucatan has been DETAINED.
They say that the average highest
temperature is only ninety-eight de-
grees, while very often the mercury
registers as little as seventy-fve de-
grees. Yucatan lies twenty degrees
from the equator-the twentieth de-
gree of longitude intersectlng the
country.
Yucatan, like Egypt, is a country of
magnificent tradition. That it was
once a country of great wealth and Of
a high degree Of civilization is thor
oughly established, yet although it was
once q region rich in agricultural pro
ducts, it is to-day almost a forgotten
corner of the earth, badly watered, lit
tie cultivated and maintaining q place
in the affairs Of mankind only because
it's forest are rich in mahogany, rose
wood, logwood and other valuable tim
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

round about Merida, the capital, which
itself stands upon the ruins Of Thu;
Chichen-Itza, about midway between
Tikul and the east coast; Labna, Noh-
becan and Potonchan, in the Campeche
district. Most Of these places were
described and illustrated by Stephens
and Catherwood nearly fifty years
ago, and have recently been revisited
and redescribed by Desire Charnay,
from whose book the illustrations ac'
companying this article were repro
duced.
A more modern and productive in
vestigator was DR.. de Plongeon, who,
with his wife, spent many years in
investigating the ruins and inscrip-
tions found in Yucatan.
To de Plongeon is due the now gen
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
A Clerical Dilemma.

There is story told Of candidate
for priests orders, who was preaching
an extempore trial sermon before the
late Archbishop Tait and Dean Stan
lev. In his extreme NERVOUSNESS lie
began in staminering way, Il Will
divide my congregation into two-the
converted and unconverted." This
proved too much for the Primate's
sense of humor. and he exclaimed, y
think, sir, as there are only two of us,
you had better say which is which -
London Echo.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
erally admitted theory that the civil

orally admitted theory that the CIVIL
cation Of Yucatan was allied to that
of Egypt. He established the fact that
many of the gods represented in the
mural paintings Of the inhabitants OF
Yucatan were identical with the Egyp-
ton divinities. De Plongeon also
pointed out the fact that the same
head-dresses were worn by the Egyp'
ton kings and the Yucatan rulers.
The value of skilled investigation of
the Yucatan ruins can be appreciated
when it is said that they are recog-
nized as being among the most beauti-
full specimens of architecture in the
world. The structures, especially those
Of Uxmal, AXE, Kabah and Chichen-
liza, excel all other American ruins.
There is nothing comparable to them
on the Mexican table-land.
Uxmal. for instance, stands alto
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
New York Capitalists to Restore
YuCatan to Its Ancient Place
as the Worlds Garden Spot.

cient civilization. 1t Is for this rea.
son that some account of the known
history Of the former civilization and
ruins of Yucatan becomes interesting
and pertinent at this point.
OF the sixty-two ruined cities of Yu-
catan proper the most important, or
at least the best known and most
fully described are those of Izamal,
Mayapan, AXE, Acanceh, Uxmal, Tt
kul and Kabah, all centred in the
northwest corner of the peninsula
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

templated by man. They intend to try
to restore in Yucatan a civilization
dead these hundreds of years, to re-
populate the streets of it's forgotten
cities, to revive the past glories of a
once famous country, to refresh It's
desert wastes with the water which
once made a green and q goodly land
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
ToNes FOR HANDLING BARRELS

toward the cross-Bar until the jaws
or clamps have spread sufficiently to
pass over the ENDS Of the barrel when
a reverse movement throws the points
on the ends of the clamps into the
heads of the barrel with sufficient
force to permit their use as spindles
by which the barrel can be pushed
from place to place as desired. The
facility with which the tongs will
guide and propel barrel will greatly
increase the number which can be
handled in 4 given time, and much
less effort is required than without the
nnrlnratllS.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
IYhere They DrnW the Line.

4 burglar with an elastic conscience
broke into 4 house on Monroe street,
Brooklyn. recently, and stole the fami.
IL rubber plant. Brooklynites feel
that this is stretching the burglary
business 4 little too far.-New York
Times.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31


invention of an instrument called the
topophone, which registers sounds too
faint for human hearing, and which
will enable navigators to determine
the exact position Of other vessels iD
fog.
One of the simplest, cheapest and
best sterilizers is sunshine, and it is
important to allow as much sun in
4 sick room as possible. The same
rule is applicable to the rooms of
healthy people. The good effects OF
"sun bathing" in the treatment of con"
valescents is ample proof of the utili-
ty Of the rays of the sun for therapeu-
tic purposes.
One of the professors at the Pasteur
Institute in Paris has discovered
microbe that breeds a pestilence
among rats. Specimens Of it have been
tested on farms and in warehouses
with success. In one-half the cases
the whole colony of rats were de-
stroyed; in other cases, the number
was greatly reduced. Thus science
will take the place of nature, and the
occupation Of the cats will be gone
An instance Of the transformation
by scientific means Of q deleterious
into q useful substance Is furnished
by a process recently invented In
Germany, in connection with the
manufacture of superphosphate fer
tilizer where apatite is used. The
large volumes Of hydrofuoric acid that
are given off seriously contaminate
the atmosphere, but by the new pro-
cess these gases are recovered In the
form Of fuosilicic acid, which is used
in the manufacture Of artificial stone
for hardening soft limestone and sand
stone, and for other purposes.
Under certain conditions there may
be seen in the night sky, exactly op-
posite to the place where the sun may
then be, a faint light, rounded in out
line, to which the name "gegenschlen''
has been given. 1t has always been
q mystery to astronomers, but Pro-
fessor Pickering has suggested that 1t
may be O cometary or meteoric satel-
lite Of the earth. He thinks 1t may be
composed of cloud Of meteors, 1,OOO,-
900 miles from the earth, and revolv-
ing around it in a period of just one
solar year, so that the sun and the
ghostly satellite are always on oppo-
site sides of the earth.
- .-r~ ~
Professor Standfuss, Of Zurich, has
been studying the effects Of solar heat
md temperature 'on butterflies. More
than forty thousand butterflies were
subjected to close examination. Some
degrees more or less change the nature
and looks so much that they take on
every appearance OF having been born
in q warmer or colder climate. On one
occasion, it being very cold in Switzer.
land, O butterfly common there sud-
denly began to look like a butterfly
from Lapland. Others subjected to a
higher solar temperature changed and
looked like butterflies from Corsica or
Syria. The experiments, which are
to be continued, led to the production
of butterflies of an entirely new type,
some being of q very beautiful de-
Scrintinn
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

ard. To-day Yucatan is very nearly
waterless desert, and yet it seems GER
tain that neither the climate nor the
topography of the country has changed
materially since the days of the apr
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

strange monument is surmounted by
thirty-six pillars. each four feet square
and from fourteen to sixteen feet high.
At Izamal, few miles east of Ahe.
there is another great pyramid, with a
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
The Splder'S Thread

4 spiders thread is really composed
Of four smaller threads, each OF which
consists of 1000 separate tiny threads.
SO that the thread we see is spun OF
1900 films.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
Single Tree Hammock.

The novelty Of the hammock shown
In the picture consists in its ability to
keep on the shady side of the tree ut
all hours of the day, and it also has
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
Improvement In Currycombs.

Here is an improvement in curry
combs which will be appreciated by
every horseman, as it will do in an in
slant the work he is apt to neglect un'
til it becomes absolutely necessary
from the clogging Of the teeth with
hair and dirt The inventor Is Oscar
s. Jennings, and in his invention he
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

The longest-lived people have gen.
orally beln those who made breakfast
the principal meal of the day. The
stomach has more vigor in the morn-
Ing than at any time.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31

: EW YORK capitalists are
about to attempt one Of the
most extraordinary opera
tions that las ever been con-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
sC|ETH(E|6|lRzvcs

A Paris newspaper announces the
invention of an instrument called the
topophone, which registers sounds too
faint for human hearing, and which
will enable navigators to determine
the exact position of other vessels in
4 fog.