davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
A Hero of the 50. Pierre pisaster

The Roddam. in charge OF Captain
Il. w. Freeman. was anchored about
three ships lengths from shore at the
time when St Pierre was annlhilated
and all the other vessels in the harbor
were destroyed. The Roddam was
saved not by accident but Ivy the
coolness and nerve OF her commander
who once before saved his vessel un.
der circumstances when eleven other
steamships foundered.
At the time when the fatal blast
from Mont Pclee swept over st. Pierre
and the bay. Captain Freeman was
standing on the deck of his vessel. Ac.
cording TO his observations. while there
were many minor puTs of clouds from
the volcano. there was only one great
eruption. and this came from the side
Of the mountain. There were no de.
donations or loud reports. and he saw
no sheet of flame accompanying the
hot blast The force OF this. which
hurled massive stone buildings 10 ;he
ground was so great. however. that he
believes II was she causc OF the steam
ship Grappler turning turtle There
was no return blast and no absence OF
air. The difficulty in breathing was
due to the quantity Of fine ash with
which the atmosphere was charged
snd the fetid sulphurous gases.
The Roddam was not saved 10y being
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
Learn How to Breathe.

II Is possible 10 exercise ones whole
body, to keep II strong and well, sim
ply by breathing properly. Children
should be taught 10 breathe and 10 get
into the habit Of filling the whole lung
space at each inhalation and OF empty
ing 1t completely at each exhalation.
There is no better way Of getting 70
sleep soon after going 10 bed than by
breathing properly. Push away the pill
low and lie fat upon the back with the
muscles relaxed. Slowly draw in the
deepest breath possible, hold it for four
seconds, then slowly expel II until the
chest and abdomen have collapsed. Re
peat this until you are tired or fall
asleep. There are scores Of ways OF
varying this exercise. But this is the
essential OF course it is assumed that
one sleeps with his bed room windows
open.-Philadelphia Times.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
CURIOUS FLORAL PUZZLES.
Hydranges That Blooms Beautifully Blue,
But Changes TO Pink.

Florida has good many floral puz-
zles as well as beauties. Sometimes
the colors Of even the most familiar
flowers are modified curiously by soil
or climate or both. One of the most
familiar examples is the case of the or
dnary spiderwort, Tradescantia Nir-
ginica Every Northern child who has
been blessed with the inestimable priv
ilege of a country home and life has
gathered these grassy beauties, with
their feeting azure blossoms, and
watched them fold their deep blue pc
tails and dissolve into a drop Of liquid
ultramarine. In Florida is the same
plant, with the same curious spider
webs spinning from it's broken and
separated stalks. but it's petals are
pink. and the bright drop of liquid blue
degencrates into a faded and ghosly
suggestion Of damp decay.
Another more remarkable example
is the common hydrangea, Hydrangea
hortenss Of the catalogues. Farther
north this is n familiar flower. with its
overgrown heads Of white or pale pink
ish Gowerets In Florida IL is in it's
glory. branching out into a broad pyra-
mid. six or eight feet in diameter, and
completely covered with the most
splendid azure globes. The pale pink
gives place 10 a blue that rivals the sky
itself in depth and brightness. The
plant seems 20 have found new life and
dressed itself in new beauty for its
Southern home.
A search for this blue hydrangea
in the catalogues is vain. No such
thing is mentioned. White hydrangeas
there are. and pink but no blue.
This magnificent blue hydrangca
came from a cutting taken from the or
dinary pink variety and transplanted
from Georgia. To the astonishment OF .
its Florida owner Il bloomed blue. and
all cuttings from IL produced blue flow
ers in Southern Florida. But the ex-
pertinent has been tried OF taking cut
tings from this blue hydrangea" and
planting them In the North. when they
az once lapse into the old familiar
pinkish form OF flower heads. Even
planted in a tub with sandy soil and
imperfectly fertilized In this latitude.
the result Is the same. The blue van
ishes and the pink returns.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
Bitten By "A wildcat.

James Cavanaugh, OF Albany, and
his nephew Samuel McGuigan, Of Med
way, Greene County, had an encounter
with wildcat recently. They killed
the animal, but not until Mr. Cavan-
augh's hand had been badly bitten and
Mr. Cavanaugh was obliged TO return
10 Albany 10 have the wound cauter-
lied The physician says he will not
lose the hand, but it will be useless for
some time.
One night Mr.. Cavanaugh heard the
screech OF wildcat in the woods. He
told his nephew OF what he had heard,
and they went into the woods the next
day to secure the animal. They were
armed with n shotgun. After beating
about in the woods for some time they
heard n scrcech, which they traced to
a large tree, and there discovered the
animal Mr. Cayanaugh approached
carefully, and, when he was near
enough. took steady aim and fired.
The wildcat fell to the ground, kick
ing spasmOdically for an instant, and
then lay stll.
Cavanaugh and his nephew waited
n few minutes and then approached
the animal To all appearances it was
dead, and Cavanaugh grabbed it by
the hind legs preparatory to carrying
ii away. But that cat had more than
one life, for as soon as Cavanaugh
reached out it curled up and began to
fight. 1t got Cavanaugh's fingers in
It's teeth and held them there. McGui-
gan came to his relatives assistance
and managed TO make the animal re
lease its hold But II did so only to
jump on McGuigan's shoulder and bite
his cheek. Then Cavanaugh shot II
and IL fell over dead.
The wildcat was taken to Catskill
and is on exhibition there. 1t is the
largest seen in that part Of the Catskill
Mountains in some years, being three
feet in length. Cavanaughs fingers
had been bitten through TO the bone
New York Sun.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
lifted on a wave. neither was she saved

lifted on wave neither was she saved
by knocking out shackle pins and slip
ping the cables. What the captain did
was 10 free his windlass and then run
fun speed astern until the cable parted.
But now, 10 add 10 the horror OF the
situation. be found the steering gear so
clOgged with ashes as 10 be useless.
In this predicament there was nothing
TO do but 10 steam ahead, and then
astern. and so on. close 10 burning
ships. and hearing the cries OF those
on board and those running frantically
along the shore. until the gear was
cleared. At the end OF an hour and a
half this was accomplished, and the
Roddam steamed out 10 sea, with
twenty-six dying men on her decks.
Captain Freeman Is certain that many
OF the people OF ST. Pierre did not die
suddenly, but with terrible and pro-
lOnged suffering. Twenty-six Of his
own men died, most Of them slowly.
About nine hours after the eruption
the Roddam steamed into the harbor
of ST. Lucia with 100 tons Of mud and
ashes on her decks. Although the ash
probably contained a considerable per-
centage Of magnetic, no disturbance
OF the compass was noted. Before the
eruption no disturbance Of the barOm-
eter was observed. That Captain Free
man, while on a burning ship, where
he was more than half suffOcated with
hot ashes, when the boots were burned
from his feet, his face scared and his
hands so scOrched and welted that he
worked with his elbows, had the pres
ence Of mind TO DO what he did and the
physical and mental power 10 carry
out his intentions under these trying
conditions, is an instance Of grit and
cOolness such as Is rarely chronlcled.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
In "a Fog of Rats.

II have experienced many KINDS ol
showers in my sea life" said Captain
Harland. of the British steamer Har-
danger, but IL remained for me to feel
the effect of n rain of bats on the trip
down the coast from New York to
Baltimore.
Last Tuesday night, when about ten
miles off the Delaware, we were sud
denly being struck in the face and on
our heads, and sometimes on our
bodies. 10y myriads Of birds, rs we sup
posed. We were not long finding out
that the sudden attack was from beats
of bats, If may aphy that term. 1t
was with difficulty that those on deck
could protect themselves from injuries
from their sharp, fin.like wings. as
they flew about in all directions. We
ran out of the flock during the night,
hut next morning we captured n num-
Der on deck. where they had fallen ex.
hausted. | took up one which had un-
der its wing an infant bat. which II
had carried far out TO sea. and during
the time il was beating about our
decks. against the rigging. boats and
smokestack this tiny infant had held
on and fallen with its exhausted parent
to the deck | shall try TO raise the
pair and also several others.
II doubt II there is anybody who can
boast of such queer capture and has
the idea of making pets Of them. |
shall look up natural history and seek
some plan 10 preserve their lives. and
see what will be the result"
The battle with the bats. Captain
Harland says, was renewed 10 a less
extent during Wednesday night In the
Chesapeake Bay. He cannot recollect
Of having seen bats at sea before.-Bal.
timore Sun.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
The Electric Dancers.

With the help Of electricity in its
simplest form a great many tricks and
entertaining feats can be performed,
sheet Of glass about twelve inches long
by eight inches wide, and insert II
between two volumes, as shown in IL
lustration. The distance of the glass
from the table should be about three
inches. With the help of scissors cut
number of small figures, such as
men, women, clowns, animals, etc, not
higher than one and one-half inches,
out OF different colOred paper. Lay the
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
The American Army.

Since June, 1T75. the beginning Of the
American army. about 100000 men
have worn its uniform. From its
ranks have come half Of the Presi-
dents Of the United States. thousands
of men occupying high civil offices,
Governors Of States. Cabinet Minis.
tiers, Senators and Representatives in
Congress. Ambassadors and justices Of
the highest courts. Although subordi-
nate TO and a loyal instrument Of the
civil power IL has always been regard.
ed with a certain jealousy and suspi-
cion born OF other times and condi-
tions. IL has successfully conducted
five great wars and numerous Indian
campaigns. and has always been the
chief instrument in restoring order af-
ter a war or disturbance. IL has filled
a large space In our history. and is to-
day. in consequence Of its prepared
ness our best assurance Of peace.-New
York Press.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03

luton Now a Western inventor comes
forward with a top which, while IL
makes use Of the string. does not have
it wound on the top, as is necessary
with the old kind. The illustration
gives an idea of the device, which is
used in connection with the cord 10
give the top it's rotary motion, and also
shows the manner Of applying the
string and spinning wire. The latter
is formed with a loop at one end in
which one finger of the left hand is in.
serted. while the opposite end Of the
wire has a curved hook which sur
rounds the spindle on the top. At the
point of the long loop is guide
through which the string feeds TO the
top. To put the top in motion the
cord is given a single turn around the
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
THE ELECTR IC DANCERS.

little figures fiat on line on the table
underneath the glass. Make sort of
ball Of woolen, or. better yet, silk
cloth, warm ii n little and rub the sur
face of the glass with il. You will
notice Immediately how the electric
ity obtained by this process enlivens
the little paper figures. how they stand
up and jump to the glass ceiling of
their little ballroom. to be repulsed
and fall back, only to renew their
dance. If you stop rubbing, the funny
actions of the figures are continued for
while; when the dance is ended the
touch of the hand on the glass is suf-
iicient to enliven the figures again
New York Tribune.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
A Miniature Oak Tree.

II an acorn be suspended by piece
Of thread within half an inch of the
surface of some water contained in a
hyacinth glass. and so permitted TO
remain without being disturbed, II will.
in a few months, burst and throw n
root down into the water. and shoot
upwards its straight and tapering
stem. with beautiful little green leaves.
\ young oak tree growing in this
way is very interesting object. A
chestnut may be treated in the same
manner The water must be changed
sufficiently often 10 afford these trees
the necessary quantity OF nourishment
from the matter contained in it
Washington Star.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03

spindle. the free. long end is inserted
in the guide, and the hook Of the spin
ming wire is placed over the spindle I'M
derneath the cord. 1t is obvious that
a sudden and strong pull on the cord
and an equal resistance with the otner
hand will hold the top stationary in
vertical plane. while the rapidly NOV
ing cord will give motion TO the spindle
to rotate the top as the cord is drawn
through the guide. When the string
has passed through the guide there
is no further resistance and the top
drops of its own accord to tho floor.
maintaining its motion for n great
length of time. e.-Philadelphia Record.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
freed by Hungry sharks.

The tug Pennoyer the other day TOOK
into Biloxi a Norwegian named Oscar,
who was rescued from the wreck Of a
boat named the Fan. belonging 10 Mrs.
Blake. clearinghouse keeper. and
used 10 carry passengers from Biloxi
to Ship Island, La. The captain OF the
Pcnnoyer sighted a man clinging des.
perately TO the top OF the mast Of n
sunken vessel and shrieking for assist.
ance. IL was Oscar. He had been
Clinging to the masthead for a day aud
was exhausted.
When the Fan sank the masthead
was several feet out OF the water.
Being an expert swimmer Oscar was
preparing to swim TO the shore when
he saw that a school Of sharks had
gathered around and were apparently
waiting for him. He declares that
there were at least n hundred Of them.
and that they jumped out Of the water
trying 10 reach him.
The captain OF the Pennoyer says
there were several sharks around the
wreck when he reached Il.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
OLD WHARvES.
BY AnTHul WENTWORTH EATON.

Proud old wharves, so silent new,
laughter in your grim decay
Than IN days when many a prou
Sought you from the lower bay,
symbols of dead dreams are ye,
Symbols OF the empty piers
Where our minds 80 buoysntly
Anchored IN the childish years.
Yet the barren tides that creep
Up the harbor night and morn,
Plunge and fash and laugh and leap
Round your bases, old and worn.
Nothing OF real sadness bear,
For our ships have found SINCE then
Wider wharves, in harbors where
They may come and come again;
Till Times petty traffic past,
All the bawl and brawl and strife,
We are satisfied at last
With the wealth of endless life
Youths Companion.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
THE BOSS TRICKSTER.


nished with better companion, but
he'll get tired OF him, or the dog will
run away. | wish his owner would
find him"
If they had read the lost and found
notices In the papers they would have
seen a startling advertisement anent
this same dog with n reward OF three
figures offered for his safe return. But
they did not, and Mark and Clndy
could not read, and they might have
kept It to themselves in any event,
as they did the dog.
Time passed and the father and
mother did not get over their objection
10 Marks playmate, which indeed they
seldom saw, being much out In so.
ciety, at which time the child was
supposed 10 be sleeping In his little
bed. So in truth he was, and often
"old fellow" the only name he had,
was curled up on the foot Of the bed
after a romp through every. room up
stairs with Cindy In attendance. And
he was there one night when the
atrc, but with cunning discrimination
he had jumped down and hidden. and
they did not see him when they looked
in on the sleeping boy.
In the early morning hours Mr.. and
Mrs Roberts were awakened from a
simultaneously with the sound the
white bulldog hurled itself through
the transom OF their door, carrying
the frame with II, as il landed in the
middle Of the room. They had only
time for one horrible thought, that the
animal had gone mad-whcn they saw
tlame and smoke rushing in and knew
they were saved from death The fiat
was on lirc-thcrc was time for the
family To bc saved, all the rest was
lost. And II was found later from
light scratches on Marks face that the
dog had tried to awaken him, but
failed, and then performed n feat that
was almost superhuman and denoted
an intelligence of the keenest fibre.
When they were settled I'm new
home "old fellow" was the hero of the
hour. A silver collar graccd his ath-
letic neck and his story was told In
print. Mrs. Roberts gave him the
privilege of the drawing-room, but
Mark and Cindy were reserved for his
special friends. ana sometimes he
seemed a little tired of them. He
dropped and they sent for a veterinary
surgeon, who could find nothing def
mite the matter hut concluded he had
inhaled smoke the night of his life
saving feat. But the hurt was deeper
than that, as they soon learned.
They were walking in the park and
sat down to rest. Mark and "old fcl-
low" making a striking picture and at.
tracing attention as usual. Then oc-
Cured n tableau more striking. The
dog saw man at little distance, ran
toward him, leaped on his shoulders
and almost bore him To the ground by
the violence of his caresses. He had
found his own.
why, he's the boss trickster of the
Albion Clubs kennels" said the man
Hi. Oldfellow, jump for the gentle
man.
And obedient to orders the dog per
formed the trick which had made him
lfe-saver and proved the mans
ownership. And now he had less use
for the Roberts family than they had
for him. He turned tail on the whole
bunch and went off with his trainer
with acute satisfaction, leaving Mark
gazing after him wistfully and say
ing:
And just to think | called him old
fellow and II was his very own
name."-Chicago Record.Hcrald.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
The Philosophy OF benjamin Bibbs.

There's n lot of truth i'm the theory
that it's an i'll wind which blows no
body good. I've noticed that you can
extract comfort from almost anything
if you look at II right. There was my
friend Bobsley. when he lost his wife
he felt bad, of course, but he was SEN
sible and tried 10 look on the bright
side. she may be happier where she
is now he said. for IL we have the
correct idea as To the habits of the an
gels she needn't worry over there be-
cause there isn't closet room enough
for her clothes. That always troubled
her herer So say we should always
look on the cheerful side of the picture
IL there Is one. and there generally is.
There's Hibbleson, for instance He's
been laid up nearly all summer from
the effects of an operation for appendi-
ctis. He's forty pounds lighter than
he was six months ago. Most men
would grumble over such luck rs he's
had. But | saw him the other day.
and he was looking as cheerful as n
girl who's engaged to three fellows at
the same time. It's n mighty lucky
thing this trouble happened to me- he
said. L was getting SO stout that l
couldn't get into my evening clothes
any more. Now they fit me very COM
fortably. and I'll be able to get along
for another season without buying new
ones Thatll be n clear saving Of
S75.' That's the way TO look at things.
The money he saves on clothes will
help to pay the doctors, who probably
need IL for the support of their fam
lilies. aud think OF the rest he's had"
| Chicago Record.Herald
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03

A schooner has just returned to San
Francisco after a six months voyage
to the coast of South America bring
ing news of the discovery of a gold
mine that will rival the famous Tread
well mine of Alaska. 1t is on an island
off the coast, but the dlscoverers will
not tell its exact situation, because
they have not yet secured a conces-
sion 10 work IL. The ore in the mine,
of which the schooner brought nearly
a ton in specimens. is Of fair grade,
and it is said that there is an immense
quantity of it. The mine is so easily
reached from the coast that it viii be
simply a proposition of quarrying it
out
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03
Pluck and O @
O O Rdventure.
Some Marrow Escapes

lTHEKE are few well-known
people in the world whose
lives have not contained at
least one incident that they
will remember 10 the last day Of their
lives.
The experience may have lasted n
! day, an hour or but moment yet IL
impressed Itself indelibly upon their
minds.
Rider Haggard, says the Phlladel.
phia Press, is now leading as peaceful
and unrOmantic a life as the mildest-
minded man could wish 10. Yet he can
tell two stories OF thrilling adventures
that are as curdllng as some Of the
tales he publishes.
The one incident Of his life with
which he connects his narrOwest es-
cape from death happened in South
Africa, over quarter Of century
ago
Haggard was master OF the Trans
vaal High Court, and in this capacity
he was sent on mission 20 a distant
mountainous district which was thick
ly infested with mutlnous and blood
thirsty natives.
Before ne started on his journey he
was Informed that he would be way
laid and killed
There were two roads by which he
might travel 10 his destination, and
by good luck he chanced 10 choose the
way Of safety.
On the other road band Of natives
was lying in wait for him, resolved 10
torture and kill his entire party
The suspense Of that night journey,
when at any turning he might meet
death face to face, can scarcely be pic.
turcd, but Mr.. Haggard recalls every
moment Of IT with a reminiscent shud-
der.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03

The only place il the world where
that form of carbon known as the
black diamond. or bort, is found in
marketable quantities is in Bahia, in
South America. The substance is used
for points for stone drills and saws,
and is powdered and used TO polish
diamonds and other precious stones.
There is a wide and growing demand
for IL. The black diamond is found
with the ordinary diamonds in the
Bahia fields. and brings about ten
dollars carat. The largest carbon
ever found weighed $3.50; il was
bought from the miner for $4,000;
was afterwards purchased for $4,000;
and was sent 10 Paris, where il was
broken up and sold 10 the trade. The
average size is about six carats. The
annual output is decreasing as the de-
mand grows larger, and the price is
mounting. 1t is probably only ques-
ton of time when a black diamond
combination will be formed to work
the small area with modern machinery.
The present methods are very primi-
tive
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-10-03

The appearance Of new star in the
constellation Perseus. and its rapid ex-
pansion into a nebula which has been
going on for some time past, have
revived among astronomers the theory
that some nebulae may be formed by
explosion. About 1870. Professor
Bickerton, of Canterbury College, New
Zealand. showed that, if two stars
should Craze one another. the abradcd
parts. if relatively small, would have
so high temperature that they would
at once become nebulous, and that the
nebula so formed would, under certain
conditions, continue TO expand until
dissipatcd in space. The present eX-
panding nebula has been growing at
the extraordinary rate of several thou
sand miles a second, and is in many
ways. one of the greatest celestial
wonders of the time.