davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

My skin. Hal ha! har'
 They both enjoyed the big animals little joke and then Google-I said
 Talking about skins reminds me of the Hippopotamus. Did ever tell you the story of How the Hippopotamus Got His 14-Ply Epidermis? l didn't? Then you shall hear 1t now. In eighteen hundred and seventy something the Goo-Goo Circus had among it's geological attractions a huge hippopota- mus. The hippopotamus at that time had a very thin skin and his precipitation was then, as 1t Is now, very bright red The manager of the show, however, knew very little about natural history and thought the peculiarly colored liquid was detri- mental to the quadruped's health. So he called all his freaks together one morning and offered a Twin Bird to the first man who would stop the Scarlet Booze from oozing out of Mister Hippopotamus GA Twin Bird, Little Ones, is the slang used by all showmen to mean a Double Eagle or Twenty-Dollar Gold Piece.)
 All the freaks connected with the show had made up their minds to win the money, and that day their brains were diligently trying to concoct successful schemes by which the colored liquid could be stopped, but each wanted to do 1t before the other.
 The Living Skeleton soliloquized: Now, it is certain that Hippo will be taken out to- night and chained to tree, for his cage as usual after every evening performance, will be transformed into the sleeping apartment for Mile. Campeche, the woman with the sponge face. I know what I'll do; I'll wait
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

until everybody is soundly sleeping, and then I'll steal out noiselessly, run over to Mister Hippopotamus and do what know will surely stop the red fuid.''
 And that is just exactly what the Dog Faced Boy also intended to do.
 And the Elastic Man decided to do the same thing.
 And the strangest part Of all was that each thought he had bulge on the other. It was 12 o'clock at night. The Living Skeleton arose very easily. took lantern, slid out of his tent and hur- ried over to the dozng Hppopotamus. He worked for awhile, and then he hurried bast. saying to himself: 'Thc yellow bird Is mine. l worked while others slept" And what do you think he did? He puttied up every pore In the poor beasts skin.
 It was o'clock In the morning.
 The Elastic Skin Man slid out of hls tent noiselessly, and, going over to one of the stables he took therefrom a box and trowei which he had secreted there. Then be hur- rled over to Mister Hippo. He worked for awhile and then hurried back, saying to himself; "I'll get that money. While others sleep I work And what do you think he did? He put coat of plaster over the entire skin of the dreaming quadruped.
 It was o'clock In the morning.
 The Dog Faced Boy left his tent quietly, and getting outside, he went to hollow tree and took therefrom pail and brush and hurried over to the Hippopotamus. He worked there a short time and then he hur- ried back, saying to himsef "I've won the fowl That's what comes of not putting off until tomorrow what can be done today" And what do you think he did? He tarred the Dumb Beast from the tip of his tail to the end of his porous snout.
 The morning had hardly dawned when the Living Skeleton hurried over and whispered something confidentialy to the manager.
 So did the Elastic Skin Man.
 So did the Dog Faced Boy.
 The manager, surprised at this, hurried over to the beast, and when he saw his thick skin he looked about In a startled manner
 So did the Elastic Skin Man.
 "Who did this?" inquired the manager. "I,'' said the Dog Faced Boy, and immedi- ately the manager gave him the c. B. No. not the Gold Bird, but, If may be per mitted to use the phrase, the Grand Bounce. Nevertheless, that's just How the Hippo potamus got his 14-Ply Epidermis.
 At the conclusion of his narration old Googe-I begged the Elephant to leave, as the monster was thawing out and water was running from him like a miniature cataract, and the jolly jingo who jangles jungle jingles did not care to have his cave turned into an ice-skating rink.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

further and he sat and moped until he looked the very picture of woe and wretch edness. He seemed too sick and miserable to even hold up his head, and he soon had an untidy, bedraggled appearance, just like an old hen who has been caught in shower. No one would have dreamed that he was the very kingfisher who, only q short time be- fore, had been so bright and brisk and fill ing the air with his peas of laughter.
 And all this was just because few dark, heavy clouds had appeared in the sky and the sun had stopped shining. Giglnms hated dull weather, and he knew perfectly we'll by the feel of it that rain was coming, and more miserable looking object than laugh ing jackass in wet weather 1t would be all most impossible to find.
 He sat there with his body bumped up, his feathers dropping. until few raindrops fell, and then, looking utterly crushed with tho misery of 1t all, Giglums decided to go home. He would be just as miserable in the dry root of the tree, but he would not get quite so wet, and so, with scarcely energy enough left to iy he gathered himself to- gether and set of.
 It was only a shower, after all, and was already beginning to clear as he drew near the home tree, but, great as Giglums haste
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17
How To Make An Egg Shell Arch,
BY MEREDITH NuGENT.

If you boys and girls want to have lots of fun just save all the eggshells you can and make an eggshell triumphal arch This Is not a little bit of a toy arch, as perhaps some of you might imagine, but fine large struc- ture, limited only in size to the size of the pasteboard box you are able to procure. It Is the easiest sort of an arch to make, too, and so beautiful, especially by candle light, that you will all be surprised at the result of your eggshell architecture.
 When you get ready to start to work cut down your pasteboard box with penknife until it is only about three inches deep all around. Then fasten this firmly in an up right position to the end of the table, or bet ter still, to the cover of the box itself With a pencil draw three arches, one large and two small ones, on the pasteboard, and cut these out with penknife. Then take some strips of pasteboard three inches wide and fasten these all around the insides of your three arches to serve for its sides. After you have done this get a piece of candle, some sealing wax and all the eggshells you have, and set them near by the pasteboard frame, so as to be convenient to you while at work. As soon as everything is ready hold the sealing wax In the candle flame, and when this Is about to drip drop some of 1t onto the edge of a half shell and quickly attach this in position to the bottom of the arch. Continue in this way until the face
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

attach another piece of burned match to the top of the shell for the eagles neck. The birds head Is a fragment of shell fastened to thls match neck. Keep a number of frag. ments of eggshell on hand and pick out the piece which most suggests an eagle s head to you. On no account attempt to shape the agment into a birds head, for you will not succeed in doing so, while by carefully looking among the pieces you will surely find many that will suggest one far better than you can possibly make. With a pen place a dot on the shell for an eye.
 Tho outstretched wings are large, ragged fragments of eggshel fastened to the egg shell body.
 When the bird is completed place two drops of sealing wax on half shells In center of arch and quickly set your eagles legs into this, holding it there until 1t is firmly fixed in position.
 On top of the arch at each end attach two more half shells, to which you can fasten American flags.
 You may make your arch much more elabo- rate than the one here described If you care to. It Is very easy to add more decoration and to add still other designs to 1t. The egg. shells offer splendid architectural opportu. mites, and the results will be as surprising as they are easy of accomplishment.
 By turning out all the lights excepting
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

of the pasteboard framework is completely covered. By sorting your eggshells in the first place into heaps of light and dark shells you will be enabled without any delay to make rows of different colors, which will greatly heighten the effect.
 Now that you have the front of your arch all finished. attach shells to the sides of it in the same way as in the front; also at in- tervals use some large shells, so that these will project beyond the others, and thus add very much to the architecture of the whole.
 When this part of your work Is concluded begin to make the eggshell eagle, as fol- lows: First fasten on the top and in the center of the arch two half eggshells for the eagle to stand upon. Then take two more half shells and fasten together, so that these will look like whole eggshell. Now to the lower end of this fasten two pieces of burned matches to serve as the eagles legs. Then
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

But, after shaking himself bit, Giglums decided he would not try fishing any more that day, so set to work to find other food. He began to look about and, being very hun gry by this time, picked up an insect or two as a beginning. After this he found a fish bone, and this he took up in his beak and look iuto the hollow of the tree, where he placed 1t carefully with the pearl-white eggs.
 There was no sign of a nest, but there were other fishbones there, thrown round and about the eggs, and the rotten wood of the tree made a soft resting place for them. Giglums' wife was out, evidently looking for food as Gig.ums had been doing, and after q look around he went out again to try to find her.
 As he had kept quiet for some time the oreatures which could not understand the tarrible noise he made had come out again, and in n very short time he had had meal as varied as any kingfisher could wish. He sound A nice fat crab to begin with, then n,ouse. A few insects, and lastly delicious iizord. which he eobbled up in the most greedy manner, for this was one of his fayorite foods.
 He would rest little in between, and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17
The Laughing JackasS: A Nature Story.
BY ELLEN vELvIE, F. z. S.

Peals of laughter rang out in the warm, clear air, so joyous, so cheerful and infec- tious that it was almost impossible to help joining in. After several of those peals there would be little pause, and then the laughter would begin again, softly at first, with a curious little chuekle, and then in creasing until the one who was giving ex- pression to his feelings seemed no longer able to control them, but laughed again and again.
 The Australian bushmen who heard 1t nodded their heads wisely and looked pleased, because they looked upon 1t as a sign of fine weather. The small birds lis tened with their heads on one side and their tails whlsking up and down; the small mammals, such as rats, mice, etc, scamp cred away hurriedly, while the lizards, snakes and insects drew back cautiously out of sight.
 And all this noise and commotlon was made by Giglums, the Laughing Jackass, who had got his name from his habit of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

laughing at all times and in all places with out any particular reason, except that the sun was shining. He was sitting on the branch of tree which overhung the water, and although he appeared to be thinking of nothing but laughing, he was keeping sharp lookout, for, at the bottom of the tree on which he was resting, in nice large hol- low, his wife had two beautiful pearl-white eggs, and if Giglums saw any moving crea- ture go near the tree he fiuttered his wings, stopped his laughter and flew down in fierce anger.
 Like all the kingfishers, Giglums was large eater, and after while, when he got tired of laughing he kept perfectly still and watched the water below him anxiously. But 1t was not a good day for fishing; the sky was too blue and the sun too bright, and 1t was n whole hour before Giglums saw single fish
 Then one small, unsuspectlng fish popped his head out of the water after fly, and in a moment Giglums was after him. But for some reason or other he missed him and found himself in the water without getting anything for his trouble. But kingflsher minds the water no more than duck, for, having small, elose-fitting feathers, the water runs off, leaving him as dry as before.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

seemed so brisk, bright and happy that IL was a pleasure to look at him. He was an odd-looking bird, in spite of his bright,happy air. He had a brownish body, the lower part of his back being greenlsh blue; large head, with crest of brown feathers tipped with white; broad white eyebrows, which joined the white feathers round his neck; a whitish breast and striped tail feathers Ills beak was thick and strong beautifully adapted for catching reptiles, small animals and fish.
 When he had eaten as much-and rather more than he wanted, Giglums settled him self comfortably and began to laugh again, and once more everything within hearing crept away at the noisy, rollieking sound. But after awhile he grew q little thought ful, and his wing feathers began to droop a little.
 Suddenly he lost all semblance of his for mer bright self. His feathers grew rufied, his wings dropped until they could droop no
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

fishing pier in the sand, where 1t is stoutly manned by the toddlers in overall brownies.
 An old balloon seller, who had sold only one of his toys from huge bunch, turned to make change for his customer, and a de- moniac burst of wind tore the string from his grasp and whired away with his stock of hopes with the same tragical force that carries In its madder form all that lies in the path of the cyclone and leaves families desolate
 wild shout of laughter went up from the minimizing crowd, but the old man stood with dropped chin and misty eyes and watched his string of bright -hued hopes rise higher and higher against the sky and dis appear
 But the children did not know how much there was of sorrow and despair behind the incident. They laughed and played and shouted In the sunlight, and the knowledge that will make them sad Is yet long way off
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17
A One Legged Champion,

Here is a curious challenge which was recently published in England.
 q am 20 years old, feet 2 inches in height and I weigh 14o pounds. My left leg has been amputated below the knee. but I am, nevertheless, ready to box any man in the world who has only one leg"
 A boxing match between two one-legged men would be novel sight. and there Is no doubt It would attract a large crowd.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

two pieces of candle placed in front of the arch at it's base. and also shielding the flare of these from the eyes by pieces of paste board, your triumphal arch will loom up grandly in dazzling white against back ground of inky blaekness. Make all fasten. ings in sealing wax.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

and night to find delicate, nourishing food and all sorts of dainties. Sometimes he would bring home pretty. silyery little fish, sometimes a frog a lizard or some small in- sects, and at another time he would make tunnels into the ant hills of red clay which arc so plentiful in Australia and bring some little ants by way of change
 In a very little time the young birds be- came covered with feathers, but as a first these were inelosed in little sheaths, they looked funny, brstly little objects until these feathers being fully grown, the sheaths suddenly fell off, leaving them fully plumed
 And the day that this happened Giglums was so pleased and proud of hls children, and the sun was shining so brightly and gayly, that he sat ahd laughed until he nearly choked himself. And, after that, can you wonder that he is always called 'The Laughing JackassT
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17
BUMBLEDEGUM.

poor little Bumbledegum
 Went whirling about on his thumb Till he was so tired he nearly expired, That silly, sad Bumbledegum! He suddenly spoke up and said, Right out of his three-cornered head, Why, now suppose try using my toes, Then my nose it will not be so red.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

hats and homemade bathing suits, give much amusement to the oniookers. For the seats of their flannel trousers sweep the sands as they gambol like awkward puppies, by the waters edge. Their mother, a fine, broad-bosomed woman, in calico frock and snnbonnet. wades into the water and alter nately coaxes and threatens to get them out to her; but they respond timi1y and she Is divided between wrath at their cowardce and pride in the attention they receive.
 There is always something in the way of entertainment for the happy twins, from Sunday school parade, in which demure misses, carrying tiny parasols and baskets of flowers follow a band pouring out the lusty strains of John Browns Body" to the invasion of the iron cage on the Board walk, where once dwelt the fiercest of circus lions.
 An old whaling boat, such as put to> sea from New Bedford and Nantucket in earlier days, now occupies a place near the long
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

Answer to last weeks illustrated proverb rebus; Never cross n bridge till you come to 1t.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17

Many sorts and conditions of children cover the wide, shining beach and toddle along the boardwalk of Asbury Park and Ocean Grove these mellow midsummer dnys. And the tired mother who cannot afford help and who has 10 snatch a few hours from the heat and tumult of an over busy life in the hot old town finds the place Mecca of rest For whether they play on the shore or frolic on the green sward the little ones are safe from danger. and the most restless and mischieyous of small ad- venturers cannot fall into anything worse than long stretches of clean. warm sand
 At low tide, when they are allowed to rove in their diminutive and widely assorted bathing suits, they would have to go a long way into the water before a wave could leap to cover them. Big, bronzed, life savers sit aloft on thronelike seats. ready to spring at the first sign of danger to any of these little ones.
 Two small seaside twins, with huge felt pleased his wife was about it, for she cer tainly wouldn't have bothered to lay any more that year had those been destroyed. But it taught her lesson not to leave the eggs for so long agaln.and after this she sat on them constantly, only just getting off to eat lizard or crab or some other dainty which Gig.ums would bring to the root of the tree for her.
 And then came a happy, happy day for them both. For one fine morning first one egg cracked and then the other and ont wrigged two weak, helpless naked little bodies, so thin and scraggy, and with such huge heads and mouths that no one but n father or mother could have thought them anything but hdeously ugly.
 But in the eyes of Giglums and his wife they were the most beautiful little laughing jackasses that were ever born. and nothing was too good for them. Giglums worked day
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-20
FIGURES OF THE COST
Aggregate Expense of Running
the Government of the United
States at Present.
COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL DATA
Reported by Officers Who Have 1t To
Do Under the Law-Inter-
esting Statistics.

Washington, Aug. 20.-The volume
containing statements of appropria-
tions, new offices, etc, required by
law to be prepared and published at
the end of each session of congress,
under the direction of the committees
on appropriations of the senate and
house, has been completed for the first
session of the Fifty-seventh congress
by Thomas Z. CIeaves and james c.
Courts, chief clerks, respectively, of
those committees. \ SUMMARY of the
appropriations shows the grand total
of $500. GA, 1860. The details by bills
are as follows: Agriculture, $5,20S,-
9GO; army, $91, $50, ,136.41; diplomatic,
$1.9JI, ,925.69; District of Columbia, S.
544, ,4G9.91; fOrtitications, 81, Dos, $50: In
dian, $S,9S6, OPS. 10; Legislative, $50. 1885,
6S1.50; military academy, 81, ,627, ,324. ~ |;
naval, $1S,SJ6, ,363. Is; pension, $139,-
42,230; poStoffice, S13S, I16 .J9S. 40; river
and harbc& $26,771 .442; sundry civil,
$50, 1853, 800. 13; deficiencies, $2S.050,-
OO7.32; miscellaneous, $2.TT2, 195. .13; 4;
isthmidn canal act, 500 100000; per-
manent appropriations, Sl23, ,921 ,220;
total, $500. .624 1862.
Contracts Which Were Authorized.
In addition to the specific appro-
pTiationS made contracts are author
lied to be entered into for certain pub
lie works requiring future appropria
tioBS by congress in the aggregate sum
of $262, Ill 400. These contracts in
clude $21, ,069, 900 for additional ships
for the navy and for permanent i'm
provementS of and increased facilities
at certain navy yards; Sl5.943,650 for
additions to old public buildings, and
the construction of new public build
ingS i'll various cities of the country,
$;}S,336. $50 for Improvement of. river
and harbors. $3.J0OOO for reconstruc
tion of old and erection of new build
ings ut the military academy at West
Point and $1SO.0O0.O0O for the coI-
StructiOn of an isthmiun canal
New EmpIoyments Authorized.
The new offices ana employment of
civilian character, specifically author
lied, number 6.3S6, with compensation
for the year of S6.343. .595, and those
abolished or omitted aggregate ,16J,
ut an annual pay of Sl,2S9,0S0.jO, Il
net increase of 5,221 ut Il yearly cost of
$J,054 314.50.
Military Increase Also.
In addition to the new civilian en-
ployments shown the volume also eX-
hibitS an increase o. siXty-five in the
military establishment, an at annual
cost Of $42.30S. and BOO officers Gnclud-
ing 80 additional midShipmen, to-
gether with 5000 Seamen in the naval
establishment, and 100 additional men
in the marine corps. with total yearly
pay of $1.343, 1870.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-20
BARTHOLIN SUSPECT
ARRESTED IN FRISCO

San Francisco, Cal, Aug. 20.-A
man giving the name of Thomas KeI-
ly was arrested here and lodged in
the city prison on suspicion, it is al
legged, of being William Bartholin,
wanted in Chicago in connection with
the Bartholin-Mitchell murder.
San Francisco, Cal, Aug. 2O.-Chief
of Detectives Martin today stated to
reporter for the Associated Press
that the man held in custody at police
headquarters and reported by the
morning paper to be the Bartholin
suspect. is not in any way connected
with the mysterious Chicago muir
ders, but is held on misdemeanor
charge.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-20
RESULTS IN SMALL RIOT
Attempts to Find Out whether the saloons
Were Closed Sunday.

Attempts to Find Out Whether the saloons
Were Closed Sunday.
Alexandria, Ind, Aug. 20.-A small
riot resulted Sunday from the attempt
of half dozen members of the Law
and Order League to ascertain wheth-
er or not saloons were Obeying the law
in the matter OF Sunday closing.
While at tile intersection of two nl-
leys in the principal part of the city,
and at which corner n saloon is To-
Gated, they were approached by a
party of saloon men, bartenders and
followers, and after a few words a
hSht was on.
With odds of almost twenty to one
the anti-saloon men defended them
selves, but some of them were pain
fully beaten. The police, who have
been accused of failing to enforce the
laws, took no hand in the melee The
Law and Order League has IL member
ship of 1000 in the county, with
branch leagues all over the gas belt,
and this force will be brought to bear
to have the liquor laws obeyed, not
only in alexandria, but everywhere u
league exists