davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
SOLD HIS SOUL
&: e: :; e; e" i. TO THE DEVIL.

oeggary and saw no hope Of marrying
the girl who had waited long for him.
Both were in despair. Then Semyonof-
ka found means to renew his offer He
increased the sum to $40 roubles The
sorely tempted man listened to his
words and gave in. His power of re-
slsIance failed, and one pitiful day he
sealed the bargain that purported to
give his immortal soul to the keeping
of Vassili Semyonofka.
On the day Of the trial the court
room was crowded to its utmost capac-
lty by friends Of the parties, the ma
Jorlty of whom seemed to regard the
suit as an attempt to abridge the lib
critics of the holy orthodox church
After the states attorney had opened
his case by reading the above docu-
ment and quoting law to sustain the
charge of biasphemy, Vassili Semyon-
Okla was called upon the witness stand
His testimony was as follows (the
translation is literaD:
Being a very religious man and be-
heVlng in the dogma of the holy ortho-
dox church, to-wit: The last Judgment
and eternal life after death-the eter-
nal life affording reward or punish
ment, respectively, for our good deeds
and sins-therefore, l entered upon this
contract seriously and with full under
standing of its consequences.
IAN experience 1 had still more
tended to confirm my belief that a con-
tract ike the one now before your
honor is recognized in the beyond and
must be carried out to its fullest ex-
tent here on earth, as we'll as in the
other world upon which we will hope
to enter. The experience alluded to
was as follows:
In February, 1901, sworn atheist.
Alexander Nitebsk, made a proposition
to me. He did so in a spirit of jest
only. l bought his claims to eternal
life, to-wit: his soul for 200 roubles,
silver-being that of an atheist it was
not worth as much as Peters. Alexan-
der died the following October.
Beginning with the day of his death.
curious dreams began to disturb me. l
thought at first that the presence of
my contract with Alexander resting in
the strong box under the bed had
something to do with it and removed
the same. but the dreams continued
and assumed most terrifying aspects.
One night the late Alexander appeared
before me bodily, thought, and begged
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
EVOLUTION OF ICE CREAM.
People Who Lived 800 Years Ago
Had No knowledge of Tt.
Chicago Chronicle.)


That most delecta BILE and toothsome
of CONNECTIONS known as ice cream
dates its origin to a period less than
three centuries distant. It was not,
when first placed before the consumer,
has been brought to it's present state
Of perfection by gradual process of
evolution from the original idea. In
the beginning of the seventeenth cen
fury iced fruits and cups made of ice
first appeared at banquets. Like many
other good things for the table, ice
cream claims Paris for it's birthplace,
and yet il was not a Frenchman, but
an Italian named Precope Couteaux
who first thought out the idea of icing
lemonades and liquors. From this was
gradually evolved, over 100 years later.
iced cream. or iced butter, as it was
then called, from its resemblance to
that article of food
While all civilized nations serve ices
In great variety, we are apt to think
OF ice cream as an essentially Ameri-
can dish, probably because frozen des-
serts OF all kinds are more generally
used in this country than in any other.
Ice cream first made its appearance in
America in Philadelphia at the end Of
the eighteenth century 1t was then
considered a great luxury, ana conse-
quently was rarely seen except on
state occasions. 1t was not within the
reach of ordinary mortaIs until 1900
when an Italian cOnfectiOner estab-
hshed an ice cream house. as it was
then called, at Germantown. a suh1,Y.h
of Philadelphia.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
FORGED RAILROAD TICKETS.
They Have to Passengers and Then Passed on
Conductors.

cts never fell into the hands Of the
road and their existence was not
known The discovery came about in
this way. A local man going to St
Louis had bought one of these tickets
with the understanding that il was TO
be returned. He made the trip, but
as he alighted from the train a tele-
gram was handed him calling him back
20 Kansas City Immediately. The ticket
had not yet been mailed back, so he
decided that instead Of buying a return
ticket he would use the one he had.
never dreaming, of course that il was
counterfeit He did So the ticket
was collected and the fraud discovered.
During the past year there have been
large number of fraudulent tickets
put on the market in Kansas City. but
through the vigilance and watchfuI-
ness of George Foote, the secretary Of
the local transportation bureau. there
has not been much traffic in the fake
tickets Several months ago some D.
& r. G. skeleton tickets were put on
the market here and also in St. Louis
and Memphis. There seemed to be a
gang working in the different centers
distributing these tickets, but the hunt
became so hot that the distribution
stopped suddenly. Some OF the tickets
were accepted and some were refused.
At the same time fraudulent Clover
Leaf tickets appeared. These were
less likely to pass, as the general pas
senger agents name was misspelIed.
Special agents are kept constantly run
ming these men TO earth, and a few
days ago in Chicago several brokers
were convicted
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

arrested and I'll simply burn you UP
on that case. Now, let B alone if you
want to keep out of jail"
'Wu -W-W-w-hy er - UNI - er
didn't blubbers Willie, looking as
though he would fall through the floor,
but the private detective knows his
business, and casting a whitening
glance at the befuddled youth draws
his coat about him with a dignified
sweep and sails out of the store with
all the majesty of a lord, leaving poor
Willie to explain TO those in the store.
That generally ends the matter Willie
Is not only glad to leave B alone. but
would be willing to pay B something
TO cease looking at him so gleefuIly
when he passes him on the street
That is about the way in which a
private detective case is conducted. The
detective has business and clients to
attend to, and can't spare the time
for shadowing, which is, after all, a
very simple matter, and one for which
he can employ cheap and at the same
time faithful, prudent and persevering
men. A great deal of this shadowing
Is done as matter of simple watch
ing for some jealous wife or husband
whose suspicious have been aroused by
an anonymous letter, but it happens
quite as often that it is employed in
really important cases.
In fact, blackmailers hate and fear
the private detective, and on that ac-
count are careful in their operations
and in what they do. In cases like the
one have just described they do a
good work in putting check on the
Matchmaking career of young fellows
who have found out they can bleed
somebody. Doubtless the thing on
Willie did not amount to so much after
all, and at all events, 3 would proba-
bly, never have pushed the case against
him, but 1t was sufficient to brighten
the youngster out of years growth"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
WHAT THE
Plus FUND IS
Mexico Held in Trust Money for Cath
Ole Missions.
Baltimore SUM-

Baltimore SUM-
The ''Pious Fund originated in 1897
in gifts from charitable persons to es-
tablish and support Roman Catholic
missions in the CALIFORNIA;. The gifts
were made in trust TO the Society of
Jesus In 1867 theASpanish crown or
dered the expulsion of the Jesuits from
Mexico and California, took over the
property of the order and administered
the fund through a commission. When
Mexico achieved independence she sue
ceeded to the trust and continued to
apply the proceeds of the fund to the
maintenance of the missions.
When upper California was ceded to
the United States Mexico ceased to pay
the Catholic church there its portion
OF the interest on ethe t'Pious Fund .
The arrears were made the subject of
claim by the prelates of California
before q mixed commission in 1868. Sir
Edward Thornton, the umpire, the
Mexican and the United States dele
gates disagreeing, held that the interest
of the fund should be apportioned
equally between the church in upper
and Lower California, and that Mexico
should pay to the upper California
church an annual interest of $43, OSO. 80,
which for the twenty-one years it had
not been paid up to that time-from
Feb 1, 1S48, to 1S69-when ratification
of the claims convention were ex-
changed, amounted to 1904, 70079. This
amount was paid in full.
After that decision Mexico made no
further payments, and for twenty-eight
years nothing was done until 1897,
when, on complaints made by the Ro-
man Catholic bishop of California, Min
lister Powell Clayton, the United States
representative in Mexico, was instruct
ed to press vigorously for payment of
over $1,000.000 of withheld interest.
Mexico repudiated the Indebtedness,
holding that the umpire in 1869 had ex-
ceeded his jurisdiction, which did not
extend beyond the time of the treaty.
AS result of the Pan-American con-
ference last winter, and its recommen-
datiOns on the subjects of disputes be-
tween American republics, an agree
ment was reached to refer the case to
the international arbitration tribunal.
the Supreme Court of the World, %
which met at The Hague.
The international tribunal consists of
eighty judges, appointed by the twenty
four nations, two, three, four or five,
as the nation chooses From these
eighty the United States selected two
judges to determine the ''Pious" case
and Mexico named two.
The United States named Sir Edward
Fry, formerly chief justice of the Eng
lish court of appeals, and DR.. T. Mar
Chelli. a distinguished Italian judge,
and DR.. Lehman Dutch magistrate
of high rank. These four selected Dr.
Matzen as the fifth arbitrator and he
was president of the court
This is the first case decided by the
International tribunal that grew out of
the peace conference at The Hague.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

me on his knees TO rescind the contract
that made him a WanGerer upon the
earth, second Judas. Next his old
mother, likewise deceased, came. re-
pea ting the request, and finally my
own father, dead these twenty years,
pleaded with me for the release of
the unhappy soul. These nightly Wis
its tons continued for several weeks.
and so narrowing were they, and they
impressed me as so genuine. that at
last I was almost forced to yield TO
the entreaties-
Oct. q last I invited ten worthy old
men-the list of names is at your hon.
ors disposal-tO accompany me to Al
exandeT'S grave. and in their presence
solemnly declared that / rescinded
the contract, and that thereafter it was
null and void and had no existence in
fact Thereupon I tore up the con-
tract before the ten witnesses and de-
n1anded them to scatter the fragments
10 the winds, all of which was done,
while a notary set down the annulment
of the contract in writing, which docu-
ment was signed by myself and wit
messed by the ten worthy old men,
while the lawful stamps were attached.
4 enjoyed dreamless sleep that night,
and never again was disturbed by Al
exandeF. which proves TO my mind
that the eternal powers were satisfied
and that the atheist got his just de-
serts.
In conclusion, humbly petition the
court TO take an objective view of the
case. As a lawyer and pious son Of
our holy orthodox church, 1 do not
consider the contract biasphemous; it
cannot be blasphemous as in making
it, the thought of offending against the
statutes of our holy church never en-
tered my mind. On the contrary.
thought 1 was doing a brother in dis
tress a kindness. 1 repeat my plea of
not guilty"
Peter Svet maintained that he had
sold his soul, that is, the hope of
eternal blessedness as the reward for
an exemplary life, because sorely
pressed for money being unable to
meet his financial obligations in any
other way. But" he added, Il can
not absolve my colleague, who, while
not guilty of blasphemy, is certainly
blamable for turning my penury into a
quarry"
The states attorney then addressed
the court and tried to show that the
accused were evading the real issue.
He talked for eight hours, but the
court did not agree with him. The
case was dismissed and the state or
dered to pay the cost, while Peter and
Nassili We're set free amid the tumul-
tuous applause of the vast audience.
Before leaving the court room the
accused declared that each would
spend ten roubles for the benefit of
the missionary. societies endeavoring to
convert the heathens in the Russian
empire.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
Fable of the wise Youth.
Baltimore American.)

Once there were Two Youths, one Wise
and one Foolish. who were desperately
EnamOred OF 3 Certain DamOsel.
Now. each Youth had but Twelve Dol
lars and Each was DESTROYS of sending a
Gift that should Testify to his Admira-
ton.
And the Foolish Youth, having in Mind
the alleged Feminine love for the Beau
tiful. pure hased Twelve ChrySantheuurn }
al One Dollar each
But the Wise Youth sent a Ton of Coal,
which Cost the Same.
Now. the Wise Youth explained his
Gift on the Grounds that he did not think
she looked well with a Blue Nose.
But the Foolish Youth came back with
the remark that Blue was his Fsvorite
Color.
And SO the Wise Youths coal warmed
the House the day Of the Wedding Of the
Foolish Youth and the Fair Damosel
This teaches US to Reserve our Innova-
tions until After.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
The JOY of Travel.

(Gelett Burgess in Sunset Magazine San
Francisco. Cal. for December1
To some the voice calls once. to some
o1ten. Some hear, but cannot answer
some hear and disobey. But. once in
dulged, the wanderlust is more sure to
come again. To see loved faces and
loved scenes after the lapse of years is
as powerful an emotional stimulus as
one can get without undue excitement
Not love itself, nor suffering either so
separates oneself from the rest of the
universe as the motion of travel. Cut
or from ones previous world and stiI
unattached to the coming situation. one
Is Tor brief instant, apart from every
thing, without ties. while yet with
memories and hopes. The shock is too
sudden for pain. it is over in a flash.
but in that glimpse is ecstasy vague
something betwixt sorrow and joy. It
is the first sight that reveals. NOT only
the wei remembered face or site. but
the Ill remembers self who saw # long
ago II Is like glance in mirror. or
rather at the portrait of oneself paint
ed years before.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
Denver Times.l


IN amazing law case which occupied
the attention of a court in Russia the
other day shows how mediaeval super
stitions still flourish in the twentieth
century.
The accusation against the prisoner
was "biasphemy" He was formally
charged with buying for money con-
sideration the eternal soul of one of his
fellow creatures.
For hours the grave judges pondered
a mass of testimony that took the lis
teners back into the gloom and shadow
Of the middle ages.
Here is a section OF the court rec
ord:
Circuit Court of Umansk. A. D
lso2.--In the Name of the Emperor:
The states attorney for the county of
Omansk prays that Peter Svet aD9
Vassili Semyonofka be punished for
oiasphemy in. accordance with para
graphs $40 and 81 of the criminal code.
Prosecution is based on the follow
ing document, signed by defendants
and properly executed and stamped:
THE DOCUMENT.
tA3A-NA-HNs Jan l. iSVz.--ln the Name
OF the Emperor: The following con-
tract has this day been entered into
between Peter Svet, attorney-at-Iaw,
party OF the first part, and Vassili
SemyonoflSa, attOrney-at-IaW. party of
the second part. to-wit:
The said Peter Svet, humbly beIiev-
ing that, first, man is master of his
body and soul, and. secondly, may dis
pose of said soul before or after death
Tor a period of years or for all eternity.
now. therefore, sells his soul, in ac-
cordance with paragraph II, article 2,
OF the civil code, to Vassih Semyonof-
ka, attorney-at-laW, for $40 roubles,
silver, in hand paid, and hereby trans
Iers upon said VassiH Semyonofka, at
torney-at-law, all and every of his
claims to eternal happiness, to-wit, all
The rights and duties Of his soul from
the moment Of death forever and ever.
Receipt of price, $40 roubles, silver,
Is hereby acknowledged, the said Vas
sill Semyonofka agreeing to pay for
the stamps necessary to make the
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

ate sixty-nine hard boiled eggs at n
meal A man named Nightingale re-
Gently carried a sack of sand, weigh
ing one hundredweight, four miles
from nford TO Bow-in hfty-nine min
uteS.
A night Waterman over 90 was re-
Gently run over by an engine at Queen's
road, Battersea- He had thirteen ribs
broken, and his right foot crushed. but
he walked some distance along the
lire, descended sixteen steps OF a lad
der. and walked another twenty-five
yards TO his hut He was still alive
when found four hours later.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
Momentary Pride.
New York Times.)


When Frederic Remington, the art
list. appeared one day in the Grand
Central station a Bostonian caught
sight of him, and said to a friend from
Chicago. who was him: why, there is
Frederic Remingtonls
''Mhere?'' asked the pork packer.
THAT man coming this way. Shall
introduce your
BET your life. No man I'd like bet
ter to see"
4 had no idea you cared so much
for his work"
Care for it, Nothing like it: knocks
the spots off of everything else in the
iine.''
The man of culture presented the
Chicagoan. Proud to meet you Rem
ington is a great name with me-"
Indeed" said Mr. Remington.
That's right. My wife will be glad
I've run across you. She used to be
my stenographer; liked your machine
mighty well. I never would use any
other, and if you want a recommend
from
Mr.. Remington turned away.
When the Bostonian recovered. he
explained things. Artist? Oh. Lord !.
One of them chrome men. I thought
he invented the typewriter. Now.
wouldn't that kill yOu?''
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
Heard Through the Earth.
Chicago News.)

AOulCSSO News
A curious instance of transmission
of sound through the earth was noticed
by two French engineers at Kef. On
July - they happened to be in an ex-
cavation in a volcano in the Dyr noun
tains, which has been extinct from
time immemOriaI. The altitude of the
excavation was about 3. 400 feet above
the sea level. Suddenly they heard
the sounds Of heavy cannonading, the
reports following at regular intervals
Returning to Kef day or two later
they read in the papers that in the
course of some naval nlaneuvers the
French fleet on the day and at the
hour at which they had heard the re-
ports had been engaged in lombard
ing RsZerta. The sound, therefore,
must have been transmitted through
the earth from Bizerta to Dyr. a dis
lance of somewhat over 100 miles.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

the law. y =
Csigned.)
PETER svET.
'Attorney-at-Law.
''VASSILI SEMYONOFKA.
Attorney -at-Law
sworn before me on this second day
OF January. A. .. 1902.
'ISMAILOVO, Notary.
Before the court
Semyonofka's motive, strangely
enough, was not Intentionally sac
rlleglous- He was an ardent believer
IN the dogma of the Greek orthodox
CHURCH and had been long noted for
MS piety- Indeed, it was an excess of
zeal rather than hardness of the
heart, which carried him away. The
bargain was made 50 that Svet might
be converted to certain advanced views
OF Semyonofka's. For years he had
unnecessarily labored and striven to
bring the other man to his own way of
thinking on points which seemed to him
all important. At last it occurred TO
him that by purchasing the others
soul, even as Mephistopheles purchased
tausts, he would gain an absolute
control over the mans beliefs and could
sway him as he pleased.
SemyOn0fka was rich. Syet was a
comparatively poor man.
When the astounding offer was first
MADE, Svet recoiled from it in horror.
de could be no party, he declared. to
so blasphemous a bargain. But his
friend was made eloquent by the fervor
or his strong belief. He would take no
denial, and persisted day and night in
specious arguments that began at last
TO tell. Then new factor was intro
duced into the strange affair.
Svet was affianced to a pretty peas
ant girl, Catherine Kischineff. to whom
ne made known Semyonofka's proposal
Catherine Wept at the thought and
urged him to see no more of the tempt
er. She declared that only ruin, both
here and hereafter, could result from
SO unnatural a compact as the sale Of
her lovers soul. No matter what the
motive, she urged him to close his ears
to the plan.
For time the girls words moved
Svet to avoid his former friend and to
Shun all mention of the terrifying sub
Ject. Then came a period of famine
in the province and of almost universal
poverty. Svet was reduced nearly TO
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
ENDURANCE Of MAN.
Tremendous Fatigue that He Can Withstand

never failed to hold the attention OF
his audience Amazing exhibitions of
long sustained brain power have been
given by chess players. PiIlsbury re-
Gently played sixteen games OF chess
simultaneously, without seeing the
boards OF any of his opponents. and
at the same time played a game of
whist and chatted 10 his friends. What
IS more, he won all these games but
one.
Men can eat more. lift more. carry
more and bear more pain than almost
any other crea ture. Leysseus. the Bel
gian glutton, who died last year. once
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
His Trick

Ajax. the, ancient demi-god. was defv-
ing the lightning
All the papers were making a fuss over
MS toolnardy feat The Cunieform Jour
nal sent an artist to make a statue or
him, besides offering simoleons a plenty
Ior an article on How il Feels IN Re
Struck by Lightning" As the crouSs
watched for the lightning some spectator
Fakei Fakei Why. it's winter timer,
OF course. Ajax had skipped with the
gate receipts.
Wherein we see that the ethics of prize
lighting are not of sudden growth bi,f
were appreciated at their full value bv
the ancient sports"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
Declined with Thanks.
(Bcston Journal.)

The reader for the publishing house
was doing little marketing, and the
grocer had handed him in change a sus-
picious looking dollar bill
handed it back
find myself unable to use this he
said, and herewith return it. You are
not TO understand. however. that it is
Gecllned on account of a lack of merit.
but because for my particular purpose it
Is unaYaila e.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

Almost equally startling was the
speech made by Count Lechter in the
Austrian parliament two years ago.
Beginning at 9 o'clock in the evening,
he spoke until 8 the next morning.
During these twelve hours he never
sat down, never repeated himself, and
The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-14
Thomas S. Mccarthy, Thelma, Ga.

Valdosta, Ca, Sept 1S.-Mr. and
Mrs. ]. W. Mccarthy of Thelma.
passed through this city at an early
hour this morning with the remains Of
their son. Thomas S. Mccarthy, IS
years of age, who died yesterday after
noon, after an illness of ten days. The
remains were transferred here from
the cheap coffin in which they were
brought to a handsome casket. The
young man attended school here dur
ing the past two terms, and would
have entered this term had he not been
i'll. He was an excellent young man.
and his bereaved parents have the
sympathy of many friends here. The
remains were carried to Rockmart.
from which place his parents moved
two years ago. The father Of the
young man is prominent naval stores
operator at Thelma.
Another sad death here last night
vas that OF Mr.. r. g. Scott, son OF
Ar. and Mrs. w. A. Scott. The young
man was about twenty-five years Of
age. and had been III for quite awhile.
being a victim Of consumption. His
remains were Inferred IN the city GEM
etery this afternoon at O'Clock.