davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
 Talk about the cruelty of cat play ing with a mouse exclaimed a West Philadelphia householder when that fa- miliar simile was mentioned in his hear ing Everybody knows that a cat, espe- cially half grown kitten, will occasion ally sport with captive. and show as much pleasure as does the hunter who pursues the fox. but in nine hundred and nlnety-nine cases out of thousand there Is a bounce. and the whole thing Is over. If you want to know about cruelty, fiend- ish, unspeakable cruelty, I will commend the study of the mousetrap. I venture the assertion that one of those innocent looking little box-like affairs will infict more agonies of terror and pain upon the murine race than any thousand cats that can be found In Philadelphia.
 Think? I know 1t. have had enough When we moved Into the house we now occupy we were hardly settled until we made the discovery that the place was swarming with mice.
 T bought a trap, baited 1t with cheese. and next morning ] had a problem on my hands Mousie covered in the box, completely at my mercy. I was master of his life or death. The absolute power I had gained didn't make me feel very proud, or yet very comfortable. I kept remembering certain lines of Robert Burns, and kind of lump came into my throat as l made ready for the execu- ton. At the last moment a happy thought occurred to me. I called to my wife.
 ." This is the anniversary of our we'd ding 1 said, and in honor of the occa- sion I am going to set this If ie beggar free
 That will be splendid, she said. clap ping her hands; now T shall be able to eat breakfast
 "The mouse was saved, but for me it was a respite not release. and l un- easily thought of the future captlves.
 "The next morning l found the trap sprung, but the mouse was dead He was not hurt. He had died in the sheer agony of fright and desperation at being trapped. Hunger had overcome his nat ural timidity and brought him from the safety of his hole into the territory where were all manner of frightful beings. He was trapped, his retreat from these dreadful dangers cut off and death had followed upon his extreme emotions
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
A SHARKS QUICK TRIP.
Evidence That the Monster Crossed
 the Atlantic in Three Days.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
 A prominent government official who
 recently returned from a visit to Palm
 Beach, Fla, tells about seeing a huge
 man eating shark that was captured at
 that place. It was one of the biggest
 sharks ever caught in Florida waters and
 was evidently a sailor of many years. The animal measured eighteen feet long, had
 sword attachment that was as long as
 an arm, and was of the leopard variety. stamping it as one of the man eating va- riety, dangerous beast
 The shark was caught by shark fish
 erman. He used a large rope for a line and had windlass as reel. At the end of the line was a huge steel hook. and this was baited with large bright tin can. The shark bit at the bait and was entrapped. He was landed after the toughest time the fisherman ever ex- perienced. It was the interior of the fish,
 however, that excited the greatest inter- est When he was cut open a whole por-
 boise was found in the stomach. There was also large piece of partly digested
 shark and the head of an ostrich. The piece of shark inside of the monster was out of the back and contained the back bone of the dead animal.
 A careful examination showed that the backboneS were larger than the DacK-
 bones of the captured shark A number of scars on his body showed that he had been in conflict with another shark, and
 the finding of a piece of the adversary
 showed that the conflict had ended in the
 death of the opponent; that the victor
 had then swallowed a juicy portion of
 his adversary. The presence of the os- trich head in the stomach of the man eater was regarded as undoubted proof that the shark had probably just arrived in Florida waters from South Africa,
 and that he had made the trip in two or
 three days. The head was not digested,
 and the process of digestion had only just begun. There Is only one ostrich farm in Florida, and when that institution was communicated with the owners said that they had not lost an ostrich in year.
 The ability of a shark to pass fast steamer in minutes time is well known to travellers, and there is no doubt that the shark had been in African waters and had captured a stray ostrich or the head of one that had been killed and then started across the Atlantic, reaching the
 Florida waters before the ostrich head had begun to digest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
MOUSE TRAP MORE CRUEL
 THAN THE BIG HOUSE CAT

of fear. He was only as big as my thumb. but he came between me and my corre- spondence all that day.
 The next fellow was alive, and I got up early, took the trap and sneaked down to the corner of the street. where turned him loose. Then I went back. feeling distinctly foolish.
 The trap is empty this morning. explained to my wife, letting the present tense serve to preserve my truthfulness.
 "'I don't believe I would bother to set it again. she suggested a little anxiousiy T don't believe I will I responded heartily, and nothing further was said That day I confided the situation to friend.
 Oh, you'll get used to itH he said T was the same way once, but I went chickens, drown puppies or do anything in that line.
 That settled it. I had no desire to be a complacent killer. When I went home splintered the trap and wrote an order for cat. She killed several mice the first week we had her, and then the mice learned th"t there was danger in our house. and transferred their attentions to our neighbors who use traps In the four years that followed there have not been half dozen mice in our house, while our neighbors drown one of the little creatures every morning and still suffer continual annoyance from them.
 "The mouse trap not only inficts ter TOT and unnecessary cruelty upon the llt- tie animals. but 1t teaches children to harden their hearts and kill. Take away the barbarous trap and install the harm less, necessary cat. whose very presence will in most cases prevent the disease for which the trap Is an attempted and inef- fective cure"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
CHILDREN OF AMERICAN
 MILLlONAIRES DEGENERATE

From tsp Chicago Chronicle.
 Vienna May 30.-Prof. Lombrosco con- tributes critical study of American mil- nonaires to tomorrow's special issue of the Neue Freie Presse. In it he writes:
 Though 1t might seem as if miIlionaires must form a particular race by them selves, with some wonderful gifts which all the rest of humanity lacks. on closer investigation it appears that the only peculiarity they have in common is the country in which they were either born or have emigrated to.
 Physical Degenerates.
 ''The physical qualities of the American millionaire include none of the peeuliari- ties of genius. not even degeneration. The true sons of the millionaire generally are weak in mind and body, but the cause of this Is that the millionaire is in a chronic state of physical exhaustion and his child ren are brought up under a system of iso- lation.
 Prom the physiological standpoint the gifts and the peculiarities of millionaires resemble those of the average man in his congregations. of the large minded man, hut not of the genius. All the qualities Carnegie demands for a millionaire are those owned by man of ready mind. Tn rare cases when millionaires are geniuses, like Vanderbilt and Gould. they are of the military kind, never literary or artis- tic; they are clever in getting information which they can utilize and in choosing the 1.gnt persons for the realization of their piabs.
 They Are Precoclous.
 Foreclosures Is one of the qualities the millionaire has In common with the genius With him the making of his ca reer begins in childhood, and that gives him so many chances over the average man that I attach the utmost importance to that fact.
 Carnegie himself says that the man who wants to become a millionaire must be without education and culture. and that 1t is very rare that a man who has reputation for letters or science is suc- cessful in business. This fact is easily explained. Knowledge and culture are a sort of counter balance to action. and the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
Pays $sooo a Year For Vault.

New York Telegram to the Chicago Tri-
 bune.
 John D. Rockefeller has taken new big vault in the quarters of the Standard Safe Deposit company under the Broad exchange building, 25 Broad street. It Is understood that MT. Rockefeller pays for the accommodations about 5000 a year. It really consists of half of a large private vault, which has been subdivided by the deposit company into two vaults by means of strong steel grating. Each half vault is about as big as a good-sized room MT. Rockefeller has the inner one and the other has not been rented, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., rented the Rockefel- Ter vault for his father and has access to it. There are vaults under the Standard oil company's building which important men in that company have used for years. and it Is presumed that Rockefeller win also continue to make use of his quarters there.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14

scientist whose brain Is loaded with the wisdom and the experience of ages is con- tinually prey to irresolution at the mo- ment when he should decide fer action. The highly educated man is overwhelmed with thoughts of coineidenoes. facts that fill the brain and these retard his will. making him incapable of making a swift resolution While he is wavering and try Ing to decide, the man who has no super fluous knowledge and is well up on one subject only decides and acts without hesitation.
 Poverty Factor.
 Extreme poverty Is another most im- portant stimulant to the man who is go- l ing to be a millionaire. It is absolutely necessary to have no salary if one wishes l to get the power Of using ones faculties In business. Besides. the poor child which has to get the necessaries of life for itself 1 Is much better able to dsentangle the skein of life than is one born wealthy.
 "Avarice and greed are unavoidable ae- compartments to the good qualities of the millionaire. At first exercised from ne necessity they become habits which are extirpated only very rarely.
 ''The milionaire's honesty is only rela- tive. not absolute. Of course he must re- slst temptations. but he is not honest in the way that he will avoid all that might damage others. On the contrary. while he will carefully avoid breaking the laws of the state. he will take every advantage of other peoples misfortunes and weak nesses and will not even scruple to call forth such misfortunes if he can profit by them.
 Follies of the Rich.
 This proves that the millionaire lacks neither the good nor the bad qualities of the average man. I think that the use millionaires make of their money, tho sumptuousness to which they are addict | ed, their aping the eeremouials of Euro- pean courts, the foolish ways in which they bring up their children, the vanity and love of display in their womankind. are extremely reprehensible. The cause | of all this Is their insufficient culture which closes their minds to the immense | benefits they could confer on humanity if they did but know how to set about it.
 Exceptions prove the rule, and ono might reverse the prediction for Sodom and say if there were but ten millionaires In the world like Carnegie human progress might be profoundly modified"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14

no longer entailed, his only punishment now being the contempt of the warriors of fhn friha
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
EyesIaht and Electricity.

Hitherto 1t has been supposed that elec- trc light is more injurious to the eye sight than any other artificial light but Russian oculists who have been closely studying the subject now maintain that. on the contrary, 1t Is less injurious than the light either of gas or candles or any other material. As a reason for thls statement they point out that diseases of the eyes are in proportion to the num- Der of times the eyes blink or wink when subjected to artificial light and that after numerous tests had been made 1t was found that the eyes blink seven times & minute wher. exposed to candlclight. about three times when exposed to gas. twice when exposed to the sun and only cnce when exposed to electric light.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
INDIAN TORTURE DANCES
 AND TEST OF ENDURANCE

no longer entailed, his only punishment now being the contempt of the warriors of the tribe.
 Celebrated Ghost Dance. ..
 The ceremonies here described are com mon, under different names, to most of the plain tribes. Among the Sioux it Is called Sun Dance," and celebrated with exceptional pomp and ceremony. But 1t Is not alone at the Hoch-e-a-yum that these terrible self-tortures are inflicted. Sometimes a warrior who has committed some deed which he thinks requires ex- patiatlon, will give notice that such day, at such a place, he will go through the torture A stout but pliant pole Is placed in the ground. The incisions are made, the ropes inserted, and the toggles secured The top of the pole Is then bent, and the rope fastened to 1t. This is prob ably the most exasperating form of the torture. In the Hoch-e-a-yum the rope being fastened to rigid uprights, the vic tim can exert all his force to tear loose In this case, the pole yielding to every effort, still retains it's ghastly hold, and 1t sometimes happens that the victim is several days freeing himself.
 There were various other so-called dances, such as the celebrated "Ghost Dance" which preceded the last Indian
 war; m Wnlcn mostly dl the plaluS and mountain tribes took part, at least by a greater or smaller representations then there was the buffalo dance, the dance peculiar to the various bands or societies. so to speak, such as the fred foxes," gray wolves" red dogs" and dog soldiers" Then. too. the squaws held dances of their own sometimes. for they were not allowed to join the war riors in their ceremonies.
 All these dances were held for some par ticular purpose. or to put 1t in Indian fashion, to make good medicine,' before or after some expedition, to petition the great spirit for success on the warpath. or horse stealing foray, or a much-desired piece of butchery. On the triumphal re- turn of the men from any of these expe- ditons, the scalps. prisoners and ponies were counted, then general rejoicings and dances were held at which the warriors usually recounted in boastful terms their brave deeds each fellow footing his own horn in as boastful manner as pos- sible
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
XN NCE there was Rhine k0I stone Sport who mad an O Ambition to ha cal1ad a

C stone Sport who mad an
 Ambition to be called a Good Fellow.
 He had a Cousin Jim wLo was known in Rapid Circles as Prince, so he decided to trail along after Jim and get among the Rowdy-Dows.
 Jim was full of Wise Talk about the Ponies. Ever and anon he would carelessly fish out of the Side-Pocket a large Wad of the Green Kind with a Fifty for @ Wrapper and tell about sitting in with couple of Horsemen and Wine Agent the Night before. He loved to speak of Hotels where a Swell Room with Bath came to only $9 per Day and explaln that he was getting Rate.
 Jim felt that he was wasting his Conversation any time that he mentioned any Plcayune Sum un- der a Thousand. He had nothing but Sporting Corpuscles of the Crimson Variety moving about in his Arteries. He was ready to lay a Small Bet on any Proposition, give or take, and when he put up his End he never batted an Eye lash. He had the Confidence of many of our most celebrated Bar keeps, and could give the Hurry Up to any well-known Gam.
 No wonder that pale-faced Her bert, the would-be High Roller. looked with Awe upon Cousin Jirl and inwardiy longed to butt into his Class.
 For he perceived that he never could stand Ace with the sure- enough Fellows until he had dem onstrated that he was Good Eel low.
 Jim slipped him a Tow-Line and took him out into the Night-Air to pick up a few Pointers.
 Herbert learned that the first Rule for being a Good Fellow was to move rapidly up to the Poison Counter every time an Order went in. Herbert weighed about 100 Pounds and the Doctors had told him to try Milk Diet, but he did not dare to renig, otherwise some one might have suspected that he was a cheap Varnish and low down Quitter. He was Feather Weight and an Invalid, but he wanted to be Game.
 So he stood in Line with the cop per-lined Founders who had Bull Necks and weighed about 220 on the Hoof and made an awful Bluff of going along with them. He knew that to take Vishy would be Mis- demeanor and to duck altogether would be Crime and might block him out of tho Good Fellow Divis- ion for all time to come.
 Consequently he would Stick, with his Breast-Bone against the Railing and continue to hoist until he was Pie-Eyed. Then some one would take him out and boost him into a four-oared Hack and send him Home.
 Next Morning he would wake with the Head spread out over two Pillows and his only Joy in Life would be the proud Remembrance
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
MODERN FABLES BY GEORGE AIDE. othsDs Then Melancholy


that he had demonstrated his De- sire to be a Good Fellow.
 He learned, also, that in order to be the genuine It, he must go to the Track and get on friendly Terms with Whispering Ike, the Boy who holds the Watch on the Morning Gallops and gets a Com mission from all the Poor-Houses.
 In a Short Time he had a lot of Good Stories about being nosed out and was sleeping with the Dope-Sheet under his Pillow. Al though he went s1200 to the Bad on the Meeting, he made the Per. sonal Acquaintance of at least a dozen Celebrities who wore Red Vests, carried Field-Glasses and bet nothing but Markers, therefore he had the glad knowledge that slowly but surely he was absorbins some of the Attributes which dis tinguish the Good Fellow from other Members of the Brute Crea tion.
 After all the only cinch Method for becoming a steam-heated Gag abe is to exhibit a tall Nerve in q cut-throat Session of the Game that made Congress famous. Cousin Jim knew a lot of Gentle men Players who were devoting their Attention to Poker because they were getting too Fat to climb Torches. As a Special Favor he Fixed it so Herbert could get a Place at the Table.
 It was Proud Moment for the Amateur when he sat in that Dis tinguished Company and began to pick up Hands and then put them down again. The Sheep that walked into Armour's Packing House had the same kind of a Chance that Herbert had when he put his Elbows on the Green Cloth and tried to keep from trembling
 He had been against the one. call-two Boarding House Game where they hand back everything over $2, but he was not accus- toned to dallying with Friends who took out Pencils and began to figure how much they could get on his Clothes.
 They were the kind that started in to play just about where he left off. The only Reason they didn't kill him with the Ante was because he looked so Good to them that they wanted to keep him in. It is one of the Games that begin to get Ripe about the time the Church Bells are ringing.
 The Trimmers' Union had no way of knowing that they would ever get to him again, so they de- cided to make one Job of 1t.
 After Herbert had signed up all the Checks and put Cold Towel on his Head, he began to Roar somewhat and talk about chopping on the ell-night Seances.
 "You must not Beef" said Cousin Jim. "A True Sport never lets on, even when they unbutton his Shoes"
 Do you know, sometimes sus- pect that I am not qualified to be a Hot Dog" said Herbert. "I find that I begin to pass away about 2 a. m. Perhaps it is owing to some
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
Six Girls Kiss Kocian.
the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 Kocan, the violinist, who sailed yester- day aboard the Hamburg American liner, Deutschland, had a hard time breaking away from six explosive young women, who rushed on him just before the gang plank was taken down. and kissed him. He assisted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14

Oversight in my Early Training, but I notice that after have taken a thousand Drinks, cannot put the Red Ball into the Corner Pockets. I have Timid Nature and somehow I cannot learn to whoop the Edge on Pair of Mines. 1 am afraid that l drank too much Rainwater in my Youth. And besides, I got into the Habit of going to Bed. It's a great Blow to my Pride, but l don think I'm gaited to keep up with the Bell Cows. Me back to the Cheap Push at the Boarding House"
 MORAL: Many are Called, but few deliver the Goods.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-14
Considerate Employers.

From Puck.
 Belle-why. Choily doesn't mind the trouble. It's labor of love. isn't 1t, Cholly?
 Choliy-Yes; and the laborer isn't even going to ask for shorter hours.
Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-08-11
General Louan's R.,o,,.

A man who knew John A. Logan IN
southern Illinois before the civil war
recently told me that on a certain oc.
casion young Logan found Il neces.
sary 70 doubt the veracity Of a man
considerably older than himself. and
told him VI without any circumlocu.
tion.
Don't you call me a liar. said the
man. excitedly. II have d reputation
% maintain, and ! mean TO maintain
II II have to do II at the point OF a
pistol
oh said Logan. calmly. etha,
won't be necessary. You maintain
your reputation all right every time
you tell a lie "-Brooklyn Eagle
Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-08-11
Write for Complete Price List.
TTV0 - 001'F5Veo TT0C cDt
ADDRESS
THE OPTIC OFFICE"
Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Blake's, Sparks sapello. Rociada,
and other places. too umerou Ia

Blake's, Sparks sapello. Rociada,
and other places, too numerous Ia
mention. where health can be recov.
cred. and life becomes a pleasure TO
the ennuye. the invalid, the over
worked business man.
This Territory Is rich In everything
iron, copper, coal, lead. silver, gold,
That constitutes the wealth OF nations,
mica. limestone. sandstone. marbles,
gypsum. salt. soda In endless variety and
cxhaustless quantities. are among the
several products Of the country which
Las Vegas commands. Sheep, cattle,
and lumber abound, so that In each
OF these prime articles OF commerce
this city Is the best market In New
Mexico. She handles more wool than
all the other towns IN the Territory
combined, while her commerce In hides
is truly enormous. In the same way,
she stands preeminent for her trade
in grains, hay, vegetables. and other
farm products; while her trade IN ice,
gathered In the neighboring mountain
canyons. extends EAST into Kansas
west into Arizona. and south Into Old
MEXICO.
Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-08-11

General Manager w. s. Hopewell Of
the Santa Fe Central, has returned
from Chicago. He said that he ex-
pected that connections would be
made at Kennedy by Wednesday or
Thursday. Some time will then be
spent In evening up and s~urfacing
the roadbed and track ana getting
matters generally in thorough order.
After this work is completed the com.
pany will arrange for the operation
Of trains over the road. The company
has been notified OF the arrival at Tor.
rance Of some Of the new passenger
equipment which has been ordered
and Is now being delivered. Two
large passenger coaches which are
now at Torrance comprise the FIRST
OF the large consignment. Two com
bination cars which left the shops Mt
the same time met with an accident
while on route and were 30 badly
damaged that they were returned to
tho shops.