davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18


Thousands of people all over the country
will have little trouble in recalling Topsy,
the baby elephant imported by Adam Fore
paugh, the great Snowman, and made a fea-
ture of his exhibition nearly a generation
ago. Topsy had the usual vicissitudes that
cvme to an elephant in the circus business
and at last fell into the hands Of e. S.
Dundy Of Omaha, who is now operating at
Cony Island, N. Y. Unfortunately for
both Topsy and her owner, she developed
ugly traits as she advanced in age and
finally the name of 'msnkiller" was insep-
arably attached to her and at last 1t be-
came necessary to end her life in order to
protect the showmen. Arrangements were
carefully made, Topsy being attached to
electrodes and every %precaution being taken
to secure a sure and swift ending for her.
Just before the current was turned on a
heavy dose Of cyanide of potassium was
given her, but in all probability the ami
NAL never tasted the poison, for imme-
diately after she had swallowed the ball Of
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

lovely view you've got, Mr.. Gilberti' I'm
tired of the view. I'm sick of the view.
Confound the view. Good day to you, sir"
When Mark Twain called on Senator
Chauncey Depew at his office recently he
found him with his fingers very much soiled
from writing. AS the senator stepped to
the bowl and began washing his hands Mr..
Clemens observed la~ughingly:
at might be a good thing II you would
use a little of that soap on your conscience,
senator"
Possibly agreed the senator. Soap
would do in my case. but II twas yours,
you'd have to use pumlce stone at least"
-
What is believed to be a new story of the
late Senator Evarts has been dug up. In
the early days OF the Hayes administration,
when Mr.. Evarts was secretary OF state, the
members of the cabinet were discussing
matters in an informal way one morning,
when the president mentioned hat he had
made a few appointments without consulting
his official family. the appointees being per-
sonal friends. All the places filled happened
to fall within the State department. Secre-
tary Evarts turned to John Sherman and
said. with a twinkle in his eye: II have
often heard and read about the Western Re-
serve of Ohio, but I must confess that l
have never seen any of It,"
When speaking before the house OF repre-
sentatives tom" Reed avoided the custo-
mary tricks of the spread-eagle stump ora
tor and eontented himself with saying what
he had to say in his own characteristic
drawl. without any oratorical fiourishes.
Colonel W. c. p. Breckenridge cam to con-
gress with the reputation OF a %'silver-
tongued orator" and used in his speeches
in the house all the expedients that Reed
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

of two long curved iron rods that picked
up a COW or other large object and carried
1t along. The first improvement on the
"cow catcher was the Cow bumper"
which resembled the pilot now in use, but
It proved unsatisfactory, and one day while
Mr.. Eastman was at work in the shops at
Sandusky an engineer entered and told the
master mechanic that unless an improve
ment over the Cow bumper" could be had
he would resign.
Something is needed that will throw an
object to one SIDE" said the engineer. The
master mechanic turned to Eastman and
asked him II he could make something that
would answer the purpose. Eastman re-
piled In the affirmative, went to work and
the locomotive pilot practically as it is now
was given to the world.
Until failing health somewhat cooled his
temper and took the edge off his tongue,
George G. Vest was considered one of the
wittiest and most sarcastic speakers in the
United States. He was especially quick
and sharp at repartee, a gift that made him
much feared by most Of the members on
the republican side of the chamber On
one occasion, ~twenty-six years ago, the
doughty little senator used this gift with
crushing effect on a man who interrupted
him while he was making a speech in the
Johnson county court house, at Warrens-
burg, the home OF his colleague, Senator
Coekrell. The room was packed. Vest was
speaking in a particularly happy vein, when
a Warrensburg editor who did not like him
arose and asked him a question. It was
courteously answered and the editor fol-
lowed 1t up with another and another. To
the surprise Of most of his hearers, sena-
tor Vest kept his temper and continued to
reply courteously. Finally. the editor
asked a long and very involved question.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

The senator listened to 1t with the same
attention as he had given to those that pre-
ceded 1t, but just as he seemed ready to
reply, land WHILE" says Frank Frayne,
who tells the story, "the audience was per-
fectly quiet awaiting Vests answer, a lit
tie yellow, bench-legged fee came jumping
up the aisle Immediately in front of the
judges stand, in which Vest was standing,
barking furiously at him. AS quick as a
flash Vest turned and, pointing his finger
at the dog, said: One at a time, sir. You
are out Of your turn. Wait till 1 get
through with the other one. then I'll reply
to you"
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

avoided. He could not speak for Ave min
utes, even on ordinary subjects, without
falling into a funeral tone that grated ex-
ceedingly on Reeds sensibilities. One day,
when Breckenridge was holding forth in his
usual mournful cadences, Reeds attention
was caught by the colonel's melancholy
tones. Turning to a friend, Reed asked. in
a drawing but solemn voice: Judge, were
you acquainted with the deceased?"
When John w. Yerkes, commissioner of
internal revenue, was stamping Kentucky
once in a gubernatorial campaign he had in
his party a stump speaker who sought to
make a good impression in that famous dis
tillery town Owensboro by unfolding whisky
drinking.
whisky" said the stumper, sis a good
thing. 1t hurts nobody when drunk with
moderation. l have noticed in my study OF
history and biography that all great men
drank whisky. It is true, and I challenge
you to deny It. Whisky, ladies and gentle
men, makes men smart, 1t makes them
great"
whats that? ?" asked an old farmer down
in the audience who was noted locally as a
teetotaler.
whisky" repeated the speaker, makes
men smart. 1t makes them great"
Well" said the farmer, you'd better
get ten barrels and begin on Il at once"
-
II. T. Eastman the inventor of the loco
motive pilot that succeeded What was
known as the "cow bumper" is living at
Altos Pass. ILL.,. and is SO years old. He
helped to build the first railroad in Ohio,
which was known as the Mad River and
Lake Erie and connected Sandusky with
Dayton. II is now a part of the Big Four
system. The first locomotives on that road
were fitted with ''cow eatchers," consisting
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

dough in which it was concealed a cur
rent of 5000 volts Of electricity was turned
on and in twenty-five seconds she was
dead. Quite a large crowd witnessed the
execution. Much trouble was experienced
in securing permission to kill the big brute
owing to the activity of the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but
the agents Of the society who witnessed
the execution saw nothing to complain of.
Topsy weighed six tons and was valued at
$780,. She had killed three keepers and a
circus follower.
Charles Childs, who recently died in
Omaha, was one OF the pioneers of Ne
braska, having com to this state in the
early '5Cs. He engaged in several lines of
activity, but was chiefly known for his con-
nection with the mill business, having
turned many thousands of feet of logs into
lumber and great quantities of wheat and
corn into -four and meal for the pioneers.
HE was called old Honesty in the early
days." said a man who worked for him
seven years as he took his last look on
the peaceful face. HE was the best man
l ever knew, and always made me give full
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

any road, and usually meant delayed trains,
II not actual blockades. In those good old
days every engine carried a little dinkey
snowplow Of Its own, so that II could make
it's way through the light drifts unaided,
but when the storm king got down to bust
ness and piled up snow banks that looked
like mountains. the genuine article in the
way Of snowplows was called into use. 1t
was simply a huge share with a single
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18
Pen and Picture Pointers

still has It's terror for the
railroad man; but II is not what
II used to be. Twenty years ago
a snowstorm was a serious thing
for the operating department of
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

A social observer of humorous sympathies
relates in the Boston Transcript a trait of
a Chinese servant employed in a suburban
family, which reveals a certain capabil ty
for ready assimilation with American meth
DDS OF dealing with the tramp problem.
A hungry tramp called one Monday after
noon at the kitchen door and was promptly
challenged by John. To John the tramp
told his tale Of woe. ending with a humble
petition for something to eat.
Like fish" asked John, in insinuating
tones.
eyes, I like fish" the tramp answered.
"Call Fliday," said John, as he shut
the door, with a smile imperturbable.
A we'll known lawyer and writer, a resi-
dent Of New York state, who has long since
passed away used to tell a joke on himself.
His story was to the effect that he called
for a b~ootjack at a country hotel at which
he stopped. Now. this lawyer and writer
had very large feet, and the hostler TO
whom he made the request, after casting
a glance at the big boots, exclaimed: "Why.
man., 1t isn't a bootjack you want for those.
You need the fork OF the road"
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

leaves the senate, 80 that he and Mrs. Vest
may be with their son and daughter. He
tells his friends that his health is fairly
good and that his eyesight has been i'm
proved by the treatment he has received
from the specialists who took charge of his
case last fall. He viii make arrangements
to continue the treatment when he goes to
st. Louis.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

in the early part Of December
give AN idea of how a rotary snowplow
works.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21

always knew you were good woman.
Poor Sallie! I'll be seem her again
Mrs. Pell did not sleep well that
night. 1t hurt her to think of those
two graves being flowerless another
Decoration day. They were in such a
remote part of the cemetery(tha they
never shared in the general decoration
of graves. She decided that she would
not go to the cemetery at all. She
could not bear to think of seeing 9th.
ers carrying their flowers while her
hands must be empty.
But in the morning she changed her
mind. 1t seemed unkind to leave her
graves unvisited. She would go in the
afternoon when the services were over
and the cemetery would be compare
lively deserted. It was such lovely
day. The ride in the cars would do her
good.
Mr.. Graham, his wife and Berta and
Tom drove out to the cemetery, their
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
PSALM OF THE OLD SOLDIER.
The blue is fading into gray.

The blue is fading into gray,
Just as when sunset comes
With bugle calls that die away
And softly throbbing drums;
The shadows reach across the sky
And hush the cares Of day;
The bugle call and drum beat de
The blue fades into gray.
The gray is blending into blue
a sunrise glad and fair,
When in the richness of the dew,
The roses riot there,
The bitterness of yesterday
Is lost to me and you;
The blue is fading into gray
The gray blends into blue.
They're sleeping now the long, long sleep
The boys who wore the blue:
Above the gray the grasses creep
And both were good and true;
And in the twilight Of our life
The ending Of the way
There comes forgetfulness Of strife
The blue fades into gray.
Above each mound the lily CLOVIS
And humble daisies nod;
The ruby glory Of the rose
Sheds luster on the sod;
The tears-the tears-they are the dew
That greets the coming day.
The gray is blending into blue
The blue fades into gray.
w. d. Nesbit. in the Baltimore American
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
THE INTELLIGENT JUROR.
one who Had to Inquire the Meanins
OF ..Plalntin" and "De.
lendant."

It is q common and natural practice Of
lawyers in addressing jury to single out
one member who seems to them the most
intelligent, and to dsliver their appeals to
him. They usually feel that if they can
impress him, his influence will be valuable
in its effect upon tho other members. If
it, says the New York Sun: But the
stenographer of one division of the supreme
epurt. tells an incident of mistake that
was found out.
All the testimony in case had been
taken, the lawyers for both sides had
summed up, and the judge had charged the
jury, when up rose. the intelligent juror
whom both counsel had singled out as the
recipient of their imprisoned appeals. He
wanted the court to give him some in
formation.
81 have been bothered good DEAL" said
the juror, "abort two words the lawyers
use here all the time"
"What are they?" asked the court, ex-
pecting. to be called upon to expound res
inter alios acta or fortiori, OF some other
sWhy, plaintiff and defendant said
the juror. 81 don't just know what they
mean"
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21

roses.
carriage filled with baskets Of roses.
They had almost stripped the many
bushes in their garden.
After their grandfather's and grand
mothers and Aunt Edith's graves had
been piled high with odorous blossoms
there was still large basketful Of
beautiful white roses left.
'Let us drive around and see if there
are any graves without any flowers"
said Berta.
eyes," said Mrs. Graham, 81 like
that thought"
But there did not seem to be any
graves undecorated until they reached
a more distant part of the cemetery.
There two sunken graves, with
weather-worn wood markers at the
head, were fowerless.
"How lonely they look!" said Tom.
"Ys," said Mrs. Graham, 81 think
that you must empty this basket on
them"
''Let Tom and me do it, said Berta.
So she and her brother jumped out of
the carriage and went over to the two
graves. There were enough roses to
completely cover them both.
''Now they don't look so lonely"
said Berta, with a backward glance, as
she drove away.
And so it was that when late in the
afternoon Mrs. Pell came to the lonely
spot where Lay her husband and son,
she found the two mounds a, mass Of
exquisite roses. And they looked like
the roses she had had in her little
country home in those long past days
the white roses that Teddy, had so
loved.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
Mrs. Peu's
Decoration Ddy
EMILY S. WINDSOR.
HeinY S. WINDS

II Y THE aid of the calendar hang
ing on her wall. Mrs. Pell found
that there were IA weeks before Dec
Grafton day.
She was not an adept at mental arith-
metic, SO that it was quite lengthy
and laborious piece of work for her
to calculate that if she saved IL cents
each Of those IA weeks, she would
have one dollar and 6S cents.
She had just finished counting it up
a second time in order to be sure that
it was correct, when her neighbor, Mrs.
Wilkes, from the next room below in
the big tenement house, came in for
their usual evening chat. She was q
thin, nervous looking little woman of
middle age. Neither her faded gray
hair nor her dress was tidy. She was
strong contrast to Mrs. Pell, who was
always neat and clean; she was much
older than Mrs. Wilkes, too.
Most of Mrs. Pell's days were spent
in Office cleaning, while Mrs. Wilkes
time was we'll filled with washing and
ironing.
<AACOA NluGy Adu CACuuuScu IAc1I uSWS
of the day, Mrs. Pell said: "Would you
think that body could get nice lot
of flowers for dollar and sixty-eight
cents?"
''Sure and I'd think that lot of
money to be spendin' in such a way
answered Mrs. Wilkes. with look Of
surprise on her weather-beaten face.
''I'd like it to be MORE" returned
Mrs. Pell, 'but not cent more than
IL cents week can I spare"
''I'm sure I'm not KNOWN what
your talkin' about" said Mrs. Wilkes,
the surprise in her face increasing.
''I'll be tellin' you. It's for the graves
on Decoration day. I've just set my
heart on coverin' 'em with flowers this
year. I've been wantin' to do it every
year, but somethin' always happened
to prevent. But this year, they re goin'
to be there"
"Oh!" calculated Mrs. Wilkes.
EYES," went on Mrs. Pell, 'I'm feelin'
sure there'n be nothin' to prevent this
year. And it's white roses I want.
Teddy was crazy after 'em."
She rocked her chair, and hid her face
in her blue Bingham apron.
Mrs. Wilkes could not enter very
deeply into her friends feelings. She
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
JAPAN OF MODERN TIMES.
Ceaparisoa with the UaiteA Kine-
don In Sise, Population aaa
other Particulars.

Concerning the United Kingdom the
following points of resemblance be-
tween it and Japan are remarked by
the Anglo-Japanese Gazette: Japan
consists Of a group of islands lying to
the east Of the continent of Asia, as the
United Kingdom consists of a group ~
ing to the west of the continent of Eu-
rope. Both groups extend from north
to south; the main islands Of the japan
group are about the same length as the
United Kingdom-viz., about 700 miles;
both groups have similar population
Japan A, 000, 900 and the United King
dom 42,o00,oo0; both groups have q
similar, area-Japan 147,OO0 and the
United Kingdom 100000 (English)
square miles; both groups are washed
and their climates modified by impor-
tant ocean currents-the British isles
by the gulf stream and Japan by the
Japan current.
The resemblance ceases, however,
when the two are contrasted as em-
pires. The one is the land Of the rising
sun, the other that on which the sun
never sets, while the population of the
British empire is about 100000, 900,
nearly q quarter of the population of
the globe and nearly ten times that of
Japan.
The revenue Of the United Kingdom
is more than four times that Of Japan,
but the foreign trade is II times and
the national debt 12 times greater.
The marked contrast between the ma
tional debts of the United Kingdom and
Japan is that the former has been
raised almost entirely for carrying on
the wars in which that country has
been engaged during the last 200 years
while that of Japan has been chiefly for
public works and Industrial enter
prises.
In the United States the population
is, roughly, twice the number in Japan,
its size is 90 times as large, its revenue
four times as great, while the foreign
trade of the United States is nine times
and its national debt seven times that
Of Japan. Russia covers one-seventh of
the surface of the globe, is 60 times the
size of Japan, but its population is less
than three times greater, consequently
population in japan is 20 times thicker
than in Russia. France has an area
nearly 40 per cent. larger than Japan,
but population 10 per cent. less, and
not growing. It's national debt is enor-
mous-the largest of any nation in the
world-nearly double that of the
United Kingdom and 20 times that of
Japan. Germany, which now aims at
becoming world power, is about the
same size as France. or 40 per cent.
larger than Japan, while its population
is one-fourth greater. A striking fea-
ture Of the population of Germany is
that it is growing at much greater
rate than that of the United Kingdom
or Japan. and justifies, in some meas.
ure, the desire for expansion.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
NO BUCKET BUSINESS.
when sam ana Bill Met There was
No Hugging or Any Other
Nuisance.

ION the train, as I was going tc
Chicago the other week." said De-
troiter, according to the Free Press,
II fell in with man who was on his
way to visit his brother in q certain
town. The two had not met for 30
years, one having lived in New Hamp-
shire and the other in Michigan all
that time. became somewhat inter-
ested in the affair, and in imagina.
ton pictured the greeting between
them after such 3 long separation.
Indeed, was more enthusiastic than
the traveller. He had given no notice
of his coming, but when we reached
the town he picked up his satchel
and looked out Of the window ami
said:
"'I think see my brother right
out there on the platform now.'
81 followed him out and he walked
up to the other and queried:
"'Ain't your name Sam Blank?'
"'Yep, and amt your name Bill
Blank?' queried the other in reply.
1t is. Howdy do. Sam?'
Purity well, Bill
Come to visit me?'
"'Yep.'
Then come along to the house.
"That was all" sighed the narrator
mo hugging-no tears-no linger-
ing handshake-no old-oaken bucket
business whatever.
"After 80 long years Sam had hap
pened to be at the depot as his
brother Bill got off the train, and Bill
went home with Sam. 1t made me SO
vexed that didn't enjoy the rest Of
the day at all"
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
Conee-Drinkers ana Alcohol.

A traveller has made the observation
that coffee-drinking people are very
seldom given to drunkenness. In Bra
iii, for instance, where coffee is grown
extensively and all the inhabitants
drink it many times day; intoxication
is rarely seen. The effect is not only
noticeable among the natives, but the
foreigner who settles there, though
possessed Of ever such passion for
strong drink, gradually loses his liking
for alcohol as he acquires the coffee
drinking habit of the Brazilian.-De-
troit Free Press.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
What Everybody Says.
LOUISVILLE, Kr:-
~

LOUISVILLE, KY.-
For q year or more
] have been suffering
with severe pains III
the small Of my back
and kidneys !; had
tried . number OF
remedies but without
relief. I decided to
try Doan's Kidney
PILLS, and purchased
two boxes, and am
glad to state that
after taking the two
boxes Of pills / was
relieved OF all pains,
and have not been
troubled since. Prior
70 taking these pills
It was impossible for
mo to get Q full
nights sleep, but lam
not experiencing any
difficulty in this re-
spect now. Yours
truly, JOHN E. KRA-
MER, 42S w. Main
Street.-(Foreman
American Tobacco
Coz
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21

CHICAGO. III. -
When I received tha
sample Of Doan,s
Kidnev Pills I WA
sufferinp terribiv With
nv bacfS'w was sick and
nnfit Ia ID anvt:hinr.
The several remedies
I had nsed fhon0h
hirhlvnecommendeS
dfd No GOOD, h,f
rather irrifated tho
trouble and made ma.
wnrsa Refora I had
used mn the ssmnla I
was feeling 60 much
better that i rot mora
from the. drnr .stora
/ co,,ld NOT dean ~
nirht Had To ~ mn
dxor eirht times AMI
the nrine was "a red
would almost thinf
Il Was mart hlnod-
thenewas athick sand
like hrick-dnst sedi
ment. / cannot tan
one-half that I INF.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-05-21
About Your Vacation.

Little journeys to lake resorts and NOM.
tain homes will be more popular this sum.
mer than ever. Many have already arranged
their summer tour via the Chicago, Mil.
waukee & st: Paul Railway and many more
are going to do likewise. Booklets that viii
help you to plan your vacation trip have Just
been published, and will be sent on receipt
Colorado California six cents.
in nj. Lakeland" and .sommer Homes six
Lakes okoboji and Spirit Lake., four
cents. F. A. MILLER,
General Passenger Agent, Chicago. 7