davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-13

pected Pianos In Lieu of Seeds
why the Wife of Representative
John Sharp williams Knows He II
Simplicity.
During the consideration of the agri-
cultural appropriation bill in the house
there were several interesting colo
quies regarding the experience of mem
bers in the distribution of garden and
other seeds that are provided by the
agricultural department for general
distribution by members of congress,
says the Washington correspondent of
the New York Times.
There is a feeling in some sections of
the country that a congressman can
get almost anything he asks for at the
public expense, and the mail brings
many curious requests. It Is not an
unusual thing for members to receive
orders for encyclopedias, dictionaries.
etc., and from some of the agricultural
districts come requests for farming
implements and other articles that
would be of value in the cultivation of
the soil. The seeds sent out do not
always meet expectations, and the con-
sequent disappointment suggests many
requests in the way of compensation.
One of the Democratic representa-
tives from Missouri recently received a
letter from an agricultural constituent
complaining that the seeds sent him
had not produced what was anticipated
and requesting that a piano be sent
him in lieu of seeds and documents
He explained that he had read in a
newspaper pianos and parlor organs
We're being distributed by the agricul-
tural department, and he wanted
piano i
The member replied that he was
sorry he could not comply with the
request of his constituent. Being a
Democrat, the department discriminat-
ed against him, he said, and gave pi-
amos and organs only to Republican
Republican member from Missouri, he
said. and had been awarded all the
musical instruments set aside for the
state of Missouri. 1t was added that
Mr.. BarthOldt had recently drawn
twelve pianos for distribution. Mr. |
Bartholdt is now engaged in explain |
ing to numerous applicants for pianos |
and organs that he has none of those |
to distribute and that the !
government does not include such in |
struments in its list of articles sent out |
to the agriculturists of the country.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-13
WASHINGTON CHITCHAT
Items of Interest Gathered at
the National Capital.
GIFTS REQUESTED OF UNCLE SAM

One COngressman's Constituents Ex-
pected Pianos In Lieu of Seeds.
why the Wife of Representative
John Sharp williams Knows He Is
Simplicity.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-13
THE SHIPS COMPANY
HOW A MODERN OCEAN LINER IS
OFFlCERED AND MANNED.

The Captain Vested With Absolute
Power Over Passengers and Crew.
Responsibilities of the Chief En-
gIneer-A Floating City.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-13
.JAPAN'S CHRONOLOGY.
Wonderful Advance After a Sleep
of Two Centuries.
THE ROUGH AWAKENING BY PERRY

First Year of the Meiji, or EnIight-
ened Rule, Dates From Nov. 9, 1888.
Present MikadO Succeeded His FA-
Their at the Age of Sixteen-PrOgreSa
of Western Ideas.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-13
NAPOLEON'S FIASCO.
CENTENARY OF THE FIRST cONSULs
PROJECTED INVASION OF ENGLAND.

How the Fun Makers of a Century
Ago Treated Friend and FOe-Queer
COnceits of the CartOOnists - The
Famous FIOtilIa.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
Advertisina Her Christmas.

Brooklyn IIaglei Il am going to star,
my Christmas shopping right pf and get
it over quick said Mrs. Blank at the
breakfast table a couple of days ago; but
there is one stipulation 1 am going to
make with the shop peepie."
"Ies?' inquired her husband, as she
stopped for breath.
'.And that is that everything buy shall
be delivered in broad daylight
"Ah, you are going TO aid in the move
ment of early deliveries, and thus help
the poor, overwerked store people" her
son remarked, with commentator in his
tones.
Never thought of that was the dis
concerning reply. II am going to buy all
my special presents at Smart & Co.'S and
shops just like theirs that have hand
some delivery wagons and horses and
trim men in charge, and / want all the
%neighbors to see the wagons driving up
Last year l bought a lot of things at
these shops, and not q parcel was deiiv-
cred until after dars, and for all the
%neighbers knew they might have come in
the unmarked wagons that those pay-by-
the-week stores advertise to draw Gus
tom. Prices are high in those fashion
able shops, and I and all the rest of The
customers contribute our share toward
the cost of those smart delivery outfits.
and 1 want our neighhors to know where
/ do my Christmas shopping"
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22

prices which are almost prohibitive; it
is rare to find a bottle of 1887 in good
condition, and the failure in quick sue
cesslon of the three years 1901, 1902 and
1903 means that the worlds demand
Will speedily outstrip the visible sup
ply.
Whether In tbs want OF champagne
tho entertainer and his guests viii take
10 Other wines may be debated. Per
maps tbs chief virtue of champagne lies
ana has always lain. in its c~ostliness; in
subtlety of flavor it cannot vie with
clalet or with lIoGI Of the finer kinds
in the eyes of the enicure: And as it
VIII now be c~ostlieg than ever, its vul-
gar virtues will he correspondingly
augmented,
The humber parse may have to con-
tent itself witt! sparkling mose!le or
even with the elaborate CONNECTIONS of
the chemist disguised beneath the
dalIttlest of tin foil out perhaps he Will
not be very mucn worse off than in the
pass. since it is credibly reported that
there is already 4 great demand for
the harmless juice of the gooseberry,
suitably manipulated, for those who set
the appearance above the reality. Then
there are always the years Of cham
payne which are not known to the man
OF taste, but which must be sold
how, II which cannot we'll find a bet
ter use than in teaching by the head
aches which they impart the virtue Of
self-restlaint to the youthful diner.
Gourmets will not greatly sorrow at
this failure OF c~hampagnei in their eyes
the taste for this wine has always been
a faint of primal inGperfection.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
: "a. HEABST.
GkEhNF 4a.iTys::f asGEEEs sssEpxn

Ca tate tie aa.:er," she sad, rs I
6Teped sny way. | gPuaa rpIseii il i
large ;oana, bare ai aeer, and appar-
ontly empty of furniture: My Guide
rartalaed, 1t mast ba lata. Ia&q!ua-
ts:iIy .aaT hand se;iaht nay watch. 1t
waa &aae, Az that Sa3Ssea; the
heaVena apeaed and illuminated the
bare Roam, The fregt KINDS were
drawn, bUt ;3e shutters ware q let
ting in a feed of vivid light. The side
window allowed IA hiiads: Tnaer It
Icy . ran face downward In Z POD! Of
blood.
MY God,n' / e=e;aime6, s2G "c.e;,cS
tAe window with q Bound. The acrrib;e
DARKNESS taaA ahapa; a Mexican. proh-
ably the man | had EneeLed ddEp Ia
the street. Fuaiad UpsR me bsaadisb-
ing a maeaete. I understood the for
mer easy Vietary: In the struggle that
followed / lest two fingers. The Mex
lean alippetl in the hiaad Of his hrst VIC
tim M dashed lkraUsh the glass and
Tell on my knees in the yard below. I
oraWled through the ch&parral and
reached the freight sheds weak from
my wound.
Ny ~sailant:y 10 Giewia Patton cost
my i"o fingers aEd nay watch. 4
search OF tne empty house aext day re-
Neuied only j. pool Of blood to con2rm
my story, Carrie Elizabeth Logan.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22

mat 4 young, handsome woman should
pc unprotected at that hour. and in a
Town not noted for law and Order. She
crossed the street. l followed idly, de-
String a walk. People who had watched
the torchlight procession from conven-
lent store and office windows now
closed the doors and wended their way
home. Few went in the direction of
my fair guide. We urned a corner
into q dark, deserted street. The wom-
an walked rapidly, and seemed famil-
lar with the locality. I hung behind q
little, fearing she might become
alarmed at my presence.
l had not caught up when she ~
ruptly turned q corner. A piercing
shrek startled me, and qu~ickening my
pace l saw by a dim. pickering oil lamp
two men holding the young woman.
Help | cried to ummon an imagi-
nary policeman. and rushed upon the
group, giving one of the rufflans a blow
that sent him reeling. The other re-
leased his hold, and the young girl fell
half fainting into my arms. The man
picked himself up n disappeared in
the dark With his companion. | re-
garded the affair with great compla-
cency, thinking how easily an appear?
ance of courage INC the resource had
frightened off men probably armed
with r%evolvers n bowie knives, while
l a only the weapons OF natures pro-
vision.
Even in the faint lamplight 1 could
see gratitude beaming in the woman's
soft eyes as she gently n modestly
withdrew from my arms. VII you
see me home, sir?" I live but a short
distance, and l am afraid of another
attack"
Il am the cashier in the hotel where
you are stopping, but l am seldom de-
tanned to such a late hour. l have
the dearest little mother, and we live
SO happily in the only brick cottage
in town."
1 asked her name. Gloria Patton"
she replied.
Crossing a vacant space neal the rail-
road tracks, we came to the garden of
the cottage. Behind stretched the mesa
terminated by the mountain line. To
the left in the distance We're adobe huts
occupied by Mexicans, and far to the
right, separated by a stretch Of
chapparral vas the rambling freight
shed. The last train had Numbered by
on its way to q Francisco, and the
station was abandoned,
For some moments l had noticed with
apprehension the gathering storm. Now
the V alternated the glare of u
furnace with darkness so profound tina
1t communicated a sense of s~uffocation.
Flashes of lightning ripped the black
clouds. The explosions Of thunder
were ~deafening. AS we reached the shell
ter of the porch down came the rain in
a relentless torrent.
Come In! i shall call mother 1t
was impossible to venture out again
In such a storm. The door opened into
a dark, uncarpeted hall, and the sound
! OF Miss Patton's voice seemed to fall
on the holiowness Of an empty house.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
EXCHANGE Met Erid,u

The Sioux City Live Stock exchange in
regular pontly session yesterday after
O adopted the proposed rule prohibit-
ing the payment Of telegraph or telephone
messages by members or the exchange m
Shippers except when quoting a bona fde
sale or purchase OF live stock by n unani-
nous vote, effective January 10. The
proposition limiting the furnishing of FREQ
meals except the meal commonly lynovn
as the noon meal was likewise adop,sd
Effective at once.
upon me question of cutting off solicit
tors a rule was, after much discussio,
passed which prohibits any individuals
hrm or corporation engaged In the com
mission business from employing any
travelling or resident solicitors. No mn,n.
Der or stakeholder nor the er,n,o,n =,
any individual firm or Horporali,, shnIl
be allowed to solicit either as n r~esila,t
or travelling solicitor. This rule becomes
etective only when all exchanges. mem
oers OF the National Live Stock exrha M.
adopt u similar rule.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
RICHES FROM SEA BOTTOM.
] Turks Getting Fine Fortune From
Sunken Treasure Shin,

S'''fs
Jewellers Circular: Readers have heard
of She search undertaken by Greek divers
under the Turkish government and tho
treasure discovered in the Russian adj
miral's hip, sunk at Tcherman at the
time of the naval battle of ITO, when the
Turkish fleet was completely destroyed.
The search has continued with striking
success; These fortunate divers have be-
come rich. but the Turkish government
also has obtained some large amounts,
inasmuch as it has reserved for itself
the lions share. The fact is that the Rus
sian vessel. which sank in a depth of thir-
y fatho1ns. abounds in pieces of gold and
silver. AT first the divers paid attention
to the former only, of which they, found
full sacks. These pieces are mostly sin
gle, double and ~quadruple ducats.
1t already has been announced that on
the first shipment to Constantinople the
divers obtained for their part the sum of
276,0 600 francs. The daily work OF the
divers amounts to from 5000 to 10, 600
pieces of gold. \ special boat of the ad-
miralty, manned by officers of the Turk
iSh navy and by Il government inspector,
Is stationed continually at this point.
Each sack drawn from the water is reg
istered. the pieces counted and a receipt
given to the divers. 1t appears hat the
bottom OF the sea is strewn with silver
pieces, which have the dimensions and the
weight OF French crowns of five francs.
Besides this money the divers have drawn
up various other precious objects, gold
and silver crosses, jewels. images, swords,
canes, especially an evangel, of which
the binding of gold is ornamcnteC With
! precious stones of great value.
This is not the first time that such en-
| terprises have been undertaken for the
purpose of discovering riches buried In the
sea, but they have seldom yielded the de-
sired results. 1t would be difficult to give
even Il of the innumerable for
tunes ~engulfed. Among others an Eng
lish bark, which foundered in 1890 off the
coast of Holland, had on board ingots of
gold and silver valued at about thirty
millions, of which a very small part was,
recovered. The Royal Charter went down
two millions.
The greatest fortune engulfed was in
the shipwreck OF II French sailing vessel
off the coast of Trafalgar. 1t carried a
ton and a half of gold plates and five tons
OF silver plates. whose destination was
the famous cathedral of st. Jean de
Matte. There We're also a large number
of precious stones, designed to embellish
some relics contained in the cathedral. as
well as to adorn various religious objects
kept by them in their chapel.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
FARM WORK BY "SIGNS."
Quaint Customs Find FAVOR in Old
Seneca.

Seneca.
Rochester Post-Express: The farul-
ers of the township of Fayette, adioin-
ing Waterloo, are largely of Pennsvl-
Fania Dutch origin. They are a hardy
n thrifty race, and for general in
telligencc compare faVOrably with
their neighbors of Anglo-Saxon stock.
They are, however, full of the quaint
superstltions and rural folk lore of their
forefathers, and many interesting anec-
dotes are told by Fayette people illus
tratins the length to which the good
Dutch yeomanry go in their devotion
TO the signs in the conduct of their
farms and the routine of their lives.
In all earthly matters the almanac
seems to be their bible, and the moon
ana the considerations are really
v~enerated, though in a different way.
as they We're by their yellow-haired an
cestGrs along the shores of the North
sea. Not only in the tilling of their
and, but in all minute concerns of their
daily lives the signs" must be right
before anything is done, or-"woe be-
tide
If a cheese is to be cut it must be
lone in the Increase Of the noon, or,
by the same token, it will fade aWay
with incredible rapidity before the
daily demands of the family, who will
yet derive a miraculously scanty nutri-
ment therefrom; whereas, if. in
obedience to the sage counsel of the ell
ders OF the house, 1t be done as the
moon wakes, it will be like the Widows
measure of meal II crusts of oil.
IL fence posts are to be set, spade
must not be put to the ground till the
position of the sun in the zodiac be de-
terlnined from the book of fate. the al
manac. Otherwise it is only Il matter of
time when, not the frost below, but the
stars above, will heave them from their
places The swine must not be slaush-
tered with disregard for the stellar di-
whites. or the pork will dwindle in
the barrel as If an army corps were,
feeding thereon.
IN the sowing, filling and harvesting
or their crops, of course, the same Hdel-I
ity to the old-folk notions of their,
fathers Is shown; but in this they are
not peculiar, for here their ideas are,
shared by the unscicntifc of every
class and race. In Il Waterloo busi-
ness place recently, where these STEMS
were under animated discussion for AM
hour, only one IA raised the voice of!
skeptlcism against these fancies, and
all but two of those present expressed
positive faith in one or more OF the;
signs of Fayette Dutch folklore.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
learn from their ingenuity and adapt theie
means to useful ends.
Borrowing From Rome.
Had E nouah.

Borrowing From Rome.
The Use of sand jacks" is not the onl,
loan that the engineers of the Lacks wan
ma rond have obtained from former times.
They are building miles of wall just as
the Romans did, of concrete, with the
difference that they use steam and ma
chines where the Romans used human
muscle and hands. Two parallel fences
OF boards are built and the concrete,
mixed OF stone, sand and cement, is
dumped in and left to harden. When the
FENCES are remoed there remains a wall
as solid as solid stone.
The Romans built houses, auueducts,
BRIDGES and other structures in the same
way. Sometimes for the wooden fences
walls or cut stone or brick were subSti-
tuted and remained as an ornamental
racing FOR the concrete. In medieval
tlfnes the use OF cement and OF concrete,
It's principal ingredient. was forgotten. Il,
was reinvented. almost within the mem,
DRY or living men; 1t has been improved
greatly in manufacture and now bids fais
co become as important a building mate,
RAJ as it was with The builders of the
coliseum and the pantheon.
IN EUROPE It's use is widespread and
usual, but here the commuters still lool;
OUT OF the car windows and wonder il
thelr lives viii be safe on trains running
over those walls Of mud
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22

DEARTH OF CHAMPAGNE.
Englislaon May r:ava Difficulty in
PROCURING tina BEVERAGE.

London Ma!!i The news that TIC 1883
vintage az ch~aaapagne has been y COM
p!ete failure viii strike disnay into the
hear, OF tue British diner. 1t is true
that 40 imu2eGiate lack O! this popular
Wine IS 10 be anticipated, but The hotel
and restaurant Keepers and tie wine
merchants axe making a not unreas-
enable use Of tae'r opportunity, and are
pEttilE dp me price of the eariier Vipt-
age; 1888 &Hd 1853 ara already b0com-
ing scarce; 1888 and 1892 command
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
The Coolest Known LIQUID.

Casters Magazine: Liquid hydrogen il
by far the coolest liquid known at the
present time. AT ordinary atmospheric
pressure 1t boils at-422 degrees Fahren-
helt, and reduction of the pressure by air
pump brings the temperature dow to-4sa
degrees. at which the liquid becomes a
solid, resembling frozen foam. According
to Professor De%ar. tC whom the credit
Is due for having iiauessed hydrogen in
1898 the liquid IS a colorless,
body, Is the ltghtest liquid known to
exist. it's destiny being only one-four-
tecnth that OF water: the lightest liquid
previously known was LIQUID marsh pas
which is six times heavier. The only solid
which has so small density as to tloar
upon It's surface is a piece Of pith wopd.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
= : : K! q Nh II i;
W6AaD9H BY CARRIE E4zAnETH LoeAa
CAAplE MIaAnETH Le6AH

Copyright, 1904, by w. r. Hearsto
Rumor of the remarkable adventures
of Payton Simms reached me before /
rnade his acquaintance. We mot ono
might at a well known rathskelier | n
New York, Ed Mavis calling me to DO
seated with Mr.. Simms and himself,
notlced with some surprise that Mr..
lSlmms took his food with the left hand,
Keeping his right concealed under the
table. This aroused my curiosity, but /
!refra1ned from questioning him, Other
wise the young mans charm Of manner
pleased me much He selected a cigar
and was obliged to raise his right hand
to assist in lighting 1t. l observed with
a thrill OF compassion that two fingers
or his right hand were missing.
You have had an unfortunate pd-
venture, slipped Involuntary from my
tongue"
He smiled. Yes; that was rather an
adventure. Do o want the story, Mr.,
Lessel?' Mr.. Mavis and I expressed q
desire for the narration.
Il had business in FL Paso and
stopped at the hotel facing the plaza,
a bare spot then, but still an open space
where the band could play and people
assemble. The night Of nv arrival
there was some political excitement, T
stepped out on the second story We
iranda of the hotel, and, sinking into q
rocking chair, prepared to enjoy tho
lnlld air and smok a cigar before re-
tlrlng. The noise of the speakers voice
and the cheers Of the multitude dis-
turned my thoughts, and the waving
line of torches IN the street bclow Of
tended my eyes. AS / looked OFF to the
mountain line l saw continued flashes
or llEht, the prelude to a fierce electric
storm.
firing Of my solitary cjcar 7 stro,iea
unto the plaza. A young woman turned
as l came out of tho hotel, and | caught
"a glimpse Of finishing black eyes that
Fascinated me. l thought she spoke to
a burly fellow at her side, but she
moved away alone. 1t SURPRISED me
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
Little Boy Black.

Little Boy Black, come call your hogs,
Pig-oo! Pig-ee!
Over the rice fields, low and req,
The sun is putting himself to bed,
Pig-oo! Pig-ee!
Pig-ee.
Down in the bayou hear the frogs,
Pig-oo. Pig-ee! =,
The frogs have been mimicking you all
day,
And now they are calling your hogs
away,
Pig-oo! Pig-ee.
Pig-ee!
Grace MACEDONIAN Cooke in IN Lighter
Vein," in the December Century.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22

The price OF this house of SO, coo, madam.
She-I don't care to give that much.
Agent-Well. then, how does $9999. IS
sound?
he-I'u take it,.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
Value of Baino Frie,dless

New iork Times: A man in public life
!oted for his b~rusqueness was under In
lormal discussion in abine circles.
There's one thing to be said in his IN
TOR, however," said Secretary Hay, "and
that is, he never importunes the depart
1ents to set promotions or positions for
lis friends"
That's readily explained commented
~.ecretary Root. He hasn't any"
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
Unconscious.

Unconscious
Holiday Town Topics: He-Didn't you
know that you We're standing under the
mistletoe?
She-Why, no! l didn't feel anything.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22
A Buddinu Romance.

They stroll away from all the rest
10 talk of Girton, Golf, and Gisslng,
TIL, by some strange caprice, at last
The conversation turns on-kiSsinS.
He claims. with that convincing air
OF n whose knowledge is completeSt
That kisses won beneath the rose
Are FAR the tenderest and sweetest.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-22

a pause ensues. He begs her thought,
Her glance no CLEAN Of guide discloses.
Il was just wondering" she observes,
IF this year would be good for roses"
Beatrice Hanscom in Ainslee's.
Bisbee daily review., 1904-04-06
Old Books That Have
 American Character

tContinued From Page Two.)