davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
THE BASTILLE.
Men and Methods In the Famous Old
French Prison.

Men and Methods In the Famous Old
French Prison.
The Bastille as a prison was appar-
emily better kept and cleaner than
Sither BiCetre or the Chatelet and i'm.
prisonment within its walls did not, It
would seem, dishonor the prisoner or
his family. A great many prisoners
were charged as mad, and under this
elastic term the violent maniac, the
ambitious madman the young spend
thrift, the megalomaniac, the reachcr
for the philosophers stone or the Sc
cret of perpetual motion - all these
tiresome persons might be and We're
included.
How, then, did these prisoners liveI
In the underground cells or dungeons,
as in the cells in the towers, the prison
erS were on bread and water as rule.
In the other rooms in the main build
ing three meals We're served day, with
drinkable wine-"vin potable" In GER
tain cases, according TO the quality
and distinction of the prisoner. he
might supplement the meager furni.
ture of his prison and get n provision
or DOCKS. Very favored persons We're
allowed their own servant if he would
consent voluntarily to undergo con.
fnement. Voltaire began to write the
''Henriade' as prisoner in the Bastille;
Able Morellet of the Encyclopedia
speaks of the great fortress as the
cradle of his fame, but we must re-
member that 1t was perhaps not ad-
Visable to say much about the Bastille
when you We're still living within It's
walls and that, as NJ. NOUN has re-
minded us, "the old Spartans offered
sacrifices to fear" Prisoners, more.
over, had to sign on their release an
elaborate declaration by which they
swOre never to divulGc, directly or in
directly, anything they might have
learned as prisoners concerning the
Bastlle.-Mrs. Frederic Harrison in
Nineteenth Century
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
Watch SPRINGS.

The watch carried by the avcrag.
man is composed of ninety eight pieces
and its manufacture embraces more
than 2,00o distinct and separate opera
tiOns.
Hairspring wire weighs one-twenti
eth of a grain to the inch. one mile oi
wire weighs less than half pound
The balance gives five vibrations ev
cry second. 200 every minute. 1900
every hour, 432, 600 every day and 10.
6S0,000 every year.
The value of springs when finished
and placed in watches is enormous III
proportion to the material from whini
they are made. \ ton of steel made u.
into hairsprings when in watches j.
worth more than twelve and one-halt
times the value of the same weight IN
pure gold.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19

There are still TO be found in Malta
number of small stones shaped and
colored like the eyes, tongues and other
parts of serpcnts. The supcrstitlous
among the Maltese connect these with
the tradition that st. Paul when ship
wrecked was cast on their island and
it was there that while lighting bun
die of sticks for fire n viper fastened
on the apostles hand. st. Paul calmly
shook the reptile off into the flames,
and 10 harm followed. The natives
wear these stones as talismans, in
which character they suppose them
scrviceable in warding off dangers
from snake bites and poisons. They
are found in St PauIs cave, imbed-
dcd in clay, and are set in rings and
bracelets ana when found TO be in the
shape of a tongue or liver or heart are
hung around the neck. They are also
taken internally dissolved in wine
which method is attended according
to some people, by more immediate re
suits
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
The Ezrth,s Nisihilitv.

As we look up through the trans
parent atmosphere on clear night
and see the moon beaming brilliantly
down upon US we may think What
a wonderful sight the continents and
oceans of the earth would present il
we could view them from the moon"
But, according to the conclusions Of
the director of the astrophysical OBJ
servatory of the Smithsonian institu-
tion, a man on the moon would catch
but flecting glimpses Of the outlines Of
our continents. The true radiating
surface of the earth as planet"
says the scientist, lis chiefly the wa
ter vapor Mt an elevation of 1000
meters $4,000 feeU or more above the
sea level" In consequence the man
in the moon would see the features of
the earth dimly outlined in the glare
OF light reflected from the atmosphere.
Youths Companion.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
Paraauay's Sweet Plant

A herb called by the natives caa
che, but botanically Eupatorium re.
baudianum. grows wild in Paraguay
1t is remarkable for its sweetness. In.
deed, the native name means the
sugar plant" 1t grows along the Dor
ders of the rive, Amambahi and at
tains height of only about five inches
The smallest bit of this plant when
placed upon the tongue produces a
surprisingly sweet favor, which. it is
said, lasts for hours. The saccharine
power is much greater than that OF
sugar.-Youth's Companion.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
A LECTURE FOR HIM.
Why the Bright Little Woman ScoreJ
Her Thoughtiess Husband.

Why the Bright Little Woman Score5
Her Thoughtiess Husband.
bright little woman was recently
overheard lecturng her husband as
follows:
"Now I'll tell you why | wouldn't go
into the restaurant and have cup of
coffee with you while we were wait
ing for the train. | didn't like the
way you asked me. Not half an hour
before you said to Mr.. Puffer, Come,
let's get cigar and away you went,
holding his arm and not giving him
chance TO decline.
when we met John Howdy on our
way to luncheon you said: Just in
time, John. Come take lunch with u.s.
And then tonight, when we had to
wait an hour for the train, you looked
at your watch, turned on me and said
in a questioning way, Would you like
a cup of coffee? And | did want it.
l was tired and little hungry, but
would have tainted before | would
have accepted such an invitation. And
you went away a little bit veXed with
me and had your coffee and bread and
butter by yourself and didn't enjoy
them very much. In effect you said to
me, If you want a cup of coffee, if you
really want it. l will buy it for you
You are the best husband in the
world, but do as nearly as all the best
husbands do.
"Why do you men seem to dole out
things to your wives when you fairly
throw them to the men you know?
Why didn't you invite me heartily as
you invite men? Why didn't you say.
Come, let's get a little coffee and
something and take me straight away
with you?
You wouldn't say 20 man, Would
you like me TO go and buy you a
clgarY Then why do you always issue
your little invitations to treats in that
way to me?
Indeed. if men would only act to-
ward their wives as heartily. cordially
and frankly as they do toward the
men whom they meet they would find
cheerier companions at home than they
could at the club" - San Francisco
Chronicle.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
A ROYAL FUNERAL.
Strange Ceremonies That Mark the
Burial of Spanish King.


Strange and almost, weird is the Ger.
emonial which accolk panies the burial
of Spanish kings. The pantheon, or
royal tomb, Is at the palace of the
Escurial, situated 1900 feet above the
level of the sea and some distance
from the capital. Only kings, queens
and mothers of kings are buried there
the collins Of the kings lying on one
side, those of the queens on the other
After lying in state for several days
in the throne room in Madrid an enor
nous procession is formed, accompany
ing the body to the Escurial. halt
is made on the way, and the corpse
rests there for one night.
In the morning the lord high cham,
berl0in stands at the side of the coffin
and says In loud tones, "Is your majes
ty pleased to proceed on your jour.
neyT After a short silence the pro
cession moves on and winds up to the
grand portal of the palace. These
doors are never opened except to ad
init royal parsonage, dead or alive
When the casket containing the re.
haihS ID ut lhSl PlaCeu Ill the NHull
the chamberlain unlocks It and, kneel
ing down, calls with n loud voice
"Senor! Senor Senorw
After solemn pause he cries again
"His majesty does not reply! Then II
is true, the king is deadr'
He then locks the coffin, gives the
key TO the prior and, taking his staff
of Office, breaks it In pieces and filings
them at the casket. The booming OF
the guns and the tolling of bells an.
nounce to the nation that the king has
gone to his final resting place.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
ISLANDS In New York CITY.

q was showing an Englishman our
city week or two ago" said New
Yorker, "and was surprised to hear
him express astouishment at the num-
Der Of islands within our municipal
boundaries. Is this entire island
part of New Yorl; city, he asked as l
took him on several trolley rides over
on Staten Island And all these is
lands, too, are they Now York city,: he
inquired another day rs he went mp
the East river His remarks plN me to
thinking, and I've discovered that not
one of the really great cities of the
world has SO many islands within its
boundaries as New York. Staten Is
land in itself would make Il good sized
city. Some of the other islands, of
course, are hardly more than specks,
but they belong to New York city just
the same"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
ODD WAY TO REACH POLE.
Explorer Baldwin Would Use Portable
Houses and Ice Floes.

What is pronounced by experts to be
the best plan for north polar research
is the novel one proposed by Evelyn
Briggs Baldwin.
81 am soon to lay this plan in detail
before the Harvard union at Cam
bridge" said the explorer recently at
New York, "but I'll tell you this much
now:
Give me cargo of logs. another of
casks partly filled with emergency sup
plies and a single vessel specially con
structed. and we can go from Bering
strait to the pole and right across the
Arctic ocean. Scatter the logs, portable
houses, casks, etc, upon a group of
heavy ice foes surrounding the ship,
shifting the supplies if necessary by
means of windlasses, motors or dogs,
and We'll succeed. A single crew can
manage the three cargoes.
Had the Jeanette expedition adopt
ed this plan it would have won. In
my support Rear Admiral Melville
stated to me that small house erect
ed on the ice at the beginning of the
drift Of the Jeanette having been
blown away before it had been fas-
tened down was found two years later
less than two miles from the ship, thus
proving that the ship and ice proceed
just as a balloon moves with the at
mosphere in which 1t floats.
with portable studios and laborato-
ries our artists and scientists may
work in tranquility. With balloons we
will view wide belt of territory and.
as did the Baldwin-Ziegler expedition,
frequently dispatch messages home
ward. With our logs as fuel we'll bar
becue the walrus, seal and polar bear.
With the casks as emptied we'll form
a fotilla filed with duplicates Of our
collections.
"'Good scheme said Admiral Schley
the other day"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
MOUNTAIN SLIDING.
Hawaiian Small Boys Simply "Drop
Down tho Edge of tho Scenery"

Water sports are by no means the
only vigorous athletics INDUCED In by
the boys of Hawaii. Mountain climb.
ing Is favorite pastime, for there are
peaks 1000 feet high within easy walk
ing distance of any part of Honolulu,
3Qd ON the island of Hawaii there are
two mountains fully 14,000 feet in
height Not infrequently the Honolulu
schools give picnics on the mountain
sides that the pupils may gather land
shells. 1t is on these excursions in
schoolboys revel in the once national
sport, mountain sliding.
A very steep mountain side is Sc
lected. where the grass is long and
sloping downward. Every one gathers
his own ii leaves. The ii leaf Is some
thing like the banana leaf, but not near
ly so long. With bunch of ii leaves
in his hand the first boy steps to the
edge Of the side, grasps the leaves by
the stems in both hands, places the
leafy part under him and sits down.
gives himself a start and drops down
the edge of the scenery like fash.
was assured that it was an easy mat
ter to regulate the speed of descent by
merely grasping the ii stems firmly
and lifting them upward, this acting rs
brake. | longed for the thrill of drop
ping down over the edge of noun
tain and upon my brief sled of ii leaves
began the descent | went like the
wind. 1t seemed as though my breath
would be taken away from me or that
l would plunge head over heels, to be
dashed to pieces among the trees be
low. l thought of my brake and drew
up on the Il leaves with all my might
and came up with 4 jerk that Jared
every bone in my body. There | SAT-.
looking downward almost pcrpcndicr,
larly. held in position only by a few
leaves resting on the smooth, slippery
grass, but the sliding grass is nearly a
foot long, and it Is only after it has
been repeatedly slidden over and beat
en- down that 1t approaches perfection
IN the eyes of the Hawaiian small boy
and sometimes leads to accidents.
When, for instance, the thin layer of II
leaves wears out beneath the slide a
gentle tug at the stalks parts the sled
and sends the slider whizZing down
ward in 4 most uncomfortable and un-
graceful manner, all arms and legs.
Lucky is the victim of such an acciden
if he is not stopped in his downward
career by the trunk of a tree.-St
Nicholas.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
THE DEVILFISH.
How These Monsters Are Caught in
the Gulf of Mexico.

How These Monsters Are Caught in
the Gulf of Mexico.
There is no more thrilling sport than
harpooning the devilfish the giant ray
or manta, which has its home in the
gulf of Mexico. Some of these fish,
which are very grewsome to behold,
measure from twelve to eighteen feet
and weigh more than 1,50O pounds. 1t
requires tremendous skill to harpoon
them and infinite tact to land them
once they are struck. 1t is not unusu-
nj for the fish to run for three hours
or more, ard they can tow ten ton
sloop.
The fish is willy and will often go to
the bottom to rest, to prevent which he
has to be kept in constant state Of
panic by hauling the tow in close to
him. At moment of weakening an
other harpoon and rifle shot will dis
patch him.
During Il recent run it was three
hours before the cable could be fas-
tened to the boats windlass in order
to pull the devildsh under the bow
where another lily iron was secured
in him. and then followed Il rush Of
extraordinary impetuosity. Following
this method and only after there were
three harpoons in his back and a shark
hoop attached to one fiipper was if
felt that he was secure. Half an hour
later his struggles were finally stiled
by lucky rife shot in the head.
AS night came on the sharks began
to come in and long after dark could
he heard fighting over the stranded
Illustrated London News.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
SURGERY BY ELECTRICITY.
NoiseIess Spark From Knife Point
Said to Excel ScaIpel.

Surgery by electricity is what is al
legged to be possible with Il remarkable
electric knife just devised by firm
Of medical instrument manufacturers
IN Berlin. The knife is now undergo
ing exhaustive trials at the hands of
Professor Bier the head of the uni
versity surgical clinic with the view
of demonstrating its efficacy.
1t is claimed for II that operations
can be performed more quickly and
that the healing process is more rapid
than is the case where the ordinary
scalpel has been used.
To one end of n six or eight inch
glass rod, through the center Of
which passes a conducting wire, is
fastened the blade without a cutting
2dge of form similar to that of the
commonly used surgical knives or like
the simple probe. \ high frequency
current is employed. and when this is
turned on noiseless spark half an
inch long appears from the point of
the knife or probe. The spark incises
the soft tissues with the same ease as
n hot knife goes through butter with
out any apparent cauterization, but
Professor Biers experiments have SO
far shown that a more protuse hem.
orrhage ensues than by the use of the
common knife.
II is further claimed for the instru-
ment that it sterilizes as it cuts, re
quires no sharpening and can he easi-
" cleaned
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
How He Managed II.

The bishop of Richmond told good
story about his father. He was q
farmer" said DR.. Pulleine, and n nice
old gentleman too. One year he took Il,
into his head to grow fax, so he sowcd
the seed and, having a good crop, sent
it away to be made into n tablecloth.
Some time later when seated at dinner
he remarked to a lady near him, DO
you know, | grew this tablccloth my
self" Did you really? she answered,
with the greatest surprise. However
did you manage itf' Well most mys-
teriously, if you'll promise not to tell
any one I'll tell you. PLANTED a nap
kin '"-London Mail.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
AIDED HEn RIVAL.
Romance of London Society Leader
and a Diamond Necklace.

The jewellers of Bond street could II
they liked tell many an amazing story.
There is no need to dilate on the fasci-
nation which scintillating gems eXer-
else upon the feminine mind. That fas
cination is fac. and may serve to eX-
plain a mortal enmity which existed
recently and probably still exists be-
tween two well known society leaders
To one of them highly placed admir-
er mentioned his intention to purchase
a diamond necklace. Knowing that the
lady possessed more than Il superficial
knowledge of the value of stones, he
begged her TO select for him what he
required. The price he was prepared
to give was Il 500. The lady jumped
to the conclusion that such Il request
could have but one meaning-viZ, that
she herself was to be the eventual re-
cipient of the gift. She thereupon Wis
tied the jewelers. shop and inspected
his stock, but at the price she was EN-
powered to give saw nothing that par
ticularly took her fancy. \ fascinating
piece of workmanship, however, did at
tract her, the price of which was 5000
guineas The desire TO possess 1t be-
came irresistible She arranged with
the teweler to send the necklace to the
purchaser and invoice it to him at the
agreed upon price, while she gave her
own check for the balance. Then she
went home and awaited the arrival of
the gift. Some days passed, but there
was no appearance of the necklace. A
horrible doubt which assailed her be-
came certainty day or two later
when she saw the identical necklace
she had helped to pay for sparkling ON
the neck of a younger and more beaud-
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
QUEER TELEGRAPH PCLES.
Made Of Adobe In Solivia-Growinc
Trees Used In Africa.

Made OF Adobe In soIivia-Growing
Trees Used In Africa.
The most original telegraph line in
the world once extended from the cap
iial of Bolivia, La PaZ. to the town of
Oruro. In this part OF Bolivia there
are no growing trees. and wood j. $50
difficult to find that even the ordinary
household furniture of the natives l..
invariably made not of wood. but If
dried mud or adobe
SO when the war broke out between
Chile and Bolivia and a telegraph line
became urgent it was adobe that was
chosen for the Queerest telegraph pole;
in existence. These pillars We're built
on stone foundations and measured
about five feet square at the base, with
a height of about fifteen feet.
They were placed at intervals Of
about SCI feet and thus held the wire
at 4 height sufficient to clear the only
animals of the country, the llama and
the donkey. The total length of the
lire was 15G miles.
Among other curious telegraph lines
is the growing pole line erected in
Uganda by an English engineer, who
could not find any dead wood which
would Withstand the white ants and
hit upon the idea of transporting grow
ing bark cloth trees to the side of the
roads and using them rs poles.
In the Dutch East Indies growing
trees are turned to account also but
there Wire is stretched across the
road between the trees on either side
and the insulator is suspended in it.
middle, and the line is thus over the
road and clear from vegetation.-Chi-
cago Tribune.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
The Sleenless Seuen-

There were seven of the twelve"
said one of the discharged jurors in
speaking of the matter next morning,
"who didn't want to sleep themselves
and wouldn't let the rest of us sleep
Whenever we dropped into a doze they
came around and shook us till we We're
vide awake again"
"And you had to submit, l suppose,
for they constituted the majority"
Yes. They were a rousing majority"
said the hollow eyed juror, with n pen
sive attempt to be facetious.-C Chicago
Tribune.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
A Life Note.

Life is what we make it," said the
philosopher
Alas" exclaimed the practical one,
that we can't make it a million"
We ask Providence to make us
thankful for what we receive and then
go to figuring on just how much Provi-
dence is going to send us.--Atlanta
Constitution.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19

The proverb which tells us that "the
darkest hour is that before dawn is
inaccurate, for light increases in the
morning as gradually as it decreases
in the evening. The saying should be
1.-The coolest hour" etc, which is per-
fectly true and is owing to causes
connected with the deposit of dew.
Hoarfrosts, too, usually take place
just before daylight and are an addi-
tional cause of the peculiar chilliness
of this time.-London Scraps.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
The Mere FormaIity Won,

Yes, sir" said the pale, youthful
suitor; Il have come to ask you for
your daughters hand. She is fair as
lilies, charming
rs that Mary you're talking about?"
asked papa.
Yes, sir. 1t is mere formality. |
know, this asking for your daughters
hand, but we thought it would be
pleasing to you if it We're observed"
Mary's papa stiffened.
"And may inquire" he asked "who
suggested that asking my consent tc
Mary's marriage was a mere formal
ity?"
You may, SIR" replied the young
man simply. 1T was Mary's mother
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19

A lady in town lying under the
Rockies was much distressed at hear
ing small clique in her town refer to
themselves as the "smart set" She
appealed to an ex-United States sena'
tor and asked him what he understood
by the term the smart set He re
piled: 81 think 1 can give you an
inkling. In the eastern part of Colo.
RADIO and in the western part of Ne,
braska there is large tract of land
known as the rain belt 1t never rains
there. ."-Argonaut
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
Golfthalmia.

Golfthalmia is a poisonous and in
3idious bacterium which, in my dreams.
under the powerful lens of my heated
imagination, assumes the shape of
something between niblick, a golfers
oath and Il Caddie's smile-my caddie's.
I strange, unsightly, grewsome, twist
ed, creeping, muttering thing. Throne
and Country.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19

AhAi lONho OS IhE fOOIs
summer they forgot to put the muller
on shoes. Now the winter tan college
oxford comes along to relieve the
plainness of trousers that are not reef
ed. This shoe raises the ante on any
thing yet seen in footwear. 1t locks on
the feet
Three nickel plated padlocks buckle
the shoe across the instep. One key
goes with every pair. If the key is lost
while the shoes are locked on
will they SELF" the shoe man was
asked. They will. When the college
boys get hep to those locks we can't
supply the demand"
''When u rah-rah wears these VIII he
have to walk lock step?" was asked
Il knew you'd spring that" the shoe
man said. Everybody else has"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
nisnoueru Of Reed Eor Mattina.

Reed fields covering hundreds Of
SQUARE miles have been discovered in
Saskatchewan, Canada, says Toronto
dispatch. The reeds are said to be
similar to those from which Chinese
and Japanese mating is manufactured.
The American government. it is added.
has spent much time and money in
seeking such material.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-11-19
obiectiuelx Considered.

Ruggles-What horsepower is your
new automobile? Ramage-Two,
guess. That's the horsepower it TOOK
to haul it to the repair shop when 1t
broke down on a country road the 9th.
er day.-Chicago Tribune.