davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

to which the southwest points with pride
is the new lumber yard OF the Arm cf
johnson & Wimsatt, which is just now
being completed in square AIS. between
II and 1 and Sth and 9th streets
For years after 9Th street was cut
through on the present grade there were
many physical evidences OF the. former
contour of the section which 1t traversed.
bur the location of the johnson & VIM
satt yard has resulted in the removal OF
the last Of these landmarks. In this
particular instance the landmark consist
ed of a hill rising at least thirteen feet
above the surrounding streets. and ii was
necessary to cart away many hundreds
of cubic feet of earth to bring the prop
erty down to grade.
Probably Of minor importance 30 far
as adding value to the surrounding prop
erty. but surely an Improvement of note
for the city, will be the construction of
the proposed branch railway station at
some point along the line OF the tracks
or the Southern, Atlantic Coast Line. Sea-
board Air Line and other railroads: en-
tering the city from the south. Il 10
expected that this station will be in keep
ing with the Union station. 1t IL under.
stood approximately $S0.OO0 will be spent
in building and furnishing 1t. According
to the recommendations OF the Com
missioners Of the District of Columbia.
this new passenger depot will be built on
q government reservation at the inter-
section Of 14th and Water streets. but
the clllZcnS OF SOUTHWEST N2601nRt0n look
with equal favor upon a site on Virginia
avenue between AZ and eth streets. where.
they say. both inbound and outbound pas
sengers would have convenient access to
both OF the city's car lines.
Protection Against Fire.
In the way of other civic improvements
the citizens Of the southwest are looking
forward to the construction OF a new
truck house OF the fire department. provis-
ion for which has already been made by
Congress. in the vicinity of Az and L
streets. and it il also expected that work
to take the plae OF the Potomac School
in 18th street between Maryland avenue
and E street. The District engineering
department Is busly engaged In putting
the finishing touches to the streets which
were affected by the changes In grade in
cident to the elimination Of the railway
grade crossings, and the residents OF
South Washington are expressing their
satisfaction with the subst antial character
Of the work that Is being done.
Most of the recent building houses in
Southwest Washington has been in tho
territory between II and n and Az and
9Th streets. where Messrs. John Miller.
Florence ID. McAulfne and George g.
Humphrey have erected 100 modern six
room brick dwellings. and. as sho wing the
demand for property and the interest in
this section of the city, il is said that
nearly all of the houses have been sold
to persons who are occupying them -
homes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

ST. PETERSBURG. April 1S.-The fe~
eign Office is keenly interested in Russia .
little frontier war in Persia Ii is the drst
occasion to arise for the active app]ica-
ton of Russia's rights. under the Anglo
Russian agreement, to interfere to pre-
serve order i'm northern Persia. The OPP
erations themselves are considered Of
minor importance and they will quickly he
finished when the subsistence Of the foods
permits the movement OF the Russian de-
tachments. Russia counts upon the hearty
support of Great Britain and no Interior
ence on the part OF any other power.
The foreign ONCE has no further news
of lighting. The Russian commander tel
egraphs that the Persian inhabitants along
the frontier have abandoned their vii
lagos and fed 10 the mountains. The Rus
sian detachment is still In Persian terri.
tory.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

RIO JANEIRO. April ISM. Calmon.
the minister of railways. will leave here
tomorrow to inaugurate the first section
of 800 miles of the; new railroad between
Rio Janeiro and the city of Coyaz. When
the entire line is completed 1t will be pos
sible to make the journey from Rio
Janeiro to Geyaz in two days: at the
present time the trip requires three weeks.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
Army General Hospital.

The new United States Army General
Hospital. on Brightwood avenue, just
west Of Takoma Park, is about completed
and will be decided addition to the Sec
ton. The hospital cost 100000. and Is
the first of series Of buildings which
will be erected on a reservation contain
ing more than forty acres. The main
building will bear the name of Maj Walter
Reed, LISA. whose discovery of the
spread of yellow fever by the stegomeia
mosquito and whose death in consequence
of experiments connected with that dis
covery have immortalized his name and
services. 1t is said to be the intention to
move the army school to the institution
and to establish there a postgraduate
medical school. The classes will be made
up of newly appointed surgeons and older
oficers who desire to pursue special SCI
entific studies. When all of the build
ings are completed for laboratories, store
houses and quarters for officers and men
the hospital and its attachments will make
a village of more than a hundred build
in1s.
Takoma is Enthusiastically suburb OF
pretty homes. and many new houses are
either contemplated or under way. Large
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
Historical Reminders.

This whole section of Alexandria and
Fairfax counties is rich in historical as
sociations. Braddock Heights and Brad
dock road take their names from Gen.
Rraddock who before his disastrous
march upon Fort Duquesne. camped for
weeks on the Virginia hills and laid out
tho trail which became the B-addock
road OF the present day. In civil war
times the whole range of hills was seam
ed with the trenches of the Union soldiers
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26
Cbe Griff{n's first Ut0er Hunt

cubs, about the size of rabbits were securely
tied with waist-belt and rihe-sling.
cat this astounding sight our looks, pre-
sumo, so clearly expressed our curiosity that
Collard. not waiting to be asked, at once told
his story.
Like the rest of you, l suppose, SAID
he, L became lost Immediately upon enter
ing the jungle, but, after crawling bhndly
about for long time and narrowly escaping
the fatal bite OF a cobra, L came, entirely by
accident, upon this place.
Seeing at a glance that it was the lar OF
some wild beast, L was careful to make no
noise whatever as | peered cautiously from
out Of the thick leaves of my cover.
For minute or two | saw nothing, but
presently these cubs appeared and began to
risk and play together exactly like two KIT
tens.
~ watched them for some time, and
then, being convinced that the mother was
not at hand, | crept toward them, when they
scampered into that hole pointing to a
jagged orifce, about eighteen inches square,
in the old walD.
Believing that | could easily secure them
before the tigress returned, took off my belt
and sling, stood my rifle against tree, and,
squeezing in after them, found myself IN
small crypt or vault so dark that ! could not
see the cubs until had struck fusee
The blaze seemed to scare the little crea.
lures and they covered down, quiet and
motonless, in the far corner of the cave;
but when | seized them they scratched and
struggled like furies. However | tied them
easily enough and was carrying them toward
the opening, when | heard outside kind of
whining purr, precisely such as a domestic
cat makes in calm her young, only much
louder.
q realized all the peril of my position in
moment. The tigress had returned! There
was not a second to lose, and | bitterly re
preached myself for the folly of parting with
my rifle, as, hastily picking up a large. fiat
stone of which a number had fallen from
the roof to the floor. held it., with all my
strength, against the inner end of the en-
trance.
. The next instant, giving vent to fu-
rous, snarling cry of rage, the tigress dashed
into the passage and brought her head to bear
upon the stone. If she could have utilized a
1.-THE of her strength my shrift would have
been short, indeed; but being obliged, by
reason of the straightness of the aperture.
to crawl fiat upon the ground, she was not
able at once to overcome my resistance, push
as she might.
''It was then called for help feeling
that l could not hold out for half minute
longer Most fortunately for me, Charlie
was close at hand. and guided by my voice,
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26
NY FIRST BEAR

up, open-mouthed, Nero still nipping him as
he ran.
To remove the exploded shell and slip a
loaded cartridge in my rifle occupied but a
moment and as the bear once more turned
to engage the faithful dog, | watched chance
when | might safely fire without hitting Nero,
and gave him a shot that brought him foam
ing to the tree trunk again.
There was no turning back now for the
sharp bites of the dog. Brlin was goaded
to the utmost rage, and up the tree ne came,
with Nero hanging desperately to his flank.
But had every chance in my favor now.
Again | slipped in a cartridge, pressed the
barrel to its place, and just as he pushed
his head among the limbs almost at my feet
placed the muzzle within a foot of his
blazing eyes and pulled the trigger. A sharp
crack. and Bruin tumbled lifeless to the
ground
AS soon as I saw he was dead I fastened
to the ground, where Nero received me with
bark of delight.
The poor, fellow was cut deeply in the sid
severe injury had been done, and / Rugged
again and again the brave animal that had
been the means of saving my life.
Just then I heard shout, and, looking
up, saw father coming through the woods
toward me. he had been on his way to the
sugar bush with the team and sleigh, and,
hearing the firing and loud barking of Nero,
had secured the horses to a tree, and came
a half mile through the woods to ascertain
the cause
Upon his asking what was up, 1 proudly
pointed to the dead bear.
"How, did it happen?" he asked, and when
1 told him the whole story. he said, "You
are a foolhardy boy"
But l knew he was really proud of my
success for all that, and together we drag
ged the bear to an open place, where we
could get to it with the team, and at noon
we drove up to the house., where the whole
family, including our city visitors came rush
ing out and threw up their hands in aston
shment at the news
had glory enough to last me for many
days after my adventure, and Nero came in
for more petting and caressing than he had
ever known before.
Our city visitors and would-be Nimrods
went back without the hide they had intend
ed to secure, and seemed quite taken down
at being forestalled in their contemplated bear
killing by youngster of sixteen.
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26

'For fully two hours 1 CROPPED about in the
emi-darkness, and amid silence utterly ap-
palling Most gladly would l have beaten
retreat into the open plain, but L really had
not the least idea of where it lay or where
L myself was going.
Whether l had already passed the ruins, or
had been all this time merely wandering in
a narrow circle, l did not know, and so with
what natience 1 could made up my mind to
await the signal of a volley, which our com
rades outside had promised to fire at noon IN
case we should not be sooner heard trom.>
Il had long ago drained my flask OF water
and now, drenched in perspiration, began to
be tormented by thirst, and yet more by a
self-accusing wonder how |, an old resident
of India, could have been foolish enough to
endanger my own life and those OF my friends
by conserving to an adventure which even
lunatic might have deemed the height Of
madness.
AT last l determined to make no further
effort but to lie quietly in one spot until some
thing should turn up. l had not however,
yards away, | heard smothered call Tor
help in voice which [ recognized as Col
lard's
1.-The cry was repeated several times with
ever-increasing urgency, and then there rang
out, from the same direction, the unmlstak-
able crack of rifle, Immediately followed
by a shout hurrah in tones strangely like
those of Charlie Lester.
,fAll restraint being now removed, l hired
by own rifle, and was answered by shot on
each side of me, neither seeming more than
forty yards distant.
"sHello. Nicol! Hello, McNeill I called
Push on toward the first report. Lester and
Colard are in trouble
All right both men answered, go ahead!
~We enree now made the most desperate
exertions to converge upon objective
point and did, after fifteen minutes of ter
rife work, succeed in coming together at what
appeared to be part of the ruins, though
so thiclly intergrown with vines and even
large trees as to render their exact nature
rather doubtful
Presently one of us shouted. ''Hello. menl
Where are your and Collard answered. Right
here, round by the left wing. Come on
few feet and you'll find an open space
'Forcing our way then. along the ground
through fringe of karunda bushes, we came
cut upon a sort of lane, where the under.
growth had been so torn down and trampled
as to admit of man standing upright, in
places; and at one end of this, sitting close
together and apparently the best Of friends,
were Ramon Coard and Charlie Lester.
''Beside them lay the carcass of an enor-
nous tigress, and, beyond that again. two fine
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26
CONTINUED FROM PAGE C-,E

Poor Nero had learned wisdom by expert
ence, and while he would not again trust
himself in front of those awful paws, he
sprang nimbly around his shaggy foe and
nipped him whenever opportunity offered, the
bear meanwhile snarling, frothing and strik-
ing in impotent rage at his more agile enemy,
and at every repulse, when the dog sprang
back dozen feet, turning to ascend the
tree.
Again and again did he drive the dog from
him; but no sooner did he, returning clasp
the trunk than Nero was at his hams, and
his sharp teeth would again cause Bruin to
drop and once more attempt to destroy his
canine foe.
/ saw now that my only safety lay in the
possibility of Neros keeping the bear from
ascending, and | sat in the limbs and cheered
him on, as round and about the tree they
waged the unequal combat.
The bear seemed now to have concluded
that there was no chance to get at me until
the dog was driven off or overcome, and he
made frantic effort to reach him, jumping
at him with snarls of baffled rage, as Nero
retreated before him, and whiring with
clumsy turns as his agile enemy sprang quick
ly around to fasten on him from behind.
Oh, if l only had my rifle! could have
laid Bruin out a, dozen times over as sat
there If could have had my weapon again
in my hands; and then with the thought
came another-might l not be able to obtain
it?
1t lay directly under the tree; there was a
sling, attached to it, for carrying over the
shoulder when wanted, and if / could but
drop down and slip this over my head, i
could be back again in the limbs in an in
slant. 1t seemed my only chance. Nero
must become exhausted in time, and then
trembled at the thought.
AS the charges and counter charges of the
bear and dog were bringing them further
from the tree, slipped down on the lower
limbs and awaited an opportunity for recover
ing my rifle
Brnin was paying no heed to me now,
and as a longer charge than usual on his
persistent antagonist carried them several
rods away. l sprang lightly to the ground
secured my gun, dropped the sling over nv
neck, and elambered safely back just as
Bruin caught sight of me and came rushing
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26

wood to the right until we should come to
a large peepul tree standing out in the open,
and STRAIGHT in from there, they said, not two
hundred yards away, were the RUNS
This looked easy enough, but l would
rather walk that number of miles over any
kind OF road than try those ten-score yards
again, for, of all the abominable, nolsome
labyrinths l have ever seen, this place was
the worst
"To advance one step in an upright posi-
ton, or even on hands and knees, was SIM
ply impossible. We were Obliged to crawl,
like serpents, along the ground, and in single
file at that.
Nicol, Mcneil and myself-followed him at
greater or less intervals, each one trying, TO
keep in the track of his predecessors, but
quite in vain. Lester should have brought
up the rear of the procession, and for some
time-as, after the first few yards, not one
of us could see any of his fellows-l sup
posed he had done 80, but afterwards | found
that he had entered at point some distance
further on, determined, if possible, to reach
the goal before us and brave all its dangers
alone-a design so incredibly rash as to be
accounted for only by remembering that the
boy had never seen a tiger outside the pre-
cinets OF a menagerle.
"Before we undertook our desperate ven
ture, it had been agreed that, fol-, fear OF
alarmin the game, not a word should be
spoken nor a signal made, unless In case OF
urgent need, as we supposed it impossible,
trailing in this manner to lose touch OF each
other for moment.
"Those of you who have seen veritable
tree jungle can easily believe what follows;
those who have not must only take nv word
for the strange fact that before we had worm
ed our way along for ten minutes we were
all hopelessy lost and no man knew where
his nearest companion was vet, true to the
compact of silence no one called out.
"That a single individual of the party ever
came out of this awful place alive has always
beeen a source of wonder to me.
Overhead, no doubt, the sun shone bril-
hantly but not the faintest ray pierced these
gloomy depths, nor was there the slightest
breath of air to dispel the deadly vapors which
ching to the. steam,ing ground.
"Being effectually cut off from all sight
and sound of my comrades, I can, of course,
describe only NY own progress through this
marvellous growth progress, so tortuous,
show and difficult that l almost envied the
reptiles the facility with which they glided
away when disturbed by the strange intruder,
whom they might well have mistaken for an
overgrown specimen OF their own kind.
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26

rushed with reckless courage into the fray.
say reckless advisedly, because three
1ourths OF the tigress' length being in
closed IN the long passage, it was impossible
for him to make an effective shot, and his
own immediate destruction would have fol
lowed one which should only wound her so,
Wha9 90 you suppose was the frightful risk
the boy incurred? No less than this-and l
PIE OF greater nerYe--he walked coolly up to
the frantic beast and actually poked her with
the muzzle of his rife!
She, recognizing a new enemy, backed
out OF the hole, and the instant her, head
appeared Charlie sent bullet through her
brain But what if his gun had missed href
Well replied Captain Nico 'in that
case, we should have had two vacancies in
the regiment,, | presume But all is well
The end. however, was not yet come.
We were still congratulating our comrades
exclaimed:
"'Quick men, your rifles! Look there!
"And, following the direction of his point
ing finger, we saw, crouching for spring,
in the edge of the underbrush thirty feet
away, the cleaning eyes and vivid stripes OF
a large tiger.
Every mans gun was at his shoulder quick
lightning, and, the beast bounded from
the ground, five reports blending into one,
rang out, and he sank back stone dead.
"Ihis was glory enough for one day, and
we we're ueISHJeu 10 near now Ine eHpecIeu
volley from the vicinity of the great peepul
tree, directed by which we made. our, way
out in thirty minutes or so, and joined the
seven men who had stayed behind.
Brush cutting tools were quickly procured
from the village, and our own servants-of
whom we had brought four along--as assisted
by ourselves, cut rude. path to the ruins,
and before three o'clock in the afternoon the
dead tigers and two cubs were brought out,
amidst vociferous shouts of joy from the. ma
tives, now delivered from their terrible foes.
'In more ways than one this fortunate ex-
petition produced most happy results, and
influenced for good more than one life.
Deeply impressed by his own narrow escape
and the magnanimity of his rescuer Ramon
Colard turned over a new leaf and became
a thoroughly well-behaved and pleasant fell
low.
"When the party returned to headquar-
tiers he avaed himself of the first meeting
at mess to tell the whole story, and moreover.
publicly, then and there, apologized in most
gentlemanly manner to Charley Lester for
former sights; and ! do believe that there
after he would willingly have risked his own
life thousand times over to save that of the
boy"
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-26

Is also KIND, she hts every creature
for its surrounding. With the rarest excep-
tions Nature provides every animal with an
outward covering that acts as disguise and
protection adapted to its habtation and the
prevailing climate.
In Arctic regions white is the color that
best protects, by making animal OF the
same hue as the landscape Accordingly,
we find the polar bear white the only bear
that is white, The Alpine hare. the ermine
and the Arctic fox turn white in the snowy
season.
Among birds, the ptarmigan in winter loses
it's summer plumage which harmonizes so well
with the lichen-covered stones among which
it hides and turns white, SO very white
that one may tramp through a flock lying
on the snow without perceivng a single
bird.
The Siberian sable does not change color
in winter, because its habits are such that it
does not need to become white. 1t often
lives on berries at this season, and is so MIN
BILE on the trees that it easily catches small
birds. The woodchuck of Canada also stays
brown in winter; but it then burrows in
river banks and subsists fish.
The lion has a sandy-color coat and thus
easily conceals itself by crouchng on the
desert, while the stripes of the tiger assimi-
late well with the vertical stems of the bam-
boo and tall, stiff grass of the jungle
Almost all other animals of the cat tribe
frequent trees, and these have often spotted
skins, which help to blend them with the
background of foliage.
A marked exception is the puma, whose
ashy-brown fur. the color of bark, and its
habits of clinging very closely to limb as it
waits for its prey to pass underneath. make
it uncommonly hard to distinguish.
1t might be thought that the conspicuous
stripes of the zebra, in country Astounding
with lions and leopards, would be danger
to it. But zebras go in herds, and are SO
wary and swift that in the daytime they
have little. to fear. 1t is at dusk, when they
go to drink, that they are most exposed and
travellers say that in the twilight the zebras'
black and white stripes blend SO well into a
grayish tint that it can hardly be seen at
short distance.
Even an animal as big as a giraffe is said
by travellers to be admirably concealed by
its form and color, when standing perfectly
still among the dead trees often found on the
outskirts of the groves where it feeds. Its
spots, its long neck, the peculiar shape of its
head and horns appear altogether so like
broken branches, that even the natives have
been known to mistake tree for a giraffe
and giraffe for a tree.