davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-02-25

Officers Wilson and Hilton made a
raid Sunday night on bunch of dusky
denizens located in the old shed back
of the new Johnson City Laundry
shooting craps, the negro's national
game, and landed seven behind the
bars, and Monday morning Recorder
Ellsworth put the fines to them, Sc
curing $105 for the city's exchequer.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-02-25

The Mems Bible Glass of Munsey
had good attendance on last Sunday
morning--69 members of IS being pres
ent.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
A WICKED MAN.
How RE Planned Il. Turn the Tables
on Ills unsuspectine Wife.

on MS unSusPecting VIE
He looked at his watch, debated
with himself for a minute and then
said: Go on with the game. III
sit in a little longer"
Likely to be somebody sitting
up for YOU" asked the dealer,
Sure to be" was the reply
Possibility that the party who is
sitting up viii be mad clear
through :" inquired the player oppo-
site.
Not only possibility, but a GER
tainty,' answered the man who had
looked at MS watch. Sand | don't
mind saying that if it was any other
night | wouldn't dare stay another
minute
ssWhat is there peculiar about to
night ?" asked the dealer.
''The fact that | received this
today replied the player as he took
an envelope from his pocket and
held it up.
Letter? 2" they asked.
'No; bill, he answered. "Mil-
liners bill"
q don't see began one of the
others.
sWhy, it's simple enough" re-
turned the man with the bill. Cant
you always find something to kick
about in milIiner's bill?"
They admitted that they usually
could,
.Well,o he went on, @there's an
item for hat here that's all righs.
She told me she was going to get it
and what it would cost, but here's
another item Of S4.35 for ribbons
and things that would give me a
chance to make my roar. I'll turn
loose the minute l get in the house
before she has a chance to say =
word"
@Well?" they said.
@Well," he answered, 'that VIII
put her on the defensive at the
start, and then I'll keep it up until
a curtain lecture or any kind Of
sarcastic reference to the club i
about as far from her thoughts as
we are from the Philippines. just
you show me man who can't work
out his own salvation when he once
succeeds in putting a woman on the
defensive, and viii show you a
man who has not been married long.
Give me two cards, please. ~-Ex-
change
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
In Case Of seasicknass.

HSpeakin of seasiekness, said the
sailor, 4 once seen a very seasick
man settin' in a deck chair starin'
hard alta photograph.
'Wot's the idear O. that dodge?'
l says to him.
/" Sure cure for seasiekness, says
he. Fix your thoughts on some one
you hate, and the qualms pass off. l
feel little better Already, he says,
gulpin' an swallerin'
"Another time / seen hypnotist
do a good business on the long
southern run from New York to
Naples. Every time the sea rough
ed up this here chap hypnotized
them that felt themselves gettin'
sick, and he fetched 'em round
again with the return O. smooth
weather. That there hypnotism
was the nearest thing to a genuine
cure for seasickness that's eve:
come under my observation.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
WHEN a PYTHON KILLS.
Painless Death Without Terror For
the Serpent's Prey.

sne SeFpents Frey
When l was youngster in India
a friend gave me an Indian python.
It was tame to handle, but it was a
dulI, uninteresting thing, and We
used to leave it undisturbed in its
resting place, an old beer chest, with
bars at the top 1t was over ten or
eleven feet long, so it was never ex-
tended. It used lazily to change its
position, but seemed to prefer com
plete rest even when wakefuL We
used to give it sixsliye rats Of a Sun
day. When not having been fed for
a week, it would be moving about,
but was never quick and lively.
One rat at time was put into the
cage and never seemed scared or dis
turbed, but just moved about in the
open places and sometimes even on
the snake. The latter for a time
took no notice. Then it would wake
up and slowly work itself into posi-
ton with more motion, particularly
in the head and neck for about two
feet.
The quickness with which it then
struck and seized its prey was Won
derful. In less than a moment the
rat was tackled into a fold and
squeezed tight, being instantly kill
ed without any apparent fear or an
ticipation of death. It was far more
merciful and natural than steel
trap.
After waiting several minutes be-
fore changing the position to feed,
the python would slowly move and
get the dead rat straight end on, re-
lax its grip and gradually swallow
the prey until it came to the first
kink at the end of the first fold,
when the position had to be changed
to pass the rat farther down, the
same process being repeated with
each rat, getting slower at each
mouthful until it had swallowed I've.
Itnever ate the sixth, which was the
perquisite Of an expectant terrier
and had a more painful end 1t was
plain to see how many rats had been
swallowed by the bulges in its
length. It would be torpid till Fri
day, gradually wake up and be hun
CRY Sunday.
Can there be any doubt, with its
rapid movements and constructing
power, the python's victim is in
stantly caught, enveloped in a coil
and at once killed? No snake can
afford to risk a struggle, for if the
skin is injured, the natives state, no
snake RECEIVERS from such a wound,
for the ants and flies will torment
1t TO deatIl-TOndon Field.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
His Wildcat.

Abraham Lineoln's pioneer, al
ways on the lookout for danger and
ready to magnify it beyond its true
proportions, is only one OF large
class of people who use up in ore
way and another a good deal of Vi
tally which might be probably ap-
piled
Mr.. Lincoln's old backwoodsman
had very heavy overhanging eye
brows and wore big spectacles with
brass rims. One day he came rush
ing into his cabin and Selling his
rifle aimed it carefully through a
crack Of the door at great OAK
tree that stood near and fred
'sWhat Is it ?" whispered his wife
* wildcat, Sairy, the orneriest
wildcat you ever see, an l missed
him.
He hastily loaded and fred again
and then again.
Now. hold on, Joshua" said his
good wife. sLet me look at you.
Why, lawks-a-daisy, its nothin' but
little bug on one o your eye
browsT
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
Coal Formation

Coal, both hard and soft, is alter
ed and hardened vegetable matter,
formed out of the remains of an
cient plants. Roughly speaking,
coal consists of from &c to 95 per
cent carbon mixed with small pro-
portion of various mineral sub
stances, which remain as ash when
coal is burned. In addition to these
constituents coal contains, locked
up within itself, a certain amount of
gas, varying in quantity according
TO the kind of coal, the anthracite
containing more and the bitumi-
nous less gas.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
aNEc0oTE or a FLOWER.
A Russian Nobiernan Gave the csntars
Plant It, Name.

A Russian Noblenaan Gave the csntary
Plant lt5 Name.
About two centuries ago 8 Rms
sian nobleman travelling in Mexi-
co saw and admired the maguey
plant, which is native of Mexico.
The plant was SO much admired
by the Russian for its beauty and
utility that he was eager to have
growing specimens in his own coun-
try. So when leaving Mexico he
procured some roots to take home
to the car as a present.
On his first visit to court, after
he reached the capital city, he told
of the wonderful plant ana asked
permission of the car to present to
him the specimens which he had.
The car graeiously granted his re
quest and gave the roots to the
court gardener, who promised to
give tie plants his best attention,
but unfortunately before he could
plant them properly as he intended
he was taken suddenly Ill and died
without having accomplished any
thing.
Another gardener was appointed.
In the meantime the roots lay in the
sack in which they we're first placed
The new gardener. not knowing
their value, threw the sack away,
and it lay unheeded in a corner of
the garden day after day. Some
time afterward his little daughter
picked up one of the roots and in a
playful mood planted it, but paid
no further attention to it. The
ear had forgotten all about it. Ia
course of time the ruler died and
also the second gardener.
The plant in after years put out a
few spikes for leaves, but did not
thrive in the cold air of Russia. It
grew very slowly, and its origin was
not known to any one save the wife
Of the former gardener and the
child that planted it.
Years passed, and still the strange
plant, with its thick, long, straight
leaves, now nearly six feet tall, did
not bloom, but as it grew taller it
attracted notice. and the new car
sometimes looked at it and wonder
ed if it would ever bloom.
In time he, too, died, and still
the maguey bloomed not.
But just after the coronation Of
another car stalk shot up from
the root of the plant and rapidly
grew to the height of twenty feet.
Soon many clusters of small buds
which slowly unfoIded
and became white blossoms. The
wonderful plant had doomed at
last.
The gardener said it was l0o
years old and had bIoomed in hon
or Of the new car Word was sem
to him, and he and his whole court
visited and admired the flowers and
the plant
The poor exile from the sunny
skies OF Mexico had earned It's re-
ward and new name, for ever since.
that day it has been known as ''tha
century plart"
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
Pride went out on horseback and re.
turned on fcot.-Italian Proverb
Sterne's Dostirution.


Laurence Sterne. the writer was l..
sietim Of the intensest poverty a II
tle time before his death. being il
state of destitUtion, be went one eve.
ing TO borrow IS from his friend CT.
rick Upon arriving he heard nsr
and knew that party was going
lie heard the merry laughter and. g
fly replacing the uplifted Bnocker,
traced his steps.
We never feel our miseries SO kec.'
as when centrasted with the joys
others, and 1t is only then that we re,
ize Wordsworth's picture:
And homeless near a thousand homes
stood
And near thousand tables pined for foo
Another story of this writer does n,
evoke so much sympathy. 1t ~
known that Sterne used his wife ye7s
H. and in talking with Garrick -
day in fine sentimental style of COZ.
gal love and fidelity he said, "The Ii.
basd who behaves uukindly To
wife deserves to have his house Il.
down over his head
IF you think so. said Garrick quie
~. Il hope yours is well insured"
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06

When two masted schooner, laden
10 the gunwales with ifs cargo of fish.
comes into the wharfs the fish are ear
ried in great tubs. Over these stand
company of experts, men who have
cleaned hundreds of thousands of fis'
and who can make the quick cuts an,
do the scraping with Incredible speed
Running to each tub is hose, and aft
er the waste has been removed an in
slant under the high pressure of va
ter from the hose cleans out the fist
completely and makes it sweet aae
ready for the next step in the opera
ton. Goldfish is dried and sailed be
fore being sent to the market, ard th
work Is also done on the wharfS
Here are ranged hundreds of table
exposed to the bright sunlight I'll.
cIeansed fish are piled up in such q,
manner that the warm rays get mes
admirable chance at them.
From the open air drying tables ii
fish are shifted to the boxing and pack
ing establishments, which are also Is
Gated along the water front, and thes
they are made ready to be shipped Il
all parts of the world = Springfield
Union.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
Tho Imnossibie Truth.

In one Of Silas Hoeking's novels
there is an irresistible scene which
some of the critics condemned as
too absurdly impossible. A farmer
and his pretty but strong minded
wife arrive for service, put up their
horse and cart at the village inn,
then take their places in their pew.
bringing in their whip with them,
During the sermon the farmer, rem
dered drowsy by the heat and the
after effects Of a heavy weeks work,
mods and finally falls asleep. His
wife quietly reaches out for the
whip in the corner Of the pew, picks
it up and gives him d regular deal
er's cut across the ear with the lash,
with supremacy funny tabIesu Fos
sequel. That was what the critics
declared to be an impossible situa-
ton. As fact, the present writer
heard the whole story from Mr.
bookings lips. 1t actually happen
ed before his eyes, and he was the
preacher The heroine of the story
IS still alive on her farm near Bos-
ton. Lincolnshire.-St. James Ga
zette
4 Deadly lnsuls.
A west side youngster was caught
literally wiping up the street With
another boy with whom he was sup
posed to be on especially friendly
terms The deteetor OF his pugilis-
tic encounter was his mother. who
after she had yanked him into the
house proceeded 10 deliver a lecture
on the sin Of fighting. The boy lis
tened for awhile in silence.
THAT'S ali right" he broke OF
at last in uncomfortable indigna-
tien. Its slll right for you to talk,
but if you just knew what he saiG
about YOU
The pause was significant. The
mother took alarm.
"About me?~ she said. "Why,
what on earth did he say about
me: %
'.He said" blubbered the small
boy in impotent wrath, SHAT you
.wear-pcttienats" New York
Times.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
FAMOUS SCHOLARS.
Men That Might Have Been Called
Human Encyclopedias.

ruman EncyctopeoiaS-
1t has been said Of Macaulav that
not only did he retain in his pro-
digious memory all that he had
ever learned, but that he had learn
ed all manner of things no other
scholar would have retained. Aside
from his astonishingly eomprehen-
sive grasp of many branches of hui.
man knowledge, he was specially
proud of the fact that he knew
whole libraries by heart. 1t was his
boast that in the event of whole.
sale destruction of certain classics
he would be able to supply the def
cheney out of his memory. 1t was
claimed among other things that he
could recite paradise Lost" with
out moments pause for refreshing
his recollection and that to reel oil
all the plays of Shakespeare was
only child's play to him.
Another English scholar of as
tonishing erudition was Lyulph|
Stanley, of whom Lowell said, "IIeI
knows three times as many facts as
any man whatever had any busi-I
ness to know" u
Stanley is said to have had onl
one rival, Palgrave, the compiler 81
'aThe Golden Treasury" sIt's an
even chance which will return
alive" was said when Stanley and
Palgrave went on a trip together.
When they did come back, it is re-
lated, Palgraye was pale, emaciated,
silent But Stanley seemed unmov-
ed and more all knowing than ever.
Another human encyclopedia was
Buckle, author Of 'sThe History Of
Civilization. One night, it is said,
he was laying down the law on sun
dry topics with a pomposity that
caused the table to quake. At last
&c PIT fof;l some statement about
the barring Of a witch, setting the
date aboat Il century ont Of the way
Stanley. who was present, had boTne
some preceding inaccuracies very
well, with onlg a shaking Of the
head ard a reddeRina Of the face.
But at tits junctuFe his self con-
troll gave way and he leaped to his
feet Extending his hand, he piped-
forth in Il rigorous treble: q beg
yonr psz,ion. SIR, bat the last witch
Was burned at such and such
place, in such and such eireum-
stances. And her name was So-and- /
so, and you viii find all about It il i
a book to which l can easily refer
you and which you evidently DON'T
know
And so torrents Of imprisoned
knowledge we're poured on Buckles
head until the historian of eiviliza-
ton sat wrathful, extinguished,
mute. But in little while he had
his revenge. Some one had men
toned a new dictionary as a good
one. at Is" said Buckle most sol
EMMY, zone of the few dictionaries
l have read through with pleasure"
st. Louis Republic
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
A puIl Letter.

The only news have to tell you"
wrote the Biliviile citizen, lis that the
river has riz an drowned all yer cattle.
an yer uncle has broke jail; likewise
the wilder woman You wuz goin' ter
marry has ruined Off with a book
agent. Outside of these heer things We
air all a-doin' well ATLANTA Censti-
tuition
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
eixin1 The Plano

Don't you think automobile ac-
cidents are inexcusably numerous ~
"0f course ] DO" answered the
motor enthusiast. @The public
ought to learn to dodge quicker.
Washington Star.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
Old French Dial Ring.

"a dial ring, said the euro
dealer-'a French dial ring of the
eighteenth century. You can tell
the time with it. >
The ring, of gold, was beautiful
ly chased, and where the stone spar
kles usually there was set a tiny
sundial.
@AlI you have TO. do, said the
dealer, IS to stand in the right
way, holding the dial 50 that tie
sun strikes It, and d tiny shadow
Will tell you the hour. Such ring
he concluded, Ks more a curio than
an accurate timepiece. It is only
good in the locality it is made for,
and even there, unless it is set to-
ward the right point of the com
pass, it viii be several hours out of
the way louisville Courier-Jour-
ual.
you So this man stole your coats"
said the IA gistrate DO l understand
that you prefer charges against himss
We'll. no. your honor" replied the
plaintiff. q prefer the coat, If it's all
the same to you. Philadelphia
Press.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
snsncad.

Wasn't that young Sir. Tiff who
left the house as came in?" asked
the judge of his eldest daughter
ayes, papa
Did not issue an Injunction
against his coming here any moreTT
"Yes. papa, but be appealed to
higher court, and mamma reversed
your decision"
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
A Monsu Saver.

Jenks-lsge just given 500 for
this diamond ring for my wife.
Jonks-It's d beauty. But ISL t
it rather-er-ext rayagant?
Jenks-Not bit. Think what il
viii save in gloves!
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
woss of the Amateur.

Wi-ey I wonder why the grass
tloesr't come up? Hubby-Fm sure I
Cant tel You don't suppose you
planted the seeds upside down. do you?
London Tit-Bits.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
Flattered Him.

II feel sure Miss Smith is IN love
with you said lady to her brother.
do you? 1t sounds too good to be
true
''Well, heard her say yesterday that
plainness in a man is not really Il
fault. but sign Of character"
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06

Tom-0f course the bride looks love-
y, as brides always do. Nell-Yes, but
the bridegroom doesn't look altogether
fit; seems rather run down. Tom-Run
down? Oh. yes. caught after long
chase Philadelphia Press
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
a Shock.

Mrs Yeungwife-Now, tell me, Al
fonse. what papa said to you when
you asked him for my hand. Alfonso
He said "Thank goodnessi At last
and went on writing.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06
JAMES B. WELLS
oAttorney
at Law.

Successor to Powers & Maxan.
Powers < Wells, Wells & Rentfro
Wells, Rentfro & Hicks Wells &
Hicks. Wells: Stayton & Kleberg.
buy and sell real estate and
investigate Il id titles. a com
plete abstract of all titles of rec
ORD III Cameron county, Texas.
Practice in all state and federal
courts, when especially employed
Land litigation and corporation
practice.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-06

Fraud turks in loose generelities =
Law Maxim.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-02-04

he muttered. "Old Gerard's Pet, eh?
Nerves on the blink! Carries his little
box of nerve dope around with him!
The foxy Johnson! What does he
want up in the clouds?"
Again he stared down into the ire.
mendous abyss as If he expected an
answer to his question to drift up with
the faint, CHASTITY sounds of the heavy
traffic. He noticed that the little
groups were increasing, and he looked
for reason. There was nothing un-
usual happening, but the mesh of iron
and steel seemed to attract pedes.
TRANS.
Presently Morgan laughed uneasily.
Hang EN-" he cried, II believe
they're watching me. They are, sure.
I'm in it! 'Gerards Pet watching me
on top and the crowd watching me be.
low"
He shook his fist at the spectators,
stood up on the plank and climbed
cautiously along it.
Watching me-" he muttered. "the
buzzards! They're hungry for a
tragedy. If they watch Johnson
ohnson minus his little, tin bog
hey might get run. At any rate I'm
ling to watch him now. He must
h We lost that at lunch time, and If
h been chewing it regular guess
th loss Of it will begin to upset his
grit before the day is OUT
Crawling carefully along the mar.
row bridge, he climbed into the cob.
web of steel beams and looked back
a. the crowd from position Of com.
psrative safety.
The dough-faced loafers," he muir.
INJURED. its funny never thought till
to-day what kept 'em watching and
watching"
Wondering how he overlooked this
powerful incentive to tile morbid mind.
he stepped cautiously along the brink
of shadowy abysses that lay between
the tremendous girdew. and as he
walked he muttered continually:
"'Gerard's Pet, eh? Put up to watch
me, and has to chew a morsel of OBI.
UNI to keep his nerve up. Guess he's
craving pick-me-up now"
At the south srn end Of the gigantic
frame. which { wered, black and ugly.
over the SURF unding buildings, he
stopped and pc red around. johnson
was standing up q great triangle Of
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-02-04
THE LITTLE
TIN BOX !.
By JAMES FRANCIS DwYu
Copyright. BY shortstory Pub. COY

Morgan, foreman of the Hudson.
Gerard Construction Company, swing
ing on a narrow plank 400 feet above
the sidewalk, whistled lively tune as
he glanced around at the unclothed
ribs of the giant sky-scraper he was
throwing heavenwards. Far below,
human ants looked up through the
clear air at the gaunt skeleton, their
white, upturned faces, round and fea-
tureless, reminding the foreman of
full-blown flowers on bulky stalks.
The watchers attracted Morgan. Sit.
ting down on the plank, with legs
dangling in space. he stared into the
stone-walled canyon up and down
which the human current flowed un.
ceasing. The peculiar, weird expec-
fancy which seemed to chain the lit
tie groups watching the aerial work
ers interested him. He had never
looked at the crowds before. but some
absurd analytical kink had just mani.
tested itself in his mind, and he graf
fled 1t. He tried to understand the
fascination which held men motion
less hour after hour until their aching
necks rebelled at the torture. I'm.
consciously, hate of the crowd we'll
ed up within the foreman. He felt
that they were waiting for something
to happen.
TIE foreman started to reason
quietly to himself. There's no fas
cination in seeing men work." he muir.
INJURED. so it's the fascination of see-
Inc men in danger. Increase the dan
ger, and you increase the spine.tickles
that keep those loafers peeping up
wards. Where does it end? / hon.
estly believe that percentage OF
those dough-faced galoots stand for
| hours on the chance of seeing one of
[ us do a toboggan slide through the
ether. That's all they're waiting for,
| hang EN-"
| In some peculiar manner the ex.
| pressed conclusion pulled into his
conscious mind the image of Johnson,
who was known on the job as Ger.
ards Pet" Morgan sat wondering a
moment, then laughed queerly. From
| the pocket of his jacket he took a
small tin box about two inches square
and shifted at its contents.
IF johnson has been chewing this
stuff long guess he'll give those sun.
gapers sensation one of these days."