davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
AN IRON wILLED MoNARcH.
One Man Rule as ExempIified In Fred.
eriek the Great.

Frederick was an intensively active.
highly capable. strong willed and self
reliant commander He concentrated
all pos-er In his own hands. reducing
his ministers to clerical work and his
generals TO the duties Of personal lieu
tenants Below him the Prussian ad
mlnistration was thing Of stlif and
mechanical obedience. lacking in mi.
tiative and individuality
Several Of Frederlck's military losses
were due to the fact that he gave his
generals such minute orders and was
so severe In case Of disregard OF in
structions that they did not dare 10
use their own Judgment when unfor
seen conditions presented themselves.
He personally foresaw and provided
for everything. aud he inspected fire.
quently and thoroughly. His discipline
was severe. bis organization good, his
calculation accurate and limited tc
what was possible. His movements,
which were skillfully disguised. were
rapid.
So superior was Frederick TO his op-
ponents in strategy that they were
Obliged for safety to keep their troops
in so concentrated form that there
was not sufficient space for effective
maneuvers. He was more capable in
marching and manenyer than in bat
tie. more capable in battle than IL
siege.
His great defect as an administrator
lay in the fact that he dwarfed the
growth Of those below him aud 50 edu-
Gated no talented corps to bear the
political and military burdens Of the
state when he should be Obliged tc
lay them down. He apparently could
do things only through himself. Hay
ing a supreme contempt for the capaei
ties Of most mortals. he had no mind
to make experiments which might hav,
changed his opinions Although h,
knew for many years that his success
sor was to he a man without ability
he handed down to him system whicl
required Frederick. We may say tina
he brilliantly administered system
which was badly organized EdwarS
D. Jones IN Engineering Magazine.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
THRIFTY NAPOLEON.
He Made Sure Of Being Served With
Honesty and Economy


Emperor Napoleon T.. dressed in
plain clothes. ofteu visited the markets
Of Paris in order to learn the current
prices Of food and ind out whether
his household officers served him with
honesty and economy. In Foreign
"reminiscences Richard Lord Hol-
land says that this was only one illus
tration Of the emperor's thrift and
shfewdness,
When the Tuiileries was being repair
ed Napoleon suspected that the up
holsterers charges were higher than
they should be. SO he asked one OF
bis ministers. who was with him. how
much the ivory egg at the end Of tho
bell rope ought to cost
Il do not know" was the answer.
at shall he ascertained." said Ma
poleon Thereupon he cut on the ivory
handle. called for valet. babe him
dress himself in plain clothes. inquire
the price Of such articles at several
shops in Paris and order a dozen as IL
for himself
The valet bought them for two-thirds
Of the price that the emperor had had
to pay Napoleon. inferring that the
same oyercharge Ind been made in
the other articles. deducted third
from the entire account and Informed
the tradcsman that 1t WIS done at his
own express command because on in
yestigatiun he bad found the charges
10 be exorbitant
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
BREAKING THE BANK.
4 Feat That Is No Lsrasr Possibls ;,
Monte Carlo.

NoUtc NdFtts
Among the classic syriem riaycrs
who gained great sums az Monte vaflc
was Charles Wells. adveufnrcr and 'n
renior. who went 10 Monte carln wtih
the uipney af other leople. To ~win oi
luse u all la testing his great idea. lie
played. Also ON the simple thances. o.
modification Of the famous method of
D'Alemhert. the great mathematician.
Wells legan with y stake Of tea units.
decreasing 10 niue if he won. but in.
creasing to eleven if he lost Ills game
was Kind o. swinging OF the pen
dulnm. going UP one way TO twenty
units and the otuer down to one.
For time he contrived 10 prosper 50
sensationally thar the tables at which
he played had occasionally 10 stop fof
few minutes until more money was
brought This was "hrcnking the
bank and gained Wells the honor ol
becoming the hero at popular music
hail song
Nowadays. however. no successful
PLAYER can have the thrilling Joy OF
breaking the bank As soon rs II Is
seen that one gambler or more mas
reduce the funds " table to q low
ehh more money is unostentatiously
brought by one Of the footmen. and
play never stops for an instant
Charles Wells figured In the criminal
courts Of Paris. where he boasted hG
had won S40e.O00 from the casiu5.-
C. ". Williamson in Mcclure's Maga
zine
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
FLUNG FROM A WINDOW.
Horrors Of Death Sentence In the
Middle Aces In Bohemia.

ml0dte ages IN ooueUtas
How many people know what refen-
estration meaas7 Yet 1t was once a
popular method of executing criminals
and was the mode OF capital punish
ment used in Bohemia In the middle
ages and later. Demonstration means
throwing from window" but that
did not always include all the arrange
ments made for the doomed mans
exit from the world
In Prague in 1419 the council cham
Der of the hradschin, or town hall. was
used as the place Of execution. There,
in the presence OF the assembled no
bles, their invited guests and the dig
nitaries Of the city, the unhappy
wretches were cast from a window
eighty feet to the courtyard below.
If his crime was an ordinary of
fense the prisoner was merely dropped
on the stones and allowed to lie there
bruised and broken until death put al
end to his sufferings. succor being for
bidden.
But If he was guilty of treason oil
any act Of violence against noble hi
fell on the sharp spears OF a squad oi
soldiers or dropped to the tender mer
cies Of pack Of fierce dogs specially
trained for the purpose. or he nigh
be flung to wild boars previously en-
ragged by being pricked with spears.
The last time demonstration wai
practiced was just before the Thirty
Years war. when the imperial com
missioners brought an unwelcome mes
sage to Prague and were promptly
thrown from the window. This pre-
cipitated the war and abolished TIN
custom.--New York Press.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
EIoatina Farms Of china.

Like the wood merchants of northern
Russia. who carry their wood on great
RATS to Mini Novgorod. Kazan aud As
trakhan. the farmers Of the upper and
central regions along the Yangtsekiang
construct RATS covering as much as
two acres Of surface. and on the RATS
they establish farms. where produce
grows. On these great floating farms
are habitations for the men and sta
bles for the animals, pigpens, feed
barns and storehouses well stocked
with provisions The voyage to mar.
ket is often 1000 miles, and to employ
their time on the slow journey the
dwelIers on the RATS make baskets
and many objects Of household use.
Arrived at their destination. they sell
their produce. take apart and sell the
RATS and return to their homes by the
ways used by ordinary trayelers.-Har-
per's.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

The almanacs Of Mr.. Pepys' time
were overwhelmingly OF the prognosti-
cation order. and be enjoyed them
much as we enjoy "0ld Moore now.
Thus. on June Il. 1861. 1--WE read and
laughed at Lillys prophecies this
month in bis Almanac this year.
The prophet certainly seems to have
made record bad shot. For, as the
Lord Braybrooke notes, he observed;
"The several lunations Of this month
do rather portend sea fights. wars, etc.
than give hopes Of peace, particularly
the several configurations do very
much threaten Holland with most
strange and unusual loss at sea. II
they shall dare to fight his maiesty's
forces. - Strange news out Of
Holland. as IL all were in an uproar
We believe they are now in a sad and
fearful condition" And June, 1861
saw the Dutch In the Medway.-Ion
don Express.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
HELD COURT IN A RIVER.
The Attorney Was In Hurry, and the
Judge Was Accommodating.

The Attorney Was In a Hurry and the
Judge Was Accommodating.
To act in a legal capacity while en-.
joying morning swim-surely q
unique record In the annals Of law
once fell to the lot Of Vice Chancellor
Shadwell
The then Duke Of Newcastle had
commenced to cut down the timber at
Clumber iu sucli rapid and wholesale
manner as to raise the anger Of his
eldest son. lord Lincoln. who. finding
expostulation useless. turned to The
law and sought an injunction to re
strain his father Although it was
long vacation. he ordered his solicitor
to press matters forward. for the mag
niiicent trees we're falling Mt an alarm
ing rate.
So Hp to town posted the attorney
and had the afiidavits drawn up the
same night The following morning
he repaired to the vice chnncellors
house on the banks Of the Thames, ID
ind on his arrival that the chancellor
had gone for his mornings swim.
With exemplary presence Of mind he
chartered boat and after q stiff pull
came up with the judge and at once
stated his case Meanwhile the vice
chancellor trod water and. on the in
junction being formally applied for
granted it forthwith and resumed his
swim.--Tit-Eits.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

The color Of a cloud depends on the
manner in which the sunlight falls
upon It and the position Of the observ-
er 1t will be noticed that high clouds
are always white or light in color. and
this is because the Hight by which they
are seen is reflected from the under
surface by the nnmberless drops OF
moisture which go to form the cloud.
Heavy rain clouds. on the other hand.
are found much nearer the earth. and
so the light falls on them more direct
" from above. giving a silver lining to
the cloud. though the undersurface ap-
pears black owing to the complete re-
Election aud absorption of the light by
the upper layers. Seen from above by
an observer in a balloon, the blackest
rain clouds appear of the most daz-
zIingly brilliant white.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
Ruskin on Doctors Fees.

The problem Of the doctor and his
fee was admirably stated by Rusldn
in his '.Crown of Wild Olive" Writing
Of doctors. he said; "rhey like fees, no
doubt ought to like them yet If they
are brave and well educated the entire
object Of their lives is not fees. They
on the whole. desire to cnre the sick
snd-if they are good doctors and the
choice We're fairly put to theu-would
rather cure their patient and lose their
fee than kill him and get it. And so
with all other brave and rightly trained
men their work is first. their fee sec
ond-very important always. but still
second. ~. I.ondon Standard.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

In old England. before the law was
passed which prohibited cruel and un-
usual forms OF punishment" murder
ers were often condemned to death by
boiling. In such cases the victims
we're chained In large kettles Of cold
water which were gradually heated
until II caused the flesh TO drop from
he bones. The last English victim Of
the boiling death" was one Rouse, q
cook. who. 1t was alleged. had killed
seventeen persons.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06
No SECRET rslearaph sxstsm.

Many persons are of the opinion that
the wireless system Of communication
is particularly subject to tapping; but,
according to the Scientific American,
no telegraph system is absolutely Sc
cret Any one familiar with the Morse
code can read ordinary messages enter
ing any telegraph Office, AT Poldhu,
on telephone connected to long
horizontal wire, the message passing
on a government telegraph line a quar-
ter Of mile away can be distinctly
read. 1t has been shown that it Is
possible to pick up at distance. on
another circuit. conversation which
may be passing through telephone or
telegraph wire On one occasion an
investigator was able to interfere from
a distance with the working Of the or
binary telephones in Liverpool.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

No less an authority than Sir Aleck
Mackenzie declares the fiddle is Scot
lands national instrument and lays
no claim to the bagpipe.
Another high class expert asserts the
bagpipe was born among the Seliuks
the ancestors of the modern Turks.
Weel, weell
Next thing it's likely some expert
Will tell us that the Hielanders were
not the inventors of bare knees.-Cleve
land Plain Dealer.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Little Elsie was reproyed by her
mother for saying "WhatY She was
told that she must never 20 that ex-
preston. but say, Il beg yo,,. pardon
The lesson evidently went home. for a
little later she turned to her mother
ana inquired. Mamma. beg your par
don time is itY'-B Boston Transcript
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Owens is trying to strike every one
he meets for loan. He's bad egg.
that fellow"
why do you call him thatT
when he's broke he makes the fact
deueedly conspicuous."-B Boston Tran
script
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Cynicus-l wonder why he never
married SiIiicus-l believe be was
once disappointed in love. Cynicus-
Impossible. No mnn is ever dIsap-
pointed in love til he marries. -Phila-
delphia Record.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Heck -Tbey say a ring around the
moon is a sign Of rain.
Peek-So is ring around woman's
finger sign of reign Boston Tran
script.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Ton You told me that horse was
free from faults Why. it's blind
Dealer Blind? Wen. that's not a
fault That's cruel misfortune.-Sa
Francisco Chronicle.
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Tomorrow will be like today. Life
wastes itself while we are preparing
to live.-Emerson-
Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-06-06

Those edges soonest turn that are
most keen A sober moderation stands
sure. No violent extremes endure
Aleyn.
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

Catholic church whom the Vatican
has let alone In his new government
post, and he says mass In tiny ora
the Royal vesuvian observatory he
has succeeded to the late Professor
Matteucci. whose heroic devotion to
duty throughout the last fearful out
break sent his name ringing through
every civilized land.
"Well, the fact is" began Professor
Mercalli, as he Showed me well filled
scrapbook of recent foreign press cut
tings about Vesuvius, most of these
reports are inventive or exaggerated.
The tourist season here has for one
reason or another considerably slack
ened of in late years; but since these
rumors have gone abroad the noun
tain has become unusually alive with
visitors. The smoke tunnels in the
main crater have been active all along.
Still, their activity is evidently in
creasing, and there are not wanting
signs that Vesuvius is stirring from
her long slumber. Yes. her repose
period is about ended; but nothing
mementous has happened yet"
Prof Alessandra Malladra. to whom
his illustrious master introduced me.
was far moro explicit He is much
younger man, full of zeet and enthusi-
asm In his work. Before Mercalli
brought him here as vice-director, Nal
ladra had acquired fame at the geo
physical observatory of Demodossola
as the greatest living authority ON the
geology and seismology of the sim
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

lovelight drove its searching rays into
the innermost regions of his dragoon
soul and smote the passion of love till,
volcanic like. it changed his whole
idea OF life ald career.
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

plon. In his present position he has
become famous for his daring descent
last May deep down. nearly one thou
sand feet. into the crater OF vesuvius.
What risky time you must have
had" l remarked, encouraging the pro-
fessor to talk on his experiences.
We'll, 1t was nerve trying work."
was his modest reply, for constant
landsiips are occurring on the inner
walls and slopes of the crater. and
there are steep precipces to SCALE
Then had a good deal to carry. what
with my mensuration and temperature
taking Instruments. and my photo
graphic apparatus. Onco on the era
ter foor l found myself In spots where
could with comfort have pitched q
tent and remained indefinitely while
there were other tracts. even close at
hand across which had To haste In
imminent danger OF asphyxiation.
A Notable Discovery.
Il proved the highest point OF tho
crater to be 1881 feet above sea level.
Before the 1906 eruption It stood t.276
feet. l found the center OF the crater
floor s61 feet deep. Tho lowest parts
A~0~h 1OWh W Sot itot- III otntf
| words, found that on tho crater floor,
which to the casual gaser from above
appears almost perfectly level. had
to negotiate hillocks 126 feet high. Be-
sides. what seem from the verge of the
crater to be scattered Jumps OF stone.
l found to be monoliths measuring
from IS to 10 cubic meters. As re-
CARDS temperature, notable discovery
made was that since Doctor Chap
pello descended by 1877 degrees cent?
grade. The most intense heat is con-
centrated at the great yellow sulphur
fiesure. where It rises to 295 cent?
grade"
DO you think. professor. that We
suvius has entered upon her death
agony?" queried.
"Oh, far from It'll True. there are
visible symptoms OF creeping paraiy-
sis, since Monte Somma over yonder
was once the true center of vesuvian
energy. and is now. however. practical
ly extinct. The vapors arising there
at the present time are due to the fact
that. owing to the ordinary outlets
OF the volcano being temporarily
smothered with accumulated debris,
the immensely high pressure beneath
Is finding vent by its more ancient
epertures- But though vesuvius II
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

/fX YESUVlUS again active: sub
" terranean rumblings and
earthquakes have occurred;
fresh devastating outbursts
Of lava may be expected any
moment." SO ran the telegraphic ru-
mors In the Roman and the foreign
press shortly after my arrival in
Naples. says a writer in the London
Chronicle.
From the window Of my room. with
Its superb view OF Vesuviue, at the
Hotel do Geneve-the same room that
was wont to find each night thick
strewn with volcanic ash during the
terrific eruption of April. 190e--noth-
Ing out OF the normal was to be seen.
vesuvius was simply indulgins in
those light. leisurely whiffs Of light
smoke that have become a habit Of
hers in her calmest, LATEST moments.
However. on volcano fifteen miles in
gfrth a good deal may be taking place
invisible from the Naples side.
would. therefore, go to sec for myself,
and hear. too. what account the men
of science in yonder observatory on
the heights had got to give of the be-
havior Of the fiery mount whereon
they keep perpetual vigil.
Fine View OF the Crater.
Since the 1906 eruption the crater
bottom which Matteacci then estimat-
ed at from 2.033 feet to 2,275 feet deep
has been rising fast. Never was II
visible to such great advantage az
on the day OF my latest visit Jus,
after ] last left. on March IL, 1911, q
mass of the cone 100 feet high crashed
into the crater over an area of zoe
yards. forming declivity that rose
to within two-thirds the height Of Its
inner walls.
Then. on January 21. 1912. came 9
strong earthquake with loud rum
blings. For a spacs of twenty minutes
the crater throat was sucking dowr
thousands of tons of rock and cinderf
till the big central fissure was de
stroyed and the bottom had sunk 10(
feet Since the plunging of the cone
Into the crater It's mouth has gone OF
widening In diameter till it actually
measures from 6S8 to 780 yards across
Descending to the observatory,
found absorbed in his mathematics
calculations the venerable Prof. Giu
seppe Nercalli, the world-famed vul
canologist and expert In seismic sci
ence. He is priest Of the Romal
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

suffering severely from this restric-
tion give her still from 1000 to 1.500
years OF fairly vigorous activity. The
old age of volcano is a very indeH-
mite period"
"One more question. professor Do
you apprehend some momentous de-
velopment in the near futuref"
ALAS, ! do. Never before. so Tar
back as data aid US, has vesuvius
slept so long and sound a slumber a.
that from which she is now stirring.
Something critical Is going to happen.
VIII the giant forces underneath the
main crater fling out in all-powerful
might the enormous masses of old
solidified material that now choke the
big chimney OF the crater7 Or will
the potent accumulated gases find out
the weakest points on the lower slopes
and there in dolorous pregnancy give
birth to new fiery outlets? l personal
ly incline to the latter hypothesis.
1T is not improbable that a fresh
crater may form in the near vicinity
OF this observatory. When was ex.
ploring the crater on May IA. 1912,
discovered that an enormous rent had
been torn by earthquake in the flank OF
vesuvius- That ominous cleft is ten
feet wide. Starting from the very tor
Of the crater. near Cooks upper sta,
ton, 1t runs the entire length of the
mountain side from Trio del CavaIAc
right down to the very sea--a total dis
tance of moro than five miles! Thai
ugly rent splits the town OF Tore del
Greco In twain There's the danger"
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

The traditional mealbag with a
string tied around the middle had its
exemplifcation in the dusky damsel
who was hailed before Police Justice
Stein on a charge of disturbing the
peace From the back there was no
mistaking the race from which she
came. The moment her face turned
into view change was wrought, all
the artifices OF & professional beauty
doctor and an ambitious amateur lib
orally supplied with rouge and other
toilet accessories making themselves
apparent in an evident attempt to
conceal the fact that she was of
Ethiopian extraction. 1t was a wild
tale of domestic disorder and carous
Ing to which the Justice listened. At
its conclusion he turned to the pris
oner and asked what she had to say
for herself.
Now. look heah, judge" exploded
the much powdered defendant. "Ah's
not neah SO bad as Abs painted"
And even Justice Stein Joined in
the laugh that followed.-Detroit
Free Press.
The Elbert County tribune., 1913-08-29

ing for arrest. a little relaxation, they
were told. Next they learned he was
on the ocean. and then the object OF
his mission dawned
None in Los Angeles knew the hand
some. fair-haired. 1.-THE German who
made his appearance at the Freese
home. Few learned of his title for
weeks. and only then when their en-
gagement was unofficially announced
The official notice of the betrothal and
the date of the wedding are withheld
Tor the obvious reason-Francis Jo-
seph. But. his consent obtained, Los
Angeles expects to witness wedding
festivities the splendor of which Will
rival that Of court of an Aztec king.
For the Freeses have the money and
the inclination to spend 1t.
Beauty Of the Spanish Type.
Marie Freese is in reality descend
ant of Spanish and German ancestors.
She clings to the Spanish type OF
lithesome physical beauty that be-
slows upon the Latin race the strik-
ing visage and well-molded form.
OAAy NAo nAlI lb IQ9 Iell-
tale imprint Of German ancestry. 1t
piles high on her head. and there,
held by an embroidered bandeaux. Is
fitting crown to the glowing brown
eyes that shed tender sympathy and
a mouth that breaks into . wonderful
smile.
There IL the joyousness Of youth
in those sparkling orbs and the droop-
Ing. slender shoulders sheltered by a
Spanish shawl drawn close around her
plump throat. There upon the hand is
the tell-tale pledge Of TIL cherish and
love forever"-the diamond ring.
The family of Prince August are
holders of titles that extend back
through centuries and with a rank
next to that OF the emperor.
The Freeses are socially prominent
in their circle of Los Angeles society.
Mr.. and Mrs. August Freese are the
parents OF this international bride-to-
be-if Emperor Francis only hurries
along with his long-looked-for God
bless you"