davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

to surpass them. BY this motivewe will disccv-
er who are our interiors, while those whom we
cannot reach, we will not fear TO honor; thus we
will not compromise single act, nor mourn over
what might be avoided.
have read OF great writer and scholar, who
said that II all the wealth OF England were prof.
iered him, on conditions that he would never
read again, he would refuse the offer without
hesitation. Perhaps this might be said OF most
enlightened individuals, for as the pleasures OF
The mind are far superior to those Of the body, so
are they as enduring as the one over the other.
By this remark, we learn wha, value il placed on
reading, by those who read and consequently
know the worth oft. We lind that rs the mind
expands and the taste improves, the pleasures OF
study increase, TIL finally no physical ones can
compare with them.
Having gone through with what may he term
ed proix chapter. by those who would cult
Vate imagination al the expense OF juhgment--by
those who would rather dream in the sky than
acf on earth-l shall close BY hoping that the next
will at least be more instructive.
MORROW, o., MAY 1910
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07
4 French paper narratcs tho following

4 French paper narratcs tho following
incident
About 10 o'clock in The morning, and
tolerablo chilly morning il was, the passcrs
along the tllai dn Marches aux FIeus no.
ticed a young man, with very melan choIy
and suicidal look, standing near one Of the
bridges alone. Suddenly be cast his ewes
upward, rs il totake last view ofthe skie.
mn'iercd apparently AZ IL in prayer for a
moment, and then plunged hcadlonr into
the river. While all stood paralyzcd at this
rash attempt, "A Young man came up, and
with great simplicity inquired wha, was
the matter. The individual no " as tloun-
dcrng in the inrhid current oi the Seine,
and who bud jus, risen to tho snrlnce, WINS
pointed out 70 him, when at once stripping
oil bis blouse, and calculating that le would
save the unfortunate or perish in the at
tempt, he plunged in after him. The by.
ISLANDERS watched, with brcathlcss anxiety,
rs the heroic youth dove, came mp 10 the
surface, and again went under in his en-
beavers to save the wretch who In d attempt.
V ~ p'7 'sEh '~ss'tb''f'il oUl
nearly al! hope WINS lost, the crowd were
rcjoiced To see the suicide brought to shore
with life still in him. Close by was n
house or station where half drowned per.
sons arc restored, aud where those who
rescue them receive the municipal reward
Of twenty five francs. Thi,her tho rescued
mud the rcscuer were borne by the crowd,
the hitter overwhelmed with tho admiration
and prai-e which bis gallantrv called forth
on all sides; but fortunately just ms the de-
mand WINS about To be given him, and
while subscription for an additional sum
was being raised, n policeman stepped up
who knew them both. They were brothers,
were two ofthe best swimmers in Paris,
and make il business to 90 about saving
each others lives for living!
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07
WHOLE NUMBER iC3.

"TmnRn WERE GIANTS IN THOSE DAYS"
--Proiessnr S'lliman. in ono at hi, lectures,
mentions the discovery Of an enormous nu
nal OF tho lizard tribe, measuring eight feet
IN length, from which he infcss that all ami
mails have degenera,cd in size--and this
supposi,ion is fortified bv n reference 10 tho
history OF giants in oldcn time. I,npurnrs
from the lis, furnished hy the Professor.
that we Of the present, DIV arc mere tom
Thumbs when compared with the hnye
individuals Of antiquity. Here i tho
first
The giant exhibited in Rome in lri5.
measured ever eight feet
Gorapius saw girl who wm I'D feet
high
The giant Galbara, brought from Arabia
10 Rome, under Clnudius Cesar, was near
ten feet high.
Fnnnnnn. who lived in the ,me Of Eu-
gene IL. was eleven feet md half hpn.
The Chcvalicr Scrog. in his VOYAGE 10
the peaks Of Tcncrillc, found in ono OF tho
caves af TINT mountain, the head Of Cunace,
which had eighty teeth. and il was supposed
that his body was no. less than Il feet
long.
The giant Fcrrngus. slain by Arlnnlo.
nephew tn Charlemnguc, was Is fee, HIGH.
Ia 1914. near 81. GERMAN. wns found
the tomb ofthc giant lsorei, who " ~ twenty
tect high.
In 1890, near Rouen, they found n ske,.
elon whose skull held hnshcl of corn.
and whose body must have been IN fee,
long.
Plotcrns INV nj I.ucernr the humnn
bones 1T a subject - feet long.
The giant Bnart was TWENTY-FIVE md n
halficet high; his bones wera found in 1905.
near the hank Of the river Moderi.
In 1913, near castle in Dampbiuc. n
tomb WINS found thirty feet long! twelve
wide snd y high, on which was cut, IN n
vTcv Stone tho words 'Keatn.uchnrs Rex
The skeleton was found entire, twenty -iivo
and y half feet long. ten feet across tho
shoulders, and ) fec, deep from breast homo
toihe hack.
Near MEarine, in Sicily. in 1910, wns
found the skeleton Of giant 30 lcct high!
lie heod was the sizc Of a hocshead, and
each Of his teeth weighed five ounces.
Near Palermo, in Sicily. in l54s, was
found the skeleton of a giant thirty feet
long. and another thirty three feet high, in
1850.
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

Many pleasant anecdotes have been told
OF the bench md bar Of Vermont. The FOL
lowing is at least authentic. and 10 the best
at our knowledge, was never before in print.
Some dozen or fifteen wears ago, Judge
---, now senator OF the United States,
presided nj session Of the supreme court
in the county of Grand Isle. assisted hy
hon. stephen Royce. the present chief
justice Of Vermont. II happened that tho
sheriff, who WIS newly elected ~ his duty
rs "crlcr," and when called upon 10 "opcn
the conri," proceeded in the most awkward
and Numbering manner imaginable. TO
aid in his initiation rs usher, his predece,-
sor in the sheriilalitv had kindly furnished
him with manuscript form, in which. nf,er
tho words "lIcar ,e," the words ..thrcc
timcs," were written in parcnthesis. 10 in
dictate to tho reader ih,t the invocation
should be thrice repeated The sheriff.
with the paper in his hand, read of in n
loud voice, ''lIcar We, three t;mrs.' when
perceiving the smiles nc the court, and sus-
pec'ln. some mistake, be bcgan again, re-
pcatiGg the same words twice ar thrice. but
coming, with each at,cmp. to dead halt
ut the end Of "ihrce times!" At last. with
desperate effort, as though court were 10
DC opened with crow-bnr. the poor cricr
literally forced n passage through the re-
maindcr Of his ritual. and sa, down, look-
M yer, red in the face, amid tho laughter
Of the audience
~ say Stere," said Judge p, turn
ing to bic colleague, and speaking in low
growl. IL have seen courts opened in all
sorts ct ways, but this is tho first timc
saw one torn open"
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07
+as-'~i
R ESIG ALTON.


There is no flock, however watched and tended,
But one dead lamb is there;
There is no fircside, howsoe'cr defended,
But has one vacant chair.
The air is full Of farewels TO the diving,
And MORNINGS for the dead:
The heart Of Rachel for her children crying
Will not be comiorted.
Let us be patient. these severe Affections
Not from the ground arise,
But ottentines celestial bcnedictions
Assume this dark disguise.
We see bu, dimly through the mis,s and vapors
Amid these earthly damps,
What seem To Us but dun. funeral tapers
May be heavens distant lamps.
There is no Death. what seems SO is transition
This life of mortal breath
Is but suburb OF the lie cl,slan,
Whose portal we cali Death.
She is not dead-,he child OF our ais. c,ion--
hut gone unto that school,
Where she no longer needs onr poor protection,
And Christ himself doth rule.
In that great cloister's stiffness and secluson,
by guardian angels led,
Safe from temptation, safe from SINS pollution
She lives, whom we call aead.
Day after day we think wha, she is doing
In those bright realms OF air;
Year after year, her tender steps pursuing,
Behold her grown more fair.
Thus do We walk with her, and keep unbroken,
The bond which nature gives. (ken,
Thinking that our remembrance, though unspo-
May reach her where she lives.
No, as a child shall we again behold her,
For when with rapture wild
In our embrace We again behold her,
She will not be a child.
Blu. fair maiden i'm her Fathers mansion,
Clothed with celestial grace:
And beautiful with NIL the souls expansion
Shall we behold her face.
And though at times. impctuous with emotion,
And anguish long suppressed, ocean,
The swelling heart hcavcs moaning like the
That cannot be at rest.
We will be patient. and nssuagc the feeling
We cannot wholly stay;
By silence sanc,iiying, not concealing,
The grief that mus. have way.
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

Tennessee is said to be the only State ia
the Union that had not foot Of railroad on
the first Of January Iass.--Erchangc Pa
per.
This il mistake. Missouri and Iowa,
both l.ocofoco States. nre in the same IN
blessed category. Charters for railroads
have been passed from time to time, run
ming through the whole State, but the Lo-
cofoco Of Missouri hive always taken care
to encourage, by snbscrip.ion of stock, or
in any other direct way. the commence.
mens Of any road.--.Ko. Repnb.
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07
MoRAL CHARAcTER.-There il nothing

MoRAL CHARacTHR.-Tbe il nothing
which adds SO much Ia the beauty and pow
or Of man. ms good moral character. Il
Is his weslth---hs iniluenre--bs life. Il
digniiies him in every staiion--exal,s him
ia every condition, aud glorifics him ae
overy period Of lifc Such character is
more to he desired than every thing else on
earth. II makes a man Tree and indcpen-
dent. No servilc ,ooI-no crouching syc-
ophant-no trcacherous honor seeker ever
bore such character. The pure JOYS of
truth and righteousness never sprisg in
such person. Ii Young men bu. knew
how much good character would dignity
and cxall ihcm--how glorious il would
make their prospects, even in this life
never should we find then, yielding to the
groveling and base-born purposes Of human
nature.
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07
Written for Tie Ddrsaport Gn=efte.
CHAPTERS FOR TIE PEOPLE.
Ey J. MILTON SANDERS.

CHATTER I.
ella an age remarkable for good reasoning and
bad conduct. for sound rules and corrupt man.
ners, when virtue fills our heads, but vice our
hearts; when those who would fain persuade us
that they are quite sure Of heaven, appear TO be
In no greater hurry 10 60 there than other folks,
but put on the livery of the best master only TO
serve the worst;-in an age ahen nodesty her.
self 10 more afraid Of detection than OF Delinquent
cy; when independence Of principle consists in
having no principle on which to depend; and
free thinking not in thinking freely but in being
Tree from thinking;-in an age when patriots will
hold anything except their tongues; keep any
thing except their woIi and lose nothing pa
tiently except their characteristic improve such
an age must be difficult, to instruct it dangerous;
and he stands no chance Of amending il, who can
not at the same time amuse it."-CoLroy.
have read somewhere Of great artist, who
declared he had never examined poor painting
that he did not detect in his next picture daud
from il. This is remarkably significant in read
ing. Ifyou psruse poor book, with weak SEN
timents, and impotent diluted diction, your next
writing will certainly contain dau1s from it. Or
ii you speak, your ideas, your very language,
will receive hue from that author. Fortunate
~ the converse OF this is the case when you pc
ruse the writings Of strong minds. Read Junius
or Cotton. and your writing will assume the style
Of the epigramma,ic and the anti,hsiical; or Mil
ton and Young, and the fervid and tn pious will
hue your thoughts; or Byron and Moore, and
the glowing imaginative and the anacrsontic, will
leave their influence in your style. So may your
character, your very thoughts and feelings, be
detected and analysed, By taking as the starting
point, the company you keep. Hyou are in the
habit Of visiting females Of refinement and edaca-
tion, despite yourself, your manners will assume
those OF gentleman. Or il you associate with
man Of reading and Of intellect, who are refined
from cultivating the proper species Of literature
or scisnce, OF from intercourse with the honest,
the upright and the talented, you must be an &C.
conplished gentleman, for We invariably carry
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

RATs.--An American captain having
been almost eaten up BY rats. took an OPP
porsnnisy ono voyage. after delivering bis
cargo in Holland, to lay plank from his
own vessel 10 that Of countryman who
had just finished loading cargo Of cheese.
The greedy sagacity Of the rats led them
entirely TO desert their former quarters.
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

The following toast was given by one Of
the Socialists st one Of their recent ba nquets
in France:-"May the enemies Of liberty
be drawn .. full length, end the gallows be
the frame oftbe picture.'
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

EDrroRs DrEr.--Tbe editors of Nashv ilje
are Dragging Of eating green peas--.hs ed
TORS Of Memphis are lunuria,ing on straw
berries and cream--whils the fratersisy in
Louisville are swallowing cholera. preyss-
sssives, u. all hours Of tho day and night
The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-07

SrR-EE.--Thc most emphatic use VIC
have ever known Of the word "sr-ec," oc.
ours TO Us in some stnnZas forwarded 10 u
by one Of our subscribers:--
"Shall iron heeIed oppression grind
The soul, the body, and the mind;
Forge chains and letters Tor the free!
Justice answers, no, STREE.
The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-01
THE VALLEYS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN AND sAcRA-
MENTo

THE VALLEYS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN AND sAcRA-
MENTo
These valleys are one Disseminated only by the
names of the rivers which traverse it. 1t is sim
gle valleys single geographical formaton-near
500 miles long, lying at the Western base of the
Sierra Nevada. and between it and the coast range
of mountains, and stretching across the head of
the bay of San Francisco, with which delta of
twenty-five miles connects it. The two rivers, San
Joaquin and Sacramento, rise at opposite ends of
this long valley, receive numerous streams-many
of them bold rivers-from the Sierra Nevada, be-
come themselves navigable rivers, flow toward
each other, and enter the bay of San Francisco
together in the region of tide water making con-
tinuous water line from one end to the other"
THE SAN JoAoUIN.-The annexed is the account
given by Farnham of this valley; it differs good
deal from that of Fremont, but it is the less IA
vorable of the two, we prefer giving it, in order
that if we err, it may be on the safe side:
''The Rio San Joaquin rises in lake called
Buena Vista, situated in latitude $50 N, and about
three hundred miles northwest of the mouth of the
Colorado, and running in a northwesterly course
six hundred miles, falls into tidewafers at the
eastern extremity of the Bay Of San Francisco
This stream has deep and tranquil current. Its
waters are transparent and well stocked with
salmon and other fish. It is navigable tor small
steamboats, about two hundred and fifty miles.
high range of mountains on the northwest, at an
average distance of forty miles from the river,
bounds its valley in that direction and range OF
hills, rather low. in the north, but becoming lofty
IN the south, bounds it on the west forming pral-
RE vale six hundred miles in length-nowhere less
than forty, and often more than one hundred miles
IN width This vast plain extends, indeed, with
little interruption, from the Bay of San Francisco
to the Colorado, gradually growing wider and
WIDER ana more uneven in its surface, till 1t reaches
that riyer-a space sufficient for an empire A
very large proportion of its surface is open prairie,
The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-01

speak so WELL 1t contains, indeed, every variety
of sol-as tracts of loose sand, hard pan, gravel
rich loan, and ponds of salt, bitter and fresh water
Most of the lakes, however, belong to the latter
clasa and the larger part Of the soil furnishes pas
tuage.
The climate of this valley is its greatest misfor.
tune. The wet season extends from November to
March-five months of the year. During this pc.
Rod it rains without cessation for many days. and
even weeks, and the low country being very fiat
becomes vast assemblage of lakes. In the month
of April the dry season begins, and save the heavy
dews there nothing moisten the earth for
long burning months. This intense heat poured
down as many months upon the submerged prai-
res, evaporates the water the time advances, and
converts the lakes formed in the wet season into
sagnant pools of putrd water, which send out most
pestilential exhalations, converting this immense
valley into field of death.
But this evil can be remedied. The San Joe.
qun lies low az allow these lakes to be drained
into it. When, therefore, the country shall be pro-
perly ditched, the waters will not only How OH, but
will bear with them much of those destructive salts
which are now deposited upon the soil. And thus,
l believe, the valley Of the San Joaquin will be-
come the abode of dense population, the products
of whose industry will float down the placid cur
rent of that river the great commercial marss of
that and other lands
This valley is now the great hunting ground Of
the Californians. Vast herds of wild horse and elk
are met with in all parts of it. The latter animal,
the noble elk, is hunted by the Spaniards for his
hide and tallow. These people 70 out in large
companies, with feet horses, and lasso them as
they do the bullocks, near the coast. The deer
also, and antelope, found here in great numbers,
and are killed for the same purpose. The grisly
bear inhabits the mountain sides and upper Wales
These are so numerous, fat, and large. that com.
mon sized merchant ship might be laden with oil
from the hunt Of single season.
On the western side Of the mouth Of the San Joa-
The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-01

covered with grasses, and a species OF wild oats
But it so diversified by lines Of trees skirtng the
streams by wooded spots, standing out like islands
on the green plain by of timber stretching far
down from the mountain sides, ana oy extensive
circular groves, connected with larger forests by
thin fringe of trees that the valley presents the ap-
-pearance of vast series of plains of every con-
ceivable area and shape, from the little wood bound
plantation, TO the township, the county, and the
State. Over this immense plain rove lnnumerable
bands of wild horses mules elk, deer grisly bears,
and other animals. The portion of the valley
within twenty miles, is wholly uninhabited The
Indians do not feel disposed to live there, and the
whites have plenty of room on the coast There
are large tracts of excellent tillage lands the
banks of the San Joaquin, and in the valleys Of
several beautiful tributaries coming into it from the
eastern mountains, particularly in that of the Mer-
ced. But, generally, the valley of the San Joaquin
" i'll be found unsuitable for cultivation. Its soil is
manifestly of volcanic formation, and filled with
elements unfriendly to vegetation. On many ex-
tensve tracts the murate Of soda covers the ground
green thing; while other tracts larger STILL abound
in asphaltum. which renders the soil too compact
for tilage. These peculiarities, however, attach
only to the plains. The uneven lands of the grea
valley and of the smaller of the tributaries,
and. indeed, all the swells hills and wales that lie
about the two ranges which bound the valley on
the east and west are sufficiently freed from these
destructive ingredients by the wintry rains, which
wash them down to the plains below. The face of
the country among these highlands is very beauti-
full, the soil rich and heavily timbered and above
them rise the mountains bearing on their sides for
diameter, and of proportionable height. These
grow to the northward of the latitude OF San An,
tonic. Thence southwark fourishes species. OF
white pine, of larger girth, loftier, and OF finer
grain than can be found in the States. But Of the
central and Cat portions of the valley csnnot
The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-01

The slope of alluvial land continues entirely
around the eastern shore of the bay, intersected
with small streams, and offering some points which
good landing and deep water, with advantageous
positions between the sea and interior country, in
dictate for future settlement. The strait of Car
quinez, about mile wide and eight or ten fahoms
deep, connects the San Pablo and Suison bays
Around these hays smaller valleys open into the
surrounding country, and some of the streams have
a short launch navigation, which serves to convey
produce to the bay. Missions and large farms were
established at the head of navigation on these
streams, which are favorable sites for towns or
villages. The country around the Suson bay pre-
sents low ridges and rounded hills, clothed with
wild oats, and more or less wooded on their sum-
mts. Approaching its Northern shores from So
noma, assumes, though in a state of nature, a
cultivated and beautiful appearance. Wild oats
cover it in continuous fields. and herds of cattle and
bands OF horses are scattered over low hills and
partly isolated ridges. where blue msts and open.
ings among the abruptly terminating hills indicate
the neighborhood of the bay
The SnIson is connected with an expansion of
the river formed by the junction of the Sacramento
and San Joaquin, which enter the San Francisco
bay in the same latitude, nearly, as the month of
the Tagus at Lisbon. A delta twenty miles in
length, divided into islands by deep channels. the
bay with the valley of San Joaquin and Sacra.
mento, into the mouth of which the tide flows, and
which enter the bay together a. one river
Such il the bay and the proximate country of
the shores of the bay of San Francisco 1t is not
mere indentation of the coast, but little to it.
self connected with the ocean by defensible gate,
opening out between seventy and eighty miles to
the right and left upon breadth of ten to fifteen
deep enough for the largest ships, with bold shores
suitable for towns and settlements, and terrible adla
cent country for cultivation. The head of the bay
is about forty miles from the sea, and there COM
mences its connection with the noble valleys OF the
San Joaquin and Sacramento,