davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

MANNERS IN JAVA "A young Dutch
officer arrived at Java, fresh from the
northern country. and fastened 10 pay
his respects TO the Governor. Before the
door lay black ball, which he thought
proper to wipe his feet on, but no sooner
had his feet touched it, than an angry
hiss escaped from the mass, and mighty
boa rose against the intruder Forgetting
all ceremony he rushed into the house,
but there new terror awaited him in
the shape of :iger. which leaped growl-
ing toward him. HIS only weapon was
a light sword, which he was about to
draw in defence, when the Governor
stopped him by saying, "Don't be fright
ened. my young friend, this cat will sit
quietly by you If you will honor me with
your company to dinner. lie is only dis
turbed by seeing you run from his old
friend the boa. The boa never hurts
anybody and has lived peaceably with us
for years. along with the tiger which has
never tasted blood, aud has always been
the playmate of the children. You will
learn here 10 smile at many things that
terrlfy people in Europe"
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

| VOLCANO OF THE SALT LALE.-A cor
respondent of the Buffalo Commercia
Advertiser gives the following description
of volcano in the vicinity of the Grea,
| Salt Lake:
This volcano is a plain of mud, and on
the borders of the lake. 1t is composed
of mud, and, covers several acres. Steam
ard water are escaping from some half.
dozen apertnres. The mud is raised ND
into cones, the highest not five feet from
he general surface. They are termin-
ated by tubes, some harderned aud lined
ssances One OF sieha55 ae t55nagg eS}Whssrs rsrsahf
and water 10 or Is feet into the air It
escapes rapidly aud with sound resem-
bling the escape of steam from the pipe
Of a small steam engine; and it elects
hot and cold water at short Intervals
One cauldron, some four feet across, boils
up until it overhows, then sinks several
feet aud again overAows. Nothing is
seen but a mass of foam The water is
strongly mpregnated with sal ammonia
There are olher cauldrons from ten to
twenty feet III diameter, filled to within
three or four feet with boiling mud
which is occasionally thrown out III every
direction. About mile further off is an
other collection Of mud cones, aud on
the opposite side all island of volcanic
rocks rises to he height of fifty feet; at
the foot of it IS salt in sheets, strongly i'm
preguated with sal ammonia that from
the lake is pure and is used by tie Cali
tornans. In the vicinity of the Volcano
we saw several ledges covered with pum-
ice, and we met with it III various other
places on the plains.
j believe we were the first white men
who had ever visited the place, and we
had great difficulty in. persuading the In-
dams to guide us TO it. They have e-
gend that when you approach it. it COM
mences hallooing, and if you 90 nearer,
birds resembling vultures Or buzzards,
rise out ofit, aud falling upon your head,
are sure to make you forfeit life for your
temerity.
The mirage was so great that we could
not see Salt Lakes distinctly. The mud
was very soft, and owing 10 the condi-
ton of our horses, we could not venture
to it. The salt in the vicinity is found il
chrystalized layers from the thickness OF
half an inch down. 1t is in common use
among the natives.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

PROFITABLE FARMING.--Agriculture
would seem to be more profitable em-
ployment than god digging at the present
time in California. A Mr.. Horner from
New Jersey, who has farm San Jose.
about 40 miles from San Francisco, is
stated, by correspondent of the New
York Journal of Commerce, to have
planted. during the last season, abou:
13O acras of potatoes, which yielded him
a crop of $4,000 bushels, averaving so
lbs to the bushel, aud 27O bushels TO the
acre. The crop will average about ten
cents per pound, or the enormous sum OF
one hundred and seventy-five thousand
dollars, or what is the same thing, the
whole yield of 130 acres was $4,000
bushels, and sold at five dollars per pushel.
To sum up all, we fiud the product OF this
farm of less than $50 acres, was as fol-
lows: Potatoes, $4,000; Onions Sl6.-
600; Cabbages. $4,000; Tomatoes
S625O; Pumpkins. S4SOO; Total product,
S2IS.05O
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

RESTORATION OF SIGHT.-An Italian
peasant. born blind, of asblind mother. was
not long since successfully couched oy
a Venetian surgeon. The patient had pre-
viously been able to discriminate between
day and night, and lie Immediately called
the white light, the black dark. but could
not distinguish red from yellow or blue
from green. When first taken TO a win.
dow, aud shown the blue sky above and
the living world below. the man though
a poor half witied creature, was oyerpow-
cred by his emotions and actually swoon-
ed.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09
A G E M.
Into INV heart a sileut LOOK

Into my heart a silent look
Flashed from thy careless eyes,
And what before was shadow, took
The light of summer skies.
The first bnrn love was in that look
The Venus lose from out the deep
Of those inspiring eyes.
My life, like some lone solemn spot
A spirit passes Ger,
Grew instinct with glory not
In earth or heaven before:
Sweet trouble stirred the haunted spot,
And shook the leaves OF every thought
Thy presence wandered Ger.
My being yearned and crept to thine,
As, il in times of yore,
Thy soul had been part of mine
Which claimed it back once more;
Thy very self no longer thine,
But merged in that delicious life
Which made us one OF yore!
There bIOOIned beside thee forms as fair,
Tnerr murmured tones sweet,
But round thee Lreathed the enchanted air
Twas life and death 10 meet;
And hrnceiorth thou alone vert fair,
And though the stars had sung Cor joy,
They whisper only sweet.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

INSTITUTION FOR THE BLINp.-The in-
stitution for the blind in New York. have
made their fifteenth annual report
Nearly twenty years have elapsed since
its establishment, and during which time
three hundred and sixty pupils have been
educated within its walls; many of whom
MAINTAIN themselves in a state Of COM
parative independence, by working at
trades which they were taught in the
institution there at the present time in
the building one hundred and forty-four
blind persons, thirty-three of whom are
employed in the manufacturing DEPART
ment, where the men are employed in
basket making, carpet weaving, and like
occupations, and the women at plain
sewing. fancy work, and paper-box max.
ing. One hundred aud FIVE Of the above
number are pupils, some Of whom are
under the instruction OF blind teachers.
who have graduated in the institution.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

LovE.-Dow Jf., the humorous ser.
monizer of the Murcnry, breaches thus:
My friends-Not to love is painful
TO have all our thoughts entomed in the
| dark sepulchre of selGshness, and our
hopes lost in the cold mists of misautro.
py, is about as bad as being confined in
dungeon, to be fed with the fragments
OF ones former folies The light of love
admitted through the window of the
heart warns and nourishes the soil of the
sonl-causes buds OF benevolence 10 ex-
paEd, and the capsules of charity to Ae
WftlI5Gt hrtilea gerlar s'eeus OF love the
bosom freezes and becomes as barren as
a goose pasture in winter If flower
chances to bloom it is destitute Of frag-
rance; or if it have any, wastes its
sweetness, as poet says, upon the des-
ert air. To be without love, is like being
without fire in winter, lamp at night
and sun at midday. The heart that
never loves, is as hard as brickbat, as
nsensible as a picked clam to all the
finer feelings; and stronger 10 every
delightful emotion. An old bachelor my
friends, whose heart is never warmed
with affection, is a miserable nobody in
the world He is as cool booded as a
turtle, aud looks just as melancholy as a
clam His hopes die as soon as they be-
gin to pinfeather; there is no more sent-
ment in his sou. than there is music in a
cornstalk fiddle; his thoughts are wrap
ped up in a shroud of self; he knows not
the pleasure attendant Oh the sequal
anna lgamation of the soul; his abode is
fixed i'll the solitary word of celibracy,
where all is cheeress and dreary. There
he lives, and there he dies, uuhouored
and unwep'; aud when he is finally car
red away by the current of time, we can
only say, there goes another parcel of
rubbish into the gulf of eternity.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

TIE French GENERALS, RANDOM, AND
PARAGUAY D'HILLIERs-The Paris cor
respondent Of the Philadelphia Bulletin,
in his letter of the 30th Of January, says:
In reading the history Of Napoleon S
return from Elba, you have doubtless
been struck with the conduct of lieu
tenant who commanded body of troops
OH his route. Although the other COM
panies welcomed the Emperor with
shouts, this one remained silent. Napo-
leon knew that he was lost, if any part
of the army should take part against him
aud, advancing before the silent ranks, he
exclaimed: II am told yO@ aClSh TO Kill
yOur Emperor, here l an" The lieu
fire." Instead of firing, the soldiers re-
sponded by shouts of VaUe Napoleon,
and the lieutenant owed his life 10 no.
thing but the heetness of his horse. This
lieutenant is now General Random, Min
lister of War,
After the battle Of Waterloo and the
defuitive imprisonment Of Napoleon, the
officers of the imperial armies never ap-
peared on public promenade without
wearing, III W tuGlI COdtS Oul-
toned up 10 the chin. and their long fierce
inustacnes, violet, or bouquet of that
flower, on the left breast This was the
party badge and gave occasion to many
duels. 1t was about 1920, that a Bona
parte captain was taking the air on
| Broadway, i'll the pleasant Town OF Lille
when lieutenant IN the French Roya
Guard sprang towards him, and. tearing
the bouquet from his breast trampled i
under foot. A duel was the necessary
consequence, in which the captain was
fortunate enough to chop off the lieuten'
ants right hand with his broad sword
This fiery youth is now the General Bar
aguay D'Hil!iers, CommanderinC Chic
OF the army or Paris, and the left arm o
Louis Napoleon.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

A HARD SHELLS HYMN BooK-A trav-
eler called at nightfall at farmer house,
the owner being from home, the mother
and daughter being alone, refused to
lodge the traveller. How far then, SAID
he, to house where preacher can get
lodgings? Oh, if you are a preacher, said
the old lady, you can stay here. Accord
ingy he dismounted. He deposited his
saGdle-bags in the house. and led his
horse to the stable. Meanwhile the
mother and daughter were debating the
point as to what kind of a preacher he
was. He cannot be Presbyterian,
said the one. for he is not dressed well
enough He is not Methodist, SAID tho
other, for his coat is not the right cut for
a Methodist. If could find his Hymn
Book, said the daughter. L could tell
what sort of a preacher he is, and with
that thrust her hand into the saddle-bags.
aud pulling out flask of liquor, she ex.
claimed-"La mother, he a Hard She'll
cd Baptist
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

TuE LOST GEM.-The black waters o.
the riverof death were rolling sluggishly
onward There approached one, whose
features bore traces of anxiety and sor.
row; and with bowed form gazed into
the turbulent stream as tho she could
tain descry something far down in its
iathomless depths. A being of benign
ana celestial aspect appeard at her side:
ard SAID. "N hat seekest thou sorrowfui
one!" "Alas." she answered, II wore q
sparkling jewel upon my bosom. It
was no baub!e but ms n ,rchs gift and
invaluable. The wealth of India can
yield none 10 match t.. In an evil hour
II dropped from its resting place into this
river. For moment | saw it floating
near the brink, and stretched out my
hand to regain it, but it was beyond
my reach and it sank down, till / saw it
no more. 1t is gone-lost forever. And
IN deep gloom she turned to depart
Stay, mourner. Grieye not but look
again into the watern' She looked, and
cry of JOY burst from her lip 1T is
there! see it floating upon the dismal
wave. Oh, shall it not be mine once
more The answer: NAY, but thou art
deceived. What thon secst is but the
semblance es what was thine. YET turn
otJey eU,S ind nvHeiu sto- cleaning from
bright azure IN the murky J,y. whose
rays gave even the waves of that yIoomv
river a tinge of brightness, and w.osa
reflection there see had mistaken for he,
own lost gem.
Then came tender and musical voice
as the beautiful appearance vanished
"Mourner, these restless billow, though
fearful and dark roll up to the gate Of
heaven. Ever faithful TO their trust they
bore the jewel which was lent, not given
TO thee, to its rightful owner the Monarch
of heaven, and translated to his care, it
will shine forever in his glorious dwelling
place"
The mourner departed with coun.
tenance thoughtful, yet cheerful, her gaze
no longer bent Ipon earth or the river Of
death. but was meeky and trustingly
raised TO the heavens And that star,
beaming into her spirit with rays of hope
and gladness was ever after her talisman
and her guide.
Mother, who weepest for thy lit:le one,
so early lost; that mourner art thou; that
star is thy now angel child. Dry thy
tears and ever rejoice that thou hast a
treasure in neaven-ZLolceI Offering.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

THE DRUNKARD's LIBERTY.--Drink
promised me liberty and gotit. had the
liberty to see my toes poke out of my boots
the water had the liberty 10 go in at
the toes and out at my heels--my knees
mad the liberty 10 come out of my pants
my elbows had the liberty TO come
out of my coat-and had the liberty to
lift the crown off my hat and scratch my
head without taking my hat Off
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

ON DANCING DR.. Fitch, in one of his
lectures on the uses OF the lungs. aud Oh
the mode Of preserving health, says:
Dancing is the king and queen of in
door exercise. 1t is suitable for all class
es and ages, both sexes. 1t is most
elegant and most eXhiIlrating exercise
II is one of the most ancient and one OF the
most sautary. l do not speak of it as dis
>ipaton. but ali exhiera'ing aud valua-
BILE exercise. Among the exercises it is
second to none 1t is extremely suita-
BILE for the sedentary, invalids. and for
consumptives. | have known one of the
worst cases of consumption l ever
knew cured by dancing alone, practised
daily for many months. The cure was
permanent and complete.
1t is deplorable that daEcing and
amusements Of nearly all kinds should
have fallen under the ban of the clergy
and should be preached against as sinful
1t is doubtful whe.her the morals o
mankind are benefited by forbdding all
amusements, and it is most certain that
the health Of thousands is sacrificed by
it. Who are those that sink earliest into
consumption among ladies! Allow me
to say, it is those who take least exercise
and refrain from all amusements; who. a
school, at church, at home, are marked
as models; whose looks are demure
whose walks are slow, and whose con
versation is always on serious subjects.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09
A VisIT TO THE MEXICAN CATHEDRAL

A VISIT TO THE MEXICAN CATHEDR
A correspondent of the Union, writing
from the city of Mexico, says
"One day last week l spent a whole
morning (six hours) in examining the Ca
ihedral and its treasures. BY special fa-
vor they showed US everything; among
others the custodian in which the conse-
Grated host is exposed on certain occa.
sons. 1t cost 100000, but is worth
$500. 1000; and you will wonder at this
when inform you that it is full four feet
high. made of solid gold, aud studded
with precious stones. The.pedestal is a
foot and half square, inlald with dia-
monds and rubies. At each corner is the
golden figure of all angel, exquisitely
carved around his waist and neck are
strings Of the finest pearls. His wings
are iplaid or covered with diamonds
rubies, and eueralds. Iu his rghr hand
he holds sheaves ofwheat, made oil yellow
topaz; in his left, punches of grapes
made OF amethysts. The shaft is alsc
studded with diamonds, rubies, aud eme
raids. The upper, part containing the
host, is made to represent the sun, and i:
foot and half i'll circumference; the
rays that emanate on one side are made
entirely of diamonds Of the first watel
beginning with some Of large size, anc
gradually tapering off. The cross tha
surmounts the top is also on this side made
of diamonds, and is superb. On The othe
side, both the cross and rays are Of the
most beautiful enerads--perhaps large
than the diamonds
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

A watch consists of 992 pieces, and
in making it 23 trades and about 200 per-
sons are employed. A remarkable in-
stance of the effect Of labor, in augment
ing the value Of raw material. is afforded
by the balance spring of the instrument.
One far,hihg's worth of iron will make
1850 balance springs. the market value
of which is about E924, nearly $4,000.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

POPULATION OF SAN Francisco
| great metropolis of the western seas,
built upon more hills than Rome was, and,
unlike her. built almost in "day," con-
tains population of twenty-three thou
sand, who, attracted by the sparkling of
gold, have come hither from every quarter
of the habitable globe. FROM the sunny
clmes of Spain and Italy, from tho fairy
lands of Persia and Arabia, from the
regions of snow and ice in Norway and
Russia, from the corn and vine lands of
pleasant France. from the British isles
and colonies from the green South Ame-
rlCa, from the ltnperial uornI,Iruu- vr NV
near relative of the Sun and Moon, aud
from the golden islands of the Pacific,
have they come in myriads to California.
In our streets the fair European iostles
with the swarthy Kanaka or the darker
Hindoo; the pious Mussulman says his
daily prayers, as he passes the churches
of the Christian; the calculating German
drives hard bargains with the volatile
Frenchman, and the stiff made Yankee
daily deals with the long tailed Chinaman.
Such an Onlnaaana gatheratns of humanity
was never before witnessed in the world
history. The golden charm has spoken
the "open sesame to the brazen gates
and lofty walls that have heretofore en-
closed nation of milllons, aud the whole
world has sent her representatives. III great
convention to little spot that four years
ago was known only as a resort for whal-
ers or merchant vessels who were on the
Pacific coast
No man can accurately calculate the
result OF this union, bu; its effects must
he grand and lasting. The southron Of
Europe will return to his home, the fur
clad northerner will again visit the cold
land of his chiidhood; the light limbed
oriental will 90 back to his fairy land,
the long tailed child Of the sun will enter
again his noble wall the bearded Turk
will ouce more listen to the nsuessSn as
it is sounded from the minarets, and the
unsopliisticated children of the sea will
return to their aowry islands. But all
will carry back with them knowledge
of the English language, an idea of the
American institutions aud liberties, por-
ton of the energy and ardor of the great
Anglo-SaXon race, aud All understanding
of the blessed principles OF Him whose
precepts will yet spread peace among the
nations, and make the "wilderness bud
and blossom as the rose tree
This discovery of gold in California
has done more to advance the cause Of
civilization and the spread of enlightened
aud Christian institutions, than any other
one fact brought TO light Withln the last
century.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

YANKEE DIET MADE ExPoRTABLE.-
They have taken TO grinding pumpkins
into -four in Massachusetts, by means of
which pumpkin pies, the peculiar institu-
ton" of New England, may be enjoyed at
al! seasons and all parts of the world.
The Omitted Society of Shakers, at
Harvard, Mass, are the patentees.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

"Waiter, I'll take my hat" said gen.
sleman at party one evening. as he
was going home. What kind of hat
did you wear." "a bran new hat that
| paid ten dollars for this morning" -
"Well, sir, said the waiter, "all the good
hats have been gone for more than two
hours.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

An old coquette is like rose bush IN
winter the flowers and leaves having lali-
ing off the beauty and fragrance gone,
nothing is left but the thorns.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

An exchange paper says that a man
was recently hanged in neighboring
State who confessed under the gallows
that his first commencement in crime aud
villiany was that of stopping news.
paper without paying for it,
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

An old edition of Morse's Geography
says; ALBANY has four hundred dwell
ling-houses and two thousand four hum
dred inhabitants, all standing with their
gable ends to the street,"
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

The young lady who caught cold by
drinking water from damp tumbler, is
convaescent
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09

A French Story Of Sonnam6uItsm.
The Courier de la Gironde relates a Curl.
Gus instance of somnainbulism in viii
lage near Bordeaux. A small farmer,
after passing the evening by his freside,
with his wife and family, retired to rest;
but, at midnight, when in a state O: SOM
nambulism. got up. dressed himself went
to the stable, harnessed his oxen TO the
plow, made them drag il to his field at
some distance, aud proceeded to plough
the field At 6 o'clock in the morning
he had entirely ploughed the land. and
he returned home with the oxen. Mean
time his family had missed him, the oxen
and the plough. aud were securing the vii
age TO 6nd them. They fancied robbie.
ry had been committed, and were about to
call OH the gendarmes, when The man re-
appeared He now awoke, and was
greatly astonished to find that he had
passed his night in ploughing. His faith
er and grandfather were noted somnam-
bulis.s. and used frequently at night TO
run along the roofs Of the houses.
Washington telegraph., 1851-04-09


A ScRAP OF INDIAN HIsToRY.-The
following scrap OF Indian tradition, relat-
lug to the Creeks ard Choc.aws. we fud
in the Mobile Advertiser, derived from
an old citizen Of that place, who, as the
editor says, seems TO be more familiar
with Indian history, their habits, manners.
&c. than any man he had ever met.
The Advertisers informant says he was
present at AN Indian ball play iii Mobile,
between the Choclaws and Creeks, III
1910, at which time The war-hatchet was
buried between those two tribes for the
first time in a hundred years. The peace
was brought about through the influence
of the Spanish Government, and the
tribes met here to receive their annuities
from the Spaniards.
The two tribes selected their best war
riors. in equal numbers, to play rival
national ball game. The play came Oft
where Government street now is-then
an open common-and one Of the base
poles was placed near where Government
street Church now stands, aud the other
at about the upper end OF The Market
House. 1t was contested with terrific
energy-one of the Choctaws being killed
in the strife--but still that tribe came off
victorious. After they had received their
presents. they went up the river and
crossed over into the fork between the
| Bigbee and Alabama, aud the rival tribes
played for three days, at the end of which.
the Choctaws had won from the Greeks
all their presents, aud all their ponies.
But they quit friendly.
The remnant now about Mobile of the
once powerful tribe OF Choctaws-the
chiefs of which boast of never having
shed the blood of white man-were to
play their national ballgame near that
city on the 7th inst.