davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

ExTRAoRpISARY ABSTINENCE FROM
FooD.-The more that animals enjoy
the qualities Of youth. strength. and ac-
tivity, the greater is the increase and
development, OF their parts. and the
greater necessity for an abundant supply
Of food. or many individuals exposed
to an absolute abstinence of many days.
the young are always first TO perish
Ofthis the history of war and shipwreck
offers in all ages too many frigh tful ex-
amples. There are several instances on
record Of an almost total abstinence
from food for an extraordinary length
of time. Captain Bligh, of the Bounty,
sailed nearly 1000 miles in an open boat.
with occasionally single small bird
not many ounces In weight for the daily
sustenanca of II people; and 1t is even
alleged, that IA men and women Of the
Juno, having suffered shipwreck on the
coast Of Arracan, lived 20 days without
any food. Two people first died Of
want on the fifth day. In the opinion
Of Rhedi. animals support want much
longer than is generally believed. A
civit cat lived 10 days without food.
an antelope 90. and very large wild
cat also go; an eagle survived 90 days.
ba Iger one month, and several dogs
SO days.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

be changed; but in mans treatment of wo-
man there is much more that is wrong.
"Halo" talks much like o man who sat
uneasy under "petticoat government. and
will bet my old bonnet that he is regu-
lar "hen-pecked specimen" Of "hyfalutin-
ISM" whose wifeis shrewd enough to man
age him and make him think that he is ssgo-
ing it alone," or like a man who had "taken
SO mucho that he could not travel the
streets, the houses were so large!
In "Halo's" communication the word
intelligence does not occur, nor hint that
we are capable Of intellectual impro !;
not that it is necessary for US to be intelli-
gent; if we will but stay at home, obey our
lords, and have his dinner ready, seems to
be ali that sHalo" expects Of Ls. If either
must lack for knowledge, it should be the
man. That being who guides and directs
the infant mind should be well educated
and have good store of knowledge.
ROSE ABELL.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
VOL. V.---NO.. g.
Caprices Of the Human Appetite.

The human being has been described
as an animal capable Of suiting himself
to every description Of climate. ranging
from the pole to the equator, and adapt.
ing his habits either Of those Of savage
life, or the highest state Of refine ment.
His power Of enduring a temperature
| which would freeze the blood of an al
| ligator, or melt the body of bear, is
not more remarkable than the variety of
food which he can digest, and the per-
feet power which he possesses Of suit
ing his appetiteto the different products
OF the animal aud vegetable kingdoms.
In the selection of food he is more gov.
erned by caprice and fashion, than the
excellence Of the repast; and the perver-
sity Of taste in this respect is really ass
tonishing. We are informed by Taci.
tus that there was a man at Colonia
Agrippina, whose favorite dish was spi-
ders. and various tribes in the ancient
world are noticed as having lived on
species ofsoup made of snakes and scor-
pions. Some barbarous nations in mod.
ern times feed on locusts, fresh or pick
led, while the inhabitants Of Madagas-
car are said to prefer them to the finest
fish. But what must we say # the
Cochin Chinese. who esteem rotten eggs
as one Of the creates, delicacies, and so
far do they carry this desire, that putrid
eggs are rated thirty per cent higher
than fresh ones. This taste, however,
need not excite so much surprise, when
we recolect that the upper classes in
this country prefer putrid to fresh game.
and would not taste it till it acquired
the fashionable gout. II is standing
joke against the French that they dress
and eat frogs, and yet | have seen
Frenchmen, who were partial TO those
reptiles, sicken when they saw rook OF
crow pies in Scotland.
story is told of British sailor who
could swallow and digest clasp or pen
knives, sometimes pouring half dozen
into his stomach at a time; and by which
freak he ultimate killed himself
Perhaps it may be considered nearly as
strange, when mention, that the Chi
nese gentry are passionately fond of
birds nesfs-the real nests Of birds of
the swallow species. This fancy for
birds nests obtains all over China, but
can be followed up only By the very
wealthiest classes Such is the extra
ordinary demand for this description Of
food. that its cost is enormous; and to
say in China that man eats birds nests.
is equivalent to saying that he is
grandee or person Of grea, opulence.-- -
The nests which are thus In such repute
are not formed Of clay, like those of our
swallows, but are made of q substance
resembling isinglass in appearance.
which is understood by some to be gath
cred by the animal from certain marine
matter.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
For the JUUrHuI.
Another Reply.

DEAR EDlroR: This is great country;
some great men in it; and some women
they are some the smallest, that is if we be-
lieve what ssHalo" says.
That "original poetry' is much like the
doegerel rhymes Of a crazy "root doctor''
| once knew in New York, by the name of
Zeke Shallowpate. He came off to this
country and turned allopathy, they said, and
|" went it strong" Hemade "hymns" just
like that, to torment US girls because Sail
Snoops said he chad not sense enough to
enjoy good health;'' in fact, he was so
Cumb that they could make nothing of him
but a ss doctor % and if his name was not
" Halo,o l would think it was the same
mans nhymns.'' The resemblance is
strong. When he breaches again, | hope
he viii use that ssnew hymn book' lately
published. On the first page he will find
the following hymn:
The "lords Of creation" men we call,
And they think they rule the whole;
But they re much Mistaken after all,
For they're under wOmans control,
As ever since the world began,
1t has always been the way
For did not ADAM the very first man,
The very first woman obey.
This hymn won't 60 to Old Hundred
Any woman in the congregation can sing
that hymn rlSnt.
"Halo" says "the sphere in which man
was designed TO move is as much above
woman's as the loftiest peak of the Andes is
above the lowly vale beneath" Now it
that is true of anything, it is only true of
their folly. In that they are out of reach
of competition by woman, as may be seen
in the instance before US. In the practical
operations of life, so far as woman's powers
have been developed, she is fully mans equal
in every particular. Remove the encum-
brances from our path, give US fair chance
to develop our powers, and we will not ask
the inside track. Woman can fully sustain
herself; she has done so when tried, al
ways; when man droops-his arms hang
powerless at his side-his resources fail
him-then the power of woman's mind is
felt and seen. She cheers him up-she in
fuses new life into his corporation" and
revives his tagging spirits; in fact, her en-
ergy and perseverance are as much superior
to his, under adversity, as the plains OF
Elysium are to the bogs of Pandemonium.
Her knowledge of the world, of s'men and
things,o is equal to man's and often supe.
rior, provided she has an equal chance. In
modesty, virtue, chastity, sympathy, honor
politeness and genuine good feeling, it ii
no compliment to her to say that she is fal
his superior. In low, vulgar fings at mar
or woman, we cannot begin to compete will
man. In woman's treatment of her Owl
sex there is much thst is wrong, and shoul'
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
JAPANESE MARRIAGEs.-A singular

JAPANESE MARRIAGEs.-A singular
custom at The marriage Of the Japanese
is, that the teeth Of the bride are made
black by some corrosive liquid I; the
teeth remain black ever after. and serve
to show that a woman is married or d
widow. Another circumstance is al the
birth OF every child, to plant tree in
the garden or court yard, which attains
its full growth in as many years as O
man requires 10 be mature for duties Of
marriage. When he marries. the tree is
cut down, and is made into chests
and boxes, to contain the clothes and
other things which are made for the
new married couple. The Japanese
may marry as often as they please, but
marriages with sisters are prohibited
but they may marry any other relative
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

PLANTS IN Bed ED-RooMs.-Perscns who
are fond of odoriferous plants and flowers
should never permit them to be placed
in their bed.chambcr, as many Of them
are so powerful as to overcome the senses
entirely. Even plants that are not In
flower, and have no smell, yet injnre the
air during the night. and in absence Of
the sun. by impregnating it with nitro.
gen and carbonic acid gas; although in
the daylight they rather improve the at.
mosphere by yielding oaygen gas.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
Condensed History Of Steam.

About $50 years B. c.. Hero, Of Alex.
andria, formed toy which exhibited
some Of the powers Of steam, and was
moved by its powes.
A. ID. 45O, Anthemius, an architect,
arranged several cauldrons Of water,
each covered with the wide bottom OF
a leathern tube. which rose to narrow
top, with pipes extended to the rafters
of the adjoining building. A fire was
kindled beneath the cauldron and the
house was shaken by the efforts Of the
steam ascending the tubes. This is the
first notice Of ihe power OF steam re-.
corded.
In 1543. June II. Basco d. Garoy
tried steamboat Of 200 tons, with tol.
erable success. at Barcelony. Spain. 1t
consisted :of cauldron of boiling va
ter, and movable wheel on each side
Of the ship. 1t was laid aside as i'm
practicable. A present, however. was
made to Garoy.
In 1850. the first railroad was con-
structed at Newcastle on.Tyne.
The first idea Oft steam-engine in
England was in the Marquis Of Wor-
cester's .History of Inventions" A. D..
1868.
In ITO Newcomon made the first
steam engine in England.
In lTl8 patents were granted to Sav.
ary for the first application Of the steam
engine.
In 1764 James Watt made the first
perfect steam engine in England.
In 1886 Jonathan HullS set forth the
idea Of steam navigation.
In I77S Thomas Paine first proposed
this application in America.
In 1871 Marquis Jouffroy constructed
one on the Saone.
In 1885 two Americans published
work on il.
In 1889 William Symington made a
voyage in one on the Forth and Clyde
canal.
In 1902 this experiment was repeated.
In l7s2.iRamsey propelled a.boat by
steam at New York.
In 1887 John Fitch. Of Philadelphia.
navigated boat by steam engine on
the Delaware.
In 1898 Robert Fulton first began TO
apply his attention to steam.
In 1893 oliver Evans, native Of
Philadelphia. constructed a locomotive
steam ssengine to travel on turnpike
road.
The first steam vessel that crossed
the Atlantic was the Savannah, in the
month Of June, 1919. from Charleston
to Liverpool.-Hunt's Merchants Mag.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

body and estate. Then, and not till then, will
you have "whip for the horse" that sells
it, ga snafAe for the ass" that drinks it,
and ga rod for the fools backs" who have
50 long been bloviating around the world,
and accomplished nothing.
REMARKS.
AZ this congregation is composed Of
those to whom the snafle in the text is ap-
plicable, in my concluding remarks shall
neglect the whip and the rod.
Temperance is that due restraint upon
our affections and passions which renders the
body tame and governable, and frees the
mind from the allurements of vice. This
virtue should be the constant practice of all
men," Temperance, applied to the use of
intoxicating liquors, means s'touch not,
taste not, handle not the unclean thing"
for, as it is written in the book of Ecclesi-
astes, (chap. 9, verso 12,) "man knoweth
not his own end: but as fishes are taken
with the hook, and as birds are caught with
the snare, so men are taken in the evil time,
when it shall suddenly come upon them"
Think not. o young man, in the pride and
strength of thy youth, you will always have
the same control over yourself you have
now, for, as certain as darkness follows the
going down of the sun, so will ruin over
take you in an evil hour when you think
not that it is near, if you continue to drink
spirituous liquor.
You may look about you, and, now and
then, see some old gray.haired veteran,
who has been drinking good brandy for the
last fiftyyears, and say, "rthink can thrive
under its influence as well as that man.
Oh! fatal delusion! Look back on the road
that old veteran has travelled over, and see
the thousands of dry bones bleaching in the
open fields of destruction, misery and death,
with this significant inscription:--sDied a
Remember, some drink for fun and get
sore heads, broken and bloodv noses, empty
pockets, and an ill name. Some drink to
drown trouble, and sink into deeper trouble
to rise no more Some drink for the love
OF it--but at last it "biteth like serpent
and stingeth like an adder" Drink not at
all, and you will have the blessed consola-
ton of dying sober, and leaving behind you
q good name, if nothing more, which is bet
ter than riches and honors and all the pleas
ures of this short and evil life. HALO.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
A STUDY ron FaEscHMEN IN Esel,sH

A STUDY ron FRENcHMEN IN EHGLIsH
PRoNuNclArIoN. N.-Thimb bring This,lewa,
thievishly thought to thrive through
thick and Thin by throwing his thimbles
about; but he was thwarted and thwacked
and ,humped and threshed with thirty
thousand thistles and ,horns, thievishly
thinking to thrive through thick and
thin by throwing his thimbles about.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

Tar coal fields Of the United States
embrace an area Of 133.560 square
miles--those Of Great Britain and Ire
land, only ll.859--those Of Spain 3.
4us--France, l.7l9. With the excep-
ton Of the British North American Col
onies, which have coal area Of $4,000
square miles, the coal fields Of all tho
o,her nations, in comparison with those
OF the United States. are mere patches
on this globe.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

HooDwINKINe THE PIeEoNs.-Pigeons
are much more injurious 10 the gardener
and farmer than crows. or any other Of
the feathersd animals. 1t is said that
each pigeon eats its weight of food in
day. and that principally of vegeta
BILE nature. A new sovn field of barley
or peas is. therefore, glorious treat,
and will be made short work OF by a
flock. The boys and farm lads OF Sussex
follow a strange plan of thinning focks
of marauding pigeons. Going TO gar-
den or field likely to be frequented by
these animals for the sake of plunder,
they stick into the ground small pieces
OF paper, twirled into the shape of a
funnel, the pointed end being downmost.
Into each Of these paper tunnels they
place single pea.
The boys having left the ground, the
pigeons soon arrive, and commence
looking about for food; and seeing the
peas ready, as they imagine. for pick
ing up. they pop their head into the
funnel, which, sticking to them. they
lif. up. and Immediately mount into
the air, as il with a nightcap drawn
over their eyes. Under such hapless
circumstances they soar aloft in per,
fectly straight line to the zenith. till
lost to the eye OF the beholder in the
clouds. How far the poor creatures thus
proceed into the nights of the atmos-
phere, it is impossible to conjecture
II is certain they continue their flight
till nature is exhausted within them, and
death relieves them from their misery.
Down they then sink through the yield
ing air like bullet; and so straight up
ward has been their course, that they
generally fall within few feet of the
spot whence they took their flight. We
do not remember Of seeing this remark
able peculiarly in the flight Of the hood
winked pigeon noticed by naturalists.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

THRowING OLD Shoes FOR Luck
The custom of throwing shoe. taken
from the lef, foot. after persons for good
luck, has been prac.iced in Norfolk from
time immemorial. not only az weddings.
but on all occasions where good luck
is required. Some forty years ago q
cattle dealer desired his wife to ''thrull
her left shoe after him." when he started
for Norfolk to buy lottery ticket. As
he drove of on his errand he looked
round to see il she performed the charm, !,
and consequently he received the shoe
in his face, with such force as to black
both his eyes. He went and bought
his ticket. which turned up a prize OF
f6OQ; and his son assured me that his
father always attributed his luck to the
extra dose Of shoes which he got.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

THE TALLow TREEs-They are about
introducing the cultivation OF the tallow
tree into the south Of France. 1t at
tains, it is said. the common hight of
cherry tree; its fruit is white substance.
enclosing a stone. closely resembling
tallow, aud possessing its appearances,
smell, and burning qualities. 1t re-
quires trying out and refining. like ami
NAL tallow, and as yet no means OF ct.
fectipg this has been devised.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

BEARDs.-Some Of the ancient German
nations allowed their boards to grow
till they had killed an enemy in battle;
and the Ang'o-Saxons, probably on their
first arrival in Britain, and for a consid-
erable time after. followed this fashion.
After the introduction Of Christianity.
the clergy were obliged to shave their
boards, in obedience to the laws and
practice of all the western churches
By degrees, the English laisy began to
initiate the clergy SO far as to shave all
their boards, except their upper lips. on
which they left lock of hair, by which
they were distinguished from the French
and Normans. who shaved their whole
boards. In modern times we find this
national practice completely reversed.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

AS DEAD AS HERRING The herring
is delicate fish, and is killed BY u
very small degree Of violence. When
ever it is taken out of the water. even
though il seems to have received no
hurt, it gives squeak. and instantly
expires; and though it be Immediately
thrown back iuto the water, il never
recovers. Hence arises the proverb.
"Dead as herring"
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

The "Bioomers," Miss Anthony, Mrs Abbey Kelly
Foster and other hewomen in pants presented their
credentials and demanded admittance as delegates to
the Worlds Temperance Convention sitting in New
York. The chairman very properly decided that II
fey wore the breeches he should don his own where
upon, the "strong-minded women" generally, un-
der the lead Of Rev. Mr.. Hgginson and another old
granny LEFT in disgust, determined upon an opposi-
ton Worlds Temperance Convention.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

The Mormons Of Utah about to cultivate oysters
Holsters aud crabs in the Salt Lake. II the water
.houd prove too salt they design to construct sluces
to let OF the salt water and let in the fresh.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

On Sunday, the 18th ult., fire which had canght
in the woods Of Canada, seems to have been carried
along like hurricane for miles, sweeping forests and
fences houses and barns, focks and herds before it,
and, it is feared, destroying many lives About two
hundred families principally agriculturaists have been
left houseless.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

ARAGo says the ancisnts used steam.
He has seen painted ring the picture of
boat with paddles which must have bean
propelled either by hydrosta,ics or steam;
and it is we'll known that the ancient
Egyptian priests used steam to perform
miracles. The priests were men Of
science, and jealousy kept it in their own
privileged order, as the basis of their in
fuence; SO that, when Cambyses, the
Persian conqueror, ,,hundered over Egypt
and crushed out the priesthood. the sci
ence that built the pyramids and piled
giant masses Of stone. and performed
other equally wonderful feats, was lost
with them. There is now in that couu-
try canal, choked up with sand, many
miles long. forty feet deep, and wide
enough for two war galleys to ride
abreast: fl00.0 900 would put it in COM
plete repair. Herodotus tells US it was
built BY Sesostris, the cotemporary OF
Moses.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
For the Journal.
Sermon No. ".

went down town the other night ,!and saw man
the night, / dreamed the following song:
The Poor Drnnkard.
Poor man saw him wend his way,
In darkness more dreadful than death,
Down to that den where devils stay,
To fire the soul till break of day,
With brandy, rum and gin,
While some were snOaring,
And others roaring,
What a merry time they had
Morning came and with it sorrow
For the fire that burned had gone out
And as he awoke, o. horror
A ghost he was pale as clOut.
He raised from off his board,
He uttered not word,
His hair pulled badly;
His heart beat sadly,
As he turned towards his home.
There his poor wife, oppressed with care,
Alone sat, weeping bitter tears:
His children starving, q hard fare!
For such poor things of tender years;
'Tis hard that these must stay,
At home and pine away.
Starve and die alone,
Uneared for, unknown,
BY those of better days.
The drunkard died and went to he'll
To scorch i'm flames of vengeful fire.
There, there he cursed all those who sell
Their souls for dimes, and no higher;
And brandy, rum and gin,
And whisky, punch and sling,
While some were bowling,
And others growing,
Enr he dc vii was tn nav
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17

JOAQUIN. THE NoTED MEXICAN RoBBER.
Tho San Francisco Herald gives a
romantic account Of Joaquin, the Mex
lean robber. He recently stopped on the
Salinas Plains, and the owner of the
house asked him, in the course Of the
conversation. il he had heard Of J Joaquin.
The person addressed, put his hand to
his heart and with grave politeness and
glance, replied:
"Sir, | am that Joaquin, and no man
takes me alive. or comes within one
hundred yards Of me, with these good
weapons"
Without any further ceremony, and
perfectly unexcited, the robber went
on to relate the reason OF his con-
duct in his late career. He said that,
becoming disgusted with the frequency
Of Mexican revolutions, he had come
California to end his days in peace as
an American citizen, but that he
had been oppressed. robbed and perse-
cuted by the Americans in the placers:
had lost $4,000, been driven from a
piece Of land, which he was working
with an American companion: had been
insulted and grossly maltreated without
justice: had been flogged-and he was de-
termined to be revenged for his wrongs,
four-fold. He had robbed many, killed
many and more should suffer in the
same way. or else he would die in the
struggle. He appeared then to grow
very serious, and became excited, but
subsequently, added, that hearing large
reward was offered for his head or his
living body, he rode into Stockton,
disguised, walked leisurely around. with
his serape thrown over his shoulders,
reading the different hand.bills posted
up about town. Coming to one Of
these. in a public thoro ughfare, where
$4,000 were offered for his capture. he
wrote in pencil underneath II ~ill
give $4,000 myself, Joaquin and
leisurely rode out Of the town.
Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-06-17
DEATHS OF DISTINGUISHED PERSONS.

Judge Thomas M. Petit, recently appointed Direc-
tor Of the Mint at Philadelphia, died the Sd inst
| Brig. Gen. Bennett Riley died on the 9th inst in
|