davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

A TRUTH FOR PARENTs.-The Rev. DR..
Duff, man of eminent practical wisdom,
as well as of eminent piety, says, ~ am
prepared from experience to say, that, i'll
nine cases out of ten, the boards of accu-
muated money given to children, by whom
they were never earned, and who acquired
no habits of industry, or thrift, or laborious-
ness, prove, in point of fact, rather curse
than blessing. am prepared to sub
,tantiate tina! as matter of fact, not mere
ly from my own knowledge of the subject,
but from the statement Of men who have
been of watchful and observant habits,
cultivated not only in Great Britain, but IN
America. But it is melancholy fact that
so little do parents know of the mass OF
misery they are accumulating for their
children in heapng up these boards for
them-so little do they think how big with
misery these boards are." Let parents
think of this solemn truth, and do good with
their wealth, instead Of treasuring It up for
their children. '
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

"WIDDERs." s."-Gen. Smith, the hero OF
Chapultepec, has surrendered to a widow
so did Julius Cesar, so Gid Belisarius, so
did Marlborough, so did Washington, SO did
Napoleon, SO did Jackson aud Madison
these we remember-we do not add the
cases where literary gentlemen have been
deluded by soft hands that smoothed their
pillows, and soft eyes that wept over their
poetry. We give few cases which occur,
to show how, from the days of Hercules
and Omphale the sword has yielded to the
distaff. The elder Weller-himself a"wic-
.tm"-has declared with uneducated sagac-
ity that he can't remember-though he
has heard-how many single women one
widder is equal 10 in pint of comm 1t over
man." We wish the gentleman of liter
ary leisure would prepare some statistical
exhibit on the subject, and some 'cientl-
fic ASSOCIATION would deduce and publish
the normal relation between relicts and
spinsters for the instruction and protection
OF the public.-Bal. Patriot.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21
A Remarkable Story.

Dr. Fox who kept lunatIc asylum near
Bristol, relates the following story OF man
who made an iron meal. "ln my visits
among my patients, one morning, says the
doctor, II went into room where two, who
were aoquaintances of each other, were &C
customed to live. Immediately | entered
noticed an unusual degree Of detection a
bout one of them, and feverish kind OF
excitement in the other. inquired what
was the matter; Matter ! said the excl
ted one; matter enough He has done tor
himself!' why, what has he done /" 'Oh,
he has swallowed the poker' During this
short conversation the other looked increas-
ingly mournful and on my inqulring what
was .he matter with him, replied--"He has
told you true enough; | have swallowed
the poker, and do not know what shall do
with rt" 81 will tell you how it happen
ed" said the first. "My friend and were
sitting by the fire talking on different
things, when offered to lay him wager
that he could not eat any of the poker; he
said he could and would took it up, twist
ed the end OF it backward and forward be-
tween the bars of the CRATE, and at last
broke off some inches OF it, and Instant y
swallowed it; and he has looked melancholy
ever since" | did not believe word OF
this tale; and suppose my incredulity was
displayed in my countenance, or the nara
tor guessed as much, for he added-"Oh.
YOU can see that it is true, for there Is the
rest of lhe poker went 10 the CRATE and
examined the poker, which, being an old
one, had been much burned; and where
the action of the fire had been fiercest, and
had worn away the iron, piece OF between
two aud three inches had been wrenched
off, and was missing. Still l could hardly
credit that the human stomach could receive
such dose and remain feeling" as the
professed swallower of it said "nothing
particular" However, the constant affirm
ing Of the first united to the assent and
ruelul looks of the second, induced me to
use the patient as though the account were
true. | administered very strong medi-
cines, and watched their effects constantly.
The man ate, drank, and slept as usual, and
appeared to suffer nothing but from the el-
fects of the medicines. AT last, to my as
tonishment, the piece of the poker ca ne a.
way and The man was as well as ever.--
The iron had undergone regular process
of digestion, and the surface ofit was deep
ly honey combed by the action Of the Jul
reSp
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

NATuRE.-In surveying the works Of
nature, in admiring their beauty, their order
their seasons, and the thousand attractions
they possess, sometimes think that the
Divine Author of our religion viewed them
with corresponding feelings and this ref1ec-
tion always affords me pleasure. He selec-
ted garden having brook in it, as a
place Of frequent resort and in beautiful
passage we find him telling us to consider
the lilies of the field, how they grow they
toll not, neither do they spin, and yet say
unto you that even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these !' He
delightfully."- reminds us how securely we
may trust to his care and love, by desiring
us TO "behold the fowls Of the air, for they
SOW not, neither do they reap, nor gather
into barns, yet your heavenly Father feed
eth them" Then, again, he tells US, that
we are his sheep and that he is our Shep-
herd And, at another time he illustrates
his kindness and compassion by referring
70 the care and protection afored by q hen
TO her chickens; and further assures us that
not even sparrow falleth to the ground
without the knowledge of our beniicent
Creator, These and other illustrations of
our Saviour's precepts, were taken from
objects of nature, which probably immedi-
ately surrounded him and may be admit
ted as proof Of the justice of the observa-
tions | have hazarded on the subject
JssSe'S GleGningS.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

MORE "INFERNAL MAcHiSEs."-The re-
port of the proceeding of the French Acad.
emy ofScience contains an account of new
and destructive weapon which has been in
vented in France. II consists OF long
hollow lance, filled with ONE combustible
compound. To this lance is attached
buckler, which protects the head and breast
of the soldier from the bullets Of the enemy:
"Thus protected the man may advance
to within eight, ten or twelve yards Of the
enemy, and deliver his fire. The fire Is
communicated to the lance with as great
facility as to gun. 1t exercises its action
directly by fire, properly speaking, and will
cover with sheet of fame horizontal sur
face of ten or twelve yards the fire tena-
ciously attaches itself TO every object If en-
counters, burns with rapidity, and gives so
powerful volume of fame that it is as
dangerous to the second and third ranks Of
the enemy as to those in front. Besides
this first effect, the lance continues for some
time to give an uninterrupted jet of flame.
accompanied with loud whistling noise"
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

A CENTURY OF RUSSIAN EMPERoRs.-
Such list as the following cannot be pre-
pared from the annals OF any European
kingdom, and scarcely from an Asiatic mon
archy. Russia has aptly been described
as an absolute monarchy, tempered BY reg
icide:
1718. Alexis, son and heir of Peter the
Great, put to death by order Of his own
father.
1870. Peter the Second, son of Alexis,
'died suddenly, deposed and murdered y
with him ends the branch of the house Of
Romanoff.
1740 Ivan Antanovitch, an infant, sue
ceeded his aunt Anna in 1740. In year
he was deposed by his cousin, the Empress
Elizabeth, who confined him in various
p-isons. In 1746 he was privately put to
death by Catbarne the Second, during an
insurrectIon.
1862. Peter the third murdered by his
wife, the Empress Cathar:ne the Second.
1901. Paul, her son, murdered by con-
spiracy of his mobiles.
1925. Alexander, supposed to have been
made away with by the conspiracy which
broke out on his death; but later discover
ies-from Russian sources, however--throw
doubts on this rumor.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

To PRESERVE BUTTER FREsH.-Finding
the following receipt in an old paper, l send
it to you, hoping that some OF your many
readers may be benefited by it t:--"Take Of
best pure common salt two parts, sugar
one part, saltpetre one part, beat and blend
them completely together. One ounce of
this mixture TO every pound of butter, to be
well worked into the butter, which is then
put up close for use. 1t Is 10 remain three
or four weeks before the salt is sufficiently
blended. 1t has been found sweet when
three years old."-Philip.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21
A WICKED wAc.-some wse lately

A WICKED WAG.-Some wag lately
consigned to voluntary Imprisonment re-
spectacle elderly gentleman of Exmouth.
who labors under an asthmatic complaint.
In the garden fronting the invalid's house
flagstaff is erected. with vane on the
top, view OF which he commands from
his sitting-room window. During the prev
alence of easterly winds he avoids going
out OF doors as much as possible. Our
wicked hero took an opportunity one night
to climb up the flagstaff and with a ham,
mer and nail fastened the yane due east
The consequence was. the old gentleman,
referring to his vane every morning as was
his custom. to see what quarter the wind
was in, and not suspect'ng any thing was
wrong. was kept in doors thirteen days
after it had changed.-Gaieshead Observer.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

A CHEAP LUxURY.-As weary travel
Ter was vending his way through the mud,
IN far west region OF the country, he dis
covered ahead, a young maiden standing in
the door of a small log house. He rode up
in front of the house and asked the maiden
for drink of water; he drank it, and she
being the first woman he had seen for sew
eral days, offered her "a dime for kiss" :"
The young maiden accepted the Offer and
received both kiss and dime. The travel
Ter was about to resume his journey, but
the maiden, never before having seen
dime asked,
"What am TO do with the dime?"
sYou may use 1t IN any way You wish, ="
he replied, sit Is yours" ,,
THAT being the case" she replied. "Pll
give you back the dime and take another
kiss"
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

Pacific RAlLRoAD.-The Washington cor.
respondent of the N. Y. Jour. of Commerce
writes: "The Pacific Railroad bill was to
have been one of the most prominent OF
all those before Congress, at the present
session. 1t has been the subject of able
reports and some very able speeches. But
the more the subject is investigated, the
less +. acticable does the project appear to
be. Congress has been entirely indisposed
to any action on the subject, at present.
Even Col. Benton,the great champion fthe
Pacific Railroad, that is, by his own route,
has given up the project, and will probably
offer wagon road as substitute. A wag-
on road would be, of itself, work of very
considerable labor and expense, and would
answer all present purposes, and, perhaps,
in the course of time, lead to a Railroad"
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

A FARMERS WIFE IN OLDEN TINES
Sir Anthony Fitzherbert, Chancellor to
Henry the VII, thus describes the mod
el farmers wife 1t is a wyves oocupa-
tion TO winnow all manner of cornes, to
make matte, to wash and ironying, to make
hay, fill the muckwaye or dung cart, drive
the plow, load hay, corne, and such other.
And 90 or ride to market to sell butter,
cheese, eggs, cheykins, cupons hens, pigs,
geese. and all manner of cornes."
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

GREEN Conn FOR SUMMER FoDDER.-
Sow southern corn as early as the ground
will permit, few rows at time, and con.
tinue at intervals of one or two weeks, and
you may help out the parched pastures and
keep up liberal supply of milk. The soil
should be deeply plowod and generously en-
riched.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

THE CoLLIsEUM.-Under all aspects. in
the blaze of the noon, at sunset by the
light of the moon or siars-the Coliseum
stands alone and uuapproached. 1t is the
monarch of ruins. II is great tragedy
in stone, and it softens and subdues the
mind like drama of Eschylus or Shak-
peare. It's a colossal type of those strug-
giles of humanity against an irresistible
destiny, in which the tragic poet finds the
elements of his arts. The calamit!es which
crushed the house Of Atreus are symbol
lied in its broken arches and shattered
walls. Built of indestructibe materials
and seemingly for eternity-of size, ma
terial and form to defy the "strong hours
which conquer all, it has bowed its head to
their touch, and passed into the inevitable
cycle of decay "And this, too, shall pass
away"-which the Eastern monarch en-
graved upon his signet ring-is carved up
on these Cyclopean blocks. The stones Of
the Coliseum were once water, and they
are now turning into dust. Such is ever
the circle of nature. The solid is changed
into the fluid, and the fluid into the solid
and that which is unseenis alone indestTuc'
tible. He does not see the Coliseum a.
right who carries away from it no other
impression than that of form, size and hue
1t speaks an ineligible language to the
wiser mind. 1t rebukes the peevish and
consoles the patient. It teaches US thai
there are misfortunes which are crowned
with dignity, and sorrows that are crowned
with grandeur. As the same blue sky
smiles upon the Iuin which smiled upon
the perfect structure, so the same beneh.
cent Providence bends over our shattered
hopes and our answered prayers.-Hl-
lard's Sir Months in Haly.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21
STAUNTON SPECTATOR
BYJ. A. d l.. wADDELL, Jr.
TER s.

ne The "SPECTaTOR', is Published once
d ,ss.k at T,co Dollars gear, if paid ia adrGNee,
Or Tso D,llars aad fIgly Ce.ts i delayed beyond
che sro:raiion Of ihe gear No subscriptions '7'a
bs discontinued bit at The option Of the Editors
4lfs!il all arrearGges are pad.
o. al coal@ancatioHs TO the Editors 6g n'a''
nust be paid, or they riR aot be attended TO-
CO aDYER TISE.UENTS ofMirtse" ''Hes m
Cor less asserted three times for one dollar, ana
twsnty- fee cents for each subsequent Continuance
T.arper inserted IN tie same prGPOr-
tioa. A iJsral discount made to those 'oho Gdesr-
sise by the year,
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

A HARD HIT.-Henry Ward Heecher
says he means to vote against the Nebras-
ka bill, though the ballot box should be pls-
cea in the jaws of h-ll.
TO this the Wheeling Argus replies, that
every man has right TO vote IN his own
precinct.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21
Process of Coming Gold.

A United States mint has been compile.
ted in San Francisco, and is probably ere
this time in active operation, coming down
daily vast treasures OF golden ore. 1t was
intended that it should be prepared to coin
thirty millions of dollars yearly. The fol-
lowing description of the system which is
about to be established there, will afford a
good general idea Of the ordinary process
of coming gold:
The metal, after being received in the
deposite room, is carefully weighed, and a
receipt given. Each deposit is then melted
separately in the melting room, and mould
ed into bars. These bars next pass through
the hands of the assayer, who with chlsel
chips small fragment from each one
Each chip is then rolled into thin ribbon,
and filed down until it weighs exactly ten
grains. 1t is then melted in little cup
made of llcined bone ashes. and all the
bass metals, copper, tin, &C., are absorbed
by the polous material of the cup, or carried
oil by oxydation. The gold is then boiled
in nitric acid, which dissolyes the silver
which it contains. aud leaves the gold pure.
1t is then weighed, and the amount which
it has lost gives the exact proportion Of i'm
purity IN the original bar, and a certificate
of the amount of coin due the depositor is
made out accordingly.
After being assayed, the bars are melted
with certain proportion of silver, and be-
ing poured into dilution OF nitric acid and
water, assume granulated form. In this
state, the gold is thoroughly boiled in nitric
acid, and rendered perfectly free from silver
or any other haser metals which may hap
pen to cling to il. 1t is next melted with
one-ninth its weight of copper, and thus
alloyed, Is run into bars and delivered to
the coiner for coinage. Tne bars are roll
ed out in a rolling mill. until nearly us
thin as the coin which is to be made from
them. By aprocess of annealing, they are
rendered sufficiently duciile TO be drawn
through longitudinal orifce in piece Of
steel, thus reducing the whole to regular
width and thickness. A cutting machine
next punches small round pieces from the
pieces are weighed separately by the "ad-
iusters," and if too heavy are filed down
! if too light they are re-nelted. The pieces
which.have been adjusted are run through
a milling machine which congresses them
to their proper diameter and raises the
edge. Two hundred and fifty are milled
in minute by the machine. They are
then again softened by process of anneal.
ing, and after a thorough cleaning are placed
10 tube connecting with the stamping
instrument, and are taken thence one at a
time by the machinery, and stamped be-
tween the dies. They are now finished,
and being thrown into box, are delivered
to the Treasurer for circulation.
The machinery, Of course, for all these
processes, must be ofthe incest kind. The
weighing scales alone, in the deposit room
of the California Mint, cost ST., ,000
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

A DUNNlNG LETrER.-Mr, c. Sir
To AVOID all proceedings unpleasant, | beg
you will pay what is due If you do you'll
oblige me at present-if you don't, why
then I'll obiige you
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

ese To enjoy to-day, stop worrying abou,
Tomorrow. Next week Will be Just as ca.
pable of taking care of itself as thi. one
And why shouldn't it, It will have ,ev.o
days more experience.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21
The French Emperor and Empress.

A correspondent of the Courier and En-
quirer, describing visit TO the Jardia des
Piantes, and especially to the Hppopota-
mus, says:
While viewing him from the stockade
which forms his court yard, party OF la
dies and gentlemen entered his enclosure
from the opposite side. They were prece-
ded by the guardian of the animal, who
"stirred him up and ''trotted him out" for
their own amusement. All the gentlemen
of the party but one short fat person in
round hat, brown frock, and grey panta-
looms, had their hats of, as | supposed, in
Difference to the animal or his keeper. A.
mong the ladies Of the party my attention
was Immediately attracted to remarkably
beautiful, modest young lady, with the
sweetest possible expression Of counte-
nance, and with the simple dress Of lilac
colored silk robe, and hat without flowers
or ornament. From her beauty, slmplici-
ty, and the lively attention with which she
regarded the movements of the strange an
imal | concluded that she was some inno-
cert young flower, just transplanted from
the wholesome atmosphere OF a country
garden TO the whitening air of the Partisan
hot-bed.
At the conclusion of the examination Of
the unganly animal, famliarly placing her
arm in that of the short gentleman, they
turned to leave the enclosure. A glimpse
of the gentleman's face, as he turned, i'm
mediately explained why all hats but his
were off 1t was the Emperor Napoleon
and she whom i had admired as charm
ing modest country maiden, was no other
than the Empress of France. was de-
lighted at having had 20 good an opportuni-
ty for observing her. Besides the interest
belonging TO the eminence of her position,
it is always good to look upon a counte-
nance where youth, beauty, and modesty
are unconsciously enthroned. Nor was |
less pleased with the department ofthe peo.
pie among whom the Emperor and Empress
made their way after leaving the enclosure.
There were no exclamations, no bu>tle, no
confusion bnt wherever the Imperial cou-
pie passed, every hat was raised in affec-
tionate and respectful, but at the same time
self-respecting salutation-whch was re-
ceived without ostentaton by the Emperor,
and rewarded by the sweetest OF smiles by
the Empress. did not, like many others,
follow them in their tour throughout the
menagerie there, as in life, their paths and
m;pe were diveroenf
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

HERALDRY.-A dashing carriage made
its appearance in Broadway on Saturday
having emblazoned on its panels crest,
consisting of crescent shield with leopards
rampant, quartered with gilded bars. This
is papable usurpation; for, except the
iunaies peiieS of the Amazon warriors, We
know of no other people who adopted them;
and do not imagine that any OF our New
York magnates can trace their lineage from
such a source, especially as the Amazon
did not countenance wedlock. II a coat Of
arms be really necessary, it should be en-
blematical of the virtues or business of the
adopter. There is eminent expressiveness
and utility in Capt. TurnbulPs crest, the
retired whaleman, who drew upon his car
riage door a spouting whale, with the motto
"Biubber for'uer." From the same con-
sideratonS we might suggest tie appropri-
ate emblem for the eScutcheon Of any who
are inclined to adopt feudal appendices -
II an itinerant dealer in bivalves, for in
stance, falls heir to a million, and sports
his own establishment, | him adorn his
panels with tin bucket, quartered with
Cow Bay clans. with the motto "Clam et
Paiam " The shoemaker too, when he
relinqulshes the shop and retlres with a
plethorlc pocket book, might mount sable
displayed lapstone, with pegging avis ram
pant. The successful ,peculator in shad,
when he abandons the fish trumpet, should
eschew shields and similar trnmpery also,
and instead thereof, hang npon his panels
mackereI paSsam upon a grdiron argenf,
with motto in good old Knickerbocker
Dutch. And for the retired tobacconist we
suggest for the same purpose, plug of TO-
bacco encircled by spittoons in azure, up
on brndle-gilt field, with the device-if
English be too plebian from the German
=" Plug muss ich haben !" Of course we
charge nothing for these suggestions.-N.
Y. Jour. Com
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

WILD OATs.-We once saw a young
man bravely turning up the gass-he was
a free hearted, glorious iellow-and was,
he said, sowing his wild oats. We after
wards saw policeman hauling miserable
druukard from the gutter to the watch-house.
The wild oats were being harvested.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

g. The habit of being constantly en-
PLAYED is great safeguard through life, as
we'll as essential to the culture Of almost
every virtue.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

{s- A western paper, speaking of man
who died in the most abiect poverty and
neglect, said that she died without he laid"
Of physician
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-21

@S> Solomon took an inventory of the
world and all the best things in 1t; he cast
up the amount, and the sum total was van