davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

CERTIFICATES OF CHARACTER A Hoo.
sier u west was called upon the stand
10 testify TO the character Of a brother
Hoosier. The testimony was as fol
lows:
allow long have you known Bill
Whack!"
"Ever since he was born"
"What is his general character"
"Letter A. No. l, above par a great
ways, | Judge"
"Would you believe him on oath!"
"Yes sir. ee-on or off, or any other way,
| conclude"
"Wha,, in your opinion, are his qua.
lifica,ions ss to a good c~harac,er!'
ale is the best shot on our prairies
or in the woods. He can shave the eye
winkers off q wolf as far as . shootin'
Iron'll carry a ball. He can drink a
quart of grog any day, and chaws hacker
like a horse.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26
Iowa Coal Fields.
The traveller ~passirp over low,

The traveller passing over Iowa look.
ing from TIE coach window, admiring
our broad r%rairies and the rich anG fertile
soil, lamenting the scarcity Of timber.
llile dreams that Immediately beneath
his feet lies a vast coal field, equal
in extent to the whole State Of The far.
famed Indiana. The coal field Of South
western Iowa, is bu, an extension Of the
Missouri coal field, commencing a, the
geographical line Of the two States. The
Eastern line OF this coal field crosses the
Des Moines river about fifteen miles a.
bove its junction with the Mississippi.
Follow wing this line North, we find a ,hin
vein of The Mississippi, a shor, distance
above Keokuk, on the farm of William
Leighton. At this poin. there is an alb
rupt divergence Northwest to the Iowa
river, showing itself in Washington,
Johnson and Iowa counties, thence into
lama, Marshall aud Webster; crossing
the Des Moines above For, Dodge, over
300 miles above It's mouth, and over 200
miles in a direct line. After crossing
the Des Moires. the course Of its West.
ern outline is Southwest TO the head
waters of the Nishnabotany, on the State
line.
The best openings of this vast coal
field are found along the Des Moines
river, particularly at points where The
bluffs come near the waters edge and
The shale limestone overlays the coal,
admirably adapted for roofing the xca
lions. Ascending the river the first bank
that is worked to any extent is owned
by Col. Williams. a, Pennington. AT
this point the vein is from three to four
feet thick.
There is a marked increase in the
thickness of the vain, and an improve
ment in the quality of the coal. until with
in forty miles of Fort Des Moines. where
it attains the thickness Of over seven feet;
while at the Fort il has again diminished
to four feei; and above Fort Dodge i,
presents The same appearance as that
above keokuk. This coal at various
points cokes admirably. while at Others
il would produce abundance Of gas. By
tracing its boundary line from East to
West we have in the neighborhood Of
$50 miles, and North and South over
$50 miles, or 81. 500 square miles.
When the railroad from Keokuk to
Fl. Des Moines is completed. the open
ing of this coal field along the Des Moines
valley will furnish fuel for all the steam
boats of the Keokuk trade and become
an important item Of fuel in the cities and
villages along the line, superceding en-.
tirely the use of wood: and when The
wealth of the country is more fully de.
veloped, shall sunk openings will be re-
sorted to on out prairies.-H. Des
Holmes Statesman.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

THE CRoPs.-We learn from the
Rockville md. Journal tina. the wheat,
for the most part, has been cut in that
county, and tina. it is, with few excep-
tions, very fine. A favorable account of
the older crops is given also. Grass is
much improved since the rain.
The crops on Long Island. N. Y,
are represented as beirg decidedly good.
Hay is abundant, corn promises well,
and Of potatoes there will be an extraor-
binary yield. The wheat and rye are
aboa. ready for cutting, and both look
we'll.
Harvesting in thu Miami valley, aS
counts from Dayton, Ohio, say was en-,
tered into with a%lacrity last week, TIN
weather being highly favorable, ard The
crop, both in quality and quantity, ex.
ceeds The most sanguine anticipations.
The Maysville (Ky.) Eagle says The
rus. has done no damage of consequence
in that section. and that the prospect. is
very fine for a more abundant crop. oil
I'll kinds of small grain, and tha, Of supe.
rior quality, than has been gathered fol
many years.
We m%ightoceupy algreat deal of space
in giving similar statements from other
portions Of the country.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26
"Thplt on It, Captain"

A good story has been told Of a lisp
ing officer in the United States army,
having been vic,imised BY a brother Off
Ger, (who was noted tor his cool deliber-
alton and strong nerve,) and his getting
square with him in the following man
ner. The cool joker. a captain, was al
ways quizzing TIE lisping officer, who
was a lieutenant, for his Ecrvousness.
"Why," said he n day in the pre-
sence Of his company, nevousness is all
nonsence. | tell you, Lieutenant, no brave
man will be nervous"
"Well," inquired the lisping friend,
show would you do, Impose a lhsell with
an NTH fpsee ,hould drop ithelf into a
walled angle in which you had taken
thel,er from a company of iharp .hooters,
and where it waih certain ,ha, If you put
out your no,he you'd pit j. peppered?"
How" said the captain, winking a,
the circle. "why. take i, cool, and spit on
the Fuse"
The party broke up and retired for
the night except the patrol. The next
morning a number of soldiers were as
sembled and talking in clusters, when
along came the lisping lieutenant; lazily
opening his eyes, he remarked to the
captain:
III want to try an ex,hperiment ,hilh
morning, and lheo how ex,heedingly cool
you can be-"
Saying which, he deliberately walked
up to the fire burning on the hearth, and
placed in its hottest centre a powder can.
mister, and instantly retreaied. There
was but one mode of egress from the
quarters, and that was upon the parade
ground, the road being bull. up for de.
fence; the occupant took one glance a,
the canister, comprehended his situation.
and in a m dashed at The door, bu,
i, was fastened on the outside.
"Charley, let me out if you love mel"
shouted the captain.
"'rhpit on the canilhter!' shouted he
in return.
No, a moment was to be lost; he had
at first snatched up a blanket to cover
his egress, but now dropping it. he raised
the window and out he bounded, sans
cutottes. sans everything bu. a very short
undergarment and thus with hair almost
on end, he dashed upon a full parade
ground. The shout which hailed him
brought out the whole barracks to see
what was the matter, and The digniied
captain pulled a tall sergeant in from, o.
him to shield himself from their gaze.
"Why did'n. yoC ,hpit on i,!" inquir.
ed the lieutenant.
Because there was no shar2shoo,ers
in front to stop retreat" swered he
captain.
"All have got TO thay then, ilh," said
the lieutenant, "that you might ihafely
have done it, for [ ,hwear there waie'n,
a lhingle grain of powder in IT,
The captain has never spoken agains.
nervousness since.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26
of AobertisinQ.
u The Terre Hau.e American, Of

II The Terre Haute American, of
Saturday, relates the following good joke,
prepe.ra,ed at the expense of some liquor
loving suckers. The story is quoted
from the Greenup Tribune, but the scene
is laid in Terre Hau,e:
"Some Of the Greenup merchants hav.
ing occasion 10 send TO Terre Haute for
new goods, dispatched an OK team FOX
them. To test the thing obey say these
suckers sent along two kegs TO be filed
with the 'critier." After the teamste,
arrived at that place he Immediately
commenced a di!igen. search for the
whisky, up one street and down another,
his enquiries unanimously nega.ivsd. un.
I'll he arrived at al unpretending chop on
National Road street, near the depot.
He was assured by the shop. Keeper
that he would not sell him whisky in The
day time, for a hundred dollars a BARREL.
bu, (sot.o voce) il he would call down sf-
ter dark with his kegs and enquire for
uinegnr. he could have them filled, but
as liquor was very scarce and hard to
get, and they run a great risk in selling
il, they would have to charge him q stiff
price.
The teams.er concluded 10 wait, and
SO was on hand after dark cot twelve
gallons and left for Illinois. After test
ing the contents Of the two kegs. il actu.
ally proved to be Vinegar, and no mis-.
take.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

II One Of the planks Of the Louis
lana X. N. Platform reads thus:
~. We are in favor Of non interven.
lion with slavery by the Federal Govern
meni. except for the protection Of our
Constitutional rights"
This interpreted 10 that a Northern
man can understand il, should read as
follows.
4. We are in favor Of preventing the
General GOVERNMENT from ~meddging with
slavery. exceptto recapture our runaway
slaves, and 10 protect US in our conslitu-
tional right OF expanding the peculiar in.
s,ituiion over all free territories we de-
sire whether by means Of broken coyen.
ants Or brute force.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

Making a Needle,

wonder if any little girl who may
read this ever thought how many people
are a. work in making The things which
the everv day uses. What can be more
common, and, you may think, more sim.
pie, than a needle Yet, if you 10 no,
know il, ] can tell you tina, it taxes a
great many persons to make a needle;
and it takes a great deal of time. too.-
Let US take a peep into a needle factory:
In going over the premises, we mus, pass
hilher and ,hi,her, and walk into the mex
street and back again, and take a drive
to a mill, in order to see the whole pro.
cess. We End one chamber of the shops
is hung round with coils Of brigh, wire
OF all ~ihicknesses, from the stou, kinds
ufed for Goldfish hooks TO that for the finest
camoric needles. In a room below, bits
of wire, the length of two needles, are
cut by a vas. pair Of shears fixed in the
wall. A bundle has been cut off;
The bits need strengthening, for they came
of from coils.
The bundle is thrown into a red hot
furnace; then token out, and rolled back.
ward and forward on a table until the
wires are straight. This process is call
ed rubbing straight" We now see =
mill for grinding needles. We 60 down
into the basement, and find a needle.
pointer seated on his bench. He takes
up two dozen or so Of the wires. and
rolls Them b,iween his thumb and fingers
with their euds Oh the grinds,one. first
one end and then the Others. We have
now the wires s,raigh! and pointed at
bolh ends. Next is a machine which
hattens and cutters The head Ct ten thou
sand needles an hour. Observe the lille
cutters at the head Of your needle
Mex, comes the punching Of the eyes;
and the boy who does i, punches eight
thousand in an hour, and he Goes it SO
fast your eye can hardly keep pace with
him. The splitting follows, which is
running a fine wire through a dozen, per-
haps, Of these twin needles.
A woman, with a little anil before
her files between The heads and separates
Them. They are now complete needles,
but rough and rusty, and, what is worse
they easily bend. A poor needle you
will say. Bat harde ming m next
They are heated in patches in a furnace,
and, when red hot. are thrown in a pan
Of cold water. Next, they mus, be
tempered; and this is done by rolling
them backward aad forward on a no,
metal plate. The polishing still remains
to be done. On a very coarse cloth.
needles are sYr,ad to the number of Iorty
or fifty thousand. Emery dust is sire W..
ed over them, oil is spriukled. and soft
soap dashed by spoonfdlls over The cloth
The cloth is then rolled hard up. and with
several others Of The same kind. thrown
into a wash pot. to roll to and fro for
twelve hours or more. They come out
dirty enough; but after a rinsing in clean
BIO, water, and a tossing in saw dust, they
look as bright as can be, and are ready
to be sorted and put up for sale. Blu.
The sorting and the doing up in papers,
you may imagine, is quite a work by
itself.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

To wi HoRsEs BEING TRAsRp
BY FLiEs.-Take two or three small
handfuls of walnut leaves, upon which
pour two or three quarts Of soft water;
let i%,infuse n night, and pour the whole
next morning into q kettle and lie, j. boil
for a quarter of an hour. When cold il
will be fit for use. Nothing more is re.
quired than to .mois,en a sponge with
the liquor, and before the horse goes out
of The stable. let those parts which are
most irritable be smeared over with Ike
liquor, viz: between and upon the ears,
the neck, and flank, &c. Not only The
lady or gentleman who rides out for
pleasure, will derive benefit from the
walnut leaves thus prepared. bu, the
coachman, WAGNER, and all who use
horses in the summer and fall.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26
A Test Of Christianity.

A Christian gentleman had occasion
to travel through a newly and ,hinly
settled part Of the Western country; his
companion was a man of intelligence,
bu, of inidel principles, who was fond
OF discussion and tried to beguile The way
by urging arguments agains, the thru,hs
OF the Christian religion. The ,hinly
peopled section of the country through
which they were passing was inhabited
by people OF bad reputation, and it had
been rumored that ira ~vellers had suffered
fatal violence from them when they were
within their power.
As taverns were unknown. on, travel.
lers were compelled 10 trus, to the hos.
piiality of those Of whom they could
not but enteitain a serious fear. On one
occasion as The evening closed in, they
sought a lodging place in q long cabin,
far remote from other habi,a,ions. They
anticipated but little comfort; and where
induced to believe thai it would be a mea.
sure Of safely 10 watch alternately through
tha night.
As they were about to retire to their
bed, their host. whose exterior had ex.
cited their dislrust, proceeded to a shelf,
took down an old and much worn Bible,
and informing his visitors that it was his
custom to worship Godin his family, he
read and prayed In so simple a manner
as 10 secure the esteem ofthe travellers.
They retired to rest, slept soundly. and
thought no more of alternate watching.
In the morning the christian requested
his infidel companion TO say whether
the religious exercisez Of the preceding
evening had not dispeIled every particle
of distrust of their hosts character, and
had not enabled him to close his eyes in
the most confident security.
He was evidently embarrassed by the
question; but at last he candidly acknow.
lodged that the sigh, of the Bible had
secured him a sound nights rest. Here
was a testimony ex,orted from an infdel.
in favor of the influence of religion which
he specifically assailed. lie could no,
harbor a fear of violence from one who
was in the habit of daily bending his
knee before God. The very ere alton oil
the family altar, rendered the house a
secure asylum. Who would not be q
christian? Who can be an inidell
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26
How Wild Geese are Taken.

"The way they catch geese" say the
Buffalo "Republican,'' "on the Western
waters, is sufficiently wonderful, without
a, all taxing the Incredibly OF any me.
They are very fond Of a small and very
active eel, ant with sharp head and teeth
whose habits insist upon its swimming
very neal the surface of the water. i,
is very seldom the geese can get hold OF
this choice morstl, and when they do,
they have a grand Publication over it,
This eel the hunters use as bait for their
geese ships. A short time since. two
hunters weut out TO catch wild geese
One hunter lay down in his canoe with
a trout, line attached to his wrist. and on
the other end, in the water, was lied the
nimblest, sh~arp.headed eel before spo-
ken Of.
The canoe floated slowly through the
marches, and came gradually among a
large flock Of geese, and the eel swim
ming along closely TO the surface. One
venerable bon riranf Of goose gobbled
up the eel, like a fash; also, the eel had
made its way through the body of the
epicure, and 10! the goose was "cn
strong" Another goose, afflicted with
luxurious palate, swallowed the eel, hut
without. any particular satisfaction, as
the eel, hardly noticing ar obstruction,
travelled through the "goose grease" with
scarcely an Effort. And SO this iden,icie
eel travelled and travelled until seventeen
geese were on the string, and our scien.
tiic friend, thinking he had Seen for,u-
nate enough. commenced hauling them
into the boat.
But wonder Of wonders, the seven.
teen geese rose upon their wings as one
goose, and before our friend Of The canoe
could make a will or say a prayer. he
was lifted bodily from the canoe. through
the combined efforts Of the seventeen
geese attached 10 his wrist and ere he
was aware Of it. was thirty feet above
the water. A friend of his on shore,
who saw the difficulty. and his rifle for
.una.ely being loaded, sho. off the string
and rescued his friend. So instead OF
wild goose, our hunter got cold duck; and
although he fishes no more for wild.
geese with eels, he il prepared 10 affirm,
asseverate or swear 10 The truth of The
foregoing"
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

FEMALE PIETY.-T The gem Of all 9th
ers which encircles the corone, of a lads
character is unaffected pie.y. Nature
may lavish much on her person. the en-
chan.mens Of her mind or strength Of
her intellect; yet her loneliness is I'M
crowned till piety throws around the
whole the sweetness and power Of her
charms. She then becomes unear,hly
in her temper-uDearthly in her desires
and associations. The spell which bound
her affections to things below is broken.
and she mounts, on The silent wingr of
her fancy and hope. to the habi,alion of
God. where il will be her delight 10 hold
communion with the spirits tina, have
been ransomed from the ,hraldom of earth
and wrealhed with a garland Of glory.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

DREss.-It has already been stated
that the Honorable Miss Murry, sister
Of a Scotch Duke, and maid OF honor
to Queen Victoria, is on a visit to this
country. An exchange paper says:
"Her frank and cordial manners. her
intelligence and great kindness of heart.
have secured her many friends. She ap.
pears, however, 10 have been struck with
amazcment at the expenditures. the help
lessness and the III health of tina, unfor
tuna,e class of beings, the fashionable
women Of our cities. Miss Murray,
ike the fashionable women of Europe,
dresses SO plainly that it probably costs
her less to dress a whole year than many
a New York lady expends for half a
dozen handkerchiefs. 1t is a settled
thing in Europe that extravaganza in dress
Is The very extreme of vulgarity, and is
never INDUCED in excep. by those whose
only claim to distinction is their leug,h
of purse.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26
BARNUM Is OUT WITH ANOTHER GRAND

BARNuM Is Our WITH ANOTHER GRAND
ScHEME.-The New York co~rrespon.
den, of the Philadelphia Ledger thus
notices another new, transcendeu, pro.
jec, by Barnum:
| don't like 10 be instrumental in ad.
veriising, gratis, for the great hum5ug,
Barnum, but as he has issued a prospec-
,us to-day for a new notion that will no
doubt make noise among all the other
humbngs in the country, as a faithful
chronicle of passing events, l must tell
you what it is.
He says an eminent publishing house
in Paris is engaged in issuing a series of
the most distinguished female beauties
in the world, which, when completed, is
TO include ten Of The handsomest ladies
in the United States, and these 9arnum
has undertaken to engage.
In order 10 stimulate competition, he
offers $4,000, in premiums, ranging from
$1,000 down to $50, to be distributed
according to The different degrees of beau.
ty. Ladies accordingly are requested 10
send in their dsguerreo,ypes 10 the Mu-
scum. None will be received later than
the 18th Of October.
The judge of the ''best looking" are
to be 'the people a, large" Each visiier
is 10 mark on a slip Of paper the p~ar,icu.
lar number, correspondents with that OF
his choice, and deposi. il in a ballot box
al the door. The reeult is to be annoua
ced on the 18th of September. /,
Single and married women alike may
compete, but none below "swee, sixteen
are to enter the lists. No limit to anci.
ent maidenhood is specified. When the
show in public is over. artists are to be
employed to paint full sized partraits OF
the premium beauties.
Great, great is humbug, and Barnum
is its Profit!
If Barnum exhibits these rare beauties
at his Museum. he will. beyond question
have "a rum" Who would not 90 10
see ten distinguished female premium
beauties. such as America can producel
We are, like the Ledger's correspondent,
not anxious to publish gra,ui!ously for
Bsrnum, bu, his idea must be given 10
the ladies'.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

MULE RACE AT LExlSGToN.-The
mule race on the 4,h over the Associa
ton Course, near Lexington, drew to-
gether a large Of people and
afforded no little amusement. There
were eleven entries at $5 each. and the
prize con,ended for was a silver cup OF
the value Of $50. 1t was won by Mr..
John Rhodes bay mule Red Bill. in
three straight heats. in The fine time (for
a mule) Of 2:26-2:26-2:25.
The second race was won by Angus.
ius Clark's bay mule, Li,le Misery,
beating six olhers.-LouisriHe Cour.
Ter 9fh.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

The HERO OF SAN JAcINTo.-The
New Orleans Picayune says: Ii would
seem from what is now transporting in
Texas, that the history OF San Jacinto is
yet to be written. The materials are
getting to be very abundant, for which
indebted to Gen. Sam Huston,
More itappsars from the facts which are
coming out, that Texas was indebted to
him fer the victory itself. In a late
speech made on the anniversary of the
battle. he gave a version of the history of
its incidents, and his own connection
with Them, which has brought out a hos,
Of indignant commentators, who not only
deny The truth of lis narrative but accuse
him Of cowardice and incapacity. The
first to reply was David r. Burnett,
formerly Presiden, of Texas, and by the
mails which arrived yesterday we have
two other addresses-one oy Gen. Sid.
ney Sherman, and one by Gen. Mirebeau
B. Lamar. also once President of Tex
as. These gentlemen were officers dur.
ing the battle Of San Jacin,o, and they
concur with Burnett in declaring Gen.
Illusions narrative false throughout, and
in affirming that the battle was fought
against the wishes and judgement Of
Houston, who is accused more over OF
behaving with personal cowardice as
well as showing utter incaraci,y as a gen.
eral. Gen. Sherman says that when.
ever a full narrative of the battle is given
truthfullv to The world "Gen. Hous.on's
mushroom fame will rapidly decompose
and sink into pulrescence with the mass
OF talsehood upon which it rests; and
Gen. Lamar says, any own opinion is
tia. he. himself. (Houstor) was the on
ly coward on tina, field. | can name no
other and him | know as oue."
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

u An old farmer out west WAS in
the habit Of counting his live stock 10
sec if any had gone astray. He called
to his son:
"John have you counted the hogs I"
ayes sir,"
"And the turkeys, cows, and sheep"
ayes SIR" az
"Wel then John. 60 wake up the ole
heE and count her, and then 60 10 bed"
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

II Al the celebration Of the 4h at
Galena. John Smith-rathes an unccm.
non name that-gavs the following
pithy toast:
The Two Declara.ions-The Decla.
ration of Independence, whereby We
gained our liberty, and the declaration Of
Love, whereby We lost il.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

IF The witty Sydney. Smith, being
visited by jeffrey, who came riding q
young donkey. thus hailed The latter:
witty a Pora,ius Flaccus,
As great a Jacobin as Gracious;
Short, though not 30 fat. a. Bacchus,
Kidding on a little ~jackass."
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

u An English mathematician named
Daily. lately performed the feat Of
weighing the earth. He does not tell
as the scales he used. but here is his
6alance--l,256, 1875. 670, 0OO, 600, 0O0,-
600, 900 tons!
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

A. w. Granger, foreman in the r. l.
Republican Dfice has been arrested for
larceny. This Office appears to be in
bad repute, with its editor under bonds
for perjury and its foreman in jail for
larceny.
Demoine courier., 1855-07-26

"a" II was said, and very beautifully
said, that "one mans wit becomes all
mems wisdom. Even more true is !,
that one mans virtue becomes standard
which raises y anticipation Of possible
goodness in al men. :