davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

Fruit VERSUS DISEASE.-Iu recent con.
vcrsation with an intelligent person who
had made long.continucd and extensive OBJ
servations on climate and disease, we were
assured that nothing had more beneficial
influence in preventing ntermittents and the
other effects Of malaria, THAR a moderate
and regular use of wholesome, well ripcned
fruit Our own limited observations abun.
dainty confirm this opinion. This being the
case, what millions in loss, to say nothing
of the untold discomlortS and suffering cy-
pericnced by the settler of the great West,
might thus be prevented or mitigatcd. Our
western emigrarts could carry no better
medicine chest than boz well packed with
well selected assortment of early bearing
fruit trees. Dwarf pears for instance, often
bear even the first year, and sometimes pro.
duce abundantly in the course of the first
two or three seasons; we have known n
peach tree to yield three pecks the third
summer. The smaller kinds, such as straw
berries, raspberies goosebcrries and cur.
rants, afford quick return of very whole
some fruit. \ little attention and care of
this kind in connection with moderate
share of information and intelligence, would
doubtless prevent many serious losses, and
avert vast amount OF positive suffering du-
ring the first few years of frontier life, when
II sufficient degree Of privation and incon.
venence is often experienced, even with tho
blessing of uninterrupted health. Country
GcWtcmdH.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

EIGHTEEN SLAVES ~ JACKSONVILLE, ILr.-
TROUBLE ABOUT TnrM-Mr William Kirk, a
citizen and Shareholder Of Louisiana, not
long since came up to Jacksonville, Illinois,
bringing with him eighteen slaves, for the
purpose, he says, of allowing them to visit
their relations there and of receiving an cdu.
cation. They are TO be free at his death.
The citizens of Jacksonville, though full OF
anti-slavcry proclivites, don't like the idea
of having negroes in their midst, it would
seem, for they expressed considerable dis.
satisfaction at the conduct of Mr.. Kirk, who
they thought, had brought his slaves to their
town for the purpose of turning them loose
on society, without any means of support,
to shift for themselves, and, eventually to
become burden and nuisance to the com
munity.
The owner of the slaves seems, however,
to be actuated by better motives lie has
provided his negroes with wagons, teams
and outfits necessary to enable them to Sc
cure a competent livelihood and pledges
himself to remove them, whenever they be-
come troublesome. He has not set them
free yet, nor do they desire their freedom,
for if they did they could easily obtain it
LOujpHie Courier.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01
Spontaneous Combustion,

Mr.. Bclkuap, the fire Marshal Of Brook.
lyn, has been making experiments to test
the liability Of certain articles TO sDontapc-
Gus combustion. We quot. from his report
81 have made Il number of experiments
during the past season: BY taking oakum
and vegetable oil, and placing them in the
suns rays, they will take fire at 1870 deg.
fahrenhcit's scale, in from five 10 five and
half hours. The temperature of 1870 dec
can be obtained in July by placing the oiled
surface IN basin IN position to receive the
Hrvct rays OF the sun. have no doubt
that the cotton or oakum was pressed; also,
II tne exact amount OF oil necessary to be
useH was placed IN the cotton. In my cy-
perlmcntS, | have found il would more read
ny ignite when it was but slightly saturated
or IN proportion OF one to seventy of loose
material, and one to lilty.siX Of snun fabric
such as old muslin, Sc sawdust REQUIRES n
much longer time. have been informed by
painters and engineers that they have to cx.
crcioe great care with their Oiled RAGS
"Lampbiack, when partly mixed with oil.
is very liable to Spontaneous combustion
IN Instance OF this occurred last July. at
the workshop of Mr.. iIandfoId, in Water
street. who keeps "A Seamcns oil clothing
establishment. \ halfbarrcl of lampLlack
was standing in the middle of the workshop
with Il board lying across the top; an oil
can stood on the board which leaked. and
the oil ran into the lampblack. The shop
was closed about nine o'clock, and soon after
the place was discovered TO bo on fire
Upon investigation it w,s found there was
hole burnt through the centre Of the ca,k
OF Iampback; if it had been little later
when the fire was discovered, the whole
building would have been consumed, and all
traces Of the cause Of the fire DESTROYED.
There is a,grcat evil existing among lum.
Der deacrS-l find it a common practice at
lumber yards, for the proprietor to keep for
sale such articles as brick, lath, lime, &c.
Lime is too dangerous an article to be kept
at lumber yards, as they generally buy it in
small quantities, ana do not take the care of
it that is required. is wcllknown fact,
that in damp or wet weather, lime will slakc,
and set fire TO any wood which may be con.
tiguous to it,
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

SHARPENING EDGED Ioois.-Thc following
is taken from German scientific journal,
for the benefit Of our mechanics and agri.
cultural laborcrs
st has long been known that the simplest
method of sharpening a razor is to put it for
half an hour in water, to which has been
added onc.twcntieth of its weight of mura.
tic or sulphuric acid then lightly wipe it
of, and after few hours set it on hone.
The acid here supplies the place of whet-
stone, by corrodng the whole surface uni
formly, so that nothing further but smooth
polish is necessary. The process never in.
jjured good blades, while badly hardened
ones are frequently improved by it, although
the cause of such improvement remains un-
explained. OF late, It's process has been
applied to many other cutting implements
The workman, at the beginning of his noon
spell, or when he leaves off in the evening,
moistens the blades of his tools with water
acditied as above, the cost of which is al.
most nothing. This saves the consumption
of time and labor in whctting, which,
moreover, speedily wears out the blades
The mode of sharpening here indicated
would be found especially advantageous for
sickes and scythcs."
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

How TO MovE A SuLLES Ox.--"Did you
never observe" said plain man, friend
of ours, a few days since, as we were dr-
wing dog out Of the COW pen, to prevent
his taking refuge behind us--as the cows
took it by turas to chase him over the lot
"did you never make friends with dog?"
"Oltcn." "Wcll, the best way you ever
tried to make steers rise when they get sui
len, and lie down, is just to bring dog
and drop down on them. 1t will make them
jump up when nothing else in the world
will" We seized the hint at once for tho
benefit of our friends who own such pests
as obstinate oxen, and give it to them now.
We believe there is no antipa,hy so univer.
sal and inycteratc as that of cattle against
dogs, and it strikes us that when all other
means fail, that will answcr.-Southern
Pidhtsr.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01
Nirnfagua.

The easy conquest of this country by ou'
of the most dcspicabie Of iilibuster>, with a
mere handful Of men, aud the controversy
which may possibly grow ont of the claim OF
Great Britain to interfere with the eastern
portion of the state, has given to our people
a new interest in Nicaragua, We give dc.
scription Of the country:
On the west it is washed by the Pacific
ocean, and partly on the east by the waters
of the Caribbean sea, the Mosquito territory
forming a large share of the eastern bounda-
~ Honduras borders it on the north, anu
Costa Rica upon TIE south. Its area is about
lor.yninc thousand square miles, and the
population is estimated at two hundred and
forty seven thousand. The females are said
to greatly exceed the males in number
Not more than twenty thousand of the pco,
pie are whites, the rest being negroes, lndi.
ans, and mixed races. Most of the popula-
ton live in towns, many Of them going Sc.
veral miles daily to labor in the fields The
7 fplansatisps are scsttS1 pretty Nexasiy.ssss
the country. and are rcachcd by paths so oh
scurc as to almost escape the notice of ira
vclcrs, who are thus liable to fall into the
error of suppoSing that the country is al.
most uninhabitcd. The dwellings of the
people are usually of canes, matched with
palm altogether the better classes construct
their residences Of adobcs, and by the help
Of fruit and shade trees planted in the court
yard, render many OF them exceedingly
pleasant. \ range OF mountains extends
along the west coast Of the state, at a dis
tancc Of few miles from the sea, but at.
tanning no great elevation until they np.
proach the confines Of Costa Rica, when
they reach the height Of five to eleven thou.
sand feet In the central part Of the state is
the immense level tract known as the plains
Of Nicaragua comprising in its area the lake
Of that name. Numerous volcanoes exist
along the Pacific coast. There are a cOHsi-
dcrable number of rivers, but none Of
them, except the San Juan, are navigablc in
a commercial sense Veins Of copper and
silver ore OF exceeding rchn s. ar found in
many parts, but they remain almost al. OF
them either uneXplorcd OF only superb.
cally worked. Gold also is said to exist
The climates healthy, though various. In
the interior and mountainous parts, the TEN.
pcraturc is more dry and cool than on the
coast, where it Is hot and approaching to hu.
mid. The greater portion Of the state con
ssta ofplaius and gentle slopes, formed Of L
rich black loan, OF which but a small portion
is made available The productions are indi
90, sugar, coffee, cotton Of superior quality
corn, rice, wheat, &c, besides oranges, lc
mons, and fruits ofvariouS kinds The great
bane of the country has been its civil wars
and it was one of these which enabled Col
Walker to achieve his almost bloodlcss con.
quest.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

The canton correspondent Of the New
York Times furnishes that Journal with an
account of the matters aud things in tho
Celestial Empire, from which we cut the
following description OF the way in which
rebels are executed;
Many Of the Europeans go 10 see the exc-
cution>, as they are performed outside of the
walls of the city. The ground has become
SO completely saturated with blood that the
stencil is sickening for considerable dis
tancc. There are three executions a day
0he at morning noon and night-fiity at
each time, Two long sticks Of timber laid
parallel 10 each other, with just room for
the cXccutiouer to pass between them, form
the blocks. The prisoners are driven into
the inclcsurc like so many sheep, not chained
or bound in any way. In fact they seem
to look upon the whole thing with apathy,
owing, ! suppose, to their religion, or IRE
ligion, which is iatalism.
At the word from the Judge, they all
!; Aassl aud PAGE their neeks on the logs.
' tAch row with Their heads inwards and the
frc ofcaci' turned towards his ncighbor's
back on one side, while the next on the
other faces his At another signal the exc.
cutioncr grasps his heavy twohanded sword.
and beginning at the end Of the row towards
which all faces are directed, strikes ripbt
and left. But one blow to each is required
the head lying across the space and striking
the opposite victim. but ere he has chance
to shrink the sword dcccnds upon his own
neck.
There arc two eXccutioncrS. Each has
twenty-five to behcud at each execution --
the whole operation does not consume over
five minutes-at the end of which time the
whole iiity trunks are IN their last struggle.
spirIting the blood and throwing their limbs
consluslSely about such noisy rabble
Is there present that you find it difficult To
persuade yourself that they are human Lc.
inss whom you sec thus hurried into cXtcr.
nifty,
Two weeks since, TO vary the scene, they
had a cruciiiXion. \ woman was sentenced
to bc cruciied for the crime Of having given
birth to one OF the rebel chiefs. liza father
is rebel, his family is considered the same
ard the whole family, from. the old man of
iour.scorc to the child Of Tour years share
the same fate. The poor woman was nailed
TO the cross while living, cash made across
the forehead to the bone, and the skin peel.
50 as to hang over her eyes after which
the breasts were cut of; they then proceed.
cd to break every bone in her body; a larr,
knife was next thrust into the throat and
passed downward, cUttin. the chest omen
The cNccutonerth then then thrust in his hand
aud grasping the heart, tore it from If,
socket aud laId It beating aud rerhing bc(or,
the Judge. At shangh,e they drown them
by dozens.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

MAN kiLLED.-A man named John Mans
field was killed in this city on the 23d inst
The circumstances are as follows. 1t seem,
that James German and said Mansfield hat
purchased a lot Of pigs in partnership ant
in dividing them dissatisfaction was given q
the latter who went to Gornan's pen in tn,
evening and attempted to take thcrelrom one
of the pigs in dispute. German was mend
ing boots in his house and upon hearing the
noise, ran out with beet tree in his hand
and an alteration cnsued in which German
struck Mansfield with the boot tree upon the
head, which caused his death in few hours
Coroner Rcecc held an inquest and commit
ted German to Jail under twenty thousand
dollars bond for manslaughter. The parties
to this unfortunate affair, it is said were
quiet, industrious men, and up to the time
of the fatal aifray had been on very friendly
terms.-Joliet Sig. eth.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

ALWAYS TYING HIS SuoE-Thc unfortu-
nate individual Of whom we are about to re.
late was once wealthy, but the passion for
play was SO strong in him that he could not
keep away from the gambling hell. Little
by little he saw his princely fortune wasting.
But hope, the good angel, was ever by his
side. Some little was left, and he concluded
to 20 once more and endeavor to win back
the lost. lie staked again and again, until
the last penny was gone. lie stood for a
moment looking at the table, and then, in
no very agreeable mood, as may be imagined,
plunked his hands into his pockets and pass
ed out to 90 to his room. On the door step
there was an unsuspecting individual who
was STOPPING over, tying his shoe. Our en-
ragged friend in going out came to a stand
still before him, and then, drawing of, plant
cd an astonisher with his foot upon the per-
son of the utter stranger with the remark,
Blast you! you're olnays tying your
shoc."
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

WINTEEING SWEET PorAroEs The lIth
day Of October, 1904, dug about one half
bushels Of sweet potatoes, packed them in
two boxes, used dry plaster paris fon pack
ing, and placed them in warm dry room.
On the 18th day of April, 1855, | planted
them. Every one was sound and as good as
in the fall. They came up aud grew as well
as any ever raised or saw in North Carroll.
ma. But fear | shall fail in obtaining good
potatoes. | write the above believing that
sweet potatoes packed in dry plaster paris
and placed in a dry warm room, will keep
perfectly sound twelve months. have kept
pumpkins and winter squashcs one year in
warm dry room, and showed them at our
annual fair as sound us when severed from
the vines. ASA HuBBARD,
Middletown, Ct,-- Country Geniiemn.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

FooD THE Best PnrsIc.-An inseparabl,
attendance on good health, is the regulal
daily action of the bowels; more than this
speedily induces debility; less, causes mac
tion, dulness, headaches, fcycrs. aud death
There are perhaps no one living whose
bowels are not made free or cos,ivc by par
ticular articles Of food; the same article af
fects different persons yariously Each mar
must therefore observe for himself what ar.
ticles constipatc, and what loosen and ac,
accordingly; world Of suffering and mul
titudcs Of lives would be saved every yeal
by proper attention to this simple sugges.
tion, but not one man or woman in a thou.
sand Will give it that attention, hence the
great mass of humanity pcrishcJ before its
prime.
There are some articles Of food which have
various effects according to the parts used
The May Apple, or Mandrake" is a nutri.
tious fruit; its root is cathartic, its leaves a
poison. The common house grape is lus.
cious product; the pulp is delicious food
and in health should be the only part swal.
lowed the seeds loosen the bowels, while
the skin cOnstpatcs them. Two or three
pounds of freshly picked, ripe grapes, may
be eaten daily by person in good health
The best time for eating them is immediately
after breakfast and dinner
The only safe, as well as the most rational
practice Of physic, is to make our food sub.
serve medical uses, Knowing this, doctor
no more takes his own pills than an attorney
goes to law, or divine practices his own
preaching g-LolFs jour. Of Molh.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

INJURY PROM Locrsrs, s,--Wc planted an
orchard from the best varieties of apple
trees last spring. We had taken particular
pains, not only in selecting the best varie-
ties, but in planting the trees-and hoped
in few years to partakc Of the fruit. But
our hopes were destined to be blasted. The
locust during the summer destroyed nearly
all of them. Not one in six is living. TO
look at them, one would think that some
person had been drawing the teeth of saw
over the bark Of every tree. We have no
doubt that young orchards in this section Of
country have been greatly damaged by these
pests. Vdliey Farmer.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

Of fifteen years ago, owed you. You nos
owe him. William Milton has returned good
for evil. You will not hate him as you once
did, will you, Mr.. Wilson, and sweet
smile shone through the tears on the stran.
gers face.
'Wiliam Milton! God forgive me. And
are you himS"
"Yes, the once poor debtor, and now rich
man, is before you. Go home to your fami,
ly, Mr.. Wilson, and be kind to all. We all
need Kindness and forgiveness"
While the tears were streaming fast from
Wilson's face, the stranger passed rapidly
away and disappeared. The poor merchant
returned to his home better and wiser
man. Goals had been heaped upon his
bakk, and from that day to the close of a
lo1g life, James Wilson never forgot to do
go1d. At night and in the morning he inyo.
ksl blessings upon his friend, and in kindly
dct tls to the poor and needy, endearcd him.
sci to all. The tables were turned to his
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

A HoRricuLrrRAL NovELrY.-Thc agri-
cultural branch of the Patent Office has Ia.
ken measures to procure seeds OF the Bun
ya.bun.ya, q tree Of the fir tribe, growing
in Australia, where it flourishes in region
Of not much greater area than thirty miles
square. II bears u cone nearly two feet in
diameter filed with seed the size Of an olive,
and of flavor more rich and delicate than
that of the pine apple. 1t is so much cs.
tcemcd by the natives that they at times
travel hundreds Of miles to partakc Of it,
vobiu1,on Star.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

BADLY BRoKEN.--A we'll known Provi-
dencc sporting character tried his luck in
that city the other day, and found it bad
The bank refused to discount for him, and
his deposits were exhausted. On turning
his back upon the scene Of operations, a
sympathizing friend said to him:
"Tom, are you, broke 2"
eyes," said Tom, with sigh, "and SC
dead broke, that IL steamboats, were selling
at cent apiece, I couldn't buy gangwny
plank"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

ALCOHOL From IowAToEs. In 4 recent ex.
pertinent undertaken for the purpose OF
making vinegar out Of tomatoes by express.
ing the juice of the ripe fruit, and mixing
Herewith an equal quantity Of water, find
that on oposing il to the weather, it iermcnts
equal to any apple juice or cider ever tried,
but it has not yet passed through the acctic
fermentation 50 as TO make good vinegar.
am convinced by the experiment thus far
tned, that the tomato possesses 4 cOnSidcra-
bic quantity Of saccharinc matter. This in-
grcdicHt must subsst in all grains and fruits
used for making distilled liquers-it being
essential to produce the yinous fermentation
in all such substances. Hence infer that
the tomato possesses a sufficient quantity of
sugar to qualify it for making alcohol. But
chemical analysis Of its properties, perhaps,
would be the best way TO test this. Ii this
point is thus sustained, in my judgement,
nothing cheaper can be employed in the
manufacture Of alcohol, for one acre Of good
land well cultivated, would produce, accord
ing TO my calculation, not less than three
tuns Of tomatoes. Further than this, the
amount Of alcohol produced is merely CON
lecture until tried. At all events, it is well
worth ala experiment, by reason Of the high
price of this article. j. NANnoRN.
Lambcrtyille, y. j., Nov. lS55.-Sci,a-
tUc .lmericdH.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

TnE ELEPHANT. "A country schoolmastcr
happening to be reading of curious skin of
on elephant-"Did you ever see an ele-
plants skin 7" he asked. 81 havo!" shout.
ed little "six.ycar old" at the foot of the
class. "Whcre'' he asked quite amused at
the boys earncstncss. "On the elephant"
said he, quite naively.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01
EREDIrARy DISEASE. There is, strictly
'e(h1ne; M such thing. 8 Childrsn ars ndk

EREDITARy DIsEAsE.--Therc is, strictly
speShlns'n2 (uch thing. 4 Childrsn sfs ndk
boTf fdiSoased, however (some specific mn,a.
di4rexccptc,D much both parents
81 but they are simply born with pre-.
di POSITION to such parental malady. They
unborn with the material, with the pow
de- but actual disease will no more occur
uqess exciting causes are applied, than
pcGder would detonatc without the aid of
ii3. The obscrvant reader has often felt
at seeing robust, hearty children,
who were seemingly at not great
rehoye from the grave; and if rational care
wfe taken of such children, they would
Ii to become healthy men and women
III practical lesson should be, hopeful
dQRence in the rearing of children of dis
ea 1ed parentage. The difference between
children Of healthy and diseased parents
az punts to this as to the latter, the pow.
dl is drer, they have less capahlity Of re.
$ Ing the causes of disease, the consequence
ia a greater necessity for carefulness; this
n css'y is often felt, and practically at
Y ped to; the result is, that such persons
AZ found living, scores Of years after they
b4e moudered in the grave, who, in pri-
dig Is themselves on having constitutions
vi ch nothing could hurt, could not be made
toreel the need Of careiulncss, and, consc.
qkntly, pcrshed long before their prime
We have an instructive and royal illustra-
tion in point, in the persons Of Queen Vic
toria and her children. lntermarriage with
blood relations for ages has deeply impreg-
mated the Guelph family with scroiula. The
earlier years Of the British Queen were spent
in Jeeblencss and disease, and yet she is
NJ the apparently healthy mother Of a large
fatily' Of robust, healthy children, which
is u once creditable to herself, and to the
nj 1ical skill which dictates the hygiene Of
ha household. The daily routine Of these
Children is-to rise early, breakfast at eight,
and dine at two. First hour after breakfast
th6 classics next, the modern grammati-
calinstruc,lon being also carefully given !;
next, military exercises for the boys; then
Music aud dancing, then the riding. school :.
music and drawing for the girls then the
carpenters shop and, occasionally, the labo.
ratory, then shooting, and working in the
royal gardens; then supper, then prayers,
aud then to bed.
REsuLT-high bodily health, in spite of
= s. Of @"HllediLuEy -ZeAA44e4es. HAYS
] Fr. Of HeaIM.