davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

HAUNTED CHAMBER.-A room in the prnc-
pal iuu country town had the reputation
of being haunted. Nobody would sleep in it
and it was therefore shut up but it so hap
pened that at an election the inn was quite
full, and there was only the haunted room un-
occupied. A gentleman's gamekeeper came to
the inn, exceedingly fatigued by long jour
ney, and wanted bed. He was informed that
unless he chose to occupy the haunted room he
must seek a room elsewhere.
Haunted" exclaimed he; "stuff and non-
sense! I'll sleep in it Ghost or demon, I'll
take look at what haunts it."
Accordingly, after fortifying himself with a
pipe and tankard. he took up his quarters in
the haunted chamber and retired to rest. He
had not lain down many minutes when the bed
shook under him most fearfuly. He sprang
out of bed. struck light (for he had taken the
precaution to place box Of lucifer matches
By his bedsice.) and made careful examina-
tion of the room, but could discover nothing.
The courageous fellow would not return to
bed but remained watching for some time
Presently he saw the bed shake violently; the
floor was firm; nothing moved but the bed.
Determined, if possible, to find out the cause Of
his bed-quake he looked in the bed, uuder the
bed and near the bed, and not seeing anything
to account for the shaking, which every now
and then seemed to seize upon the bed, he at
last pulled it from the wall Then the "mur-
der came out" The sgn-board of the inn was
fastened to the outer wall by nut and screw,
which came through to the back of the bed,
and when the wind swung the sign-board to
and fro, the movement was communicated to
the bed, causing it to shake in the violent
manner. The game-keeper, delighted at hav-
ing hunted up the ghost, informed the land
lord the next morning of the real nature Of his
unearthly visitor, and was handsomely reward
ded for rendering room, hitherto useless, now
quite servicible. All the ghost stories on re-
cord might no doubt have been traced to sim
liar causes, if those to whom the "ghost" ap-
peared has been as plucky as our game-keep-
er-E-
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

A RELIGIOUS SLASDER REFuTED.-A man
was charged with having violently dragged
his his wife from revival meeting. and com
PEELED her to go home with him. He let the
story travel along until be had q fair opportu-
nifty to give it broaside. Upon keing charg-
ed with the offence he replied as follows;
In the frst place, have never attempted to
influence my wife in her views in a choice of q
meeting. secondlv-my wife has not attend
ed any OF the revival meetings In the tk.rd
Pides-I have not even been to any of the meet
ings whatever. To eoneiude-neither my wife
nor myself have any inclination to 60 to these
meetings. FsnailtI never had wife.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

THE HEAVENS BEFORE AND AFTER DAWN
| had occasion. few weeks since, to take the
early train from Providence to Boston and for
this purpose rose at two O'Clock in the morn
ing. 1t was mild serene midsummers night;
the sky was without cloud; the winds were
hushed. The moon, then in the last quarter,
had just risen, and the stars shone with spec
tral ustre, but little affected by her presence
Jupiter, two hours high was the herald of the
day ; the Pleiades. just above the horizon, shed
their sweet influence in the East Lyra spark
eled near The zenith Andromeda veied her
newly discovered glories from the naked eye in
the South the steady pointers, tar beneath
the pole, looked meekly up from the North
their sovereign.
Such was the glorious spectacle as entered
the train. AS we proceeded. the timid ap-
proach of twilight became more pcrceptibe !;
the intense blue Of the sky began to soften; the
smaller stars like little children, went first to
rest the sister beams Of the Peiades soon
melted together; but the bright constellation
Of the West and North remained unchanged.
Stead ly the wondrous TRANSPORTATION went on.
Hands of angels hidden from mortal eyes shif.
ted the scenery of the heavens; the glories of
the night dissolved into the gIories of the dawn.
The blue sky now turned more softly gray the
great watch stars shut up their holy eyes /; the
East began to kindle. Faint streaks Of purple
soon blushed along the sky; the whole celes-
tial concave was filled with the infowing tides
of the morning light, which came pouring
down from above in one great ocean Of radi-
ance, till at length, as we reached the Blue
Hills, a fash Of purple fire blazed out from
above the horizon, and turned the dewy tear
drops of flower and leaf into diamonds and ru-
bies. In few seconds the everlasting gates
of the morning were thrown wide open, and
the lord of day, arrayed in glories too severe
for the gaze OF man, began his state.-Eduard
Ererett.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

CAUGHT on THE JURY.-The following
which we have heard told as fact sometime
ago, may be beneficial to some gentleman who
has young and unsuspecting wife:
A certain man, who lived about ten miles
from K, was in the habit Of going 10 town
about once week and getting on regular
spree, and would not return until he had time
to "cool off," which was generally two or three
days. His wife was ignorant of the cause Of
his staying out so long, and suffered greatly
from anxiety about his welfare When he
would return, of course his confding wife
would inquire what had been the matter with
him. and the invariable reply was; "that he
was caught on the jury and couldn't get off"
Having gathered his corn and placed it in q
large heap, he, according to custom, determin-
corn shucking frolic. So he gave Ned, q faith
ful servant, jug and an o.der TO go TO town
and get a gallon Of whisky-a very necessary
article on such occasions. Ned mounted a
mule and was soon in town, and, equipped with
the whisky, re-mounted to set out for home, all
buoyant with the prospect of fun at 'shuck.
ing"
When be had proceeded a few hundred
yards from town he concluded 10 try the stuff
and not satisfied with once. he kept trying
until the world turned around so fast that he
turned off che mule, and then he went to sleep
and the mule to grazing. 1t was now nearly
night, and when Ned awoke it was just before
the break o'day, and so dark that he was una
BILE to make any start towards. home until light.
AS soon as his bewiderment had subsided so
that he could get the "point," he started with
a6empty Jug, the whiskey having run out, and
afoot, for the mule had gone home. OF course
he was contemplating the application of a
'two year old hickory" as he went on at the
rate of 2:40.
Ned reached home about breakfast time
and fetched up at the back door with de-
cidedly guilty countena ce.
"What in thunder have you been at, you
black rascal" said his master.
Ned knowing his masters excuse TO his wife
when he got on spree, determined TO tell the
truth if he died for it, and said
well master, TO tell the truth. was kotch
on the jury and couldn't get of-NashriNe
Neus
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

~ In reply to Mrs. Julia Branch's rcso-
luton in the Vermont Free-Love Convention,
that "the matrimonial contract deprives wo-
man of her legitimate labor" the Nashville
Banner wickedly retorts This is slight
mistake, it is only by marrying that womsn
can come TO iegainste loboY."
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06
Hotel Marketing in New York.

Our New York correspondent, says thu
Press, sends US sketch of the market Stats
tics of a FIRST class hotel in "the Empire City. ,
He has been invited to accompany the steward
or intendant, to market, and assist in purchas
ing one days food, and says:
Il confess the programme was rather appalling
what hungry wretches we are What heca
tombs it takes to tame down our appetites!
First to Washington market the land of the
beef, the home of the bird" Here the stew
ard intimates to the man who "runs wild de
masheen and kills for Keyser," that be desires
thirty racks of mutton three setts of ribs oil
beef for roasting. three surloins of beef, two
lambs, four legs OF mutton. two rumps of ine-
briated beef besides any quantity of calves
heads, kidneys, tripe and sweetbreads. Next
of the feathery tribe, he calls for thirty pairs
roasting chickens, thirty five pairs for broil-
ing, thirty-six Philadelphia squads, fifty chick
en- psrtridges, and several flocks of young
ducks and green geese-the whole making O
cart load OF things to roast, boil. broil and
Try.
Our antfcipatory appetite gorged with the
fesh of beasts Of the field and fowls of air and
barnyard, over we trudge to Fulton market,
ut the other terminus Of the street. Here, af-
ter a few satisfactory experimental tests and
tastes, we think we shall be able to get through
the day with six barrels of musk-mellons, six
of water-mellons, four baskets of peaches, City
pounds of hot-hoHse grapes, four baskets OF
tomatoes, two hundred ears Of corn, two hun
dred okras, two barrels potatoes, and frightfu
quantities of string beans, Lima beans, .urnips,
carrots, onions, cabbages cucumbers lettuce
eggplant, parsley, mint, &c &c.
Perhaps you may have the honor of recol-
Letting three highly respectable old gentlemen
OF antiquity called Apicius. The first, who
lived in the time of Sylla, was simply feeder
and OF not much account. The second who
was more of a gentleman, lived during the ad-
ministration of Tiberius. This chap went in
strong for fish and cake. Ordering up his
yacht, he made special sail on one OCCASION
over to Africa, where he understood the she'll
fish were tip-top; but when be approached
the land and the fishermen came off with
what they asserted to be their best article, the
rubcund old gentlemen found them to be infe-
rior to the Italian, placed them to the tip
of his nose, made certain peculiar move
nient with his fingers, winked very sly wink
ordered the pilot to put about and "put" for
home without even landing. Apicius number
three was great fellow for oysters, and wrote
several scrappy pamphlets on cookery. Could
these musty old ancients have witnessed the
general lo"seness with which we ordered the
days edibles, they would have incontinenty
confessed the maize, at once ordered dinner at
the hotel we catered for, and solicited the hon.
or of an introduction to its genial host.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

sF An old settler, Dragging to a new
conner of the grazing land in bis neighborhood.
said, 1T yields two pounds of tallow to every
square foot, and the COWS come up with butter
in one side of the bag and cheese in the other. :"
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06
A Yankee.

Tie Boston Olipe Branch having called the
editor of the n 7, atlas Yankee the Atlas
man gets off The following:
"Bst we own up to the Yankee, and feel no
little pride in it: bat we didn't hail from Berk.
shire exactly. We have dropped pumpkins
seed and. eaten hasty pudding and milk in New
Hampshire, and have plowed, moved and log.
ged in The State of Maine. We have fshed
for minnows with pin-hook, and carried our
bread and butter to school, we have seen log
driving on the Kennebec river and we have
coaxed a club-footed girl to slide down hill,
made slippery by the fall of pine leav. 5, for the
fun OF seeing her catch her toes, and roll over
and over and we have gone into the swamps
with two yoke of oxen and bob-sled. when
the snow was FIVE feet deep, and felled trees,
and .twitched logs all day, and went home ut
night fall to bean porridge hot; we have been
TO few prayer meetings that's fact, and
we've been to .huskings,' too and .applc-bces,
and 'raisings,' and 'mi,ia-musters.'
I'VE have helped make cider. and afterwards
set "a stradde of barrel and sucked it with
straw. We have sat up all night in a saw
mill, and SAT up all night with gal We
have high opinion of .johnny-cake and sas-
singers. aid We have frequently had finger in
the making of the hitter we have eaten our
share OF Goldfish and potatoes with pork and
scraps, and we guess we have licked proper
portion of 'lasses candy, and some boys we
have pulled fax for ninepence day, because
we had sick headache and couldn't go to
school, and have had teeth pulled with piece
of strong thread we have Travelled over the
fields in spring with a maui. knocking about
the eWhat-yOu-call-ems and have nOnDed corn
in the ashes; we have turned the grind stone
all day to sharpen new axe, swapped jack
knives broken steers and colts. set traps for
skunks and wood-chucks, tapped our own shoes,
licked The school-master. robbed the milk pans
of cream and laid to the cat, pitched into the
'apple-sass,' hooked loaf sugar, and numberless
other things too numerous to mention,' but for
particulars of which see small bills"
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

p6- A Hottentot got up a painting Of
Heaven 1t was an iDclosure by fence made
of saussges, while the center was occupied with
. fountain that squirted pot-pie.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

Pale ale and ale pale is all the same. But
there is distincsion, with difference. be-
tween rump steak and stump rake, as well
as between boiled onions and oilded buninions
Wisdom Of Topping.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

ezy A London writer in provincial paper
says the circulation of the Times is decidedly
on he wane, damaged by the issue Of cheap
daily papers.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06
The Wants of the Age.

What wants the age? Heart-earnest men
To spread the truth the truth defend;
Such on earth we need again
As God incient times did send;
Men reckless or of wealth or fame,
OF ignominy, scorn or shame,
The stake. the faggot, or the flame;
Their only object God; and truth their only aim.
What wants the age, Heavengiven powers.
The seeds of discord to remove;
To make this depel earth of ours
scene of aye-increasing love.
To Danish hatred, stife and feud,
And Errors evil -brining brood
To gain the pure, the true, the good.
Tojon our struggling race in great brotherhood
This lovely tress-this raven tress-
That oft to heart and lip press;
know not if it used to deck
The Parian whiteness of her neck,
Or DER her blue-veined temple strayed,
Or on her beaming brow was laid.
Or fell upon the stainless snow
or her young cheek-I only know
1t is the loveliest of curs,
And from the loveiest of girls.
Ay. It's thing to love and bless,
This little dark and shining tress;
Dark as the midnight forests gloom,
Dark as the tempest spirits plume.
Dark as the stern Death Angels seal,
Bnt shining as the battle STEEL
And she, by whom this gem was given,
Seems to my heart thing of Heaven
An angel dream-a gentle dove
Sent forth from Gods own ark Of love
A Aision come from paradise
Awhile to gladden. mortal eyes
star, of Heavens own star the pride,
Chased in the dark worlds stormy tide.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

REMARKABLE LoyGEvITY.-Probably the
oldest person known in America was the vener-
able Indian Placido, who died on the Goth OF
September, 1858, at San Buenaventura at the
extraordinary age OF one hundred and thirty
seven years. "Eighty-four years age" says the
Gaceta de Santa Barbdra fr, m which we
translate the fart, 1.-THE Mission of San Buena-
ventura was founded, and he worked at
it as q blacksmith" Thus as long ago
as l714. the year of the first Congress at
Philadelphia, Placido was 10 vigorous man
hood. He was born in l72l, during the reign
of George ], when Robert Walpole was Prime
Minister of England, and when none of our
great patriots-W ashington. Samuel and John
Adams, Patrick Henry. Jefferson, and Har-
cock had yet seen the light. In the year Of
the Boston massacre. he was past the prime of
life, being forty nine years old At the time
of the Declaration OF Independence he was
ffty-fve, and at the time of the las war with
England, ninetv-three When the Spanish
Padres journeyed up from the southwark and
discovered the Bay of San Francisco, Placido
was nearly half century old but had he
been gifted at that time wsi.i the spirit Of pro.
phecy with the cultivation of mind to appre-
ciate the possible future, it is doubtful if he
could have conjured up the magical reality
upon which lie has gazed for the last time.
These are perhaps inappropriate speculations
to associate with the life and death of poor
ignorant Indian, but the question presents it
self at the same time, will equally momentous
changes take place in the worlds his DRY with
in the next century and quarter?
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

ExrRAoRDINARY IF TRUE.-An eastern pa
per publishes the following, purpor,ing to be
an extract from California letter. 1t appears
in the Nevada Democrat
"a singular metamorphosis followed by Gu
rious results. showing the effects on some peo-
pie. has occurred here. About four years since
man from the Eastern States came to this
country to engage in mining. He went up TO
Tuoume, and commenced laboring in claim
upon Woods Creek. In short time his hair,
which was OF a light brown or Auburn color,
began to fall off, and soon there was not soli-
tarv hair on any part of his body Singular
to relate, the mans general health was good
during the time of his peeling. But, what is
more remarkable, the general physical appear
ance of the man began 10 change rapidly. He
was originally long, lank and lean,' but now he
began to assume Eastahan proportions. Al
though a large boned person. when he came to
this country he only weighed one hundred and
sixty pounds, but in seven months after his ar
rival at the mines his weight was upwards Of
three hundred pounds. All things must have
an end, and so did our hero's increase in size
come to stop. Then it was that hair began
to grow. But now, strange to say. his hirsute
appendages, instead of being auburn color, as
before, are coal black. Instead Of the sandy
whiskers he has whiskers as black as jet. One
would naturally think that the individual, after
undergoing all these transformations, had grown
out of the recolcctons of his friends. Now
the hero Of this singular Transformation, on
leaving his home, left behind an affectionate
wife. After residing here about three years,
he sent for her, and she came to meet her long
absent lord. When the steamer arrived, a very
large man with black hair and whiskers met
her and claimed her as his wife. She repudia-
ted, would not hear him, for she had heard of
the w;ckedness Of this country, and she was
cautious. She endeavored for two months to
find the husband who hBd left her, then gave
him up for dead, and retur ed to her old home
sorrowful and broken-hearted. The metamor-
phosed husband is still here, and bitterly does
he curse the change in his fortunes which so
altered his personal appearance that even bis
own wife cannot recognize him. At present
there is not the least prospect of losing his
superabundant flesh or his hair again changing
color.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

b@ "Sut Lovegood" is responsible for the
following
Jim H tells a good yarn about one OF
our "shell bark lawyers" His client was up
on two small charges. frivolous charges" as
shell-bark designated them. forging note of
hand and stealing horse.) On running his
eye over the jury, he didn't like their looks, so
he prepared an affidavit for continuance, set
ting forth the absence in Alabama of princi-
pal witness. He read it in whisper to the
prisoner, who, shaking his head. said, Squire,
/ can't swear to that ar dockymint." "Why?''
"Kase hat haint true" Old shell inflated and
exploded loud enough to be heard Throughout,
the room What forge note an steal a
hoss, an can't swear to . lie =? D-n such a
,queamish sumick IS that I'm done with al
such Internal fools" And he left the conscien-
tious one to his fate.
The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06

The COUNTRY AROUND MARTIyEz.-A cor
respondent of the Contra Costa Gazette thus
writes:
Leaving Martinez, we travelled upon grav-
ely but smooth road, between rolling hills coy-
cred with wild oats and the evergreen live and
white oaks of California. Here and there we
passed beautiful cottages enclosed hy good
fences, and blessed with fine shade aud fruit
trees. About four miles from Martinez we
arrived at new and quite thrifty place, called
Pacheco Valley. At this place we found
several neat stores, quite number of dwelling
houses, fine Touring mill, with new and ex-
cellent machinery; very eat butchers shop.
wherein can be obtained all kinds of edibles
that the country affords We noticed on sale
fowls OF all kinds, which we were informed
were very numerous in that neighborhood, of
both the tame and wild species. About
mile below Pacheco. we alighted and inspected
a fine store-house also situated on the creek,
which we learned was capable of h ldng 40,-
900 sacks Of wheat. of hundred pounds each.
The house was well filed, and heavily laden
teams we're constantly arriving driven by the
happy and smiling husbandmen of the sur
rounding country. Another mile lower down
the creek. brought US to another store-house,
which is also capable o! holding some 10000
sacks Of wheat, and from all indications was
being rapidly filled At the village OF Pache-
co, there are also established two lumber yards,
which contain every variety of lumber necesss-
ry for building purposes. and from what we
learned and witnessed We judge they are well
satisfied with their sales. A new hotel was
completed and thrown open to the public
few days ago.
Leaving Pacheco, we found spread before
us one of the most delightful valleys the human
eye ever met. and OF considerable extent, being,
we supposed, about eight miles long, and
averaging two and halt miles in width. 1t
is called Nassau Valley, and presents beau
,iful appearance when viewed from the dis
tance, or as one passes through it, being cover
ed and shaded by the noble, wide-spreading
oaks, standing at quite regular distances apart,
as though set out by the hands of man. Ma
ture, however, did the work. Adding very
much to the beauty of this valley, is the far
famed Mount Dablo, situated on the east side.
and the rolling hills on the west. While riding
along through the valley, we were constantly
in view Of comfortable residences, with out
houses and appurtenances; and if happiness
ever appeared in its fullest glory, it is here to
be witnessed. as one views the husbandman
and his wife, sitting under the shade of state
" oak, or porch of the house, resting from
their tolls. whilst their laughing children are
playing with pet dogs, our feeding the fowls Of
the yard. Grazing between the trees, through
out the valley we witnessed herds of fine horses
cattle and sheep, the property of the thrifty
aud Industrious husbandman, whose tolls had
been thus rewarded.
C.xs I = Al
The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-03-13

The long expected Turkish Rear admiral
and his suite have at length arrived at New
York. They came by the Earopa, from
Liverpool and on their Decentralization on
Saturday Were escorted by one Of the mem
berS Of the b ard Of Alderman to She quarters
which the Committee uf the Common Colinril.
for 50 long IA lin: had KEEP; waiting for their
arrival in vain in the ST. Nicolas Hotel -
Being assigned their rooms at the hotrl. they
ordered ref eShlncntS, and the ..ldcrman
after ordering tr. in the parlor of the suite
of rooms provided far them ard remaining
few minutes to ascertain that thcv wr'r con-
Portable took his leave Tne Herald SAYS
they are fine hooking set Of men. the most
Distinguishing feature ia their dress being the
TURK ISL rcd aud blue tub,n. Thp entire
party are sal'i 10 complain bitterly Of lie
extreme cold weather. The new Turkish
<'cam fjgetc japanese, Just finished in New
York. is ready for SEA and will pruhal Div be.
inspected by III: Turkish naval Officers pro-,
10 her sailing.