davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
The Grape.
1uo OT0pes
LAKE MILLs, Wis, March 11th. 1860

mo OT0pes
LAKE Mills, Wis, March nth, 1860.
Cot. Richardyon--Dear Sir Satisfied
as am that Fruit is one of the necessities
Of life in our climate. | have given the sub
ject little investigation. In travelling
through the country, when at McGrego1
last, in admiring your high lands, those
bluffs that seem almost useless for any.
thing but to crafty the feeling of sublimity;
knowing something Of the habits of the
Grape, it occurred to me that the vine
might be grown thereon with profit. had
often heard Of the vineyard Of Messrs. At
wood & Cooper, and while at this place
I gave them a call and found they were
doing wonders and establishing a well
earned reputation in their business. They
have made the grape a speciality. Last
season they raised some 200 bushels oil
fruit, cultivating 33 varieties, Of which the
Northern Muscadine holds prominent
place on account Of its great hardness and
fine quality also the OPoRro, perhaps the
best vine grape in America. Now, why not
turn your bluffs to good account by plant.
ing them to grapes? This visit only con.
firms me in the opinion that large profit can
be realized by such step. Whatever adds
to the health, comfort and beauty Of State
adds to its wealth. These gentlemen have
large stock of grape plants for sale-
Will some one with you take the idea and
try it. saw grapes here nearly as fresh
as just from the vine, kept by putting ir
boxes with paper between the clusters, tn.
very sight makes the mouth water. en-
qu,red the process Of raising them and was
told the soil was mixture Of clay ant
gravel which they trench some two fee
deep-high land or hills are better adapted
to the cultivation of the grape than othe
lands. Yours, truly, 7. B. SMITH.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

VALUE OF AN ExpLASATIoS.--A certain
king, it is said, sent to another king, say
ing:
Send me blue pig with black tail or
else --'
The other, in high dudgeon, at the pre-
sumcd insult, replied:
81 have not got one, and if | bad
On which weighty cause they went to war
for many years. After safety of glories
and miseries, they finally bethought them
that, as their armies and resources were ex-
hausted, and their kingdoms mutually laid
waste, it would be well enough to consult
about the preliminaries of peace; but be-
fore this could be concluded, diplomatic
explanation was first needed Of the insult
ing language, which had formed the ground
Of the quarrel
"What could you mean," asked the Seq
ond king of the first, "by saying,
"'Send me blue pig with black tail,
or else -"
"Why," said the other, ~ meant a blue
pig with black tail, or else some other cot
or. But retorted he, what did you mean
by saying,
az have not got one, and il had u
"Why, Of course. if had, Ishould hate
sent i'll" An explanation which was on
tirely satilactory, and peace was concluded
accordingly.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

and upsets ditto. have been fortunate iii
my individual experience, having but once
been lost in the wonderful labyrin.hs ci
crinoine.
But beauty aside, let me speak Of matters
which the citizens Of Iowa ought to feel
some interest The examination Of students
in the State University and State Normal
School which took place here the other day
was in all respects most excellent, highly
complimentary to the teachers and pupils,
I have attended very many examina-
tons of a like kind in more easterly States,
and am glad to say that l never received
more satisfactory evidence that teachers
were capable and pupils diligent than in,
this instance. therefore as citizen o.
Iowa, greatly rejoiccd, as did others who
attended. Two pupils from each COUNTY
in the State will now be received at the
University, free Of tuition, on the recon :
mendation Of the County Superintendent.
A term commenced on Wednesday last,
and under more favorable auspices than ever
before. | hope the University in all its de.
partments will prove to be a complete sue
cess. There never was better corps Of
teachers than we have here now. But I
must quit, for this time JOHN:
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
do(seklg Nortb so>ua Gin'es

Marriages.
The 18th annual report Of births, marri.
ages and deaths, in Massachusetts,, has tecn
made to the Legislature. From notice of
it in the Springfield Republican, we con-
dense and clip. In 1859, 35,422 children
were born, one for every 81 persons, and
81 day, on an average. More births take
place in the last halt Of the year-the re-.
verse is the case in England and Scotland:
1859 was the most productive year Massa-
chusetts ever had in this line. The male to
the female births are in the ratio Of lO5 to
l0O-a very remarkable uniformity in this
respect is observable for the last FIVE years.
OF deaths there were 20,975-an i'm
provement in health is observable. Typhus
fever is in the country more than in cities.
Dyscntery is diminishing. Diptheria is
partial to females and to children. Cancer
killed SOC persons, two thirds of whom were
females. Consumption destroys % out of
100 annually. The marriage statistics We
copy from the Journal entire. The girls
will want to read and calculate the chances;
widows, elderly maidcns and widowers may
also feel some interest in this exhibit of the
way true love runs. We think the "5S and
II year" marriages out of order, and
our judgment will not allow us to com.
mend the splicing of boys Of Is, or girls OF
IL; but here is the statement:
There were 1,475 marriages in Massa-
chusetts in 1859, a decrease of 634 from
the average Of the five previous years.
Sixty-two persons were married on every
day Of the year on All average There are
more weddings in October, November and
December, than in airy other months. Less
widows and widowers than usual, were
married second time last year 81 out Of
100 Of the women married, were brides for
the first time, and 81 out of 100 of the
mc'. had not been married before; 96 out
Of 100 bachelors selected maids, and only 4
| per cent chose brides who had been brides
before; &c out Of 100 widowers selected
maids and "a married widows. Of the
maids, 80 in 1000 were married to bachelors,
and IL in 100 were wcdlo"ked with widow
ers. Of the widows, ~ in 100 were chosen
by bachelors, and 58 in 100 became the
wives Of those who had been husbands be.
fore. OF the 10 widows under 20 years of
age, 8 married bachelors of the So wild.
ows between the ages Of 20 and 25, no less
than "a married bachelors The marriage
tables include one man aged 81 married a
girl only II years Of age-one man of So,
to girl Of l3-one of 81, to girl of IL
one Of SO, (fifth marriage) to maid of 19
"a bachelor under SO, to maid OYER 10
a widowcr over 20, to widow under %
years old; 1875 boys married before they
were 81 years of age-5 Of whom were only
Is years old, 8 of II, and SO of Is years;
470 girls were married before they were Is
years old, one Of whom was ID years, 4 OF
ID, 4 Of IA, ~ Of Is, l29 Of IL, and 2S5 ol
| II years.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
Poetry.
A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

What was he doing, the great god Pan,
Uown In TIE reed. by the riv~rl
Spreading ruin and sca'teri, bsn.
8 spIashng and padding with hoofs of goat,
And breaking the golden lilies aaoat
With the dragon-ay on the river'
lie tore out a reed, the great god Pan,
From the deep cool bed Of the river.
The lmrid water turbidy ran,
And the broken lilies a-dying lay,
And the draEon-hy had ded away,
Ere he brought It out OF the river.
nigh on the shore sat the great god Pan,
While turbidly flowed the river,
And hacked and hewed 4 great god can,
With his hard bleak steel At the patient reed,
TIL there was not sigh Of . leaf indeed
To prove IL fresh from the river.
He cut Il short did tho great god Pan,
GLOW tall 1t stood in he river y
Then drew the pith, like the heart Of = man,
Steadily from the outside ring.
Then notched the poor dry empty thing
In holes a. he sat by the river.
''This il the way" laughed tho great god Pan,
Laughed a. he sat by the riveri)
.'The only way since the gods hogan
To make sweet music they could succeed" ;"
Then dropping hi mouth to hole Ia the reed,
lie blew 10 power BY the river.
Sweet, sweet, sweet, o Pan,
Piercing sweet by tho riverl
Binding sweet, o great rod pan I
The sun on the hill forgot to die.
nd the lillies revived, and the dragon-dy
Came back to dream on the river.
Yet haifs beast is tbs great god Pan
To laugh, as he ats by the river,
Making a poet out af man.
The true gods sigh for the cost and pain,--
For the reed that grows nevermore again
A. reed with the reeds In the river.
ELIZADgfH BARRRrr BROwNINo.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
Letter from Iowa City.

Iowa CITY, 26th Feb'y., 1861.
Ed. Times = The ancient Capital of the
State Of Iowa has been getting along this
winter quite as well as could be expected
Not single boiler in all our manufacture
ing establishments has burst; not single
man of family, or without, either, has been
indicted for violating the seventh com.
mandment, or the law of the State in ac
cordance Herewith; not man has been
frozen to death, nor an editor whaled not
gallon Of "lortyrol" has been left union
ored and undrunk not lovely twain of
Thomas and jeremiah has been left to
waste its sweetness on the desert air (if that
be according to Murray; not Bank has
suspended, nor wild cat ceased to circu-
late. In short, we've got along here lust
precisely as we'll as if Little Dug" or
Buck" had been elected, and nothing un.
der the sun had ever been known of Seces.
sion or Mr.. Jefferson Davis. Hogs have
commanded high price, and about 25 900
Of them have been sold here. Nv indivi.
dual experience is, that new turkeys, dress
ed fowls, and ham and eggs have ruled
desperately high-as high as a kite, in fact.
SO We lived on pigs feet and vinegar, with
an occasional swig at full cider barrel I'D
street with straw, the straw being too
short to reach the cider. But going through
the motions does a f.llow some good.
The season has been just tolerably cav.
Your distinguished correspondent has been
invited to at least one party, and has re-
ceived tickets to at least twenty balls; but.
as he found by due inquiries made at the
door, one hundred cents were REQUIRED be.
fore admission, he was compelled, on ac.
count OF pressing engagements "made be
forehand," to forego the pleasure of mixing
in the famous "mazes of the dance."-
Nevertheless, the ladies are seen to wea,
desperately ugly cloaks-uslier by al
odds than mud fence, and far more expen
sive. They are black, trimmed with littl
white 'fringas," and from such things. goo,
Lord deliver all pretty women. One o
em would make even Venus horrible.
hope the women ''up North" have had to,
much sense to adopt this outlandish fash
ion.
We have had glorious sleichine sine
the first Of December. Parties 10 III
country, therefore. have been numerou
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

COlOred POlitics.
The Dubuque Herald relates an account
Of a serious fight among some gents Of the
sablcs in that city. The Justices Office
after the fight, was filled with darkics of ali
shades, sizes and sexes. Constable Swivel
brought the belligerents into court, and the
proceedings were as follows:
"What have you to say for yourself, my
frend?" said the Squire.
"Noting, ony jess heah Masser Sqire.-
You see dis gemelmen an me got talking
about Seceshum! An Jake he ses State
hab no right to secede An scs whafo
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20


THE MUSICAL Establishment or 4. JyD-
SON llIGGISs. s.-Thc music publishing bus-
ness has grown into very large dimensions
in this city, within the last four years, and
Chicago now ranks only second Or third in
this respect with all the other cities in the
Union. Prominent among our music pub
fishers is Mr.. A. Judson Higgins, well and
tavorably known among our music loving
citizens as practical and skillful composer,
and man of great good taste in this direc-
ton. Mr.. Higgins establishment is at 40
Clark street, and a visit there will well repay
any one who wants good music. In his
store will be found all the standard and c!as-
sic music, and all the new pieces published
either in the West or East, as fast IS they
come from the press. Mr. Higgins has
within few days published some very at
tractivc pieces of music, composed in this
city, which are bound to become popular.
His stock of musical instruments is very
large-ranging from the best pianos down
to a musical box. His terms are reasona-
able, and his articles good. ..
Among the new music very recently pul.
lished by Mr. Higgins we notice the follow.
ing, which will ere long become very popu-
lar:
81 cannot catch the sunshine" a beauti.
ful and pathetict song.
"The Sherman House Polka,"--an ex.
tremey melodeous and brilliant piece.
THE Sewing Machine Polka" yet in
press.
"Old Abe's Galop,' yet in press:
Mabel Claire" very excellent song
and chorus.
Lies Amourans fantasia and Polka" by
G. Dutzler, brilliant piece
Mr.. Higgins is also publisher of all the
popular music Of the Baker family.-Daily
Democrat, Chicago.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
Written for the Times.
1T Is SPRING.

Rejoice Oh rejoice. in thy fullness Of heart,
For the ice-bound fstters will soon depart,
And all that is lovely In natures domain,
From the Budding flowers to the waving grain,
Shall have birth
And the gray old earth and the lcadess bowers,
Shall start at the touch Of the early showers,
And We shall rejoice at its glitter and sheen,
A. IL dons It's dress Of Summer green.
And the old oak tree and the shadowy glen,
Shall echo the music of birds again.
Aud the flowers With hues Of purple and gold,
Shall send out their riches Of fragrance untold.
Rejoice! oh, rejoice, for the time shalt come,
When the sweetest music earth's busy hum,
It will bring.
To spread DER the earth mantle OF wealth,
To invgor the minds, to the body give health,
ltis Spring.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

Isaac and Nellie we're talking one day,
Concerning the sin OF coquetting.
When Nellie broke out in quick, though tless way
Her own peeradillos forgetting,
"Now. Isaac, to have many strings to your bow
Is surely . very wrong thing'
'Tis no wor-e, replied Ike, you certainly know,
Than to have many beaux to your string"
"But suppose" querrisd Ike, shat you aud bs
To flirting tog' thsr devoted.
What number'ess victims th world would then see
Attacked, overcome aud Rnrrotedi
Sweet Nellie, dear Nellie, come let US be we'd"
But the maiden at first looked demure.
Till at length, Ike kissed her. abe sn,ingly said
'What a bo"string we'n make, to be sure"
ST. PAUL, Feb. ~, 1861.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
The Union.

BY MISS FANNY HALL.
Oh, now when disunion and discord abound,
And the North and the South glow with Aeree irr
tation,
With love more intense would gather around,
ndl"ok 10 our flag as the sign OF salvation.
Accur ed he the morn, when. di>honored and torn,
II. g"rv depar sd. ifa nsanty all shorn, ~,
When the st pan led Banner longer shall
Ger the land Of the free and the home Of the brays
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

s" A Paris letter sars: "Madame
Castiglione, in her twenty third year, is dy-
ing Of cancer at Passy. The Empress Eu-
genie is thus avenged 70. there is no doubt
Of the Emperor's truancy in that quarter.
Her loveliness was truly extraordinary"
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

McGREGOR IOWA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH co. 1861. WHOLE N

has de State no right to seccde if she want
tor And Jake ses, causes she haint. And
then ses /, you muss be a dam fool cause
de State hab dc right of seceshum. An
den ses Jake, ses he, 60 way; you de big
ges fool nigga knows anywha. Now, Squi'
don't low no one to call me nigga, and so
l jes gives him one unncr de ca, and de
laud gaud, Squi', you jes ort to see him roll.
An den all the oder niggas cum at me, an
jes pile EN- right and lef. He! he he -
You ort to bin da' Squi'-t'would dun you
heaps a good to see dc colored people layin
roun'," and the old fellow grinncd over the
recollections Of his prowcss, smile tina,
displayed ivory enough to set up . couple
Of elephants in trade. ...-...
Looking as if was not exactly of the dar-
keys opinion about him there, the Squire
bade him finish his story.
swell dats about all, Squi'. case jss don
some nigga hits me on de head wild big
site an drxps me! An den Misser Swivel
fotch me heah."
The wife of the defendant, who weighs a
very little less than q ton, said her ''olc
man was dangersome, cause he h. .ther once
in de mout and knocked her over ker.
plump"
The Squire sentenced the "Seseshumist'
to pay small fine, and sent him to Jail for
30 days.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

To-day is very good time to read and
appreciate the following from ten year
old, who, though ungovernable, calls his
father Governor. He asks his older sister
is the Guv'nor up stairs, Maria 2"
"If you mean father-yes"
well, then, tell him if he wants To
speak to me about staying out late of a
night, he had better come down and do so
now, as have got an appointment at ten
o'clock, to take the two Miss Sparkles out.
BE lively, there's a good girl
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
Lecture on Ethnology.


Prof B. J. Raphael, late Of this city, des.
livered lecture on "Thc plural origin Of
the human race" on Saturday evening, a.
the New York Medical College. Were a!l
the races brethrcn2 He believed they wcr.
not To consider that they were would in.
volve the same adsurdties, the speaker said,
as to believe that our earth was created only
6O0o years ago, or that the stars had beef
callcd INTO beng to shine round it, or that
all the animals of the world had been de-
rived from the pairs saved from the flood
in Noah's ark. Where there are physical
differences, there will be intellectual differ.
ences; and the difference Of the races ia
very marked. The African has a thicker
skin than the Caucasian, much larger
proportion Of his brain lies behind per.
pcndicular line drawn through the opening
of the ear, the collar bone is shorter, the
forearm is considerably longer, in this res.
pect inclining towards the ape, the thigh il
longer in proportion to the leg, the legs are
often round, his heel bone is much longer
and less rounded, his toes are greatly turned
out. The races are dissilnilar in color, in
osscous structure, and other char acteristics.
The Hottentot and the Bushman Us nearly
resemble the orang-outang rs they do the
Caucasian race. There is An endless variety
in the modes of living. Sume live in huts,
some in fine houses, some eat snakes, some
to gain the favor of the Deity, eat their
grandfathers. He denied that climate and
habits would account for the varieties Of
race. History showed that the same differ
enccs of race had always existed. They
were found represented upon the oldest
Egyptian pyramids. 1t was trillng with
the subject to suppose that the negro race
had originated in some freak Of nature-tc
assume that ain the fight of ages past
negro baby had been born Of white parents"
and hence an interminable line of negro
babies. The speaker then dwelt on wha:
he called 1.-The scheme of aptitudes" per.
vading nature. The law of adaptation dis
closed itself in making the black man for
Africa as much as in forming the reindeer
and polar bear for arctic regions. Under
the burning sun Of Africa the negro found
his highest development, while the white
race under The same circumstances withered
and became extinct. What the Bible saws
on the subject was next considered The
narrative Of Moses referred to more than
one original race. There was no 'irreprcss-
iblc Niger in the Garden of Eden; this
was inhabited by the white race. This
creation of Adam and Eve" said the lec-
turer, had reference to the Caucasian race,
of which the Jews were variety" Gains
going off to the land Of Nod to get wife
showed that the earth was inhabited Nv
others than Adams family. SO Of the
murder mark on his forehead-Cain did not
dread the anger of his own kindred, but Of
other inhabitants Of the @orld. The lee
t,lrer concluded by referring to various pas
sages OF Scripture to show that the phrase
ALI and every one were not to b. taken
literally. .-LouisriNe youraaL
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

H The printers say the game Of the
Southern Confederacy is the game Of jeff F."
jeff" in printers parlance, is game play
ed for cigars (never anything stonger,) by
throwing an equal number Of type on the
stone and counting the hicks turned up
the most hicks or notches in the type takes
the persimmons.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

ELEcr.-Adams was in minority Of 14l
housand; Polk Of "a thousand; Taylor
Of l5l thousand; Buchanan of 377,628,
and Lincoln was in minority Of nine hun
dred and forty. six thousand nine hundred
and fifty nine, or nearly one MILLION!
The Milwaukee Daily Sentinel in giving
this information says: So much has been
said about Mr.. Lincoln being a minority
President that it is taken for granted that
none Of his predecessors were chosen in the
same way" ...r
Not SO. So much is said by Republi-
cans with Mr.. Lincoln at the hcad) about
Submitting to the majority" that it may
be taken for granted" that the Republican
views have really been indorsed by major
ity of the American people and Mr.. L. is
called minority President to remind some
Of you ranters that your party only ndm-
bers a little over One THIRD of the people.
II it was represented by numbers in le-
gisative body its membership would mt
form quorum while its opponents would
be able to pass all their bills by nearly a
two thirds vote. Why don't your papers
give the people correct informatione 1t is
just as easily done as to deceive them and
in the end they have far more regard for
you as authority.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20
STORAGE.

VXIE are prepared to STORE WHEAT, flour,
wv SC, during the Winter, in our New Ware
House on the river. The Ware House is very
lent, furnished with splendid pair OF Fairbank IS
Scales, and being distant from other buildings. al
most entirely safe from re We have large stock OF
d Il Y L U NJ B f. r.,
On hand, which will advance grain, sell for
Cash HAYT DuRDJCk.
McGregor, November 81, ls6Oms
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-20

n- 1t is said th,t Old Abe euchercd the
Baltmarear.s but the facts are that he saw
their hand, and melely said Il pass"
The Ballimoreans then gave him the deal
This is the whole Of it, Giia,aa Pess5