davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
Engaging nIa,iners.

1t is the duty of all, young and old,
rich and poor, to dress as tidily and as be-
comingly as their tastes and circumstances
will permit, and in every situation, and in
all companies, to exhibit the department
characterized by kindness, courtesy and
consideration. A nameless one has writ
ten:
"There are thousand pretty, engaging
little ways, which every person may put
on without running the risk of being
deemed affected or foppish. The sweet
smile, the cordial bow, the earnest move
ment in addressing friend, the inquiring
glance, the graceful attention which is so
captivating when united with self-posses-
sion-these will insure us the good regards
of even a churl. Above all, there is GER
tain softness of manner which should be
cultivated, and which, in either man or
woman, adds charm that almost entirely
compensates for lack of beauty. and ines
timably enhances the latter, if it does ex-
ist.-Haps Journal of Health.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
Who Should Marry.

In the March number of the Herald of
Health Mrs. E. Oakes Smith has an ar
ticle on Choosing Wife," from. which
we make a few extracts:
1t is not wise to marry woman of diff
fercnt religious faith, nor one far removed
from your own social rank nor an igno-
rant woman.
Do not marry woman with thin lips
and glib tongue.
Do not marry sentimental woman, who
is sure to run into the lackadaisical one :;
let her love sentiment, high, noble senti-
ment, but beware of the sentimental.
Do not marry one of the delicate, die
away women, who are sure to degenerate
into invalids, and take pride in their
fcebleness.
Only handsome men and women ought
to marry. Those having mems sand in
corpore sano. Let others look the matter
squarely in the face, and admit that their
imbecilities, their diseases, their unhand-
some looks, their discordant minds, ought
not to be perpetuated; and let them go to
work manfully to make the best of them
selves by eschewing marriage. Let them
o.
earning money for the good of Others
teaching, and farming, and helping on
good and wholesome ideas.
The true, good, and handsome men and
women adapted to marriage ought to be
treated with distinguished honor in the
world, as benefactors of the race as fore
shadowing that beautiful future when we
shall be hardly lower than the angels and
covered with glory and honor.
One reason why it is well to msrry a
pretty woman in preference to plain one,
is that the former is more free from jeal-
ousy and discomfort than the latter. Being
better satisfied with herself, she is more
likely to be pleased with others.
1t is better to marry full-sizcd woman
than little one, for the meanness of stat
ure is apt to so through the character also.
A certain roundness of contour; compo-
sure and self-poise, devoid of heavincss or
sluggishness; an elastic buoyancy, bright
uppish look, more of pride than vanity;
clear, open eye, and pure, child-like smile;
hands and feet -proportioned, not too
small, are outlines easily Disseminated and
constitute a safe, reliable character. A
cheerful woman, one who will not make
mountains of mole hills; who can find
something bright and beautiful everywhere;
who has pretty feminine resources, and
knows how to devise ways and means to
make others happy and content about her,
is jewel of inestimable worth
The voice (not for singing is great in
dicator ofcharactcr. Beware of those high,
sharp tones of voice, as well as the too low
and hesitating, the first belongs to a
shrew, and the last to deceit and imbecil-
ity.
Cheerfulness of temper, candor that re-
jects every species of falsehood, and owns
to the truth at any peril tenderness to be
detected by fondness for and faithful care
of pets, rather than by outward express
sions; purity instinct in thought and ac-
ton; intelligence to appreciate all that is
noble and good and health, sound and
elastic, are traits to insure duty as a wife
and happiness in household.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

TIE WHITE ANT.-An odd story is
largely credited in India in regard to the
voraeity of the white ant. A gentleman hav-
ing charge of chest of money placed it
on the floor, where it was speedily attacked
by these destructivcs, who soon annihila-
ted the bottom of the box and the bags
containing the specie, which fell piece by
leece into the hollows of the Termites'
burrow just underneath the floor where the
box was placed. When the coin was de-
manded it was not to be found, but the
attacks of the ants were incontestablc, and
the story got abroad that their teeth were
capable of devouring metal. Some years
afterward when the house was undergoing
repairs, the whole sum was found several
feet deep in the earth in the midst of the
ant-nest. White ants once attacked a
British ship of the line, the Albion she
was obliged to put into port in conse-
quence, and had to be broken up. These
creatures are much relished as food among
the natives of the interior of India, as well
as those of Africa. In India before the
migration of the ants, two holes are bored
in the nest opposite to each other; on the
leeward side pot is placed, which has
been rubbed with aromatic herbs; on the
windward side fire is made, the smoke
of which drives the insects into the pots
These captured victims arc then securely
fastened in, dried over the fire, ground
into -four, and made into a pastry, which
is sold to poor people, but which, if used
abundantly produces dysentery. At the
time of the migration of the ants in Africa.
myriads of them fall into the water, which
the natives skim off the surface with Gala
bashes, then grill them in iron cauldrons
over large fire, string them as coffee is
stirred. The natives eat them by hand
fulls, without accompaniment or other
preparation, and consider them very deli
cious. They are said to resemble in taste
sugared cream or sweet almond paste. The
Hottentots eat them very grecdily when
boiled, and grow plump and fat upon the
food. They also consume the pupe of the
ants, which they call rice, on account of
its resemblance to that grain. They cook
these in small quantity of water. A
large nest will sometimes yield bushel
of the pup@. DIR. Livingstone, when on
the banks of the Tonga, in south Africa,
being visited by one of the chiefs, gave
him some bread and apricot-jam, and pre-
sently asked him ifhe had ever before eaten
any food so good. "Did you ever eat
white ants 7" he questioned mo-" said
the Doctor. "Well then," Palarie res
ponded, eff you had, you never would
have desired to have eaten anything bet
ter" The white ant is common article
of food among the low caste Hindoo tribes
in Mysore and other districts of India.
The female termite in particular is suppos-
ed by the Hindoos to be endowed with
highly nutritive properties. Mr.. Consett, in
his travels in Sweden, in 1889, states that
he knew young Swede who ate live ants
with the greatest possible relish, and in
some parts of Sweden ants are distilled with
the rye to give flavor to inferior kinds Of
brandy Ladies' Treasury.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
zing the past with vividness that can

zing the past with vividness that can
scarcely be conceived.
Pompeii, overwhelmed, and, as it were,
hermetically sealed in the very height of
its prosperity, preserved from the ravages
with which the Goths and Vandals visited
the ancient glories Of Italy, and from the
sacrilegious and almost as destructive pill
lagings of modern hands, brings the very
past to our doors. Within its silent streets
are buildings as they were originally de-
signed, not altered and patched to meet
the exigencies of new fashions the paint
ings undimmed by the leaden touch of
time; household furniture left in the confu-
sion of use; articles, even of intrinsic val
ue, abandoned in the hurry of escape, yet
safe from the robber, or scattered about as
they fell from the trembling hand, which
could not pause or stop for its most valu-
able possessions; and in some instances,
the bones of the inhabitants, bearing sad
testimony to the suddenness and complete
ness of the calamity which overwhelmed
them," There are the very ruts which
were made by the wheels of chariots fy-
ing, perhaps, from the impending ruin
there are the water-pipes, in the cavities of
which, sealed by the hand of time, the
splashing fluid can still be heard; there
are rude aud grotesquc inscriptions, scratch
ed by some loiterer on the stucco, and as
fresh as when they excited the mirth of the
passer-by; there are egg-shells, bones of
fish and chickens, and other fragments of
q repast of which the people whose skele-
tons lie near them were partaking when
the catastrophe overwhelmed them there
are the stains left upon the counters of
drinking shops by wet glasses; there are
the vials of the apothecary, still contain
ing the fluids which he was wont to dis
pense there are the ovens, in which
loaves of bread, carbonizcd, but otherwise
perfect, may yet be seen; there are vases
with olives still swimming in oil, the fruit
retaining its favor, and the oil burning
readily when submitted to the fame there
are shelves, on which are piled stores of
figs, raisins, and chestnuts, and there are
dmphorG, containing the rare wines for
which Campania was famous.
About one-third of the city has been
disinterred In this portion some six or
seven hundred skeletons have been found
1t is reasonable to assume that if the whole
city were uncovered the number of skele-
tons would be about two thousand. But
Pompeii contained at least twenty thou
sand inhabitants.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
dait and 8umor.
SEALED PROPOSALS.

In Louisville young man issued LEAP
year invitation, and sent the following no.
tice to contractors for publication in the
Courier:
The undersigned, feeling the need Of
some one to find fault with and grumble
at, when business matters go wrong; and
being lonely, with no one to hate him
and, whereas, having arrived at the pro-
per age, he is therefore determined to
" come out"
Sealed proposals will be received until
II o'clock P. NJ. of the 31st of December,
1868.
Applicants must possess beauty or its
equivalent in currency, the latter much
preferred; both would not be objected to.
She must possess sweet and forgiving
disposition, and when one cheek is kissed
turn the other-that is, if the right man
is kissing. She may not chew gum, nor
wear long dresses in the street nor fire.
quent sewing circles !; nor go around beg
ging for charitable purposes nor read the
paper first in the morning; nor talk when
l am sleepy; nor sleep when am talk
ing; nor trade off my clothes to wander
|
ing Italians for flower vases; nor borrow
money from my vest pocket while I sleep
nor hold looking-glass over my face at
such times, to make me tell all know.
She must believe in sudden attacks Of
chills, and make allowances for their effect
on the nervous system. When her &c old
bear" comes home from "a few friends, F."
rather affectionate, she must not take ad-
vantage of his state and wheedle him into
trips to watering places. And, above all,
she may not, on such occasions, put ipecac
into the coffee she prepares for his "poor
head"
She must sit up for him, when he hap
pens to be detained to late hour on his
g committee" or at the "lodge." But
when he does return, tired and chilly, if
she has retired, she will be expected as a
good wife should, to roll over to the other
side, and give him her warm place.
A lady possessing the foregoing qualif-
cations, positive and negative, can hear of
something to her advantage, by address
ing the undersigned, inclosing a red stamp.
All proposals must be accompanied with
satisfactory evidence of the ability of the
applicant to support husband in the style
to which he has been accustomed.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Ludicrous blunders some times occur in
cases when ignorant persons attempt the
use of language of the meaning of which
they know nothing. Not long since,
while travelling from Pittsburg to Cincin-
natl, two rather verdant specimens of the
female sex came ON board the boat at one
of the landings, whom, for the sake of dis
tinction, we will call Mary and Jane
Now, Mary had her eye teeth cut, or in
other words, was acquainted with the rules
and regulations which govern genteel soci-
ETY.. Jane, the younger, had never mixed
in society to any extent. Her language
was such as she had heard among her rustic
acquaintance. Mary was aware of this
fact and therefore cautioned her to observe
how she Mary acted, and govern herself
accordingly. Shortly after, while seated
at the dinner-table, the waiter asked Mary
what part of the fowl she would have. She
informed him in a very polite manner, that
it was perfectly immaterial." He accord
ingly gave her piece, and then inquired
of Jane what part she would prefer. 81
believe will take piece of the inmate
rial too"
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
Setett Auetrp.
THE NAME IN THE SAND.

Alone walked the ocean strand,
A pearly shell was in my hand;
stopped and wrote upon the sand
My name-the year-the day.
As onward from the spot passed,
One lingering look behind cast
A wave came rolling high and fast,
And washed my lines away.
And SO, methought; twill shortly bc
With every mark on earth for me;
A wave of dark oblivion's sea
Will sweep across the place
Where l have trod the sandy shore
Of Time and been to be, no moro
Of me- my fame, the name | bore,
To leave no track or trace.
And yet with Him who counts the sands,
And holds the waters in His hands,
know a lasting record stands
Inscribed against my name
OF oil this mortal part has wrought
Of all this thinking soul has thought,
And from these heeting moments caught,
For glory or for shame
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

DR.. DwIGHT AND THE FARMER. the
Rev. DR.. once passed through region of
very poor land, he said to farmer:
"Sir, 1 perceive your land here is not
very productive"
i" No sir" said the honest farmer, "our
land is just like self-righteousness."
"Ah how is that ?"
"Why, the more man has of it, the
poorer he is"
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

An Irish soldier, who now and then in
dulges in "wee dhrap." was thus ac-
costed by the reviewing general:
What makes your nose SO red p
Plaze yer honor" replied Patrick, ~
always bloosh whin I spake to general
officer"
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

IF LAUGHTER BEGETs FAT, it is no less
true that scolding is the parent of meagre-
ness. Who ever saw plump termagant
The virago is scraggy-scraggiuess is the
badge of all her tribe.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
AT his head grass green turf,
At his heels a stone.

A correspondent of the Country Gentle
man says: A small, clean potato, with the
end cut off, is very convenient medium
of applying brick dust to knives, keeping
it at .bout the right moisture, while the
juice of the potato assists in removing stains
from the surface. We can get better
polish by this method than by any other
we have tried, and with less labor.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Nice beef may be known by its color ;
the fat will be of oily smoothness and in
cline to white, rather than yellow, while
the lean will be of an open grain, bright
red. Yellow fat is sure sign of an infe-
rior quality.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Nothing sets so wide a mark between a
vulgar and noble soul as the respect and
reverential love of womankind A man
who is always sneering at woman is gen.
orally coarse prohigate, or a coarser
bigot.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Domestic DRAMA.-Mother in the cell
lar splitting wood, daughter in the parlor
singing to Clarence Fitz Noodle the plain
tive air, Who will care for mother now ;"
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Am I not little pale?" inquired
lady who was short and corpulent of a
crusty old bachelor. "You look more
like big tub" was the blunt reply.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Mother, can 60 and have my pho
tograph taken?
No, guess it isn't worth while"
Well, then, you might let me 90 and
have tooth pulled out; I never go any
where"
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

"Where are. you going? asked little
boy of another who had just slipped and
fallen down on an icy pavement. "Going
to get up" was the blunt reply.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

The first ingredient in conversation is
truth; the next, good sense ). the third,
good humor, and the fourth, wit.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

A Goldfish breakfast and an India-rubber
coat will keep man dry all day.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

What sculpture is to block of marble
education is to the human soul.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
Eloquent Passage.

For the greatest human intcllects there
is no exception from the common doom. I
have sometimes thought how sublime must
have been the emotions of that man whose
privilege it was to stand by the coffin of
Shakespeare and gaze on the sweet and no.
BILE face, when death had called out all the
strange beauty that ever lives there. 1t
was worth lifetime to have stood there
one minute, to have laid your hand on that
broad brow, and started at the cold chill,
and so pause, to have called up in memory
all the magnificent creations of his genius,
and worship him there in silence and the
gloom
But he is dead and gone
At his head grass green turf,
At his heels a stone
So they all go. Man dies, but nature
is eternal. The seasons keep their ap-
pointed time; day returns with its golden
splendor, and night with its eloquent mys-
terry. The same stars which lit up the
ghastly battle field of Troy, rough with
the dead bodies of ancient heroes, which
shone on the marble streets of imperial
Rome, and on the sad eyes of vigil Sleep
ers in the living glow Of inspiration
watch fires Of the angels which through
centuries of devastation and change, have
still burned on nceasingly-speak to us
as they did to Dante, Shakespeare and Mil
ton. of the divine glory, omnipotence, the
everlasting love and beauty of God.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

When does farmer act with rudeness
towards his corn? When he pulls its ears.
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18

Three things to govern-Temper, tongue
and conduct
Middletown transcript., 1868-04-18
The following is said to have been the
direction on letter left at an Indiana post
office.

Postmaster, blease to sent him strait,
Bennsylvany ish der Staight
0lt Venango, dats der county,
We're oil bours out NIT Heavens pounty,
Franklin, she's der county seat,
Der Bostoffice on Liberdy sthreet;
Sharley Taylor, he's der man;
Send her yust so quick s you can.
The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-01-09
Parinr tIre NntlonaI Debt.

The New York Sun, in urging upon
Congress the necessity of at once re-
ducing the taxes, talks thus sensibly
about paying the National debt:
oThe idea that the National debt
must be hurriedly paid is an absurdity.
The country has lately come out Of an
exhausting war, and it is the worst
policy to compel it, while thus weak
and crippled, to strain every nerve for
the mere sake Of seeing how soon it
can cash the war-hill. The country
needs a little time to recuperate from
the late exhaustion. Give it time to
regain its strength; fmpart a fresh
start to productive industry, business
enterprise, and the development Of ma
tiOnal resources, and it will be able to
pay the debt with comparative ease
The true policy is to drain the cOun-
try as little as possible by taxation,
until it shall have regained its ante-war
prosperity. There is neither neces5i-
ty nor excuse for the opposite COURSE
All that the government really re-
quires is enough money to pay its cur
rent expenses, and to meet the interest
payments on the debt. Foreign gov
ernments never trouble themselves
about the principal Of their indebted
ness, being well satisfied if they can
pay the interest. We should not take
them for financial models, but their
policy shows that there is no need for
the course which our government is
pursuing. Ten or twenty years hence,
for instance, the amount of the pres
ent yearly tax in this country could
be raised without half the injury to
business it now entails"
The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-01-09
Santa Claus.

We find the following history Of the
famous Santa Claus in Arthur's Home
Magazine, and publish it for the bene-
fit Of our young readers :
"No doubt you have heard of dear
old Santa Claus ever since you were
big enough to hang up a stocking be-
side the chimney, and you had a half
defined belief in him long after you
knew whose kind fingers it was that
filed your plates and stockings,
Perhaps you would like to know
how his. name came to be used in con-
nection with Christmas goodies.
Many years ago there was a minis
ter in a foreign land, who used to be
very kind to little children. He never
seemed more pleased than when he
had troop of them about him, and he
usually had his hands ladened with
good things for them. So the little
children shouted for joy when the
good Santaclaus came among them.
After he was dead, the Catholic
Church gave him the title Of Santa
Claudius; and when the merry Christ
mas times came around, the bright
evergreens, the crimson holly buds,
decked out the hall and the cottage,
when the little ones woke in the
morning, to rejoice over their beauti-
full gifts, it was common for mothers
to say that the good Santa Claudius
sent to them. In course of years the
tradition was lost to the many, and
the name was corrupted into the now
familiar one of Santa Claus.
think it is as beautiful a tradition
as the Church of Rome has preserved,
and in its modified form has had more
believers than any other"
The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-01-09
HsDorOugh Highland County, Ohio Thursday, January 1868

Grants Motive for ReticenCe.
The Boston Commonwealth intro
duces the letter marked ''private," re-
Gently communicated to the House Of
Representatives, by Gen. Grant, with
the following remarks, which show Il
just appreciation of his character, and
undoubtedly, explain correctly the
motive for that alleged reticence,
which, to certain people, is SO great a
source of uneasiness and distrust
As in the war Of the, rebellion a
greater man than any who entered the
contest at its beginning was destined
to bring it to a successful close, so, now,
as we scan the political horizon, does
it seem probable that another than any
acknowledged statesman, of years ex-
perience, is to have the honor to COM
plete the restoration of the country to-
ward which the surrender of Lee was
the first step.
All the signs of the times point to
the almost unanimous nomination of
Ulysses S.. Grant by the Republican
Convention of May next, for the Pres
idency. 1t is true he has been Unu-
sually silent in declaring his views !;
but this may be easily accounted for
upon not improbable surmise that
he does not desire to beg for the nom
ination. That he would feel honOred
to be solicited by his fellow citizens to
accept the position, there is no doubt.
But it must be their free choice, unin-
huenced by any overtUres of his own.
Such character is rare in our politics,
and his singleness of purpose and dis
.interestedness of motive win the pop
ular applause. So far as Gen. Grant
has acted since the war closed, he has
given evidence that he is a man Of
extraordinary good sense. That he is
in full and hearty accord with Con-
gress has been evinced in many ways
and on numerous occasions. In this
lest lest respect we have the testimony of
Senator Wilson, Representative Bout
well, our late Congressman, Mr.. GOOch,
and others of the Massachusetts dele
cation, not 10 mention distinguished
names from other States. At the
proper time, without question, this
will be amply shown over the Gener-
aPs own signature; for the present,
while the nomination is pending, he
will doubtless remain silent and let
his acts speak for him.