davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Cape Horn.

Cape Horn Island is the seuthern-m most
extremity of Terra del Fuego, in south
latitude So deg So min. 1t is the south
ern termination of a group of rocky
islands surmounted with dome-like hill
out of which is projection like a straight
horn. But Scbouten, the Dutch discov-
erer, is said to have named Cape Horn
from Roorn, in the Netherlands, his
native place. The whole hill is bare
rock !; indeed, how could any thing,
even the lowest forms of vegetable life,
find root on place smitten as this is by
the waves Only the hchens, stealing
with seeming compassion over every form
in nature doomed to barrenness, succeed
in holding on to these rocks. The mill
| is about eight hundred feet high. its
base environed by low, black rocks with
not sign even of marine vegetation.
One line of these rocks looks like fort,
the seeming gateway, higher than the
rest of the wall, being composed Of per-
pendicular fragments. All along the
base of the rough hill, low, irregular
piles, like growth of thorDs and bram-
bles around boulder in a field, consti-
tute a fringe, as though nature felt that
the place needed some appropriate deco
ration, and what could be more so than
that which she has here given? For
long space toward the termination of
the Cape, sharp rocks stand up in groups,
and some apart, making a gradual end
ing of the scene, all in agreement with
the wildness which marks the region.
The sight of this spot, the landmark
of our continent, can never fade from
the memory of the beholder. Like many
a remarkable object, it is of moderate
size, its impressiveness being due, not
to its bulk or height, but to its position.
AT first you are disappointed in not see
ing at such a place something colossal
you would have it mountainous at least
you would have thought that it would
be columnar. Nothing of this you have
the disappointment which you feel. ON
seeing for the first time distinguished
man whom you find to be of low stature,
whereas you would have had him of
imposing appearance But soon, how
ever, you feel that you are at one of the
ends of the earth. Here the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans begin, the great deep
dividing itself into those two principal
features of our globe. Any thing monu-
mental, any thing statuesque, or even
here, you feel would be
trifiing. Like silence, more expressive |
at times than speech, the total absence |
of all display here is sublimity itself (;
you would not have it otherwise than an
infinite solitude, unpretentious, without
form, almost,chaotic. Around this point
it is IS though there were a contest to
which ocean each billow shall divide /;
here the winds and waters make inces-
SAINT war the sea always roars and the
fullness thereof. The rocks which finally
terminate the Cape stand apart, as you
see corners of blocks of build
ings where an extensive fire has ragged,
and the most of the walls have fallen in
but here and there shoulder of wall
overhangs the ruins.
We stood together as we passed the
asst landmarks, and sang:
Praise God from whom all blessings fow."
-ReU. DR.. Nehemiah Adams
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Harmless Amusements Neeessarr.

No particular possession, or condition
or course OF conduct, insures happiness
The rich pine over what, when poor,
they thought would be sure to make
them happy. He who il his days of
toll, has sighed for leisure. finds, when
it has been obtained, that the pains of
vacuity are not less than those of op-
pressive labor. Rigid adherence to par
ticular systems are alike found 70 disap-
point their votaries of the calm felicity
which was expected from them. But let
us think what sort of world it would be,
if only one particular tangible thing, or
one particular condition, or one particu-
lar course of conduct, were to confer
happiness. Evidently it would be a
world of utter sameness and languor, in
stead of the world of infinite variety and
incessant activity which it really is. We
may be satisfied, then, that happiness
was not designed to be the invariable con-
comitant OF any such particular things,
but to be temptation toward an infinite
variety of pursuits, and a perpetual ac-
tivity of our faculties. How otherwise
could we have been active beings ? How
otherwise could the whole of our facul-
ties have received employment 1t is
true that some things continue longer
to give satisfaction than others, and that
some OF the highest of our sentiments
and affections never tire of exercise. We
do not, for instance, so soon weary Of
bread, or sound animal food, or any
other of the staple articles of life, as of
the luxuries which are more rarely
presented. Nor can the practice of any
lofty duty ever appear less excellent than
a. first, but rather the contrary, Gas
streams their channels deeper wear"
But, while the reasons for their pecu-
harities of our economy are obvious, it
is equally clear that changes in diet, and
varieties of object and of employment
are necessary, in order to maintain the
stimulus of life. There ought to be much
amusement, and ample facilities for OBJ.
tanning excitenents of an innocent kind.
Mental laborers should endeavor to OBJ
tain occasional physical employment
Every one should endeavor so to vary
his employments, and so to mix them
up with amusements and recreation, as
to obviate the inevitable consequences
of monctony.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Commercial Statistics.

The trade of the Ohio River, from
Pittsburgh to Cairo, amounts to the fab.
ulous sum of SIG, ,OOO, 900 per annum, Of
which CINCINNATI claims 1912, 900, 600
Pittsburgh S15G0G0,OOO; Wheeling $780,
OOO,0J0. The imports and exports OF
Cincinnati combined reach S505, ,00O, ,OCG.
She has $50, 200, 900 invested in mlnl-
factures; works up S66, 700, 900 raw mate
rial into S127, 600, 900, thus adding. $751;
600, 900, or nearly doubling the raw ma
terial. The population of 2lS,00O shows
an increase in ten years OF sc per cent.
The whole value of the property is esti-
mated at $500, 600, 900, or about one-
seventh of the national debt. At the
same rate New York should be worth
81, 500, 100000. The entire wealth OF the
United States is estimated at $40, ,000,-
100000. If any of our readers are anx-
ious to spend part of the eternity be-
fore them IN counting this little sum, we
can tell them that it will require but
1870 years, counting 60 per minute and
twelve hours each day.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
A Nevada Silver Mine.

Says a correspondent: 1 put on an old
suit of cloths, and, with the Superinten-
dent of the Crown Point Mine, dropped
suddenly down perpendicular shaft one
thousand feet into the earth. The tenn
perature was at more than one hundred
degrees Fahrenheit, and the miners were
sweltering at their labor like the work
men in a rolling mill The only air they
get to breathe is forced down in air
pumps from above, and with the best
appliances the thermometer rarely goes
beyond 100 degrees, and from that to ITO
and sometimes 120 l asked the super
intendent how men could stand it to work
in such temperature. "They have to
stand il, ;" said he. Sometimes a fellow
faints and has to be hoisted up, but gen.
orally they sweat it through" lis it
not unhealthy ?" l asked. "On the
contrary it seems TO be very healthy.
Men are rarely sick who work in the
mines, and they are never troubled with
the ordinary colds that so annoy us poor
devils above ground" "What wages
do they get ?" -Four dollars a day"
I" How many hours do they work ?"
Eight hours at time. There are three
relays in every twenty-four hours, and
tho work goes on day and night without
stopping. "How much further do you
suppose this vein goes % q don't
know, but the probabilities are that we
snail never reach the end of it" "And
it grows warmer the further you go ?"
F" Yes, warmer and warmer"
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03

WASTE PAPER-Never throw away
old paper. If you have no wish to sell
it use it in the house. Some house
keepers prefer it to cloth for cleaning
many articles of furniture For instance,
a volume written by lady who prided
herself on her experience and tact, says:
After a stove has been blacked, it can
be kept looking very well for a long time
by rubbing it with paper every morning.
Rubbing with paper is a much nicer way
of keeping the outside of a tea kettle,
coffee-pot and teapot bright and clean,
than the old way of washing them in
suds. Rubbing with paper is also the
best way of polishing knives and tin
ware and spoons; they shine like new sill
yer. For polishing mirrors, windows,
lamp-chimneys, etc., paper is better than
dry cloth. Preserves and pickles keep
much better if brown paper instead of
cloth, is tied over the jar. Canned
fruit is not so apt to mould if a piece Of
writing paper, cut to fit the can, is laid
directly on the fruit Paper is much
better to pat under a carpet than straw.
1t is warmer, thinner, and makes less
noise when one walks over it.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Firenroar RuiIding..

Scarcely any modern structure merit
the epiIhet of '.freproof." 1t has been
said on good authority that In the city
of London only one building-the New
Record Offce-really deserves to be call
ed so. This is built of iron and stone,
and has no room larger than seventeen
by twenty-five, and seventeen feet high.
None Of the rooms ,pen into oilers, hut a
vaulted passage, by means OF iron doors,
and if the documents in one apartment
were TO take fire, they would burn out
with as little effect on the rest of the edi-
flee as If they were Goals IN a CRATE. OF
course, buildings intended for trade can
not often be constructed in this way, but
the system might be in more general use
than it is. The French practice in build
ings is a good one. Instead of using
1imsy laths for thin partitions, they en-
ploy stout pieces of oak, as thick as gar
den palings. These they nail firmly on
each side of the framing Of the partition,
and fill the space between with rubble
and plaster of Paris. They coat the
whole with the plaster The floors are
managed in the same way, as well as the
Underside of the stairs. Houses are thus
rendered almost as near ''fireproof' as if
built OF stone throughout. In Nottin-
ham, England, where they have gypsum
in the neighborhood,a as in Paris, they form
their floors aRd partitions in the same
solid manner consequently building is
rarely burnt down in that populous man
featuring town.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Pensions, and TO Whom Paid.

The following facts in relation to the
pension system have been compiled from
data prepared for the support of the
Commissioner of Pensions:
1.-The aggregate annual amount ol
pensions of widows and dependent rela-
tives upon the roll June 80, 1871, was
less than on the Both of June, 1870.
This was owing to the lessening of indi-
vidual pensions by minors reaching the
age of sixteen years. There were 81, ,623
Revolution lry soldiers pensioned for ser
vices, II, 1903 soldiers of the Mexican war,
and I03,791 soldiers of the war of
lS61-5 pensioned as invalids. 1t is
thought that the annual expenditures
for pensions for other than the latter
class have nearly reached tLsir maxi
mum, and that during the next ten years
they will gradually and materially de-
crease"
The following is a correct statement,
compiled with great care IN the Pension
Office, of the total number of soldiers
serving in the wars, &C., in which the
nation has engaged III since 1775. 1t
will appear in the forthcoming report of
the Commissioner of Pensions:
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Chicago.

Blackened and bleeding, helpless, painting,
prone,
On the charred fragments Of her shattered
throne
Lies she who stood but yesterday alone.
Queen of the West BY some enchanter taught
To lift the glory Of Aladdin's court,
Then lose the spell that all that wonder
wrought.
Like her own prairies by some chance seed
sown,
Like her own prair1es in one brief day grown,
Like her own prairies in one fierce night mown.
She lifts her voice, and in her pleading call
We hear the cry Of Macsdon to Paul
The cry for help that makes her kin to all.
But haply with wan fingers may she feel
The silver cup hid in the proffsred-meal-
The gifts her kinship and our loves reveal.
October 10, 1871. By Bret Harte.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03

ANOTHER LARGE TUNNEL. long
tunnels are projected. The st. Gothard
Railway, with a tunnel about as long as
that through Mont Gents, will be soon
begun. For the tunnel alone it is esti-
mated that about twelve millions of dol
lars. gold, will be required /; aad for the
connecting lines to join with the Italian
and SWISS railways, about twenty-five
millions more. This makes thirty-seven
millions in all, toward which Germany,
Italy and Switzerland have already
voted subsidies to the extent of seven
teen millions. The remaining twenty
millions are to be taken by a "syndi-
cate, thirteen millions in bonds bearing
five per cent interest, and seven millions
in shares. Eight years are assigned for
the completion of the work but i'm
provements in machinery often cause
estimates like these to be anticipated,
and this may be the case with the St
Gothard Tunnel.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Facts and FareieS.

The world is ike treadmiI which
turns necessarily and leaves no choice
but to sink or climb.
A Tennessean, who is already blind ol
one eye, has been obliged to have his
teeth extracted to save the other one.
Many young ladies are accused OF
wearing their engagement rings in theiI
pockets except when she" is around.
1t is said that the three hardest words
of the English language to pronounce,
consecutively, are was mistaken"
1t is sweet to have friends you can
trust, and convenient sometimes to have
friends who are not afraid to trust you.
When see a mans name
Scrateh'd upon glass.
know he owns diamond,
And his father owns an ass.
A vermont contemporary is in favor of
keeping hens, for the reason that every
kernel of grain they eat they give a
peck.
A cover-id knit of shell-work pattern
was recently exhibited at fair in Maine,
that contained 7s6, 240 stitches, all knit
by hand.
The average wages for laborers in the
Chicago ruins are S1.75 per day for
teams, $3.50; Tor carpenters, So to
$3.50; bricklayers, So to S3.25.
Young ladies declare that this seasons
bonnets are perfectly lovely" Their
shape is something indescribable they,
become most girls, and cost outrageous
ly.
1t is claimed that when the necessary
works are completed coal can be mined
in Alaska, and delivered at San Fran
cisco at a cost of from $500 to So per
ton,
In northern Iowa, Notwithstanding the
ravages of the potato bug at the begin
ming OF the season, potatoes have not
been so large or plentiful for years as at
present. They are selling at twenty-five
cents bushel.
The prize of the Cleveland County
Tenn. Fair for the best butter exhibit
ed, was awarded to Mrs. Patterson, who
was mistress of the White House dur
ing the administration of her father, ex-
President johnson.
A lady teacher in an Iowa school made
a boy stand up and show how he kissed
the big girls in the woodshed, in hopes
that he would shed tears and promise to
do so no more, all the boys are leaving
the other schools now, and going to this
lady teacher.
A witty clergyman, accosted by an
old acquaintance by the name OF Cobb,
replied: "I don't know you, sir. F"
" My name is Cobb" reioined the man,
who was about half seas over. "Ah,
SIR" said the minister, ''vou have so
much corn on you that did not see the
cob"
1t is said that number of French |
who were taken prisoners py
the Germans and afterwards escaped, |
are now lurking in the forests of Ger
many, and that many of them have form
ed themselves into regular bands Of out
laws, who subsist by robbery and dep
A Chicago young lady writes to her
over postponing the wedding a year,
md remarks that he would be surprised
10 see her after the fire, from which she
emerged with a wardrobe consisting of
l pair Of pantaloons, one slipper, and a
water proof. After that suit the youth
iailed to press his. He, too, is a Chicago
sufferer.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03

LUMINOUS PLANTS. 1t will be a new
fact to many that plants emit light.
From an article on this subject in the
Bo1odoin Scientific Re1ieuc we learn " that
vague ideas of the existence of luminous
plants in India and the neighboring
countries still float about. as in the DAYS
of the old Hindoos and Greeks" There
is a vagues report that in Afghanistan
grows bush which at night from dis
tance appears on fire. Baron Huge SAYS
that he was told that the AUX River,
when swollen with rain, brings down
from Thibet pieces OF timber which
shine in the dark as long as they con-
time moist" The root of a grass in
the Himalayas is said occasionally to be
luminous at night during the rainy sea-
son. An inhammable atmosphere is
generated about the European Dittany
on calm, still evening, due to the eva
poration of volatile OIL 90 If candle
be brought near 1t. this plant is envelop-
ed by transient fame, without sustain
ing injury" The tuberose is said, on
doubtful authority, to have been observ-
ed of a sultry evening, after thunder, to
dart small sparks in great abundance
from such of its flowers as were fading.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
To Exterminate Rats.

Being sadly plagued with rats about
my house and farm-buildings, 1 tried in
vain to catch them they are too Gun.
ming to be trapped, and to lay poison
dare not for fear of killing my dogs, cats
and hogs, and to wait for them with a
gun was loss of too much time, though
I have dropped three at a shot. At last
1 purchased two goats, which l kept
about my fold, barn and stable, the pig
styes being in the fold. In short time
all the rats emigrated-they evacuated
the place, cleared right out every Jack of
them, and i have not seen a single rat
about the place for upwards of three
years, but my neighbors who are within
eighty rods have plenty of all sizes and
ages. Perhaps it is not generally
known that where there are many horses
stabbed together very little sickness pre-
walls if there is a goat about the yard
and stables.
A friend of mine ia Iowa was so infest-
ed with rats that they were to be seen
running about his fold and farm build
ings by the half-dozen at time and
playing like rabbits (his farm buildings
are extensively. He tried the goat sys-
tenn, and to his astonishment entirely
cleared his premises. He could not leave a
rug or buffalo robe in the stable a single
night, without having it cut to pieces by
the rats. The smell of the goat is OBJ
noxious to the nostrils of the rats, and
the two won't be friends and companions
on any account whatever. Farmers and
Ivery-stable keepers, try the goat.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
Leading the Jews Back to Palestine

An ambitious project has been formed
by small knot of rabbis at Frankfort,
viz, to lead the scattered children OF
Israel back to Palestine, and to eStab-
lish Jewish kingdom there once more,
Invitations to join the project have been
printed in great numbers, and are by
this time circulating among the numer-
GUS members of the ancient race through
out Germany +; and, if we may credit the
report of newspapers friendly to Judaism,
influential moaeyed men in the old i'm
perial capitalize headquarters of Ger
man Jews have given it their substan-
tial support. The originators endeavor
to prove that the undertaking is by no
means as impracticable as it at first sight
seems, and remind their fellow-creeds-
men that it is what they pray for-if
they pray at all-three or four times
every day-viz., in the "Shemoneh
Erech, in their noon and evening, and,
in fact, in every prayer sanctioned by
their law. Moreover, they interpret the
Bible passage. = Return to Iue and viii
return to you,' as meaning literally that
on the Jews returning to Jerusalem the
Lord, and with Him power and prosper
ity, will return to them.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
A BATTLE FLAG.-It will be remember

A BATTLE FLAG.-It will be remember
ed that the Germans lost one flag in the
late war, and that Menotti G1lribaldi tool
pains to inform his antagonist that it
was not taken in battle, but found
on the field covered with the bodies of
its guards. The Emperor William. has
presented new colors to the battalion.
on the ground that the loss "was one of
those lamentable events which are the
result of untoward circumstances, and
for which no one can be held responsible.
The flag was neither taken by victorious
enemy, nor abandoned by discouraged
troop of soldiers /; its position on the
battlefield, amid the corpses of its brave
defenders, bears honorable testimony to
the character of the men before whom
it was borne until the approach of night
hid it from the eyes of Its guardians.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
A Remarkable Family.

Here is the history of q remarkable
Kentucky family, as told by Kentucky
paper: About one mile from jamestown,
Russell County, there lives one of the
most remarkable families in all this COM
monwealth, and probably in the United
States. Mr.. James Jeffries, who is now
in this city, serving upon the petit jury
in the United States Court, tells his own
story, and says that he was married be-
fore he was seventeen years old, his wife
being only five days younger than him
self. They lived together seven years
without children. when his wife gave
birth to twins, boy and a girl. In the
fifteen years which followed, nineteen
children were born TO the happy couple,
each of the first three births being twins,
and each subsequent birth alternating
between twins and single births, until the
fifteen years were accomplished and nine
teen children composed the family circle,
seven pair of twins being born during
the time. Mr.. Jeffries is only 45 years
old, and is still youthful in appearance
and very stout. His wife never had bet
ter health In all her life than at present,
though she will not weigh a hundred
pounds. Her greatest weight at ally
time was ahundred and ten pounds. The
boy of the first twins now weighs hun
dred and sixty-fve pounds, the girl
hundred and twenty-five pounds. All
the boys who are grown have made large
men; the girls are of good size and all
the children healthy. But five out of
have died. Mr.. Jeffries has ten
brothers, all of whom are large men, and
within the families of these eleven bro
tners there are thirty-seven pairs of twins,
making seventy-four twin children, to
say nothing of the host of single births
Five of Mr.. Jefries' children are mar
ried, and, added to all these singular
facts, notwithstanding the absence of
silvery locks on his head, he is the grand
lathsr of five children.
South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
REpUrEp CURE FOR SNAKE BITES.

REPUTED CURE FOR SNAKE BITES
Mr.. Hetiodoro Ruiz, of Opin in Colon
bia New Granada reports to his gov
ernment the successful treatment of
snake bites by cauterization. That
country abounds in venomous snakes,
and their bites are quite frequent. In
all, this gentleman had treated some
seventy cases. His method is to drop
melted sealingwax on all the fang
marks, and he looks upon the result as
due not so much to the cauterant action
of the hot wax as to the complete exclu.
sion of the air which the adhesion of the
wax secures. At first the wax was given
internally as well as applied to the
wound, but that part of the treatment
has since been abandoned as useless.