davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
A Distressing COnundrum.

Tn q, New Orleans P5cayune tells of an ambitious young debater in village so- ciety who propounded this abstruse conun- drum:
 ''Eff'r man plants watermillion seed next to his fence; and this ere watermil- lion seed sprouts up into watermillion vine; and that ere watermillion vine grows and meanders through that 'ar fence into another mans lot adjacient; and in that other mans lot, so adjacient, that 'ere wa termillon vine that sprouted from that ere watermillon seed and meandered thro' that
 ar fence into this ere other mans lot ad- iacient tharin consolidates and homolo- gates into watermillion, the question, fel- Ter citizens and ladies, is: To which of these ere men did that ar watermillon, so homologated and promulgated, belong? to the man who planted that 'ere watermillion seed that meandered thro' that 'ar fence into this ere mans lot adjacient and thar so consolidated into watermillion or to the man who owned this ere lot so adjacient, whar was so promulgated the watermillion that so exerggitated from that 'ar water million vine that meandered thro' this 'ere fence and 50 sprouted from that 'ar water million seed that 'ere man thar planted?"
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
AMES CANNON.

MR. EDIToR.-In the NEWS of tue 8th ultimo, "Clario," in very kindly spirit, endeavored to correct my statements con- corning the distance attained by the Ames guns In the same spirit of kindness allow me to say that am as yet not convinced that I was incorrect, and in making this statement am far from being actuated by stubbornness. He says that the greatest known distance attained by this gun, was g, 800 yards, or fraction less than five and half miles, with 25 lbs of powder, an elevation of 34 degrees, and l20 lb Hotch- kiss shell. Iu corroboration of my origi- nal statement, allow me to copy Uer6Gtj'a, the report of New York daily, of this test in Bridgeport.
 "A preliminary trial of the ''Ames'' wrought iron rifled cannon, named Union, was made at Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Thursday, September 1st.
 The day was all that could be desired. A vessel had been chartered to measure by log and soundings, distance of five miles directly off from the shore, This required nearly three hours. When the distance was reached, a signal was given, and the gun was fired at an elevation of about twenty degrees with sixteen pound charge, and one of Hotchkiss one hundred and fifty pound shells, which passed beyond the vessel at least half a mile, throwing up volume of water to considerable height. The vessel then sailed farther off and more to the eastward out of range. Again the signal was given. when second shell was fired with d charge of twenty pounds, the elevation being slightly increased. This shell Immediately after having attained its highest elevation, lost it's spiral equilibrium, and descending almost vertically fell short of the vessels distance about half g mile.
 The vessel was now anchored, the shore being six miles and the lignt-boat four miles distant The third shell was fired with charge of twenty-five pounds of powder, the eieyation of the gun being in- creased to tsoenty:four and c ho!f degrees. The flight ot the shell occupied thirty sec onds, and fell considerable more than a mile beyond the vessel. The recoil of the gun at the last discharge was trihe over two feet" ....
 Thus it will be seen hy this report, taken on the ground at the time, that at an eleva- ton of 24 l-2 degrees, instead of B. degrees as stated by ''Clario," a shell was thrown ''more than mile beyond the vessel, " which was stationed six miles from the shore. The next day with the 30 ID charge mentioned by him, there was no certainty as to the distance, yet all agreed that it went farther than any previous shot.
 W, F.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

The exercises of the inauguration of Professor Noah Porter as president of Yale College, will be held on Wednesday, Oct II. The alumni and friends of the college are invited to be present. An academic procession will be formed on the college grounds at l0:45 A. M. and the public ex- ercises in the Centre church will begin at Il:15 A. M. Immediately after these excr- cises, the officers, graduates. and friends of the college, graduates of other colleges, and invited guests will assemble in the college library, to proceed thence to the graduates hall, where a collation. will be served, in connection with which addresses may be expected. In the evening. President Porter will open his house, No 3l Hillhouse ave- nue, to receive calls from the citizens of New Haven, the graduates of the college, and other friends from abroad. The in augural address of Rev. Samuel Harris, D. D., Professor of Systematic Theol- ogy, will be delivered in the Centre church on the evening previous, Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7:3O P. M. The alumni and friends of the theological department, and of the college, are invited to attend.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
West Cornwall.


 Items from this place have been few and far between for some time past, and noth. ing except few games of base ball to be reported, has occurred to break the monot- ony and quietness of the times. The to- bacco crop has all been safely housed the corn is all cut; the potatoes dug; the agri- cultural society has had its Fair, and it's regular agricultural hoss trot" as Josh Bill lings calls it, and every thing has settled down again into the steady habits, and quiet ways for which our state is so note d the world over.......Our boys who belong to the base ball club, have had few pleas ant games with neighboring clubs: some times yoctorious and some times not. On election day they played game with the Granite club of South Cornwall. which they won by score of 67 to 5l. On Saturday the Granites come to our grounds and played the first of series of games with the fol. lowing result: Hickories 66 Granites 32. .... The improvements about our new depot still go on. and we bid fair to have a model depot when the work is all finished,
 MORE ANON.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

Conn Western.-We announced a prom ise made by President Barnum two weeks since, that regular trains would commence running on the road, the next week but it was found by an examination of the road by the roadmaster, to be impracti- cable; that running few times over cer- tain parts of the road, would settle it so much as to make it unsafe. We are now informed by the managers of the ballasting at this end of the road, that this week is all that is needed by them to get the road from Salisbury to the state line, in con- dtion to be safely run over. The work by the Canaan train will certainly be 0ery aaeaa%y, if not quite, completed to connect with the work here, SO that the running of regular trains from Millerton to Canaan, certainly need not be delayed longer on ac. count of the unfit condition of the road to run upon. The laying of rails for the road is now completed, Hartford having been reached this week.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

A lady, formerly resident of Salisbury, who, with her husband, had found home in the State of Michigan, was dying of consumption, and who, although in ex- treme feebleness, felt an ardent desire to answer letter from friend and school mate ln Lakevllle-one with whom she had held regular correspondence. She was placed in an easy chair, on the morning of the fourth of July, and with a trembling hand wrote these few lines:
 DEAR FRIEND: I had almost despaired of answering your letter, but feeling little more comfortable this morning, will try lnd write few lines. Mary, I'm dying surely dying; but I am trying to wean myself from earth. I find 'tis hard. My physician despairs of doing anything for me, so goodbye, Mary, until we meet on Ihe other shore, to be judged according to our deeds. H. F. G. Hong to write to you once more
 While here finger on earth's shore; soon shall plunge in deaths cold stream, I'm well aware 'tis not a dream.
 Yes, Mary, I'm dying-surely dying; To wean myself from earth I'm trying; And yet I find 'tis hard to go,
 And leave dear loved ones here below. A dear, kind husband must leave know that he for me will grieve;
 Father and mother. brothers too,
 soon shall bid them all adeu.
 Goodbye, Mary, we'll meet no more, But each other we'll greet on the happy shore, Where sickness and sorrow never shall come Safe with our Father in Heaven-at home. The message went forth the wings of the
 wind,
 Leaving the invalid writer behind: Through city and town it hastily sped, Ere twas clasped by the hand ofher friend-she
 was dead, s.",
 
 As she neared the brink of Jordan's cold wave, She an anxious look to her father gave Father, I'm cold, reach hither thy arm, Can't you do something to keep me warms '" Iris the cold chill of death, the father replies, While lov'd ones are watching with tearbedewed
 eyes; ....... My child you'll soon be where no deatS-chil can come,
 But bask in the sunlight of Heaven. your home.' Ore Hill, Oct, 1871.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
Cornwall.

Cornwall.
 MIR. ED1ToR.- take this opportunity through the medium of your valuable paper to inform the people of Western Connec- ticut, that there is such place as Corn wall. We have no startling news to com municate; no police courts in session as at other places in this town. Every thing moves along in its old track; our boarders have nearly all left us and so has cur min- ister, and we are left to go into winter quarters without shepherd. The only thing out of the usual course of every day life is the base ball club who, forgetting that they must creep before they can walk have been beaten several times by playing with more experienced clubs. ......Our village is undergoing great deal of improvement
 Among other things we notice the quarry ln front of J. T. Andrews residence, is being planned and laid down by muster workmen, also we notice new building on the new street to be occupied by Mrs. Bradford when done. Work on the cemetery is being sus- pended for short time, when it is done it will be the handsomest cemetery in this part of the state Hoping at some future time to be able to write something more interesting, am X. Y. z.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

A newly fledged Philadelphia doctor re- gently settled in Havana, H., and the first case he had was boy, who while selling pop corn got kernel in his wind pipe. The doctor examined the case carefully. looked at the patients tongue, and then told the father of the boy to build up hot fire. When that was done the doctor told them to hold him over the fire until the kernel got hot enough to ''pop out" The old man went up stairs and got his shot gun, but while he was loading it the doctor escaped.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
Norfolk.

Norfolk.
 After an immense amount of speech making, and considerable pIpe-laying the selectmen have succeeded in laying out a road to the depot, which the town has seen fit to accept. The foundations to the depot are laid, and we expect the building
 itself will be finished some time during the present month. ......The funeral of Captain John Dewell of West Norfolk, was attended on Wednesday, the ser vices being conducted under the aus pices of Western Star Lodge, Mo- 37, of this place, of which he was a lifelong member, assisted by delegations from St. Andrews Lodge of Winsted and Housatonic Lodge of Canaan. The sermon was preach. ed by Rev. Mr. Simonson of Winsted, who also conducted much of the Masonic ser vice at the grave. A very large concourse of towns people attended the remains to thelr last resting place.. The bridge at Beach's store, over the railroad, is rapidly being completed under the supervision of Wm. Egleston, Esq, while Contractor Connolly is making the necessary approach es with equal rapidity. y......From ali accounts the potato crop IS larger and better in this vicinity than for many years past The hay crop, on the contrary, is very light; il seems, however, there is no great loss with out some gain, as beef promises to be cheap and plenty......The old blacksmith shop belonging to the estate of P. H. Cordially. deceased. was this day (Oct. 10th) sold at public auction, to whom or at what price I am unable to teli......1 notice that c. A. Reyes, our enterprsing down town mer- chant, has just returned from N.Y., where he has purchased such an immense amount of goods that we think it won't be neces sary for people to go to Winsted hereafter to get suited either in quantity, quality or price,. Our popular millinery shop is to he conducted hereafter by Miss Mary French of Housatonic, Mass, the former proprietor having become partner in diff ferent and more extended business. ....Mr N. Demars, is putting q new stoop in front of the Park House, and is making other improvements desirable in themselves and pleasant to look upop.. .....At town meeting this day, A. Reyes, Esq.,, made motion that the town hereafter do not pay for the yearly dinners of town officers The motion was carried without opposition thus commences sytem of rigid economy long desired by some who are not town officers Qhough no fault of theirs.) It may be we'll to state that most of our town officers are able to pay for their own dinners, with q little help from friends. SEET sE-BEA.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
MI. Ri21.

Mt. Esigsa.
 MIR. EDIToR.-Don't open wide your eyes ill astonishment at receiving correspond ence from Riga. Don't ask, as did the Jews of old concerning Nazareth: What good (for an item) can come from-Old Riga; for you must know that your will lages of tue Plain, are all the offspring ot the mountains, and that we mountain eers take lively interest in all your doings. As I sec that you have not yet engaged a regular correspondent from this locality, notwithstanding your extensive circulation here, have made bold to send you the following facts for chronicling:
 Some time in September last two of our worthy citizens-Silvernail and Surdam- possessed of that very human desire to ex- change traded losses" As is usually the case in such concerns, one party, viz |: Surdam conceived that he had been gre viousIy imposed upon. and thereupon brings action for damages against Silvernail In the course of the trial, Surdam made sol- emn oath to the fact that Silvernail repre- sented his ''Gethlc stecd" to draw cord of wood anywhere; while the fact was that when the animile came into MT. Surdam s possession he could not ''draw the traces y and had to be pried up every morning with rails to prepare him for his breakfast.
 Silvernail avoided paying damages by ''pleading baby" as the legal fraternity term it, which being interpreted, signifies that he was under age at the time of mak- ing the contract; and was therefore not bound by it. ''He might have been," SO, but if so, he was the oldest infant your correspondent ever saw,
 Silvernail, therefore, went for that hea- then hoss, possessed himself quietly of the same, and sold him to one Martin Race of Mt Washington.
 Here endeth the first lesson. On Thurs day of last week MT. Race was in your vi- lage driving that same "old hoss," yoked with another.
 He left Salisbury late in the morning. reaching Mt. Riga about or 10 o'clock. Wishing to see one Thurston, he stopped at his house, but perceiving ''no light in the window" for him or 'any other man, :" he hud-dupped his steeds and started for home. Suddenly this healthy infant, Sil- vernail, with two or more accomplices, springing out from the roadside, seized his horses by the head, stripped the harness from that same "old hoss," and then va moosed the rancho with him, leaving MT. Race several miles from home, with only one horse and accommodations for two. The next day, having procured warrant, he despatched Constable Adams, with sev- eral deputies. to arrest the offenders. The constable, having searched the mountain over with a lighted candle, finally found two of the parties, and concluding tha: two in his hands were worth the remaining one in coal bush, gave up the chase. The day following, the prisoners were arraigned before Justice Pratt, who, upon hearing the testimony acquitted them. Justice is always represented as blindfolded; but in this instance the blinds used were mag nifying glasses.
 Meditating upon the uncertainty of hu- man affairs, am yours,
 JUD.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
Town pumps-Local editors. Paper cuffs-Newspaper attacks.

Iaper cu1fS-NeWSpaper attacks.
 Parlor agazines-Kerosene lamps.
 The great American ''ism''-Journalism
 An undertaken in Mount Vernon adver- tises Collins made and repaired on short notice.
 Dobbs thinks that instead of giving credit to whom credit is due, the cash had better be paid,
 Some of the iron columns on the Boston new post-office building are 33 feet high, and weigh over 12,O0O pounds each.
 Recently the ''big drive" on the Muske- gon, in Michigan, contained lsO, 900. .OOO feet of timber. This was one raft only.
 During 1870 Philadelphia produced $1o,- COG, ,O0o worth of carpets, $5, 500, 900 worth of prints, $3,OOO,OO worth of silks, and other fabrics to the value of $40, ,oOo, 900.
 President Grant, while in Brooklyn newspaper office last week, remarked: ''I have set good many columns of type my self in Georgetown, Ohio, years ago."
 A Napoleon, Ark, editor says: "Where our office was two weeks ago, now runs the Mississippi. Out of respect to the Father of Waters we left"
 'What do you ask for that article ?" in- quired an old gentlemen of pretty shop girl. ''Two dollars" 'An't you little dear?" Why," she replied, blushing, "all the young men tell me so!''
 One of party of Eastern men offered a miner a half dollar for showing them through the Nevada Silver mines. He looked at the money moment, and then turning to the Fastener said, "may l ask you how much you are estimated at home to be worth?" '.About twenty-five thou sand dollars, was the reply. "Well, said the miner, ''I guess wont take your half dollar. made quarter of million here last month"
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

Mrs. Demaris Leeds, of Mystic, aged 79, fell down stairs Wednesday evening and broke.her neck. She had returned from prayer meeting before her daughter, Mrs. Cleft, with whom she resided, and locked the door. Upon Mrs. Cleft's return she hastened to unlock the door, and by mis- take opened the wrong one. She was s sister to Enoch Chapman of Norwich.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

It is stated that MT. H. H. Barbour, Jr., the well-known lecturer, is mentioned in connection with the position of grand sec retary of the Connecticut Good Templars. The election occurs at the session of the grand lodge to he held in Winsted next week. MT. Barbour is perfectly competent, and in return for his services in the tenn perance cause, deserving of it. We hope that he may be chosen to fill the important office. .-.Hartford Post.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
DIE O..

At Lime Rock, Oct. 9th, Francis Knickerbocker, aged 63 years.
 At Canaan, Oct. 9th, very suddenly, Abigail c. Warner, wife of E. Stevens aged 32 years
 At Sheffield, Mass, Oct. 3d., Sophia wife of Jes- SC stanton, aged 69 years, month and 20 days.
 At Lsedsville Oct. 10th, Lucy, daughter of Henry Barlow, aged 12 years.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
ROR N.
10th, a daughter to N. Daniels.
M A R R \ E D.

At Christ Church, sharon, on the sth inst, by Rev. Joseph Hyde, Henry Reed, of Amenia, to Miss Lucina Tucker of Sharon.
 At Colebrook, Sept. 24, by the Rev Henry Rus sell, Warren s. Loveland. and Julia H, adopted
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
Aotne 9ews.

s** We shall feel greatly obliged to any of our friends in the county or elsewhere, who will send us particulars of any of interest which may come under their notice.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

MT. Peebles, of West Granville, has lost by the frost, piece of tobacco worth $6OO.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

New WAdyert1SememtSs
 New Goods Brewster Canfeld Go. For Sale J. H. Hurlburt COngrepational Society Committee. Assessors Notice Assessors. National Iron Bank Directors. Probate Notice c. F. Sedgwick.
Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13

WAooping Cough.-Of this very disa- greeable disease, our village children seem fully supplied.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-07-26
Go Forward.

The Presbyterian and Lnder, at the conclusion
of the report of the proceedings of our General
Assembly makes some interesting reflections:
1--WE are of the opinion that no previous As
semby has eXcele1 this in one respective alIudc
not so much to the general ability of its members.
as to the tone of encOurGge they breathed
into its proceedings, and the consequent vlgor Of
determination which they exhibited with reference
to all matters that looked towards the advance
ment of the Church's true interests. Our readers
have, we trust, been themselves stimulated of late
to new exertion in behalf OF Christ's cause as re-
presented in Southern presbbyteraanism.:
The future is now before us. 1t is, indeed
charged with clouds and studded with difficulties,
owing to the remaining apathy of many OF our
churches to the continued poverty of multitudes
OF our people, and to the inertness of not few OF
our ministers with their associated ruling elders
yet the bow of hope is sufficiently bright to inspire
every heart with courage. God has by no means
forSaken us. On the contrary, he is daily crown
ing US with his manifest favor, and by his present
goodness animating us to fresh effort in the pro
motion of his glory. There is no ground for de
spondeDcy. There is even much reason for enthu-
siasm itself. And tits enthusiasm, as far removed
from tanaticsm as from despair, that we most need
in the existing crisis of our ecclesiastical history
Presbyterians, God calls US to hard work, but to
work repete with the promise OF abundant help
from an arm in which there is no weakness, and
from love in which there is no chill.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-07-26

Zion, is an exploded theory" Circumcision may
linger for while yet, but its fat is sealed Those
institutions only will survive which are not oca:
temporary, or merely ceremonial. The demand
that English shall take the place of Hebrew in
public worship must be met. The tedious reading
of the Pentateuch must give place to udcious Sc
minister. The Decalogue must maintain it's posi-
ton as the basis of all religious duty and belief,
and the obligations it imposes must be met by a
proper regard to its injunctlons defining our duty
to God and our neighbor.
Such is the programme Of Jewish Reform, as
set forth in this volume. Many would be inclined
to define its answer to the question: What is
Judaism p by saying it was simply Judaism with
everything Jewish lett out. This, however, would
scarcely be correct although the great day OF atone
ment is pronounced an observance to be retained,
while all atonement is reduced to such repentance
and self culture as are within the reach OF the In
dividual himself.
Evidently with such views as these ahoat the
Jewish body must be in rapid state of demorai-
cation The Orthodox and the Reformers cannot
harmonic. There is no middle ground where they
can meet on equal terms. The time has come
when the veil that covered their eyes is not taken
away indeed, but is at least rent The great ques-
ton which they have 10 meet is this, Whether,
with all their memories of the past, their treas
ured promises and prophecies of Deliverer, their
ancient system of sacrifice and atonement, their
present confession of the need of expaton for SID,
they shall yet fail to perceive the relation 10 which
all this stands to the advent of the Lamb OF God
that taketh away the sin of the world.-NeD York
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