davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

SHOPPING IN JAPAN.-In blandness of manner, the Japanese merchant cannot be surpassed. Seated on neat mat covered floor, elevated say two feet above the level of the street, bis heels for a chair, and attired in calico gown with flowing sleeves, he salutes his customer with a persuasive voice, " O-ht-a ?" which might be considered synonymous with, How are you ?" To learn the price of an article, you say, "I ko-r1l?" -"how much ?" Invariably an exor- bitant figure is named. which, if you have been initiated by friend, will be replied ito with wen-feigned astonish- ment. The merchant at once responds, "How much will you give? ?" One- half the price asked will be reasonable offer, by way of compromise. A pro- found consultation then takes place among the traders interested, all of whom, by this time, will have emptied their pipes and risen, some of thelr num- Der meanwhile shufling the little balls of calculating machine. If your offer is accepted, several mods of beads and simultaneous clapping of hands signify consent. If rejected, make no more than trifing concession, for if by any chance you are permitted to leave the store with out bargain, 8 messenger will probably be despatched in hot pursuit, saying, "Can do ]" A porter is at once in- structed to deliver the goods.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
FacfS and Fancies.

He is the richest man who is content with what he has.
 The right man in the right rlace-a husband at home in the evening.
 To be humble or even contrite, it not necessary to live in basement.
 Women are said to be second to the press in the dissemination of news.
 What requires more philosophy than taking things as they come?-Partlng with things as they go.
 A wise man, being asked how old he was, replied, "I am in health, and be- ing asked how rich he was, said, "l am not in debt"
 If girls would have roses for their cheeks, they must do as the roses do go to sleep with the lilies and get up with the morning glories.
 There is curious Chinese prcverb which says: "In' cucumber field do not stoop to tie your shoe, and under plum tree do not wait to settle your cap on your head;" which means, if you do some one may think you are stealing tEo cucumbers or the plums.
 "Rise up, daughter, and go to tty daughter, for thy daughters daughter has a daughter" This is what Richard Vernon, of Jefferson County Ind, aged S5 is supposed to say to his daughter. He was lately made great great grandfather by the birth of daughter. The fathers of all his grandchildren are still alive.
 Detroit is anxious to discover the boy who showed them how to initiate rose wood. Formerly two kinds of paint or coloring matter were used, but one day an ingenious youngster mixed them, and applied them together. He fled in terror at the approach of the foreman but left an admirable imitation of rosewood be- hind him.
 A famous English Judge had habit of begging pardon on every occasion. At the close of the assize, as he was about to leave the bench, the officer of the court remined him that he had not passed the sentence of death on one of the criminals, as he had intended. 'Dear me-" said bis lordship II really beg his pardon. Bring him in."
 The amount of loss suffered by coal from exposure to weather is considerable far greater, indeed, than is generally known. The results of recent analyses show in some cases total loss in weight from this cause amounting to 33.08 per cent, while the deterioration in quality for purposes of fuel or gas making reached still higher figure.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
Extract of Beef.

The well-known chemist, Dr. Liebig, first concentrated the flesh of cattle in small compass, to obtain an extract of meat, which, when it reached Eng land, might be weakened by thirty times having all the essential qualities of or dinary beef-tea. This new commercial production has been largely consumed in England and Germany. It is used in the navy, and in distant colonies where food is difficult to obtain but in France, where refinement of taste is greater, the success is not so general. This is the manner in which it is prepared the process is very simple: After the ani- nal is killed, the meat is cut very small, and steeped in an equal quantity of wa ter this is boiled for quarter of an hour, when the whole is thrown into a linen cloth, and the liquid which passes through is the beef.tea in its normal state. There is, however, too large a proportion of water, and some fat, which would interfere with its keeping. The hydraulic press is applied to the mass of meat which is left after the straining and thus pressed it forms a sort of cake, which is considered to be exhausted of all eatable particles 8 resi- due which at some future time will probably be turned to useful purpose. The liquid is again heated, and the fat being carefully skinned off the top, it is boiled down to one-sixth of its origi- nal volume, and brought to the consis. tency of extract, keeping it from all contact with the air in a vessel where a vacuum has been made by means of 6 pneumatic pump. Nothing moro is wanting but to pour it into jars hermet. ically closed, and sealed with leaden seal, to preserve them from adulteration. -Chdmbers' Journal.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

'BUNKUM Well, new, you musn't grudge us our Mississippi. It's some thing like our backbone, you see, and whenever we think of it we feel big. We all do so, I tell you. I remember when was at Singapore I used to go to tavern down by the port, which was the house of call of the merchant cap- tains. English shippers always mustered strong there, and one day after dinner they got over their grog to canvass the navies of the world. They soon made a clean sweep, tell you, of all the rest, and left the British navy riding alone on the bosom of the ocean. There was long yellow chap in one corner; a tough, silent, double-jointed fellow. I could see in Q moment he hailed from somewhere within sight of Plymouth Rock. Well, he sat there hitchiug and wincing, till first he couldn't drink, and then he couldn't chew, and at last up he jumped, slapped his cap on his head, and roared out-"By thunder, you Britishers, I jest tell ye this. Thar's steamers enough on the Mississippi to tow your cussed laundering little island across the Atlantic without your know ing it." And then he made sail for the door.-A Week daa the West.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
Savage Fish.

Throughout the Indian Archipelago there are very savage fish-serpents. A poor white man, sauntering without shoes over the reef at Palmerston's ts- land, found his further progress hindered by one of these large fish. Well knowing its habits, he did not at first have been maimed fo- live, but allowed himself to be dragged backwards. As soon as the sea-serpent got to it's hole and began to descend, mot suspecting that it's victim would attempt to escape, relaxed its hold for second, so as to enable the man to escape by running away at full speed.
 Awoman lost two fingers by an un- lucky bite from one of these fierce deni- zens of the coral reef. She went to feel for fsh-a curious method of fishing in these islands. Certain holes in the coral are known to be the favorite resort of a particular sort of fish. Insert your hand whenever you will, you find one of the sort referred to. This valuable knowl- edge IS carefully transmitted from par ent to child. On the occasion referred to, the woman caught tarter. For in- stead of capturing her accustomed fish, she was instantly made prisoner by a Sea serpent which had devoured the proper occupants of the hole, and then taken up his abode in his new quarters. The woman screamed with agony but the savage fish did not in the least relax it's grassy p. As the tide was rising, the consequences might have been serious, Assistance came at last, sharp-pointed wood stake being cautiously inserted by the side of the imprisoned hand. The "long-mouthed" now released its hold, and set the woman free. The left hand was cut right across, the sharp teeth meeting the bone. Had the woman pulled hard to get it out, it would have been necessary to amputate tine hand. Yet in the course of a fortnight it was re- stored.
 To get at some of these holes it is needful to dive under the water. Ocsa- sionally, as the fisherman is feeling about for his prey, the fish, rushing to escape, literally wedges itself between the upper part of the arm and the coral. In such cases there is little hope for the pool fisherman. A scholar of mine was 1T this way drowned last year.
 In some of the low coral islands where there are but few inhabitants, these fisl often leave the sea and make their way over sand and shingle to pandanus-tree' growing near. With perfect ease they climb up the round stem to hunt for liz ards and rats, which feed upon the fra grant yellow and red fruit.-Rep. WI | lia,n Wudt GiU.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
VOL. I.

tyro Tn physiognomy might have pre- nounced MT. Nicholson to be intellectual and benevolent, but it would have taken an adept in the art to decipher the ex- precision which habitually spread over his features. There was weary, hopeless, hunted look, which told of great suffering, either mental or physical probably the former, for the deep lines about his mouth and eyes were of that character which is worn by sustained rather than spasmodic action of the muscles. He was man with terrible because a secret sorrow. I do not say that you would have gathered all this on the present occasion, for when he was in the society of the Maplesons he was different being. ..s.- ... ..e He promised to dine with them on Michaelmas day; and then Susan gave him his greatest treat-some of Mendelssohn' s music. At haIf-past ten the party broke up. Harry Mapleson considering that his sister rose early to get his heakfast for him, went to hls room at the top of the house before eleven. But when he got there, he made no preparations for going to bed, but put writing materials out on a table, and drawing from his pocket the papers which he had received from one of the heads of departments before leaving the office, he sat down to work. It was three o'clock before his task was accom- plished. .-t..
 "A slice of luck tbis," he said to him self on turning in at last "just as was wondering how should meet those pay ments had overlooked without cutting off some little expense, which would show Susan that was hard up, get this extra job of work, which will set me straight. What manager that girl is am afraid she stints herself in dress and that, though, which must not be; it shall no be, mother, if can help it." And thinking of her who was gone, he fell asleep. Susan's bedroom communicated with the parlor, and when her brother and Mir. Nicholson went upstairs, she passed into it, returning again soon with quantity of millinery materials, from which she of feminine adornment which fathers and husbands pay so highly for.
 "Poor old Harry p' her thoughts ran as her nimble fingers worked. "He thinks that do not see that his salary is too little for our expenses, and durst not remonstrate with him when he wastes his money upon things really do not want it would disappoint him sol How for. tunate it is that have got this knack ot making things, which secures me employ ment at my own home! How little he thinks that I so often follow him into London, carrying my work to the shop when it is completed! The ordinary seamstress' work I tried at first was not worth while, but they pay we'll for this wish Harry would spend little upor | himself; durst not give him new coat or hat in return for his mantillas and bon. nets. The idea of bis getting me this bon. net; how surprised he would be to learn that mode i!i' a.a5 s...
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
Plning for a Dun.

For two months, says Mark Twain, speaking of his early California experi- ence, my sole occupation was avoiding acquaintances, for during that time l did not earn 8 penny, or buy an article of any kind, or pay nay board. Ibecame a very adept at "slinking." I slunk from back street to back street. slunk away from approaching faces that looked familiar. I slunk to my meals, ate them humbly and with mute apology for every mouthful I robbed my generous landlady of ; and at midnight, after my wanderings, that were but slinkings away from cheerfulness and light, l slunk to my bed. During all this time I had but one piece of money-a silver ten.cent piece-and held to it and would not spend it on any account, least the con sciousness coming strong upon me that I was entirely penniless might suggest suicide. I had pawned everything but the clothes had on so chung to my dime desperately, till it was smooth with handling. However, am forget ting. I did have one other occupation besides that of "slinking." It was the entertaining of collector (and being entertained by him) who had in his hands the Virginia bankers bill for the $46 which had loaned from my school mate, the "Prodigal." This man used to call regularly once week and dun me, and methinks oftener. He did it from sheer force of habit, for he knew he could get nothing. He would get out his bill, calculate the interest for me at 5 per cent. month, and show me clear ly that there was no attempt at fraud ill it and no mistakes and then plead and argue and drive with his might for any sum-any little trihe-even dollar even 0 half dollar, on account. Then his duty was accomplished and his con- science free. He immediately dropped the subject there always; got ont a couple of cigars and divided, put his feet in the window, and then we would have long, luxurious talk about everything and everybody, and he would furnish a world of curious dunning adventures out of the ample store in his memory. By and by he would clap his hat on his head and say briskly: l "Well, business is business-I can't stay with you always" and was off in a second. The idea of pining for a dun And yet used to long for him to come and would get uneasy as any mother if the day went by without his visit, when I was expecting him. But he never collected that bill at last or any part o1 it. lived to pay it to the banker my self.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

A RAT SToRY.-An attache of the Ot- tawa Post Office, in Canada, recently met with 0 singular accident. It appeals that the young man alluded to sleeps in the post office, and during the night he woke up with sensation which might be experienced by person having a muscular dentist endeavoring to extract his nose with an overgrown turn-screw. At first he thought it was dream, but on opening his eyes he discovered to his amazement an enormous rat which had fastened it's teeth on his nasal protruber- ance, and with every apparent intention of making good square meal from the same. Of course the foe retreated pre- cipitately, leaving blood trickling from the wound. Shortly afterward, however. the bloodthirsty little brute returned to the attack, when the whole post office turned out and by we'll organized ad- vance along the line, the enemy's quar- ters were carried and the malicious brute sent to kingdom como.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

The fellow-lodger at last forced words to his lips. "Yes." he said, "I-I"-
 Look to him, Harryp' cried Susan !; and If they had not run forward to support him, the old man would have fallen.
 They got him into a chair, bathed his forehead, gave Him sherry, and he soon came out of his faint. 1.-The emotion was too much for me-" he said presently. II am myself again now. No, no; do not go for doctor. am not i'll. It is nothing but an overdose of happiness; amedicine," 1" he added, with sad smile, "that I have not been much accustomed to-"
 "You were a great friend of his, per haps ?" asked Harry. who looked puzzled 7; but Susan glanced rapidly from the youth full features of her brother to the time and care worn face of the other, and light flashed upon her.
 "Fathery" she cried.
 "My girl My childrenp'
 In the course of that evening he told them all. How that, when few years of his sentence expired, he was allowed to live as free man within the boundaries of the colony; how his book-craft had gaine1 him the situation of librarian to a wealthy settler, who had touch of biblio- mania, which it was difficult to gratify out there; how he nearly died of the gnawing desire to communicate with his wife, but fought the battle out with what he felt to be Self, and conquered; how at length, when free to return to Europe, he had engaged in certain literary pursuits, which there is no occasion to specify, but in which he was eventually so successful, as to be in receipt of an income far beyond his wants how that, hearing of hls wife's death, and certain that his children could not recognize him, he haG come to Eng land, and had contrived to obtain lodgings in tho same house, and to make their acquaintance.
 "And if it had not been for this happy confession, would you never have told us who you were, papa 2" asked Susan.
 "After the trial I have gone through, , replied her father, "I think I may boast neverm
 It is felt in certain influential circles that something should be done" fol "p poor Mapleson ; something is also to be done for his son Harry. This vague an nouncement sounds, I grant, woefully like 'chops for two" but am in position Co sCaCe CDaC NIT. Mapleson Will nave pension, and that Harry will get nomi nation and when it comes to competitive examination, within certain limits, I'll back him. Meantime father and son and daughter are settling down into thcil relationship, and Harry has been relieved of a nightmare. It was this: he fanciet that perhaps the man-since dead, blythe bye-who committed the crime his fathel suffered for, had made him the variou! presents he had accepted and one even ing, when the three were together, h' owned that this suspicion made hin wretched.
 Silly!" cried Susan j" why, of course MT. Anonymous was papa!"
 Is that fact, father ?"
 "Susan is right, my boy"
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

ABOUT CoRN.-Dr. Louvel's new meth cd of preserving corn, according to the report made to the Academy of Science in Paris, IS calculated to remove all diff culties in the way of an indefinite preser- vation of grain. He employs 8 cylndri- cal vessel of sheet iron, ending in two hemispheres. This kind of movable granary is placed upright on supports at height which renders both the stowage and extraction of corn easy. The upper hemisphere has an aperture with cover which admits of it's being dramatically closed not far from it a stop-cock, and next to this manometer. The lower hemisphere has only single opening for letting out the corn. Avac- uum is produced by means of an air pump. When the air inside is reduced to pressure of three or four inches of mecury, all the insects are sure to be killed, and every other cause of destrus- ton be completely removed.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

MnKY.-A doctor was called to see 0 patient whose drink was whisky. Water was prescribed as the only cure. Pa tient said that it was out of the question, he could never drink it. Milk was then proposed, and patient agreed to get well on milk. The doctor was soon sum moned again. Near the bed on which the sick man lay was table, and on the table large bowl, and in the bowl was milk, but favored strong with whisky. "What have you here ?" said the doc- tor. "Milk, doctor; just what you ordered" "But there is whisky in 1t I smell it." "Well, doctor," sighed the patient, "there may be whisky in 1t, but milk's my object" ;"
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

BATHNa.-Many persons have lost their lives by getting chilled in the pro- cess of bathing; sometimes by goins in to the bath too soon after eating. No person should take any kind of bath soon CT than three hours after a regular meal, and the room should show heat of 25o of Farenheit's thermometer, at about five feet above the floor in the middle of the room, in order to avoid dangerous chills ; persons of feeble circulation should have the room still warmer if there is an uncomfortable feeling of coldness to the body when it soxses out of the watG.:, the room is too cold.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
" Be Good to Yourself"

Be G0Od to YOurSelfs" "Good-byel goodbye I" the driver said, As the coach went of in whirl; tAnd the coachman bowed his handsome head J "Be good to yourself-my girl!'' Ah many fond goodbye I've heard; From many an aching heart: And many friendly farewell word, When strangers came to part; 1 And I've heard a thousand merry quips, And many a senseless joke, And many fervent prayer from lips That all a-tremble spoke; And many bit of geod advice In smooth proverbial phrase; And many wish-of little price For health and happy days; But musing how the human soul (Whate'er the Fates may willy stiii measures by it's self-control, Its greatest good or ill., Of benedictions, I protest, Mid many shining pearl. I like the merry coachman's best "Be good to yourself my girl"
 JOHN G. SAKE.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

A SHARP LAME William A. Ford, of Caroline County, Md, has pet lamb follows the dogs to the woods, and when they strike the trail he follows in pur- suit and seems to enjoy the fun as much as the hounds themselves. The lamb is not always successful in keeping up with his swift-footed companions, and some times he is left behind and gets lost. When this occurs he loiters about, stops at some of the neighbors', and finally works his way home again.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

Sonp.-A tobacco-buyer who was re- gently figuring in town not Q thousand miles from Amherst, N. H., came across a man who had sold his crop for fifteen cents. The buyer suggested that he had not got enough, and wanted to look at his goods, asking him if he was bound by money paid. Finding that he was legally free to sell again, he offered him five cents pound more, and would give him hundred dollars to bind the bar gain, which the farmer accepted, As the buyer was about tS leave, he in quired who had previously bought the tobacco. On being informed, he ex- claimed, "Good heavens, that is my partner" <"
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

A FATAL AFFAm.-A Mrs. Mason, landlady of the boardine-house at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel, expostu- lated with an Irishman for not paying his board-bill, when he seized Q club and struck her over the head, inficting. . fearful wound from which it is doubtful if she recovers. Her daughter Mary, aged II, who was present and witnessed the assault, was so badly frightened as to cause her death.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

This is the way the Cedar Rapids Re- publicd,, puts it: "Don't borrow a news paper nearly all the prevailing epidem- ics are spread in this way. If you don t want the smallpox take your paper di- rect from the publisher, ''
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

What goes most against farmer grain His reaping machine,
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10

Virtues, like essences, lose their frag- rance when exposed.
Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
Special Notices, 50 per cent. in advance of tho

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