davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Opium Eating.

Opium eating is becoming SD preva-
lent vice in the State of Kentucky,
that the Legislature of that State
has passed q bill to check the
practice. The bill provides that on
the affidavit of two respectable persons,
any person who, through the excessive
use of opium, arsenic, hasheesh, or any
drug, has become incompetent to man
age himself or his estate, may be con-
fined in an asylum, as in the case of an
habitual drunkard or a lunatic. Hy-
drate of chlOral is another narcotic COM
plained of by the prominent medical
Journals of the country as being con-
sumed in immense quantities. Indeed,
one periodical {" Good HedLtH') alleges
it is being used in the most reckless
manner. 1t is said that even in
Europe it is superceding absinthe,
opium, and alcoholic stimulants, while
its manufature has increased. Liebig
says that single establishment pro-
duces half a ton per week, while, ac-
cording to the London Spectator, TAX
ing chloral Is the new and popular vice,
particularly among women, and Is
doing at least as much harm as alcohol.
The drug is said to be kept in thousands
of English dressing cases, and those
who begin to use it often become so
addicted to it that they pass their lives
i'm sort of contented semi-stupefaction.
BY the use of these pernicious drugs
thousands are annually buried in an
untimely grave. If the practice can
be abated by legislation, the sooner
the other States follow the ex-
annie Kentucky has Just shown, the
better.-Toledo Democrat.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Balbec.

Balbec is situated, az pearly as poesi'
BILE, half way between Damascus to the
Southeast and the port of Tripoli, In
Syria, to the Northwest. The collec.
ton of miserable huts which form the
modern town PROBABLY do not harbol
more than q thousand half savage
Arabs.
Ancient writers are as silent respect
ing Balbec ss respecting Palmyra.
But it is, no doubt, the same city which
Macrobius, in his Heliopolis of Ce.esy-
ria. and to which he tells US the wOr-
ship of the sun was brought in very re-
mote times, from the other city of the
same name in Egypt. HeliopOlis, in
Greek, means TIE city of the Sun; and
tEe Specification Of the Syraic tern,
Balbec is, the Vale of Bal, the oriental
name for the same luminary when
vorshipped as god. It is probable
that Balbec was the ancient, a. 1t is
the modern name of the pace, although
from not having been mentioned, like
TadmOr, the old name of Palmyra, in
the Hebrew Scriptures, it has come
down to us only In the form of the
Greek translation, Heliopolis.
The universal tradition of the c0un-
try is that Bslbec, as well as Palmyra,
was built by Solomon. Many stories,
it seems, are told by the inhabitants OF
the manner In which the celebrated
jewish king spent his time in this re.
treat. Some critics have supposed that
some building at Balbec may possibly
he that spoken of in his writing as ''the
Tower of Lebanon that looketh toward
Damascus. One of the stories cur
rent on the spot is that the city was
built by him as q residence for tine
Queen OF Sheba.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Under.Paid Labor.

We take the following valuable item
from the Workingm1dn and commend
it to the consideration of our readers.
1t says Underpaid labor always re-
venges itself upon the employer in
negligence and waste. The man cares
little for the interest of the master
who cheapens the sweat of his brow to
the lowest possible farthing, and the
work he does is not performed with
either cheerfulness or alacrity. Get
ting the greatest amount for the
least outlay, never yet paid in the long
thistles, and drive him at the top of
his speed for time-hut for lime
only. With enough of remuneration to
to keep him in clothing and chance
to lay up against rainy day." one
will sing cheerfully, while he labors
faithfully-take an interest in what he
does, and strives to gain still higher
recompense by making himself more
useful. And there is another still
stronger point in the case. Poor pay
is great temptation to theft. You
have plenty and to spare-the one you
employ plenty of nothing but poverty.
1t is hard for him to reason that such a
state of affairs is right you should
ride in coach, while he cannot spare
sixpence to patroniye car after
hours of hard work. These contrasts
are ever before him. He sees them by
day, dreams of them by night, and
when the week or month is ended the
little pittance he receives is instantly
swallowed up in keeping body and soul
togetber-in making and recruiting
to do your work. Is it strange, then,
that SO many should fail to keep the
straight forward path? We opine not,
and the sooner there is more liberty On
the part of employers, the sooner there
is something on q cooperative system
inagurated, the sooner tetter work
will be done, and honesty be the rule
net the exception.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
How Coffee was Discovered.

We read q quaint story concerning
the discovery of this favorite beverage.
Toward the middle of the fifteenth
century a poor Arab was travelling in
Abyssinia, and, finding himself weak
and weary from fatigue, he stopped
near q grove Then, being in want OF
fuel to cook his rice, he cut down
tree which happened to be covered
with dead berries. His meal being
cooked and eaten, the traveller discoy-
cred that the half-burned berries were
very fragrant. He collected q num-
Der of these, and, on crushing
them with a stone, he found that their
aroma increased to q great extent.
While wondering at this, he accident
ally let fall the substance in a can
which contained his scant supply of
water. Lo, what q miracle! The
almost putrid liquid was instantly
purified. He brought it to his lips; It
was fresh, agreeable, and in a moment
after the traveller had so far recovered
his strength and energy as to be aoic
to resume his journey. The lucky
Arab gathered as many berries as ne
could. and, having arrived at Arden
in Arabia, he informed the muu OF
his discovery. That worthy divine
was an inveterate opium smoker, who
had been suffering for years from the
influence of that poisonous drug. He
tried an infusion of the roasted berries,
and was SO delighted at the recovery OF
his own vigor, that in gratitude to the
tree he called it cahuah, which in
Arabic signifies force. And that is the
way in which coffee was discovered.
How many thirsty Christians bless the
memory Of their Arabian benefactor
during these sultry days, when thirst
seems almost quenchless!
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
The Cost of Living.

Everywhere the cost of living stead
lily increases, and with many people
the means to meet this increase have
no proportional augmentation. In
England it is computed that an income
of 81 900 does not 90 as far in 1872 as
one of ES00 in 1852. Pensional and
salaried persons generally suffer, be-
cause they receive no increase as a
general rule, while they are affected
by temporary financial fluctuations,
and by this never-reglessiDg tidal
wave of increase in cost. In no cOun.
try is this more evident than in our
own. We have recourse to the oldest
inhabitant for startling statistics con-
cerning this subject. What was wealth
twenty years since is pittance now; /;
upon what was competency then
men would now starve. We do not
mean to say that pay and salaries have
not been increased, but that they have
not been SO in just proportion. A
little addition from time to time is
doled out with reluctant tardiness. 1t
would be no unjust generosity if all
who control salaries, especially those
of public officers, would see a few
ghosts, as did Ebepezer Scrooge, and
double Bob Cratchit's wages on Christ
mas morning. Switzerland has set
the example. the Federal Assembly at
the last session having raised the sal
aries of Federal COunselors from $500
francs TO 1900, those of the common
counselOrs from 5000 to 5000, and that
of the President from 1000 to Is, $780,
Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Tired Mothers.

A little elbow leans upon your knee,
Your tired knee. that has much to bear;
ehild's dear eyes are looking lovingly
From underneath thatch of tangled hair.
Perhaps you do moi. heed the velvet touch
OF moist fingers folding yours 80 tight;
You do not prize the blessing over-much,
You almost are too tired to pray tonight.
But it is bless edness! A year ago
I did not see IL as do to-day
We are so dull and thankless and too slow
And now 1t seems surprising strange to me,
That while wore the badge of motherhood,
did not kiss more oft. and tenderly,
The little child that brought me only good,
And II, some night when you sit down to rest
You miss this elbow from your tired knee;
This restless, curling head from of your
breast,
This lisping tongue that chatters constantly,
II from your own the dimpled hands had
slipped,
And ne'er would nestle in your palm again
II the white feet into the grave had tripped.
could not blame you for your heart. ache
wonder so that mothers ever fret,
At little children clinging TO their gown;
Or that the footprints, when the days are
wet,
Are ever black enough to make them frown.
II could find q little muddy boot.
Orcap or jacket on my chamber floor;
If could kiss O rosy, restless foot,
And hear its patter in my home once more /:
RI could mend broken cart to-day.
Tomorrow make kite, to reach the sky:
There is no woman in Gods world could say
She was more blissfully content thanI.
But ah the dainty pillow next my own
Is never rumpled by a shining head;
My singing birding from its nest is flown;
The little boy used to kiss Is dead
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
FenelinFalicities.

A clergyman said the other day that
modern young ladies were not the
daughters of Shem and Ham, but the
daughters of Hem and Sham!
An Ohio lady sent back book she
had ordered, because the leaves were
uncut. She thought it was an unfin-
ished copy, and was right.
"A Paris shopkeeper lately fixed over
his door q notice that as his daughter
had "made splendid match, he would
sell goods at reduction of twenty-five
per cent. for a week.
A south-shore Long Islander, on
his first visit to the city with his sweet
heart, seeing the punches of bananas in
Fulton market, exclaimed "Tll be
moved Saphrony, if them amt the big
gest beans 1 ever seed"
"A beautiful young lady who had al
owed the tendrils of her heart to twine
ondly around strapping great conduc-
or on horse car, had her affectionate
nature crushed by the discovery that he
was taking fare from her and deadhead-
ing another girl who lived ON the same
street,
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
WOman's Drudgery-

The Hygienic system Is pre-eminet.
ly the cause of woman-both as re-
spects the preservation of health and
the treatment of disease. A simple
and wholesome plan of cooking would
relieve her of one-half of her present
hard toll and drudgery, while it would
promote the health of every member
of her household. At least four-fifths
of all the money expended for medi-
cines and medical advice, are paid be-
cause of the diseases Of women and
children. And, nine-tenths of all the
care, nursing, night-watching, and
privation of sleep and rest because OF
sick children, are performed and suf-
fered by women. The Medical So
ciety in New York, which, on its festive
occasions toasted woman in the follow
ing words, has truth if not poetry as
the basis of the sentiment.
"Woman,-God's best gift to man,
and the chief support of the DOCTORS
From Scieace of Health.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18

Lord Bolingbroke, in bis "Re1ec-
tions upon Exile" says: "Our natur-
al and real wants are confined to nnE-
row bounds, while those which 1noy
and custom create are confined 20
noue.n
Young men who are just entering
upon life, and forming the habits
which are likely to adhere to them 70
its close, win do well to treasure up In
memory these true and instructive
words Of one Of England's finest writ
ers and most philosophic statesmen
"Our natural and real wants are
confined to narrow bounds" It is
surprising how little it is that Is alb
solutely essential to mans existence,
and, If he will take an intelligent and
considerate view of life, to his comfort
and happiness. Intellectual enjoy
ments are comparatively cheap. The
cultivation CT the mind, which affords
the highest and the only enduring
satisfaction, can be pursued on an in
come quite insignificant for the supply
of luxuries.
Our physical wants are very few, if
we preserve our tastes simple, as they
are by nature. TO eat, to drink, to
exercise. to sleep, TO Keep warm, ana
to be sheltered; small sum will
supply all these. The pleasures which
are pure, and which tend to our inn
provement, are within the reach Of
almost every one.
But the wants which fancy and
custom create, as Lord Bolingbroke
says, are confined to no bounds. 1t
is against these that young men on the
threshold of life should sedulously
guard. Beware of luxurious and ex-
pensive habits. The qualification Of
them may cost you much of the labor
and time which. if given to intellectual
cultivation, would be more conducive
to happiness. 1t is easy to do without
that which you have never indulged
in. 1t is hard to leave OF habits, how
ever extravagant and absurd. When
you are to decide about adopting q
mode or style of living, consider well
whether it Is certain that, without
Inconvenience, you will be able always
to preserve it. The only safe rule Is.
to keep your wants within narrow
bounds.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Burial with the Feet Eastward.
A Vermont correspondent asks:

A Vermont correspondent asks:
"Can you give any information in
regard to the custom of burying the
dead with their faces to the east, how
far this custom extends, and upon
what tradition or idea it rests ?'
In reply, we copy from Chambers
Encyclopedia, LippiDcOtt's new edi-
ton, article East"
1.-THE custom of venerating the east
was perpetuated by the early Christian
church from various circumstances
mentioned in the sacred record. 1t was
said that Christ had been placedjn the
tomb with his feet toward the east, and
at the day of Judgment he should come
from the eastward in the heavens.
From these various circumstances, the
building of churches with the chancel
TO the east, bowling to the east on utter
ing the name of Jesus, and burying
with the feet to the east, were intro
duced as customs in the church. 1t is
a curious instance of the inveteracy of
popular custom, that in Scotland,
where everything that savored of an
cient usage was set aside as popish by
the refOrmers, the practice of buryjng
with the feet to the east was maintain
ed in the old church-yards nor is it
uncommon still 10 set down churches
with scrupulous regard to east and
west. In modern cemeteries, in Eng
land and Scotland, no attention APP
pears to be paid to the old punctiliO,
the nature of the ground alone being
considered in the disposition Of
grayeSu
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Dean SWift's Resolutions.

The following resolutions were drawn
up by Dean Swift, to be observed
"when I come to be old :" Not to mar
~ q young woman. Not TO keep young
company. anless they desire it. Not to
be peevish, morose or suspicious. Not
to tell the same story over and over to
the same people. Not to be covetous-
the hardest Of all to be kept. Not to
be over severe with young people, but
TO make allowance for their youthful
follies and weakness. Not to be too
free of advice, nor trouble any but those
who desire it. To desire some good
friends to inform me which of these
resolutions I break or neglect, and to
reform accordingly. Not to talk much,
nor of myself-very hard again. Not to
hearken to fatterers, nor conceive 1
can be beloved by young woman. Not
to be positive or opinionative. Not to
set up for observing all these rules, for
fear I should observe none.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18

In whatever relations We view man
and his action, we almost invariably
find that though we are taught that he
is . free agent, nevertheless the evi
dence of tie domination of conditions
governing and controlling his action
sooner or later looms into view.
II, for example, we examine into the
causes of mortality, we find that his
condition or occupations exert an all
important influence on the duration of
his life. II he is very poor, his chance
Of death is half as much as IL he were
rich /; and as regards profession, Quote
let shows that in Germany, for twenty
four doctors that reach the age of sew
enty, thirty-two military meu and for.
ty.two theologians attain their three
score and ten.
If we inquire into his honesty, we
find that it depends on his age to Ger.
tain extent, for between the ages OF
tweuty-one and twenty-five the tenden-
cy to theft is double what it Is between
the ages of thirty-five and forty. Or
this and other crimes education has o
very important influence, as IL shown
in Quefelet's statistics of crimes in
France and England. In the former
country, out OF one hundred criminals
sixty one could not read or write, twen-
ty-seven could read imperfectly and on.
ly twelve could read and write we'll
In England, thirty.six could not read
at all, sixry-one could read or write i'm.
perfectly, aud only three could read and
write well.
Actions which appear onthe surface
to depend entirely on the will of the
individual are also strangely influenced
by apparently trivial causes. Statistics
of suicide by 1Anging, for example,
show that the maximum of such occur
red between six and eight in the morn
ing; the number decreased slightly till
noon, and then dropped suddenly to
the minimum, there being 123 cases be-
tween ten and twelve O'Clock against
only 80 between twelve and two
o'clock. The number rose in the after
noon to 104 cases between four and six,
to an average Of about 90
through the night, the second mimi
mum, As, being between two and four
o'clock In the morning. How clearly
the influence Of the midday meal and
the midnight sleep are marked in their
elevation Of the mental tone, while the
of the morning and after.
mood at the prospect of another day or
night Of misery, is likewise indicated
by the increased number that sought
relief In self-destruction.
Another instance Of this influence of
obscure laws on the actions Of man is
the statement by M. Quetelet that in
out Of 10000 marriages in
each period of five years, from 1S41 to
1865, six men aged from 80 to As mar
ried women aged go or more. NJ.
Quetelet thereupon remarks:-"It is
curious to see man proudly emitting
King Of Nature, and fancying
himself controlling all things by this
free will, yet submitting, unknown to
more vigorously than any
other being in creation, to the laws to
which he Is under subsection. These
laws are coordinate with such wisdom
that they even escape his attention.
ScribneT's.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
A Mouse Afflicted With SMALLPOX.

On Friday evening a lady entered
the drug store of DIR. Edward Lindridge,
on Hudson avenue, near Sands street,
Brooklyn, and placed live mouse on
the counter. The little animal had a
very sore head, and the Doctor was
asked whether he knew what the mat
ter was. He was also informed that it
had bad been brought from the tene-
ment house 156 Hudson avenue, near
York street, where there had been
several cases of smallpox. After ex.
smining the mouse he found that it
was covered with sores. He sprinkled
some disinfecting powder over it, and
in short time it died. 1t was then
dissected, and clear case of the small
pOx in ifs worst form was revealed.
The remains were enclosed in glass
jar, aud are to he sent to the hospital
for further examination, as it is believed
to be the first case of the kind ever
heard of.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
What To Do When You are In Tr0u-
ble

BILE.
Don't try to quench your sorrows in
rum or narcotics. II you begin this
you must keep right on with It till It
leads to ruin; or, If you pause, you
must add physical pain and the con-
sciousnees of degradation to the sorrow
you seek to escape. OF all wrefched
men his condition is most pitiful, who,
having sought to drown his grief in
drink, awakes from his shattered de-
bauch with shattered nerves, aching
head, and depressed mind, to face the
same troble again and again sought,
till its victim sinks q hopeless, pitiful,
and total wrech.
Work Is your true remedy. II mis-
fortune hits you hard, hit you some
thing else hard pitch into something
With q will. There's nothing like
good, solid, absorbing, exhausting work
to cure trouble. If you have met with
losses. Won don't want lie awake think
ing of them. You want sweet, calm,
sound sleep, and to eat your dinner
with appetite. But you can't unless
you work. II you say you don't feel
like work, and go loafing all day to
tell Tom, Dick or Harry the story Of
your woes, you'll lie awake and keep
your wife awake by tossings. This
spoils her temper aud your own break
fast the next morning, and you begin
tomorrow fealing ten times worse than
you did to- day.
There are some troubles that time
only heals, and perhaps some can new.
er be healed at ali but nearly all can
be healed by the panacea, work. Try
it, YOU who ars thus afflicted.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Explosive Cigars.

The sale of explosive cigars continues
in Paris, Notwithstanding the efforts Of
the police. These cigars appear genu-
inc, but contain minute squib which
explodes when the cigar has burned to
a certain point. Not only are they
capable Of severely wounding the
smoker, but they often produce the
most deplorable results in unexpected
quarters. Not long ago, q gentleman
had some in his pocket, and. believing
them to be ordinary cigars offered one
to his uncle, whose property he ex-
pected to inherit, and who wore set
of artificial teeth. His rage and horror
may be imagined when, after q few
moments of pleasant conversation he
saw what appeared to be the entire
jaw of his venerable relative briskly
expelled from his mouth and fasten ON
to the features of high official per-
sonage, who shrieked "You have bitten
me-" and went off in a vertigo!
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
Worthy Of Consideration,

Orientals do not change their style of
dress. Among them each nation and
tribe has its peculiar customs, as well
as its insignia of religious creed. These
fashions are perpetual, centuries seldom
bringing any change. It is related of
the young Bing of Siam that having
cherished a friendly regard for lady
who had, during the reign of his father,
resided in the royal city, he requested
her to send him her likeness. This was
accordingly done by the hands of mu-
tual friend, and the gift was received
with marked pleasure by the monarch.
But after long and careful scrutiny he
asked, with a puzzled air "Has my
friend changed her nation, or her relig-
ion? It must be one or the other. The
features are the same, but the dress!
This is not the costume shs wore when
I saw her last"