davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
A Story Of an Actor.

Mackay, the actor, was once gun
maker in Hartford. One day, while
working at the bench vigorously showing
twelve-inch bastard file, with no one
present but single fellow workman, he
suddenly dropped his file, sprang back n
few feet, struck the attitude, that Mac
beth is supposed to have assumed in the
dagger scene, and repeated the blood
curdling words in the text, in q voice
hollow, solemn und impressive, with
features wherein was painted all the
agony of a tortured mind, and accom-
panied with gestures 50 strikingly true
to nature that his fellow workman was
astonished.
He was more than that He was thor
oughly frigF tened. He had never been
to theater in his life, and consequently
was but little prepared for this sudden
clap of theatrical thunder. He supposed
that his companion had been stricken
with insanity, and to his mind it was
not pleasant thought to be cooped up
in room with crazy man. But how
should he escape? That was the ques-
tiop, The object of his dread was be-
tween HIM and the door, and he dare
not pass him.
They were on the second floor, and es-
cape by the way of window was toe
dangerous to attempt. All this passed
through his mind SO quickly that the
young tragedian had only got to the
words, Come, let me clutch thee, y
when the frightened mechanic hastily re-
treated to far corner of the room, where
there was stack of gun-barrels, and,
clutching one placed himself in a defen.
sive posture, with look SO determined
and yet so horror stricken, it seemed to
say, eff you do clutch lne, or attempt
to do so, will knock your brains out
with this gun-barrel."
He kept his eyes fastened on the
speaker and breathlesslv watched every
motion, and maintained the same strik'
ing attitude until the close. Mackay
had been 80 wrapped up in the recitation
that he had not taken in the scene here
described, but as he concluded he EN-,
br0ced the situation of affairs at glance
and said, "Why, Jack, what's the matter
with you ?"
"The matter with me nothing !" ex
claimed Jack, Indignantly but I'd like
to know what in thunder is the matter
with you"
A mutual explanation took place and {
hearty laugh followed.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

The Gulf Stream issues, as We know,
from the Gulf of Mexico, but 1t is pos
sible to follow its course across the
Caribbean Sea, where, passing between
the Antilles, it arrives from the Atlantic,
and afterward flows to the northwest at
the rate of a quarter of Il mile an hour
until it enters the Gulf of Mexico From
this gulf the Gulf Stream takes an east
erly course toward the Bahamas, along
the north coAst of Cuba but, after
rounding Florida, it bends northward,
and passes between the latter and the
Bahamas, in the channel which separates
Florida Cape from the Islets of Bemini.
Here the current has speed of l mile
per hour breadth of s miles, and a
depth of 250 fathcms. From the chan
mel of Bemini the Gulf Stream proceeds
directly northward, at rate which de-
creases gradually from 81 feet per second
Mt Bemini, to feet at st. Augustine,
the distance between these two points
being about 70 miles, during which the
breadth of the current increases from 8
miles to liz. From St. Augustine to the
Bay of New York the Gulf Stream takes
northeasterly course, parallel with the
land, and conterminous with cold cur
rent which flows from the north to the
south between the stream and the Ameri-
can coast. In this part of its course it
continues to increase in breadth from
liz miles at st. Augustine to 31a at New
York; meanwhile its speed decreases
from 4 feet to q per second. The depth
Of the sea along the course OF the cur
rent is many hundred fathoms, and the
distance between st. Augustine and New
York is $50 miles. On quitting the
Bay of New York, the Gulf Stream
takes an E. N. L. direction to the South
of Newfoundland, skirting the cold cur
rent. which goes down to southwest as
far as New York, following the east coast
of Newfoundland. By the time the
Gulf Stream, after q course of 200 miles,
reaches the south of Newfoundland, it
has attained breadth of about 80 miles,
whileIits speed is only 2 feet per second
but the current continues to run in the
same direction toward Europe for over
300 miles, with a speed which is from 2
feet to O. 6 feet, and breadth increasing
from so up to 200 miles. The Gulf
Stream, when it has attained a distance
of $50 miles from Bemini, separates into
two branches, the one proceeding south
wards toward the coast of Africa, at n
speed of O.6 feet per second, the other
taking a northerly course toward Ice
land, along the shores of the British
Islands, and running about 200 miles, at
a rate which decreases from 0.6 to 0.3
feet per second, the breadth of the cur
rent meanwhile increasing from 100 to
105 miles. When the stream reaches
the neighborhood of Iceland it sends off
a branch which skirts the south coast Of
that island.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
A SINGULAR FREAK. AN engine stand

A SINGULAR FREAK. An engine stand
ing on the Monmouthshire Railway, near
Newport, was being cleaned, when the
fireman preceived train approaching
from behind, and that collision was
inevitable, jumped off. 1t is conjectured
that the force of the blow opened the
valve, and started the locomotive, Be-
tween the point OF departure and the
Waterloo Junction, where it was finally
arrested, are no less than fifteen gates.
Through every one of these the runaway
engine crashed, in some cases shivering
them to atoms, in others doubling them
up like paper, in two or three instances
carrying them clean away. One was so
taken a mile and half. Besides the
gates, signal posts, telegraph posts, and
signal boxes all along its erratic course
were destroyed or very badly damaged.
After running about eight miles, it final
ly got off the track, and ran into an en-
bankment, where it was caught. Strange
to say, the engine was very little injured,
which is asc1ibed to its having had, what
is called in English railway parlance, a
"break van" in front.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
Round Dances.

DR.. Dio Lewis, in his advice to "Our
Girls" in his book of that name, says q
timely word against the immodest and
impure "German," waltz, &c, for two
reasons, the first being a sanitary one,
and the second a moral one, For the
first, he says that the rotary motion is
injurious to the brain and spinal marrow,
and that the peculiar contact between
man and woman is very apt to suggest
impure thoughts. We can forgive Byron
for many things he wrote when we re-
member whit a manly and indignant
protest he wrote against the waltz,
"Not Cleopatra, on her galleys deck,
Displayed 80 much of leg, or more Of neck,
Than thou, ambrosal waltz, when first the moon
Behold thee whirling to Saxon tune
he wrote in his finest strain of sarcasm.
The doctor says, "Let couple stand in
the presence of company, with their
arms about each other, and their persons
in contact as for the German, let them
stand thus interwined, what should we
think ? The dance is made the excuse
for what, without it, would be a gross
indelicacy." He says that he has many
times asked young men what they thought
of it, and after saying it was jolly, that
they liked it frst-rate, they have gener-
ally, when urged to tell him seriously
their conviction, confessed, that, know
ing how men feel and sometimes talk
about it, if they were women, they would
not indulge.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

New YEARS EVE IN IRELAND. Carl
ton, one who knew the Irish peasants
better than almost any one, describes
the manner in which New Years Eve is
celebrated in the could Country"
"Here, in a snug barn, some old Mile
slams are dancing in the New Year in
their own light-hearted way. Phelim,
the merriest boy of them all, is trying to
dance down Norah. Ould Barney, who
has been q dark these ten years, is
scratching away his liveliest jigs for the
glory and honor of the occasion ; being
cheered up at intervals with eggshells
full of the finest 'potheen to be found
south of Innishowen. While dancing
goes on in one part of the barn, in an
other, the older parties are seated, who
are enjoying themselves with pleasant
game OF cards, a glass or two of the
right stuff, and their pipes" Oft dur
ing the evening, midst the fun and
pleasantly prevailing, can be heard a
merry voice exclaiming these cheerful
words, ERIN go Bragh."
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
A STRANGE PREsENr1MENT. The Bar

A STRANGE PREsENr1MENT.- The Ban:
gor Me- Wing, tell the following story :
GAN Augusta correspondent writes that
Charles Berry, musician residing in
that city, played at q ball at KendalPs
Mills, and after the ball retired to rest
as usual, but was restless and unable to
sleep, and sensation of dread of some
thing wrong took hold or his mind. He
strove to shake it of, and courted sleep
in vain. So strong did this uneasiness
become, that he at length arose and took
the first train for Augusta, and i'm
mediately went to his home, where he
found his wife and little son of four
years of age, both nearly suffocated from
coal gas. 1t was long time before they
could be revived. Had he been absent
an hour longer, they would doubtless
have both been dead"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
A Worlds Fair.

Americans should remember that Vi
emma is to have worlds fair in 1878. AT
the Paris exhibition of 1867 nearly every
thing sent from this country took prize,
and there is no reason why the same
thing should not be repeated at Vienna
in 1878. The exhibition will undoubted-
ly be the largest that has ever yet been
seen. The park set apart for the exhi-
bition contains four times as many square
yards as have ever been similarly occu-
pied, and the principal building alone
will have a length of four thousand six
hundred and fifty feet. The committee
having the matterin charge wish to have
a full display of the raw materials and
manufactured articles of each nation,
with statistical information in reference
to the amount produced and the trade
therein. Special efforts will be made to
have the art collections as complete as
possible, and it is proposed to have a
loan collection from all the German NIL
seums, similar to the celebrated one at
Kensington. Another speciality will be a
collection of articles used by different
nations in their domestic affairs, kitchen
utensils, furniture, dress ornamental OBJ
iects, in fact everything used about q
house. As the Austrian nation has
never had an exhibition of this character
they will, undoubtedly, work hard to
make 1t a success. The opportunity
ought not to be neglected by the manu-
facturers Of this country.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

ASHooTING ATCH.-There is really
no accounting for tastes. But as a gen
eral thing few persons would care to de-
liberately set themselves up as targets
But two young men of Maryland, being
possessed of about as much wisdom as
the traditional two wise men of Go
tham," seem to have been possessed with
this singular taste. These would-be
Nimrods went out hunting on Thanks
giving Day, and having failed to induce
any of the feathered tribe to submit to
the process of being made game Of, they
agreed to make game of each other. The
agreement was that they should shoot at
one another across ravine. They were to
hidein the brush, and ct certain time hal
loo. At the appointed time they hallooed,
and then began "peeping for each 9th
Ell. They both saw each other at the
same instant and blazed away, each re-
ceiving dose of small shot in their bod
les. One dose was enough to crafty their
eccentric tastes, and they are likely to
try hereafter some other mode Of drawing
their charges. ......
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

ABOUT WAR.-Could we cope with
Spain at sea ? asks New York paper.
This is n fair question, and one which
implies no disrespect Oh our naval adj
ministration. 1t is, however, well to
consider such a question. The Spanish
Navy, ready for action, consists of sew
enty-three screw steamers, carrying TIA
guns; twenty-four paddle steamers, car
rying 127 guns, and thirteen sailing ves-
sells, carrying 200; while our navy con-
sists of 46 iron clads, OF steamers, and
80 sailing vessels, in all mounting 1866
guns, But actually ready, only $50 guns.
II will thus be seen that the forces OF the
Spaniards are quite as formidable as
ours. tt .H .'-i 5000
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
The Division of Time.

In dividing time into convenient guam
titles, the sun plays an important part.
One revolution Of the earth round the
sun constitutes year, the grand basis
of our calendar, and modern science has
attained to such accuracy that it gives,
as the exact length of year, 365 days, 5
hours, AZ minutes, 40 seconds and seven
tenths of second which is pretty close
calculation for the movements of such a
large body rs our mother earth. The
odds and ends of time over the 1865 days
are carefully gathered up for future use,
so that when enough has accumulated to
make twenty-four hours once in four
years-we get another day to the year.
And still this is not exact, for day every
fourth year is too much by II minutes,
10 seconds, and three tenths of second.
In 1852 these surplus seconds had well
proved that "many little makes good
DEAL" for Pope Gregory found that they
had amounted to ten days, and ascer-
tanning what would be the correct thing
for the future, decreed that the extra
day hitherto reckoned in leap year should
be dropped three times every four hum
dred years. All this is rather curious,
but 1t makes no practical difference with
our own lives or deeds, only in the les
son taught that, small and seemingly
tlihing as are the seconds of time, they,
by their steady, never-ceasing progress,
slowly but surely count out the lives apd
the actions of all created things and no
mortal power can stay the hours as they
pass.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
The Postal Cards.

The use of postal cards as convenient
vehicles for libel appears to be growing
popular in London. At late session
of the Grand Jury, no less than three
indictments were found for this otfense.
One of them arose from the comlcal
wager of one Mr.. John Hampden, a gen
tleman with more money than brains,
who bet $500 with Mr.. Wallace that the
earth was fiat. Ofcourse, the latter gem
tlemen won and received the money from
the stakeholder, Mr.. Walsh, of the Field
newspaper The latter has once been
libelled in the way referred to, by whom
does not appear. Probably it was by the
bold but iniudicious Hampden, who has
already been before the courts for assault
ing the winner of his money. Another
case was that of clerk who, having been
dismissed for embezzlement, evincedh his
resentment by scattering broadcast IN
postal cards aud placards, the most uu-
fattering opinions of his late employer,
They had received thousand of these
cards." they said, stating generally that
they were " the greatest liars, rogues and
villains in the universe, and the prison
er had besides taken the precaution to
cover his house with posters, asserting
that the plaintiff had starved his Wao
and family. For this indulgence he
goes to prison for two years at hard labor,
n punishment severe enough, tits to he
hoped, to check this disgraceful practice
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
The Night after Christmas.
FROM PUNCH.

FROM PUNCH.
Twas the night after Christmas, when all
through the house
Every soul was Nbed, and still M mouse;
Those stockings 50 late In st. Nicholas cale
We're empty OF all that was Gatable there.
The darlings had duly been tucked in their beds
With very full stomachs, and pains in their
heads,
was doing away in my new cotton cap,
And Nancy was rather far gone in d nap.
When out in the nursery rose such a clatter,
Isprang from my sleep, crying, "What is the
matterfn
flew TO each bedside--stil half in doze--
Tore open the curtains, and threw off the
clothes;
While the light of the taper served clearly to
show
The pteous plight Of those objects below;
For what to the fond fathers eyes should APP
pear
But the little pale face ofcach sick little dear!
For each pet that had crammcd itself full as
tick
knew in moment now felt like old Nick.
Their pulses were rapid their breathings the
same;
What their stomachs elected I'll mention by
name;
Now turkey, now stuAing, plum-puddng, of
And custards, and crullcrs, and cranberry
sauce:
Before outraged nature all went to the wall,
Yes, lollypops, iiapdoodlc, dinner and all.
Like pellets which urchns from popguns let fly
Went figs, nuts and raisins jam, jelly, and pie;
Till each error Of diet was brought to my view,
TO the shame Of mamma and OF Santa Claus,
too.
turned from the sight, tony bedroom stepped
back,
And brought out vial marked 'Pulv. Ipecac.; !"
When my Nancy exclaimed, for their suferings
shocked her
Don't you think you had better, love, run for
doctor"
ran: and was scarcely back under my roof
When ! heard the sharp cattor Of old Jalap's
hoof,
might say that scarcely had turned myself
When the doctor came into the room with a
bound.
He was covered with mud from his head to his
foot,
And the suit he had on was his very worst suit
He hardly had time to put that on his back,
And he looked like FGlstaf half fuddlcd with
sack;
His eyes, how they twinkled Had the doctor
got merry?
His lips looked like port, and bis breath smolt
like sherry
He hadn't been shaved for fortnight or so,
And the beard on his chin wasn't white as the
snow.
But, inspecting their tongues, in spite of their
teeth
And drawing his watch from his waistcoat be
meath,
He felt Of each pulse, saying, Each little belly
Must get rid here he laughed" of the rest
Of that jelly"
GaZcu on eaCn cnupDy, pump, slCh lllllc cll,
Aud groaned when he SAID so, in spite Of my
self;
But wink OF his eye, when he physickcd our
Fred,
Soon gave me to know had nothing to dread
He didn't prescribe; but went straightway to
work,
And dosed all the rcst-gave his trousers a
jerk
And, adding directions while blowing his nose,
He buttoned his coat, from his chair he arose,
Then jumped in his gig, gave old Jalap whis-
tie,
And Jalap dashed of as if prckcd by thistle:
But the doctor exclaimed ere he drove out of
sight,
"They'll be well by tomorrow: goodnight,
Jones, goodnight"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
Twenty Miles Within the Hour.

Matte Howard, who recently trotted
twenty miles within the hour over the
Agricultural Park course near San Fran
cisco, CAL, is described as a chestnut
sorrel marc, by Owen Dale, out of
Spanish mare. She is fourteen hands
high and weighs about 700 pounds; her
age is a matter of some dispute, Colonel
G. W. Dickey, her owner, claiming that
she is only eight years Old Her preyi-
Gus performances were tvo races, each of
five-mile heats, one of which she won,
while her time record for mile is 2.36.
The race in question was for $4,000 to
81, 900 that she could not trot twenty
miles within an hour in harness, the
driver to weigh $50 pounds. During
the race she went exceedingly steady,
making only one break, and that in the
first quarter of the twentieth mile. At
ter the race she showed but few signs of
exhaustion, many present declaring their
belief that she could have done the dis
lance much faster. The following is a
table of the time each mile was done in:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
Aggregate time, $3.50 IA, leaving the
mare 20 81 seconds to spare.

A CUP OF CoLD WATER.-A young
English woman was sent to France to
be educated in Huguenot school in
Paris. A few evenings before the fatal
massacre of St. Bartholomew day, she
and some of her young companions were
taking a walk in part of the town
where there were sentinels placed
perhaps on the walls-and you know
that when soldier is on guard, he must
not leave his post until he is relieved
that is, till another soldier comes to take
his place. One of the soldiers, as the
young ladies passed him, besought them
to have the charity TO bring him little
water, adding that he was very i'll, and
it would be as much as hislife was worth
to go and fetch it himself. The ladies
walked on, much offended at the man
for presuming to speak to them-all but
the young English woman, whose com
passion was moved, and who, leaving
her party, procured some water and
brought it to the soldier. He begged
her to tell him her name and place OF
abode, which she did. When she re-
joined her companions, some blamed
and others ridiculed her attention to a
common soldier; but they soon had
reason to lament that they had not been
equally compassionate, for the grateful
soldier contrived on the night of the
massacre to save this young English
woman, while all the other inhabitants
of the house in which she dwelt were
killed
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

A New TERRIroRY.-The bill intro
duced into Congress, by Mr. Ramsey,
for the erection Of the Territory OF Oji6-
way, subtracts for that purpose so much
of Dakota us lies north of 4G degrees
north. The Missouri flows through the
proposed territory, aud the North Paci-
fic Railroad will cross it. Before form
ing territorial government, however,
there ought to be somebody to be govern
ed. With the exception OF soldiers,
Indian traders, and few settlers in
Chippewa, Stevens, and Shyenne coun-
tries, there are no inhabitants but In
dams, in the northern half of Dekota.
On account of the hostility OF the III
dams, the comparative poverty of the
soil, and the detestable water, years will
probably elapse before any important
settlement is formed. The erection Of
territorial government, is, under the cir
cumstances, quite unnecessary.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

A rural editor has lost all faith in the
lack of horse-shoes. He nailed one over
his door recently and that morning there
came by mail three duns and seven
"stops," and man called with revol-
yer to ask "who wrote that article"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

So IT GoEs.-A cynical individual on
reading pathetic story in one of the
papers lately, noted in his memorandum
book as follows: Somebody whistled.
Teacher calls up big boy on suspicion.
Big boy comes up and holds out his
hand, sullen and savage. Noble little
boy comes manfully forward and says
I'm the boy that whistlod, sir, at the
same time extending his hand. Teacher
SINNERS down and lets them both of,
Mem. Noble little boy thought teacher
wouldn't lick him if he told the truth,
and knew the big boy would if he didn't
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

TIT FOR TAT.-Medford and New Bed
ford, although their names rhyme, occa-
sionally don't quite harmonic, as witness
the following. The Mediord editor per
petrates this: ............... .....
There was fairy maiden of Medford,
Who was smashed on" n youth in New Bedford
But he smelt so of oil,
That his suit it did spoil,
Oleagnous chap Of New Bedford.
To which New Bedford editor
spends: ..r .'.,.l
There was fine lad in New Bedford,
Fell in love with lady in Medford ;
But she smelt so of rum,
He was quite overcome,
This prohibitory youth of New Bedford.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

The Probate Court of Cincinnati has
Just decided that an attorney cannot re
ceive compensation for partial or unfn-
ished services; that he must go through
with case once undertaken, or surren-
der all pec1niary claims against his client,
Also, that he cannot, without the consent
of the client, transfer to another aNor.
ney case intrusted to him. 81 ff.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

WYOMING women can vote us often as
their male prosecutors will let them, for
another year at least, as the Governors
veto was sustained in the Council though
overridden in the House.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11

The betting upon the result Of the
Tichborne case In London is quite gen.
eral. The latest quotations from the clubs
indicate the prevalent odds as ten to one
against the claimant Of the property.