davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
An AffectiOnate Rat.

The Whitehall On. " Times relates
the following story of affection in a rat !:
There is in Whitehall village o. family
who have a little daughter two and
half years old, who has formed singu-
lar attachment for rat. Every day
this little one goes into the wood-shed
adjoining the house, where large,
venerable-looking rat makes its appear
ance, when the innocent-looking child
proceeds to feed it from her chubby
hand. The parents have caught their
little one feeding its protege several
times of late, yet, on the approach of
any ether than the little girl, the rat
scampers off to its hole. Several efforts
have been made by the child's parents
to dispatch the singular companion of
their darling, for it was feared that the
child might get bitten by it. Last Sunday
the rat showed its affection and guardian
care of the little ones comfort, as the
following will show The child mother
put it to sleep in the cradle in the
kitchen, going to another room in the
house, leaving the sleeping child alone.
She was gone some time. On her re-
turn she cast her eye at the child, when
oiiC was oul piiocSt w ODScINc Illt TAU
standing perched upon the top of the
cradle, moving its tail over the little
sleeper. The mother, wishing to see
what the "varmint was up to-" stood
and watched its movements, peeping
through the door, which was only partly
opened. She observed a number OF
flies above the child's face, when two Lit
on the little one, whereat the kind rat
whisked them off with its tail. Wish
ing to make sure, the lady quietly called
her husband, and the two stood watching
the proceedings for at least ten minutes.
Every time that fly dared to alight on
the little ones face that old rats friend.
ly tail would brush it away, like the
guardian angel lowering about us, who
we believe, is constantly brushing away
dangers that threaten us poor mortals
1t was thought safe by the child's
parents to leave the child in charge o.
its singular nurse, and for one hour the
little one slept. When it awoke it,
mother went to take it up, and the ra
jumped from the cradle and sped away
through the half-opened door to tn,
wood-shed. Since that time the child
has been put to sleep in the kitchen t.
ascertain if the experiment would be re
peated. Each time, when left alone
with the shed door partially open, tn,
old rat would enter and take up its posi-
ton over the top of the cradle, watchin.
the little sleeper and brushing away TIN
flies who dare to trouble its preciou
! charge
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
his very own garden just after shower,

his very own garden just after a shower,
when he spied big worm.
Worms are not pleasant things. /
don't think anybody would make pet
of one, and although I've tried very
hard, L cannot say that L really ioUe
them myself but I'm not afraid of
them, and neither, am glad to say, was
Andy.
He didn't run away as fast as he
could, tumbling over all sorts of things
until he reached the house, nor did he
dance up and down screaming, sob
oh oh !" when this worm came out of
the ground. Not bit of it.
He sat quietly down on an overturned
fower-pot and looked at the worm in
silence for at least two minutes, and the
worm raised its head little (worms
can't raise their heads very high and
looked at him.
At last said Andy, "You're not
pretty"
81 am not" answered the worm.
"You can't dance" said Andy.
CT can't" said the worm.
"Nor sing" said Andy.
Nor sing" repeated the worm.
You don't know your letters even, a"
said Andy.
81 don't" said the worm.
Butterflies can fly" said Andy.
"They can" said the worm.
Bees hum" said Andy.
"They do, said the worm.
&" You can't do anything" said Andy.
81 CAN" said the worm, so loudly
(for worm that Andy tumbled off the
hower-pot, he was so very much aston
ished.
But quickly picking himself up, he
sat down again, and asked, "What ?"
Something that bees, birds, and
even boys can't do" answered the
worm," wriggling little, as naughty
girls do when they say, $50 there now,
you think yourself something great.
Let's see," said Andy.
"Take your little spade and chop me
in two," said the worm.
"Oh, no." said Andy, that would
be wicked.
"Well, don't you ever do it unless a
worm asks you to-" said the worm,
"Hen it's all right. I'm ready, go
ahead.
care you sure you're in earnest q
asked Andy.
"Quite sure" answered the worm.
"And won't it hurt you?" asked
Andy.
don't ask so many questions do as
/ tell you" replied the worm.
"And why ?" said Andy but seeing
that the worm was turning away from
him, he seized his little spade and chopped
it in two, and 10 and behold one
half crept off one way and one-half the
other.
"Well, sure enough said Andy, 1
don't believe l could do that. Good
bye, Mr.. Worm mean two Mr..
Worms"
Goodbye" said the head, and
goodbye" said the tail and they
both crept under the ground and left
Andy to ask, "And why?" until this
very day.-N. Nicholas.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
"All Hands BelOw.o

A good story is told of q parrot who
had always lived on board of ship, but
who escaped at one of the Southern
ports, and took refuge in church.
Soon afterward the congregation assem-
bled, and the minister began preaching
to them in his earnest fashion, saying
there was no virtue in them-that every
one of them would go to an endless per-
dition unless they repented. just as he
spoke the sentence, up spoke the parrot
from his hiding-place
"All hands below J"
To say that call hands were startled
would be mild way of putting it. The
peculiar voice and unknown source had
much more effect upon them then the
parsons voice ever had. He waited
moment, and then, shade or two paler,
he repeated the warning.
CAL hands below - again rang out
from somewhere.
The preacher started from his pulpit
and looked anxiously around, inqulrlng
if anybody had spoken
"All hands below ~ was the only re-
ply, at which the entire panic-stricken
congregation got up, and q moment
afterward they all bolted for the doors,
the preacher trying his best to get there
first, and during the time the mischiev-
GUS bird kept up his yelling
"All hands below -
There was one old woman present who
was lame and could not get away as fast
as the rest, and in short time she was
left entirely alone. Just as she was
about to hobble out the parrot flew down,
and alighting on her shoulder, yelled in
her ear
All hands below !"
"No, no, Mister Devil ~ shrieked the
old woman, "you don't mean me. L
don't belong here. 1 go to the other
church across the way. "-Christian
Union
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
An SS,OOO,OOO Mortgage.

There was recorded in Storey and
Lyon counties on Friday deed of
trust, or mortgage, made by the Sutro
Tunnel Company to Robert McCalmont,
of 10 Philpot lane, London, England,
merchant, and Isaac Seligman, of B
Angel court, Throgmorton street, Lon
don, England, merchant, as trustees, to
secure the payment of principal and in
terest on bonds proposed to be issued to
the amount of $4,000, 600 gold, or 81, :
600, 600 sterling. The deed of mort
gage conveys to McCalmont and Selig-
man, in trust, as joint tenants and not
as tenants in common, all the right,
title and interest of the Sutro Tunnel
Company in and to the tunnel, land, and
other property of the company, and all
rights, privileges, and franchises there
unto appertaining, until the principal
and interest on the bonds are paid. The
company are allowed twenty-five years,
or until Oct l, 1902, in which to redeem
the last of the bonds.
The capital stock of the company is
now $40, 000,000 or 100000 shares OF
so each. The mortgage or trust-deed
bears the date of Monday, Oct. ID,
1873, and contains about 1000 words.
Virginia city Chronicle.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
The Concord Boy.

1t is said there is a boy in Concord,
n. H., who can repeat the multiplied
ton table backward, and he is only 8
years old. We know that boy. We
lived next door to that boy when we
were boy, and it is not so long ago
but that we remember him distinctly
He always went to bed at s o'clock, and
had a slight cough. He brushed his
hair back of his ears, and carried store
handkerchief, and when he played mar
bles it was to win. He always got home
from school before we did, and en-
ployed the interval in detailing to his
mother the betting" the boy next door
was getting. And, indeed, we were get
ting it, but there was no special interest
in it for other folks. He was the model
boy; the boy our parents used to point
to, and speak of in tones of mingled adj
miration and regret, while uniting us
for sitting on anything harder than a
poultice. He never ran away from
school, nor stole money, but used to
throw mud on old people, when they
weren't looking, and unselfshly throw
the credit on us. And then to see that
boy come around into our yard with
jam on his bread. That was the last
feather-that was the climax to all the
sorrows our young heart knew. We
could have willingly forgiven everything
else, but that jam upset us. 1t went
right down into our heart of hearts, and
rankles there yet. 1t sent us into the
house bawling for jam, and getting it,
but not on our bread. We remember
that with CHASTITY distinctness. Dan
I1lrD Mons
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
Anatomy Of the FOet.

A Swiss philosopher has taken up a
subject which has too long been neglect
ed by the manufacturers of boots and
shoes, viz the anatomical necessities
of the foot for better support. Many a
sufferer from corns, bunions, and all the
ills that toes are heir to can trace his
sorrows to careless and inhuman
bootmaker. 1t is the rarest thing in
the world to get perfectly fitting boot
one which, on first acquaintance, does
not tear the skin off the tender portion
of the.heel, create ulcers upon the in
step, or so compress the nail OF the big
toe as to render disease probable re-
suit. In measuring foot, says wise
man, the first thing to be considered is
the place of the great toe. Upon this
toe the whole weight of the body turns
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

at every step in natural foot. 1t is,
therefore, in straight line with the
heel. A central line drawn from the
point of the great toe TO the middle of
its root would pass exactly to the mid
die of the heel. Very few persons can
boast of big toe which does not, from
the unskilled making of a stupid boot
maker, or a series of the same, turn in
ward. No last or model of a foot so
misshapen should ever be made the ex-
act size Ct such foot. There are many
sufferers, who in their agony have
heaped upon the whole boot-making
fraternity a shower of interjections,
who will hail this addition to the sci
ence of comfort with feelings of JOY and
pladness.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

dent L should need some sort of stick
for poking the vase with. Fathers UNI
brella with its crooked handle was just
the thing.
Good I said / to myself. Wont
1T be larks to knock down the vase and
never hurt it bit Good for you, too,
Old Mr.. Feather-Bed ! All you've got
to do is to catch it.
With this, selling the umbrella
after the manner of the boy and flag in
Excelsior" and hastily adjusting the
ladder, / mounted to the top, and"
80, Joe y cried Mrs. Joseph, laugh
ing. 81 remember it Yes, just as
we'll as if it were yesterday. Your
mother had been to our house, and my
mother had let me GO home with her.
We went right up stairs, and just as we
opened the door we heard such crash,
and there were you and the ladder on
the floor No, the ladder was on the
feather-bed and you were on the floor.
You must have pitched over backward,
Joe, just as the ladder slipped from
under you.
every likely" said L.
"Well, declare. That aOaS a caper?
What funny little wisp of boy you
were And to think of our actually
being married eleven years afterward
But what about the vase ?"
"Oh, that was safe enough, yon may
be sure, for the umbrella hadn't time to
touch it.
"Joe," said Mrs. Joseph, "if you
had opened that ladder little wider, or
taken a plummet up with you and been
careful to have the line of direction from
the center of gravity fall within the
base of the ladder all would have been
well, would it, my"
Just then little Josie was heard in the
next room screaming like good fellow.
Off ran Mrs. Joseph. was left alone
to ponder over the laws of gravitation.
st. Nicholas.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
MesmeriZing a Bull.

The power of the human eye as exer-
cised by woman over man is doubtless ir-
resistible, but when man imagines
that his own eye can exert the same in
fiuence over the lower creation, and
that he has only to gaze fxedly on a
wild beast to subdue its ferocity, he oc-
casionally miscalculates his chances.
Thus, professor in Vermont, who was
firm believer in the power of the hui
man eye, realized the truth of the doc
trine to his sorrow. Determined to con-
vince the skeptics of its truth, he Sc
lected ferocious bull, who was the
terror of the neighborhood, as the OBJ
ject of his experiment The result was
not altogether successful. Surrounded
by retinue of disbelievers, the scien-
tific gentleman sauntered into the pas
ture where the thoughtful bull was
peacefully grazing. He fixed upon the
bull his eagle eye, but the bull quailed
not, neither did it retire in melodramatic
order, but the last thing seen of that
professor was his archaeological form
tossed twenty-seven feet into the air
and coming down on the other side of
the fence. His physical injuries were
slight, but his faith in scientific mes
merism as illustrated in bulls has been
greatly weakened.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
THE LITTLE FOLKS.
A Protest.

Now, Katie, you always behave just like this
notice 1t every day
You must be bigger than somebody else,
Or you simply refuse to play.
II the game is House, l am servant, of course,
You are mistregs-O, 10 be sure
II it's Doctor and Patient you're doctor, and
Am the invalid you've come to cure.
No doubt 1t is pleasant to grab for the best
OF everything that you see,
But Katie, remember, if you've such a right,
The same right belongs, dear, to me.
I fancy we'd very soon quarrel don't your
II each was determined to win
When have these queer little struggles OF ours,
And didn't always give in.
Now, Katie, suppose that you please try and act
Hereafter, whenever we play,
As much as you can like lady, because
You Dlttst be lady some day.
Our Young Folks
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
Sad Result OF Leaving Soap Lying
Around Loose.

A Danbury woman bought box of
soap and took it home. What followed
is thus related by the Ne,Os: Suisse
quently, being engaged in baking, she
lost sight of the affair. In the mean
time, the child looked over the box, and
finding the contents TO be unusually at
tractlve, undertook to eat them, but
failing in this, used them as blocks for
laying out townships, erecting towers,
and performing a variety OF other engi-
neering feats. Pretty soon it fell to
knocking Thorn down with its hand, and
then to kicking them around with its
foot, and when this amusement lost its
attraction it suddenly set up dread
full howl of agony, and started for the
kitchen. 1t was about this time that
the man of the house, who had been
abed up stairs, came down stairs in
pants and shirt, to get some shaving
water. When within four steps of the
bottom, he stepped on something which
Immediately disappeared with astonish-
ing CELEBRITY, and deposited him on the
floor below without the aid of the other
steps. lie got up on his feet at once,
and looked about for the cause of the
accident. 1t was a cake of that soap.
He picked it up, and with Won erful
presence of mind, hurled it through the
glass of the first window Then he
gathered up the shaving cup and brush,
and went into the room. He went into
it just as any man would who had missed
four steps in coming down stairs and
lighting on another cake just as he was
about to kick the door shut, that leg
shot away so violently as to hurt the
roof of his mouth, and lie came down on
one knee, with his head against the bu-
reau. The top of his scalp was some
what bruised, and one drawer was with
out its complement of knobs, and he
had bitten a piece from the tip of his
tongue, although no one would have
suspected that last by the flow of con-
versation that followed as he bounded
to his feet. The appearance of his wife,
with her face depicting emotions of the
lveliest alarm, was welcomed as prov
idential escape-valve for the wrath boil
ing within him, but he found his rage
turning to astC nishment as she suddenly
changed her motion, and dashed toward
him with her head down and uttering a
hysterical scream. AS the instinct of
self-preservation is the loudest, he i'm
mediately proceeded to move out of the
way of his sliding spouse, when he en-
countered another cake of soap, and was
twisted completely around, and hurled
headlong against the center table, and
Immediately across her line of march.
What became of her or the center table
in the crash that followed he cannot
tell. He remembers when striking the
table of seeing some twenty-five new
planets, with a pyrotechnic display in
the background, and thinks he must
have heard a million fire-crackers go off
undor a barrel. When he came to, he
was abed in darkened room, with two
persons whispering in a corner, and the
air Thoroughly impregnated with flavor
of castor oil.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

Snow, snow, everywhere
Snow on frozen mountain peak,
Snow Flippt's SUNNY hair,
Snownakes melting on his cheek.
Snow, snow, wherever you go,
Shifting, drifting, driving snow.
But Fhppit does not care pin,
It's Winter without and summer within.
so tumble the flakes, rattle the storm,
He breathes on his fingers and keeps them warm.
Tinker, come bring Your solder,
And mend this watch for me.
Haymaker, get some fodder,
And give my cat his tea.
Cobbler, my horse is limping:
He'll have to be shod anew;
While the smith brings fore and hammer,
To make my daughter a shoe.
Bestir yourselves, my lazies
give you all fair warning:
You must do your work twiYt twelve at night,
And an hour before one in the morning.
How did they learn that their ways were small?
Jean and kitty
How did they know they were scorned by all
Jean and kitty
Why, they listened one day at neighbor's blinds,
And heard the family speak their minds
What pity!
ST Nicholas
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
Early Rising.

Nothing is more conducive to health
than to retire at night in due time. and
to arise early in the morning. There is
an old saying that one hours rest before
midnight is better than two after it.
There is more truth in the saying than
many would suppose. It's truth can be
accounted for in theory, and it is GER
tainly verified by experience. Long
livers have generally been known as
early risers. And early rising is, as a
habit, impossible for those who sit up to
late hour of the night. Let those,
therefore, who wish to enjoy good
health, make it practice to go to bed
early at night, and get up early in the
morning.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

TWENTY tons of frozen beef were
shipped from Melbourne to England in
August in the ship Norfolk. The meat
had been frozen by new process pat
ented by Mr.. James Harrison, patentee
of the method by which ice is manufac-
tured in Australia.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
A Marvel OutdOne.

Mr.. Finlayson, Town Clerk of Ster-
ling, Scotland, in the latter part of the
seventeenth century, was noted for the
marvellous in conversation. He was on
a visit to the Earl of Menteith and
Airth, in his castle of ITALIA, in the Loeb
of Menteith, and was about taking his
leave, when he was asked by the Earl
whether he had seen the sailing cherry
tree.
NO." said Finlayson "what sort of
q thing is it ?"
at is, replied the Earl, "a tree that
has grown out of a goose's mouth from
a stone the bird had swallowed, and
which she bears about with her in her
VOYAGES round the loch. 1t is now in
full fruit, of the most exquisite flavor.
Now, Finlayson," he added, lean you,
with all your powers of memory and
fancy, match my story of the cherry
tree ?'
Perhaps / can," said Finlayson,
clearing his throat, and adding When
Oliver Cromwell was at Airth, one OF
his cannon sent ball to Stirling, and
lodged it in the mouth Of trumpet
which one of the troops in the castle
was in the act of sounding"
"Was the trumpeter killed % said the
Earl
"No, my lord" replied Finlayson
I" he blew the ball back and killed the
artilleryman who fired it,"
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

How TO PLACE A HoUsE.-According
to q writer in the Popular Science
Monthly, o house should be so placed
that the direct rays of the sun can have
free admission into the living apart
ments, because the suns rays impart q
healthy and invigorating quality to the
air. and stimulate the vitality OF human
beings, as they do those of plants, and
without sunlight human beings, as well
as plants, would sicken and die. The
aspect, therefore, should be southeast.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

The LUMBER PRosPRCT.-Froma gen.
tleman just from the numbering coun-
try of the Muskegon, and well posted in
regard to matters there, we learn that
the prospects are decidedly uninterest-
ing. A careful estimate puts the num-
Der OF camps to be run this winter at
not much over one-third of last winters
number. The wages to be paid will run
from $15 to SIS per month, and enough
men at those prices are to be had to
supply the small demand.-Bay city
Mich Chronicle.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

A RECENT postoffice decision is that if
n postmaster knows that a letter ad-
dressed to his Office is intended for a
person living within the delivery of an
other Office, it is his duty to forward
such letter Off it has been properly pre-
paid, without waiting for request to
do so, and without additional charge for
postage.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

To PREVENT BURRs FROM HEATING
Says correspondent in Lc6el'S Ne
chanical NetUs, writing on the above
subject Dress from center to circum-
ference, leaving no bosom. Draw a
line across the center each way, divid-
ing four feet burr into sixteen squares
or divisions, and other sizes more or
less, in the same proportion, with all
straight burrows. Let the draft be one
half the diamter of the rock. Lay off
the lands and burrows one-quarter inch
each, observing to dress smooth. Sink
the fnrrow Mt the eye one-quarter inch
deep for corn, and run out to three
sixteenths at the periphery for wheat,
three-sixteenths at the eye and one
eighth at the periphery. When thus
finished, crack the lands in straight
lines, square with the draft of cross
lines, so as to make lines face in the
runner and bed direct. This will never
heat.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

GOLDEN GEEsE.-A few days since
five geese owned by man living at
Mormon Island, CAL, died from an UNI
known disease, and on examining the
gizzard of one grain-gold sufficient to
make a five-dollar piece was found. The
remaining four PANIED out each almost
the same amount of the precious stuff.
The gold was probably picked up by
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07
To CORRESPONDENTS

All communications for this paper should he accom-.
panied by the name Of the author NOT seses,ay LOT
publication but as AN evidence of good faith on the
part OF the writer Write only ON side OF the paper
Be particu arly careful in giving names and Taes 10
have the letters and hgures plain and distinct.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-07

the fowls near some claims where the
miners had been sluicing, and it is pre-
sumed that the quicksilver attached to
1t caused their death.