davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
New IIeud Llght for Locomotives.

Tho introduction Of silvcred mica re.
Electors into locomotive headlights, has
proved complete success. An engineer
on the West Jersey railroad, who has
been using them, says lie can by their
aid, distinguish the features Of q person,
at a distance Of four hundred yards.
They are now being tested on tho Read
ing, North Pennsylvania, and other
railways, with tho most encouraging
prospects rs to their adoption on nc.
count Of their economy, durability, Of.
ilciency, and saving oi labor. In case
Of accident they arc but little liable to
injury, A case is mentioned OF q loco
motive on the North Pennsylvania rail.
rond, which recently exploded, and the
smoke stack OF tho locomotive fell
heavily on the lantern, completely de-
molisliing II and bending the reflector
almost double; when relieved Of the
pressure, II sprung back to It's shape,
and with the exception Of the displace-
ment Of one or two small pieces Of the
silyered mica, it was nniniured where.
as, had II been metal reflector, i
would have required replatingand bend.
ing, involving mn expense OF at least
twenty dollars.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
The Smallpox.

DR.. james, in report on "tho prncti-
cal lessons Of the recent prevalence of
smallpox, with reference to It's prcgen-
tion in the fAture," read before the Ma
tional Health Association ut Cincinnati,
advocates system OF hospital.treatment
which we slionld be glad to sec fairly
tried. In order that hospitals might
come to be regarded MS "hayens Of rest
and refuge, and even luxury, by the af-
ilicted,n he would have them managed
less economically. With the assurance
of being cared for by "trnined nurses,
and especially skilled physicians, many
persons in good circumstances, when
smitten with smallpox, would prefer
them to their own homes" What q
contrast an institution Of this character
would offer to the Blackwell's Island
Smallpox Hospital2 The very thought
Of having to go through the horrors Of
that place, as is well known, has killed
many a patient. The orgies Of the
drunken, incompetent nurses have been
described in these columns, MS have
also the brutal practices OF the porters
and other attendants. Under the new
Board Of Charities tho abuses so fre-
ouently complained Of arc pretty sure
10 be corrected but il their correction
could be made an excuse for trying the
method Of DR.. James, the public would
bo better satisfied, and the benefit de-
rived would, We are sure, more than
balance tho additional cost entailed.-
A. I. Paper.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26

Last summer, in the dog days, Soth.
crn played joke on his Scotch terrier,
Jack, to cure him OF making acquain-
tance with other dogs when out for Q
walk. When he saw another dog, Jack
would rush up and rub his nose against
that OF the stranger, and Indicate in
doppish ways that ho would like to be
his friend. When the season for muz-
cling came, Sotllern put a muzzle on
Jack and took him ont for q walk.
Somewhere near Union Square he met
Florence, and as the twain stood in con-
yersntion Florence noticed that when-
ever Jack applied his nose to that OF
another dog tho latter went howling
down the street. leaving the terrier very
much astonishel. Florence could not
understand 1t, and finally asked;
"Ned, what's the matter with Jack,
TINT all the dogs run awRy from him so'"
40, nothing" said Sothern, Except
that before started out ] fixed q couple
OF cambria needles in his muzSlc SO
that they stick out about an inch beyond
the end OF his nose"
Well, the result was that in day or
two Jack was afraid to 60 near any
other brute Of his kind, and all those
who had been interviewed with those
needles we're careful 10 keep awny from
him. ssothern says he viii take out q
patent for his invention, provided BorEh
does not have him arrested for cruelty
TO animals.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
DId moi Know lis Use.

One Of the stories goes that in the
last American Congress there was
member, who was noted for his extreme
filthiness. He never wore white shirt,
and paper collar on his woolen shirt
would last him for weeks but the worst
Of him was that ho would never use
rocket-handkerchief. He sat between
two very elegant high.toned Georgia
members, who tried many ways to avoid
his nasal peccadilloes, but in vain.
At last they hit upon a plan they
thought would do away with the nui-
sance. They purchased q dozen very
largo white handkcrchiefs, did them up
in paper, addressed them to him, and
laid them on his desk. Both the mem
bers werc in their sents, anxious to see
how their friend would receive the
present. When llo came in, lie picked
up the package, tore 1t open, and began
examining the handkcrchiefs. Soon lie
turned and said.
"Look herel Did you fellows git any
ofthese things?"
They replied that they had that they
werc part of the perquisites Of the
members, and that all tho members had
received them that morning.
"well," says tho member, "wllat are
the darncd things for?"
They explained, and were in high glee
for little while, but imagine their dis
gust when, after ho had examined each
piece OF muslin, he said:
"0h yesl them Is Just like what my
wife uses sometimes"
And, MS he said it, he took lurge of
fetal envelope, putin the handkerclIiofs,
put on his wife's address, franked 1t,
and threw it into the mailbag.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
Harry....1sSS...1S7s.


"Hsrc vO 50 down, down, down.y,'
Isang to you long ago,
When you wore sweet llttlo gown-y
As soft and as white as snow.
And now in your great long trovson
You stand and sing It to mo;
And tho strain such emotion Arousos,
Ihardly believe what sec,
Not whiskcrs already Don't tell mol
Yet coming events, as We know,
Cast shadows before and so really
They may be beginning to grow,
Forgotten tho wee sweet gown.y
As, sLroking your check and chin,
"IIcro wo gol down, down, downy.r
IhOar you softly begin.
We'll, finish the song, and glAdlyi
lis natures marvellous plan.
A baby might end moro sadly
Than by growing 10 bO a man.
Ifa shade Of pain will tArry
To think of tho baby that went,
What matters ia Haven't IIarryl
And arc wO not moro than cOntcntl
SO, "lIcrO wO so down, down, down-y,"
Was not moro sweet In tho past
Than, Hero We SO! down, down, dOwny
As echoed by Harry at last,
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26

DEAD on AIvE.-ThOre is n rumor
current in London that very wealthy
baronot, long Of unsound mind, and
represented to bo still living, really
died years ago, but that some Affection
ate relatives, to whose care he was COM
mitted by the legal authorities, have in.
vented, with tho Wow of retaining tho
ample allowance made to them for tax.
ing care Of himby the Court OF Chancery,
a lay figure, M admirable likeness Of
tho deceased gentleman, which, seated
in m easy chair aud covering over the
FIRE, they show to tho official inquisi-
tors, with tho intimntion that Sir H
can't bear to bO approached or disturb.
cd,
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26

A Young woman in Pennsylvania, who
burnt her hand at the range recently, Is
fearful that some Of the letters OF the
name Of the maker Of the range, which
woro burned deeply into the flesh, viii
remain permanently.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26

There never was more touching
story than that Of the little birmingham
rirl who, hearing that the cemetery was
flooded, crept out OF her bed early IN
tbe morning and was soon found, waist
deepin water, weeping over hermothors
graye. The little thing feared that tho
praye'would be washed away,
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26

Tho school fund OF Indiana is nearly
eight and a half milliens OF dollars,
which Is larger than that Of any other
State.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26

The widow Of the late Gen. John E.
Wood, died lately at the nge Of eighty
biI.
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Matrimonial.

The primitive marriage ceremony of the Puget Sound Indians was very sim pie, the giving over to the father or friends of the girl, by the bridegroom, so much blanket, or gun, or ammuni- tion, and the taking and carrying away so much wife. Young wen usually mar ried the older women, and young girls the older men, because, as they said, if young people marry among themselves, both are piltons, fools, and do not know how to care properly for each other but if young man marries @ mature woman, she can cook for him and see that he does not drink up at once all of the whiskey while the mid dle aged husband with a girl bride can make the lodge tight and wrap her up well in the blankets, and provide her delicate appetite with hyu-muck-a- muck, " plenty to eat. Contact with the whites has broken up much of this sim plicity. Parties now make their own bargains, where they are made at all which in the vicinity of towns is not often, without much regard for anything but chink-a-min and muck-a-muck, mon ey and food. And if civilization adds something sometimes to the religious ness of the ceremony, it is to be feared 1t has taken away great deal more from it's sanctity, says correspondent of the Christ0in Register.
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Murder and Suicide.

A few days ago, James D. Page, of Vallejo, California, was arraigned on a charge of having opened letter sent by the murderer, Russell, now in jail, to one Warren Haley. The case was not concluded, and Page was released on bail. Page and his wife separated 8 short time before, in consequence of domestic troubles. Mrs. Page returned to Vallejo from San Francisco. Page went to her room at Vallejo, entered, and locked the door, leaving their two daughters outside. The girls heard angry words between their parents, and finally their mother exclaimed, "Kill me, then kill me. You have often threatened to kill me, now carry out your threat" The next instant the girl heard shot fired, followed by two more in rapid succession. The screams of the daughter brought James Fust to their aid, and he broke open the door. Mrs. Page was reeling over the floor and blood was streaming from her neck. Page was prostrate, with a pistol-ball through his head. City Marshal Edgar entered the room, when Page gave him two papers, became immediately insen- sible, and died in short time. Mrs. Page is shot in the neck, near the wind pipe. She is insensible, but there are only slight hopes entertained for hel recovery. The tragedy causes intense excitement in Vallejo, where all the parties are we'll known.
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Why Jenks Never. Married.

'sI think a woman is tremendous being,' said Jenks. s'When she's right, she's the rightest thing that floats. When she's wrong, she's the big gest nuisance that blows the sea, even if she's little and don't draw two feet of water. Perhaps it isn't just the thing to say to a boy like you, but you'll never speak of it, if I should tell you little something ?"
 "Oh, never," I assured him.
 "Well, I s'pose might have been a married man," said Jenks, avoiding my eyes by pretending to discover horse shoe in the road.
 ssYou don't say sol! I exclaimed, in undisguised astonishment, for it had never occurred to me that such as Jenks could marry.
 'sYes, I waited on girl once."
 "Was she beautiful > inquired.
 ssWeu, I should say fair to mid ding" responded Jenks, pursing his lips as if determined to render a candid judgment. "Fair to middling, barring few freckles."
 ssBut you didn't leave her for the freckles ?''
 'sNo, I didn't leave her for the freck- les. She was a good girl, and l waited on her. It don't seem possible now that I ever ra'aly waited on a girl, but did,"
 'And why didn't you marry her?'
 "Well, there was another fellow got to hanging round, and you know how such things go. was busy, and didn't tend up very well, I s'pose, and she got tired of waiting for me, or something, and the other fellow married her, but I've never blamed her. She's been sorry enough, I guess.
 Jenks gave sigh of mingled regret and pity, and the subject was dropped
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Embarrassings

There is habit peculiar to many walkers, which Punch, some years ago, touched upon satirically, but which seems to have survived the testers ridicule. It is that custom of stopping friends in the street, to whom we have nothing whatever to communicate, but whom we embarrass for no other pur- pose than simply to show our friend ship. Jones meets his friend Smith, whom he has met on nearly the same locality but few hours before. During that interval, it is highly probable that no event of any importance to Smith, nor indeed to Jones, which by friend ly construction Jones could imagine Smith to be interested in, has occurred, or is likely to occur. Yet both gentle men stop and shake hands earnestly. Well how goes it p remarks Smith, with vague hope that something may have happened. "So, so." How are you knocking them 9 replies the eloquent Jones, feeling intuitively the deep vacuity of his friend answering to his own.
 A pause ensues, inwhich both gentle men regard each other with an imbecile smile and fervent pressure of the hand. Smith draws a long breath and looks up the street Jones signs heavi- ly and gazes down the street. Another pause, in which both gentlemen disen- gage their respective hands and glance anxiously around for some conventional avenue of escape. Finally, Smith (with sudden assumption of having forgotten an important engagement calculates, "Well, I must be off" remark instantly echoed by the voluble Jones, and these gentlemen separate, only to repeat their miserable formula the next day. In the above example I have compassionately shortened the usual leave-t taking, which, in skillful hands, may be protracted to length which I shudder to recall.
 I have sometimes, when an active participant in these atrocious transac- tions, fingered in the hope of saying something natural to my friend (feeling that he, too, was groping in the may labyrinths of his mind for like expres- sion), until have felt that we ought to have been separated by a policeman. It is astonishing how far the most wrecked joke will go in these emergen- cies, and how it will, as it were, convul- sively detatch the two cohering parti- cles. I have laughed (albiet hysteric- | ally) at some witticism under cover of which escaped, that five minutes after ward I could not perceive possessed a grain of humor. I would advise any person falling into this pitiable strait that, next to getting into the way of a passing dray, and being forcibly dis connected, a joke is then eficacious. A foreign phrase often may be tried with success. I have sometimes known au revoir, pronounced "o-reveer," tc have the effect Gas it ought) of severing friends.--Bret Harte.
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Sick Headache.

Almost every one has a different remedy for this most common but none the less distressing complaint. And the truth is, that very few of them have any effect at all, while some of them only aggravate the case. The best and safest way for the sufferer is to let himself alone till the gastric or nervous de- engagements which haveproduced ithave subsided, when sleep generally comes to the aid of exhausted nature, and per fects the cure. The British Medical Journal, in treating of this subject, says the only remedies which are of any avail are those which act on the nervous sys- tenn, such as hot tea and coffee, or, after the most violent symptoms have passed off. a little wine or ammonia. The bromide or potassium is also highly recommended after the nausea subsidies. While this exists, it is of no avail. The writer also thinks that tea and coffee used in excess constantly, although they may relieve headache, may also pre-. dispose to the difficulty {; and he cites instances of several patients, who, by giving up the use of those beverages became cured of chronic or freduent headaches"
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Where the Sun Does Not Set.

A scene witnessed by some travellers in the North of Norway, from cliff one thousand feet above the sea, is thus described:
 The ocean stretched away in silent vastness at our feet the sound of waves scarcely reached our airy lookout away in the North the huge old sun swung low long the horizon, like the slow beat of the pendulum in the tall clock of our grandfather's parlor corner. We all stood silent, looking at our watches. When both hands came together at twelve, midnight, the full round orb hung triumphantly above the waves, a bridge of gold running due North span ming the water between us and him. There he shone in silent majesty. which knew no setting. Weinvoluntarilyt took off our hats no word was said. Con- bine, if you can, the most brilliant sun rise and sunset you ever saw, and the beauties will pale before the gorgeous coloring which now lit up ocean, heaven, and mountain. In half an hour the sun had swung up perceptibly on his beat, the colors changed to those of morning, a fresh breeze rippled over the floor, one songster after another piped up in the grove behind us-we had slid an other day.
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Does Gold Mining Pay {?

Twenty years ago the late Mir. Gree ley essayed, in the paper founded by him, to prove that gold mining, on the whole, was not profitable, and that it even tended to impoverish, rather than to enrich, country where it is carried on. At late meeting of farmers club in Oaklands, Cal, the same idea was advanced by Dr. B. s. Carr, and his arguments, having been extensively copied by the press, have revived the old discussion. Dr. Carr afirms that every dollar of gold that has been dug in California has cost from one to one and half dollars. Fifty thousand people, he estimates, are engaged ir mining in that State. The gold pro
 duct of the State for 1872 was $20, GOO,
 900. Now, if you reckon labor at $2. 5( day, Dr. Carr calculates the miners wages would come to $37, ,5OO,OOO. His deduction is, that the difference be
 tween this sum and the actual gold product represents the loss to the com
 munity that results from gold mining.
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
SALISBURY, CONN.,, FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1873.

hing but the puny creatures of my imagination.
 Jack number one, with the poodle, climbed up the side, running aft, caught Clara in his arms, while she laughed and cried in turns, batting his brown tface and saying:
 "Dear Jack oh, dear Jack p
 The people shifted round me as though half afraid that was weak; self-conceited young skipper, who ought not to be noticed but soon brother Jack and cousin Jack came tearing aft, but when the brave little woman-1fiss Clara Bell-told them how good I had been to her, and
 ''To which Jack am I to confess p I Iruefully inquired, knowing that either manly fellow would be lenient judge
 "To dear Jack p she laughed "but wait moment. When MT. Shocks in troduced you, what did you think he said ?"
 "Miss Clara Bell p I answered, be- coming wiser every moment.
 "Dear old Shocks he always pro- nounces the word Mrs. as Mss, and that was how you became confused but now you see I am Mrs. Clara Bell, and I admit to having kept up the joke; but before dear Jack I ask you to forgive me, my very good friend G-l'
 All the Jacks had smothered her with caresses, and "my Jack' was in her arms.
 My friends !" | said, noticing that they understood the joke, twill one of you be kind enough to point out dear Jack to me?
 Mrs. Bell advanced, and placing the hand she had most tenderly caressed in mine, merrily looked me in the face, and said,
 "Captain G., allow me to intro duce to you dear Jack-the Jack of Hearts-my husband P
Connecticut western news., 1873-04-04
Following the Flag.

A flag is but yard or two of bunting when it is looked at as matter of fact, but the men who have been willing to die for it all these hundreds of years have seen in it something more than coarse cloth, certainly. A popular English lecturer, not many years ago, told some anecdotes strongly illustra- tive of the universal prevalence of this poetic feeling among the plainest of people. We can only repeat two of them from memory. An English regi- ment in India had had its co1ors noth- ing but Q square yard of bunting, of course) taken away from it for some act of insubordination. Every man had his rations and pay as usual, and no added to the ideal one mentioned. Yet and suffered under the. chastisement. Coarse, illiterate, brutal fellows, per. haps, they were. Why should any of them mind the taking away of regi- mental flag ? Common-sense would laugh at such punishment for such men. But the commander knew what he was about A fort was to be storm ed at the top of long hill. The enter prise was peculiarly perilous one, and one that required something more than ordinary courage and ordinary persist ence. The commanding officer rode down the line to the position occupied by the disgraced regiment. " Men p he cried, "your colors are at the top of the hill--charge P And charge they did, that single regiment, up the long, cannon-swept hill, through the abattis, over the ramparts, into the fort at last, 8 mere handful of them left to receive tho flag again, for which more than two thirds of the brave fellows had gladly given their lives There was no com nonsense in the matter, else the fort never could have been taken at all. The poetry in the souls of those rough soldiers overbore all that, and who shall say that the poetic was not the worthier and more manly view?
 Some of the warlike tribes in India, when one of their men falls in battle after showing extraordinary courage, decorate his wrists with red silk thread if he be private, 8 narrow rib bon if he be an officer, and broader one as the rank of the dead rises. Not many win this posthumous honor at all, and there is no mourning for those whose death is thus repaid. An Eng fish army marching upon Lucknow came upon a strong hill-fort which il was necessary to reduce. A sergeant and seven men constituted the advance. guard on the march, and when the close proximity of the fort was discovered, the buglers with the main body sounded the recall as an order for the sergeant to withdraw his guard and join his regi. ment. The little squad mistook the bugle sound, and thought it was an order to charge. Obeying it as such, they went to their certain death on the ram parts of the fort. The army coming up stormed the place, and after some hours of desperate fighting they took it. They found there the dead bodies of the sergeant and all his men, and around each ,Orist aOas the broad red ribbon, poetic tribute from the Sepoys to the heroism of their dead enemies.