davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
sun.wOrshlp Among the Amazon
Indians.

A traveller has been exploring some Of
the tributaries OF the Amazon, and has
given us an account OF the sun.worship
OF the South American Indians. The
Poruvians, it will be remembered, wor-
shipped the sun in the days of Pizarro (;
so did the Mexicans before the con-
quests Of Cortez. To this day the Am
azon Indians annually set apart a fes-
tival for the worship Of the sun. II is q
question whether or not this is rem
nant Of a religion once held by q great
part Of the tribes Of Mexico and South
America.
The traveller to whom we are indebt-
ed for m accounted the South American
sun.worshipers had been in search Of
gold in the mountains, where his quest
had not been successful. This is the
country in which Sir Walter Raleigh
placed his Ell Dorado. II is believed
by some that there are mines in the
mountains which the Spaniards opened
and deserted. The Indians Of that
country, 1t is thought, have the secret
OF their location.
On the return Of eur travellers from
their expedition, they camo upon q
town through which they had passed on
their inward journey, and which they
now found entirely deserted. Not a
man, woman, or child was to DO seen,
and the malocca, or council.house, was
stripped Of all its trophies, flags, and
feather dresses.
"while," says the traveller, 1--WE
stood specializing on what had become
Of our friends, sound fell upon our
ears that seemed to issue from the
depths OF q distant cavern. We could
tell 1t TO be q chorus Of voices, chanting
some sad or solemn refrain. As we
listened, 1t grew louder, as II the chant
ers were drawing nearer; and in the
same degree II was becoming moro joy
full. All at once procession appeared
approaching the spot, men marching
two and two, with files OF women inter
mingled.
GAS its head emerged from among
the Understanding tree-trunks, we rec
ognized our old illuminate friends
dressed in all the gala OF q grand holi
day-with plumed circlets upon theil
heads, feather armlets, and garters o.
the same, grit Just below the knee.
"on reaching the malocca, tho,
broke ranks, OF the same time bursting
into peals Of joyous laughter. Thei
surrounding, they embraced us, tn,
chief in speech again making us vel
come to their village"
They were returning from their an
nual ceremony Of sun.worship, towhicl
every person, young and old, in the vii
lage had departed.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
The Catastrophe at Smyrna.

The Smyrna correspondent OF the
Lepant Herald gives m account Of the
melancholy accident in that town, which
was briefly noted in the cable dispatches
n day or two later: Son Sunday night,
the Cafe Kivoto, built upon piles over
the sea, broke down suddenly, during
a performance given by company OF
acrobats. The proprietor Of the cafe
says he only sold f0s tickets, but the
people saved declare there were 200
persons present. Most OF them were Of
the poorer class, and there were not
many Turks there, or young men Of
respectable families. At 10 o'clock a
loud cracking wps heard, and within
FIVE minutes the entire cafe had disap-
peared under water. A few OF the
persons near the entrance contrived to
effect their escape, and some persons
saved themselves by jumping through
the windows into tho sea. Tho boat
mon rowed up in numbers, but their
efforts to save life were in vain. Sureya
Pasha, the Governor General ; Ibrahim
Agna, Chief Of Police, and Tahir Bey,
commander Of the gendarmerie, who
where ut once on the spot, exerted
themselves strenuously, but fruitlessly,
with the same object. The profound
silence which succeeded the piercing
cries Of despair told too plainly the
terrible character OF the disaster. The
Catholic and Greek Archbishops were
on the spot early the following morning.
Yesterday forenoon the workmen OF the
Quay Company were actively engaged
in removing tho roof Of the submerged
cafe. The search after the dead bodies
was sad spectacle the acrobats were
Withdrawn from the water in their
snowy costumes OF the previous night ;
the limbs Of all the bodies were con.
tracted with pain. Two hearses were
engaged tho whole Of the day in con-
yeying the remains discovered to the
hospital. OF the fifty bodies deposited
at the Greek hospital, twenty-eight
were claimed up TO 4 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, and eleven were claimed OF
the Catholic hospital. Divers were
busy at work all day, and every minute
q ffehh Douy was Drought up, Io.uAy
they recommended their melancholy
task ut daybreak, and twenty more
bodies were found. Thetotal number
OF bodies found up to the present il
eighty, and it is supposed there are still
fifty moro in the water. An English
captain, two Turkish merchants, q
young man Of good connections, an
Italian captain, q telegraph clerk, and
some commercial clerks are among the
victims. Tho feeling Of grief and con.
sternation is general, and the ball adyOr'
tised to be held in the Casino Inns beer
countermanded. The police have
closed oil tho other cafes built upon
piles on tho sea. One man saved has
been rendered dumb. The company Of
acrobats consisted Of seven persons, oil
whom three were women, and one Of
these latter only survives. The Govern.
ment will institute proceedings against
the proprietor Of the cafe, who did moi
pay heed 10 the warning OF danger
which was given him in time.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
shooting.stars.

II has been calculated that OF meteor
bright enough to be visible to henakei
eye in q clear moonless night the mum
bers that enter our atmosphere daily
can not be less than seven and a hall
millions, and II we include those thai
would be visible in telescope, the cal
culation would exceed four hundred
millions. As there is no reason to be-
ieve that the region in which our earth
moves Is more thickly beset with mets'
oris bodies than other parts of the solar
domain, and as the space swept through
by the earth in q day is mere point
compared with the whole extent Of that
domain, the total number OF these
bodies that must exist around the sun
is beyond conception. The hundreds
Of millions yearly burned up in our at.
mosphere, and the ashes OF which add,
it Is estimated, one thousand tons
weight to our earth in three years, will
never be missed
Besides the stray meteors, Of which
half dozen, more or less, may be seen
any clear night by watching the sky ior
au hour, there occur every now and then
brilliant displays, known as star show.
ers or metooric showers. It has long
been observed that some OF these show.
ers are periodical, recurring on the
same day Of the year, either annually
or after q period OF years. The most
remarkable thing about a star showers
that all the bodies composing 1t seem 10
come from the same limited region OIL
the sky. Those that appear in the cen,
tire OF the space blaze out and die away
without seeming TO move: the farther
the appearance OF . meteor from The
centre, the longer and more diyergent
is It's path. The paths proceed from
the centre in all directions like rays
and hence it is called the radiant poin
OF the shower. This radiation Of tn
paths, however, is mere appearance
due to perspective. The bodies are re
ally moving parallel 10 ono another
but the one that is coming directly 10
ward the spectator has It's path reduce
to n point, while the paths Of the other
all round are seen more or less fore
shortened, and all conycrging backward
toward the vanishing.point.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
A Cure for Every prunkard.

/. Eat comfortable meals at regular
hours, partaking especially OF farina-
ceous food, vegetables and fruits three
times a day.
2. Exercise regularly, but SO rs not to
induce fatigue.
8. Have regular and long sleep, going
to bed and rising at peculiar hours, and
take sleep about noon.
4. Keep the mind MS much Interested
and amused as possible by harmless
games, sports, etc.
8. Take warm bath daily about II
A. NJ, II convenient.
@. Break up all old associations.
Z. Keep away from old resorts.
8. Quit chewing and smoking tobacco,
for this blunts moral sense, and makes
tho Imagination dull. Liquor makes
the ideal faculty wild and unsettled,
while tobacco makes IL obtuse.
8. Never forget that II you are TO be
n new man you must have new ideas,
and these must be such MS to mako you
discard the use Of alcohol in all Ito
forms. Do not take II as beverage,
for It will reawaken the old desire in
the one case as readily as in the other.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17

Debility opens the door TO dlisato. Nor Is thii
all when The door has been opened and the terri
BILE intruder hM entered, physical pto,ttatiou
render, It, progress, 10 the citadel Of life compare
lively easy. Therefore bar IL. deer, and IL possible
keep itbarrsd, the enemy hA, already secured
toothOld, rally tho strength Of the system and
assist ubturO TO drive out the foo ofhsAth and life
The means Of doing this 10 within ovSry one,
reach. DraeS up The physique with lIoslst,sr,
stomach plttsrI wh.n there are elements In tho ali
you breathe or The water you drink that arc morbid
and unwhoiesoms Thi, is barring the door. Ipl.
denies and sndOmid will AtSAil In vain The living
iortrs,t that 10 thus ptoiestst. II may "iAuEh q
siege TO seorp.n nut ifthli precautionary measure
has been neglected, The seeds Of diisAss can 10
elected By the same potent vegetable agent that
would, " taken earlier, have prevented their oh.
tanning an ontFanee into the system The Itinulat.
lag, sgulatlng and purifying proper.
ties oiihit vital elixir render II most formidable
antagonist ofAli dbhilltating dlIorden The rapid.
ity and certainty with which Il vAnquiIhSs fever
and ague, rheunAtiIn, bilious collie, Indigestion,
and nervous complaints, IL due 10 no small degree
to the strength II lmpArts TO The muscular AbFe
the nerves AAd The membrane, which line the
stomach and the bowels II may 10 safely said that
q course Of the nlttsrt commenced now will DO q
sure protection against most Of The complaints
incident 10 tho teAton.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
Now Arctic rrrlorlng Ezpedltlon.

The movement OF the United Scien.
tiac Societies in England to induce the
government TO undertake the expense
OF an arctic exploring expedition, Ia
already well advanced. We learn, from
Nature, that Sir Henry Rawlinsor will
address letter to the president Of the
Royal Society, urging that that body
take the lead in advocating tho cause,
In the mean time, II ia stated that Mr..
Leigh Smith proposes to undertake a
third voyage OF arctic discovery In the
spring. He has n fine, strong steamer,
the Diana, we'll adapted for tho pur.
pose, and will undoubtedly achieve oil
that can be done in the way OF discoyI
cry in the SpitGbergen seas during tho
season OF 1873. Mr.. Smith having now
become n veteran arctic voyager. In
1871 he made tho most remarkable yoy.
age in that direction since 1907, discov.
ering . large extent OF coast-line, both
on the north and south sides Of North.
cast Land. He also attained the high.
est latitude That has boon reached in
ship, except by Scorcsby and the
Swedes. In 1872, during o second OK.
pcdition, lo succeeded In taking a very
Important series Of observations Of sea.
at various depths. Tho
anticipated expedition in 1879 will DO
more iully equipped, and undertaken in
\ steamer instead OF q sailipg.yessel.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
An Ingenious Convict.

The convict Smith, who recently es-
capped from his cell in Sing Sing Prison,
made use Of most ingenious device
for unlocking his cell.door. It con-
sisted Of q bar Of wood, about eighteen
inches long, from the end Of which an
other bar reached down Of right angles,
about four inches in length. In the
lower end OF this shorter bar recepta.
Gle was followed out for the purpose Of
holding cunningly-contriyed false key,
and on the lower bar was arranged a
twisted leather belt, passing over up
right pins, and worked by crank so
nicely adjusted that by turning the
crank the key would also be turned ut
the other extremityof the bar. Having
made these arrangements, he quietly
awaited IN occasion when the regular
keeper was absent and relief keeper
locked up the cells on his gallery. This
keeper having convinced himself that
Smith was in his cell, passed on to the
other end Of the corridor, and the most
plausible theory is that while he was
thus engaged Smith thrust the machine
through the bars OF the square grating
above the lock, dropping it till the false
key fitted in tho keyhole, and then
turning the crank, unlocked his door
(throwing the bar and crank on his bed,
where it was afterwards found) and
quietly walked out past the keepers al
the north end Of the corridor. The
Oldest keepers at the prison are com.
pletely bafled by the briliancy Of this
exploit, and assert that no such elabo'
rate method Of escape has ever beer
devised by any other prisoner. As no.
body actually saw him pass beyond the
confines Of the prison, there is still .
"stowed away" within the walls or en-,
joying his coveted freedom in the world
at large.-Nete York Paper.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
Warnoth.

The correspondent OF the Troy Times
says that, with oil his acts, Warmoth
is a man OF brains, Of tact, Of good
breeding, and Of remarkable personal
magnetism. He has been caialogued
as the handsomest man in Warrington
by more than o million ladies ever since
his arrival here. Instead Of being
Stunned, he has been courted. He Is q
lion. Knowing how to.make the most
Of his personal attractions, shrewd
enough TO concealhis inordinate vanity,
he has made his stay here continual
ovation. In the Hobbies OF the Capitol
he is always the centre OF crowd. Per.
haps they are not admirers in theirsoul,
but externally they are, and it answers
tho same purpose. He has joke and
rotort for the Senator, the Congress.
man, and the layman. He speaks OF
the chaos TINT brushes Louisiana MS
"my little affair down there" and to
his laugh there is always responsive
laugh. In the ballroom, which he af.
fects, he is still the centre OF q circle.
The wives and the daughters OF the
Congressman initiate theaping example
OF their husbands and their fathers
and who can blame them? GLOW
charming and handsome he is, to be
suro ! and so wicked besides that is
the formula whenever Warmoth Is the
topic. The fact Of the wickedness seems
to highten the fascination. To DO pro.
sented to Warmoth, in proper style, is
as great mn event in the history OF q
young lady rs to be presented to the
President, and il he smiles and shows
signs Of being unusually interested, oh
heavens, what bliss
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
A Mormon Funeral.

Mrs. stenhouse, in her lecture on
Mormon life, told tho funny story OF
Sister Picknel's funeral. Tho follow.
ing was Bishop Hardy's sermon: "Wal,
bruthnin and sisters, you are all here,
s'pose, and so we'll begin. Wal, our
sister is dead let her rest. Our sister
has suffered and made Others suffer,
but now she's dead we'll let her rest.
She opened the door to tho devils and
let them in five years ago when her
husband took his young wife, told
her then they would kill her II she did
not take care, and now they've done II.
She was q torment TO her husband, and
I guess II he'd q know'd that she'd q
bin such n torment he'd never married
her. Amt that so, Brother Picknel 2"
"trhat's no, Bishop" oval, Brother
Picknel, havo you got anything to
say9" mot Rs / know'd on, but l
s'pose I ought ter say sum ut, and II I
do shall be sure TO offend some Of tho
sisters, so I s'pose we'd better close the
meetin'." Thus ended the funeral ser.
vice,
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
CITY Rivalry.

A case now pending in the ST. Louis
courts gives an amusing illustration OF
the bitter rivalry between the merch-
ants OF ST. Louis and Chicago. In the
former city there is q hardware dealer
who has been doing large business in
the sale Of steel buggy springs OF two
dollars pair. "A Chicago firm, also en-
gagged in the hardware line, flooded the
region around ST. Louis with circulars
Offering TO sell the same article at 81 .25
o pair. Tho st. Louis man at once be-
gan purchasing his springs OF the
Chicago firm, who, it Is claimed, were
selling their goods for less than cost to
entice st. Louis trade to Chicago, and
then sold them to his customers at o
handsome profit. The Chicago man,
encouraged by the demand for springs
from ST. Louis, made q further reduce
ton in prices, offering them at one dol.
lar pair, when the ST. Louis man tel.
Ographed an order for 1000 pairs, at
the same time sending a draft TO pay
for them. By this time the Chicago
firm began to beBugpicious, and refused
to send the goods ; but one Of the firm,
being in 81. Louis shortly afterward,
was sued for breach Of contract, dam
ages being laid at 5000. Tho st. Louis
journals are joyful over this capture Of
one OF the Philistines, and eIultingly
call attention to the fact that thepublic
enemy must defend the suit in their
own courts, which Of course they con-
slider infinitely more honest than those
OF Chicago.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
Which Was Beateni

We were boys together, George Glib,
son and ]. We were employed MS sales
men in q grocery store. Business being
quite dull, our employer gave us per.
mission to close the store, that we might
attend ball TO be given that evening.
l had been paying my respects TO Miss
Kate Il. George also seemed interested
in her welfare, and knew that l would
be certain to send her my compliments
sometime during the day, and request
her company to the ball.
In order to get ahead Of me, he sent
his invitation quite carly in the morn
ing. I was not in q good humor after
George triumphantly showed me his
note OF acceptance; so whom evening
came determined would not attend
tho ball or stay in the store. We closed
about dark. George was ready to start,
but had some moments to spare, when,
as il to amuse himself, he picked up an
old revolver, which We always kept
about the store, and was pointing it al
different objects in the room, remark.
ing how easy he could put hole
through it.
When he pointed it ut IN oil can,
which was quito full, l Immediately in
serted pin near the seat Of his pants,
which caused him to pull the trigger.
Zipl the bullet went through the can
and the oil commenced running out il
quite stream through the holes the
bullet made.
"Jump, quick, and stop the leal
with your hngersl" ! exclaimed.
George knew the mischief would bt
to pay Il our employer found the foo
covered with oil, and he obeyed my or
der immediately. Then happy though
struck me; would leave him in tia
FIX, and go and take Miss Kate myself
Amid yolley Of oaths, made m,
hasty departure. Arriving ut the resi-
dence OF Miss Kate, / informed her tina
George was not able to attend, and hat
sent me in his stead. Miss Kate &C
cepted his apology, and We ATTENDED
the ball together. II was late when
returned to the store, and found Georg
still in his uncomfortable position
swearing at me profusely.
Tho bullet had passed through til
can, and he dared not remove eithe
hand. I then procured an empty bal
rel, intending to pump the oil out be
low the bullet hole. In order to do THU
it was necessary for him to be on til
other side OF tho can. He agreed
tho change II I would hold my finger
over the holes until he went around III
can. This was unwise enough to cor
sent to.
No sooner had he got mo in this &,
than he proceeded to wash his hands
then taking up the lamp he went up
stairs to bed. I was mad languag
cannot begin to express my feelings.
swore, I entreated, then tried to brib
him to relieve me. Like him, dare
not leave the can, for l knew it woul
cause my dismissal il our employe
found the new floor spoiled with oil
besides the damage it would do to III
goods.
How spent tho remainder of til
night I shall not attempt to describe
it Is sufficient to say stayed there unit
morning.
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
The KING Of thc washInrton Hobby,

Sam Ward, is thus graphically sketched
by Edmund Yates:
Who is this that cometh, not with
banner and priest, Ms Tennyson has il,
but with o composite manner, in which
the gravity Of the business man strives
with the JUNCTION OF the bon vivant and
the humor Of the raconicnr-a man Of
middle height, with his bald head firm.
~ implanted on his broad shoulders,
with but little interval OF neck-a man
OF small and twinkling eyes imbedded
behind high cheek bones-a well cut
nose, a great, sweeping mustachc and q
curling imperial, both pleasant; his
well.cut, closely.titting suit Of clothesis
the dress Of an English country gentle.
man, but his head is the head Of an
old French marshal. Put OH him q
shake and he would pass for Pei.
lissicr or for old Bugeaud, Of whom the
Chasseurs d'Afrique used 10 sing:
As.tu vi Ia easqnotte, la easquette,
As.tu WI Ia casquOtte du Pcro Dugeaudl
He could sing 1t himself, too, and In
accents that would do your car good.
For this Is the famous Sam Ward, ono
OF the nestlinguists, cleyerest classical
scholars and men Of widest reading on
this Continent, who has seen life enough
TO furnish material for q dozen novels
and who is not merely tho king Of tho
lobby, but tho prince OF good fellows.
What freak of nature threw s. W. into
this age and into this countryP lilo
would have been thoroughly happy TN.
der the Roman Empire, when Horace
would have been charmed with his wit
and Apicius would have enyisd him Ills
skill In ordering a dinner. Somehow
one can never think OF Sam Ward and
tho stern simplicity Of the Republic as
going together in unison.
The piCgaP Indians are again on tho
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
Celestial Space.

When astronomers assure us that di-
ameters OF tho circles which tho planets
describe in their perpetual revolutions
round the sun are millions Of miles,
how isit possible for tho mind to take
in an idea Of the space or room inwhich
such globes as those OF eighty or ninety
thousand miles in diameter are running,
thirty times more rapidly than q cannon.
ball, without tho slightest interference
with others? Space-without limit
There is no boundary, no barriers, no
precipitous termination, but space for
ever and ever, and there the intellect
leaves the pursuit-the brain Of man
cannot grasp it But there is some
thing more perplexing in the belief that
interminable space is filed with billions,
ay, with countless organized worlds,
beyond all human computation, for ex.
ceiling our own in grandeur OF proper
tions, physical resources, and beauty,
80 immensely distant that no telescope
can ever survey those on the nearest
border OF that celestial space which they
occupy; and yet still beyond and DO.
You'd, 80 far that tho Light they send
abroad, at the speed Of one hundred
and ninety.two millions Of miles in one
second, may not reach the earth for q
hundred Of millions OF years to come,
and there again and again there are
globes infinitely multiplied. Space,
then, is field in which the Almighty
displays the majesty Of His supreme
power,
The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
Old Churchill.

A correspondent Of tho PORTLAND
Transcript says: Some, and they are
not few, can remember old Churchill
and his peculiar ways. One day he
was riding on horseback, when he was
met by an old woman, who had not sc
many OF this worlds good things rs
no had. Taking out his wallet he
handed her quarter Of dollar, and
rode on.
He had ridden only short distance,
when hc began to soliloquizc thus:
"Now wouldn't I have done better 10
have kept that money, aud bought my.
self something 2"
Wheeling his horse round, he rode
back to where tho old lady was stand.
ing, and said:
"Giyo me that money!
She hnndedit to him, wondering what
he meant. Placing it In his wallet, and
at the same time handingher a fye.dol-
lar bill, be exclaimed:
"There, Self, now ] guess you'll wish
you had kept still !"