davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
Ring Stories

Have knack of running In one
groove. Herodot Is tells us how Amasis
advised Polycrates, as charm against
misfortune, 70 throw away some gem ne
especially valued how, taking the adj
vice, Polycrates went seaward i'll poa''
and cast his favorte ring ntot the ocean )
and how. few DAYS afterwards. hSher-
man caught a large fish, so extraorai-
uarilv fine that he thought it fit only
for the roval table, and accordingly
presented it to the fortunate monarch,
who ordered it TO be dressed for sur
per; and 10 when the fish was opened
The surprised cooks astonished eye be
held his masters cast-away ring; much
TO that masters delight, but ms aa-
viser's dismay; for when Amasis
heard of the wonderful event: he I'M
mediatelv dispatched a herald to break
his contract of friendship with Poly
crates. feeling confident the la ter would
come to an i'll end, as he prospered IN
everything. even finding what he bad
thrown ava 4" The city of Glasgow
owes the rim, Lolding salmon, figuring
in its armonial bearings, to a legend
concerning its patron saint, kentlgern,
thus told in the Acta SanctOrum A
queen, having formed an improper at
tachment TO a handsome soldier, put
upon his finger precious ring, which
her own lord had conferred upon her.
The king, made aware OF the fact, but
assembling his anger, took an Oppor-
tunity in hunting, while the soldier lay
asleep beside the Clyde, to snatch OIL
the ring and throw it into the river.
Then returning home along with the
soldier, he demanded of the queen the
ring he had given her She sent secretly
to the soldier for the ring, which could
not be restored. In great terror, she
then dispatched a messenger to ask the
assistance of the holy Kentigern. He
who knew of the affair before beng IN
formed of it, went to the river Clyde,
and having caught 81 mon, took from
the stomach the missing ring, which he
sent to the queen. She joyfuily went
with it to the king, who, thinking he
had wronged her, swore he would be re-
venged upon her accusers but she
affecting foregiving temper, besought
him to Iardon them, as she had done.
At the same time, she confessed her
error to Kentigern, and solemnly vowe
to be more careful of her conduct IN
future" IN 1850 IA merchant and alder
man of Newcastle, named Anderson,
handling his ring as he leaned over TIE
bridge. dropped it in the Tyne. Some
time after. his servant bought salmon
in the mrrket, in whose stomach the los
ring was found its value enhanced by
the strange recovery, the ring becam"
an heirloom AMI WAS i'll possession If "n.
of the alderman's descendants some
forty years ago. A similar accident,
ending in similar way, is recorded 10
have happened to one of the dukes o
Lorriue. Chambers JOnrna,.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18

stretched arm and hand, quivering
them, and allowing her body very
slighly to partake of the same move
mept. Her feet mark the time of the
music, not by being raised, but by mere
ly pressing the floor with the toes. The
action and movement thus seem to run
like wave through the body, greatest
where it begins in the hand, and grad
ually diminishing as it dies away in the
foot. With change of time in the ac-
compartment the girl drops her arm,
advances a step or two nearer the per-
son before whom she is dancing, and
leans back, supporting her whole weight
on one foot, with the other put forward
and pressing against the floor the bor-
der of her drapery.
In hel han Is she holds little scarf,
which serves to give motive to the ac-
ton of her arms and head. The move
ment in this figure. which admits of
great variety, no two performers being
alike at all in it, is somewhat stronger
than in the first. The undulation, too,
instead of dying away gradually from
its commencement, runs with equal
force, like the line of an s, through the
body. Without any pause in the music
the dancer sometimes glides impercepti-
bly, into, sometimes begins with start
ling suddenness, the next movement.
The general position remains what it
was before, but to describe how its
principle of life and motion seems con-
centrated below the dancers waist, and
from thence flows in undulating streams,
to flash from or to dull, according to
her organization, the eyes, and to crisp
the child-like feet with which she
grasps the carpet, is for me impossible.
One of these girls is a perfect actress
numberless shades of expression pass
over her delicate features, but the pre-
vailing one is a beseeching, supplica-
ting look. We administer to her, as the
custom is, some rupees in token of our
admiration, and with an arch smile the
no longer supplicating damsel passes on.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
The Future Of France.

The London Spectator thinks that il
the departure of the Germans prove
the signal of an explosion, France, now,
as ever, will be stronger than assembly,
or intriguers, or soldiers, and will adopt
some form of administration which will
be effective, which will be strong, and
which in some way or other will suit
her national genius. What this form
will be we are as unable to divine as to
divine why Napoleon went to war with
Prussia in the teeth of his own convic-
tiOns but we are more inclined to be-
lieve that the form will be the one ex-
isting, a sovereign assembly to which
any one may be elected, which merely
by existence keeps all careers vide open.
If the COmte de Chambord would abdi-
cate or go to heaven, it might be easy
to construct constitutional monarchy,
for that, when legitimate or an APP
proved king is on the throne, secures
that opening for all careers and all par
ties without which France is kept sim
rering with fear of violent change ;
while his heir is a man ready to accept
the principle. SO also it might be easy
to construct republic, We will not say
conservative" because the word has
been abused, but 50 strong or swayed
by so strong a man, that it would have
the power to conserve all that is worth
conserving, including the institution of
property. It was not a king, but
mere president, removable at will, who
delivered so crushing blow to the COM
mune in its stronghold. Marshall Nc
Mahon may reign while he gives salts
faction, the assembly may vote while 1t
creates no disgust. but failing in either
of the conditions, France would see
its way to the election of one or the dis
solution of the other. Frenchmen,
with all their outward fuss, and haste.
and noise, are singularly patient and
persistant. They may be hot, but no
other nation ever formed queue.
They may be chsngeable, but no other
nation ever adhered as they have done,
through ill report, and good report, to
the BOurbons, or in later times to the
Bonaparte family, which, unless all re-
ports are false, could, but for timidity
in Paris, have remained there still.
They may be variable, now sanguine
and now despond mt, but no other ma
ton has ever been so persistent, not to
say obstinate, in two decisions, that
France must be great power respected
abroad, and that at home equality must
be the ideal.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
Wilkie Collins Before the Lotos Club.
New York rribunel

Mr.. President and Gentlemen Many
years ago-more years than | now quite
like to reckon-I was visiting Sorrento,
in the bay of Naples, with my father,
mother and brothers, as boy of thir.
teen. At that time of my life, as at this
time of my life. | was an Unsuitable rea-
der of that order Of books for which
heavy people have invented the name of
light literature. In due course of time
| exhausted the modest resources of the
library which We had brought to Naples,
al Il found m self faced with the neces-
sity of borrowing from the resources of
our fellow-travelers, summer residents
of Sorrento like ourselves. Among
them was a certain countryman Of yours,
very tall, very lean, very silent and very
melancholy. In what circumstances
the melancholy of this gentleman took
its rise L am not able to tell YOU. The
ladies thought it was disappointment
in love. The men attributed it to a
eau infinitely more serious than that
i mean indigestion. Whether he suf-
fered in heart or whether he suffered in
stomach, | took, remember, a boys
unreasonable fancy to HIM, passing over
dozens of other people, apparently far
more acceptable than he was. / ven-
tured TO look up to the tall American
it was long way TO look up-ant I said
in a trembling voice, Can you lend me
book to read 2" He looked down to
met was long way to look down
and said, Il have got but two amusing
books. One of them is the Sorrows of
Werter,' and the other is the 'Senti-
mental Journey Laughter. You are
heartily welcome to both these books.
Take them home, and when you have
read them bring them back and dine
with me, and tell me what you think of
them" | took them home and read
them. and told him wha. thought of
them more freely than 1 would now
And last. not least. l had an excellent
dinner, crowned with cake, which was
an epoch in NY youthful existence, AMI
which, / may say, lives gratefully ard
greasilv In my memory to the present
dav. Applause.
Now Mr.. President and gentlemen, L
venture to tell you this for one reason.
1t marks nv first experience of Ameri-
eau klnlUcS~ tntt iiutICiH hookiooiiey.
In many different ways this early ex-
preston of your kindness and hospitali-
tv has mingled in my after life, now in
England, now on the continent, until it
has eliminated in this magnificent re-
ception from the Lotos club. / am not
only gratifed but touched by the man.
uer in which You have greeted me and
the cerdiality with which the remarks
Of your president have been received. !
venture to say that see in this recep-
ton something more than recognition
of nv humble labors only. think
see a recognition OF English literature,
liberal, spontaneous and sincere, which,
l think, is an honor to yOu as we'll as ar
honor to me. In the name of English
literature, I beg gratefully to thank
YOU. On my own behalf, l beg to assure
you that 1 shall not soon forget the en-
enlargement you have offered to me al
the outset of my career in America.
Permi. me to remind You that am now
speaking the language of sincere graft
tnde. and that is essentially language
of very few words.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18

"A novel method of killing mosqui-
toes has been discovered which deserves
to be patented. But We disclose it to
our readers, unconscious that We there
by infringe any body's rights. The ap.
paratus required is simple, consisting Of
a broomstick, the cover of tin black
ing-box, and q nail. The insid" of the
cover should be snointcd thoroughly
with kerosene oil, and then nailed, hol-
low side up, to the end of the broom
stick. The method of operation Is
equally simple: clap the machine over
the nearest mosquito on the wall or
ceiling. and hold him prisoner a mo-
ment. Then his dead body will be
found adhering to the oil at the bottom
of the cover, the fumes having put an
end to his existence. Sometimes q
strong-headed individual will reel about
. while before he keels over and dies.
By an industrious use of this machine q
room can be entirely cleared of mosqui-
toes.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18

The STORY OF BLOOMER AND HER
REsCUER.-A crowd of boys followed
her, as you have seen them chase an un-
fortunate kitten with tin pail tied to
it. Jeers and insults pursued her:
These little Arabs of the street had
even picked mp missiles to throw at her:
The poor hunte creaturetnrned round
a face of appeal, and my friend met her
frightened eyes. He hurried on and
placed himself at her side. He has
done many brave things, this good
knight of the pen; but l question
whether he ever did braver act than
this, for this time the spectators were
many and of all ages. Everybody was
there, except the policemen. "Ho! no !!
A he Bloomer!" shouted the young
arabs, jeeringly. Your tongues are
your own," he cried, facing them and
putting his hand on an imaginary pistol
in his breast-pocket; "but if one OF you
dares to touch this lady I'll blow his
brains out" Then he said to her /:
Madame, 1 will escort you to car
riage, if you will allow me-" Before he
came to one he had traversed several
blocks, with the bloomer beside him
and the jeering crowd in his rear. When
at last he had safely deposited his
charge in hack and taken her address,
to give to the driver, it is no wonder
that even his long-suffering and unob-
trusive nature was moved to interrupt
her thanks BY the utterance of a briei
moral exhortation. Madame" he re-
marked, in his singularly gentle voice,
lyon perceive how much your present
costume is an embarrassment. Before
submitting to martyrdom, would it mo-
be az we'll to consider whether one il
about to suffer for principle or merel,
! for a whim?"- Louise Chandler MOaslt0n
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
How the Naturalist Search the Sea.

Prof. Verrill's invention, the cradle
sieve, is of semi-cylindrical form,
abrut three feet long, and one and
half wide. While the dredge is coming
up, this sieve is hung over the side Of
the vessel, and ultimately the dredge is
lifted over and into the sieve. The
lower end of the dredge net is then un-
tied and opened, and the dredge lifted
little and the entire contents slide
ont of the net, gently, into the sieve.
Ii now there is no anxiety to secure
without injury the very smallest and
most delicate specimens, and there Is no
occasion for naste-perhaps to repeat
the haul-the cradle sieve is covered
with a tight-ftting lid, lowered over
board, and allowed to drag by tow
line in the water till the mud ia washed
out. Ii, however, there is time enough.
az there usually is, a stream of water
from the pump propelled by steam
power is passed through few lengths
of hose into the sieve, while it Is hang
ing over the ships side. The hose, Iii
the hands of some one of the nat,ira-
lists, is, of course, entirely under his
control, and by moderating the force,
volume and direction of the stream, he
can wash out of the mud his most deli
cate specimens, with as much personal
care for their safety as he chooses to de-
vote. No one, however Indifferent he
may be to scientific pursuits, can escape
the infectious ardor with which the
nat,lralists crowd around the spread
tarpaulin, as the contents of dredge,
trawl, or tangles are brought to deck.
The spiteful little reeling engine has
pulled it's load up to the davit, and the
practiced crew lift the burden carefully
and deposit it on the sailors table
cloth. the tarpaulin. Down Oh their
knees go the scientists around it ; this is
/ their homage to nature. Bottles with
alcohal, jars with glycerine, dishes snd
bowls with sea water, pals, tubs and
all kinds OF receptacles are brought into
reGuisition. The naiuralists, all but
one, thrust their fingers into the muddy
mass, pull out their plums after the
fashion of Jack Horner, announce the
name of their wriggling captives, and
plump them into the pot. pail, or bot
tle-all but one, who sits with pencil in
hand and records the names as they are
called, emitting duplicates. Every few
minutes, as a rarer specimen is brought
to light, or one respecting whose cbarac.
teristics there is some mooted question,
the heads crowd together over the tar
paulin, and a Discussion takes place
which is in more than one sense Greek
to the uninitiated.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
The Popular Science Monthly SAYS

The Popular Science Monthly says ::
"One of the great dangers attending
the use of the various sedatives en-
ployei in the nursery is that they tend
to produce the opium habit. These
quack medicines owe their soothing and
quieting effects to the action of opium,
and the infant is by them given a NOR
bid appetite for narcotic stimulan' g.
The Offering for sale of such nOstrums
should be prohibited, as tending to the
physical and moral deterioration of the
race. In IL 1ia mothers give to their in.
fants sugar pills containing opium, and
the result is a languid, censual race OF
hopeless debauchees. In the United
States the poisonous dose is admins
tered under another name but the con-
sequences will probably be the same.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18

A physician, ON presenting his bill
to the executor of an estate of de-
ceased patient aske' "DO you wish to
have my bill sworn No" replied the
executor "the death of the deceased
is sufficient evidence that you t@as.a I
him professionally. -.--Ir1..
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
That Promising Pacific Coast Horse

Gov. Standford's fast horse, Occi-
dent, heralded last year as the Cali
fornia Wonder" has again created
rare sensation by making a record
against time of 2:16s, thereby winning
a piece of plate valued at $1,000, offered
by the state agricultural society 10 any
horse that should beat the best time
made in this state, which was Gold
smith Maids 2:17, last fall. The re-
cent Performance took place over the Un-
ion park course, Sacramento, on the
18th inst. and was witnessed, 1t Is said,
by about 5000 people. This r, cord
ties that of the Mad herself, and
shares with it, under the existing rules,
the honors OF frs. position. There is
this difference, however, that the Maid
had to contend against a competitor,
while the California horse had the track
to himself, with the privilege OF select
ing his position. There is prevalent
opinion among horsemen that r, cord"
against time, being accomplished under
this and other advantages, should not
be admitted on par with competing
records, either to point of rank or for
the deciding of bets but the rules
sanction such performances, and the
horses is therefore entitled to the record
with ali it's bearings. Occident has
proved himself remarkable horse, and
deservedly ranks among the foremost of
our trotting lights. When the surpris-
ing time made in his private trials was
first announced those who think they
hold patent on that article treated it
with a sneer of contempt, and endeav-
ored through their special organ to
throw discredit upon the reports.
Knowing full we'll through then own
experience, "the tricks that are dark
and the ways that are vain," they could
not brook an intruder upon their pecu'
liar domain. Occident's friends, how
ever, instead of skulking under the pre-
text of immortality, gave proof of theil
own faith and honesty by bringing him
out in public separately against Gold.
smith Maid and Lucy; though defeated
in turn by each of the mares, his per.
formances were surprisingly creditable,
and much nearer to his reputed trials
than usual results would have warranted
his friends in expecting.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18

LACK OF INGENUITY IN AUSTRIA. The
most stupid expenditure of human ma
ture is seen in everything here. There
seems to be an utter want of ingenuity.
Shovels and spades have handles six
feet long as thick at the tops 'as at the
bottom, and twice as heavy as required.
You cannot make a wOrkman-Or his
employer for that matter-understand
that this immense handle Is no stronger
than its weakest point, and that tn S
weak point Is just at its junction with
the iron. The scythes used are nothing
but exaggerated bill-hooks, two feet
long, six inches wide at the base, the
back being a solid mass of iron more
than half an inch in thickness. The
snaths are perfectly straight, five feet
long and Is large as mans wrist, and
one straight peg foot long for ham
die. But the best illustration is the
process of planning q board. A small
plane, some 10 inches long. and nearly
square, has Q hole bored through one
end, and through this hole peg q foot
long is thrust, protruding on each side.
II takes two men to work this machine.
The two seat themselves astride the
board, and one pulls, the other pushes,
and both pause few moments to rest
every time they have to hitch along the
board. In order to plane ten foot
scantling, therefore, an affair of two
minutes with us, two men work for more
than an hour. Besides-and such i'll
credible folly exasperates an American
the two men sit in the blazing sun with
out thinking it possible to carry theil
board to q plaae Of shelter, perhaps ter
PAGES away, OF to put up an awning will
the boards lying idle about them Ant
yet Austria objects to a fair patent law
or even to sanction fair discussion o
the subject Wenna letter.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18

With the display now required for
a first-class funeral, people are begin
ming TO understand what are the terrors
of death.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
Chinese Mining.

All along the road on either side can
be seen nothing but brush and rough
lumber and shake shanties, in size
twelve bv thirty feet, and shafts and
drifts with rough and ancient l'oking
windlasses, rockers. pans, pumps, and
other tools and equipments incident to
diggings OF this class. All the tools
and fixtures used are old, and none of
the more improved and scientific are to
be seen in use. For example, they do
not even use our style of forge bellows,
but have a most ingenious and cheap
substitute in the form of an OblOng box,
about three feet long, which is made on
the same principle as steam-chest, and
in the box is piston-rod, which by
pulling ont and pushing back again
elects blast Of wind through a rude
looking iron nozzle, the whole worked
NV two valves on either end of the box.
There is but one white blacksmith
among about four to six Thousand of
these mining Celestials, and the other
forees are run entirely by the Chinese
themselves. They do rot use our iron
anvils, but as substitute species Of
black granite stone, large fiat piece of
which they forge and point their picks
on. and when the stone is broken they
substitute a new one and so on, thus
saving the expense Of an anvil. They
are primitive in all their workings
around the shaft. and carry out or imi-
tate the ideas of the California miner of
over twenty years ago. We saw one
fellow washing his shirt and pants,
hanging them up on some tailings to
drv, and going around clad in his boots
until they were dry enOngh to wear. 1t
is indeed singular that, with all their
awkardness and ignorance of mining,
they can make such wages as they are
certainly doing.-Ororitle (Cdt.) Mer-
curry.
The JIMMYJOHNs.-Mrs. Diaz tells in
Our Young Folks comical story of two
twins, who looked 20 much alike that
the neighbors could not tell which was
Jimmy and which was Johnny, and so
called them "the Jimmyjohns." And
this is the account of one of their funny
"ways." When the Jimmies were little
tOddling things, Just beginning to walk.
they were constantly falling down, tip
ping over their cradle Oh humping their
heads together; and Mrs. Plummer
found that the best way to stop the cry
ing, at such times, was to turn it into
kissing. The reason of this is very plain.
In CRYING. the mouth flies open: In
kissing. it shuts. Mrs. Plummer was q
wopdeful woman. She found out that
shutting the mouth would stop its cry.
ing, and to shut the mouth she con.
trived that pretty kissing plan, and al
the first sound Of bump would catch
up the little toddlers, put their arms
round each others necks, and say
kiss Johnny, Jimmy. Kiss Jimmy
johnny 1t was enough to make any
body laugh to see them, in the midst O
a crying spell, run toward each other
their cheeks still wet with tears, and t.
see their poor, little, twisted, crying
mouths trying to shut up into kiss
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-10-18
THE WOELD AND L.
rRLLY u. HUrCHrSscS.

Whether my heart be glad or II,
The summers come, the summers CO.
The lanes grow dark with dying lea'ss'
Icicles hang beneath the caves :
The asters wiiher to the snow
Thus doth the summer END ahu Co.
Whether my life be glad OF NJ.
Whether my life be sad or no,
The winters come, the winters go;
The sunshine plays with baby leaves;
Swallows build about the caves;
The lovely wind-fiovers bend and blow;
Thus doth the winter end ard go,
Whether my life be sad or no.
Yet mother nature gives TO me
A fond and patient sympathy;
In NV own heart find the Charm
To make her tender, near and warm
Through summer sunshine. winter sno"'
She clasps me, sad or glad or no.