davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-09
The Mystery Concerning Captain Halls
Death.

1t is known that during his former So
journ in the Arctic regions, Captain Hall
shot one Of his crew for alleged insubordi-
nation, and had not the killed man been an
American citizen, the British authorities
would have acted in the matter. The
shooting was reported to our Government,
and upon inquiry it was found that the act
of Captain Hall was justifiable under the
circumstances A story is now started
that the friends of the mutineer secretly
enlisted in the last expedition, and were in
some way instrumental in bringing about
Captain Halls death without any one
knowing exactly how it was done.
The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-09

the summer passed along. One day
in September, Louisa received a letter
the first since she had been with us. She
came, and told me she must leave us.
"No, no." said "we can never do with
out you" "Who says you must goP'
Fate, and my guardian she answered
sadly. 81 am sorry, for I have been very
happy here"
Even then dared not ask single ques-
tion about herself Another week, and
she must go to Southing, she told me, a
little town, about a hundred miles distant.
"That is something definite at last"
thought 1. The boys and Louisa got along
splendidly, and l never could imagine
which one she preferred. She seemed so
impartial and sisterly toward them both,
that no one would imagine she had any
particular feeling for either, but 'our folks
saw, with some misgiving, that both the
boys were wonderfully attracted by the
hired girl The last night / saw Charlie
ask Louisa for one promenade in the gar
den. AS they passed into little side ar
! Dor, l saw his arm encircle her waist Just
then Willie came up the walk looking
quite white. Poor brother Willie! Late
in the evening they came in. l heard
them come up the stairs, heard Charlie
pass into his room. Louisa came to my
door, and knocked. arose, and admitted
her. A bright, deep color was in her
cheeks, and her eyes showed new, strange
feeling. / waited for her to speak.
"Flora, you can perhaps tell the cause
when ] tell you I'm happier tonight than
I've ever been efore.''
"Isn't it Charley ?' said I.
EYES," she said; "and, since you i'll
not ask me, will volunteer to tell you
why am here this summer. Mr.. Far
rington, my guardian, did not agree per-
fectly as to my mode of spending my time.
He objected to four hours daily at the
piano, two or three in dress or promenade,
and the remainder in eating, sleeping, and
reading He told me I was good-for-
nothing" and that he would never let me
travel THAT was the chief desire of my
life) until knew all about housekeeping.
/ asked permission to have six months
time to go anywhere pleased within one
hundred miles, with one hundred dollars
in my pocket, and he to make no inquiries
concerning me. He finally gave permis-
sion. went to the house of an old school
mate, and learned to DO housework, and,
one day, seeing your advertisement, took
wild notion to answer, and you know the
rest. Mr.. Harrington ferreted me out, or
/ should not be leaving tomorrow, just as
the threshers are upon you."
Very long we talked that night of past,
present and the brightly dawning future.
Next day Mr.. harrington came, and we
persuaded him to let Louisa stay, and be
married here at Christmas. So we got
Ellen to come back and be bossed, while
Louisa and held high carnival among the
dry goods. Dear little Belle Raymond
came and helped us, and Willie seemed to
find her wonderfully attractive The we'd
ding occurred at Christmas, and Charlie
took our hired girl away to New York,
and I've not seen her since.
Willie and Belle are behaving splendidly
/ don't know what will come of it but
Belle is dear, sweet girl, if viii is my
only brother.
The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-09

GB-A coroner's jury, impanneled to
ascertain the cause of the death of a mo-
torious drunkard, brought in verdict Of
death by hanging--around a rum shop.''
In California coroner's jury, under simi-
lar circumstances, rendered more cour-
teous verdict; Accidental death while
unpacking glass;
The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-09

tB- A sow-westerly wind whisked 4 ten
dollar greepback from Will Chapman's
pocket at Iowa Falls, Iowa. He was feed
ing prize sow at the time, and she soused
the valuable BIT Of paper down her gullet
in two seconds.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
Dismal Women.

There are women who take a strange
delight i'm being dismal. Some of them
are so selfish that nothing is ever right,
because they imagine they ought to have
something extraordinary in the way of
luck. A few are ill-tempered, and adopt
the dismal line on purpose to spite those
who live with them, being well assured
that this il the most cfIcctual way of so
doing. But the majority of the Dismals
are good women Tor, at least, women who
want to be good), and they appear to be
dismal strictly on conscientious grounds.
If they put their feelings into words, they
would probably say something of this
sort: ''This world is made up of sin,
End sorrow, and suffering. 1t is proba-
ton, and We need rot look for anything
pleasant until we pass into the next. We
must not give way to happiness, or en-
courage joy. II is true that God gives
the sunshine and the flowers, but He in
tends that while looking at them we shall
constantly remind ourselves that the rain
will come, and that the flowers viii
die" IL seems impossible that such
hearts can love, but perhaps they do after
thsir own dismal fashion. Everything is
done for duty, and if by chance in per
forming this duty they stumble upon the
doing Of anything pleasant, they are sure
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11

to spoil the taste of it. AS rule, they
are women of narrow culture.
Jean Paul, having married hero Of his,
Siebenkas, to one of these women, de-
scribes her thus:
. If ever heavy Irish cloud or thunder
bearing water-spout passed over his or
her days, she knew how to put her hus-
band and his courage, like Dutch for
tress, quite under water, and gave free
vent to all her tears. If, on the contra
nv, the sun of fortune cast a CLEAN of De
cember sunshine, not broader than WIN
dow, into their room. then Lenette was
sure to have hundred other things to do
and to see, sooner than remark the more
lovely one. Her husband said beseech-
ingly more than once: Dear one, do but
wait until we are again as poor as rats,
and once more lead the life of dog, and
then l will sigh and groan with you with
pleasure 1t was of little avail; only
once she returned him decent answer:
How long will it be before we are again
without penny in the house?'
''But to this he knew how to return
still more reasonable answer: 1t seems,
then, you are determined not to enjoy a
cheerful quiet day until one can swear to
you on the Gospel that no miserable,
dark, cloudy day will follow it. In that
case you can neuer enjoy one. '"-Hedrh
and Home
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
.Cnecr I'm, .m, stand ny.-

This advice, given by bluff Captain Cutie TO the
forlorn Mr.. Toots, is cordially rendered to all who
are Iaboring under that cloud of depression and
melancholy which usually accompanies chronic in
Il DIGESTION, bfliousness, habitual constipation and
nervous debility. "Chetr up ~ woe-begone in
vaIids. The causes of your gloomy feelings,
though they may be chronic and of long standing.
are not incurable. course of Hostetter's stom-
arh Bitters the purest and most genial of all veg
etable stimulsnts aud correctiycs, and especially
adapted to cases like yours, will relieve you of
Your bodily ailments and consequent mental mis-
eI y speedily, certainly, and wi bout pain. The
chills aud danps of the present season, in tact, all
Its osphcric conditions unfav ora BILE to dys-
ppptfc bilious and nervous Sufferers. They need
II stimuIant as well a tonic and alternative. This
wholesome vegetable preparation combines the
the ch. aud changes and regulates the condi-
tiun of the liver aud bowels II gives agreeable
Impulse to the mental faculties and stcadIes the
nerves. UnmcAicated stimulants never adyi-
sable; they too exciting aud often react dis
nstrousIy. ON the other hand. The sham toncs
which contain di1usive stimulsnt. and are sur
charged with drastic cvacuppts that almost turn a
man inside ont. are dangerous The system needs
more vitality. and they PROSTATE 1t entirely. Hos
T. tiers Bttcrs has affinity with the dangerous
eNcltant or the stil more dangerous dcpIcteut. 1t
strengthens and regulates TIA" body and clears the
mind. This IS the whole secret OF It's cures.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
A Memorial Gift,

The round of gifts for a holiday season
is soon exhausted. Books, and Jewels,
and tritles repeat themselves with the re-
turn of every Christmas and New Year,
so that we are weary of choosing from
them. We want to find remembrance
for our friends, having something more
than that temporary value which these
customary gifts possess.
There is a new gift more graceful and
useful than anything that is to be found
in the shops. Its possession is not only a
benefit for life. but it keeps its giver in
perpetual remembrance. 1t is Life In
surance policy. presented on New Years
day by the husband to his wife; by the
parish to their pastor.
Can there be a better commemoration
of this joyful season of the year than
such gift? 1t will bear fruit long after
all other offerings are lost and forgotten,
and it is one which the giver can never re-
gret.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
Animals as Criminals.

In Switzerland we find records of roos-
tiers having been burned. The belief was
there prevalent in the Dark Ages that es-
peci;1ly had black roOsters the capacity of
laying eggs after seven months or year;
from these eggs were developed snakes or
basilisks. Whenever a rooster had the
misfortune to get this reputat on it was
a once cast into the flames, together with
the eggs. A case is recorded in l474 OF
such rooster having been publicly
burned. After the second half of the six
teenth century no further cases of animals
being placed before the court in person
are found, though processes against in
sects continued full century and half
later, when at last people began to see
that such proceedings were of no avail.
That such cases ever happened is not so
surprising as would appear at first. The
peoples of antiquity began by assimilat-
ing animals to mankind: human passions,
thought, and speech were attributed to
them. and Plutarch takes the trouble to
prove that animals were gifted with high
er reason, and that they had the faculty
of speech was view generally accepted,
and fingered here and there down to the
period of the Dark Ages-a vie " that is
proved to have existed by the very ca es
we have here recorded. That the excom-
municatiOn of insects and animals is no
longer in vogue must be considered as
sign oftrue progress. But the story Ofthe
great anathema uttered against the jack
daw of Rheims who stole the Cardinals
ring, is SO fitting that we will close with
it:
The Cardinal rose with a dignified look,
He called for his candle, his bell and his book,
In holy anger and pious grief
He soleInniy cursed that rascally thief,
He cursed him at board he cursed him in bed;
From the sole of his foot to the crown of his
heal
He cursed him in sleeping, that every night
He should dream of the Devil and wake in fright.
He cursed him in eating, he cursed him in drink
ing,
He cursed him in coughing, in sneezing in wink
ing,
He cursed him in sitting, in standing, in lying,
He cursed him living, he cursed him dying,
Never was heard such terrible curse!
But what gave rise
To no little surprise,
M pua ert,eHa fba
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
The Congressional Library.

THE Library of Congress is beginning
to assume national proportions, and is
rapidly gaining on the government libra
ries at Paris and at London, while it is
made more practically useful than any
other great library in the world by the
annual issue of a printed catalogue of its
| accessiOns. With this catalogue-arranged
alphabetically by authors and again by
| subjects-it is an easy task for the fire.
quenters of the library to obtain books on
any subject desired. especially when they
can obtain the further aid of the accom-
plished librarian and his willing assistants.
The practical result is shown by the reg
lister of books taken from the library by
those enjoying that privilege. Fifteen
years ago not more than three out of five
Congressman used the library; now nine
out Of ten take out books, some having
over hundred volumes during session.
Nor can any one visit the library at any
time when its doors are open without find
ing from ten to fifty citizens seated at the
reading-tables, where all can peruse such
books as they may request to have brought
to them from the shelves. The library is
thus thrown open to any one and every
one, without any formality of admission
or any restriction, except that slight bar
rierS exclude the visitors from the book
shelves, and prevent them from taking
down the books without the knowledge
of the attendants.
Bibliophilists find on the shelves of the
Library of Congress much that they re-
gard as precious, although the profane
call it trash, in the shape of formidable
folios exquisitely printed by the ElZevirs,
or the small Aldus editions of classical
authors easily carried in the capacious
pockets of students of the old school.
Many of these antique books, like the
dowagers and the spinsterS who grace the
wall seats of a ball room, will gratefully
repay little attention from the student,
and will convince him that in literature,
as in agriculture, I" the new grain cometh
up from the old fields" The ashes of
Wycliffe were scattered to the winds. but
despotic bigOtry could not destroy Wy
cliffe's Bible. Homer's birthplace and
his burial place are unknown, but numer-
Gus editions of his Iiiad delight and in
terest our heroes and our lovers. Our
legislators ponder over the patriotic SEN
timents of Sidney, our poets read Tas5 o
and Dante, our scholars revel in the writ
ings of Moliere and Cervantes, and our
statesmen, in studying the noble diction
of Bacon, draw - from the well of pure
English indebted" Indeed, the Libra
ry of Congress, with its two hundred
thousand volumes, may well be compared
70 the island of DelOs where the ancient
Greeks and their neighbors used to meet
In peace, forget foreign and domestic STRIFE,
and tremendously join in festivities-for
it is the neutral ground of the national
where learning is domesti-
Gated, and where studiOus men and wO-
men can meet, undistlrbed by the noisy
clamor of mercenary politicians.
Der Harper.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
The COcOa.Nut Palm.

The palm, bearing the common cocoa
nut, attains. in situations favorable to its
growth, a height of from 60 to so feet, but
| rarely exceeds a diameter, at the base. of
| from one to two feet. The roughness of
the bark is caused by the progressive fall
| ing Off of the trends, as the tree shoots
upward. But this roughness and the
crookedness OF the tree flor a straight
palm is rare indeedD are compensated by
| the beauty of the crown. ''Here," says
MIR. Lord. . the graceful, fern-like leaves
may be seen in every stage of develop
ment-the lower tiers dropping, those
| above spreading out feather-like. while
the center stands up plume-like in all its
beauty" The nuts grow in clusters. and
the number on one tree varies from 10 to
200 in different stages of development.
The ''spathes," which are thrown up
among the young leaves of the cocoa
palm, and on which grow the blossoms.
are often nearly four feet in length and six
inches in circumference. In favorable sea-
sons these spathes or plumes of flowers
are shot forth every four or five weeks,
nuts are formed, affording store of food
and drink all the year round. When the
sap of the palm is sought for the manu-
facture OF tOddy, or some other products,
the young fronds, together with the
flower-spathe, are bound together with
ligatures, in order to prevent the devel-
opment of the blossoms; a puncture is
then made at the foot of the spathe with
toddy-knife, and numerous taps admin
istered to the part adjoining the cut, with
the handle, to set the sap flowing; chatty,
or earthen pot, is then suspended in a
suitable position to receive the cool, sweet
juice of the tree.
10 ascend the lofty palm various meth
DDS are employed. and often has the writ
er watched the agile natives swarming up
with rapidity by inserting the great toe
into a series of nOtches cut into the bark
Another method is by casting a band
round both tree and tOddy-drawer, who
then plants the soles of the feet against
the trunk, and literally walks up, ''hand
over over fist They also traverse the
space between the top of the trees on cOir-
ropes, thrown across from one to the |
other. Early in the n orning, before the
sun is up, the toddy-drawer, with mon
key-like agility, ascends the tree. lowers |
down his well-flled pot, which is received |
by a companion, who replaces it by an |
empty one. From one to three quarts is |
the general result of one nights drawing;
but the trees thus treated become barren,
and yield no fruit. Immediately after
collection the toddy is sweet and delicious
y cool, but in the course of few hours
his is changed for an agreeable acidity.
1t forms refreshing drink in this state,
but in uwenty-four hours becomes quite
sour. To-day, when fermented. is made
INTO arrack, a liquor which, being cheap
md fiery, is greatly consumed by the poor
n class of Europeans at Bombay, and is
he bane of our soldiers in the presidency
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
An Intelligent Jury.

At a recent examination, in Chicago, OF
several young men charged with being
gamblers, one of the defendants insisted
upon the inalienable right of trial by jury.
The case was presented, and the jury re-
tired, and after a brief consultation re-
turned to their places:
Are you agreed upon your verdict 20
said the Court.
1--WE is" replied the six just men and
true.
The following verdict was then read:
"We, men of the jury. is in favor that
the prisoner is Free"
The Court-Are you all agreed upon
this verdict?
The Foreman-No, sir. -Four of us are
agree d to it, but another mon and myself
don't agree to it.
The Court-Well, can't accept such a
verdict as that. You must all agree to it.
The Foreman-But, sir, the majority is
agreed. The other two want to fine him
500.
The jury were then further instructed,
and again sent out to deliberate on the
unanimous conclusion. Pending that
time the other prisoners, who by this time
had concluded to dispense with the Jury
in their cases and abide by the deci- sion of
the Court, were examined and dis
charged.
Finally, when the shades of night be-
gan to thicken the jury returned a second
time and took their seats. They were,
evidently, dissatisfied about something,
ard could not conceal the feeling of dis
gust which was plainly pictured on each
cOuntcnance. When asked for their YER
dict the foreman replied:
Your honor, five of us is now agreed
but the other won't agree, and sir, he is a
worse vagrant than the prisoner
The Court endeavored to retain his COM
posture, but was not successful, and was
finally obliged to join the other occupants
of the room in hearty laugh at the ex-
pense of his obstinate jury. He at last
reg@ined judicial gravity enough to dis
charge them. Then, turning to the ac-
cused, he gave him a little fatherly advice
according to his usual custom, and sent
him on his way rejoicing.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
The Polar Sea.

A writer in Mature thinks that the open
Polar Sea must be discovered very soon,
if it is to be discovered at all. He says that
the land is rising everywhere north of the
fifty-seventh parallel OF latitude. and that
the most marked rising is around the pole
itself, so that there will soon be no open
polar sea to discover, if indeed there is one
now. In support of his position he makes
some citations of interesting facts. Piiny
said that Scandinavia was an archipelago,
and spoke of bold seamen who had cir
COMMUNICATED the group of Islands.
sius said in the seventeenth century that
Norway was rising at the rate of forty
inches year. Sir Charles I.yell indo' SEES
the theory. The water level in the Cult
o. Bothnia falls one foot every fifteen
years. Near Gcffe there are low pastures
where old men remember seeing boats
afoat Near Stockholm, seventy feet
above the level of the sea, the remains OF
shcll-fsh identical with the present coast
species are found. AT Sodulege, ninety
feet above high water, there is a bed al
sand which confirms some wrecked boats
and an old anchor. In the interior Of
SpitZbergen, skeletons of whales have
been unearthed above sea level. The fisher
men say that the land has risen so much
that the shaIlownesS of the water has
driven away the right whale, which, once
abundant, il now rarely seen. On the
Pacific, the shores around Bchrng'S
Strait are low and flat, but Il mile or two
back, there are ranges or bluffs parallel
with the coast, and containing innumer-
able shells of the littoral species.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11
A Successful COMPANY.

1t is agreeable to hear our Life insur-
ance companies well spoken of, but we
feel much pride in the remarks of the
New York Insurance Commissioner, re-
gardinG our most enterprising company
The Equitable Life Assurance Society,"
which, he says, ''marks and distinguishes
the commencement of the recent astOund-
ing progress of the business of Life in
surance.''
The Equitable Society took its position
at the head of our companies some three
or four years ago, and has since annually
transacted more new business than any
other new company in the world. 1t has
no longer an equal competitor. Its proud
position is due not only to its usefulness,
security, wealth and lberality, but to the
good will of the people, whose preferences
it has gained because it has answered
their requirements most completely in
everything that pertains to Life insurance.
N. Y. Evangelist