davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Birds as Architects.

In an article on blouse Martins as
Builders. Henry j. Slack remarks: "If
it is said that birds are accustomed to do
the same things in the same way, over
and over again, for years and genera
tiOns, it should be remembered that this
is also true of many races of men. After
any builder creature has formed habit
of constructing its abode in a particular
way, it will most likely continue it until
some change of circumstances renders it
impracticable or incOnvenient, and then,
whatever powers of reason and Observa-
ton it possesses will be exerted toget over
the difficulty by some alteration in the
material or PLAN" The writer then de-
scribes how this has been done by the
martins frequenting the caves of his
house, and adds: ~ may be fortunate in
having my house frequented by more
experimental race of martins than is COM
mon, and there may be an advanced
thinker among them, analogous to the
ref0rmers, who sometimes spring up
among men. l can not, however, venture
to fiatter myself that this is the true ex-
PLANTATION, until hear the result of care
full inquiries in other quarters. All l can
say is, that the martins nests round my
roof exhibit nearly as much variety in
form as the houses of the human folks in
the village below, and reason can
usually be seen for the variations they
display. Open-topped nests have been
found in the most sheltered places.
When the birds abodes have been built
in couples, like the semi-detached villas
in the outskirts of town, the entrances
have been arranged so as not to come too
close together. The distances are sui.
ficient to render coils ions of outgoing
and in-going birds improbable, and l
notice other adaptations of means to
ends.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04

CHICKEN CHOLERA. - Mix corn meal
into dough, making it quite salt, with
plenty of cayenne pepper in it. Give
alum in drinking water.
Snow, OR BRIDES CAKE. - A pound
each of flour and sugar, half pound of
butter, and the whites of sixteen eggs
beaten to stiff froth. Flavor it with
rose.
GRAHAM GEMS. - Mix a stiff batter of
the Graham -four and cold water: a little
salt; some prefer them without the salt
These are fine for breakfast, especially IL
you have nice golden butter and a dish
of honey.
LAMB STEw.--Take half shoulder of
lamb, boil 1t in two quarts Of water for
two hours. Then put in potatoes, onions,
turnips, cut in quarters, two teaspoonsfui
of salt, and pepper to the taste. Ten
minutes before serving put in the dump
lings.
To KEEP LEMONS. Housekeepers
know how quickly lemons lose their fresh
ness and rot. A simple and inexpensive
remedy is to place them in a jar filled with
water to be renewed every day or two.
BY this means the fruit can be kept fresh
and sound for several weeks.
CoCoANUT GEMs.--One cup of butter
three of flour; two of sugar; four eggs
two teaspoons Of baking powder; half a
cup of milk; one cup Of cocoanut; es-
sence of lemon to taste. Care must be
taken not to fill the pans too full, or they
will run over. These are very fine for
tea, fresh.
MUFFrNs--Are very much nicer baked
In the gem pans than in the old-fashioned |
muffin rings. Take the yelks of four
eggs, well beaten three pints of sweet |
milk; two teaspoons of baking powder;
salt TO taste; and -four enough to make
batter; beat the whites to q froth and
add to the batter.
Corn BREAD.-One cup of lard melted
in a pan; stir into this one quart of corn
meal; two eggs; two large spoons of
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
The Little Busy Bee.

A Busy Old Maid is incensed at Sir
John Lubbock for his disparagement of a
virtuous insect and pious divine. and
writes to the London Spectator to ask
whether those same bees do not form a
serious stumbling-block in the way of our
acceptance Of the doctrine of the heredi-
tary transmission of acquired instincts
You do not seem to remember IL. iudpinp
from your remarks, but please. sir. keep
in mind the fact that the bees who ac-
complish all the wonders Of the hive. who
make the h0neyc0mb and the honey. and
provide for the nurture and admonition
OF the Larvae, are, every one of them,
without exception, old maids. The mar
rled women, under the excellent Bee
Constitution, are well and richly provided
for, and now and then take the lead in
public affairs, as Dido, Boadicea, Zenobia
Catherine H., Maria Theresa, and our
own Queen Victoria have done. But the
bees think, like Mr.. Forsyth, that it is for
those who are free from domestic cares to
concern themselves with the ordinary
affairs of the nation, and accordingly we
find that it is exclusively the singie-lady
bees (Mr. BOuverie's failures) who ex-
ercise the franchise of the hive, and even
elect a sovereign when the throne happens
to be vacant. And now, sir, Wilt Mr..
Darwin tell me whence these artisans and
stateswOmen derive their architectural
and political instincts? Is it from theil
fathers? Certainly not. For thousands
OF generations their male ancestors have
been good-for-nothing, loafng drones, who
never turned their antenn@ to an hours
work in their lives. Isit, then, fromtheir
mothers? Still less could this be the case.
for they have lived like so MANY obese
sultanas in their harems, not even attend
ing to the wants of their own babies. In
the direct lines, both male and female,
of her ancestry, a wOrker-bee NAV look
back in vain for grandfather or grand
mother from whom she could have in
herited one of her talents. Only her
maiden aunts---a despised, but most meri-
torious class of relations--have preceded
her in the paths of industry and the arts
OF hymenOpteral life. And after this you
say in your very next article, on Sex in
Education, that "a system which is sue
cessful only with spinsters is in great
part sterile, and does good to one genera
ton, but not to all generationsp Surely
it is clear that the wOrker-bees can not
have inherited their instincts, in any
sense in which the word inheritance il
properly applied. And if they have not
done so, and if this great scaffold of the
doctrine of the Evolution of mind and
morals breaks down in so crucial an in
stance as that of the cleverest of the in
sects, is it not possible that it may also
fail to be the true explanation of those
other instincts in larger beings, which we
used to classify under the name of Con-
science, before we had heard ANYTHING
about the hereditary transmission Of
physical habits ?''
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
JOyless Americans.

Gone of our country women" writes a
grandmother, in late spicy book, "thinks
the majority of our people wear joyless
expression, and have an acrid look of mis-
cry. To my mind it is not only an UNI
true and forbidding picture, but gives a
wrong expression of us across the water.
have been in position for many years
to see the home life of great variety of
families, rich and poor, and l believe the
happy and comfortable homes far out
number the miserable--miserable because
they choose to be. My own early home
was happy one. We had house full of
children, and every innocent amusement,
books, games, flowers, music, ponies, and
a wide circle of young friends to share
them with us, and 1 do not recollect one
'joyless American among them all. We
are an earnest, thoughtful people, but we
enjoy in our own quiet way the blessings
God has given us, and try to make others
good and happy"
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04

sugar, and the same of -four; two tea.
spoons of baking powder; salt to taste
stir into this sweet milk enough to make
a moderately thick batter; bake in the
hot gem pans in hot oven; and If they
are not pronounced splendid, you have
failed to make them right.
QUEENS CAKE.--One pound of -four,
one of sugar, half pound of butter
(that which has lain in jar of rose
leaves is best), five eggs a gin of wine, a
gill Of cream, a nutmeg, half teaspoon
full of saleratus, two pounds of currants,
or chopped raisins. Stir the butter and
sugar to cream, beat the whites and
yolks of the eggs separated v, and after
they and the -four are also mixed with
it, warm the cream and wine together.
and add them, then the salerattIs. and
last the fruit. Frost it, or sift fine sugar
over the top just before it is put into the
oven.
HAM CAKE. "A capital way of dis
posing Of the remains of a ham, and
making an excellent dish for breakfast,
is: Take a pound and half of ham, fat
and lean together; put it into mortar
and pound it, or pass it through sausage
machine; soak large slice of bread in
half a'pint of milk, and beat it and the
ham well together; add an egg beaten
up. Put the whole into a mould, and
bake rich brown.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Tricks in all Trades.

A cattle-dealer arrived in Paris the
other day with the intention of having
his portrait painted in oils. He applied
to an artist near the Madeleine, and in
concluding the bargain, dwelt strongly on
his wish that the likeness should be strik-
ing and unmistakable. The painter
promised that it should beso "Indeed,"
he added, 81 will appeal to the most
disinterested judges possible--to your own
bulldog; we will show him the picture,
and see whether he recognizesyou." Ac-
cordingly, when the picture was finished,
it was brought into the dealers lodging,
placed on the floor, and the dog was called
in. He instantly ran up to the portrait
and began to lick it, wagging his tail,
and showing every sign of delighted af-
fiction. The grateful dealer, convinced
of the accuracy of the likeness, instantly
paid down the sum demanded by the
artist, quite unconscious of the fact that
the counterfeit presentment of his
features had bene we'll rubbed with bit
of bacon.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Goldfish.

What a marvellous influence upon civil
ization and human progress the humble
but nutritious Goldfish has had! He has
| been a mine of wealth to a vast popu-
lation. 1t seems as though good Mother
Nature, fOreseeing the needs of humanity.
had made special preparations for good
supply of this very necessary article of
food for body and brain. She floated her
icebergs, which were filed with the sandy
bottom OF northern seas, down to the
Gulf Stream, where they melted, and,
depositing their debris, formed the Grand
Bank of Newfoundland. 1t was the work.
the slow and toilsome work, of ages.
Every spring, thousands of these bergs.
one-third above the water and two-thirds
below, the upper part clear, sparkling
and translucent, rejecting the sunshine,
and giving it back to the enraptured eve
with that prodigality and brilliancy of
coloring which only nature can afford.
the lower part mixed with the coast bot
tom of Greenland or LabadOr to the ex-
tent of thousands of carloads. came
floating down majestically through Davis
Strait, and meeting the warm air and
warm water of the Gulf Stream, melted
and deposited their contribution, until at
last those immense shoals were formed
where the cod and haddock swarm. And
1t is said that these sand-banks have huge
depressions like vast valleys, which serve
as aquaria, and that when fishing-vessel
is lucky enough to anchor over one of
them, it can fill its hold and deck with as
many as it can carry. For generations
the inhabitants of Newfoundland, and
the venturesOme folk who live on the
coast as far south as Long Island Sound,
get their daily bread or lay up compe-
tency from this never-failing source of
wealth. We have often wondered how
many people on the globe get their living
'ut of and subsist principally on the in
cod.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
An Ancient Hotel.

California holds the most singular hotel
in the world. 1t is situated between San
Jose and Santa Cruz. Imagine ten i'm
mense trees standing few feet apart and
hollow inside; these are hotels - neat,
breezy and romantic. The largest tree is
sixty-five feet around, and contains a
sitting-roOm and that bureau of Bacchus
wherefrom is distributed the thing that
biteth and stingeth. All about this tree
is a garden of flowers and evergreens.
The drawing-room is bower made from
redwood, evergreensand madonna branches.
For bed-chambers there are nine great
hollow trees, whitewashed or papered,
and having doors cut to fit the shape of
the holes. Literature finds place in a
leaning stump, dubbed "the library" If
it were not for that same haunt of
Bacchus, it is certain that the guests of
this forest establishment would feel like
nothing so much as dryads.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Realistic 6 Practice. -

A young man in Niles, Michigan, hav
ing mastered the science of medicine and
surgery, has concluded to turn his at
tention to practical dentistry. In orde,
to enable him to pull teeth without pain
he procured the head of a sheep that had
lately been slaughtered, and 'repaired tc
the brush along the bank of creek
When thus secluded, as he supposed from
Prying eyes, he produced his forceps,
gently smoothed the sleeps face with his
hand, probably to inspire the patient with
confidence, then opened its mouth, laid
firmly hold of molar with his took
hooks" and gave surge that broughtout
the tooth. He then stepped back and
Madam, did it hurt your A man
who was fishing in the creek, not twenty
feet away, did not hear what the sheep
said.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Animal Instinct.

Now that a few enthusiasts have de
voted themselves to the training of fleas
and have pronounced these despised in
sects dOcile and teachable, we need moi
be surprised at anything we read concern
ing the sagacity of the animal kingdom
Without further apology we relate the
following anecdotes--the scarcely vet oh.
noxious rat being the dramatis persone.
A farmers wife in the west of Scotland
remarked that the cream on the surface
OF the milk in her dairy was often inter
fered with. At first she suspected that
some of her children had taken the un-
,warrantable liberty of dipping pieces of
bread in it, but she could find nothing to
confirm her suspicion; and, by-and-by,
she noticed strange little streaks of cream
on the edges of the milk-basins, as if a
string had been dipped in and drawn out
so as to leave mark. At last she dis
covered the secret. The cream was stolen
by rats, which got upon the edges of the
earthenware basins containing the milk.
Not being able to reach down to it, a
depth of several inches, nor daring to
attempt to 60 down, as they could never
have climbed up the smooth surface
again, they dipped in the tips of their
long tails, drew them up loaded with the
rich cream, and licked them. An ar
rangement of the basins, such that the
rats could not get upon the edges of them
put an end to all further depredations of
this kind. Imagine the sensations of the
people whose customary bowls of milk
had been taken from these pans, on learn
ing the secret of the creams disappear
ance! Much less narrowing is the ex-
perience of a family which had a fancy
for rearing ducks, but could not well do
80 on account of rats, which systematic
ally got hold of and carried away the
young ducklings, even from close to their
mother. With view to circumvent the
rats, the maternal duck and her young |
were housed for the night under COOP
which admitted of no opening for the |
lurtive intruders. The rats were not to
be so easily cheated of their prey. On
that the mother-duck and
her family were closely shrouded from in
trusion, they devised pretty plan of en-
cheering, which was eminently success
ul: In the course of single night they
lad excavated tunnel, going below the
outer edge of the coop to its interior, and
hus very neatly, without producing any
Harm, stole every duckling from under
he guardianship of the mother. Both of
hese anecdotes seem to prove that rats
ire gifted with more than an ordinary
hare of instinct.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Ways Of Carrying Babies.

In the Vienna Exposition were num-
Der OF models illustrating the style in
which women of different nations carry
their babies.
The Asiatic Indian woman carries hers
in blanket hanging in front somewhat
below the waist; the Bengalese woman.
with the child astride low down upon
her left hip, and her left arm supporting
It's back. The figure seems quite indif.
erent as to the difficulties in this style of
carrying, which must be highly artistic
performance if done 80 cleverly in reality.
The Egyptian woman carries hers in
stately manner, the child sitting astride
her shoulder, with its hands upon her
head, and without any clothing to speak
of.
The Brazilian woman carries hers in a
somewhat similar manner, also in full un-
dress, it sitting astride her neck.
The Chinese baby is carried upright
upon the back, in a blanket; and the
South African in bag in front formed
by blanket, round the hips of the
mother.
The Lower Australian woman carries
hers by swinging it in blanket over one
shoulder upon her back, while the North
Australian woman carries hers bound up
on board, after the style of candy mod
els in confectionery stores.
The Lapland baby is carried in
sledge-shaped cot, made of leather. 1t
seems to have been chucked in feet fore
most, and then frame tied over the
opening for its face, whether to prevent
it from crawling out, or to keep the dogs
from kissing it, is more than can be i'm
agined.
The most unique style of all is that of
the Esquimaux woman, who wears wide,
boots, and puts the baby, right
end foremost, down in the outside of one
Of them, and doubtless, according to DIR.
Kane's description of her style, carrying
her cooking and eating utensils in the
other.
The North American woman carries
her papoose strapped to board, and that
strapped upon her back by band over
the forehead.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
To Those who Draw Notes.

A man drew a note promising to pay
one hundred dollars He used printed
form, and did not close up the blank de-
voted TO dollars, and after passing it as
negotiable paper somebody inserted " and
fifty" after the one hundred, and
before the printed dollars. The note,
thus altered, got into the hands of an in
nocent party, who presented it to the
drawer, and the supreme court decided
that the maker of the note was liable
for its face, because through negligence
he did not draw line between the
written word "hundred and the print
ed word "dollars." Any testimony that
the drawer might offer to establish the
fact that he gave note for one hundred
dollars must 60 for nothing, as "there
was nothing on the face of the note
showing that it had been altered"
Evidence of an alteration on the face of
the note would have changed the case.
Let this be a lesson to all drawers of
promissory notes. No one can be too
careful in such matters.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
A Praying Insect.

An insect of the grasshopper species
has long had good reputation which he
does not deserve. BY the old Greeks,
many centuries ago, he was called :" man
tis," which means prophet or diviner,
"and in English is known by the name
of the praying insect" In Africa, also,
he is venerated, and by some tribes
worshipped.
He is three or four inches long, and
when he raises head and breast, at right
angles with his body, and clasps the
joints of his front legs, he looks precise
ly like one kneeling in prayer. In this
position he often remains for hours to-
gether, without visible motion. 1t is no
wonder he has received the name. But
he is anything but devout in his habits,
for, unlike other grasshoppers, he is car
nivorous and destructive, eating even his
own species. In the apparent posture of
prayer, he is only on the lookout for
dinner, and when his prey comes, his
praying ends.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
What a Traveller Saws.

Within the last twenty years, the Eng
lish language has spread to an astonishing
extent in the East. This change is occa,
stoned by the number of English and
American travellers who visit the East,
and the use Of the language by the trav-
elers of other nationalities. French,
which until within the past two wears
was indispensable, has been slowly fading
into the background, and is already less
available than English for italy and all
the Orient. was little surprised, in
Rome, at being accosted by native boot
black with, "Shine up your boots?" In
Naples, every peddler of canes, coral,
photographs, and shell-fish knows at
least enough to make good bargain;
but this is nothing to what one meets in
Egypt. The bright-witted boys learn the
language with amazing rapidity, and are
SO apt at guessing what they do not liter
ally understand, that the traveller no
longer requires an interpreter At the
base OF POmpey's Pillar ragged and
dirty little girl came out of fellah hut
and followed us, crying, "Give me ha'-
penny" All the coachmen and most of
the shop-keepers are familiar with the
words necessary for their business, and
prefer to use them, even after they see
that you are acquainted with Italian or
Arabic. The simple, natural structure
of the English language undoubtedly
contributes also to its extension. It is
already the leading language of the world.
spoken by ninety millions of people
double the number of the French-speak-
ing races), and so extending its conquests
year by year that its practical value is
in advance of that of any other tongue.
In the older streets, and especially in the
native bazaars, all is gay, diversified.
Oriental. The faces, costumes, and dia,
lects of Syria, Tripoli and Tunis are
mixed with those of Egypt, and even
groups of wandering Desert Arabs are a
daily sight. l saw several evidently very
much puzzled by large collection of
children's dolls in a shop window; their
faces were an interesting study. But
with what a simple dignity they wore
heir ragged burnnouses! What fine.
'tatuesque grace in every deliberate
movement or gesture! These pictures.
which meet you at every turn, give to
he newer portion of Alexandria, which
architecturally like Leghorn or Mar
eilles, a semi-O Oriental character.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
An Insurance Agent Beaten.

Between Kenosha and Milwaukee, saws
Wisconsin paper, an insurance agent
entered a car, and, having issued tickets
to several of the passengers, approached
an elderly lady, who, it afterwards ap-
peared was deaf
Madam, would you like to insure
against accidents p inquired the agent.
"Fm going to Oshkosh to visit my dar-
ter, who is married up there and has got
baby"
The agent raised his voice a little.
Would you like to insure your life
against accidents p
"She's been married two years and q
half. It's gal"
Agent, still louder:
"Pm an insurance agent madam; don't
you want your life insured against acct
dentsY'
go, didn't understand you," said the
old lady. "No; her name is johnson |;
my name is Evans, and live five miles
from Kenosha."
The agent vanished
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-04
Assert Yourself.

Men are generally taken at their own
estimate by the world. Hence, modest
men never obtain the same consideration
which bustling, forward men does. II
has not time nor patience to inquire rig
idly, and it is partly imposed upon and
carried away by the man who vigorously
claims its regards. The world, also,
never has two leading ideas about any
man: There is always a remarkable un-
ity in its conceptions of its characters of
individuals. If any historical person
has been cruel in single degree, he is
set down as cruel and nothing else, al
though he may have had many good
qualities, all not equally conspicuous. If
a literary man is industrious in remark
able degree, the world speaks Of him as
only industrious, though he may also be
very ingenious.