davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
Decayed Turnips as Manure.

A valued correspondent furnishes us
with some interesting facts relative to
growing turnips as manures for grain Ii
SO happened that the owner Of the piece
If turnips in question was from home at
the time the first snow fell, and for some
time afterward, consequently there was no
opportunity Of harvesting the crop. and it
was left in the ground, and as matter of
course all retted on the land The fol.
lowing spring oats were sown on the same
piece. which contained exactly three quar-
ters Of an ucre. At harvest the straw was
SO heavy the crop could not be cradled.
and had to be reaped. After threshing
the quantity was carefully measured. and
the yield of good clean oats was found to
be exactly seventy-six bushels, or ut the
rate of trfle over one hundred bushels
an acre. This remarkable crop was again
tested by remeusuring the oats. and as
further proof, also remeasuring the land
The next year the same piece Of land was
sown with spring wheat, and again the
value Of the decayed .urnips was verified
BY large crop of wheat being obtained !;
there being nearly twenty-scven bushels
to three-quarters of an acre For three
following years the continued benefit of
the decayed turnips was very apparent.
The sort sown was the ordinary white va
riety, and the land was not manured. nor
was the crop very heavy, as the turnips
were not sown until July. and never hoed
er thinned out. tie seed was sown broad
cast. and very thin. to avoid expense in
subsequent cultvations As we have many
times before recommended. the land was
narrowed Mt intervals Of about three weeks.
commencing the middle of April. This
mode Of cultivation attacks the weeds
when quite young and unable to withstand
the constant stirring of the soil. Conse-
quenfly, at the time the seed was sown,
all weed seed had vegetatcd aud was de-
stroyed. and hoeing was unnecessary ex-
cept to thin the plants. which in this in-
stance was not done e-Cdnada Farmer.
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28

Gutenberg was not forced to betray his
secret; but it did appear, from the testi.
mony Of the witnesses. that he was occu-
pied with some way Of making books Cor
manuscripts) cheaper than they had ever
been made before.
But Gutenberg was getting on 20 poor
ly at Strasburg, and Inst so much money
in his experiments. that he went away to
Mayencc, which is a German city. farther
down the Rhine. He there formed part.
ncrship with o rich silversmith. named
John Faust. who took an oath Of secrecy.
nLd supplied him with money. on condi.
tiOn that after certain time, it shsuld be
repuid to him
Then Gutenberg set to work in earnest
Some accounts say he had a brother who
assisted him and the Dutch writer's think
this brother may have been the robber Of
poor Lawrence Coster. But there is no
proof Of it; and it is too late to find any
proof now. There was certainly Peter
Schoffer, a scribe. or de-igner. who work.
ed for Gutenberg. and who finished up
his first books by drawing lines around
the pages and making ornamental initial
letters. and filing up gaps in the printing.
This Schoffer was a shrcwd fellow. and
watched Gutenberg very closely. He used
TO talk over what he saw and what he
thought with Faust. He told Faust he
could contrive better types than Gutten-
berg was using; and acting on his hints.
Faust, who was skillful worker in met
ais, run types in mould. This promised
70 well that Faust determined to get rid
Of Gutenberg, aud to carry on tho bust
ness with Schotfer.--to whom he gave his
only daughter Christine. for wife
Faust called on Gutenberg for his
loan. which Gutenberg couldn't pay. and
in consequence he had to give up to Fanst
ali his tools. his presses, and his nn6nish-
ed work, among which was Bible. nearly
two-thirds completed This. Faust and
Scbotfer hurried through, and sold as a
manuscript
There are two copies in the National
Library at Paris; one copy at the Royal
Library at Munich. and one at Vienna.
1t is not what is commonly known as the
Mayencc Bible, but j. Of earlier date than
that.
1t is without name of printer or pub.
Usher, and without date. 1t is in two
great volumes folio, of about 600 pages o
volume.
1t was certainly the frs. Bible printed
from movable types; but poor Gutenberg
got no money from it, though he had
done most Of the work upon it. But he
did not grow dishcartencd He toiled on,
though he was without the help of Schoffel
and Faust, and in u few years afterwald
succeeded in making books which were Us
good as those Of his rivals. Before he
died his name was attached to books
printed as clearly and sharply as book,
are printed to-day .-Donnla G.. Mitchell
an st. Nicholas for April.
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28

During the progress of tbs trial Of the
case Of widow Matthews against tho Ele.
va,or Company. in the Circuit Cour, of
St. Louis, Col Slayback. counsel for ,h,
defendant, conceived the idea that one
Murphy, witness for the plaintiff, WAS n
suitor for the hand of the widow. and on
the eve Of leading her to the altar. Get
ting Murphy on the stand. the lawyer en-
deavored to bring this fact before the jury,
and this was the upshot Of his eBor,.
"Mr. Murphy are you any relation to .hs'
PLAINTIFF"
mo. sir. l am not"
Don't you expect to bc?"
"Such thing might happen"
Now, are you not going to marry her?"
"Im afraid not"
"You are afraid you won't, Ell? Well.
now don't you expect to marry her p
IF my wife should die, and the widow
remain single ill then. such thing
might happen"
The jurors and spectators burst into
roars Of laughter, aud Murphy chucklea
at the cunning manner in which he h.d
drawn the lawyer on. The Colonel hal
nething more to say on the matrimonial
question.
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
Select Roetrp.
A THOUGHT.
BY FATHER RYAN.

There never was Valley without faded flower,
There never WIS Heaven without some little
cloud
The face Of day may fash with light in any
morning hour,
But evening soon shall come with her shadow
woven shroud.
There never was q river without its mist of gray,
There never was u forest without its fallen
leaf;
And joy may walk beside US down the windings
of our way,
When 10 there sounds n f0otstep, and we
meet the face OF Grief.
There never was a sea shore without its drifting
wreck.
And the gol en- beams Of glory the summer sky
that feck,
Shine where dead stars are sleeping in their
azure-nian,led grave.
There never was streamlet however crystal
Withou, a shadow resting in the rippes of its
tide;
Hopes brightest robes are broidered with the
sable fringe Of fear
And she lures-but abyssss girt her path on
either side.
The sha low Of the mountain falls athwart the
lowly plain,
And the shadow Of the cloudlet hangs above
the mountains head
And the highes, hearts and lowest wear the shad-
ow OF some pain,
And the smile has scarcely fitted ere the an
uished tear is shed.
For no eyes have there been ever without weary
tear,
And those lips cannot he human which have
never heaved sigh
For without the dieary winter there has never
been IL year,
And the lcm pests hide their terrors in the
calmest summer sky.
The cradle means the cofin-and the coffin means
the grave;
The mother sony scarce hides the De Proiun-
dis of the priest
You may Gull the faircst roses any May day ever
gave,
But they II wiher while you wear them ere
the ending Of your least.
So this dreary life is passing--and we move amid
its maze,
And we grope along together, half in dark
ness, half in ligh,i
And our hearts are often burdened by the mys-
teries OF our ways,
Which are never all in shadow and are never
wholly bright,
And our dim eyes ask beacon, and our weary
feet guide,
And our hearts of all life's mysteries seek the
meaning and the key;
And Cross CLEANS Ger our pathway-on |,
hangs the Cruci6ed,
And he answers all our ysarning by the whis-
per-"FollOw me.''
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
TOWN. 49,
Progress in Telegraphy.

There seems to be no limit to tho uses to
which telegraphy and electricity may be
applied. II is doubtful whether even
Morse himself ever anticipated one half Of
the useful results in art, commerce, and
manufactures in which telegraphy and O.
lectricity figure rs principle agents. The
telegraph is every day sending messages
to the four quarters Of the globe; it is
used 10 the policy system. and in the fire
departments. and recently an exhibition
was given ut the Patent Office in Wash
ington, when an inventor made batch Of
butter in few minutes by the aid of elec-
tricity. The newest feature of telegraphy,
for the past two years in operation in New
York, Brookly, aud other cities, is known
as the district system" From each dis
trict Office radates in all directions, ex-
tending to circuit from quarter to one
third Of mile. telegraph wires having
their termini 10 the houses and places of
business Of sui bscribers to the institution.
These are attached to n small trlegraphic
instrument. placed in each house. by
which cure ut Of electricity is sent. on
pressing lev Or. to the Office located in
the district where scut, which current
rings bell in each Office, indicating the
number Of the house or place where it
came from. According to the character
Of the signals the manager or operator on
duty in the Office responds. II the signal
is for a messenger, off starts boy on the
''double quick" to see what is wanted !;
possibly it may be message, parcel. or
to perform any service required BY this
system pers"n can for less money per
day than would purchase Havana cigar
have above his pillow the means o. calling
a messenger 10 carry letter, or have the
power of sum moning the police force of
his district to protect him from the burg
lar and the thief, or in Eve seconds to
summon the fire department 10 guard his
house from the frey element.
The luxury and use of such an instru-
mentality cannot be fully appreciated at the
first thought and all this at the trifling
cost Of s. 5U per month-a mere bcgatel-
lie to the advantages enjoyed. The cost
of placing the wire and instrument in the
building to be benefited is borne by the
company owning the wire and instrument
As an Illustration of the services perfnIm-
ed by the Brooklyn District Company the
past twelve months are the following :
| 727 houses of subscribers have been found
insecure by the night patrol. l3 fire calls
have been answered, 10 drunken servants
taken care Of. . mad dogs and ! injured
horse shot. burglar and three thieves ar
rested besides 6 burglar alarms answered,
(another signal and by which the noe
'nrnal providers were probably frightened
away.
Mr.. Sheppard. of New York. is now in
BaltiHore to introduce the new system,
and to describe its origin and success in
other cities. Arrangements have already
been made to put up the new apparatus
in the Carrollton Hotel in this city -
baltimore San.
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
A Sad Story.

A little boy having heard beautiful
story about little boy and hatchet. and
how. because the little boy wouldn't tall
a lie, he in ti.na, got to be the President
Of the United States, was very much in,-
pressed by it. Now. it SO happcnrd that
on the last day If March. I've was just ts,r
years old. and his father asked him what
he woukl like to have for a birthday pres
ent. Very naturally the buys answer
was. "A little ha,chet, if you please.
papa"
The father bought him little batchct
that very day. aud the b"y was 50 delight
ed that he actually took it to bed with
him
Early the next morning be got up.
dressed himself, took bis little hatchsr
and went out into the garden. There. N
luck would have ia, the 6rst thing ihst
caught his eye was his fathers favori,c
cherry-trsc. My eyesy" exclaimed the
little boy to himself. ''what time my
father wonld make it fellow were to cut
that trec..'' 1t was a wicked thonght. for
1T led him into temptation. There was
the tree-tall, straight and fair-s,andi *
invitngly before him, just the thing far
IA sharp little Ratchet. Aud there was .h-
Ratchet. t.--stroOg. sharp and shining
just the thing for favoritc eharry-tr
In another Instant the swift strokes of an
axe were heard 10 the still morning 1ir.
and. before long. small boy was sesn
running toward the house. His father
met him at the door.
my boy, what noise was that I heard
just now? Surely you have not been as
my favorite chcrry-iree -
The boy stood proudly before him. ous
with downcast eyes and flushing cheeks.
Father" he said. Il cannot tell a lie-
That chcrry-trce is So"
"Say no Wore." said the father, extcnl-
ing his arms. You have done wrong. my
son; and that was my fagorite tree bur
you have spoken the ruth. l forKiys
you. Better To-"
This WINS to- much. The boy rushed
into his fathers arms.
"Fa'her!" he whispered, "April t;m't
I haven't touched the ehsrry.trce; bu, !
most chopped the old apple, stump to
pieces
"You yoang rasc !, you crisd ,hs
father, ''do you mean to ray you hare n't
chopped my cherry-trec April-fool your
old father! will you? Take of your coat.
| sir !"
With a suppressed sob. that little boy
obeyed Then shutting his eyes. he felt
his fathers hand descend upon his shrink.
ing form.
my son." said the father. sclemnly,
as he stroked the little shoulder. ''it is the
First Of April. Go thy way."-From
.Jack. in.he-Pulpit. st. 4Ncholas 70,
Apra
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
Who Printed the first Bible?

In the year 1920 there was living in
the city Of HARLEM an old gentleman,
who kept the keys Of the cathedral, and
who used, after dinner, to walk in the ia
nous wood that up to this time is growing
just without the city walls. One day,
while walking there, he found a very
smooth bit of beech bark ,on which-as be
was handy mau with his knife--he cut
several letters SO plainly and neatly that
after his return home he stamped them
upon paper, aud gave the paper to his boy
as u "copy."3 After this seeing that the
thing had been neatly done. the old gen.
tleman-whose name was Lawrence Cos.
ter-fell to thinking Of what might BE-
done with such letters cut in wood. By
blackeniug them with ink. he made black
stamps upon paper; and by diut Of much
thinking aud much working. he came, IN
time, to the stamping Of whole broadsides
of lstters-which was really printing
But before he succeeded in doing this
we'll, he had found it necessary to try
many experiments, and to take into his
employ several apprentices. He did his
work very secretly. aud enjoiaed upon his
apprentices to say nothing Of the trials he
vas making But u dishonest one among
them. after time. ran off from Holland
into Germany. carrying with him great
many of the old gsntleman's wooden
blocks. and entire pages Of book which he
was about to print
The Dutch writers credit this story and
hint that the runaway apprentices was
John Faust. or John Gutenberg; but
the Germans justly FAY there is no proof
of this. 1t is certain, however, that there
was Lawrance (Custos, Of the cathcdral)
who busted himself with stamping letters
and engraving. His statue is on the mar
ket-place in Haarlen, and his rough look
ing books are, seme Of them. now IN the
Estate House" of Haarlem. They are
dingy, aad printed with bad ink, aud
seem to have been sfrlck from large en-
graved blocks, aud not from movable
types They IRE without any date. but
antigua ians assign them to period some
what earlier than any book Of Faust. or OF
Gutenberg. who are commonly called the
discoverers of printing.
john Gutenberg. at the very time when
this old Dutchman was experimenting
with his blocks in Holland was also work !.
ing in his way. very secretly. in h.us,
that was standing not many years ago in
the ancient city Of Strasburg. He had
two working partners. who were bound by
oath not to reveal the secret of the arts he
was engaged upon. But one OF ,hos,
partners died and. upon this, his heir,
claimed a right to know the secrets o
Gutenberg. Gutenberg refused. and
there was trial of the case, some account
Of which was discovered more than three
hundred years afterward in an old towe,
Of Strasburg.
This trial took place in the year 1880
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
Distances in Colorado.

A correspondent in Georgetown, Col i.
vouches for the truthfulness Of the follow
ing:
1t is we'll known that in high attitudes,
owing to the rarefed air, objects are visi-
BILE at great distance; and from the city
Of Denver, the Rocky Mountains. .althoug gh
some sixteen miles distant, seem but very
short way off. An English gentleman. a
tourist, came in on the Kansas Pacific
train one morning. fresh from the old
country, stopped ut the Inrer-Ocean Hotel
iu Denver, ,and soon made the acquaintance
of two Of the "old citizens The Brit.
isher was captiva,ed with tho appearance
Of the mountains, and suggested to the
two "old citizens" that, as the mountain
range was such very short distance Fl on,
the city. they should all take walk to it,
and return in time fer dinner. The two
cold citizens" saw chance for some fun,
aud Immediately consented The tri,
started west. aud walked toward the noun.
tains for some two hours and half, and
the mountains seemed as far away us ever
The Englishman was good walker, and
kept little in advance Of his friends. Fl
nally they snw him deliberately sit down,
as he came to small i'rigating ditch per.
haps two feet wide. and begin taking of
his boots and stockings. When they came
up to where he was sitting they asked him
in some surprise. what he was doing thai
for, The Englishman said he was guins
to wade the stream. Both the "old ci,i.
sens," loeking at him in establishment
asked him why he didn't step across it.
"Step across it y replied this Britishel
-"siep across it! Not l. What do
know about distances in your blarsted
country ?"-EDlToR's DRAWER. in liar
per's Aidgazine for April
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
LETTERS
To the Boys and Girls Of the Middle
town Academy, Delaware.
LETTERS
No XII.-CLosINo.
BY REV. JOSEPH WILSON.

My Young Friends II have directed
your attention to variety Of subjects
which thought worthy Of your approba-
tion, and that are to have great influence
on your future lives and happiness.
With some Of those subjects you will b.
more or less familiar in the course of your
education. aud hope you will improve
the few hints that | have placed before
you.
cannot close this short series of letters
without few wo ds on another subject
that think Of more importance to you
than any which have mentioned and that
is personal piety or religion.
However important human learning may
be (and its Importance cannot well be over
esti,Dated) yet it must be acknowledged
that divine learning or the knowledge and
service Of God is infinitely more important
since the value Of the soul infinitely tran
scends that of the body. and eternity i'm
mcasurably exceeds the momentary lapse
Of time. To know God is the highest Of
all knowledge, to serve God the noblest Of
all service, and to enjoy God the most de-
lightful and permanent Of all enj"yments.
The knowledge of God-the nature OF
his service and the blessedness thereof
are to be learned from the Bible. in which
God has revealed himself to the world
through the mediation and incarnation OF
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Gods
language to each Of you is" My son Cor
NY daughter) give me th ne heart" "Be-
lieve On the Lurd Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved"
Young persons are too apt to neglect
religion. from mistaken idea that it will
destroy their youthful pleasure and make
them sad and gloomy. This is contrary
to the experience of all those who have
remembered God in their youth" and
b,cnme the followers Of Jesus Christ.
What pleasure eau equal that of having
God for our father and Jesus for our Sa-
viour aud friend in this world, aud the
joyful hope of having Heaven for our cter-
nal home?
All the pleasures Of earth are unsatisfy-
ing and transient, but those of religion
are substantial and eternal. If you neg
lect religion while you are young, tn,
probability is that you will continue t..
neglect it as you advance in life; and i,
should incline you to attend to it now be-
cause promises are made to the young hui
none to the aged. God says. Prov viii
II, II love them that love me /; aud those
that seek me early shall find me-
Should I have the pleasure Of visiting
Middletown again. Gas l hope l may) il
will afford me great delight to find you al
in good health, increasing in knowledge
and accomplishments, and walking in the
pleasant ways Of virtue and religion. E.
comfort to your parents and friends, and
an ornament to society. God bless you all
Farewell.
Middletown transcript., 1874-03-28
99ritultural.
SEading In The Garden.

To do the work with the least labor,
the spade must be sharp and bright, and
not too heavy. In working. the slices
should not be more than three to four in-
ches thick, and the digging should be per-
formed with as little expenditure Of
strength as is compatible with thorough
work. In digging, the trench liue should
be kept perfectly straight. and the freshly
dug earth kept fur enough back from the
trench to allow the spade slice to be lifted
without striking the opposite side Of the
trench from where the workman is orer-
ating.
10 digging, after the slice is cast from
the spade. the tool should be allowed to
fall to the e,rth from its own weight.
simply being directed to the edge Of the
trench. Then draw back the spade to its
proper position for taking the next slice
allowing it to enter the earth ut such
angle as is most convenient to the opera
tor. using the foot or the thigh for the
thrust, according to the depth required
and The tenacity of the soil. Bear down
on the handle to loosen the spit. and at
he same time. with slight lift and n
turn Of the wrist, the spadefull is turned
down, just where it is wanted. This is
followed by tap with the corner Of the
spade. IL break and level the surface. if
necessary; little observation and judg
ment enable the workman to complete his
work so that but little after-raking is ne
cessary. on ordinary soils, to level the sur
face.
Many persons in digging worry them
selves needlessly by taking the spit as it
is called too straight. AS stated before,
it should be at such an angle as is most
convenient, the workman standing nearer
to or further from the trench according to
the required depth Of the tillagc.
Ano'ker point to be observed is. in dig
ging about shrubbery plants ar :rees. dig
lightly. more and m"re s" as you approach
the plants; and away from and around
them, rather than teward them. thrusting
the spade, or better, digging fork, very
obliquey, thus avoiding injury 20 the
roots.
Ih the fall of the year, when the soil is
to be left for the winter, the surface should
he left as rough as possible TO do this
easily the spade should carried up at such
an angle as simply to allow the earth 10
slide gently therefrom. - Western Rural.