davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
THE YOUNG FOLKS.
The Fat Brigade.


A rat-a-tat-tat, aud a rat-a-tai-tat!
Did you ever hear music 80 stirring as that?
The chubby old fellows are all on parade;
For this is the march of the Fat Brigade,
With rat-a-tat-tat,
And q rat-a-tat-tat
And rat-a-tat-tat tattool
John is the general and rides at the head:
Sister has lent him a ribbon OF red:
lie ties II around for beautiful sash;
he rides on broomstick and cuts big dash,-
With a rat-a-tat-tat.
And a rat-a-tat-tat,
And rat-a-tat-tat tattoo
Jake is the colonel, and that's very plain,
And he canters along on his papa's new cane;
And his gay epaulets are pink motto papers,
That wave in the wind as he Frances and capeIs,-
With "A rat-a-tat-tat.
And a rat-a-tat-tat
And a rat-a-tai-tat tattoo.
Jim is the captain, and he gallops next;
But his horse is pranksn, that Jimmy is veXed ;
For he rides an umbre la that will not stay shut,
Though he lashes its ribs with slash and cut
With rat-a-rat-tat,
And rGt-a-tat-tat,
And a rat-a-tat-tat tattoo!
Tom is lieutenant-but where is his horse?
Alas 1t was killed IN the skirmish, of course!
So as he can't ride, he walks to the battle,
And cheers on the men with a royal big rattle
With rat-a-tat-tat,
Aad a raf-a-tat-tat,
And rat-a-tGt-tat tattoo!
Joe is the drummer, and gayly he comes,
With the quickest OF sticks the tghtest OF drums
He's prince Of the parchment; he's king OF the taps
And the horses and men keep time to his raps,-
With a rat-a-tat-tat,
And a rat-a-tat-tat,
And "A rat-a-tat-tat tattoo!
These are the boys who are never afraid,
On biscuit foray, a ging erbread raid
They clear the shelves clean whereer they invade,
so beware Of the charge of the Fat Brigade =
With q rat-a-tat-tat,
And "a rat-a-tat-tat,
And a rat-a-tat-'at tattoo
--OlUer 4 WGslslrOrth IN The Nursery.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
HOnnet-PieCes.

The other day, little Wallie Graham
"a great favorite of mine) came skipping
along among the trees, half-singing,
half-saying
My purse with bonnet-pieces store;
To him will swim a bow-shot DER,
And loose shallop from the shore.
wondered what Wallie could mean,
but soon found out. 1t seems that he
was reading the Lady of the Lake. ."
Z" It's just the incest story-poem you
ever saw y he said to boy who was
with him. 81 wish L was a Highland
chief AMI had big brave clan like Clan
Alpine Wouldn't 1 fight King James,
though ?"
OF course l don't even know what
Wallie was talking of, but after he had
told his friend a good deal about it
became almost as much interested as
himself in the story-poem, which he
said was written by the great Sir Walter
Scott.
But" said Wallie, "there are ever
so many things in the poem that 1 don I
understand. Now, for instance, what
are bonnet pieces {? know wouldn't
care 10 swim the length of bow-shot
in the face of enemies, and loose shall.
lop Chats sort of boat for the sake OF
a purse full of pieces of old bonnets.
Would you, now?"
The other little chap told him that he
didn't think he would, but that he
didn't believe real pieces of bonnets
were what Earl Somebody meant when
he offered rs a reward purse full Of
" bonnet-pieces."
The little fellows puzzled good deal
over this as they trudged along; bu
I've since found out that bonnet
piece was valuable coin, stamped OF
one side with portrait of James V. o
Scotland wearing "bonnet-piece -
not lady's bonnet, but a nearly fla
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
The Faithful Boy.

Gerhardt was German shepheard boy;
and a noble fellow he was, too, although
he was very, very poor. One day as he
was Watching his flock, which was feed
ing in the valley on the borders of for
est, a hunter came out of the wood, and
asked
Chow far is it to the nearest vii
lage ?"
"Six miles, sir" replied the boy,
"but the road is only sheep-track,
and very easily missed"
The hunter glanced at the crooked
track, and then said:
"My Lad, am hungry, tired and
thirsty. | have lost my companions
and missed r'y way. Leave your sheep,
and show me the road. l will pay you
WE'LL
CT cannot leave my sheep, sir" re-
piled the boy. "They would stray into
the forest, and be eaten by the wolves,
or stolen by the robbers"
"Well, what of that ?" replied the
hunter. "They are not your sheep.
The loss of one or more wouldn't be
much to your master, and I'll give you
more money than you ever earned IN
whole year. 4"
ct cannot go, SIR" reioined Ger
hardt, very firmly; "n.y master pays
me for my time, and he trusts me with
his sheep. If were to sell my time,
which does not belong to me, and the
sheep should get lost, it would be just
the same as if stole them"
"Well," said the hunter, twill you
trust your sheep with me while you go
b La o,,1 food ~
drink and a guide | will take good
care of them for you.
The boy shook his head. "The
sheep do not know your voice, and
hore Gerhardt stopped speaking.
"Sir," said the boy, slowly, "you
tried to make me false to my trust, and
wanted me to break my duty to my
master. How do L know you would
keep your word with me ?"
The hunter laughed but he felt that
the boy had silenced him. He said
Il see, my lad. that you are good,
faithful boy. 1 will not forget you.
Show me the road, and / will try to fol-
low it myself.
Gerhardt now offered the humble
contents of his wallet to the hungry
man, who, coarse as they were, ate
them gladly. Presently his attendants
came up, and then Gerhardt, to his
surprise, found that the hunter was the
Grand Duke, who owned all the coun-
try round. The Duke was so pleased
with the boys honesty, that he sent for
him shortly after, and had him edu-
Gated. In after years Gerhardt became
a very rich and powerful man, and he
remained honest and true to his dying
daY.-Seiecte0.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
Indians.

The Hon. f. p. Smith, Commissioner of In
dian Affairs, has made his report to the
Secretary Of the Interior He discerns I'M
mistakable evidences of advancing civiliza-
ton among almost all Of the aborigines. At
twenty-one agencies, Indians who. three
years ago, made no effort and showed no in
clination toward labor or education seem now
TO have settled into an earnest purpose to
learn to provide for themselves, and adopt a
civilized mode of life.
The Commissioner Classics the Indians
under three heads, for easier reference
/. Wild tractable only to the extent of be-
ing willing TO take rations and blankets from
the government.
2. Indians actually undertaking labor, and
accepting more or less the assistance and di-
rection OF government agents to this end.
3. Indians with landed estates.
The first class numbers, 89,S19 the second.
81, 429; thu third class about 100000. There
is also fourth class of Migrants, numbering
about $4,000. This would make q total of
2j5, 24S Indians now in the United States.
The Indians Of the first class are as vet I'M
reached by missionary influence and the
superstitions Of their native pagansm fire.
quently forbid their being counted for enrol
ment. 1t is from these Indians that
any such hostilities are TO be appre-
hended ~ would require the presence
or use Of the military. Possibly only from
1000 to 10000 Of these could be properly
designated as hostile, and they are so scat
tered and divided into bands that it is not
probable that over 600 warriors will ever
again be mustered for fight. The Commits
sioner thinks a general Indian war can never
recur in this country. Even the highly dis.
turbed feeling Of the Sioux lately has not leo
to an attempt at war, and military posts nave
been successfully established at Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail agencies in the face OF NO
lent declarations that no soldiers should ever
cross the Platte river. The Sioux hate to lose
their coffee, sugar and beef by lighting. 1t
has also been proven to be cheaper 10 reed
than TO fight wild Indians. The Commission
or deprecstes any lenienc- In treating with
Indian outrages. They should be punished
| AT ali hazards. The necessity Of making war
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
A Clean Apron.


A lady wanted a trusty little maid to
come and help her TO take charge of a
baby. Nobody could recommend one,
and she hardly knew where to look for
the right kind of a girl. One day she
was passing through by-lane and saw
little girl with clean apron holding
a baby in the doorway of small house.
THAT is the maid for me, )" said the
lady. She stopped and asked for her
mother. "Mother has gone out to
work." answered the girl. "Father is
dead, and now mother has to do every
thing" "Should you not like to come
and live with me? asked the lady.
81 should like to help mother some
how" said the little maid. The lady,
more pleased than ever with the tidy
looks of the little girl, went to see her
mother after she came home, and the
end of it was that the lady took the
maid TO live with her, and she found
what, indeed, she expected to find
that the neat appearance OF her person
showed the neat and orderly bent OF her
mind. She had no careless habits !;
she was no friend to dirt but every
thing she had to do with was folded up
and put away, and kept carefully. The
lady finds great comfort in her, and
helps her mother, whose lot is not now
so bad as it was. She smiles when she
says, "Sally's recommendation was her
clean apron :" and who will say that 1T
was not good one?
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
TO CORRESPONDENTS.

All communications for this paper should be ac-
companted by the name OF the author; not neces-
sarily tor publication. but an evidence Of good
faith on the part OF the writer Write only on ono
side OF the paper BE particularly careful in CIV
ing names and dates 10 have the letters and
plain and distinct.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27

A CARPENTER named Hilton died in
Pawtucketville, Mass, from the effects
of the bite of pig received about a
week previously. When the animal bit
him, he paid no attention to the wound
further than to tie rag about it. Some
days afterward the wound swelled and
mortified, and the services of physician
were obtained. but in vain.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27

BosToN has So, 100000 OF church
property, and gave in 1873 for religious
purposes, not including strictly benevo-
lent institutions, over $4,000,000. In
all, Boston gives away more than her
taxation.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27

The other day, little Wallie Graham
"a great favorite of mine) came skipping
along among the trees, half-singing
half-saying
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21

ARADoXEs.-Water thrown in 3
red-hot natalie vessel does not boil,
as we should expect, but quietly g gath-
ers itself together, forming more or
less perfect sphere, and in that condi-
ton floats about gracefully on the hot
surface as it slowly evaporates away.
If at the same time very Vaporizable
substance, as liquor suiphurous acid,
is thrown in, the water may actually
be frozen in the red-hot vessel.
Water boiled in q glass flask until
the upper part of the vessel is entirely
filled with the steam, and then dexter
ously corked before air can gain ad-
mission and placed in cold water re-
commences to boil. The boiling is
produced by cold instead of heat, and
the experiment is known as the ordin-
airy paradox.
If steam from water boiling at 2I2
deg. is passed into solution ofsalt in
water the temperature of the solution
steadily rises, passing 2l2 deg, reach
ing the boiling point OF the solution !;
finally the latter also boils at q tenn
perature as high and even higher than
$50 deg, according to its nature.
Then we have the extraordinary re-
suit of attaining a higher temperature,
say 220 deg. from q lower one, viz:
2I2 deg.
If there is anything in nature that
possesses a positive character it is
light. Yet the physicist may so re-
fleet the light from given source as
to cause it to destroy itself and pro-
duce darkness. In like manner two
sounds may be made to interfere with
each other, and either produce silence
or increased intensity of sound, at the
will of the operator.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
resemblance % that Of any other tribe

Resemblance to that of anyaother tribe
in central Africa.
The country of Mann, or Takkatikat
or whatever may be its correct name,
is reported to be an equatorial table.
land, covered with low, dense thickets
in which the pigmies hide, The Khe-
dive told me that they were quite
warlike, and by no means despicable
foes to their larger negro neighbors.
since they are active as apes and diff
ficult to find among their native jun
giles. DIR. SchWeinfurth supposes
them to be the pigmies mentioned by
Herodotus. The Darwinians will
hardly find the intermediate race be-
tween man and monkey in them
Their curious physical peculiarities,
especially the curvature of the spine,
the wide mouth, with fat bnt distinct
ly marked lips, and the squareness
and breadth of the nestrils are not of
a simian character. In fact, they look
less like the chimpanzee than several
of the tall and athletic negro tribes.
When 1 was on the White Nile, in
1852, the Nyam- Nyams were spoken
of by the people as a frightful race of
cannibals, with tails. No one had
ever seen them, the very name was
terror to the people of Soudon and au
obstacle to the traveller. Now their
country has been reached and partial
ly explored, the specimens of the race.
have ventured even so far as Khar-
toum. The pigmies prove to be
far more interesting than they,
from an chronological point of view,
and we shall certainly soon learn more
of them. l am not aware that any ac-
count of the race has yet been pub
lished in Europe or America.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
SNOW m APRm..

A correspondent of the Hartford
Courant sends diary, keptfrom 1919
to 1874, showing the sneW storms in
the months of April and May. The
table shows that such storms are
much more frequent than they are
supposed. The correspondent says,
too, that in 1882 the stage from East
Windsor came in on runners on the
first Monday in May. The following
is the record as sent, and it marks q
total of thirty-seven days of snow in
twenty five years:
1S49-April Is, rain and snow all
night, inches fell.
1850-April 6, snow fell last night, 5
inches l1th, snow fell = inch.
May q, heavy hail storm.
1S5l-April Doth, a hard northeast
snow storm.
lS52-April 6, snow fell to-day, inch
es, sleighing good; 18th, snow
fell yesterday and to-day, 4 to 5
inches 18th, had sleigh ride.
1S54-April 10Th, snow fell last night
and this morning, over 8 inches; !;
17th showed and hailed all day,
sleighs out. May z, ice made
last night, q inch.
and snow storm snow fell in
Philadelphia, Is inches]. May
3, cold rain, and snow seen on
the hills.
l85S-April 81 cold northeast snow
storm, ground covered.
1860-ApFil 26, snow fell this morn
ing inch.
IS6l-April 2, snow fell last night aud
This hal
travel uses sleighs. May Is and
%, heavy frosts.
1S62-May %, heavy frost this morn
ing.
l863-April A, snow fell 4 inches, good
sleighing.
1853 April 10, rain, snow ana hail
all day.
1S68-April Z, snow fell to-day, 4
inches; 10th. snow and hail fell
to day, 5 inches; lIth, good
sleighing, halftravel uses sleighs
25th, snow fell to-day, 3 inches.
May 9Th, rain and snow fell to-
day the hills are white with
I870--April 4, rain and snow 6, rain
and snow.
lS7l-April /. snow fell, 6 inches.
l873-April II, snow fell to-day, 3
inches.
l874-April 4, snow fell this morning,
4 inches ; 5, snow fell this morn
ing, inch Z, slight snow: 10,
rain and snow IL, snow in the
evening; II, hail, rain and snow
all day; %, little snow this
morning 25, snow all day and
evening 26, sleighs out all day
I Il
snow snow fell all afternoon.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
n1ILKING THE COWS.
BY apELA sTKFENs.
When scattered stars. like BUTTERFLIES,


When scattered stars like BUTTERFLIES,
Hung in the 1loatin g webs of mist
Below the bars of amethyst
That stretched across the western skies,
Whence the young moon, with paling light,
Leaned forth upon the breast of Eve;
Turning reluctantly to leave
Whence summoned thence by dusky Night
Then thro' green lanes slow winding home.
hecattle came. with tinkIing bells
From the thick wooded hills and dells
Where all day long they loved to roam,
How oft do review that scene.
And feel my heart with pleasure thrill
To watch them coming DER the hill
From the wide woodlands edge of green.
While lingering where the broad trees spread
White arches o'er us. as we stand
Building our castles. fair and grand
On shores our feet shall never tread
Laura ana | together wait.
Watching the dust rise thick and brown
AS wagons, home ward-bound from town,
Go loudly rattling past the gate
And following the lazy COWS
With shouts and laughter, gay and shrill,
The children, Flossie, May and Win,
Come waving flags of leafy boughs,
<An0 DOAAAHE sHOAAS AAOAA I'LL anu SlSus
OF flowers, pebbles. leaves and moss;
And garlanded with grapevines. Boss
Tosses her horns to frighten Beu.
Then, with merry tin1iing sound,
The milky streams flow down once more
Until the warm, white foam drifts DER
The pail upon the dusty ground,
As Boss and Daisy. Cap and Star,
Yield patiently the snowy tide
Garnered from pastures fair aud wide,
Where they have roved all day afar
Then slowly down the path we pass
Amid 1he orchards drifting bloom,
Where thro' the evenings thick ming gloom
The dew o'erspreads the waving grass;
And clustered round the gate we see
The eattle's dusky forms outlined
But dimly-whiIe the dying wind
Echoes their lowing dreamily.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
A NEW HUMoRIsr.

"Out of the Hurly-Burly," Max Adj
eler's forthcoming book, contains the
following dedication-:
My original intention was to dedi-
cate this book to the friend of my
boyhood, Azan bin Ghes, the Imaum
of Muscat, in memory of the happy
days when together we played mar
bles in the Oman desert, ducked each
other in the Persian Gulf, and tortured
inoffeusive cats on the island of Kishm
But have changed my mind have
resolved TO dedicate the book TO hu-
morist who has had too little fame, to
the most delicious, because the most
unconscious, humorist, to that widely
scattered aud multitudinous comedian
who may be expressed in the concrete
as the Intelligent Compositor.
To his faculty of perpetrating fell
citous absurdities, am indebted for
g laughter that is worth a hundred
groans. 1t was he who put into
type an article of mine which con-
tanned the injunction, "Do not cast
your pearls before swine," transform
ed the phrase into sEDo not cart your
pills before sunrise" 1t was he that
caused me to quote the poets inquiry,
so that propoundeG to the world the
appalling conundrum, "Where are the
dead, the vanished dead ?" And it
was his glorious tendency to make the
snblime convulsively ridiculous that
rejected a line in q poem of mine,
which declared that sscemet swept
DER the heavens with its trailing
skirts" and substituted the idea that
'scount slept in haymoW in trav-
cling shirt" The kind of talent that
is here displayed deserves profound
reverence. It is wonderful and awful,
and thus offer it as a token of my
marveling respect.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21

CLOSELY following the report of an
earthquake in Wisconsin, supposed to
be manifestation of some unknown
and mysterious power, comes a still
more mystifying announcement from
Des Moines, Iowa, where an uncom-
mon number of ghosts appear to be
holding carnival. A local paper pub
fishes the testimony of a number of
private citizens who declare that the
wheels of sewing machines in their
houses are turned by some invisible
agency, not to mention the tinkling of
bells at unseemly hours, and occasion
al apparitions in the garrets. One
gentleman has dog that sees ghosts,
but whether of man, beast, or book
peddler, is not explained. The ami
NAL will suddenly start from sleep,
and make fierce attack upon some
INVISIBLE foe, frequently following it
around the house. growing and bark
ing terribly. One night last week
prominent citizen was awakened by
music of his piano, played to the tune
of "Robin Adair." His daughter. the
only musician in the house, was abb
sent at the time, and he hurried to
the parlor to see who it was thus
charming the night. Arriving there.
he found the apartment empty and
the piano closed aud locked. Sud-
denly large music-box commenced
to play, continuing through ten tunes,
the instrument being geared for five.
In another house the gas is lighted by
invisible matches. This occupants
have often gone to sleep after turning
off the gas, and awakened to find il
brightly burning. Again it would be
turned off, and at daylight the blaze
would be as vivid as ever. This is a
good-natured ghost, for comparison
of gas bills before this phenomenon
commenced and since its existence
shows no increase in the amount con-
sumed.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
a ruNNY aLIsuNpERsrANpINa.

When the anaconda was on exhibit
ton here, says the San Francisco ALtG,
it was Customary to feed him with n
rabbit every few days, and the reptile
throve on his diet. When the snake
was caken to Sacramento for exhibi-
ton it was uncertain how long the
show would stay but the patronage
of the Sacramentans was generous,
and the agent at once telegraphed for
his snowy posters to abill the town."
The despatch read: "Send 200 cuts
immediately" but when received il
read: 'sSend 200 cats Immediately"
It was little bit OF a surprise to the
agent in San Francisco when he read
the message, but he reasoned that rab-
bits were scarce in Sacramento; and
it was necessary to substitute cats for
the regular provender, so he started
out an army of boys to catch all the
stray cats. BY the afternoon train he
sent crate of rs cats, with letter
saying: 81 send 75 cats by this train,
and will forward balance tomorrow,
but I am afraid that number of cats
will eat the snake, if they get loose,
instead of being eaten by him."
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21

The habit of hanging mackerel on
nail near door to drip, broke up q
match on Essex street, Wednesday
night. The couple got home late in
the evening, and going around back
of the house so as not to disturb the
folks, they sat down on the stoop to
think. During the process, she leaned
her head, in it's new spring hat, against
the house, and became absorbed in the
stars and other improvements, while
he tenderly eyed his boots. About q
half hour was spent in this profitable
occupation, when the young man ielt
something trickle down his neck
Don't weep, julia" he softly muir
INJURED. 81 ain't," said she, surprised.
He looked up, and his eyes rested on
an oozy substance back of her head.
"What's that on the back of your hal,
he cried. She jumped up at this in
terrogation, and instinctively placing
b hand on the back of her head, drew
it away again full of an unpleasant
favored slime. With a shrek of rage
and plssion the infuriated girl tore
the mackerel from the nail, and tramp
led it beneath her feet, while she
snatched off her hat and tore it in
shreds with her livid fingers. The
horror-stricken young man, not know
ing what else to do, jumped the first
fence and disappeared, aud hasn't
been seen since bv the unfortunate
girl.-DanbWgy Netcs.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
A BIG BIRD.

An eagle was killed in Coffee coun-
ty, Ala, a few days since, measuring
eight feet and half from tip to tip.
When first seen it was after a couple
of deer, and now and then would
alight on first one and then the other,
burying his talons in them. The deer
were running for life. A gentleman
out hunting saw them coming, and
when in shooting distance fired
at one of them. The other stopped
and he too was shot. The eagle per-
ched on tree near by, seeing them
both shot down, alighted on one and
went to eating, but fatal shot at that
juncture of the game brought him
down. There are said to be numbers
of them in that section of the country.