davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
The School Room.

The ringing notes of the school bell
at O o'clock in the morning echo
through every village and hamlet in
the land. With books and lunch bas-
kets, children, little ard large, hasten
their response to its call. They gath
err in rooms Of every size and o! every
grade OF comfort, from the log cabin
chinkcd with mud to the elegant ard
costly structure Of brick furnished with
apparatus and meeting every physical
want. However, the school rooms
NAV differ, the course Of study is es-
sentially the same in them all. The
".hrec RS, reading, riting, and rithmc-
tic" are the corner stones now as they
were in the oldcn time, of good edu-
cation ana teachers Of every grade OF
culture and experience are drilling the
Juvenile mind in fractions, interest.
and square root, in spelling and
reading, in grammar and geography.
The school committee, the trustees,
and the teachers are supposed by most
parents to be quite competent to take
entire charge Of the children committed
to their care, and when once school
taxes are paid, books purchased. and
the children entered, tie parents are
quite ready 10 throw oil further re-
possibility upon the proper authorities.
Little do most Of them trouble them
selves about the teacher whether or not
he is competent mentally, morally for
the task he has undertaken. for have
not ne school committee decided that,
and VINO shall appeal iro'n their dcci-
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
The newspaper Sponge.

There is no NAV so unsuitable as
that Of daily paper. Some persons
don't understand this, and seems 10
think that lust line or two about
their business ought to be published
free gratis, Just for news" and "to
help the town" This is the way a
certain class OF patrons" talk. Now
Of course, there is 4 sentimental! plea
sure in doing good for its own sake.
We admit, too, that we should al re-
eulatc our lives on philanthropic prin-
cipics, but neither generous senti-
ments, nor humane principles aIoue
will make "a paper live" They are
not legal tender, nor will they buy
the accessories Of life. We started out
with the premise that daily paper
was an Unsuitable lcech, crying give
give" If anybody doubts this, every
smart town in America and every flu
ture Chicago can furnish the dcplora-
Die evidence OF the fact from the lips
of 4 score ofdepleted victims OF jour
naliS,ic ambition. We have heard Z
good many gucsscs ut The conundrum
how to succeed in business. We say
use printers ink. But of all mean
men is the .Sfongc. Cfsuch surely is
not the kingdom Of heaven. Live and
let live.
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
a Spiritual" Oil Well.

Mr.. James, spiri;uaiist, Of Clarion
County, Penn, has Cor some time past
been operating for oil under the d.
rection 0: his spiritual guardians. As
the spirits have very considerably
kept from him all knowledge Of the
depth lie would have TO go, he keeps
"pecking away" seeming determined
not to stop until he either strikes oil
or China. In letter OF recent date 20
the Clarion Republican, he says:
Since my last 70 you VIC have had
several mishaps viz: Machinery
breaking, tools getting stac& and drop
ping of in the bottom Of the well
ropes breaking, and a thousand minor
accidents which have retarded Our
progress. The great wonder is that
we have been able 10 run at all, Our
main cable has only six spices in now
with great number Of places that are
now badly worn. Well, we have gone
through vast amount OF "buckwhcat
batter" $50 called) and have come into
sand formation again, which we struck
at 2,o33 Cect-a great increase OF gas,
the top sand was three feet thick, very
hard and close-then alterations OF
thin slate and sand the sand growing
Lighter in color and more open and
each strata o. !ayec Of sand giving
more gas; we arc new about c,o52 frcy
deep the slateSis charged in quality
and gives promise Of being very nea:
if not directly over The heavy sard We
expect to get Ii" oil from.
am Sanguirc now OF rear real
iza.ion ofmy hopes, as I have found
The formations now to compare with
what was described by Our spiritual
guardians exac'.y. The have wisely
kept from rs at all times any positive
depth VIC should get The oil, but have
very truthirIly given us Ike kind and
quality OF rocks we should go through
Had the depth been given Us months
ago, VIC never could have had tie
courage 70 have gone Gil and overcome
the many obstacles.
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
:. doubt-have been made a@ & game Of

:. douUl-have been made ~ < game o.
bluff.
What NC desire 10 impress up on the
owners OF oil Is that they should not
sell any more at present than is ncccs-
sarv for raising money 20 meet current
expenses. And those who have tanks
10 fiji for s!roagc should not wait an
hour before making their purchases.
We are aware that it is difficult to Sc
cure large lots, and !hc oil will have to
be picked up in smaller quantities here
ami there. Let every man who has Il
hundred dollars that nc can spare put
it into crude oil il he can find tankagc
for It. We stand committed upon this
advice, and are willing to accept all
the responsibility attached thereto.
We do not want - see more oil leave
the region At the present low prices
than is absolutely necessary TO meet
temporary expenses Courier.
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
w arm Winters.

It IS customary to forget each winter
weather before the next comes, and to
consider every season remarkable. An
old number Of the Hartford Courant
contains some records transcribed from
the journal Of The Rev. ThoS. Smith,
Of Portland. Maine, kept between the
years 1880 and 1905, which are rem
dered especially interesting by the
present mildness. In 1885 January
was pleasant aud moderate, and Fehru-
airy was summer month";" and in
1888 January came in like April; in
I74o there were but two snow storms !;
February was summer month again
and March the same; in 1851, January
Is the frost was entirely out Of the
ground. February was like spring,
and "the winter ends wonder through
the whole" In 1856, January the fish,
as they are reported 10 have done this
year, "strucf in" from the sea, The
weather being so warm. February
was delightful, and March clustering,
but soft as may. In 1878 Mr.. Smith
records a summer day on January -,
wonderful moderate" the next day and
February 9, "no snow since December
20, wonderful weather. We saw two
robins" In the year IT'S February
Fl the New York Gazette and Post
Boy reports the "last Wednesday the
weather was so uncommon warm that
many young lads went into the river to
swim
These are records, all but one Of
them more than century old. They
notice six remarkably warm winters
within a. period OF forty years, but
coming with no noticeable periodicity.
People who are calling this season
strange above all others. indicative
that our planet has drilted into new
and who arc promising all
sorts OF consequences, from poor crops
TO Second Advent, may bear in mind
that there is precedent for it all, and
that whether the weather is divinely
each day or is a grand Sc
quencc under ordained law which
prayer cannot effect, it keeps coming
and changing hour by hour, and the
peculiar freaks Of a century and more
ago have not resulted in humiliation
yet. Nor has the period between then
and now been ono Of uninterrupted !
iisastcr.-N. Y. Post.
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
The Oil Market.

The expectations which seem to have
been INDUCED in by many during the
last ten days that the market would
soon decline. have not yet been realiz-
cd. On the contrary. prices, though
not rapidly, have gradually advanced,
and the impression is fast gaining
ground that there is good reason for
this advance. One of the best eviden-
ces, which may be relied upon, that
there are to be better prices for oil
from this time on is to be found in the
desperate efforts made BY certain ex-
portcrs TO keep prices down. Ifthcsc
parties actually believe that the market
must break-as they claim-they
would help to stimulate prices for
time for the purpose OF selling short
upon the strong feeling, so that they
could buy in when the decline should
come. Such however is not the case.
Vii the short sales Of refined oil by cx-
Tnr:rrs at late are small and-beyond
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05

"Iohu l'aul" has been brought to
grief by a preposterouS run" OF Gre
Gito:s upon him, and in mcditatirg up
on his own mishap has foand the true
theory Of panics. Hooking at my
position now" he says, ~ don't see
that it differs materially from that of a
good many men engaged in LARGER bust
ness. could keep agoing AZ long as
the tailor and my various other trade
connections would trust me. 1t was
only when they wanted their pay that
| had to fail. They precipitated the
evil BY their senSe!eSs behavior. If
the idiots had not sent in their bills l
should still be trading with them-all
would be going on smoothly. n pam
&c IS simply 4 want OF confidence
brought on by finding out that people
are insolveht sooner than is convenient
for thcm-Sooncr than they themselves
had calculated on. So long as it is not
known that they're insolvent, every
things lovely. lfnobody wanted pay,
there'd be no panics. This is a clear
err proposition by far than the cognate
one that a national debt is 4 national
blessing. What use, then in beating
round the bush and devising long
windcd plans for preventing Panics?
Just suppress he people who want
their pay, and you hit the nail square
on the head at once"
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05

y lawyer in Brooklyn, N. Y, has
4 little daughter, aged four years that
will be one Of the pctticoatcd diplo-
MATES Of the future. Recently, her
mother returning from church, found
her marsha'ing a long array Of her
brothers toy soldiers on the nursery
floor. "Arc you playing with soldiers
on SUNDAY, Louisc!' said mamma.
"Oh, desc arc dc army of dc Lord"
was the quick response Of the;r curly
headed commander.
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05

y country paper eXclaims: "Lives
there a man with soul so dead, who
never TO himself has said, III pay be-
fore l go 10 bed, the Gcbt ] owe the
printer? Yes, there arc some who
know full well, who never such a tale
could tell, but they, fear, will go
towel, the place where there's no
winter"
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05
What Causes Hard Times.

I. Too many spend money and too
few earn it.
:. Too much money is spent waste
fully and uselessly, and too little saved
and made productive and accumnia-
tive.
;. We buy too much abroad that we
ought to produce at home,
:. We buy 100 much that we don't
pay for cash down--too much oCwhat
we buy being wha: we do not actually
need.
We are too wasteful, know TOO
little how to cconomize, and have too
little disposition to 81 SC.
8. We are TOO speculative, uusc'u-
pulous and actually dishonest in our
efforts to make money.
:. Too many Of us prefer idlcneSs to
industry, and TOO few ofuS know how
to work and derive pleasure and profit
from Our labor.
S. We spend to much time learning
what is not useful, and too little in
informing ourselves upon the best
methods Of promoting our material
prosperity.
@. We know too much OF politics,
spend too much time and money as
politicians, and know too little about
political economy and the science OF
stable and economical, successful pub
lie policy.
10. Our actions are governed too
much by passion, prejudice and parti
san feeling, and not enough by broad,
INTELLIGENT, liberal and patriotic con-
ception of the duties which American
citizenship involves.
II, We arc too superficial and i'm
patient, and lack the clear purpose and
persistent, patient application necessa-
ry to permanent success.
II. We depend too much on our
sharpness and 'cuteness,' and readi-
ness to take advantage OF circumstan-
ces, and not enough upon earnest,
honest labor.
Il. We talk and read too much, and
think and act too little.
l.. We spread ourselves over too
great surface, and thus fail TO dig
deep enough in one place Cor tho mug
gets that will surely enrich us.
X. We lack in that higher morality
which frowns down venality and Gle:
vaies and encourages purity OF life,
probity of conduct, and 4 ScrupulouS
regard for good and honorable name.
10. We 20 not teach our children
that they must, nor how TO, earn their
own living, and are too willing to com
nit them to q life Of easy INSCRIPTIONS
ness, depending on their skill as make
shifts, rather than on their solid &C
uuiremcntS as men and women.
y. We roll about too much like
stones that gather no moss, enriching
carrying corporations and specializing
capitalists, and defrauding ourselves Of
the substantial profits Of our own in
dustry.
is. We are dcvo;ecs OF show rather
than substance, and pay homage TO
the glitter Of success which is but a
robe covering filth, ro;tenneSS and cor
ruption-social, commercial and polit-
ical.
10. We build too many churches
and cultivate the christian virtues and
spirit too little; we have too many
schools and too few real teachers; we
ore TOO undivided in certain directions
and not enough so in others; we ad'
here too closely to what we ought to
depart from, and refuse to take hold Of
that to which we ought to cling.
90, In short, we are too much what
we ought not, and not enough what
we ought 10 be.
| - - .
The School Room.
The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-02-05

Book keeping may be taught in a
single lesson in three words; Never
el:d them.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17

CRIME has its compensations, and
criminals occasionally live in clover.
Deer Island, in Boston Harbor ("Dear
ireland" as the Irish call it), is one of
the great reformatory institutions OF
New England, and is the exclusive prop
erty of the city of Boston. It is here
that the vagabonds and petty thieves of
the city are sent to Ievel in the cool
breezes Of the summer season, or bask
in the sunshine in the interior OF the
building in the cold winter. The struct-
ure, fitted up in sumptuous style, hav-
ing ali the modern improvements, with
magnificent farm attached, cost over
half a million dollars. There are at
present on the " Island nearly 1900 in
mates, including 900 men and boys and
200 women and girls. A large majority
are foreigners, and majority Of the
foreigners are of the Irish persuasion
A majority of all who are sent down
once come back again, and Is per cent
become regular customers. The sons Of
rich and prominent men are frequently
committed here on complaint of theil
fathers, to tide them over pr0tracted
drunk. Hundreds Of men and women
vagabonds, commit some petty crime fol
the purpose OF being sent to the "Isl
and" where they find a comfortable
temporary home-Boston Ger. Chicog
Journal.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17

A RURAL SANTA CLAUS.


Oss night when the ground was all covered will
snow,
Old Santa Claus saddled his reindeer to 60
For the hills were SO covered with sleet and with
frost
That heiknew if he went in his sleigh; he'd be
lost.
So he saddled his reindeer and put on his pack
And then he sprang up on the animals back;
Il will tell just here what found out at school
That the gentleman's reindeer, translated, means
male.)
The night was cold one-uncommonly dark
The s.eed was unbroken, and kept crying
"Hark!''
And Santa kept telling himself, all along
That he never found matters SO dreadfully
wrong.
Afar. ora hill, through the comfertless night,
Nh VIC 4perlor windows burst cleaning and
fA$.n q s -.
- . iss;sse siisa> -. ssss Eish -:
For right to that dwelling of course he was bent
He brushed with his mitten the frost from his
chin,
Then pushed the door open and softly stole in;
The little folks sprang from their corners-ha
ha!
And caught the old fellow, and he was-papa!
-Rurat Neao Yorker y
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17
@8 feLEDo THURsDAY, DEcR,saEa H. 1874

hour. AT length the doctor arrived. reaching
the door at the same moment with the terror.
stricken husband, whom also the messenger
hao found and bidden to "go home and pre-
pare for the saddest news" The doctor made
careful examination Of the infant. and
promptly advised the mother to put shirt or
something on the child, SO it might not freeze
70 death. The assembled neighbors one after
another felt Of the water in the kettle, found
it icy cold, and quietly departed.
Scott County.
The total collections Of the Davenport In
ternai Revenue District in the month of
November were s12, ,7S257-of which this
county paid $4,662.57, Muscatine $1,1sl.s2,
and Clinton, Cedar, Jackson and Jones So
9S816.
Mr.. VIM. Scandrett, Of Pleasant Valley, was
seriously injured the other day near Daven-
port by runaway team. One Of the horses
broke his leg in going over an embankment
and had to be killed E.E#
Van Buren, County.
The express Office at Farminxton waa
robbed, the other day, while the agent was at
supper, Of money packages containing 800.
The back door Of the Office was opened by
means Of false key, and the drawer in
which the money was placed broken open.
Wapello County.
Ottumwa is also endeavoring to secure the
location OF the Parsons College.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17

IN a certain town in Rhode Island .ne
narents Of two children, a boy ana ~,
tie girl, died, leaving them to the COY @
charities of the world. A meeting OF 'ne
local authorities was held to decide upon
action that would relieve the town OF m .ne
expense Of supporting the children. Inc
natter was discussed freely, and at an
adjourned meeting, held at 9 priva.e
residence, the children were required z =
he nresent, and this was the way ~
case "a was managed; The boy was 'old ,s y J
Or into an adjoining room' "ne.0 -
would find man asleep, II : cer'ae ~
scribed pocket Of whose clolnlns *a1 IT,
fye.cent piece, which he was to bring .a 10 70
,e .he committee. Tie boy obeyed the o..
der. der The girl was sent to another 1TS fpSm
, where ! woman was sleeping' l.o.,, n
whose os pocket . piece of money Of q schp ~
was wao,1 - he taken. She also obeyea. .D.' .ns
instructions giveaiher, snd tne cnnos sarss
we're ,s sfterward arrested upon .,.s, cn..ss "a
Of petty larceny. tried found gs,..s, ,.o$, sS,
ssntenced - te 70 the State reforma.o., n
scbool during their minority UT
1870 ..esSsnes Pyes;dsns Jssrsas'
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.

Nh q 'e introduced in. the Senate on the
b eons,s uee the Presidents salary to t25, 600;
ha Wass;. ,sss a Government TELEGRAPH line
|la,rnss s'ulhgton to Boston; ameedinE the
~ meses.sss ass OF 1854 and 1896. A memoriAl
trtnn :. from publishersasking q mod
h ! 'he Postal law. Adjourned -.
Connie, House the report Of !. the
|Ad ora..e On Arkansas Affairs was presented
siau NV A. printed. Bills were passed-to
|9Ae np ~ pay Of Bank Examiners; forbid
sAlkl i oels of Congress from acting ss
s against the United States.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17
The Recent Express Robbery on the Kansas
Pacific Road.

LAST evening just as darkness was
settling over the city there came report
OF the robbery Of the Wells, Fargo & Co.
express-car on the Kansas Pacific Road,
which occurred scarcely two hours be.
fore-a robbery SO boldly planned and
successfully executed as to completely
pale any frontier exploit which time has
yet recorded.
The scene Of the robbery is the village
OF Muncie, small flag-station on the
Kansas Pacific Road, twelve miles dis
tant from Kansas City. Yesterday after
noon short time before the train was
due there party of five men rode into
town and deliberately hitched their
horses. As the train came in view one
OF the party stepped out upon the track,
and, untying scarf which he had worn
about his neck, waved it to the engineer,
who at once began to slacken the speed
OF the train. While this was going on
the remainder of the party were placing
railroad-tie upon the track As soon
as the train came to a stop shot was
fired and the engineer was at once or.
dered to the ground and told to uncouple
his engine from the express-car This
he did, but the robbers at once discov-
cred that they had made mistake and
hurriedly ordered him to couple again,
which command he also obeyed. They
then ordered him to uncouple the ex-
press-car from the coaches, which being
done they boarded the car, while por-
tion of them ordered the engineer to his
post and told him to pull away from the
train. The distance gone is not ascer-
tanned definitely, there being some con-
fiicting statements in regard thereto.
Two men effected the robbery. They
presented their revolvers at the head Of
the messenger, Frank B. Webster, and
the contents which hee htee ehss,a safs and deliver
to some 100000
As near as can be ascertained, all Of
the men connected with the affair were
large in stature and powerful, except one
who was rather short, but stoutly built.
They rode bay horses, which seemed to
be in an exhausted condition, and the
entire party were armed with revolvers
and Henry rifles. They were dressed in
dark clothes, and their manner OF execut-
ing orders showed they were alarmed
a nd excited. They made no attempt to
disturb the mail, leaving the registered
letters untouched.
As soon as the train arrived at this
city Gov. Osborn, of Kansas, was
notified of the robbery, as were also the
officials of the railroad, and in less than
an hour rewards were offered as follows:
BY the Wells, Fargo s. Co. Express Com
pany, II, 900 each for the perpetrators,
dead or alive; $1,000 for the recovery Of
the property; by Gov. Osborn, $4,000 for
the robbers; and 5000 for the same by
the Kansas Pacific Road.-Kansas CStg
(Mo.) Times, Dec. 9.