davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
An Indiana Farmers History

On Tuesday we were driving by the residence of William Fleet, of Eden township, and we spied MT. F- sit ting by the roadside on the fence, un- der the shade of a large maple tree, smoking his pipe. We said, "Taking comfort, MT. Fleet ?"
 "Yes," said he, "I am enjoying the shade of @ large tree, which, forty years ago, trimmed with my jack-knife one day while I was at work splitting rails at $11 per month. They were clearing up the ground, and cut down many very handsome little naples, when selected this tree and requested, as it stood in the fence row beside the road, that it be left standing to remember me by. It was then not thicker than my wrist. I was then poor boy, and worked out for iving."
 MT. Fleet then gave a sketch of his adventures in Indiana, and his ex. perience among the Indians, in his joking way. How he entered 1000 acres of land on the Pottawottamie re- serve, and afterward traded half inter- est in it for one hundred acres where his residence now stands, and how af- terward he wanted to sell it and couldn't, and then how he shouldered his ax and waded into the forest and felled the timber on twenty acres.
 The relation of this bit of personal history was interesting, and more so since we know that forty-three years after MT. Fleet trimmed that little maple tree, while he was mauling rails at the small wages of $11 per month, he sits comfortably smoking his pipe under the same tree, which is now more than two feet in diameter at the trunk, and surveys over HOO acres of we'll improved and fertile land, worth $100 per acre. He does more he counts his focks by the thousand and his herds by the hundred, his bushels by the thousand, and his wealth by the hun dred thousand. All the result of hard labor, honesty and economy. All in forty years.-IE6tn, O., Star.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Plated BaSuUeS.

The side -plaited basques, says a fashion journal, so easily made that ladies make them at home, gre now seen on many handsome suits of camel's-hair and silk. Plaid, checked er striped camel's hair is chosen for the plaited waist and overskirt, while the sleeves and lower skirt are of silk. Shaded brown and gray plaids are usually associated with brown or black silks, but the stylish innovation is to use bottle green, navy blue, or violet silks for this purpose. For instance, anovel combination is ecru plaid camel's hair for the plaited basque and long apron overskirt with sleeves and skirt of dark myrtle green that is almost black. The long basque has eight side plsits in front and back, and is finished on the edge with thick cord of green silk. The green silk sleeves have three bias bands of plaid around the wrist, also corded with green. The standing collar is green silk outside and plaid within. The deep overskirt is merely corded with green. The lower skirt has two side plaitings for trimming. A green silk belt is worn around the waist, and green silk bow at the throat. The fine lingerie is hem- stitched the hat is ecru felt, with dark green cocks plumes; and gloves of undressed kid complete one of the most tasteful yet plain and simple toilettes seen on Fifth avenue this season.
 Black cashmere is also made in side plaited basques, and worn with an overskirt of the same edged with jet fringe. This makes pretty home toi- lette for morning, and can be completed by any partly worn black silk skirt re- trimmed with single founce of cash mere edged with side plating of gros grain.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
An "Army Worm. :"

! A correspondent of paper recently called attention to phenomenon which has greatly excited his curiosity and which he refers to as something entire ly unheard of. This, which he calls a combination snake or army worm, '' he describes as at first sight resem- bling snake ten feet in length, taper ing regularly from the middle toward the head and the tai, and moving along slowly. Supposing it to be a serpent, he was astonished to see the creature, on reaching a stone, divide sometimes into two or three heads, which were subsequently, reunited into the origi. nal snake. On examining this pecu- liar body more closely, to his astonish- ment he found that 1t was composed of small worms, about three-eights of an inch in length and about the thickness of 8 pin. One of these constituted the entire extremity of the figure then two or three Tapped on to it for two- Tapped others, increasing the thickness of the "snake" until it became about the size of 8 mans thumb in the mid de, and tapering off toward the other end in 8 similar manner.
 4AAS OOJcCbs 61vAOuSu 1dGcS AS Oy uO means unknown to naturalists. It's oc- currence is more frequently recorded in Europe than in the United States. It consists in reality of the larvse of an in- sect, of the order of flies, probably be- longing to the genus Sciara of the My- cetophilidos. Prof. Cope has paper on the subject in the proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences for 1868. and it is frequently referred to in European works, espe- cially one by Max Nowicky, Der Kopa- liner Heerwurns, Brune, originally published in volume six of Terhand- lssng,1,s Nut,1rtorsche,s1er Verein, at Brunn. This phenomenon belongs to the series of mimetic resemblances so common in the animal kingdom, and has doubtless an important function in preventing attacks upon the defense less larvm in their movements from place to place, birds or other enemies being deterred by the eapparent presence of a large and dangerous serpent.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
ALL HALLOW EVE.
How It was Celebrat ed In Olden Times 1.-The Way tho Boy of the Period Doea It Up Now.

How It was Celebrated In Olden Times
 1.-The Way tho Boy of the Period
 Does 1t Up Now.
 Not a great many years ago it was the custom of the people to keep the evening of Hallowmas or Ballow eve, the last night in October, as festal night. The belief that that was the night on which fairies, witches, the devil and such like held their carous- als, coupled with the desire of reering into futurity, 8 desire which is charac- teristic of man in his ruder state, made it night on which various charms and spells were resorted to for that purpose. Even at the present day:
 Some merry, friendly contra folks, Toge ther to convene,
 To burn their nits. and pom their stocks, An haud their Hallow cen.
 Burning nuts is a famous charm. A l youth and maiden are named to each particular nut as they are laid in the fire, and, as they burn quietly together or start from beside one another, the issue of the courtship will be. Another custom used IS the taking of an ordinary washtub and filling it nearly full of water, and placing there in a considerable number of nuts, apples and pennies, which done, the company dive their heads in the water and get whichever of the three they can without the assistance of their hands. The trial causes great laughter to the lockers on. .-....
 Another is, take lamp and go alone to a looking glass, eat an apple before it, the face of your conjugal companion to be, will be seen in the glass as though in the act of looking over your shoulder. ..
 Still another is, take three dishes, put clean water in one, foul water into another, and leave the other empty. Blindfold person and lead him to the table on which the dishes are set if he dip his left hand into the clean wa ter, the future wife will come to the bar of matrimony a maiden if in the foul, 8 widow; if in the empty dish, it fortel.s with equal certainty no mar riage at all. It may be repeated three times, and every time the arrangement of the dishes must be altered.
 Burns has this to say of the sport Wi merry sangs, an friendly cracks, | wat they did na weary;
 | An unco' tales, and funnie jokes, Their sports were cheap and cheery. The principal observers of Hallow eve, however, are the small boys they | do it in this wise: Take 8 cabbage stalk, or even 8 whole head, go to a neighbor's door and beat against ii until the household are aroused or the cabbage battered into fragments. Another way the little fellows amuse themselves is to get about half pound of four, and then congregate together and throw the four into the air, leav- ing it to fall wherever it will.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Holding Wheat.

The Minneapolis (Minn.) Afail says that this is the first year in the history of Minnesota when so many of her farmers have been able to hold back their wheat for 8 winter or spring rise. They have often desired to do so, but they have been cramped for funds, mortgages pressed for relief, and they have usually been compelled to market their crops as soon as money could be obtained to move them. This fall is an exception. The price fell about harvest time and although there is money enough to send the crops forward by lake, very much is still detained in first hands, by advice of the flying videttes of the grange, whose duty it is to watch the market. The latest report is that the English crop was smaller than was supposed, and Great Britain will need more than usual.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
CIandestine Marriages.

Of ninety-nine cases in hundred the girl who consents to be privately married gives herself cause for lifelong regret. Even though her parents over- look the escapade, and receive her again into favor, the man she marries never forgets the fact that disobedient daughter seldom makes an obedient wife, and the first matrimonial quarrel is apt to betray his private opinion on the subject. Yet, reprehensible though stolen matches may be, the absolute cruelty which parents too often display barbarous. For instance, merchant, ascertaining that one of his clerks had privately married his daughter, mere school girl, immediately disowned the misguided child and, not yet content, discharged the clerk on accusation of theft. Now, the unhappy fhusband is out of work, his character gone, staring pltiless poverty in the face. Do you think that love will finger by their fire less hearth Another story of the same kind is told of a wealthy, retired down. east ship captain. A young man, a thorough sailor, had just secured his ship and at the same time secured the hand of the retired captains daughter, against the will and protest of the father. It was 8 pure love match, but the father was so indignant at it that he put forth every effort to have his revenge. He had 1t. Possessing in- fuence, he drove his newly found son- in-law from h1s ship, and following him, drove him from the employ of the company, and still following, prevented his getting employment even as g mate. The result was the young captain took to drink, first neglected and then abused his wife. She clung to him as long as she could, but finally was driven to the grave, dying still young, of broken heart. The father had hIs revenge, but it could have brought little comfort to his heart. The acute reader will perceive that the moral of th1s article is two-edged.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Can It be True 2

Within the last few months a con- siderable number of persons have called upon Dr. Walker, the roprietor of the popular medicine known as Vinegar Bitters, and assured him that, in their belief, his preparation is an infallible antidote for rum and tobacco. The minute details which have been fur nished him forbid him to doubt tho accuracy of the statements. This new claim of great remedy to the confi- dence of the public will give vast and well-deserved impulse to it's popularity. Heretofore the bitters have been receg- nized as 8 pure vegetable tonic and corrective, devoid of alcohol, and thoroughly adapted to the cure of stomach and bowel complaints, nervous disorders, bilious affections, muscular diseases, and, indeed, majority of the ailments within the reach of medicine {; but if it will also cure the craving for liquor and tobacco, philosophers, states men and theologians ought to unite their voices in it's praise. Gan the good news be true? It is easy to test the question. .-~Cona.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
The Broken.Hearted Mother.

There dwells in this city, says St. Louis paper, 8 lady who in all respects seems sane and sensible woman. She lost five years ago an only daughter of great promise, seventeen years old, and the idol of the mother. Since her child's death she has had the room she used to occupy cleaned daily, and the untouched bed pulled to pieces and made over. She sits before vacant chair at the table and carefully fills the unused plate, and in spring and fall buys the newest and prettiest things for "Addie," giving away the last years garments, "Addie having done with them. There is no appearance of mental gloom or disorder about her. act of her life. Riding out, no one filed by the imaginary air-drawn daughter. When seats are taken at a theater her husband always gets three. You see the vacant chair between them, where she supposes the dead "Addie " sits and views the performance. She is cheerful and happy, and asked a friend of ours the other day for the pattern of a wrapper, saying "Addie " kept her room so much it would be serviceable, and we saw the poor mother several days later busily braid- ing a cashmere sack for "Addie." She will speak with perfect nationality for hours on all subjects, but suddenly excuses herself, saying she must go to "Addie" for few moments. Sitting beside the empty bed (to which her daughter was confined for two years before her death) she clasped an unseen hand and talked for hours together to her phantom child.
 It is 8 strange case, but by no means sad one, since her tender ministration to this viewless "Addie" makes the mothers heart rejoice. To all intents and purposes the daughter seems to her to be with her constantly. Her husband contemplates taking her abroad, and the lady is already packing up "Addie's things.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Josh Billings on Hotels.

Yu will diskover the following de- skripshun a mild one ov about 9 out ov 10 between the Atlantik and Pacifik Oshuns, akrost the United States in 8 straight Inc:
 Yure room is 13 foot inches by g foot 7 inches, parallelogramly.
 It being court week Gag usuaD all the good rooms are employed bi the law yers and judges.
 Yure room iz on the uppermost floor.
 The carpetiz ingrain-ingrained with the dust, kerosene ile, and ink-spots of four generashuns.
 Thare iz two pegs in the room tew hitch coats onto, one ov them broke oph, and the other pulled out and mis- sing.
 The buro has three legs and one brick.
 The glass tew the buro swings on tive pivots, which hay lost their grip.
 Thare iz one towel on the rack, thin, but wet. The rain-water in the pitcher cum out ov the we'll.
 The soap iz az tuff tew wear az whet- stone.
 The soap iz scented with cinnamon ile, and variagated with spots.
 Thare iz three chairs, cane settlers ]; one iz rocker, and all three are busted. Thare iz matchbox, empty.
 Thare iz no kurtin tew the windo, and thsre don't want tew be enny; yu kant see out, and who kan see in?
 The bell-rope iz cum oph about six inches this side ov the ceiling.
 The bed iz a modern slat-bottom, two mattresses, with one cotton and one hr7c nd hot ou thick az sea- -biskitt.
 Yu enter the bed sideways, and kan feel every slat at once, az eazy az yu could the ribs ov gridiron.
 The bed iz inhabited. Yu sleep sum, but role over a good deal.
 For breakfast yu hay gong and Thy koffee too kold tew melt butter, fride potatoze which resemble the chips 8 two-inch augur makes in it's journey thru an oak log.
 Bread solid beefstake about az thik az blister-plaster, and so turf as 8 hounds ear.
 Table covered with plates, a few scared to- death pickles on one ov them and 6 fy-ind dorsed crackers on another. | A pewterinktom castor with three bottles in it, one without enny mustard and one with two inches ov drowned flies and vinegar in it.
 Servant gall, with hoops on, hangs round yu earnestly, and wants tew know if yu will take another cup ov koffee.
 Yu say, "No, mom, I thank yu," and push back yure chair.
 Yu haven't eat enuff tew pay for pick ing yure teeth.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
A Smart Boy.

The Knapp Brothers publish the St.
 Louis Rep,tbHcan, one ofthe wealthiest papers in the West. The Kpapps have standing order which Hyde, the man. aging editor, has to enforce, and that is to discharge any man from the paper who should wilfully attempt to perpe- trate a joke in 1t. The Knapps had 8 serious community to deal with, com- munity that would not be trifed with.
 One of the many Knapps had boy named after George Washington's tomb by his solemn father. Indeed the boy was often called by his irreverent asso- ciates Mount Vernon. You can fancy labeled as the tomb of the father of his country. The boy was not very strong in the regions abaft the eyes, but because his pa published news paper he thought the son of his pa morning, about one o'clock, he came into the office after Hyde, the manager, had gone home. The young man had Crook" and had been very busy ever since the close of the performance eat. ing oysters with large party of jovial friends. Now this young Vernon had never been permitted to write for the paper, but out among his friends he gave out the impression that he did g good deal of that sort of business. That night one mad wag got Vernon to write a criticism for the paper of the |" Black Crook performance. The young man caught at the idea, and, going to the office, he found Hyde away and the coast clear. Being the son of his father, there was no one there to dispute him, and as for the foreman he was one of those steady-going machines who would have set up, anything if it had come up in the regular spout from the editorial rooms. TLe next day there appeared in the columns of the Repub- licon one of the most fearful articles on legs that I think ever appeared in print, Mount Vernon had expanded under the influence of oysters and his friends. The result was friahtful.l For 8 few days the reason of Knapp pere tottered upon its throne, but he finally reoov- cred. The, article in question made more excitement in the city and dis composed the office more than had ii been burned down. The young man was sent abroad after this scandal, and now 8 watchman inspector is detained in the editorial rooms, who, with his relief, is always on duty.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Youthful Fortune Seeking:

The Tombs police court in New York was the scene of very interesting case. The principals were two boys, whose minds had become-iudging from the ndications-diseased by dime novel literature. Frequent and earnest perusals of this school of rhetoric had engendered in their youthful minds a love for the wild West, and they de- cided to go and see the same. How to do this was for some days subject of mach and deep meditation. They had no money, and without kit they could not travel ; so they formed resolution to raise the meney as best they could. George was only thirteen years of age and William twelve. They found it quite hard to obtain the money they required for the proper execution of their plans, but eventually obtained it from the pockets of their parents and started at night. They were arrest ed in New York on their way to the West and taken home to their distract ed parents. They had about $500 be- tween them and half tickets to Denver, Colorado, whither they were no doubt bound.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
The Franklin Fund.

The investment of the funds left by Benjamin Franklin to be loaned to young mechanics would seem to have been more carefully attended to in Bos- ton than in Philadelphia. MT. William Minot was treasurer of the Boston fund for ffty-fve years. The fund which came into his hands was $9,000; that which he turned over to hls successor, MT. Tracy, in 1868, was $11O, 182; and that in MT. Tracy's hands at the begin ming of the present year was $182. 27S. The present rate of annual increase somewhat exceeds six ger cent, and it is, therefore, not improbable that with the continuance of the same vigilant oversight the fund in 1891, when one hundred years are completed from the time it was received, may he nearly half million of dollars, thus not falling very far short of Franklin's expectation of $131, GOO, which should be reduced to dollars at the rate of $4.44, making $582, ,O00.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Boys of the Present Age.

A contemplative philosopher, whose heart is near the right place, says : "Boys, did you ever think that this world, with all it's wealth and woe, with Ill it's mines and mountains, oceans, seas and rivers, with all it's shipping, it's steamboats, railroads, and magnetic telegraphs, with all it's millions of grouping men, and all the science and progress of ages-will soon be given over to the boys of the present age boys like you? Believe it, and look abroad upon your inheritance, and get ready to enter upon it's possession. Tho presidents, kings, governors, statesmen, philosophers, ministers, teachers, men of the future-all are boys now"
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Exports of Musical Instruments.

Official records of Custom House re- turns at Washington show that the total value of musical instruments ex- ported from the United States during the year ending June 30. 1874, was $55O, ,327. Of this, $258, 176 were for pianos and $292, ,151 for parlor or reed organs. Of this latter amount $163,- 169, or more than one-ha!f of the s0hole, were of the cabinet organs made by the Mason & Hamlin Organ Co.,, which bid fair to become as famous in Europe as they have long been in America. This company certainly have reason to be proud of the fact that the European demand for their organs lsrger than that for all others combined.--Bostosa Zravsler.
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
Facial ASymmetry.

A writer in a scientific paper says There are many other facial anoma- lies, which fail to attract attention be- cause we have grown accustomed to them. We should expect the convex cast of one side of the face to fit, line for line, into the concave cast of the other but it is doubtful if there is to be anywhere found one single head of this ideal perfection. Neither the con- tour of the cheeks nor the lines of the countenance are the same on both sides, and they are all the less so be- cause every one unconsciously tends to perform many unilaterial facial move- ments, which in time cause diver gence between the two sides of the face. Besides, the head, projecting as it does freely into air, is more depend ent than we imagine on wlnd and weather. Suppose person were to sit con stantly at window, turning one side to the cooler atmosphere out-of- doors, and the other toward 8 hot stove-the result would be a twofold growth of the. facial muscles. One side of the face might become rounded, the other flat or concave and, though such faces are not unfrequent, we do uOb noblco Ln0 anOmaiy S1mply because we are accustomed to it. In the Lapp we have good illustration of this un- equal development. Just as the trees of his native land are stunted, so too his features become monstrous, irregu- lar, and one-sided; the frontal bones are forced, as though by spasm, down on the maxillaries, producing the most singular combinations and contortions of the features. A not uncommon form of asymmetry, in more favored lands, is the presence of dimple on one cheek, while the other has no such indenta- ton. or but very faint one. In such cases the face has, as it were, summer and winter side, just like the apple, which is round and ruddy on it's sum. mer side, but on the shade-side flat tened and wan."
Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13

CRUEL PUNIsHMENT,-A remarkable verdict was given in the Recorders master of Catholic orphanage, was in- dicted for cruelty fogging one of the pupils. The boy, about two months ago, having had fight with another lad, was put in 8 dark cell for seven and flogged on his naked back with a cane. The resident surgeon of Jervis Street Hospital, to whom he was brought by his relatives within few hours, deposed that he found seventeen wounds from which blood was oozing. Evidence for the defense showed that the boy was rather manageable, and the jury, without moments hesitation, acquitted the master.