davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
The Fur Seal Islands Of Alaska.

Up in the heart. as it were, of Behring
Sea lies small group Of islands, to the
rocky shores of which annually repair
millions of highly organized animals to
breed and shed their hair and fur. In
significant landmarks are there, the Priby-
low islands, but the sixty square miles Of
their area support more available wealth
to-day than all the rest of the five hundred
thousand belonging to Alaska-a strange
stockyard of amphibious beasts, which are
universally deemed wild aud wary, but
among millions Of which the agents of the
Government walk on their tours of finspec-
tion without giving or experiencing se-
rious alarm.
1t is remarkable that while thousands
of men aad millions Of dollars have been
employed in capturing. dressing, and SELL
ing fur seal skins during the last hundred
years, yet since the time of Steller, in
l751, up to the beginning Of the last de-
cade, even the scientific world knew moth
ing definitely in regard to the habits of
this valuable animal, although the truth
connected with the life of this seal of the
Pribylov Islands is far stranger than fc-
ton.
With the exception Of our seal islands,
there are none others of much importance
elsewhere in the world, the vast breeding
grounds in the antartic having been, by
the united efforts of all nationaliics, mis-
guided short-sightcd, and greedy of gain,
entirely dcpopulated. Only a few thous-
and unhappy stragglers are now to be
seen on the Falkland Islands and con-
tiguous islets, where millions once were
found, and small rockerics are protected
and fostered by the government of Buonos
Ayres north and south of the mouth Of fthe
Rio de la Plata; but the seal life on the
Pribylov Islands, thanks to the foresight
of the Russians, has been preserved to the
present day in all of its integrity and won
der.
The seal islands Of Alaska ar, four in
number, two Of which, however. are mere
rocks, and of little or no Importance COM
pared with the others, St. Paul and St.
George, the former of which is the great
seal ground Of the northern hemisphere,
and without parallel at the present time
on the face of the 81 be This little island
i'co iu id'ituue ~ o nortu, lon8lluue
l70o l2< west, and visited annually by
over five millions of fur seals while St.
George, lying to the southeast, only
twentyseven miles from St Paul, is re-
sorted to by less than two hundred and
fifty thousand, the nature of the coast,
high, bald, and bluffy, not permitting the
breeding seals to lie upon the beeches in
safety. The other two unimporsant islets
Otter five miles south of St. Paul, and
Warus Island, six miles east of the same
are not worthy of mention, especially
the latter, upon which herds Of hundreds
Of immense bull walruses can be viewed
to the greatest advantage at all seasons of
the year, in company with clouds of breed
ing waterfowl .--HENRY W. ELLIOTT, in
Hupcr's Mtgasine for May.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

Buy SMALL Trees "A number of years
ago | procured lot Of English Morello
Cherry trees, only one year from the bud
and but two feet high | employed two
farm hands to dig the holes and set them
out, and while they were thus employed |
noticed one of them punch the other in
the ribs, and chuckling. "What a fool to
waste his money on these switches y
Since then | have sold enough fruit from
these trees to pay beth of their wages for
several years, and--well little over, be-
side. Take the advice of one who loves
trees dearly, and who has attended to
their wants personally for very many years,
and never be persuaded that extra-sized
specimens come iuto bearing sooner than
small trees. --EG.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

MANURINc SMALL FRuIrs. A cores
pondent desires to be informed what small
fruits are most and what least benefited
by manuring In answer, we would say,
in general way, manure such small frnits
as are perfectly hardy and which overbear,
and avoid manuring rampant growers, the
productivesess of which is diminished too
much by growing rapidly Hence you
rarely find such great bearers as the Will
son strawberry manured too much, while
blackberries, which often grow seven or
eight in year, will commonly do better,
bear better, ripen their wood more per-
fectly. and become harder, if manured
little or none; and on naturally rich soil,
they often do better to let grass grow iii
the rows. Slow growing grapes, like the
Delaware, are better if eArichod strong
growers succeed if merely cultivated The
practice must of course vary with the pre-
vious condition or fertility of the soil. =
dlJany Cultirator.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

NOVEL ARITHMETIC. An Ohio CORES,
pondent became sponsor for the following.
which as a matter of fact, he wishes to put
on record. Whitaker is one of the rich
est men in those parts, and has made his
money By driving sharp bargains. His
hired man was one day going along with
load of hay which he overturned upon
cow The poor thing was smothsrcd be-
fore they could get her out.
Her owner, Jones. called upon Mr..
Whittaker the next day and demanded
payment for his cow
"Certainly,' said Mr. Whitaker, what
10 you think she was worth ~
"Well, about ten dollars" said Jones.
"And how much did you get for tho
hide and tallow 2"
"Ten dollars and half, sir"
"Oh, we'll then you owe me Just fifty
cents."
Jones was nisti6ed and Whitaker very
fierce in his demand, and before Jones
could get the thing straight in bis mind,
forked over the money.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

A California miner, fond of whisky, at
tempted to obtain drink surreptitiously
from saltwater bottle, which the fore
man had in box in the wagon Watch.
ing when the overseer had turned away
for minute, be slipped up to the wagon
silly inserted his hand took out the soda.
water bottle and swallowed the contents
but just then the foreman discovered him
and saw that he had drank bottle O
quicksilver instead of the coveted whisky
All the window glass in the neighbour.
hood was collected, and the miner was
kept busy for two days breathing on the
panes to convert them into mirrors.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
A Rich Legal Case,

The following rich report of fourth Of
July lawyers defence Of colored citizen,
charged before Dutch Justice with steal
ing, is from the Thomasville Goa Tines
May it please your honor, it is the
greatest boon of an American citizen 10
have fair and impartial trial The pro-
tectipg wing Of the American Eagle gives
unto them the rights and privileges guar
anteed by the trainers of the Declaration Of
Independence. Yes the American Eagle
is the type of our strength and greatness,
1t is the emblem of these United
States.
The American Eagle, may it please youy
hon9r, is unlike others of the fcathcrcd
tlibe. 1t is recognized as the emblem Of
justice, wisdom and moderation The
American Eagle scars aloft and hovers
over the desines of the frecmen of Amer
lea.
You see before you that oppressed rare.
who might have languished in chains and
remained slave.
His fettcrs might have been struck of BY
the American Eagle and he is as FREQ as
the bird itself The American Eagle
Justiee.-Now my frien you stop; did
the man stheal eagles
Lawyer-No, your honor. be
Justice-Vell off he didn't, vas could
stheal eagles, bow you talk so much Of
eagles?
Lawyer-Yonr honor, l was only H.
lustrating that the American Eagle
Justiee-Now you sthop dose music
chint; vat dis man he do?
Lawyer-Your honor, he is accused Of
stealing Sheep
Justiee-Dat ust vat | dinks-und |
find um $40 and de cou.t is shood up -
Now you gone oud.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
The Women's Temperance Movement

The Women's temperance Movement
at the East will probably, be somewhat
unlike that of the West, the circumstances
of the two sections being different. They
propose first to call upon the clergymen
of New York, and if they are not driven
off by mob of Sunday school boys and
theological students, they then propose to
try the various newspaper offices. If they
can get the clergymen and the editors,
they will feel like beginning on the grog-
shops. The Etcher hopes these prelimi-
nary movements will not be accompanied
by any violence beyond the pounding of a
few pulpits .-.Scyibner's for Nav
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

The gifted Sargent S. Prentiss once
gave a sumptuous dinner to some friends
at a hotel in Nicksburg Early in tue
evening a stranger entered the room in '
mistake. Prentss courteously invited him
to join the party. Before long the strange
guest began boasting Of how much he had
drank during the day, cocktail here. u
smasher there, julip in this place. sling
in that, and so on, apparently without cpd.
At length Prentiss said;
"Sir, do you believe in the doctrine Of
metempsychosis?" 7"
II don't know" was the reply, "spd I
don't see that it has anything to do With
what we are talking about"
at has" rejoined prentiss, " much
much every way. | have firm faith in
that doctrine. believe that in the next
life every man will be transformed ints tho
thing for which he has best qualified him.
self in this, In that life. sir, you viii be,
come corner groggcry."
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

a FEELING TRIBUTE. A PHILADELPHIA
editor thus relieves his mind on a subject
familiar to all newspaper offices-the in
eyitable Pub. Doe: 1--WE owe ourthanks
to Judge Kelley for the latest Patent Of
flee reports We already have sixteen
hundred of these interesting volumes in
our library, but they have been read and
re-read so many times that we know every
page of them by heart This new volum
came opportuuely and gratefully OH Christ
mas morning, and that night we gathered
our little family around the fire and read
it through to them.
The affecting tale entitled "Improye-
ment in Monkey Wrenches' seemed to
touch every heart, and when We came to
the climax Of the little story about "Re-
yerslble Pieboards," there was not a dry
eye between the front door and the stable.
During the reading Of the piteous narra-
tive entitled "Gum washers for Carriage
Axles," the whole family gave expression
to boistcrous emotion, and the hired girl
was so much excited that she lost her
presence Of mind, and went around to her
mothers inadvertently with six pounds OF
sugar and a butter kettle full Of -four, and
came home at midnight, intoxicated. We
can never sufficiently thank Judge Kelley
for the innocent enjoyment thus furnished
us.
The memory of that happy evening will
lingcr in our minds very much longe,
than that hired girl ever fingers when she
lights on substance which she thinks
will suit the constitution of her aged par
ents"
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
EroWN COUNTY DELAWARE SATURDAY MORNING. APRIL 1874

doubt poisoning his heart, ho pressed his
hands on his temples and tried to think.
He had been there--he could recall just
how the dewy rails looked. wet and glst.
ening in the starlight. He had had the
switch key in his band--thnt he could also
remember. But was that before or after
the freight had switched of? He could
not remember whether the freight had
passed or not He did NOT know whether
he had locked the switches twice or once.
or. good heavens. not at all The past
was swaying vacuum the future strange
and dream like He closed his eyes, he
pressed his temples as if either hand had
been vice of iron, in the wild agonizing
effort to recall the last half hour.
20 God r he groaned aloud. as he
threw himself on his face 10 the wet grass,
"am going mad r ass
Something hard struck against his
breast bone as he flung himself down, it
was the fatal flask. He tore it out, hall
full of dark red poison. and dashed it
passionately into the bushes. 1t was that
that that had done all the mischief
" ltchSSbiy Iaehct liz "ticu diuuus
in his great anguish, "if it pleases Thee
to avert from me this awful crime of nur-
der done thousand -fold-and naught but
one of Thy miracles can avert it now--I
swear before Thy pavement Of stars to
touch that devils broth no more o God
hear me! 0 Christ, save me!''
The earth beneath his. groveling breast
thrilled and quivered as the express train
flew over the rails, and Israel Esmayne
held his breath momentariiy expecting
the awful crash which would stain his
soul with the eternal brand of Cain.
Hush An owl hootiug afar off in the
woods, the cry of some sad voiced night
bird over head, and then--~another whistle,
clear and CHEEKY. The express had pass
ed through Hurstley-passed through safe
aud sound Aud Israel Esmayne, stes-
gering to his feet, gazeJ around him an
instant. clutched vaguely at the air, and
then fell unconscious.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

"Uncle, lie is coming to. Oh, uncle,
| knew knew that be was not dead -
And the soft eyes of Dorothy Beers
were the first thing Israel Esmayne saw
as his soul came out of the world of shad-
ows and oblivion, with old jonathan lean
ing on his cane just beyond.
"Tcll me, Dotty," he gasped. "EIow
was it? The-the switchest''
1T waa nay girl did it," said the old
man, she come by, and she heard the
freight whstlin', and she seen the
switches wasn't right, nor no signal, nor
nothin'. Something's happened says
my girl 'Isracls been took ill., or dead,
says she. And there lay the key in the
middle of the track, and she catches it up,
and she unloeks the switches-you show
ed her how to do it yourself, Esmayne,
one summer atternoon-and she hangs up
the white lantern. And there she stands,
with her heart a beatin' fit to choke her,
till the freight gets off. And she calls to
one of the brakemen, Set these ere right
for the express says she. "Quick or
there may be a thousand lives lost.
Where's the switch tender says he
God only knows!' says my Dotty And
so she comes back arter me. Uncle,
she says, all white and tremblin' like,
come with me- What for?' says |.
TO look for Israel says she, I don't
sleep this night says my Doity, till
we've found him !"
God bless her! ~ cried out Esmayne,
in choked voice "God be thanked for
all his mercies"
"Was it fl ?" said the old man, curl
ously How did it come on p
But Israel Esmayue spoke no word on
the subject, either then or ever; he mar.
ried Dorothy Beers in the spring, and he
has sacredly kept his VOWS. If he lives
to be hundred years old, he will still
keep it. And Dotty, though she never
knew it, had redeemed him.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
A New Hampshire farmer tells his

A New Hampshire farmer tells his
brethren, 4" We will never get our rights
by grumbling." He could say nothing
truer. No farmer ever changed the wealth
er by grumbling about it, nor produced
good. crop by croaking. 1t may not be
generally known, but it dawned upon some
observers long ago that the greatest croak
ers and grumblers the world over are
those who make the least effort to get
things right.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

A generation passed away. The little
village had grown to be brilliant town.
Low thatched houses had made way before
6ne mansions, and the smithy in which
the above incident was observed was draw
ing near to its day of disappearance But
before that day arrived another gentleman
appeared at the door, and inspected with
some interest an anvil standing in the
centre of the shop.
''How long has that anvil been here ?"
he asked of the blacksmith.
"Why," said the workman, 'it must
have been here thirty or forty years"
"Well," said the gentleman, Il will
give you twice as much for that anvil as
will buy you new one"
"Ccrtainly,' replied the the puzzled
smith; "but would like to know what
you want with this anvil"
II will tell you. There was formerly
an apprentice in this shop who used to
work on it. That boy is now become a
great man. Thousands love and honor
him as friend and teacher, and wish
to carry back this anvil as a memorial Of
the humble beginning of his life. Mon
CURE D. CoswAY. in Ha,per's Magasiae
for My.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

The Detroit Free Post remarked "Su-
san B Anthony says she'd like to see a
man throw a fat-iron at her, she would
So would we, and we'd want it to happen
about half an hour before one Of her
lectures.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

The Iowa "Arbor Day." as established
by the Iowa Horticultural Society. is April
2O-a day set apart annually for the plant
ing of trees. That society offers list Of
twcnty-one premiums to be paid for groves
and belts of timber, to be awarded in the
fall-those premiums amounting to 5000
this year.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
.Courier.Jourp

A fortune telling swindler was arrested
in Baltimore recently, and at the exami-
nation enc witness stated that she had paid
the prisoner at various times sums amOnnt.
ing to 5000. .to have her husbands a.
fection restored Y s.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

" How much better it would have been
to have shaken hands and allow it was all
mistake" said Detroit Judge "Then
the lion and the lamb would have lain
down together, and white-robed peace
would have famed you with her smiles oil
appreciation But no; you went to claw
ing and biting and rolling in the mud
and here you are. It's IS apiece"
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

An Ayrshire COW was recently sold in
Massachusetts,, which gave her weight in
milk every .twepty-six days from April to
October.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

ROBERT CoLLyER's ANVIL Once upon
time gentleman drew up his horse near
a smithy in Yorkshire village. On en-.
terng it, he hardly arrested the attention
of a boy who seemed to be absorbed in the
work Of blowing the bellows. Closer OBJ
servation revealed the presence of book
its pages kept open by two bits of iron
placed on a shelf near the lads head
Each time he brought down the bellows or
released it, he seemed to catch sentence
from the book.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

AT young ladies' debating club the fol-
lowing question. was lately discussed =
(Which gives girl the most pleasure
to hear herself praised. or to hear another
girl run downf'' No decision arrived at.
Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25

The Daily Herald Of Duluth is dead.
Weekly receipts, $40; weekly expendi.
lures, $50. As the Philadelphia Leeigs,
might say:
Daily Herald thou hast left US,
And thy loss we deeply feel;
But some fool will start another
We can all our sorrows hea,
Courier. .lourgal
New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-15

far to assert that Congress may take whole
year to find out whether member has proper
credentials. If his election be correct he has
right to enter, and he has an undoubted
right to immediate attention.
The recent action of the Legislature Is
proof that this State is impatient at the long
and unreasonable delay that has occurred in
considering question that could have been
determined in week. 1t is rcaffrmance
of confidence in Senator Pinchback, reitcra-
ton of the previously expressed desire that
he should represent us in the upper branch
of Congress, and a protest against the uncivil
treatment Of the Senate.
We hope there will be an end put to this
matter without further delay. We demand
full representation in the Senate and, as
component part Of the United States, ask
our lawmakers in Washington to dispose of
the Louisiana case, which never was really
a case, and proceed to the consideration of
the important matters of general nature
that await their action.-N. D. Republican.
1t will be seen by the above, taken from
the New Orleans Republican, that the people
Of Louisiana are becoming impatient at the
delay in seating Hon. P. B. S. Pinchback by
the Senate of the United States. Not only
are the people Of Louisiana deeply interested
in the seating of Mr.. Pinchback, but the
people Of his race all over the country are
becoming anxious about the matter. The
able manner in which the race is represented
on the floor of the House of Representatives
is highly gratifying to our people, as are the
cordial support and recognition of the colored
members of the House by its white Republi-
can members. In view of all the facts i'll the
case and the legality of his claim to seat
in the Senate as clearly set forth by the able
argument Of Senator Morton, Mr.. Pinch
backs race cannot but feel that to the ques-
ton Of race and color may be attributed the
delay that is manifested in acting upon his
case.
Governor Pinchback is a man in whom the
celored people have confidence. His loyalty
to the cause of his people is conspicuous, and
| the high esteem in which he is held by the
citizens of Louisiana, without distinction of
race or color, as evidenced in the action of
their representatives, is shared. by all the
| colored people of the country. We hope for
speedy and favorable action on Mr.. Pinch
backs case rs much for the interests of our
| race as for the good of the party in Lou
| isiana.
New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-15
Internal Enemies Of tho Repub.
lican Party.

Ever since the assembling Of the last Con-
gress, in December, 1872, there has been a
violent rivalry between a large number of
leading Republican papers and various Re-
publican politicians in Congress and out, to
see which can clamor the loudest against the
corruption of the Administration, and do
the most to destroy the confidence Of the
people in the honesty Of the Republican
party. If the papers and politicians had
been in the pay of the democracy, they could
not have been more persistent and vindic-
tive in their assaults upon Congress, nor
done more towards securing the triumph of
the Democratic party.
We do not mean to in innate that they
were influenced by corrupt motives in the
course they have taken, nor that they de-
liberatcly intended to inillct an injury upon
the party to which they belonged. But their
motives hardly less honorable than
they would then have been, for they were
undoubtedly purely selfish.
1t has been to establish for themselves a
reputation for honesty, integrity and econo-
my for which the people had not given them
credit, and to which they had no claims. 1t
is the means they have adopted to sccu re
popular favor for themselves, regardless of
the injury they might inflict upon their party.
The united assaults of the whole Demo-
cratic press has not done an hundredth part
as much towards weakening the Republican
party as the grossly exaggerated charges of
ambitious demagogues belonging to that Or
ganization. They have lost us several States,
and are likely to lose us several more by their
efforts to win for themselves little popular
applause.
If the Government should be conquered
by the rebels and Copperheads in 1876 they
will owe their victory to the aid and COM
fort they are now receiving from Republican
papers and orators, more than to their own
strength These political puritans do not
hesitate indirectly to aid the election of an
avowed rebel sympathizer, Or Democrat
STEPPED infraud and corruption in order to
show their condemnation of what they call
the degeneracy or prodigalty of their own
party. They are in reality traitors to re-
publicanism, and enemies of the country.