davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
A BOX on the Ears,

The case of a pupil teacher who has
been charged with causing the death of
boy through giving him blow on the
side of his head, is one which has ex-
cited considerable amount of interest.
We draw attention to the case. with no
idea of moralizing either on the neces-
sity of corporal punishment or on its
effect, or on the tendencies of boys to
be tyrannical, or on the Importance of
keeping all corporal punishment In the
hands of the head teacher. Our de-
sire simply is to convey warning as
to the possible-we may say probable
effect of ga box on the ears"
Many people, otherwise humane, ap-
pear to imagine that a box on the ears
is light punishment, specially adapted
TO the construction of young children.
They also appear to think-at least
they act as if they thought-that the
projection of the out ears suggests ear
pulling as modified form of punish
ment. The same persons who will
strike children violent blows on the
head with the hand, open or closed,
would think twice before they struck
with cane or pointer the outstretched
hand of a child {; and they might pos
sibly object to sound fogging ad-
ministered in old schoolboy fashion.
But, of the three modes of punishment,
the blow on the head is infinitely the
more dangerous. The bones of a
child's head are much more capable of
being injured by blow than are those
of an adult person, aud the ear itself is
one of the most delicate and delicately
organized parts of the whole human
body. A man would be considered
brutal who hit child's eye so as to de-
prive him of sight, or his nose 80 as to
disfglre him. 1t is no less an injury
to make child deaf, or TO cause I'M ury
to the brain, or to give rise to assesses
in the ear, or to injure the outer ear
and all these are accidents not un-
common in connection with ear boxing
and ear-pulling, as practiced. We are
certain that much Of the cruelty perpe-
trated in this way is done from sheer
ignorance if it were otherwise, no
words could be strong enough to stig-
matize it's barbarity. Even now, if
people considered for moment, they
would see that the head is the part of
the body where blows are likely to do
most speedy and permanent injury. A
servant giving child boz on the ears
would, in our estimation, have done a
thing justifying instant dismissal.
What mother deserves who is guilty
of such an action, we leave to her wn
conscience.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
The Disease Called Excitement.

Man does not need that which he
calls excitement. What healthy mind
most Graves is placidity to do its work
in perfect calm, without any stimulus
except that afforded by perfect bodily
health. Mind and body healthy. each
will give all the stimulus the other
needs without resort to artificial means.
Mental dissipation and physical de-
bauchery are alike disastrous in their
effects alike breed a fierce appetite
for more, an appetite that will not be
appeased except by deeper and deeper
draughts, which finally rain body
mind, and soul. Unfortunately, this
appetite is fostered by our theatrical
performances, novels of the day, and
social gossip, so that religion ESQ ter
ribly assailed by scandal just now,
Legislative enactments, social phlloso'
phy-all seem powerless to effect a
cure. We are sometimes disposed to
think that the only way is to let the
disease run its course, until the poison
eliminates itself from the body politic.
Society, as at present organized, may
die of the disease, or perhaps 1t may
survive to enjoy better health after
ward. Let us pray for better health !
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14

"Don't you dare to deny it, or you
and all your tribe shall pay more dearly
than you think. 1 am the father Of
that girl, Eoaded TO Vengeance by
seventeen years of unsuccessful search
ing. 1 might take her from you and
imprison you all, but I don't want the
trouble and the publicity. Call that
man. and go down in the tent, and l
will make terms with you
"He knew it was true then, and
he was right, by the instant submis-
sion of the head of the tribe. They
went into the tent at once and settled
it, he agreeing to pay handsome sum
of money.
"Then came the strangest scene of
all. The girl refused to know her
father, and wept as if her heart would
break over the parting with those gypsy
wanderers. A few months, however,
sufficed to conquer her strange instincts,
and two years later she married young
Englishman, who is now living in
Washington" l t-l,s-.tLE..
We we're, of course, eager to see her,
and the next day we were favored with
jill lhbIOuuCJlOu W ulIbs hluolOJ , ANU
no one, to look at the graceful woman,
would ever imagine that she was
brought up under the greenwood tree.
She confessed that she had never
quite conquered her prediction for
the wild woods, and gave us an insight
into the mode of the gypsy's life, which
was new and interesting.
She herself had known of four chill
dren the gypsies had stolen, though
she had never dreamed that she herself
had been kidnapped. They generally
sold them, she said, capturing hand.
some children for that purpose, and
having their agents in every country.
She supposed that becoming at.
tached to her, they decided not to part
with her, as she was very lively and
merry, and the life of the camp.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
A Heroine of the Commune.

The following was related to me re-
Gently of noble woman whose name
should live in history. She, together
with her lover, a young surgeon, had
taken care of the wounded Communists
during the days and nights of their
fierce fighting with the Versailles
troops. Upon the entry of the latter
into the city, when excitement was at
it's height, and when every one suspected
of completely with the Commune was
shot without question being asked,
the surgeon was arrested and brought
before the drum-head tribunal, in the
Place du Chatelet. His life trembled
for the moment in the balance, but was
finally saved by the intercession of one
of the judges present, who was an in
innate friend of the accused. AS the
latter was being led from the room he
met the woman whom he loved, who
had helped him in the care of the
wounded, and who was now accused of
the same crime as he himself had been.
"Good God, Marie !" are you here,
too ?" The woman took in the whole
scene at a glance, saw the danger into
which she would plunge her lover
should she recognize him, and drew
herself up coldly, saying, "You are
mistaken, sir. ."-NeaO York EUening
Post,
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
A Coal Discovery.

1t was long after the Revolutionary
war, says O magazine writer, that a
hunter who had been out all day on
Mauch Chunk Mountain, Pennsylvania,
and had found no game, and who was
returning weary and disheartened to
his cabin, with no means to purchase
food for his family, struck with his
foot as he passed along black crystal.
He stopped and examined it. The first
specimen of that priceless mineral
which has transformed the wilderness
into populous nation, and contributed
to the comfort of millions, lay before
him. The rain fell fast. The hunter
was tired and hungry. Yet he took up
the apparently worthless stone and
carried it with him to his cabin. Mauch
Chunk then lay bare and bleak, the
haunt of wild beasts and savage men,
and had not the hunter preserved the
shining mineral, might still have hidden
its secret stores for another decadeV
He showed the specimen to friend !;
it was taken to Philadelphia. The
mountain was explored, and company
formed to work the mine. But it was
at first unsuccessful, and many years
elapsed before Pennsylvania became
conscious of it's hidden treasures, and
discovered that it possessed mines
richer than those of the Incas and
perennial fountains of industrial pro-
gress. The unlucky discoverer, it
seems, reaped little profit from his
good fortune. His land was taken
from him by prior claim. He died
in poverty. Great companies, pos
sessed of enormous capital, and span
ming with their combined railroads half
the continent, now encircle the Mauch
Chunk Mountain with their avenues of
trade. Coal has been found heaped
upon the sides of the hills, and COM
pressed in huge masses in the valleys.
The richest and almost the only bed of
anthracite in the world has been dis
covered beneath the path of the solitary
hIntar
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
The Dead Soldier.

He was never to come come. A hun
dred times q day the wife uttered a
silent prayer 5hat he might be spared
to those that loved him, and when dusk
came the children waited at the gate as
in days gone by, and watched for him
to come. 1t seemed to them as if all
the sunshine had left the world. Fever
came, cold came, and the children saw
more tears than bread. Only in sleep
did they forget their loneliness and
their woes. Who can tell the mothers
sad thoughts Who can feel her heart
aches and griefs! Each day was a
struggle to keep starvation away-each
nightshe thanked God that her husband
was still alive, even though in the
shadow of death.
And the end.
Yes, the end came one day, and her
wounded heart was to be pierced still
deeper. and the children's pale faces
were to grow paler. War demands VIC
Tins, and he yielded up his life.
Down where the blue Potomac winds
around hills and rushes through be-
tween the mountains they laid him
away to sleep his last sleep--he with
hundreds of others who ATE now dust.
The hearts that grieved had new
cause for grief. They panied and ached
when they knew that the fathers foot
step would never be heard again, and
they grew faint at the thought that
the struggle with hunger and cold had
only just commenced. Wife nor chill
dren have ever looked upon his grave.
No word of farewell from his lips ever
reached them. The paper recorded his
name with the list of the dead, and no
other news ever came. He slumbered
with the great army of the dead, for
cotton by all save those who knew his
love and tenderness.
The years have gone by, and the dust
of time has settled upon our memory of
the days of battle, and wounds and
death. It seems like dream, broken
only when we see the sad face of those
windowed or orphaned by the shrieks
ing bullet, or the glistening sabre. We
forgot those who marched with us,
those who cheered us on our way. The
wild autumn wind sings its sad re-
QUEEN DER the turf covering the dust of
father, son and brother. who gave their
lives for liberty, and the pale faced
widow and the grieving orphan hide
their grief in their hearts, and we for
get that they grieve-that they cannot
| forget like us
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
Diastase as a Digestive Agent.

The substance here named, says
DR.. Collens @. Hunt, which is be-
lieved to be new as remedial agent,
was first employed by William Elmer,
M. D., of New York, who has given it
fair trial for year or two, with most
gratifying results. 1t not only aids
in the digestion of starchy food, but
seems to impart vigor to the digestive
functions generally, and through this
action supplies energy to the brain and
nervous system. For some of the
worst forms of indigestion, the use of
diastase has had the effect, in particu-
lar, of producing the most tranquil and
refreshing sleep, and that where, pre-
viously, satisfactory sleep had been al
most unknown. This result is at
tributed to the digestive power of
diastase more than to any other prop
erty it possesses. Diastase may be
given in the form Of syrup or in lozen-
ges. The dose is from one to two grains
directly after each meal. The syrup
should be used with glucose rather
than with cane sugar but any syrup
has the great objection that it is re-
quired to be kept cold, or the diastase
is liable to turn sour.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
VOL. II.
A Mississippi River Mate.

The mate OF Mississippi or Missouri
river steamer is a tyrant in his way.
His chief occupation is to stand and
curse and kick his roustabouts," or
deck hands, and the charm of his keep.
ing his place and being known as a
"bully mate" depends much upon his
ability to do this. A poetical fellow
after describing "bully mate" relates
an incident: ...r. ..
One day he said to a roustabout who had onto
his back
A four-bushel bag of corn-rather heavy, but
it's a fact
How that he thought his gait want exactly up
to railroad time,
When they got into controversy not put
in rhyme, ...
But I'll state thar want no more corn carried
on that boat that day,
For all the crew was occupied in seein' 'em
have fair play.
They shook things up lively for the first three
quarter of an hour,
An rammed their heads right into several bar
rels of flour.
An the corn an things that was split around
on the lower deck
Made it look as though the boat had struck a
snag an gone TO wreck;
An this yer mate, who hadn't never yit lost a
single fight,
Saw that his chances for kemin' out first best
in this here one was light.
So when he found he couldn't git away with
that thar roustabout,
He begun to get Uneasy; then he cussed and
hollored out:
" Say, ez you 'uns all goin' to stand round this
yer boat an SEQ
This insubordination 1 say, Yer stop this
mutiny!"
An that is the moral tha.t I've been tryin' fol
to paint:
When them mates lick man it's all right, but
when they don't it amt.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
Robinson CrusOe's Island,

Crusoe's island is to-day little para
disc. Lord planted there, on one of
his voyages, apples, peaches, grapes,
plums, strawberries and several kinds
of vegetables. The number of the lat
ter was increased by Scotchman, Da-
vid Douglass, who landed on the island
in 1926. He was not little astonished
to find hermit there, who had been on
the isle five years. On the second day
he was not little surprised to see a
man suddenly emerge from clump of
bushes and approach him. He looked
upon himself as Crusoe's successor, al
though he did not occupy the historical
cave, having built himself hut of
stones and sods, roofing it with the
straw of wild oats. AS cooking utensils
he possessed only single iron pot, the
bottom of which, one unfortunate day,
had fallen out. This damage he had,
however, had the ingenuity to repair
with wooden bottom ; but now he was
compelled to place his pot in the ground
and build fire round it. This mans
name was William Clark, and he came
from London. He had few books,
and among them there was a copy of
Robinson Crusoe's adventures and of
Cowper's poems; he called Douglass
attention to the we'll known poem be-
ginning
Il am monarch of all l survey,
My right there is none to dispute" etc.
Nevertheless, he did not seem to be
happy. There was one wish, his great
est, that he could not gratify-he could
get no roast beef At present this
island is in the possession of colony
of Germans. Sixty or seventy, under
the leadership of an engineer named
Robert Wehrhahn, settled there in 1868.
They describe the island as being in
the highest degree salubrious and
fruitful. On their arrival they found
large focks of goats, about thirty half
wild horses and some sixty asses. They
brought with them COWS, hogs, fowls,
farming utensils, small boats and fish.
ing tackle.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
A Spanish Preserve.

A writer says: "The Spaniards have
a mode of preserving which is quite
peculiar to themselves. A slice being
cut off from one end of large melon,
the seeds and soft parts of the flesh are
removed, and into the hollow thus
formed luscious heterogeneous crowd
of apricots, nectarines and peaches, of
oranges both sweet and bitter, of slices
of pineapples, of strawberries, of rasp-
berries, is pressed and closely packed
then all is stepped in the preserving
syrup, the slice is restored to the end
of the melon, reunited by the sickness
of the sugar. How long it remains
under treatment, how often the syrup
may be made to simmer, are details un-
known to us what we do know is that
the final result is altogether the SUI
premest form of preserved fruit.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14
Stealing.

1t is very singular how often people
claiming to be respectable take soap
and towels by mistake from hotel bed
rooms when they depart. In some of
the large hotels this thoughtlessness on
the part of guests has gotten to be a
great annoyance and something of an
expense to the proprietor. We fear that
it will come to this-that soap will have
to be charged and towels nailed TO the
washstands, and on the back of the
door an appendix to the usual notice
will request guests not to carry off the
bedsteads by mistake
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14

Exemplary damages have been given
by Baltimore jury, in case in which
q man shot another by accident. The
defendant playfully took up gun, en-
tertaining the common idea that no
gun can possibly be loaded, and play
fully pointed it at his friend. AS 1T al
ways happens in such cases, the gun
was loaded, and he shot and almost
killed his friend, only in fun of course.
The jury showed their appreciation of
such genial humor by giving verdict
for Sc, 900 damages.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14

RoBBINa THE DEAD. old soldier
in Sicily gave his wife silk dress. His
wife died and was buried in the dress.
Some weeks after the old soldier saw
this dress on woman in the country,
and, making inquiry, was told she had
purchased it from the men who had the
custody of the village cemetery. He re-
POI ted the case to the police, who in
vestigated and made the discovery that
regular trade was carried on in effects
taken from dead bodies. There was
even a trade in hair.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-14

PUNISHED FOR IT. Two insurance men
of Lexington, KY, thought they had
discovered a new way to collect old
debts, but didn't make out very well.
The partner of a bankrupt, who owed
them $140, was taken into room and
offered his choice between giving a
check for the amount or being shot
through the head. After much parley-
ing and praying, he gave his note, an6
was released on swearing that he would
never divulge the affair. In less than
five minutes those men had an officers
hand on their shoulders, and within an
hour paid 81, 800 in fine and costs.
The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-12

Charley Crothers, Of Greenfield, is
one OF the saloon keepers the Ohio Wo-
men have been laboring with. He re-
ceived them, day after day, with well
come, and looked happier at every visit.
One day an old patron broke out: II
say, Charley, amt you gittin' most tired
OF this .singin' and prayin' biznis?"
What! me .gittin' tired? No, sir!"
responded Charley, emphatically. eff
glt tired OF the little singin' and prayin'
do when I'm in company with the an
gels, who don't do nothin' but sing and
pray ?"-[ Christian Union.
The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-12

A NOBLE WIFE.-A bankrupt mer-
chant returned home one night to his
wife.
MY dear, 7 am ruined ;eyerything we
have is in the hands of the sheriff!.a
After few moments of silence, the
wife looked calmly into his face and
said 5: s.
will the sheriff sell you 9n
"Oh, nOi1
"Will he sell me?r
"Oh, no!n
VIII he sell the childrenP"
"0h no!n
"Fhen do not say we have lost every
thing. All that is most valuable re-
mains to us-manhood, childhood. We
have lost all but the results Of our skill,
and industry. We can make another
fortunte if our hearts and hands are left
us.n
Can we wonder that, encouraged by
such a wife, he is on the road to fortune
again2
The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-12

One of the prominent physicians of
Father, do you think Bill Hoar will
get Mr.. Summers place in the Senate 9'V
The father replied, "Why, what do Won
mean mean win Bill Hoar he
elected TO fill the vacancy caused by Mr..
Summers death?n my son. reniied
the father, " there is no such person ne
Bill Hoar, and il there was, that ID not
the proper way for you to speak of him
you should be more respectful.s
/" Why, father said the boy, !" that's tide
way Mr. Summer spoke of him, himself.n
don't understand what you mean.D
answered the father, when the boy ey-
planned, read it in all the papers that
when Mr, Summer was dying he said to
Mr; Hoar, Take care of my civil rights
Bill sn-[ Worcester Gazette.
The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-12

WHITING Down THEIR BILLs.-At
a late meeting of the Changers in Rus
sell county, il is said that lively and
amusing scene transpired, growing out
of an introduction of a resolution in
favor OF purchasing only home made
fabrics for clothing. A gentleman re-
pied, IN opposing the resolution, that
he favored economy, and for that reason
wanted the whole world as his market.
He would advise the mover to do as a
friend of his once did, who brought home
a duck and put it with his other poul-
try. When feeding time came he found
that the duck, on account Of its large
bill, gobbled up about three times as
much corn as the rest of bis fowls. He
at once remedied the difficulty by taking
out his knife and whitfield the ducks
bill down to sharp point. "Now SIR"
said the speaker, you have some little
ducks daughters at your home and if
you want to secure economy, you must
whittle down their bills! And you,
worthy Master, have a little duck at
your house, which makes it necessary
that should also recommend this pro-
cess of whiting down bills to your no
tice, as the best means of securing ecOno-
my in family expenditures Its need
less to say that this pointed and practi-
cal speech decided the question, and
opened the eyes of many parents whose
little ducks with their millinery and
dress-making bills, have gobbled up
more money than all the rest of
the family have used during the past
year. We commend this little speech to
the notice of all Changers who are seek
ing the quikest and surest way to recall
a rigid economy in their household mat
ters.-[ Troy Messenger.
The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-12

An old farmer employed o. son of Erin
to work for him ON his farm. Pat was
constantly misplacing the end boards in
the cart-the front board behind and
the tail board in front, which made the
old gentleman very irritable. To pre-
vent blunders he painted on both boards
a large B." then calling Pat to him and
showing him the boards, said, "Now,
you blockhead, you need make no mis-
take, as they are now both marked.
This (pointing to one board) is 81 for
before, and chat Indicating the tail
board) is 'B' for behind, !" whershpon the
old gentleman marched off with great
dignity.
The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-12

Sufferers, whose unhappy lot id life it
has been to live next door to 8 musical
family, will appreciate q story that is
told of Won RuIow, the eminent German
pianist. An aspiring genius had been
sent to him to receive some lessons II,
music. On the youths return home, he
was asked his opinion of the master.
+" Well, 2 said he, The is great teacher,
and gave me fine lessons, and, better
than all, he is the most pious man ever
saw" How do you make that out?n
Why, all the time [ was playing he
would repeat, Good Lord, what sin
have committed, to deserve this pun
ishment ~