davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican journal., 1874-07-16

Time is constantly rolling on and produs-
ing innovations. but in Missouri, after lapse
of sixty years. the old familiar potato masher
Is still woman t3lofite weapon when family
llT occurs
The Republican journal., 1874-07-16

A we'll known bald-headed banker. who
always prdeS himseltin being Il selt-made
man, during q recent talk with q friend,
had occasion to remark that he was the
architect Of his own destiny-that he was
a selt-madc man. ''W -w-what ddid you
s-sav2n asked the friend, who shutters.
Il say with pride that am selt-made
man-that l made myself Hold, IN
terrupted the friend ''w-while you. were
m-m-making yourself, why the Dickens
d-did-didn't you p-put some more h-halr
on the top of vour h-head p
The Republican journal., 1874-07-16
VOLUME Is.
Fences.

The fences of the United States have
cost more than the houses, cities included ;
more than ships, boats and vessels of
every description which sail the ocean.
lakes and rivers; more than our manutac-
tories. of all kinds with their machinery !:
more than any one class of property. aside
from real estate, except it may be the
railroads of our country.
In an article on this subject. the Peoples
Journal says that the first cost of the
iencng in New York was between one
hundred and fifty and two hundred mil
hons OF dollars. Assuming this to be ap-
pIONlmately correct. and estimating the
first cost of fences in other States on the
same basis, We have as the total first eX-
penseS OF the fences Of the country the
vast sum Of 81 .26G. 600 600.
This will require TO be renewed at least
once in ten Years, and this gives an annual
expense OF Sl26, 500 600. with Il vcl clyllarge
sum 10 be added for repairs constantly
needed. This makes up formidable ag
@regate
In Europe. where very few fences are
found, there is no Inconvenience felt by
Hc people. In France. Germany and
Holland farmers hold their land in com
mon. with only narrow paths between.
There. the annual tax our people have to
submit 10, of 81. 30 on every acre Of inn
proved land, the cost of fencing. is not
known. Here the fences tax is much
moro than the aggregate of state and
local taxes
In Missouri ana California the advocates
"i reform in fencing laws are making
ViWnr0lS eXprli0nS 10 accOmnliSh thpi.
purpose, and every day public opinion is
growing stronger in tavor of the change.
Here. in Kentucky, where the suggestions
are novel, and the people have not thought
on the question, the proposition may be
somewhat nnpalatable; but the time will
come when self-interest will force a change
in opinion and policy. Coleman'S Rural
W oFld
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
The Preservation of Timber.

An Arkansas correspondent of the
Scientific american says /: / came here
thirty years since, and began clearing
land and building houses with hewn
logs and boards split from the tree.
After several years residence, noticed
very often that pieces of the same kind
of timber decay more quickly than others,
and after much thought and observation
l came to the conclusion that timber
felled after the leaf had grown lasted
the longest; I noticed that timber
felled when the leaves first commenced
to grow rotted the sap off very quickly,
but the heart remained sound that
timber felled after the fall of the leaf
rotted in the heart, even when appar-
emily sound on the outside. When
wood cut in winter was put on the fire,
the sap came out of the heart but
when cut in the summer the sap came
out of the sap wood and next the bark
I noticed also that all our lasting wood
had but little sap at any time in the
heart-such as cedar, mulberry, sassa-
fras and cypress.
A cypress post cut in the summer of
1888 it still sound, although exposed to
all weathers, while one of the same kind
of timber, cut in the winter of 1856, and
painted, has rotted to the heart. I saw
yesterday gum plank which / sawed
in the summer of 1859, that has lain evel
since, and is perfectly sound while
timber that was felled in the winter be
fore Is now entirely rotten.
My conclusion then is Cut timber
after the full leaf, say in July and Au
gust, to get the most last from it. Th.
sap goes into the heart of the tree aftel
leaf-fal1, and causes decay.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
The Mexican Maguey.

Mexican correspondent of the
Louisville COurSer-.1oatT7s0I saws, in
speaking of the maguey plantations !:
The maguey is cultivated, you know,
for the sap, which, when slightly fer
mented, constitutes pu1que, the uni
versai drink of the country, and dis
agreeable dose it is, assure YOU, iudo-
ing from single mouthfu1 which / was
persuaded to swallow. The quantity of
this stuff brought into the city is suffi-
c1ent to demand special daily railroad
train, known as the pulque train and
when this by accident fails, there is a
general disturbance among the people.
The species of agave employed is not
the common green one with dependent
leaves, which we see SO frequently in
the States, but very much larger kind,
with erect leaves, which natures in
from five to seven years. 1 am sure
that have seen specimens the outlines
of which would measure at least ten
feet in diameter, and as much in height,
and the leaves of which were six to eight
feet in length, one foot in breadth at the
widest part, and six inches in thickness.
The manner of obtaining the sap is
very differenJ from that represented by
the wood-cuts in old school books, where
the native stands leaning complacently
against the thorny plant, waiting fol
his bucket to be filed with the fluid
that flows from the cut end of leaf.
The plan pursued is to cut off the flower
stem as soon as it is well started, close
to the top of the plant stem, from which
it springs, and then scoop out the latter
in the form of bowl four or five
inches deep. In the course of time the
sap that has been stored up in the leaves
for the express purpose of inforescence
rises into the bowl, whence it is daily
dipped or withdrawn by a peculiar
method of suction. After being thus
mutilated, the plant lives severa
months, and continues to yield until The
leaves are completely exhausted and
die. The plant stem is frequently fif
teen or eighteen inches in diameter, anG
the amount of sap collected from sin
gle large specimen is said to be from
| fifty to seventy-fve gallons"
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
The Hog Crnn.A@


The receipts of live hogs at the Stock
Yards for the month of October were
$50, ,812 against 1851 for the CORE
spending month in 1878, showing an
excess of receipts this year of Is, O96
head. The average weight this year
was 1877 pounds, against 252 pounds in
October, 1873, falling off of 55 pounds
per hog. The aggregate weights this
year were 9,108, 964 pounds, against
81, $50, 532 pounds in 1873, showing an
actual decrease in weight this year of
IL, ,872, 568 pounds. Contrary to the
ordinary rule, the average weight of the
hogs received during October were 12I
less than for the month of September.
The most reliable information received
from the hog-growing States places the
falling off in the number of marketable
hogs at l, $50, 900 head, and the indica-
tions are that the actual decrease in
weight will be equally as large in pro-
portion as the falling off in numbers.
Packers who have opened their houses
say that the hogs they are cutting are
generally deficient in the yield of lard
as compared with former years. This
was to be expected, as it is useless to
suppose that the hogs cut this season
will be otherwise than poorly fatted, as
farmers are not inclined to feed corn
freely SO long as it brings such prices
as have ruled in this market since the
beginning of the summer Chicago
Courier.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
The Hanpiest Period.

Ever since the world began this has
been disputed question, and ever since
the world began the majority of the
people have generally misiudged. Thor
oughly dissatisfied with any present
time, we cast about for q golden age.
We cannot find it in the future, as the
cloud of uncertainty hangs on the hor1-
zon in that direction. We are compelled
therefore to explore the past.
The immediate past, with it's facts and
disappointments, is too fresh in our
memory to allow us to throw the re-
quired halo about it, and SO we con-
tinue our journey until we get to the
point where memory grows dim and the
imagination works actively, and we call
that the hale, halcyon period OF life.
This distant future and distant past are
both creations of the fancy.
To say that childhood is the happlest
period of life is to offer insult to Provl-
dence. The child is at best but bun
die of possibilities. He is acreature of
| unframed impulses, of undeveloped
affections. His mind is like CRATE in
a well ordered house. The coal is there,
| the kindlingwood is there, and the
whole Will break into a blaze when
touched with a matc.I. Now, before
the match has touched it, it is pleas
anter and more profitable sight than
half dozen Jumps of camel coal en-
veloped in royal blaze, and filling the
room SO full of light and heat that one
| forgets the wintry sleet without child
| hood, with its sugar plums and its toys,
Will be inferior to manhood, with Its
| burning enthusiasm and it's lofty ambl-
| 6iOn.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
That FlOur Trick.

Yesterday morning, says the Detroit
Free Press, an innocent-1ooking young
man was loafng around the Central De-
pot with one of those small Iung-testers,
which throws a handful of flour into
mans eyes just as he imagines he is
going to blow her up to a hundred and
fifty pounds. There was an old man
waiting around for the train to go, and
he was at once attracted to the machine.
He saw others blow, and when told that
it wouldn't cost him a cent, he pitched
in. He was allowed to blow two or
three times, and then the young man
told him to put in regular old hurri-
cane land beat everybody by five
pounds. The old fellow threw back his
coat, got the pipe in his mouth, and
then his eyes opened like traps as he
sucked in all the air he could hold.
After a second or two he let her go, and
the -four struck him. He didn't say q
word for a moment. He softly laid
down the pipe, winked his eyes and spit
fcur, and as the roar of laughter in
creased, he backed up against the wall,
and said, 's You kin laf, and laf, and laf,
but I swan to gum I'll lick somebody
for that, even If I do not never lead
another class meeting ~
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
Loaded Wood in Kentucky.

The Bowling Green (Ky.) Democrat
relates this: tsJohn Miller's wood
pile was alongside his yard fence, on
the public street, in the eastern part of
this city. He suspected some one of
stealing his wood, SO he found stick
with wood-pecker hole in it, filed it
up with gunpowder, closed the hole
with clay and waited developments. A
colored friend, Jim Watson, in the
cleaning, appropriated that and other
sticks, and Miller followed to see what
would happen. It did happen, blowing
the end of Jim's shanty out, and with
it a chunk of stone that struck Ed.
Jones, who was passing along the
street, and cut him severely. Miller,
who was near by, went to Jones aid and
explained the joke to the wounded
man, and now Jones sues Miller for
his injury, alleging that he had no
right to put loaded chunk in the high.
way to be picked up and used against
unsuspecting travellers. Can he re-
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
The Circular Saw-Tne Inventor
Michigan Man.

In lonely, secluded position in the
northwest corner of the cemetery near
the ever beautiful little village of Rich
mond, Kalamazoo county, Michigan,
the historian can find, on a pure white
marble slab nearly concealed from view
by a large cluster of lilac bushes, en-
graved the simple name of Benjam
Cummins, born A. D, 1772. died A. D.
1S4S." And who was Benjamin Cum
Minis He was the inventor of circular
saws, now in use IN this country and in
Europe. Nearly sixty years ago, at
Burtonville, New York, near Amster-
dam, this man hammered out, at his
own blacksmith's anvil, the first circular
saw known to mankind. He was q noted
pioneer in Michigan, first cousin to
one of the Presidents of the United
States, u slave owner in New York State,
leading Mason in the days of Morgan,
and at whose table the very elite of the
then great State of New York feasted
and drank of his liquors and wines aves-
sci owner on the North river before the
days of steamboats,, Captain in the
war of 1872, where, after having three
horses shot from under him, with one
stroke of his sword he brought his
superior officer to the ground for an in
suit and because he was traitor and q
coward, and after having been court
martialed, instead of having been shot,
he was appointed Colonel in his place.
And in this lowly grave are the ashes OF
the man who, nearly seventy years ago,
at Albany, N. Y, took up and moved
bodily large block of brick buildings,
and, to the wonder of the world, con
structed mile and half of Erie canal
through a bed of rock, and who also
built, per contract, those first low
bridges over the same. He also aided
in the construction of the first ten miles
of railroad built III the United States
and founded both the villages of Esper
ence and Burtonville, on the old Scho
harie, near Amsterdam. The study an6
| aim of this mans life appeared to be tt
accomplish that which none others could
accomplish, and when the object sought
was secured, or overcome, he passed il
as quietly by as he would the pebbles
on the sea shore.-Detroit Free Press
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
A Smart Dog.

The Richmond (Va.) Enquirer re-
lates the following instance of dog
testifying in his own behalf in a police
court in that city
" Wednesday, it will be remembered,
Mr.. Spears was before the police court,
charged with keeping vicious dog,
and the animal was ordered to be killed.
Subsequently, however, the execution
of the sentence was suspended, as the
evidence upon which he was convicted
was eE parte, and new trial was grant
ed. The case came up yesterday morn
ing, and a large number of persons tes-
titled as to the good character of tie
dog, and the whole matter resolved it
self into the fact that he had scared the
gentleman who complained of his at
tacking MIN by rough play. Neverthe-
less, to make assurance doubly sure,
at the request of his master, he was put
upon the stand to testify in his own
case. On being asked if he would bite
any one, he uttered peculiar noise and
shook his head. He was then asked if
he would bite any one if his master set
him on, and replied in the affirmative
by nodding his head and barking.
When asked if he would bite the court,
he replied in the negative. Several
other questions were asked him, and
his answers and actions exhibited the
greatest intelligence. It is needless to
say he was honorably acquitted"
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
The Last Rat Story.

The Cincinnati Times speaks of
war of determination made upon rats
in a certain establishment in that city,
and vouches for the truth of the fol-
lowing
It was about 10 o'clock this morning,
while workmen were engaged III clean
ing out the cellar aforesaid, they came
across rats of all colors, sizes, ages,
that numbered by actual count, 1000
to a naueht. The rodents, when they
saw their enemies, who came upon
them unawares, had pressing business
in other parts of the building. ALI OF
them start ed out at a rattlng rate on
an excursion, but about 500 or less
never reached the secure retreats OF
friendly holes. They dropped by the
wayside, and breathed their last.
When the lively interest of the dis
covery had ebbed to wandering talk
over the affair, a fresh impetus was
given to the astonishment of the work
men, by the finding of one of them OF
large bottle with capacious opening.
In this bottle was a rat of uncommon
size, living as snugly as if he desired
no other happiness than to remain
there always and look out on the frisky
sports of his kind. A very good reason
for this wish can be offered in his in
ability to come from his glass casing
without breaking it. He went in there
| when quite young, as reasonably sup
posed, very sick rat, and it devolved
| upon his companions to bring him
| such dehcacies as very sick rat would
crave. His disease being prolonged,
owing to the incompetency of his doc
| tors, nature used her own restoratives.
and the afflicted rodent became well
again. But he found that in the mean
time he had reached maturity, and,
! through the unceasing attention of his
nurses and the good things which were
| provided for him, he grew to be
| of large, vigorous frame and a supera-
bundance of muscle for an ordinary rat.
So well did he fare and grow that when
he was able to leave the protection of
his glass palace, he could not squeeze
| through the only exit. He conteEted
himself with the situation, inasmuch
as he would be able to live like lord
on the contributions of his friends for
| the rest of his days. But the destroy
ing workmen, frightening away a part
| of his race AID killing the rest, came
across his citadel, and, satisfying their
curiosity for time by inspecting it and
him, demolished it with club. AT
this display of deadly will, the rat, re-
leased, scampered to the nearest hole,
4 but taking part of his curious house
with him, stuck fast just as he got out
of sight. His enemies punched with
sticks until he gave up the battle, and
was drawn out a bleeding corpse. i
any one does not believe this the deaC
| rat can be produced.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
English Journals.

Mr.. Bailey, of the Danbury Nes0s,
has recently returned from scrutiniz-
ing journey through the worm-eaten
monarchies of Europe, and wherever he
went he ferreted out things about news
papers. He thinks that !" they are
rather slow concerns, are the London
dailies. They crowd their advertisers
into repulsive limits they mix up their
matter without regard to classification /;
they publish but beggarly handful of
American news they report in full the
most insignificant speeches they don't
seem to realize that there is such an at
traction as condensed news paragraphs /;
they issue no Sunday paper, and but
one or two have weekly; they ignore
agriculture and science, personals and
gossip; they carefully exclude all hu-
NOR and head lines, and come to their
readers every week day a somber and
mournful spectacle that is most exasper-
ating to behold.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
COngratulatOry Letter from the Presi-
dent to the Gar.

President Grant has sent the follow
ing congratulatory letter to the EN-
peror of Russia:
Ulysses s. Grant, President of the United States of
America, to His Imperial Majesty. Alexander H.,
Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russians:
COOP AND GREAT FRIEND: have received
the letter which your Majesty addressed to
me the 18th day of August last, announcing
the pleasing intelligence of the marriage, on
the 18th of last month. of his Imperial High
ness the Grand Duke Vladimar Alexandrowitch
to her Grand Ducal Highness the Princess
Alexandrine Elizabeth Eleanore, Duchess of
ecklenburg-Schwerin.
Feeling lively interest in all that eoaeerns
your Majesty's august family, participate in
the satisfaction afforded by this happy event,
and offer to your Majesty very sincere con-
gratulations upon the occasion, with the as
surance that the newly married Grand Duke
and Princess have my best wishes for their
prosperity and happiness.
And so commend your Majesty and your
Majestys royal family to the protection of the
Almighty.
Written at Washington, the 30th day of Oc-
tober, in the year of our Lord 1874. Your
good friend, U. 8. GRANT.
By the Presidents
HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
Be Sure Your Sin win Find You Out.

The trial of ex-Treasurer Phelps, at
Albany, and the sentence of fifteen
years incarceration which followed con-
viction, tells sad tale, from which,
however, thoughtful men and women
will do well to take a lesson. For a
long time past the crime of pilfering
has been painfully apparent among the
higher classes in society and those
placed in positions of State trust. It
has been commonly supposed that pow
erty and wretchedness almost exclu-
sively breed criminals but this, in the
line of murderers and thieves, has
proved a fal1acy-to wit Stokes and
Walworth, Tweed and Phelps. The
physiology of crime demonstrates that
in all cases where poverty is not the
motive power, the law of naeuna ct
tatata1a is seldom broken in high or low
life, when people have full knowledge
that consequences are the natural re-
suit of actions, and that in the conse-
quences are sure to be recognized the
whole train of circumstances which
lead to the result. The immutability
of this law makes the detection OF crime
certain in the majority of cases. Grim.
inals overlook this, and hence conduc,
themselves with an easy Indifference al
to the quality of the action which pro
duces the result.-NeaO York Express
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04

AN Ex- BISHOP IN ST. Louis LAUN-
DRY.-Working in one of the laundries
of the city is a man who is said to be q
deposed Bishop of the Church of En-
gland. He has brother in the English
Parliament, and other relatives in good
circumstances, who would willingly
give him assistance should be make
himself known, but he prefers his pres
ent mode of life, for the reason that he
can occasionally indulge in that which
caused his deposition, viz: strong
drink. He is said to be very learned
and intelligent man, but with an un-
conquerable desire for Intoxicating
liquor. ST. Louis Dispatch.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
THE EoorsrEPs OF DECAY.

The following is translation from ancient
anish poem. which, says the EdimbscFEh Re0tea0,
surpassed by nothing with which we Ac
ainted in the Spanish language. except the " Ode
Louis de Leon.
Oh, let the soul it's sIumbers break
Arouse its senses, and awake
To see how soon
Life, in its glories. glide6 away,
And the stern Footsteps Of decay
Come stealing on.
And while we view the rolling tide
Down which our flowing minutes glide
Away 80 fast,
Let us the present hour employ,
And deem each future dream jog
Already past.
Let no vain hope deceive the mind,
No happier let us hope TO find
Tomorrow than to-day:
Ike the tSe xresent ~ sSsT sSs sIs Staeh
Like them decay.
Our lives like fastening streams must be
That into the engutling sea
Are doomed to f6al-
The sea of death, whose waves ron on
Der king and kingdom, crown and throne,
And swallow an.
Alike the rivers Iorday tide,
Alike the humble rivuiet's gGde
To that sad wAvef
Death levels poverty and pride,
The rich and poor sleep side by side
Within the grave.
Our birth is but starting place;
Life is the running of the race,
And death the goal:
There all our glittering toys are brought
That path alone, Of ali unsought.
Is found Of an.
See, then, how poor and little worth
Are al those glittering toys of earth
That lure us here
Dreams of sleep that death must break;
alas before 1t bids as wake,
We disappear.
Long ere the damp Of death can blight,
The cheeks pure glow of red and white
Has passed away;
Youth smiled. and eli was heavenly fair
Age came and laid his finger there
And where are they7
Where is the strength that spurned decay,
The steps that roved 80 hight and gay
The hearts blithe tone
The strength is gone, the step is sHow
And joy grows Weariaome and woe
When age comes ont
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04

VALUABLE BANDs.-The other day,
after a meeting of certain famous
women's club in New York, the ladies
amused themselves comprising their
garters, to see which wore the handsom-
est for garters of extravagant expense
have lately come into fashion, and sew
eral of these club members wear theirs
clasped with gold and precious stones.
The jewelers. are all introducing new
designs for garter clasps that promise
shortly to cost as much as the bracelets
that fashion has discarded. A charming
woman and singer in society is said to
wear a pair of garters that cost $500.