davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Ants i'm Central America.

A humming-bird has been telling me
about some of her neighbo away down
South, where she spends the winter.
The thriftiest people in Central Amer
ica are the smallest-the ants. Some of
them are wonderful workers. There is
one kind, q sort of wee, wee truffie-
growers, who live together in immense
swarms, and do such deal of cutting
up, that it is almost as much as the for
ests can do to stand against them.
They are called leaf-cutters, for the
reason that they send out armies of
thousands and thousands to bring in
leaves, which they cut from the trees in
such quantities that whole plantations
of mango, orange and lemon trees are
sometimes stripped and killed.
Do they eat these leaves? Not at all.
They live on funny little truffles, or fun
gi, of their own raising. They use
leaves only to make hotbeds for their
dainty plants, in chambers under ground.
A beetle who was born in one of their
cellar chambers told the humming- bird
about them.
One colony of leaf-cutters will have a
great many of these cellar-chambers, all
united by tunnels for quick transit, and
well supplied with what builders call
ventilating shafts; for the ants are very
particular about having plenty of fresh
air These shafts reach to the surface o.
the ground. Each chamber i about a:
large as mans head, and is kept lit
tie more than half full of cut leaves
overgrown with the small white fungus
which the ants cultivate for food.
| There are three kinds of ants in eacl
colony; the workers, who go off to th'
woods for leaves, and have all the out
side work to do; some very small ants
who stay at home and spend their tim
cutting up the leaves that are brough
in, and taking care of the baby ants; anC
n few gigantic fellows, who manag
things, and do all the fighting in time o
war. Let any enemy disturb the work
ers going out for leaves or bringing then
home, and instantly the soldiers viii
rush out in force, with their big jaw
wide open, and settle things in short OF
der. The little nurses come out some
times, too, but only for fun or exercise
When they haven't anything to do, an
the weather is fine, they like to take
run out with the workers, but do nc
bring any loads back. When one {
them gets tired, he just climbs up on
leaf that a worker is bringing in-a
you might climb up on load of hay
and so enjoys nice ride home.-Fro'
"Jaek-in-the-P Pulpit" st. Nicholas for IA
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

We do not believe that it is either
practicable or desirable that the traffic
in spirituous, malt and vRous liquors
be totally abolished. But it is a traffic
which, if left unrestrained, is liable to
great abuse, and to lead to results detri-
mental to the well being of society, as
we have seen under the practical opera
ton of the present mo license" system
in Ohio. Therefore, under the aspect
in which the question is presented by
the license or no license proposition ac-
companying the new constitution, it
seems to us advisable to allow the Leg
islature to license the traffic, under such
regulations and restrictions as the Leg
islature may see proper to impose.
Whether the license SO granted, or the
restrictions SO imposed, shall be heavy
or light, will always depend on the pop
ular sentiment ON the subject as reflect
ed by the legislative body-and to con-
form as nearly as possible to this will be
as nearly right as we ever expect to see
accomplished by human legislation
Lancaster Gazette.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Built Of Sea Shells.

1 have just heard of a very wonder
full thing. The houses and churches
and palaces Of the big and beautiful city
of Paris are almost all made of sea-
shells.
This is how it happened:
Some hundreds Of thousands of years
ago, the waters of the ocean rolled over
thespot where Paris now stands. Un-
der the ocean waves lived and died mil
lions and millions and millions of tiny
sea shell animals. By-and-by, after
great, great many years, the ocean wa
tiers no longer rolled over this spot, and
the very, very big piles-I might say,
indeed, the mountains-of dead shells
were left for the sun to shine on, the
winds to blow on, and the rains to fall
on for many centuries more, till the
shells had hardened into rocks. Then,
after hundreds and hundreds Of years
more, men came and began to build
houses. They dug in the earth, and
found the sea-shell stone, with which
they built the beautiful houses and
churches and places for which Paris is
famous. And yet the poor little sea
shells that lived and died so long ago,
never get the least bit of credit for all
that they did for the fine city! Perhaps
though, they don't care. At any rate
we will remember them, and that will
be something.
While we are talking about this mat
ter, it may be as well to remember that 9
great many of the rocks in different
parts of the world were made Of sea
shells in just about the same way tina
the stone of Paris came to be ready fo
the builders. - From ''.IHck-in-tke- PaL
pit" 81. Nicholas for AuguSt.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
About a Newspaper.

The Louisville "Courier-J JournaW has
the follow ing : nsible remarks regard
ing the management Of newspaper:
Some people estimate the ability of q
newspaper and the talent of its editor
by the quantity of original matter. 1t is
comparatively an easy task for a frothy
writer to pour out daily a column of
Yords-words upon any and all subjects.
His ideas may flow in one weak, washy,
everlasting food, and the command of
his language may enable him to string
them together like punches of onions,
and yet his paper may be a meagre and
poor concern. Indeed, the mere writing
part of editing a paper is but small
portion of the work. The care, the time
employed in selecting, is far more inn
portant, and the tact of good editor is
better shown by his selections than any
thing else; and that, we know, is hall
the battle. But, as we have said, an ed
itor ought to be estimated and his labor
understood and appreciated by the gen.
eral conduct of his paper-its tone, its
uniform consistent course, its aims, man
illness, its dignity and its propriety. Tt
preserve these as they should be preserv
ed is enough to occupy fully the tint
and attention of any man. If to thi
be added the general supervision of tn
newspaper establishment, which mos
editors have to encounter, the wonder |
how they find time to write at all.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
A General Aversion.

Unfortunately Americans are annual
ly becoming more and more averse to
manual labor, and foolishly educate
their boys for the professions, which are
already overstocked, or for the mercan-
tile business, in which statistics show
that ninety-fYe in hundred fail of sue
cess. To get living by ones wits, even
at the cost of independence and self
respect, and fearful wear and tear of
conscience, is the ambition of a large
proportion of our young men. The re-
suit is that the mechanical professions
are becoming monopoly of foreigners,
and the ownership of the finest farms,
even in New England is passing from
Americans to Irishmen and Germans.
Fifty years ago father was not asham-
ed to put his childen to the plow or to
"a mechanical trade; but now they are
|'too feeble" for bodily labor; one has a
pain in his side, another "a very delicate
constitution" another is nervous; and SO
the poor victims of mistaken judgment
are sent to the city, to stand behind a
counter, or wear away life in a law Office.
1t seems never to occur to their foolish
parents that moderate manual labor in
the pure and bracing air of the country
is just what these puny, wasp-waisted
lads need, and that to send them to the
crowded and unhealthy city is to send
them to their graves. Let them follow
the pillow, swing the sledge, or shove the
foreplane, and their pinched chests will
be expanded, their sunken cheeks
pumped out, and their lungs, now
"cabined, cribbed, and confined" viii
have room to play. Their nerves viii
be invigorated with their muscles; anC
when they shall have cast off their jack
cts, instead of being thin, pale, vapiC
coxcombs, they shall have spread out t.
the size and confguration of men. 4
lawyer office, a counting room, or
grocery is about the last place to whicl
sickIy youth should be sent. The ruiz
of health is as sure there as in the mine
Of England.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Why People Don't Go to Church.

Why do not people go to church more?
One thinks it is this, and others think it
is that. You can open church In a
hovel, and let voice go forth that has
the power of touching men, and you
will find it crowded and thronged. You
do not want the cob that used to have
the corn. That which men want is sap
py food, refreshing food. Men are will
ing to be dealt with, to have their con-
sciences aroused, but DO not want to be
handled. They want a preacher that
takes hold of them in some way, and if
he can do more than that; if he can
give to them that which every man con-
scienciously needs-some men have as
pirations, and some more indulge in SUI
perfcial thought-and if we can give
him strength to bear his burden.
Men that are sore in life; men who are
in sorrow; men who don't know how to
bring up their children, and who are
continually having more and more ad-
ded to their hocks; people who want to
know where the next hod of coal is COM
ing from, people who are afraid of the
sheriff, men who are pricked with TO-
600 nettles of human life-they come tc
church TO hear long discussion on the
fall of Adam. Well, that is not inop-
perfume, but still they're so fiat them
selves that they feel as if they would
like to know something that deadens thu
struggle that Is going on within them
they want some one who will take par
with them, minister who brings Goo
down to the side of men, not as the ever
lasting condemer, but one who bring
God down as present help in time o
trouble.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Old Maids.

Shrivelled and withered you say they
are, Men and women grow old and
grow gray, whether married or single;
but many an old maid fingers to-day on
this mundane sphere who would have
died long ago, an unhappy but popular,
admired wife, had she consented TO mar
nv some man whom she did not love,
but did dispisc, and said, ayes" where
conscience demanded her to say "No."-
Long live old maids, and let no woman,
for fear of becoming one, wilfully and
deliberately sacrifice herself. It is the
next crime to suicide.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
An Iowa Boy Swallows q Knife.


From the Davenport Democrat.
On the 1st of the month little lad
named Charley. son Of German named
Heinrich Klopke, residing near Prince
ton, in this county, swallowed-so says
our cautious informant-"a two-bladed
brass-handled knife three inches long,
three-fourths of an inch thick, weighing
two ounces" which the same was ascer-
tanned by measuring and weighing one
exactly similar in shape and size. He
was playing with it, when he remarked
he could put it in his mouth. This was
doubted by one of his playmates, and in
making the attempt it slipped down his
throat 1t gave him no pain, nor was
it the cause of any bodily distress.
About four days after this stupendous
swallow, while the boy was returning
from the La Claire celebration, the
knife departed from out the modern
whale who had gulped down Jonah in
the shape of cutlery, and the boy
still lives, is healthy and happy.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Attempt to Destroy a Family by an
Internal Machine.

PHILADELPHIA, July 20.-On Satur-
day information was received by the de
tective force that Mrr. Charles O. Her
ring, wife Of a carpet dealer, corner Of
Second and South streets, received an
internal machine containing three
pounds of powder. A note aceompan-
led the box, stating it contained some
newly-patented articles. The circum-
stances being deemed suspicious the box
was carefully opened without accident,
the entire family standing around at the
time. The box, which was one foot
long and eight inches wide was filled
with powder, on the top Of which, run
through holes in a strip were about
nine matches with heads arranged TO al-
most touch a sliding lid, which was CIV
cred with sandpaper.
II the box had not been eautiOualy
opened an explosion would have occur
red injuring and probably causing the
death of the entire family.
Edward Wagner, a son-in-law, was
arrested to-day on suspicion. Mr.. Her
ring Is father-in-law Of Shusterichterr
who murdered his wife last fall, and
then committed suicide.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Chubb's Clock.

Chubb's clock got out of order the
other day and began to strike wrong.
That was the cause Of the fearful excite
ment at his horse on Wednesday night.
They were all in bed sound asleep at
midnight, when the clock suddenly
struck five. The new hired giTl, hap
pening TO awak just as it began, heard it
and bounced out Of bed, under the i'm
preston that morning had come; and as
i: is as dark at A. VI. in winter a. il is
at midnight, she did not perceive her
mistake, but went down into the kitch-
en- and began TO get breakfast.
While she was bustling about in a
pretty lively manner, Chubb happened
to wake, and he heard the noise. He
opened his room door cautiously, and
crept softly to the head of the stairs to
listen. He could distinctly hear some
one moving about the kitchen and din
ing-room, and apparently packing up
the china.
Accordingly he went back his room
and woke Mrs. Chubb, and gave her or
ders to spring the rattle out of the front
window the m0ment she heard his gun
go off Then Chubb seized his fowling
piece, and going down TO the dining
room door, where be could hear the bur-
glars at work, he cooked the gun, aimed
it, pushed the door open with the muz.
zla apd 6rad
Instantly Mrs. Chabb sprang the rat
tie, and, before Chubb could pick up the
lacerated hired girl, the front door was
burst open by two policemen, who came
into the dining room. Seeing Chubb
with gan, and a bleeding woman on the
floor, they imagined that a murder had
been committed, and one of them trot-
ted Chubb of 10 the station-house,
while the other remained 10 investigate
things.
Just then the clock struck six. An
explanation en=ned from the girl, who
only had few bird-shot in her leg, and
the policeman left to bring Chubb home.
He arrived at about three in the morn
/ ing, just as the clock was striking eight.
When the situation was unfolded TO him,
his first action :,as to jam the butt of
his gun through the clock, whereupon
it Immediately struck two hundred and
I forty-three, and then Chubb pitched it
over the fence. He has a new clock
now, and things are working better.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

And now we really wonder if the les
son taught by the late crusade will be re-
membered by the American people?-
Never were We taught II more forcible
lesson, and it behooves us TO heed its
warnings well. He who imagines revor
lutions come in the guise of whirlwind
knows better now. At Washington G. IL.
where the crusade first began, and where
the people seemed 10 have the monster
of intemperance completely under con-
troll, every saloon is now open, and
drinking is more prevalent than before.
And the same story can be told every
where. No reform that owes its prom
inence TO excitement, can live, for, like
the winds, that lash the waters Of the
ocean into foam, they must give ovei
from very necessity, and from simple
] law.--Colunhus Gazeffe
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

How THEY WE'RE FLooRED.--Ihe
New Bedford Mercury relates the fol-
lowing incident; "A religious society In
one Of the towns in that State was aiiic-
ted, as many other societies have been
and are, inasmuch as the pew-ownera
had a real estate right in the property.
Some Of them would not give up their
right, nor sell il, nor consent 20 any
action by the parish which could be
legally resisted. Here was a case OF
tyranny. In a free Republic an oligarehy
ruled the majority. But invention ia
the offspring of necessity, and Connec-
ticut is its home. Al a parish meeiing
of the society it was voted 10 hoor ever
the tops Of the pewE and build anew.
The real estate remained peacefallg In
tact below, and the unyielding owners
found themselves literally aourcd."
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
r steel kew would hang from his finger

or steel key would hang from his finger
brought in contact with the north pole
of large horseshoe magnet he felt
quite violent shock, while in the dark
a spark was perceptible when the two
touched
All the while We were in the cave /
felt the aura of which l have spoken; it
felt as if my entire body was enveloped
in cobweGs l was conscious of great
mental and spiritual exaltation, and half
unconsciously solved a problem in tri-
anguIation of which l had been think
ing for several days-solved it, too,
while thinking of other things and OBJ
serving the phenomena of the cave.
The poles of a magnet, when in my
hand, were reve. sed: when placed else
where they returned to their former
condition. Mr.. Forbes possessed the
singular faculty Of directing the needle
TO any point of the compass, merely by
exercising his will, but this he could
not do when another person held the
needle. Passing near large fragment
of rock, Mr.. Stokes, if l remem Der
rightly, was pulled or drawn violently
from the path, as if by spirit hands, and
thrown against the rock, whence we re-
moved him to the outer air, he being al
most powerless. The young sensitive" 4"
naturally a weak person, carried him
bodily for quite a distance. After
leaving the cave we were all exhausted
and lanquid. l do not believed this mag
netic place to be conducive to good
health. OF the facts have given there
can not be the slightest doubt, though
they seem very strange.
F Il REITEW-
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

The Melbourne Argus says an old
man was buried there years ago in un-
consecrated ground. When a cemetery
was recently opened, the widow deter
mined to remove the remains to holy
soil. An empty gin case was procured,
the bones carefully collected and put in
it, and the case put in full sized coffin,
and inferred with Church rites. The
friends returned to the widows house to
spend the night in drinking to the mem
cry of the departed. A case of gin had
been purchased for the entertainment,
but when it was opened It was found the
wrong crse had been buried. Twelve
bottles of good gin had been put eight
feet under ground. The night was sad
and sober.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

"It is an exploded theory" says one
who speaks with knowledge, "that wo-
men dress to please the men. They
dress to please or spite each other. ANY
girl of sense and experience knows that
it is as easy to break mans heart IN a
50 muslin, neatly made up, as it is in a
$500 silk costume made by a man dress
maker" 1t is, in fact great deal east
er. The natural charm of young
girl is often destroyed by excessive
dressing. Men like tasteful and not ex-
travagant toilets; and the rivalry in
dress among women is not to catch a
beau, but to mortify an enemy:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

There are in France cities of Is, 600
inhabitants which have not one single
physician; there are cities of 10000 in
habitants which have but one physician,
and he not a graduate of medical school.
There is always posted in the arcade OF
the Paris Medical School the names OF
fifteen or twenty towns or villages which
have no physician, and wish one. Lille
is city with population of zoo, ,00C
souls; it contains only forty-three physi
clans. Roubaix is city of $4,000 souls
it contains only eight physicians. Th'
counties in which there aFefswest physi
clans are the counties in Which the per
centum of mortality Ia higtHest. -Pars
Cor. Ns,O Orleass Picaylae.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24
Tnr prsr TnINo roR CoNauMFTIvE

THE BEST THINo ron CoNsuNPrlvEs'
The late Or. Marshall, Of England,
said: II I were seriously ili Of con-
sumption, I would live ont Of doors day
and night, except 10 rainy weather oF
mid winter; then I would sleep In an
upholstered log house. Phyaic haa no
nutriment; gaspinga for air cannot cure
you; monkey eaPers in q gymnasium
cannot cure you, and stimulanta cannot
cure you. What oonaumPtlvea uan' :.
air, not physlc; pure aii. NOS meaiea'ea
air. plenty Of meat and bread.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

Scene in grave yard. Wife-"Ah
husband, do you see this beautiful cap
ping? How delicately cut is the pure
white stoner Yes very pretty" Wife
"But William have you no taste for art;
you don't enjoy these things as | do.-
Just notice this slender column of mar
BILE, with the touching question so beau
tifully carved, "Do they miss me at
homer" "Yes, / see; and here is her
name on the foot stone, g. A. b. Yes !
guess they miss her If that was her
name" Silence for moment.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

A Louisville doctor does not believe
there is such thing as cholera infan-
tum. 1t is all the effect of baby's imag
ination.
A man was recently found drowned in
the frog pond on Boston Common, the
water in which is only about two feet
deep.
In Bloomville, Ohio, the saloon man
who, few weeks ago. by the light of a
bonfire, standing on the head of liquor
barrel, declared he had sold his last
glass, has just opened "a fresh stock of
beer, wine and liquors"
They have found a Chicago police
man who wouldn't take a bribe, but it
should be added, that he didn't think it
large enough.
To clean a brown porcelain kettle,
boil peeled potatoes in it. The porce-
lain will be rendered nearly as white as
when new.
If women would spend less time in
making ruffles and tucks, and. more in
making flower beds, they would look
handsomer.
To cure erysipelas and all high infiam-
alton of the skin apply simple poul-
tice of cranberries pounded fine, and ap-
piled in a raw state.
Colds are often caught by standing in
an open hallway or doorway during cold
weather. The transition of the cold
and warm currents causes the trouble.
"Just one thing more" said a Mary
} land preacher, as he neared the end O
his sermon, and went on speaking fol
thiry-fve minutes longer.
"a cautious Evansville reporter, il
speaking of a man, both of whose leg
: were cut off by a railroad train, says
l. "He will probably be cripple for life.
There is no better use to make G
!, fne-cut tobacco than to bind it upon
fresh wound, and nothing will stop th
:, flow of blood quicker.
Put on the right glove first, then yo
A have your left hand ungloved to butto
IS your right with. If you put on you
= left glove first you have to button you
/ right glove under double disadvantage
e Simply wetting and rubbing tt
n stained cloth in cold water will remoy
W all traces of grass stains. Fruit stair
It will disappear on application of boilin
bot water. No soap should be used
either case.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

The Rev. Mr.. Fay, Of Minneapolis,
Minnesota, fed his family on stolen
chickens Tor 4 month. He didn't know
1t, however, but thought he was patron
iEing an honest poor boy in buying
them.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-24

Never keep a pack of cards in the
same pocket as your handkerchief.