davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
The Bridge of Shetland.

1t may not be generally known that in
Shetland the cliffs are called banks, and
that, in the "days when fowling was ex-
tensively practiced," to die on the banks
was looked upon as the most honorable
death a man could meet with, in conse-
Quence, no doubt, of the combined profit
and danger with which the fowlers voca-
ton was attended, insomuch that. when
two people were quarreling, the crown
ing reproach of all sometimes took the
form of the remark: Gay, but my father
died like man-on the banks; yours
died like dog-in his bed" A ludicrous
rather than painful illustration of the
aforesaid danger is afforded by an anec-
dote touching " would-be fowler in
INST" who, having undertaken to climb
the steep bank and, being neither very
experienced nor very brave, although he
boosted of being both, met with fate
similar to but less disastrous than that
of Humpty Dumpty." "He pushed
upward" we are told, very briskly with
out ever looking behind, till he had got
to about $50 feet, when he stopped to
breathe. The pause was fatal to his
self-possession, and he called out in tones
of horror "Men men! am going-I
en- goingi" He still, however, held on
for little, and it was not till he had
he liked many times, am going" that
mo heo 80 - headlong. His comrades hay
n13 &c o ~. 'nus '-nrned, moved the boat
out OF the way, so that the poor fellow
zane sheer down into The deep water
az length he rose to the surface, when of
a anu ne was instantly caught hold of
many sasns into the boat. After a good
ing Of sea.water ffoGia{}n fsiiderable splutter-
remark was: Eth, men, this is shdds 2Dly
II have lost my snuff-box!" Perhaps
he had INDUCED in just one dram " to
steady his nerves." or Sin one single
pipe of cavendish." against both which
indulgencies he who proposes to climb is
most strongly warned.-Ohambers' Jour
nal
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Chalcedony.

What lockwood is to the wooden.
graver-the means without which his
finest art would be impossible-tha chal.
cedony is to the engraver of gems. Hard
without brittleness, susceptible of fine
and endurable polish, tinted by nature
with beautiful and at times strongly.con.
trasted hues, or capable of taking on such
colors at the hand of man, it has been
the favorite medium but the only posi-.
BILE medium of the gem-engraver's most
striking effects In its simplest state
chalcedony is an unattractive white
stone, nearly transparent, and chiefly
useful for making spear-heads and ar
row-tips, or their more modern represent,
atives, gun-tiints. Sometimes it has
striped or banded appearance, due to
alterations of more or less translucent
layers, ranging in color from whey white
to the white of skim milk, still not very
serviceable for gems or jewelry. When
strained by metallic oxides, however,
chiefly those of iron, it rises to the dig.
nifty of gem stone, as sard, carnelian,
chrysoprase, ETC.. which are uniformly
tinted brown, yellow, red or green, as
agate, onyx, sardonyx, ETC., when the col
ors lie in bands or strata or are sepa-
rated by layers of white. The natural
formation of these flowers of the mineral
world is recorded in their substance
Though commonly found in lavas and
other igneous rocks, or in the debris re-
naming from their disintegration, gem
stones are substantially an aqueous prod
uct, and require the agency of fire SIM
ply to develop their fine colors, a step in
their production more the work of art
than of nature.
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04

mark. Mile. Strakoscb is q sweet and
winning young lady who inherits the
musical talents of her parents.
The widow of a M. de Persigny," the
famous friend, adviser and intriguer OF
Napoleon ILL.,, is just now bothering her
head over a lawsuit against her mother,
Madame the Princess de Moskowa, for a
sum of liberalities allowed her husband
by the deceased Emperor. Louis Napo-
leon, on mounting the throne, gave M. de
Pcrsigny, alias M. Fialin, zoe, 900 francs
to extinguish his debts, and later he be-
slowed further gifts, in the resulting ben
efits Of which his widow thinks her
mother has no right strictly to participate.
Hence Che princely squabble.
A reporter of one of the smaller jour
nails of Paris asked the manager of the
alter to give him two seats for certain
performance. The manager refused, and
the Journalist said to him: Your re.
fusal will cost you 10000 francs" (s8 OOO).
For six months after the paper to which
the reporter was attached praised the
theater in this wise: Monsieur x. is a
magnificent director. He has good
company and his entertainments are ex-
cellent. His management is intelligent.
He knows what the people OF Paris want.
What pity it is that the staircases OF the
theater are of wood. If a fire should
break out the audience would have little
chance to escape" The result nf this
was that the manager was forced to
build an iron staircase, which cost him
$4,000.
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Iowa Postal Changes.

The following are the postal changes
in the State for the week ending Jan 20,
1875:
Offices Established-Nora, Humboldt
County, o. III. Gullaxon Postmaster;
fRh},eriidan, Van Buren, County, James FL.
Discontinued Mount b.
County; Soda Bar, Palo Alto County.
Postmasters Appointed-Broken Ket-
tie, Plymouth County, Cyrus Knapp
Browning, Carroll County, Martha
Ingham; Clifton, Louisa County, James
II. Patton; Clipper, Ringgold County,
Harvey Waugh; Rudd, Floyd County,
A. Nienstedt; Seaton, Lafayette County,
Hugh Cornue; Tyson's Mills, Webster
County, Aaron Smith.
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04

lined by trail of roses or blue
studded with large Marguerites an adasses
the bodice, or instead of the I 1--we
there is little sleeveless sneroo. aice,
jacket of silk, matching the nnds. l or
of the dress. part
It is rather early as yet to even ina;
cate anything in regard to the fashinn.
Tor the spring season. Already inou;r;as
reach us, however, from those who ass
disposed to take time by the forelock a.
to the probable fate of polonaises. and =
will the narrow skirts continue to ~
worm The polonaise, we i,nap;na
can hardly be dispensed with :,
present, particularly in tbs snr,r :.
and summer: it is the most nse
full of all styles for suits, tboua
less desirable for winter, because Il Z
not warm enough of itself, and loots
patchy with jacket. But cape sn;ts
will, during the coming season, be NOR
or less adopted, and the fichu, which baS
never been entirely displaced, revived
A great deal Of luxury is observed in the
use of lace. Valenciennes lace is used
more extensively upon UNDERGROUND
than ever before; chemises are in SOM
instances bordered with it; petticoats ~
flannel, richly embroidered, are trimmes
with it; the entire fronts of might.
dresses are composed of putting and in.
sertions, bordered with finest lace; and
drawers are richly finished with putting
lace insertion and wide lace ruf1es.
Much of this luxury is due to the fact
that an imitation Valenciennes is now
made SO fine that it can hardly be de.
tected; for it is preposterous to suppose
that real lace would be used, except for
bridals, or under ordinary circumstance.
for such purposes.-Demorest' Monttiy'
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Fashions for February.

AFTER the fashions have been decided
for the season there is little change until
change of season gives the signal for q
new departure. We have, therefore, few
novelties to record for the present month
and can only give resume of styles as
they are worn and indicate something of
what may be expected in the less wintry
months that are to come. February is
the month of grand balls and large en-
tertainments, which close the season
previous to Lent; evening toilets occupy
a large share of attention, therefore
and these we will first notice. But first
it must be remarked that there is always
more uniformity and permanency about
the styles for evening dress than any
other; they must possess certain charac
teristics to be an evening dress. If the
bodices are not cut low they must be
open to display lace and ornaments; if
the sleeves are not short they must be
half-short or wide open, for the same
purpose and In order to produce the
requisite "dressy" effect. 1t follows,
therefore, that there is only certain
amount of choice, and this is limited
again by the repugnance of many ladies
to low-necked dresses and the physical
requisites for such toilet.
Thus it happens that nine-tenths of the
ladies who have evening dresses made
fall back upon the square neck, or the
body open and V-shaped, and elbow
sleeves, which can be finished with be-
coming ruffies of lace.
Few even of the young American ladies
take kindly to waists that are cut low,
perhaps because they are of slender
type, and are instinctively aware that
light drapery is becoming to them. With
these difficulties to overcome, it is some-
times matter of difficulty to arrange a
toilet that is at once youthful and becom.
ing. The square neck, cut high on the
shoulder, but low front and back, offers
one solution; and If finished with a pref
ty standing rufile of real lace, thread or
Valenciennes mot point, no young girls
should wear point, and necklace, or
velvet with pendant at the throat.
may be worn by young women whose
necks are not perfection in outline or
filing up.
The cuirass jacket Is also largely
adopted, even for light toilets.
r. r example, white tulle is pulled over
pale blue or pink silk; the pouf is out
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04

Last evening half-dozen boys sue
ceedcd in getting possession OF horse,
which they at once harnessed for the pur-
pose, as one of their number remarked,
OF " having gay time" They fastened
their sleds together, the leader being at
tached TO the traces of the animal, and
after everything was in readiness the
driver gave the whip to the horse and the
train moved up Jefferson avenue at a
rapid rate. The horse was stopped three
or four times In order to add more sleds
to the train, and when the last start was
made, which was on the corner of Rus
sell street, eighteen or twenty sleds were
In line, their occupants shouting in high
glee at the sport which they were enjoy
ing, while the boy at the rear sang !:
"Don'tyou wish you was mey" Every
thing went on swimmingly until the rail-
road bridge was reached. Here pass
ing train of cars frightened the horse,
,nd apparently knowing that he had
matters his own way the fractions Great
ure, made dash toward the curb, there
by c0tsing the driver, boy about fifteen
yeara Vt age, to lose the reins, after
which the frightened animal rushed
up the venue at fearful rate OF
speed. Vle boys chung to their fly
ing sledsA quite bravely for time,
yelling liks band of Indians for the
horse to coheto stand-still, but their
screams only hid tendency to increase
the speed OF be frantic animal. AT
Miller's Garden tie horse took notion
to run up ElmwoG avenue, and making
an abrupt turn II that purpose the
front sled was carsied on the street-c
; track with such fCva ms 10 throw the
! youngster who had Hanged the "fun''
, into Inc ditch. AT tbs uncture the rope
which held the slets TO the traces
snapped in two, and so.ssion occurred
among them by which ~ We bows who
Q had not succeeded in droYp,r off during
o the run were unseatcd snS thrown IN
n every direction. Fortunately the bows
: were more frightened than hi by their
y fall, but the sleds were. with9 one OF
n two exceptions, transformer total
Il wrecks. The horse was finally ugh,
. to stand-slill near Croghan sSet.--
q Detroit Free Press
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Small Editions of Humanity.

THE Troy On. " Times of recent
date says; "The little two-pound
specimen of humanity that was men
toned yesterday as having been reported
before the Medical Association was born
in this city about month ago, and when
the child first appeared in the world it
had much the appearance of very aged
person. Its skin was shriveled, and its
eyes covered with film. as though age
had dimmed them; but by careful nurs-
ing these peculiarities have disappeared,
and its skin is now smooth, its eyes
bright, and it has every promise OF
long life before it. It's proud mother can
entirely hide the little one from view by
covering it with her outstretched hands.
But this is not solitary instance. There
is now residing in South Troy lad
seven years OF age, say Of his birth,
hearty,~ whnIy one and three-fourths
pounds. A physician residing in the
city relates an instance of child born in
January, 1874, of a mother who was in
the last stages of consumption, which
weighed one and half pounds. This
little one was perfect in formation, and
survived eighteen days. Another old
physician relates the circumstance of
meeting short time ago in Detroit,
Mich, a young man upward of fifteen
years of age, tall, robust and well
formed, who, when he aided him into the
world, weighed tive and three-quarters
pounds. The above births all occurred
in this city. Another instance is brought
to our knowledge of case that occurred
in Albany, of little one that weighed at
birth only two and three-sfXteenths
pounds. This child was also well
formed, and was doing well until seized
with that terror to children, the Group,
which terminated his life"
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Little "Bo-Peep' and the Dying
Child.

l REMEMBER, when was nursing in q
hospital once, there was apoor little boy
about six years old dying of rheumatic
fever. l was nurse in that ward, and
regularly, when the attack of pain came
on, he used to scream ous for me:
Nursey, sing. 1t hurts me. Sing
the hurt away"
30 then I'D prop him up on my arm
an sing. one song after another, from
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little STAR" TO
Black-Eyed SUSAN" till the paroxysm
OF pain was over, an he'd quiet down
again. ! always knew when that was by
Joinin' his voice in, too-such q weak
pipe OF voice, poor lamb! but l was
better glad to hear it than any music,
Tor IT telied me the pain was gone for
awhile, an | could lie him down to sleep
again.
Poor wee mite! was singing Little
Bo.Peep" the night he died. had him
IN my arms. He'd been sinking all day.
! knew he couldn't last out another; an
though he tired to join rs usual his
voice went into gasp an broke. ia
been sometimes used to call the children
In the ward my little sheep, an when ]
came to the end of the verse
Little Bo-Peep she Lost her sheep.
An doesn't know where TO find 'em;
Let 'cm alone, an they'll come home,
An bring their tails behind 'em--
he looked up in my face with . bit of
smile on his poor, little. drawn, white
mouth, and said:
"Nursey'll know where to find her
tickle sheep when he goes home. viii /
be long going home now, nnreevfr
Long! All, poor lambi ten m;nutes
later an he'd gone e.-Casueirs MAJ
aeins.
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Personal and Literary.

They call Sharon, of Nevada, 81 sill
ver-toned orator"
Stewards New York residence is
taxed for 100000.
Labor ended: George Labor, aged
lib years, died at Stroudsburg, Pa, the
other day.
The popular idols are all being top
pied over. Now Columbus has been
shown up as a pirate and low fellow, who
no more discovered America tnan COW
can climb a tree.
Dickens "Fat Boy has been resur.
rected in Coffee County, Ga, under the
name of Ricketson. He is only twelve
years old, and worries Fairbanks scales
to the tune Of $40 pounds.
toriefy,: gdasR, .Irwin. of Pacific Mail no.
brownish yellow hair and thin Dearu d
little lighter, hatchet-shaped face, and the
head of a shrewd and dogged man.
Miss Ross, a Chicago spinster has
recovered $4,000 damages for breach
of promise of marriage from George H.
Fancher, a wealthy California ranchman.
And yet the defendants counsel tried to
prove that 1t was Miss Ross that did the
counting and that she sat on George HIS
knee until he told her that she was too
heavy Tor him.
1t was Henry Fielding who began
the practice now so common of putting
the marriages and deaths together in
newspapers. This was in the Janobite's
Journal, set up by Fielding in 1747, one
number of which was illustrated by
wood-cut of Hogarth's Fielding even
carried his liking for classification SO far
as TO have yet third list, which con-
tanned the names IF people who had
come to life again.
--Kalakaua is a pretty good hand at
telling story himself I'VE have in
Hawaii" said he to an admiring circle at
Washington, several excellent baseball
clubs, and as swimmers we are proficient
/ think nothing Of making leap into
the water from a precipice 500 feet
high" Five hundred feet hich! Why,
your Majesty, that beats Sam Patch"
From what height did he leap?" the
King asked Minister Pierce was APP
pealed to for information, and, If he was
correct, he thought it somewhere in the
neighborhood of 100 feet. AT this the
King could not repress smile, and said:
"Why, gentlemen, should think nothing
of jumping into the water from a
precipice 1000 feet above it. Even little
girls jump from heights three and four
| hundred feet from the water" The King
described the position assumed in these
leaps, and as no Yankee was present
competent to beat the story the topic of
conversation was changed.
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Miscellaneous.

There is one part of Kalakaua's gov
eminent that runs just as well when he
is away as when he is at homeland that
is his volcano.
A Philadelphia broker courted a
young lady for six years and was too
bashful to ask for her hand until her
brother horse-whipped him into it.
According to the american Journal
ist during the last four weeks no less
than 200 daily and weekly newspapers
have suspended publication in this coun-
try alone.
The Chicago Tribune says it's sham
pooling which makes SO many men bald
headed. The occasional handfuls lost
in family disturbances are provided for
by nature.
-" Pray, Miss Primrose, do you like
steamboats, ?' inquired gentleman OF a
fair friend to whom he was paying his
addresses. "Oh pretty WELL" replied
the lady, "but I'm exceedingly fond of a
smack" The lover took the hint and
impressed chaste salute on the lips OF
the blushing damsel.
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04

was $50. 3S; to females, $2S.01. The
whole number Of scholars was 500, 345,
and the average attendance 227, 15l.
In the matter of school-houses the i'm
provement has been wonderful, 1852 hav-
ing been built during the year. The to-
tai number and kind are as follows:
frame, s,137; brick, $50; stone, 26S; log,
1853; total value, s., 500, c75; increased
value, 81 ,337, $50.
The total expenditures for school pur-
poses were $4,429. 87916. Teachers sala-
ries were paid to the amount OF 81,
SS604 Over 100000 more than the
year preceding were expended for school
purposes.
= The total of the permanent school
fund is given at 1924, 1888.
Ninety-two Normal Institutes were
held, with an aggregate attendance OF
6,774. There are 149 private schools IN
the State, employing 522 teachers and
paying 1909 pupils.
The following table gives the cost OF
education In Iowa for 1874, including
erection of school-houses:
Per capita of total population .......... 81 ~
Per capita OF school population. .s,...., "
Per capita Of enrolment. .......,...... 8
Per capita OF average attendance ........ IA w
Mills on the dollar Of taxable property. 81
The annual reports from County SUI
perintendents for the year ending Sept.
10, 1874, show the total population in the
State between five and twenty.one years
of age to be 508,345; the whole number
of pupils registered in the public schools,
1866, 1876; and in other schools, 1909;
making total of 380,214; the total aver
age attendance in the public schools,
227,151.
The increase since date Of last report
Is, in the school population, 1901, or
8 per cent. In the number enrolled in
public schools, 1853, or per cent. In
the total average attendance in public
schools, 22,947, or liz per cent.
The growing interest and confidence OF
The people in the public schools is shown
by the fact that the increase in the per
cent. of attendance is nearly four times
as great as in that Of school population;
352 new school-houses were built, in ad-
dition to those erected to replace such as
had become unfit for use.
The following is a statistical summary
of universities and colleges
Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-04
Religious and Educational.

Rev. Elk President Caswell, Of the
Baptist Church, writes letter of warn
ing, declaring that there is danger of dis
Indignation ii there Is persistence In en-
forcing the close communion theory
Mr.. j. b. Colgate writes to the En-
aminer and Chronicle that ain close com
munion Baptists have a logical foothold
where they can safely stand; but when
they depart from this they place them
selves on an inclined plane with no foot
ing this side of Popery."
The Deputy Constable appointed to
look after the children employed in the
factories In Massachusetts has presented
his report to the Governor. He declares
that in the State there are $4,000 children
growing up in ignorance, in consequence
of their employment at too early an age
and too exclusively in factories.
\ The annual report of the Superin.
: andent of the Public Schools of Pitts
!. hrgh places the value of the school
: aperty at nearly $4,000, 900. There is
yerage attendance of IS, 600 scholars,
SS2 teachers. Including interest on
d 1nI1y the cost per pupil is about thirty
I .asr year. The total receipts for the
y ''~ e over $700, 600.
aa,nh;ssvangelical ministers of Phila-
u0'pa re decided to form Christian