davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
How Weman Headed the Table.

A writer says g In Elizabethan En-
gland, when gallimawfreys had given
way to the substantial fare of our later
cookery, it was the custom at private
dinners to place the principal JOINTS
and masses of meat at the upper end of
the table, above the salt, 80 that the
chief guests could see clearly the best
of the good cheer, and also appropri-
ate the choicest cuts before the infe-
rior folk below the joint of honor were
served. Fashion having thus decided
that the carving should be done on
the table, the ladies were invited to
the head of the table, not out of gall
lantry, but in order that they should
do the work which could no longer be
executed conveniently by professional
carvers. Tt may cost the reader a
struggle to admit that our ancestors
had no more chivalrous purpose in
view when they promoted woman to her
proper place at the festal board, but
there is no doubt as to the fact. The
new ordering of places was the result
OF masculine selfshness and insolence,
rather than masculine gallantry. just
as in medi@val society the lady OF the
house rendered service to her guests
by discharging the functions of a gen.
tie serving woman, in preparing dishes
for their enjoyment, and even in bring
ing them to table with her own hands,
so In Elizabethan life she went up TO
the top of her table and seated herself
among the first guests, in order that
she might serve them as a carver. At
the same time, the number of 'great
pieces requiring several carvers she
brought other ministering ladies TO the
upper end of the table where the grand
joints were exhibited. Having been
thus called to the top of the table for
her lords convenience instead of her
own dignity, the mistress of the house
soon made it point of honor to occupy
the place, which had in the first in
stance been conceded to her as a SER
want rather than as principal lady. Ere
long, with her characteristic cleverness
in making the best of things, and stat
ing her own case in the way most agree
able to her self-love, she regarded her
carver's stool as throne of state, and
affected to preside over the company,
though the terms of her commission
only authorized her to help them to
food -
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
An Agricultural Editor.

There Is yet living in this State, and
now publishing a paying paper, an
editor who once looked hard times in
the face so constantly that o silver
quarter looked as big to him as the side
of a house. He published q small pa
per, in small town, and although he
paid but ten shillings per week for
board, and hired boy to help him at a
shilling per day, there were weeks when
he couldn't ss pay off unless the boy
would accept Of an order on q foreign
advertiser.
One day q subscriber, riding along
the highway, saw the editor hoeing
corn in q field, and he pulled mp and
shouted:
Hello, therel 7 haven't had my pa
per for three weeks. +"
y Haven't issued any, was the reply.
"And you won't get out any this
week 2"
"No."
And next week ?''
"Guess not
Well, when are yon going to print
another edition ?'
The editor took piece of red chalk
from his pocket, made some figures on
the top rail, and finally answered:
Well, if the weather holds good,
and i don't fall sick, and Jim pays me
the cash when get through with his
corn, ! guess I can get out paper
about three weeks from tomorrow, but
it may be @ week or two longer r.
Detroit Free Press.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
A Large Tea.KattIe.

For some weeks Boston has been all
agog over the size of huge tea-ksttle
in front of tea-store in that city. Two
prizes had been offered for the nearest
estimates of it's capacity, and the Yam
kee citizens have consequently been
ss guessing" ever since. Twelve hun
dred guesses were made and recorded,
there being 120 of ten gallons or less,
and five of over 8, ZOO gallons. These
figures show a wide divergence in opin-
ion. The average guess of the first
thousand was la gallons, and the last
thousand about 1S1 gallons. At noon
New Years day the kettle was publicly
measured, in the presence of 1000 or
600 persons, MIR. William T. Reed,
the official Sealer of Weights and Meas
ures for the city, filing the kettle with
water by using five gallon measure,
under the supervision of Hon. Henry
Baldwin, Judge of the Municipal Court
| in the Brighton District. The thing,
| therefore. had sort of official indorse-
ment. The progress of the filling was
scored upon blackboard by Mr.. Reeds
son. The work proceeded thus as rap-
| idly as possible until the kettle was
nearly full, when smaller measures were
successively substituted. The excite
ment grew intense rs the end ap-
preached, and at / :05 o'clock the great
problem was settled by the recording
that the kettle contained just 227 gal
| Ions, 2 quars, pint, and 3 gills. The
prizes were chest o. tea for the nearest
gness, and twenty-five pounds of coffee
for the next best. The nearest guess
was 227 gallons. quarts. and pint
wine measure, or within 3 gills of the
exact quantity. This guess was made
by eight different persons, and the
chest of tea was divided among them
The second nearest guess was 227 gal
Ions, 8 quarts, and pint, or within
5 gills of. the correct figures. Thil
quantity was guessed by five persons
and among them was the coffee divided
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Man and Dog Both Saved.

The other day young man named
Benjamin Machamer, one of the best
hunters in Northumberland county,
made remarkable escape from q well
into which he fell. This wen is IN the
lower part of the town of Trevorton,
near the old round house. So long q
time has elapsed since it has been in
use that it's existence was almost for
gotten. It is about eight feet wide and
eighteen feet deep: and at the present
time contains ten feet of water. 1t was
covered with plank the day in question.
Machamer started out in pursuit of
game, accompanied by his dog, valu-
able setter. His path lay near the old
well, into which his dog had the mis-
fortune to fall, through hole caused
by the decaying planks. The dog was
highly priced by Mr.. Machamer, who,
in attempting to rescue it, fell in him
self. In an ordinary sized well the
situation would have been dangerous,
and in this case it was extremely so, as
the unusual width of the well prevented
him from bracing himself against the
side. The only possible way for him
to get out was to climb up one side, and
as the wall was very closely built, this
gle for life, and Machamer, being a
young man of powerful strength and
great energy. resolved to try. He sue
ceeded in almost reaching the top, only
to lose his hold, and fan back. Again
and again he climbed up the side of the
wall, and each time fell back into the
cold water beneath. Every time he fell
back the half-strangled dog would
spring upon his shoulders, thus bear
ing him down and keeping him under
water. In spite of this difficulty. how
ever, he would succeed in regaining the
wall. At one time he became faint
from the effect of the impure air. He
had found small stick floating on the
water, which he inserted in the wall and
placed one foot upon it, then put both
hands in another aperture, thinking
that if he did sweon he might possibly
hang there until he returned to coI-
sciousness. The faintness, however,
passed away, and he again attempted to
reach the top. Finding that his wet
clothes greatly impeded his progress,
he succeeded in divesting himself of his
ont, leaving the other with the coat tc
sink to the bottom. Thirteen times he
climbed up the side of the well, and
well. His perseverance surpassed thai
of the traditional spider, for he hao
great odds to contend with. At last
| almost worn out, he made a final effor
and reached the top. He didn't wait
| for the dog, but started for home imme
diately, and told his story. His father
and another gentleman returned q
once and rescued the dog. Mr.. Mac
hamer states that he was in the well al
hour. The escape was wonderful
| POttsUilLe penn } Miners Journal.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

staring eyes. The crowd instinctively
instituted q comparison between her
and Mrs. Beecher, and the result was
favorable to Mrs. Tilton. 1t was ap-
parent that they were opposite in char
acter. On ono side was weak, timld>
sentimental woman on the other, q.
positive, determined and, even in her
old age, a handsome woman Mrs.
Beecher WAS cool and self-possesse6
throughout the proceedings, notwith-
standing the bitter attacks upon her
husbands honor. Mrs. Tilton was evl-
IDENTIFY nervous and embarrassed. Mrs.
Beecher has q classical face, full or
force and expression. Mrs. Tilton'e
face is of the commonplace type.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Railroads in China.

Two very curious articles have been
published by Shanghai native news
paper, the HtUei- PGo, protesting against
the construction of railways in the Chi
nese empire. The Ht0ei-PGO is of
opinion that the existence of railways
in Europe is too recent to admit of a
Judgment being formed as to their
practical utility, and, moreover, that
there is not sufficient business in China
to render them profitable. The Chinese
journal goes on to say that tea and
silk are the principal objects of COM
merce, and these have hitherto been
forwarded to the treaty ports by river
steamboats,. A substitution of railways
for steamboats, would not effect any saw
ing in point of time, and could not,
therefore, even from the point of view
taken by the foreigners themselves, be
of any service to China. Admitting
that little time was gained, the Chi
nese would not be benefited, for the
goods would not be exported more
rapidly. Thus the railways would only
lead to an accumulation in the ports Of
vast quantities of goods which, as they
could not be shipped off all at once,
| would fall considerably in price" The
on the railway lines are very numerous
| 0OAS4SAOAA6p
or tenders taking fire, by the trains
running off the lines. or by the bridges
giving way and the trains being precipi-
tated into the rivers below. In other
cases the carriages are injured by the
great speed at which they are hurried
along, and the accidents are SO numer
ous that it is often impossible to as
certain the exact number of dead AND
wounded. AL the foreign journals ar
| full of details concerning these acci
dents. But, admitting that most o
these casualties are preventable. an,
the trains follow their regular course.
they travel quicker than the thorough
bred horse, and the people walking O
the lines would have no time to get on
of their way. From this cause alon
the number of fatal accidents would b
enormous. In all countries where rail
ways exist they are considered YER
dangerous mode of locomotion, and be
yond those who have very urgent busi
ness to transact, no one thinks of usinl
| them"
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Our Railway System.

The past year has not added largely
to the length of the railroads in this
country. This was mainly owing to the
fact that ON account of the depression'
in business and the Legislation by most
of the Western Legislatures, but few
new roads were built. Much has been
done, however, toward the Improvement
of existing roads, and in making ready
for the traffic anticipated when the
financial and business affairs return to
their normal condition. The american
R0iEroGd Journal gives the following
as a near approximation to the actual
present status of our railroad system
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Deceived the Doc.

If we may believe our foreign critics.
and commentators, Americans are fair
game for artist and artisan, and very
easily brought down. Tho latest joke
against MS comes from Paris by way OF
England and is after the style of
Zeuxis, his cheat. A French animal
painter, poor In every sense of the
word, cast about desperately for q.
patron, and after total failure, hap
pened TO recall the story of the clever
z. He immediately began deeply pa
thetic and tragic picture, g The death
of the Poodle" and every mOrninx
took his dog into the studio, and plnes-
ing the unhappy creature before the
painting. administered q stout whiwA
ping. Picture flnished- rich American
invited to studiodog comes in-seee
Death of Poodle e"-remembers stripes
-howls tumultuoualy--rich American.
strikes attitud0-t. Ha deceived dog
how true, how beautifuI l"-buya pie
ture as goEgeous przce--is happy.
ARTIST Us happyf Dog iH happy l--Ncsc
York 1S&bsIso.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
a Rich Angel Entertained Unawareg.


A few evenings since there dropped
into an up town hotel, man about five
feet eight, with heavy chin-whiskers,
and with rather seedy and patched
suit, but clean. He wanted lodging
for the night, and inquired of the
landlord if he could "bunk - with him.
The landlord, not liking his condition
and appearance, told him !" he guessed
not" The stranger took q seat and
entered into conversation with some of
the boarders. The landlord discover
ing during the evening that he was an
educated man, remembered the saying
of 6 entertaining angels unawares, told
him he might stay if he paid in advance.
The stranger ct once took out about SO
in currency, and rendered q $5 bill for
the payment. The landlord soon after
took him to bed, and left him in his
room, but stationed himself where he
could see the occupant of the room
The stranger, after taking his boots of,
got down ON his knees in front of the
bed and delivered the Lords Prayer
in q most impressive manner, after
which ne prayed for all the inmates of
the house, for his friends and for his
enemies, that they might be preserved
from all danger and that they might be
happy. he then arose and commenced
undressing, in the meanwhile talking
to himself and making expressions
aloud like the following: g What q
fool / have been )" '' Some thieves might
have picked me up; i wonder II
have got it !" then taking two large rolls
of bank bills from different parts of his
person, which he put under his pillow
and then got into bed. The landlord
says he never heard the Lords Prayes
repeated In more impressive manner.
The stranger is a heavy lumber dea
from the upper Hudson. Troy Pr
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
A Rattlesnake Eaten.

The Rochester E1press says S. A
scientific gentleman of this city, and a
great gourmand I've are not permitted
to give his name, but he is well-known
here), has demonstrated that rattlesnake
is safe, and, he says, extremely pala-
table, article of food. Some time ago
he received rather startling present
by express from a gentleman in the
South. On removing the covering, a
large andvery powerful rattlesnake, four
or five feet in length, and about as thick
around as the largest part of q mans
arm, was discovered in q cage of wicker
work. he was very lively, and his age,
as indicated by the number of his rat
ties, was nine years. After keeping
him some time he was killed, skinned
and cooked, and the gentleman and
several of his friends, including three
or four ladies, made hearty dinner of
the flesh, which, they say, tastes very
much like that of the common eel.''
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
YOUTH AND AGE.

When was young there seemed 10 he
NO pleasure In the world for ma.
Ny fellows found 1t everywhere,
was none 90 Poor but bad his share-
They took mine, tool
I sought in vain IL was my fate
10 pe TOO early, or too late:
ne nese Vas there the bird was flown
Ana why and to what golden zone 2
II youth but knewl
Why art thou, Youth, 80 swift, 40 slow9
Wny oost thou let thy pleasures 70
Al that they grasp thy hands let fall:
Inc oest they do not grasp at all,
Do not pursuei
what ttngles in my blood ike wine
Ghoee tender eyes that turn to nine.
9ne SOFT teare in my eyes that start
Len me, what does 1t mean, my heart
II youth but knewi
Now nm old there seems to be
No pleasure In the world for me:
But vain regrets for what is past,
Because did not hold 1t fast,
Because 1t fiewi
Ehat youth is weak, and age is strong.
Should be the burden OF my song,
And might be in my happier hours,
II autumn leaves were summer flowers.
If age could dol
Mock not my sighs, and nly white hair.
o Youth SO foolish and 30 fair
Remember, life is not all June;
The lean and slippered pantaloon
Awaits thee tool
Be wise, delay not, oh. make haste
Go, steal your arm around her waist.
The rosebud mouth begins to blow.
Stoop down and kiss it-so, boy, soi
If age could dol
Dam cfUtnaLs, the wise men say,
And you can do 1t as well as they.
SO live and love, then, while you can.
Nor sigh, like me, when you are a man.
If youth but knewW
Far better be where Folly dwella.
And shake him with your jangling bells.
Than hear belated wisdom come.
And beat upon the muffied drum.
O. Gge could do IN
Fl. StoddGrd, IN AtlaStic Mentally.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Transit OF Venus.

Judging from the mail reports of
the observations of the recent transit
of Venus, at least one important and
interesting contribution to science has
been made-rather, one error corrected.
This was the IS black drop" phenom-
enon. In previous observations the
disk of Venus was noticed to be appar-
emily elongated towards the edge of
the suns diskss.at the moment of con-
tact, even as when one barely touches
the surface of bowl of water with a
finger tip, then raises it slightly above
the surface, connecting drop appears
between the flesh and the water. All
the reports thus far received unite in
declaring that no such phenomenon
was observed last month, SO that the
IS black drop" is to be considered but
an optical delusion which better in
struments and more accurate observa-
tions have corrected.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

LFrom Report Of the 1hson- Beeeher IFaAa.l 81
Mr.. Tilton cast q quick, nervous
glance toward the door, and saw two
ladies and Edward J. Ovington cross
ing the threshold. One Of these ladies'
was Elizabeth r. Tiltcn the other was
her friend, Anna NJ. Hicks. Mrs. Til.
tom was attired in black silk dress
and dark velvet cloak, with q black vel-
vet hat ornamented by an ostrich
feather. She removed her veil and
glanced for moment at her husband.
whispered softly to Messxs. Beach and
| Fullerton. The lawyers simply nzniled
! time was the central figure of afArnc
ton. She Was very pale. and her nnen.
ner vas that Of timid, nlay woman.
| who felt i'll at case under hundreds n
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

SURR CuRn FOR FRosT- -B1TE--A mix
ture Of equal parts Of chloroform,
bites and chilblains as is sulphur for
the itch. The above can be had of any
druggist, should be labeled for :. exter.
nal use" and kept closely corked.
For use Prepare o pledget of cotton
or lint Of proper size, shake the mixture
well, saturate the pledget, place il on
affected parts then cover with 0 piece
of thin MANILA paper, well oiled, and
over that bandage. One application
is usually sufficient, but May be repeat
ed If necessary. lad dinnox3olSs. .Zo,sgyazL
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

OF the increase of main and
branch line was added by-New'
England, 79.O8; the Middle States.
4O6 "a /; the Southeast Sta ties, S. 80 ;.
the Gulf and Southwest States,
236. 40; the Interior CE.) States, 587. rs ;.
the Interior (W.) States, 138 60, and
the Pacific Slope States, 296. 60 O&k
the increase of second, ETC., track, about
one-haH is due TO the New York Gen.
tral and Hudson River railroad third
and fourth tracks between Albany and
Rochester. The Erie, the Pennsylvania,
the Philadelphia and Reading, and the
Baltimore and Ohio railroads have also.
added largely TO their auxiliary tracks,.
sidings, etc. The roads of the interior
States have done comparatively little in
this regard. The additional cost of
railroads in the United States ADDS up
500, ,513, ,391. About two-thirds of this
sum has probably been expended on
new works, and the remainder Ia the
improvements of the tracks, eqripments
buildings, etc. Most of the great roads
have largely relaid their tracks with
steel rails. I'm the tables given above
we make the total length Of track laiH
down 80, ,050. 81 miles, of which n, ,2O6 2Ss
miles are main and branch lines, and
Is, ,844 "a miles second, third, and
fourth tracks and sidings. The aver
age cost of all the railroads of the
United States, obtained by dividing the
total cost by the sum of tracks laid. is
$43, $50 per mile, or if divided by the
sum of all the main and branch lineR
only, it is $51, ,556 per mile.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Transporting Cattle --- Congressman
Wilson's Plan.

At the next meeting Of the House
Committee ON Agriculture, it is stated
that Mr.. Wilson, the Iowa farmer Con-
gressman, who, during the summer,
has given the subject OF the transporta-
ton of cattle from the West to the
East much attention, will submit his
reports. It viii oppose all the bills
now before Congress-, which look to
remedying the existing system by
means of larger cars and lighter loads
in them. It will recommend that in
stead Of the transportation on the hoof,
of cattle from the West to the East,
that method be devised for slaughter
ing at the West and transporting in
carcass. Mr.. Wilson is of the opinion
that this is the only remedy, as Texas
cattle particularly. and many others,
cannot be even loaded in cars without
resorting to block and tackle.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

that acquit myself better on this stage
than did on board the Norway"
And that's the only haunted ship that
ever / was in. I've heard of others,
but probably those cases might all be
explained in some similar way.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26
Mrs. Reecher in Court.

During some parts of ex-Judge Nor
ris' address to the jury, In the opening
of the Beecher trial to-day, the pastor
held his face toward the floor. It was
flushed, but otherwise did not express
emotion. Mrs. Beecher sat steadily
looking at the speaker. Her face was
cast down, and her eyes, directed up
ward under her sharply brows, gave
her peculiar aspect suggestive of
mingled anger and watchfulness. The
corners of her mouth drawn down add
to her sternness. Once, when the
speaker stated that his client could not,
Of course, produce direct evidence to
prove his charges, Mrs. Beecher turned
toward ner husband with smile, but
soon resumed her look of bitterness.
During the entire speech Beecher looked
very serious. For most part of the
time he sat as If looking out of the win
dow at the left Of the Judges bench.
He had in his hand book, which was
occasionally consulted, and once he
called his wife's attention to some
| memorandum in it. She smiled and
whispered In. his ear. Occasionally 9
cynical lock stole over Mrs. Beecher'e
| face. The only time Beecher allowed
his expression to change was when
Morris referred to Tllton as not having
been moved by o spirit OF revenge.
Then faint smile stole over his face. =
1 NeaO York Cor. Chicago Times.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

TER Railroad G9sette says there
was less railroad construction dene IN
this country last year than IN sny yeax
since the war.
The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

Cor. ETHAN ALLEN, of Revolutionary
fame, though roughly reared, was very
courteous by nature, and made every
possible effort to improve his manners
BY observing those of other people.
When he was o prisoner of war IN New
York city on parole, he was invited into
the best society of the city, and on one
occasion attended large and fashion-
able dinner party. Olives were passed
around during the feast, and. following
the general example. Col Allen took
one. He was unable to overcome the
diagust il caused his palate, and taking
| the ha1f-chewed fruit in his hand, said,
with low bow TO his hostess, g Madame.
with your permission, I'll put that = -
thing on the table.