davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Primitive Flowing.

A Mexican correspondent of the Lou
isville Courier Journal, writes:
"On our way back to Temisco We had
an opportunity of observing, more close
ly than diligence or railroad can permit,
the process of plowing as commonly
practiced in this country. The pillow it
self is almost a fac-simile of the pattern
used by the Egyptians in the time of
Abraham, and certainly commends itself
to all agriculturists on account of its
great simplicity and cheapness. 1t con-
sists of a wooden shaft about four feet
long and four inches thick, aQned at its
lower extremity with an iron point,
slightly fattened, and sometimes pre-
senting a feeble forward curve. The
other end is provided with found stick
passed through hole to serve as han
die. The pole, consisting of the stem of
a small tree, from which the bark has
been peeled, is fifteen feet long and at
tached to the shaft by means of mortise
and peg. The implement thus consti-
tnted is fastened at the extremity of the
pole to the middle of very light wood
EN- yoke, about seven feet long, which
rests Immediately behind the horns of a
pair of oxen, and is fastened there by
thongs of rawhide passed around the
roots of the horns. Not less than fifty
such contrivances were crawling at a
snail's pace over the field which we stop
ped to notice, scratching up the ground
to the depth of two or three inches-cer-
tainly 20 us a very novel sight.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Live Stock and Population.

Prof. Thorold Rogers, Of Oxford Uni
versity, England, has made up a Curl
GUS return Of the proportion Of domesti-
Gated live stock to population in most
prominent countries in the world. II
shows the following results;
Great Britain has one COW 10 every
twelve persons, a sheep for everybody
and a pig for every six.
France has like proportion Of sheep,
a double share, comparatively Of cove,
bat only one pig TO every six persons.
T.e Swedes have COW between three
and one-half OF them, sheep between
two and three quarters, aud a pig 10 a
bakers dozen.
There are ~ many sheep as there are
Norwegians in Norway, when they are
all at home, and two ard one-hAlf Of
them-the Norwegians-are entitled 10
COW. They can have only one-eigh.
teenth Of pig each.
Denmark has COW for three persons,
ms many sheep as persons, and pig for
four and lhree-quarters persons.
Prussia, with her usual uniformity,
has an equal number Of cows and pigF,
one TO every FIVE inhabitants, besides a
sheep apiece all round.
Wurtemburg has quarter as many
cows as people, a sheep to two and
three-quarters, and pig TO every seven.
Bavaria rates the sames as Wurtem-
burgh as to cows and sheep, and is az
much better than one.sevsnth.
Saxony has sheep and a pig for
every eight persons, and a COW for every
six. ..
Holland has a COW TO every four,
sheep to every four, and pig 20 twelve
persons. .
Belgium COW to SIX, sheep to nine,
and a pig to eight (which is an Hiber-
nicism.) r... ....
Austria has COW for every six per
sons and sheep and pig for every five
persons.
Switzerland runs up 10 the Swedish
standard on cows, one to three and one
half persons, and has a sheep for Eve,
and pig for every seven and one-half
persons.
We Americans close the list with a
COW for every four Of us, a sheep apiece,
one pig TO every one and one-half.-
Rural New Yorker.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Useful Information.

Castor oil is an excellent thing TO
soften leather.
Cream of tartar rubbed upon soiled
white kid gloves cleanses them well.
A solution of cyanide OF potassium is
the best poison to kill insects of any
kind.
A pint of mustard seed put in a bar
rel of cider will preserve it sweet for
several months.
A mixture Of oil and ink is good
thing to clean kid boots with; the first
softens and the latter blackens them.
A simple remedy for removing freck-
les is pint of sour milk and small
quantity of horseradish. Let the mix
ture stand over night, and use it as a
wash three times a day until the freck-
les disappear.
The leaves of geranium are ali excel
lent application for cuts, when the skin
is rubbed off. and other wounds of the
same kind; one or two leaves must be
bruised and applied on linen to the part,
and the wound will become cicatrized in
a very short time.
All sorts of vessels and utensils may
be purified from long retained smells of
every kind, in the easiest and most per-
feet manner, by rinsing them out we'll
with charcoal powder after the grosser
i'm purities have been secured off with
sand and potash.-[Ohio Farmer.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Something About Kisses.

The Chicago Inter-Ocean observes
that there have been some famous kisses
in history, and some that have been
important in shaping political events.
And it instances: When Cardinal John
of Lorraine, was presented to the Ouch
ess of Savoy, she gave him her hand to
kiss. The great churchman was indign-
ant. "In not be treated in this man.
ner," said he, 81 kiss the Queen, my
mistress, and shall ] not kiss you who
are only a Duchess?" And despite the
resistance Of the proud little Portuguese
Princess, he kissed her three times
squarely in the mouth. Voltaire was
once publicly kissed by the young and
lovely Countess de Villars, who was
compelled to this salute by the claquers
in the pit, who were mad with enthus-
iasm over the great writer. Georgiana,
Duchess of Devonshire, gave Steel,
butcher, kiss for vote, and another
lady, equally beautiful, Jane, Duchess
of Gordon, recruited regiment in
similar manner. She was in the habit
of putting shilling between her teeth,
the sum usually handed recruits to bind
the bargain, and inviting any man who
filed the physical requirements of a
soldier to take the silver from its place,
and become one of the famous Ninety
second. Said Daniel O'Connell, in se-
curing votes for his favorite candidates,
Let no woman salute the man who votes
against them" OF course he carried
the day. The psrtrait painter, Gilbert
Stuart, once met lady in Boston, who
said to him: "I have just seen your
likeness Mr.. Stuart, and kissed it because
it was so much like you" "And did it
kiss you in return2" said he, "No,"
replied the lady. "Then," returned the
gallant painter, ait was not like me-"
Speaking of kissing, the remarks of Rev.
Sydney Smith on the subject arc parti-
cularly pertinent:
1--WE are in favor" says he, "of GER
tain amount of shyness when kiss is
proposed, but it should not be too long
and when the fair one gives it, let it be
; administered with warmth and energy
let there be soul in it. If she close heI
D eyes and sigh Immediately aftersit, the
effect is greater. She should be careful
: not to sIobber kiss, but give it 4
b humming bird runs his bill into hon
: eysuckle--deep, but delicate. There i
much virtue in a kiss when well deliver
n ed. We have the memory of one we re
n ceived in our youth which lasted Us for
!, ty years, and we believe it will be one o
4 the last things we shall think of whel
y we die"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

Mr.. Beach must be powerful jury
advocate, if Herald's sketch Of him Is
not exaggerated;
lie is man who takes better as q
speaker with the mass OF people than
Mr.. Evarts. The latter is too dilettanti
too cold, involved and lone-winded.
Beach hits ths bulk's eye every time,
uses forcible Saxon English. never
hesitates. and in voice, vigor and earn
estness leaves Evarts long way behind.
Not alone IL Beach fiery and strong, but
his language is sententious and Apsly
chosen. He never overloAds his address
with useless adjectives. Strength. no,
ornament, is what be seeks. United to
his splended, ringing voi.e. Beach has a
presence at once manly and impressive
Hia face isexPreHsive. The color mounts
upward with his eloquence. the eye
flashes with n bright, burning Iustre,
and whether IL be sOphistry or cAsuistry
he Is dealing out, he gives the impress.
ion Of being the very perronikcAtion o
outraged truth and Justice.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Cost of Living.

The papers take periodical spell of
economical Investigation, and are now
somewhat engaged in discussing the
"cost of living" The times have been
well calculated to provoke inquiries of
this sort, but so far not much of practi-
cal consequence has been suggested save
the general counsel TO practice economy,
and there are limits to that; people must
eat, dress, burn fuel, have habitations
and educate children. In regard to the
laboring classes, one of the changes
wrought by modern progress is thus in
dicated:
There was time when, in many parts
of the world, laboring men were paid in
kind, that is in products, for their work.
Thus, in Pennsylvania fifty years ago,
and even less, laboring man working
in the harvest field received bushel of
wheat for days service. If wheat was
20, 80, 80, or 100 cents bushel, it mat
tered not, the bushel paid the days Ia
Dor, or what it sold for was accorded in
cash. The same rule applied to many
other articles. Men made contracts to
work for so much in kind, to be deliver
ed when the work was done. When this
state of the labor market existed there
was no facility for delivering large guam
titles of raw or manufactured material
long distances. Iron and wheat then
were carried on pack-mnlss following
bridle- paths over the Allaghenies, and
when a road was constructed by which
teams could traverse those wilds it was
regarded as the greatest achievement Of
the times. The cost of living then could
be regulated with something like GER
tainty, because mans wants were few
and simple, and there we're few markets
in which to "corner" any article.
This view of the matter does not af-
ford much encouragement. 1t is pro-
bable that some day there will be such
an overhauling of our financial system
as will relieve the masses from unneces-
sary burdens and more equally distri-
butte the wealth that is accumulated by
honest toll
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
The Pumpkin.

The pumpkin il a large, yello fruit,
about one foot in diameter, and not fur
from being round.
The seed of it is shaped like the he'd
OF an Injun arrow and IL about the size
ov yure middle finger nail.
The seed IL inserted into the ground
about the 18th ov May, and Gums to lite
in about 6 days.
The pumpkin keeps on bizzy growing
until the fust of Oktober, and then gives
up the contest.
Pumpkins grow on to a vine, and thar
IL but few if any smarter weeds than a
pumpkin vine. On ritch ground they
will grow four inches a day, besides
growing about two inches each night.
and they have large, yello flowers on
them about the size and shape ov the
other end ov a key bugle, or French
horn.
Each of these flowers means pump
kin, and l hav seen 16 able boddyed
pumpkins on one vine.
This is called "sum pumpkins"
Pumpkins are planted among corn,
and after the corn has been got off hav
seen the pumpkins SO much on the
ground that You couldn't count them.
The most remarkable thing about the
pumpkin liz the pi that il in them.
Each able-boddyed pumpkin haz from
six to eight pize in them, and thare ain't
no food, anshunt or modern, kan out
style them.
Pumpkin pi il az hard TO beat az the
simple truth il. Pumpkins are kut up
into strips and hung up in the kitchen
for winter pi.
I don't kno WHARF nor when the pump
kin was fust discovered, or who ii waz
who fust worked 1t up into pi.
Christopher Columbus found Ameri-
ka, Newton waz the father of gravita-
shun, and menny a man haz spent hiz
whole life and talent on perpetual mo-
tion and never kaught up with it, but
who fust found a pumpkin or invented
ir il MYSTERY up to this hour.
Pumpkins gro the most cheerfully in
Nu England, bekause folks are most
kind to them thare, but the pumpkin il
a good -natured plant, and will gro emmy
WHARF if people amt sassy to it Josh
| Billings.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Catching Cannon Balls ON the Fly.
Paris Cor. New York Times.

IParis Cor. New York Times
A very singular exhibition was given
yesterday at the Jardin Mabille. There
has been performing here at the Folies
Bergeres a man named Holtum, an
American, who has a cannon fired at
him and catches the ball in his hands.
This pro6igious feat was witnessed
nightly, and although the actors present
avowed that there was no trick, Pierre
Veron, of the Monde Illustre, would
not believe it. He said that the cannon
ball must be thrown to Holtnm from
the stage. The latter made bet s.
900 francs that be would perform the
feat under conditions which left no room
to doubt, and, when the bet was taken,
Veron designated Mabille as the place
for the trial All the journalists of
Paris were invited, and they found Hol
tum there before his cannon. 1t was
examined with minute care, and the
heavy hall was passed from hand to
hand. az am no longer in my own
house." said Holtum; "you are master
here, and you must watch over all the
arrangements" Having carefully aim
ed and lashed his cannon, it was charg-
ed, and Holtum took his place against
plank target some ten yards away. This
was to show that the ball was solid, and
the force Of the powder great enough to
send it through the plank. Holtum
got the aim of his gun, and then placed
his head in a certain position against
the plank, giving the command to fire.
The ball just grazed the hair and broke
through the plank, rolling some twenty
yards further on. The same ball was
picked up by the journalists, who again
charged the cannon and sent home the
ball, and this time Holtum caught the
ball in his hands as neatly as he does
nightly upon the stage. He won his bet,
and no one seemed disposed to accept
his offer of 5000 francs to any one who
would perform the same astounding feat.
The physical force required must be
enormous, but Holtum showed his
strength by tossing up cannon balls as
if they were so many oranges. The only
precautions taken are very simple; he
wears very thick leather gloves, and
covers his breast with many thicknesses
of thin paper to form a sort of cuirass.
| This looks to me like very dangerous
feat, and particularly the first part of it,
/ - 1 IL. L.
| the target half an inch below where the
ball will probably strike. IL the pow
der should chance to be defective, some
day there Nigh be an accident. 1t is
like the foolhardly trick of putting one's
head into lions mouth. One day
fancy that ball will snap his head very
neatly off
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Paul ReVere's Ride.

At a meeting or the Massachusetts,
Charitable Mechanic Association in B,s-
ton few evenings ago, allusioD was
made 20 the patriotic service Of Paul
Revere (who was the 6rpt president Of
that association) in riding ont from Boz.
ton on the night Of the 18th Of April,
1775, TO convey into the country the
news Of the British expedition to Con-
cord which was planned for the follow
ing day. The circumstances Of the ex-
plot arc familiar to this generation of
Americans through Longfellow's poetry.
After the remarks about Revere, the
Boston Journal sayp:
"Mr Benjamin Woodward aid that
there was one man entitled 20 a. much
and perhapa more credit than Paul Re
we're. That was the man who hung the
lanterns in the tower Of she Ola North
Chnreh-Rohert Newman, the sexton
Of the church, who was afterwards ar
rested and tried by the British. What
ne did required, perhaps, more oourage
than to face the British mnsketa. at Tex
ington and Concord. lIis sOn, said Mr..
Woodward, il a member Of this associa-
tion; he il a tailor AZ the conclusion
Of Mr.. wo0dward's remarks eOnae mem
Der remarked that Me. Newman was
present, and Immediately theFe were
loud calls for him. He came forward
nodestly, hearty looking old gentle
man, and was greeted with hearty ap-
plause, which was repeated when he re-
sumed his seat. lie told briefly and
simply the history Of his fathers doing
that night nearly one hundred years ago;
Of his arrest by the British and his sub
sequent release because they could prove
nothing against him"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

REMEDY FOR CKoUP.-Spirits of
turpentine is sovereign remedy for
Group. Saturate piece of flannel with
it and place il on the throat and chest,
and send for your family physician. If
the case be very urgent. and the child in
great distress, and the distance to the
doctors residence be very great, drop
three drops of the turpentine on a lump
of sugar, and give internally. Or good
emetic of tincture of blood root, or To-
bella, or both combined should be given
Every family should keep bottle Of
turpentine in the house.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

A bituminous rock has been discover
ed in Western New York, which is thus
described:
'In the northern part Of Livingston
county,. New York, reaching east and
west through the towns of Avon, Lima,
and York, and extending east into the
towns of East and West Bloomfield, in
Ontario county, there is a layer of black
rock about hundred feet thick. This
rock is black as jet, very fine in grain,
and can be polished until il shines like
glass. When put into hot fire the
stone will blaze like pitch pine knot
for long time, and finally turns white.
In the township of Avon, this rock is 80
plentiful in the fields that the farmers
use il to build fences with. Where the
black rock is covered with other rocks,
it il charged with inAammable gas. Sew
eral years ago, in the town Of Bloomfield,
Ontario county, an artesian well was
drilled, and after penetrating the non-
bituminsus rock, the workmen struck
black bituminous rock, and here, instead
Of finding oil, they met with flow OF
infiammable gas. For four or five years
the gas was allowed to escape end burn
without any use being made Of il. II il
now carried into the mains Of the Ro.
chester Gas Company"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

REMOVAL OF TAPEwoRM-A writer
in the Druggists Circular says that in
treating some cases of tapeworm he has
employed no preliminary provisions be-
yond forbidding the patient TO take any
breakfast the day on which it is intend
ed to remove the worm, and giving him
large dose of Rochelle salts the pre-
ceding night. At 10 o'clock in the
morning, dose is given made of one
half ounce Of bark of pomegranate root,
one-half dram pumpkin reed, one dram
ethereal extract of male fern, one hall
dram powdered ergOt. two drams pow
dered gum arabic, and two drops croton
oil. The pomegranate bark and pump
kin seeds are thoroughly bruised, aud,
with the ergot, boiled in eight ounces o.
water for fifteen minutes, then strained
through a coarse cloth. The croioA oil
is first well rubbed up with the acacia
and extract of male fern, and then form
ed into an emulsion with the decoction.
In each case the worm was expelled alive
and entire within two hours. in each
case, too, the worm was passed with the
head firmly fastened TO the side of its
body at about the widest part, from
which it was with difficulty remosed.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

CURE FOR A FELoN.-As sooA as dis
covered, take some spirits Of turpentine
in cup, dip the finger in it, and then
hold the hand near hot fire till dry;
then dip it in again, and repeat for fif-
teen minutes, or until the pain ceases.
The next day with a sharp knife pare of
the thick skin, and you will find some
thing like a honey comb, filled with
is gone. If the felon is too far gone for
turpentine, oil Of origanum treated in
the same way will cure. II too far ad.
vanced for either cure, the felon will be
benefited, as II win be less painful.
Never draw II.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

Leslie Comba on Tecumseh: "If ever
an Indian was great, he was that Indian.
well reme.nbeF how he looked. He
was perhaps forty-ive ycars old when l
sAw him, about FIVE feet ten inches in
height, and would weigh about one hun
dred and sixty pounds. He was "a
noblert looking specimen of q savage /
ever aAw, and one 0f she grtat men Of
America lie was a savage vita a
Christian heart
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

A young man who had been diaoharg
ed from employment in Boston rail
road Office applied 10 be reinstated, Che
other day. and waa told that hiR request
would br granted II he would gei mar
Tied. The officials Immediately forgot
the matter, but the young man aoon re-
tnrnsd with RiFl, jaHtiee of the peace
united them ON ths spot, and he wus re-
stored 70 his position,
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

josh Billings says "A sassy boy soon
becomes a diaobedient one. and diaobe-
dience iE an open gate through which all
manner ov crimes march abreast"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
Battles of the Revolution.

Below We give list of all the i'm
portant battles of the Revolution. They
began April 10, 1775, and closed Octo-
Der 10, 17s1-six years and six months.
The British sent 134, 600 soldiers and
sailors 20 this war. The COlonists met
them with $4,000 Continentals, and 50.-
600 militia. The British let loose In
dians and equally savages Hessians.
The Colonies had for allies the brave
and courteous Frenchmen. The lead
ing battles of the war (those particular
ly worthy of celebration) are Concord
and Lexington, Bunker's Hill, Long
Island, White Plains, Trenton, Prince
ton, Bennington, Saratoga, Monmouth,
Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Eutaw
Springs, and Yorktown. These are OF
National interest. Many of the others
are more especially local. This dispos-
ition is 10 celebrate them all, victories
or defeats; to recall the deeds of our an
cestors, and have a good time generally.
Our readers will do well 10 preserve the
following list of the Revolutionary bat
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30

Wasting sweetness - Putting yeur
arm about a pretty woman.
The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1875-01-23

CONVERSATIONAL" Having from or,r
long facguainsaicr .itil J. II. FOSTER
every confidence in biz integrity, ws fec
justified in saying we hsiie"e IIe will car
r. ont his Distribution honestly and fair
lv" Signed hy the Mayor, Hon. J. /. ID
Wilson, and HE City Council.
That old ard reliable paper, The Iinus-
ton Telegraph, which rarely condcsc,S d.
to notire individual enterprises, says Of
tho First Dra wing:
",Not even the most captions and sus-
pccting person could take exceptions to
tho manner nf the drawing. 1t was fair.
honorable and equitable. The commit
tee anA recorders were Of orr very heat
citizrns, and Kindly gave their time and
labor to the suparIufendence Of the draw
ing, or rather din the actual labor of it
CAPT. FOSTER has acted honorably
and fairly throughout the whole manage
ment Of this Onntnrprisc. While some
money has been made by tho venture in
all probability, yet the property given as
pfizns has only uettcd n fair price, and the
profit is only III exchange OF the property
for cash
That staunc', Democratic paper, the
Houston Are, !,as the following:
TIE COMlUrTE
of Gcntl1Fi,cn was one Of tho best that
could have been selected by the audience.
Hon. -. y Barziza, who supervised the
drawing, IS nur present Representative,
and one OF t!.o most popular men in the
district.
THE DRAWING
waa pref'cca hy an cxplanatlSn from
nf nIp tod
This was well received and understood,
precisely a. explained BY the circulars.
CAPT. FOSTER SAID that while he wish
was free to say HAT with the people Of
poor Mississippi, Loui,iana and So'i;i, Car
Dina, he felt 4 greater sympathy, and he
did hope they would dra# the largest
number Of prizes, that they might COME to
a free country. and maize y white mans
living, This sentiment va, received With
loud cheers.
"'ihe drawing was then proceeded with,
and the result is announced elsewhcre.'
No coanect;on ,oiM Mn Deaison. Vnqley 8,
Lochart, or my otter similot eufciprtac.
TICK FITS $500 I,ach,
and n liberal discount seon orders for
greater number.
RELIABLE AGENTS WAITED!
Must have the confidence Of tie com
mnniiy IN vhic! they live. Send for cir
cu.nr. Reference - Dunn, BARLOW & Cos,
Reference Book, found in all banks.
.,,..} T. w HOUSE, Treasurer
A''"'e"S.' J. l.. FOSTER Manager
Houston, Icaas