davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
An Ancient Sword.

The Buffalo Express says: There is
in the possession of John Ende, harness
maker, one of the most ancient relics
owned in the city. 1t is an antique two
edged sword, made in 1865, one hundred
and twenty-seven years before the dis
coverys of America. The weapon is
about two feet and half long, and ex-
ceedingly well preserved. The blade
tapers off to sharp point, and consists
of thick piece of well tempered steel,
about an inch and half broad at its
widest part. Several figures and de-
vices have been cut in it, but they are
nearly obscured by the stains of rust.
The date, however, is very distinct, be-
ing cut in deep on both sides of the
blade. The hilt is entirely of metal and
strengthened by coils of copper wound
tightly around it. The hand is protect
ed by simple iron cross-piece. That
the sword is genuine is proved not only
by its appearance but by its history. It
originally belonged to Baron Won Lich-
enstein, a rich landed proprietor in Sax
ony, and was given to one of the ances-
tors of its present owner as a pledge of
a patent right to sell salt among the
baron's tenants. 1t has been in his
family for several generations, coming
down from son to son with the privilege
which its possession conferred. When
Mr.. Ende left his native country for
America he took the sword along with
him and still retains it.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
Civilized Tnfanticide...The Remedy.

No animals are known to abandon
their progeny, for the word abandonment
cannot properly be applied to those few
cases in which the young of certain ami
mails receive no care because they need
none. In every species where the pro-
geny need care and defense it is the one
inseparable trait of animal "morality /"
to furnish these to the last extremity if
need be. Even those who hold that hui
manity is only the latest step of progress
from animal life must admit, therefore,
that growth which seems all in the di-
rection of improvement has at least pro-
duced one result which is degradation,
and puts man below the animals in bene-
violence, for all human races rid them
selves of the burden of superfuous
progeny with more or less Difference to
forms. 1t might be superfuous to
speculate as to the precise point of pro-
gress toward humanity at which mothers
find the maternal instinct less powerful
than certain conventional considerations
of good repute, or even of common COM
fort, but it is certain that the point is
touched at an early stage of the growth
of every society, and grows rs the civil
zation is higher. In the semi barbarous
settlements of Asia, where children are
exposed at the edge of the village at
nightfall, and are seized by the prowl-
ing wolf, and sometimes become the
nursing of the she wolf, whose heart
proves gentler than that of the human
mother, the crime is less common than
in civilized China, where there are
recognized receptacles for the little
wretches and in China it is still less
common proportionately to population
than in Europe. In Europe this vice
has been treated in different ways. 1t
has been recognized and provided for,
and stringent enactments have been
framed to repress it. In the Latin
countries they have provided that the
Exposure of the infants should re-
lieve the unhappy mother without the
foundling hospitals have done great
service in that direction. In England
foundling hospitals were looked upon,
not as preventing murder and saving
children, but as affording facilities for
evil, just as the known existence of
receiver of stolen goods may be looked
upon as an incentive to theft. They
were SO restricted, therefore, as to be in
effective as a remedy, and thence arose
the English form of baby murder called
baby farming, by which little ones were
boarded out, and are not killed by vio-
lence but simply die from the want of
proper care and nourishment, the profit
to the murderess being that child may
die in its first week, and she will collect
the board money for several months.
In this country we have generally gone
a step beyond England, and have muir
dsred the mother by malpractice before
the birth of the child. But this seems
now IN have pecoIne dangerous. There
is hope, therefore, that public opinion
will turn favorably to the best result yet
achieved by society in this direction
the establishment, as part of the pnblic
administration in every city, of found
ling hospitals. s.-NeW York Herald.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
A Palatial Hotel.

The Pacific Hotel of San Francisco is
brought into notice again by the failure
of its patron, the Bank of California.
The hotel is the most magnificent struc-
ture of the kind in the world. 1t is $50
feet by 275, and contains 1000 rooms,
not one of which is less than sixteen feet
square. The dining.room is larger than
any private residence in New York, with
half dozen exceptions. 1t is even
larger than six city lots in New York,
and counting the breakfast-room and
the private dining-rooms, they are equal
to thirteen city lots in that city.
AS to the cost of this hotel, the figures
are almost appalling. Mr.. Sharon him
self informed me that the building and
ground had already cost nearly $5,000,-
600. He said he did not expect the
property would pay as an investment. 1t
will, he thinks, be a credit and an actual
benefit to the city. This is all he wants.
He can afford to build one hotel, if it
only costs S5,000,000. But why MIR.
Sharon, who is Senator from Nevada,
should have such an extraordinary inter
est in San Francisco is rather strange.
He is supposed to live in Nevada, where
his colleague, Mr.. Jones, is supposed to
reside, but he does not live there. On
the contrary, he has a very charming
house in San Francisco, and never goes
to Nevada, except on q business trip,
from one year to another. However, he
goes quite as often as his colleague
does.
The furniture in the Palace will cost
$1,000,000. This is the sum laid apart
for it. The mirrors alone will cost
$100, 900, and the chandeliers $45, 900.
The silver will cost $50, ,000and the linen
$4,000. Mr.. Leland estimates that the
furniture in each room will cost 81, ,000
This of course does not refer to the par
lors OF reception rooms, each of which
will require from $5, 900 to $4,000. The
furniture throughout the hotel, like the
building, is to be severely plain.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
His Last Cent.

|" Have you any five-cent cigarsl"
" Yes, sir, replied the clerk. "Have
you any for ten cents2" "Yes, sir"
T" Have you any for fifteen cents9'' pur-
sued the would-be purchaser. "Yes,
sir, we have, said the clerk, at the same
time handing out the box. "Would you
take fellows last cent for a cigar 4"
rather Indignantly queried the custom
er. "Yes, / would" snappishly return
ed the clerk. "Well, there it is" sol
emnly said the stranger, as he deposited
one cent on the counter and walked of
with his fifteen-cent cigar. "
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
DID HE DESERVE IT!

Billy Merriam was "cattle-boy" at
a stock farm in the bush " in South
Australia. He was happy-go-lucky
sort Of lad, and, from ali accounts, a
rather graceless one.
1t was his business, in company with
half-a-dozen other stockmen, to watch
over herd of eleven thousand cattle,
that had their pasturage in the valley of
a small river called the "Wirrum,
flowing int the Murray.
The pasture, or "run," extended for
many miles along the south bank of the
stream. No fences inclosed it. To the
southwark it stretched off to the almost
boundless deserts of sand and "scrub,"
where roam the wild black tribes, the
aborigines of this strange southern con-
tiuent. The stockmon are in the saddle
all day long, and lead a rough life, full
OF adventure and peril.
One day wild young bullock belong
ing to Billy's "division made a
"bolt :" that is to say, he put up head
and tail, uttered a vicious below, and
dashed off over the hills toward the
scrub. In moment Billy was follow
ing him with whoop and halo, his
long whip coiled, ready for a stinging
cast.
But the willy brute gained covert in
ravlne full of tangled grass-trees, which
led out of the valley on to the desert.
To turn him back, Billy was obliged to
make long detour over the hills. In
the meantime the bullock returned to
the plain, and ran from thicket to thicket,
darling in and out of the tangled scrub,
where it was impossible to follow him on
horseback.
Half a score of miles are soon gone
over in such a chase. The half-wild
Australian cattle are very fleet, and have
remarkable endurance but Billy over
took the runaway at last Tired out and
breathless, the steer stumbled and fell
heavily. There he lay palpitating, with
the whites of his wicked little eyes
glaring at his pursuer.
"I'll teach you lesson |" cried Billy,
galloping alongside and leaping off his
his horse. "I'll take the quirks out of
you, sir !" and the heavy lash came
cruelty down with sounding crack,
which made the hair fly up in long
line, and drew a wild below of pain
from the PROSTATE animal.
The wild, rough boy had no pity in
his heart. One stroke by no means sat
isfied his temper. A score of lashes fell
fast and heavy, and when his arm ached,
he rested few moments, then COM
menced afresh ; and, to tell the truth,
kept fogging the poor animal till the
hair was nearly all off its back, and not
only the hair, but the hide with it.
Just at this stage of the performance,
an unexpected event happened. Billy's
horse-a native-bred and rather wild
creature, named Blinker-inding his
masters attention occupied, concluded
to forage for himself, and so trotted
briskly away. No very good under
standing existed between Billy and
Blinker. There frequently arose an
tagonism fvixt them, which Billy
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
Perils of Strangers In Italy.

The London Times says: Since the
commencement of the present year sew
eral cases have occurred of English trav-
elers in Italy having suffered arbitrary
arrest and imprisonment. A Rev. Mr..
Allies and his brother, walking along the
road near the Cantine on this side of the
Great st. Bernard, were stopped by two
Carabinieri, questioned somewhat rude
ly, and Mr.. Allies imprudently answer
ing in kind was handcuffed and his
brother told to go about his business.
Refusing to leave his brother, he was
arrested also, though without, as far as
1 remember the circumstances, being
handcuffed in the same manner. They
were taken to Etroubles, kept in prison
all night, and the next morning were
handcuffed to each other and marched
off like common malefactors to Aosta.
There, after being put to considerable
trouble, they were admitted to bail until
an action brought against the Rev. Mr..
Allies for resisting the public authori-
ties and using improper language to
them was decided; an action in which he
was finally condemned to pay fine of
one hundred francs. AS Englishmen are
not required to exhibit passports when
travelling in Italy, they were, of course
unprovided in this respect; but the Rev.
Mr.. Allies, who is a Roman Catholic,
had his bishops " celebrate with him,
and they had other papers, all of which,
however, were considered insufficient by
the Carabinieri.
The next case was that of the Rev.
David Kay, q Protestant clergyman.
He was travelling in public conveyance,
and on its stopping for short time at
place called Avenza, near Carara, he got
out to stretch his legs. As he was walk
ing up and down, the suspicious of some
over Jealous gendarmes were aroused.
They questioned him, but his answers
were not satisfactory; they demanded his
papers, but unfortunately he had none,
and so he was obliged to suffer the in
convenience of being locked up all
night, to be taken before the authorities
the next morning and released. In all
probability he was the victim of ludi-
crous mistake. The police accused him
of refusing to give his name; but it is
quite possible that on giving it they may
have misunderstood him to say "Che,"
"what ?" and on repeating the question
he may have answered "Kay, Kay"
twice over to emphasize it. This would
have exactly the same sound as che, che,
words which, when pronounced quickly
together, are not only the equivalent for
"pooh-pooh," but being in very COM
mon use in that part of the country US
an offhand expression of dissent, may
have seemed to the police q contemptu-
GUS manner of setting their brief au-
thority at naught, and sufficient to merit
Imprisonment for tic night.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
Offering TO do the Fair Thing.

A story is told of an accident on the
New London railroad. An intoxicated
man was sitting on the track when the
engine tossed him down an embank-
ment. The conductor backed his train to
pick up the dead body. The victim was
found alive, however, only somewhat
bruised, and taken to Norwich. The
conductor kindly offered to take the
man to his home, few miles away, in a
hack, but he insisted ON his ability to
walk, and refused to be sent home. The
conductor pressed the matter, when the
Milesian, who had stood the battling of
the cow-catcher SO well, bristled up
with $50 away with your kirridge, I'll
go home by myself, and if have done
any damage to your old engine, bedad,
I'll pay for it on the spot"
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
Ap Old New Brdnswick Turtle.

The st. John On. B. Telegraph says
The veritable father of the turtles in
this province has made his appearance
III Kings county, with the weight of CEN
turies upon his wrinkled shell. A few
days ago, while Mr.. Edward Mcleod
was rowing along the banks of the Ken
nebeccasis he found shell turtle, and
with natural desire to secure it for
further examination, took some trouble
to catch it. He expected to find an Or
dinary shell turtle, but he secured a
walking dictionary of dates. The back
of the turtle was quantity inscribed with
facts and figures craven thereon long
years ago, and apparently added to from
time to time during the past century
Scarcely discernible, except upon close
examination, were some hieroglyphics of
the ancient denizens of the forest. The
bow and arrow was the most conspicuous
among these, and it was evident that the
shell had borne other aboriginal devices,
now nearly obliterated. The marks
made by the early white settlers were
much more plain. The first of these in
scriptions reads: Caughtin 1890, after
a great freshet." The next chronology
cal record is: "Caught in 1SO1," and
from time to time the turtle appears to
have been caught and marked by its cap
tors. The intervals between the dates
range from three to five years. The shell
is almost completely covered with these
inscriptions.
1t would seem that this turtle was no
fraud, marked as hoax by some mod
ern reprobates, for men of fourscore liv-
ing at Millstream remember having
heard their fathers speak of this marked
turtle, which even in the days of the
early settlers was considered an old
animal
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
The First SchOOlmaster in New York.

Adam Roelardsen enjoyed the distinc-
ton OF being the first schoolmaster in
New York city. From some cause,
possibly because "people did not speak
we'll of him." he could not make living
at his vocation, and so took in washing.
But he did not succeed in his laundry
enterprise either. There is q curious
lawsuit on record which shows how he
demanded payment of Gillis De Voocht
for washing his linen. The defendant
made no objection to the price charged,
but refused to pay until the end of the
year. The court decided that Roeland-
sen should continue to wash for De
Voocht the remainder of the year.
Meanwhile the schoolmaster built him
self house, thirty feet long, eighteen
feet wide, and eight feet high, which
was ROOTED with reeden thatch, had an
entry three feet wide, two doors, pan
try, staircase, a mantelpiece, and a
bedstead. This latter was built into
the wall, like a cupboard in partition,
with doors closing upon it when unoc-
cupied. 1t was great economy in the
matter of rooms. A sleeping apartment
in one of the small Dutch taverns of
that date often accommodated several
travellers at night, while during the day
it was only an ordinary public room,
quite unencumbered in appearance.
But schoolmaster Roelandsen was unable
to compensate the ebuilder, and he finally
committed grave offense, for which he
was chastised at the whipping post upon
the waters edge, and banished from the
Dutch dominions.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
The Shakers Dying Out.

The New Lebanon correspondent of
the Boston Journal writes as follows :
1t is much more probable that the recent
rapid decrease in their numbers has
been so startling that they do not wish
it to be known outside. AS all the mem
bers of the society would have to meet
together in the public service, it would
be easy to estimate their numbers. A
comparatively large proportion, espe-
cially of the younger brethren, have left
the society within few years, and there
seems to be little doubt that the solid
ranks which used to fill the floor of the
meeting house would be terribly de-
pleted if they could be seen there to-
day. A number of outlying societies
have been given up within the past half
dozen years, their members being called
in to man the battlements of the central
citadel. Weak families have been con-
solidated with stronger ones, and even
with this aid they are compelled to call
in hired wolkmen from "the world " to
help them manage their large farms
and gardens. One family which, twenty
years ago, could send twenty-five or
thirty men into the fields during the
haying season, now is able to muster
only two. The aid of moving machines
and tedders and horserakes and forks,
however, makes them almost as compe-
tent as the largest number. The time
has been when they boasted that in due
course they would own all the fertile
valley at their feet, and turn the pretty
little Presbyterian church in its center
into sheep pen. In those days they
refused to sell an inch of their land,
deeming the suggestion almost blasphe-
nous. But for many years they have
only held their own, and now even that
seems to be denied them. This year
they have sold many of their outlying
farms and others are for sale.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
Going Away from Home.
BY WILL CARLTON

by WILL CARLTON.
And so you'll soon be goin' away,
My darling little Bess
And you la been to the store to-day,
To buy your weddin' dress
Aud so your dear good mother an |,
Whose love you long have known,
II list lay the light of your presence by,
And walk the road alone.
So come tonight. with mother and me,
To the porch for an hour or two,
Aud sit on your old fathers knee
The same as you used to do
For we, who ha' loved you many year,
And chung to you, strong and true,
Since we've had the young professor here,
Have not had much Of you
But lovers be lovers while earth endures
And once on a time, be it known,
l helpeds girl with eyes like yours
Construct world of our own;
And we laid it out in garden spot,
And dwet in the midst of flowers,
Till we found that the world was good-sized
lot,
And most OF it wasn't ours
You're heavier, girl, than when you come
To us one cloudy day,
And seemed to feel 30 little at home,
We feared you wouldn't stay
Till knew the danger was passed, because
You'd struck so mortal track,
And got 80 Independent an cross,
God never would let you back
But who would ever ha had the whim,
When you lay in my arms an crled
You'd some time sit here, pretty an prim,
A-waitin' to be bride /!
But lovers be lovers while earth goes on,
And marry, as they ought
And il you would keep the heart you've won,
Remember what you've been taught
Look first that your welded lives be true,
With naught from each other apart
For the flowers of true love never grew
In the soil of faithess heart
Look next that the buds of health shall rest
Their blossoms upon your cheek
For life and love are burden at best
If the body be sick and weak.
Look next that your kitchen fire be bright,
And your hands be neat and skilled
For the love of man oft takes Its flight
If his stomach be not we'll filled.
Look next that your money is fairly earned
Ere ever it be spent
For comfort and love- however turned,
Will ne'er pay ten per cent.
And, next, due care and diligence keep
That the mind be trained and fed
For blessings over look shabby and cheap
That light on an empty head.
And if it shall please the gracious God
That children to you belong,
Remember, my child, and spare the rod
Till you've taught them right and wrong
And show EN- that though this life's start
For the better world, no doubt,
Yet earth an heaven amt 80 far apart
AS many good folks make out.
-Hdrper's Weekly.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09

In the Russian army Prince Woron-
soft was commandant of the regiment of
Hussars of the Guard and was pro-
NOTED, General Mayendorff receiving
the place made vacant. But Mayendorff
is German, or of German family, and
upon his appointment fifty-four officers
of the regiment requested permission to
resign.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-09
The st. Louis Times gives the follow
ing specimen of wedding notice

Take away his little latch key,
He will need cigars no moro
Life is real, life is earnest,
From this sad aud fatal hour
Gone to meet his m0ther-in-law.
Luxemburger gazette. [volume] (Dubuque, Iowa) 1871-1918, 1875-01-06
Ausfdmoif6e 2.unof6au.

sSn europa tritt Der Ninter nit au:
Bergew0bnlider Srense auf. Selterrei6,
Sirol, gaiern uno belonoers bic S6wei;,
leiben an ibwerem S6neeiall. glus @ien
boren mir, baB man BORT ieit Dtenidens
sebenten tein sSabr erlebt bat, oas 10 reid
an Sdnse seweien wdre, als oas lauienoe.
Die Serbinounsen NIT ben bOber I'M @es
birss liesenoen Orten lino unterbrOdcn,
Die Giienbabn,iise uon lriet uno aus Dem
TultertbaIe lan9en UNI uiele Stunoen per.
ipdtet al unD Der telegraph ueriast BON
3eit ;u 3eit ben Oienit. Sn Der S6luei;
ilt's ni9t beiler. Die bortisen gldtter
iiibren oieielbe &lasc. Wtonberorts liest
bis SUB S9nes uno Die @ebirsslpese
iino ,useuebt. glu1 in aiitteleurOpa an
benz Jtbein nb Der Wtoiel ibeint Die 9Sits
terlus nidt uiel beiler gu ien, Obi6on Der
Sbneeiall ni6t 10 itarf it, Sas feblt
nod ein barter 9Sinter bel ben ibiperen
3citer, ut cine wabrc Galanlitdt.
Sir oas Seutlbe Geidb lit IN Der Dies
malisen 5tunoidm Elm Grei9niB gu per
,ei6nen, beiien Srag!ueite nidt wobl utter
l6Gtt wer0en tann 0aS brlltale, our6s
aus unpolitilde gluitreten oeo Siirlten BiSs
mard I'M Geidsta9 lit gceignet, nibt bios
Die elropdii6e Yrclls nod eiui9e .3cit Su
beitbditiseu, lonoern ieoen oeutiben Ntann,
Der eS cbrlb lmo reoli9 nit ieinem Sater.
lanos memt uno ui0t geionlen lit, Die neues
item G'rrugeni6nitsn 0elti1lanoS an oen
2bioutiSmus 81 uertaufcn, 81 erntcn
9to6Ocnten 81 uerGn!anen.
9Sir pollcn bier nibt suriidtonmen aui
oaS erb1rmlide 0iebabreu ocS 3tedbStarr,:
lerS, ourD welbeS Der brittle S6eil 6eS oeut:
lben Soltes su Gjcnonen pou Wt0roern 0cs
ltcmpct miro, oenn bcim RanSler beiBt eS
nun einmal: Der .3pet beiligt ooS Oiittei !
mag t1 audi crluielenermaBen nibt bios eis
nen Orittel beS Bottles, lonoern oas gauge
Bolt perlenmoen, i'd tbue es i'm Snterene
pes Staates-allo-nen, bierupn Dollen
m;r nlbt ipreben, mag cine oerartige Fclis
tit pertbeioisen, ,per yuit bat, mir bqben
tsine. 0Sir wollen bios oes 9lnItretens
oss &an,lers sesen GliaBssotbrinsen ers
wdbnen uno bic seraoe,u bomerii6e Orobs