davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29
Snake .Charmers at Benares.

One morning two -charmers called
at the hotel. Around their neoks huge
boa-constrictors were twined, and each
carried jars Of smaller snakes, and one Of
scorpions. The performance consisted in
taking the yenomous snakes from the Jars
in which they lay coiled, and, in picking
them up, the men placing their fingers in
the reptiles mouths--tantalizipg them to
a frenzy, and then wrapping the whole
about their heads and necks, where the
kissing, writhing mass presented fright
full spectacle.
A cobra bit the finger Of one Of the
men twice, and each time be immediat ely
made use Of various charms--placed q
small round stone over the cut flesh smelt
Of a piece of wood resembling fiag-root,
and then used it for making circle about
his wrist. This he told me would sffectu-
ally prevent the absorption Of the poison
into the system. The stone draws out
the blood, and with il, of course, the virus.
II is generally supposed, however, aud
with much reason, that the poison glands
Of the cobra have been removered in the
first instance by the crafty snake-eharmers.
Several times the cobras advanced until
within foot Of my chair, but turned back
at command Of their masters. During the
entertainment one Of the men played at
intervals upon sort Of fiageolet. The
scorpion advertisement consisted in string
ing numbers Of them together (as the
whips Of the Furies were made, which
the men then hung upon their lips, nose
and ears.--Scribaer for June.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

- -,
paced 70 ana iro under rapidly increasing
eAci'ement Inc weird SOUNDS made py
.ne sVorn messengers A. tney whiried py
IN the iu'nilmeht Oh their mission made
her star, ana tremoie:
IL mao grown late, u was half- past eight,
ana YET no ldlngs, She iell back into a
chair anu purst INTO tearsi Dut TINS weak,
ness was only temporary one looked
resoiateiy down into the hre, and made
ner plan. IL was desperate one, but love
more desperate than hate. II John
paiton diu not come by nine o'clock she
Would 90 ana ma MIN.
Rising with nrmness, she went trst to
ner chiidren. ahey were sleeping peace
iuliy. A KISS Tor each, long, lingering
look oi anectlon, but no thought that she
would never see them again.
she took from the closet pair OF over
shoes, and cloak for herself, blanket
and q mask OF brandy for him she was
gong to seek. her slmple preparations
completed, she stood waiting
IL lacked quarter OF y. There was a
noise al tne door, hke knocks repeated Dy
one who desired entrance, 10 Jane Dali
tons cverwrought senses there was the
sound OF a hand on the door-knob. she
rushed TO the door TO admit her husband;
she opened IL TO let IN the howllng blast
when almost dashed her to the hoor'
cadiy disappointed, put sull courageous,
she returned 70 the place before the clock
In nve minutes more the time would DC
up her CLOAK ana hood were on, ana
She was ready ior whatever Goa mad In
store lor: one "atched the CLOCK IKE one
VINO waits ,r ior some supreme moment IN
NE Inc w,nd seemed 70 be roughly cat
ing her; linen II iuhed a iew seconds
ana sne heard q efy-a moan winch seem
ed 70 freeze hsr Dicoo :,
mat Is 'ohn' she criea; ne calis me,
INSANITY sne went out IN ,ne nlgnt,
D,aVing the Storm. Mhere snouia sne 20
one cou'u not 'eh' one went primary on
sparrow aOes not iail witnout MS
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29
Psrforating Power of Roots.

Il is indeed wonderful how easily tho
roots of plants and trees bore ,broncb
hard, impacted soils in search of nour;sI
mept. Tbey use for this nurnoss ! sor,
of awl, of immense mower s;;aa,ed :. ,bs
end Of the roots and capable with the ala aid
Of the other roots machinerv of ,brust;ne
aside heavy weights and setting tbrougS
almost any obsiructious Yer The ayl
consists only Of n mas az m;croseo,,;. ~
-l. ~ v,soP'e ao-
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29
Loneliness of the Ocean.

One who has never travelled upon the
ocean expects to find it somewhat thickly
populated. He thinks of the vast travel
and traffic that goes over the waters, and
he is ready to imagine that the great deep
is alive with this hurrying to aud fro Of
nations. He reads Of lands whose com
merce whitens every sea, and be is ready
to think that the ocean itself is as full Of
sails as the barbor Of some mighty metrop-
oils. But he finds his mistake. As lie
leaves the land, the ships begin to disap
pear us he goes on his way they soon all
vanish, and there is nothing about him but
the blue sea and the bended sky. Some.
times he may meet or overtake solitary
ship through the day; but then, again,
there will be many days when not single
sail will cross the ocean. There are spaces
measured by thousands of miles over which
no ship has ever passed. The idea Of a
nations commerce whitening every sea is
the widest fancy. If all the ships that
ever have been built were brought togeth-
er in single feet, they would fill but a
hands breath Of the ocean. The space,
therefore, that man and his works occupy
on the sea is so small in its extent that
the hold on it by its power is slight and
superficial. Both together are as nothing.
The ocean covers three-fourths of the
surface of the globe; and by far the grea-
ter portion of this vast expanse is, and
ever has been, entirely free from his
presence and visitation.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29
Our @lio.
Vow for the Flowers.


Among the pleasant fashions which have
increased IN recent years, Is love for
foWers- Everywhere we see this fond
ness displayed and all occasions, whether
OF simple festiylty or OF religious slgnlh-
canoe, the JOY, and the devotion OF the
participants Is denoted IN the beautiful
language oi nowers' Ana even where
sadness ana sorrow are the prevailing
sentiment, nope ana consolation are lndl-
Gated 10 the blossoms winch typlty the
annual resurrection OF nature from WIN
ter chili ana death. Horticulture gives
employment 70 large numDer OF persons,
OF both sexes, OF all ages, including not
only those who are proficient IN botany
ana gardening but those VINO nave only
she quailncaticn OF stout arms or OF deit
n1gers' Inc inferior OF a conservatory
wnere P'an'S are feaieu irol .ne sup, lne
ieai' anu tne seed, Is one OF tne pleasant
est scenes OF INDUSTRY which a VISITOR can
inspect. Inc deilcate manipulation OF
inc minute peg'nning: OF .ae future mower
snow, anu .he PaeAins oi 'enueI P'au,s
ior sniP'nen. over long Instances, py man
or express, ineiuue processes wnlch, 10 an
9naccusto,neu observer, are simply won,
ueriu'' nc Statistics OF 'ranspvr.a'loh o.
.rees' shIups, mowers, ana sesetapie seeus'
cuios anu snoo''' "ouiu assonisi Tue pup
nc , u u . correG1y sss s1a.ea; 40 sne 'raee ~
@ Piaa's huss ~ , pe auueu ,ne ProauI.s , oi "a, u,
aus'ly IN ilnP'e'nen.S a:n, sor % asrloui.are, anu
~ ornanensA, I ai'.u,esiot ; 'aTa Tl anu Plal1a
oSnSur.a'oiy ~ y, unu ",nuoW ,, lIc as'esa'o
ol III ''.ese Interests ,I % Moulu 1An.ol. suSn a d
sun sum; 'o''i 40 "ou'u "a s"?" : 'ue 'He1nou I in
;I' MI,on Puie as'n n ANU, Snu inu9oeh' P,easure'
,lauseu ;. !" ~ i;a ~ G'asses u H. 'ue COMMIT s
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL HousEs.--Dr.
Lincoln, Of Boston, read a paper at the
meeting Of the Social Science Association
in Detroit, In which he said that to the
question pronounced to physicians whether
they found frequent injury Of a temporary
or permanent sort resulting from excessive
or unsuitable work exacted Of children in
schools, twenty-five answered "Yes,n while
only four answered negatively without
qualification. The discussion which fol.
lowed divided the association into those
who seemed TO ascribe almost all ssthe ills
that flesh Is heir 70" to badly ventilated
school houses and injurious systems Of
study, and those who, on the other hand
thought that the school houses and sehoeI i
influences were healthier than the home
occupations Of tho pupils. The fact of
the matter Is, probably, that there should
be less anxiety on the part Of students,
iess stimulus given to emulation batter
ventilation, judicious arrangements Of
gymnastic exercises aud better ventilated
homes, and better social habits for the
pupils u is the school life Of the pupil.
however, that the public generally i res
ponsible for; the home life must to great
extent be left to the guidance Of individ-
ual parents. Until society at large has
cleared It's own skirts Of an offence by
providing well ventilated, properly far.
nished school houses, ID cannot with a
good eountenance undertake 10 regulate
the home life Of the individual
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

THE DEAD Democracy. ."-Of the
thirty-seven Governors, nineteen are Dem
ocrats, sixteen Republicans and two In
dependents. OF the same number Of
Legislatures, twenty are Democratic, four-
teen are Republican and three Indepen-
dent Our radical friends have repeatedly
told US the Democracy was dead. With
majority Of Governors and Legislatures,
q large majority in the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes, and bare majority against
them in the Senate, we think such asser-
tions smack strongly of the absurd. We
presume that, after we have elected a
President in '76;a and put the country upon
the high road topcace and prosperity, they
will still give ntterance 10 that decided
chimea, the Democracy Is dead"
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

Pennsylvania Republicans are evidently
little afraid that the Democrats may
carry Ohio this Fall, and that thus a heavy
influence will be thrown against them 10
their election, which follows in November.
The Philadelphia Press Is anxious that
its party be prepared for defeat in Ohio,
50 as not to be discouraged when il comes.
If Ohio goes Republican, The Pres is
confident that Pennsylvania can easily be
carried in the same way shut, = II contin
ues, aif we lose Ohio, it viii require the
strongest efforts ever the Republicans Of
Pennsylvania have made to elect their
ticket this year. There is nothing practi.
cal to be gained by concealing these facts;
they involve influences in politics which
have frequently produced the most start
ling results, and therefore the more patent
they are rendered the more possibility
there is of counteracting them.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

AproPos to our article in answer TO an
inquiring correspondent as to the uses Of the
bedbug, here is something which imparts
value to the winged nuisance which aids
and abets the aforesaid crawling individual
in his Macbeth-like efforts towards muir
dering sleep. DR.. Samuel w. Francis
says that il is his ssfirm conviction that the
mosquito was created for the purpose of
driving man out Of the malarial districts, =
and that no region where chills and fever
prevail can be free from the pest."
"Now," he adds, "if man viii not 20 after
the warning Is given in humming accents,
then the mosquito injects hypodermically
little liquid which answers two purposes
first, to render the blood thin enough to
be drawn up through its tube, and second
to inject that which possesses the princi-
pies Of quinine."
The difficulty with this roseate view Of
the mosquito family is that Il imposes upon
the propounder the necessity Of explaining
why il is that, in hundreds Of perfectly
healthy localities, the insects appear in
swarms, also why the females alone have
been constituted the biters, TO the exclu-
sion Of the males, and why, If the fluid in
the proboscis has quinine properties, il has
been known to cause ugly ulcers. We do
not propose to accept DR., Francis theory
% hastily. We decline to admit that the
mosquitoes are Of any use save to the
birds and the bats, to the inventors Of
patent mosquito bars, to that enterprisine
Yankee who devised an astonishing ma
chine for capturing them 10 immense
quantities and converting them into man
ure, aud 70 Professor Mayer, who found
out that they hear with their anteunw.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29
Select poetrp.
rom ia. c-y.a rl...., Of lias L-r., ssI.'y ' Nay.
THE BLIND BOYS PRAYER.
ny JAMES II. DlrrESnAuon

Df JAAta H. nifTtNhANNHs
nh mother you talk Of the bright blooming flowers,
Of The sunlight 80 pure fashing over the vale,
Ofthe rainbow, the child OF the soit summer shower
And the snowfall OF blossoms when sure by the
gale.
You tell Of the beauty that Turks In the wildwood,
When clad In its mantle of dark sober green
Ofthe beauty Of orchards when Spring IN her child
Flrst spreads reads her bright smile over winters dull
scene,
You talk OF the gems on the br9w Of the morning,
When the blaze Of Apollo strikes full on the earth;
Of the stars with their brightness the midnight
adorning
Which you say like the beaeons oil Heaven shine
forth.
You tell Of the birds hear all the day singing.
You tell me Of flowers purple, crimson and green,
But naught do you tell 10 my eager mind bringing
one single Idea OF what such words mean.
hear of the mist which hangs over the mountain
When touched by the sun Al the dawning OF day;
OF the moonlight that shines ON the g'ish OF the
fountain.
And the splendor Of nature where catarActs play
l hear Of proud Art and its wondrops reyealings,
Hut what mean the words unto him who Is blind
The minister's high dome and the halls fretted cell
ings.
And the paintings and statues within them confined?
Rich hangings and vases and walls highly painted
In the town where the rich man to fashion con-
How in thinking Of all my poor fancy has fainted
Oh talk 10 me not in such meaningless terms
How the heart ofihe blind boy would leap up with
pleasure
IfGod would but give him an hour to trace
All the beauties he hears of-above all the treasure
He'd find In his dear mothers beautiful face,
q Father Of mercies o Father Of klndneSs
Hear thy poor creature who prays for but this:
Grant me a moments release from my blindness
It were an eternity brimful Of bliss.
FRA Rock, Nay iah, 1915
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

The ONLY MAN ron THE FIaHr.-It
is said, and there is no reason to doubt
the report, that Grant thinks he is the
only man in the country whom the aRe-
publican" party can nominate in 1876 with
any hope Of success. He therefore con
cludes that the party win have to nominate
him, whether they like il or not, as the
only possible escape from defeat. This,
most obviously, warrants the inference
that Grants opinion Of the great mass Of
the "Republicans" is very low. That Is
to say, he fancies that the aRspublican"
party esteems success in the next Presidcn-
tial election as quite superior in importance
to every other consideration whatever,
whether Of patriotism, or honest aud wise
government, or the general welfare Of the
nation
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

SouSD CoMMoS sESsE.--If you are
well, let yourself alone. One Of the great
errors Of the age Is, We mcdicate the body
too much, More persons are destroyed BY
eating too much than BY drinking too
much Glnttony kills more than drunk
enness IN civilized society. The best gym
nasium is awoodyafd, aclcaring, or corn
field, A hearty laugh is known, the world
over, to bea health promoter; il elevates
the spirits, enlivens the circulation. aud Is
maryelcusly contagious in good sense.
Bodily activity and bodily health are IN.
separsble. II the bowels are loose, lie
down IN bed, remain there and eat nothing
until you are we'll The three best medi.
cines IN the world are, warmth, abstinence
and repose.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

A CURE FOR CoNsUMPrIoy.-A cor
respondent writes as follows about the
sanitary power Of well known plant -
al have discovered remedy for pulmonary
consumption. Il has cured number Of
cases after they had commenced bleeding
at the lungs and the hectic flush was
already on the cheek After trying this
remedy to my own satisfaction, | have
thought philanthropy required that /
should let it be known 70 the world. It's
the common mullen, stepped strong and
sweetened with coffee sugar, and drank
freely. The herb should be gathered
before the end Of July, If convenient.
Young or old plants are good dried in the
shade, and kept in clean paper bags. The
medicine must be continued from three to
six months, according to the nature Of the
disease. II is good for the blood vessels
also, 1t strengthens the system, and builds
up, instead Of taking away strength. Il
makes good blood, and takes Inflammation
from the lungs. II is tho wish of the
writer that every periodical in the United
States, Canada and Europe should publish
this receipt for the benefit Of the human
family Lay this up and keep in the house
ready for use
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

The Indianapolis Journal gives It's
party the following sensible advice :--aIn
this situation It is the duty Of the party,
through It's Conventions and other means,
to express itself deliberately, decidedly,
and strongly against third term. This
should be done for the sake of the party,
regardless of Gen. Grants plans or par-
poses, Possibly such an expression from
every Republican State Convention that
meets may, If the courtiers allow thu mat
ter to reach his ears, convince the Presi2
dent Of the hopelessness Of such candi-
dacyj but whether il does this or not. It
will at least have the effect Of placing the
Republican party right on the record,
assure the people Of its honest purpose.
aud prepare it TO enter the next Presiden-
tial campaign untrammeled by the ghost
of this peruicious dogma II Is equally
due to Gen. Grant and to the party itself
that il should deal fairly aud honestly In
the matter; or, in other words, that It's
Conventions should take firm and decided
ground against third term
The NeW York Tribune saws THAT
this is sound and practical no impartial
person can deny. And:yet two thingsare
doubtful; first, if you can obtain from
your Republican Conventions any utter
ancs that is not full Of serviIity TO the
Administration and second, it Is very
doubtful II after all it isn't too late to do
any good.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

PAREoR AMUsEMEsTs.--Two new par
lor amusements are thus described Two
players are closely blinded with a bandage
made oftheir pocket handkerchief. Each
one is provided with saucer full of cake
or cracker crumbs, which is held in the
left hand, and spoon, which is held in
the right hand. A sheet Is spread upon
the floor, upon which the players sit, and
at given signal they begin to feed each
other. Their efforts to find each others )
mouths with their spoons neyor fail TO af-
ford much sport Another amusing expe-
riment is to try 10 blow cut q candle
blipdfolded. The candle is placed upon .
table, up to which player Is led; he then
walks back six steps, turns round three
times, and walks forward as nearly il the
direction Of the candle as possible, and
tries TO blow il out. If he happens to
wander 70 the wrong part Of the room. the
effect Of the blowing IS very funny.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

There are sigus Of q thirdterm organ
in Chicargo. The Post and HAL Of that
city Is unable TO see sany valid reason for
the virulent abuse Of the tIlird.term idea, Z
and try i never 50 hard il cannot com.
prchead how any except the ''most blind
and bigoted adherent and admirer Of the
delusion Of precedent" can arrive ii 4
conclusion which forbids The re-elec<ion Of
good officer any number Of times. HWs
are not afraid" confinoes this brave Chi
cago newspaper. to aeonfess our aanir2-
ton Of the principle of giving third, fourth
Or fifth terms TO the oiicer who has fhiEh.
FULLY executed The duties committed Is
bic hands By : eonsding people.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

The Hon. George H. PendIeton Is con.
6dent that the Democratic party, with
wisdom in its councils and energy IN it's
action, can carry Ohio BY large majority
next Fail. He says: aThe financial
troubles, the stagnation Of business, The
depression of all industries, the extrava-
gance and corruption Of the public service,
the decentralization Of the Administration
the personal government Of President
Grant, the third term project, the viola
tlon Of all law 10 the policy adopted toward
the Southern States IS means thereto;
all these have 6lled the people with IN.
easiness, and they are anxiously seeking
q better state Of thines.s
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

Il is great thing for young man to
find out early that he is Of the minimum
Of Importance in the world; that while il
demands Of him everything he can do, h
can get on admirably without him. In
all It's busy, pressing forces, he is not
missed--bless you, he never has been re-
cognized Don't forget the mistake made
BY the fy on the coach wheel; nor the
disaster that overlook the ambition Of the
frog. Do all you can; sink all selfish
thought Of self, and compel out Of you the
best that is in you.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

DoS'T FRET.-There is one sin which
il seems to me is everywhere and by every
body underestimated, tolerated with undue
tolerance, and quite too much overlooked
in our valuations of character. It is the
sin of fretting, 1t is as common as air.
as universal as speech; 50 common that
unless il rises above It's usual monotone
We do not even observe it. Watch any
ordinary coming together Of people, and
see how many minutes il will be before
somebody frets-that is, makes a more or
less complaining statement Of something
or other, which, most probably, every one
in the room, or the stage, or the car, or
the street corner, as It may be, knew be-
fore, and which, most probably, nobody
can help. Why say anything about II?
II Is cold, it Is hot, il Is wet, il Is dry;
somebody has broken an appointment, IN
cooked a meal; stupidity or bad faith
somewhere has resulted in discomfort.
There are always plenty of things to fret
about. The days win always have more
or less bad weather, or weather inconye-
nient to somebody's fixed plan. An men
go astray, speaking lies and making blum
ders, as soon as they be born. Ii Is sim
ply astonishing how much annoyance and
discomfort may be found in the course Of
every days living, even at the simplest, If
one only keeps sharp eye out on that
side Of things Even Holy Writ says we
are born to trouble as sparks ay upward.
But even to the sparks flying upward, in
the blackest Of smoke, there is blue sky
above, and the less time they waste on the
road the sooner they win reach it. Fret
ting Is all time wasted on the road.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

The Empress Josephine was very fond
Of perfumes, and, above all, Of musk. Her
dressing-room at Malmaison was FLIED with
Il, In spite Of Napoleons frequent remon-
strances. Forty years have elapsed since
her death, and the present owner Of the
Malmaiscn has had the walls Of that dress
ing room repeatedly washed and painted;
but neither scrubbing, aquafortis, nor paint
has been sufficient to remove the smell OF
the good Empress's musk, which continues
as strong al II the bottle which contained
il had been but yesterday removed.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

The Balfimorz Aaerican, accepting
Senator Sazgents third term don|al u
antho<itive, invites Tie people % cons'
forward and make iheir choioe bol4esn
measz Blaine, Conkling, Morton, WaAh.
ournc and Wilson for re ats'nHf'oa.
This y harmless azaassmenf Naf;anul
ksPabhoaH {Naahineton AdmIaIsna1ion
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-29

Alittle American lad who had just com.
menced reading the newspapers, asked his
father Il the word "Hon., pre6xed to the
name Of member Of Congress, meant
"honest.n