davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
Centennial Timber.

A California paper states that a gentle
man is preparing large piece of one of the
Tulare county big trees to exhibit at the
Centennial next year. The piece of timber
selected is sixteen feet long and twenty-one
feet in diameter at one end, and nineteen
feet at the other. The heart of this will be
taken out, leaving only about one foot of the
body of the tree attached to the shell or
bark. This outside shell will then be divid-
ed into eight equal parts, each of which will
weigh four thousand pounds without the
bark. 1t is necessary to divide it into that
number of parts in order to allow it to pass
through the numerous tunnels between there
and Philadelphia. The eight parts will
weigh between thirty thousand and forty
thousand pounds, and will require two cars
for their transportation. One solid foot of
this tree weighs seventy two pounds, being
ten pounds heavier than 80 much water
This timber was taken out of the General
Lee, tree two hundred and seventy. five feet
high, and which, had it been sawed into lum-
Der, would have produced sufficient guam
tity to have built very respectable young
town or large ship. 1t contained more
than two hundred thousand feet of lumber,
besides, probably, about two hundred cords
of wood
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
Capturing OstriOhes.

The greatest feat of an Arab hunter is to
capture an ostrich. 1t ia the largest of liv-
ing birds, and probably the swiftest of all liv-
ing animals Being very shy and cautious,
and living on the sandy plains where there
is little chance to take it by surprise, it can
only be captured by well planned and long
continued pursuit with the swiftest horses
The ostrich has two curious habits in run
ming when alarmed. 1t always starts with
outspread wings against the wind, 80 that it
can scent the approach of an enemy. Its
sense of smell is so keen that it can detect
person at great distance, long before it
can be seen. The other curious habit is
that of running in a circle Usually five or
six ostriches are found in company. When
discovered, part of the hunters, mounted on
feet horses, will gallop away at right angles
to the course these ostriches have TAKEN
When these hunters think they have gone
far enough to cross the path the birds will
be likely to take, they watch upon some rise
of ground for their approach. If the hun
tiers hit the right place and see the ostriches,
they at once start in pursuit with fresh horses,
and sometimes overtake one or Two of the
birds, but often two or three of the feet
horses fall, completely tired out with so
sharp chase.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
Life Heightened.

l. Cultivate an equitable temper; many
a man has fallen dead in fit of passion.
q Eat regularly, not over thrice day,
and nothing between meals.
8. Go to bed at regular hours. Get up
as soon as you wake of yourself, and do not
sleep in the day. time-at least not longer
than ten minutes before noon.
4. Work always by the day and not by
the job.
5. Stop working before you are very much
tired-before you are Gagged out"
6. Cultivate generous and accommodate
ing temper.
7. Never cross bridge before you come
to it; this will save you half the troubles of
life.
s. Never eat when you are not hungry,
nor drink when you are not thirsty.
9. Let your appetite always come unin-
vited.
10. Cool off in place greatly warmer
than the one in which you have been exer-
cising; this simple rule wouldprevent meal
culable sickness, and save millions of lives
every year.
IL. Never resist call of nature for sim
gle moment.
u. Never allow yourself to be chilled
I" through and through" it is this which de.
strOys SO many every year, in few days
sickness, from pneumonia-called by some
lung fever-or Inflammation of the lungs.
Is. Whoever drinks no liquids at meals
will add years of pleasurable existence to his
life. OF cold or warm drinks the former are
the most pernicious; drinking at meals in
duces persons to eat more than they other
wise would, as any can verify by experiment,
and it is excess in eating which devastates
the land with sickness, suffering, and death.
IA. After fifty years of age, if not a day
laborer, and sedentary persons, after forty,
should eat but twice day-in the morning
and about four in the afternoon; for every
organ without adequate rest will "give OUT
prematurely.
Is. Begin early to live under the benign
influence of the Christian religion for it
"has the promise of the life that is, and
of that which is to come,-HaWs Journal.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
Sing More.

Cultivate singing in your family. Begin
when the child is not yet three years Old
The songs and hymns your childhood sang,
bring them all back to your memory, and
teach them to your little ones; mix them all
together to meet the varying moods as IN
after life they come over us so mysteriously
at times. Many time, in the very wdirl
of business, in the sunshine and gayety OF
the avenue, amid the splendor of the drive
in the park, some little thing wakes up the
memories of early yOuth-the old mill, the
cool spring, the shady tree by the little
school house-and the next instant we al
most see again the ruddy cheeks, the smiling
faces and the merry eyes of schoolmates,
some of whom are gray-headed now, while
most have passed forth amid earth's weary
noises. And, anon, "the song my mother
sang" springs unbidden to the lips, and
soothes and sweetens all these memories
At other times, amid the crushing mishaps
of business, merry ditty of the olden time
breaks in upon the ugly train of thought,
and throws the mind in another channel !;
light breaks from behind the cloud in the
sky, and new courage is given US. The hon.
est man goes gladly to his work; and when,
the days labor done, his tools are laid aside
and he is on his way home, where wife and
child and the tiny table and CHEEKY Preside
await him, how can he but have music in his
heart to break forth so often into the merry
whistle or the jocund song? Moody silence,
not the merry song, weighs down the dishon-
est tradesman, the per6dious clerk, the un-
faithful servant, the perjured partner.
ave accord" says gentleman who has
written much, Sour unqualified endorsement
of the above; and even now, although we
have passed our three.score years, the songs
of our youth are often reSurrected, and we
love to hum them over again, and often do
so, in the lone hours of the night, when there
are none to hear save ourself and the drowsy
gray spiders on the WALL and while doing
so, we feel less inclined towards treason,
stratagem and spOils' than at any other hours
within the twenty-four. We fondly look
back to the days when We were as musical
as hand-Organ-and, perhaps, as cracked
as many of them toO--those days when We
so lightly touched the keys to the measure o.
the songs we sang. We often regret that time
circumstance and advancing years have sc
efFectually Quoted our vocal music; still We
revert to the ballads of yore, and mentally
exclaim:
"Sing me the songs that to me were so dear
Long, long ago long, long ago."
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
sanctifed Affection.

The following is from letter of John
Frederic Oberlin, pastor of Waldbach, to a
lady who had suffered many bereavements;
81 have before me two stones, which are in
imitation of precious stones. They are both
perfectly alike in color; they are OF the
same water-elear, pure, and clean; yet
there is a marked difference between them as
to their lustre and brillisncy. One has a
dazzling brightness, while the other Is dull,
SO that the eye passes over it, and derives no
pleasure from the sight. What can be the
reason of such a difference? 1t is this
The one is cut but in few facets the other
has ten times as many. These facets are
produced by very violent operation. It'll
requisite to cut, to smooth, and polish. Had
these stones been endued with life, so as to
have been capable of feeling what they un-
derwent, the one which has received eighty
facets would have thought himself very un-
happy, and would have enved the fate OF
the other, which, having received but eight,
has undergone but tenth part of his suffer-
ings. Nevertheless, the operations being
over, it is done forever; the difference be-
tween the two stones always remains strongly
marked. That which has suffered but little
is entirely eclipsed by the other, which alone
is held in estimation and attracts attention.
May not this serve to explain the saying oil
our Saviour, whose words always bear some
reference to eternity, Blessed are they that
mourn, for they shall be comforted 3
blessed, whether we contemplate them apart,
or in comparison with those who have not
passed through So many trials. On that we
were always able to cast ourselves into Ills
arms, like little children; to draw near tc
Hin like helpless lambs, and ever to ask Of
Him patience, resignation, and entire sur
render to His will; faith, trust, and a heart
felt obedience to the command which He
gives to those who are willing to be disci
pies The Lord God will wipe away tears
from all faces
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
Things out of Date.

"Out of date" Yes, great many things
are out of date, passed by, showed aside, to
make room for new things, new inventions,
new fashions. Very possibly, and probably,
the very things that are now in vogue will
in the future be jostled as rudely out of the
way as those of the last century. Are the
new things so much better than those con-
demned as out of date? Grand fathers and
grsnd-mothers are condemned as entirely
out of date, and it requires good deal of
moral courage for the young people to ac-
knowledge the existence of such superan-
nuated membranes, unless indeed there
are legacies to be expected from their shak-
ing hands Respect for parents is becoming
one of the things that were; reverence of
the aged is not one of the virtues of the ris
ing generation. "To stand up before the
hoary head" is out of date. Are the Gus
toms and fashions of the present time effect
ing better state of society, making better
men or women, better citizens, better states
men, than those of the past ? The sacred
relations of the family circle are not re,
spected; "for better or worse" is not life
long bond, it only stands " for as long as you
please;" if it should prove for better than
you expected, all right; if for sOorse get
divorce as soon as possible. Such an order
of things is dangerous, and will bring a curse
upon nation. Forbearance and enduring
in patience is out of date too; little family
discords are published to criticiSing world;
the home circle is no longer considered sa-
cred, conjugal affection is laughed at, and is
becoming very Questionable. "Out of
dateT' this is the ordeal by which many of
the comforts and virtues of community are
tested, and the sentence of condemnation is
passed in accordance with this test. "For-
sake not the paths thy fathers trOd," and
" remove not the old landmarks, are texts
of Scripture that are seldom thought of in
these days of progression. Happiness is
showed into oblivion, and pleasure has taken
her place.-Farmer's Wife, Randolph, u. ]
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
The Great Farmer of the World.

A Sacramento paper publishes the follow
ing respecting the farming operations of a
man whom it denominates ''the largest farm
er in the world" which, considering that
DR.. Glenn "runs his farm of $4,000 acres
himself, personally experimenting it all, the
application is, perhaps, correct. His case
illustrates a point often made that farming
may be conducted upon large scale as we'll
as any other business, and that when it shall
be carried on with the same order and nice
adjustment of means to end as is cotton or
iron manufacture, it will pay as well.
"The great farmer of the world, Dr. Hugh
j. Glenn, of Jacinto, Colusa county, Cali
fornia has raised and harvested the past sea-
son, on his own farm, 100000 bushels of
wheat. This would load eighteen 1,O0O.ton
shipe, or three hundred canal boats. All
this wheat he has now in his warehouses,
ready for shipment when the water in the
Sacramento river rises sufficiently. The
doctor pays $4,000 freight to put bis wheat
in the San Francisco market The doctor
is wonder to the agricultural world and to
himself. He runs ninety gang ploughs and
whole county's population in the harvest
field, with dozen threshers. His farming
ia not confined to wheat alone. He markets
100000 worth of stock each year. DR..
Glenn is practical farmer, and manages all
his immense business himself He can mend
trace and make key to an ox-bow with
his jack knife, just as easily as drawing his
check for 1000, 900 which he can do every
day in the week. Dr. Glenn is big hearted
man, and was born in Augusta county, Va.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29

This verse begins by telling US that "Christ
loved the Church" But the power and
worth of that lOve-its height, and depth,
and length, and breadth, what mind can
grasp, what tongue can tell 1t brought
him from throne to manger. 1t bound
him to the cross. And so, as the very best
proof of this wonderful love of Christ for the
Church, we are told that "de gaze himself
for It." He did not shrink from DEATH
He gave himself sacrifice to bear our sins.
1t is this which gives such eminence to his
death.
TIE purpose in all this was that he might
sanctify and cleanse it." The pardon of sin
is a great blessing which comes directly from
the cross; but the publication of cur nature
is also needed; for without it we cannot see
God.
And then comes the beautiful statement of
the object in all this: "that he might pre-
sent 1t to himself a glorious Church, not hav.
iRg spot, or wrlRkte, or any such thing -
0 what destiny awaits the Church Here
it has many dark spots; yet in spite of its
imperfections it is still glorious Church.
There is an immense difference between it
and the world that lieth in wickedness.
1t is the best that is to be seen here below.
And the Spirit and the word are sanctifyiDg
it, and preparing it as the bride of the
Lamb" She has had infinite Affections and
-" the tears of ages are on her cheeks. -
The time will be when all her sorrows shall
end, and her dear Lord and Saviour who
loved her shall look npon her from the
throne, and shall see of the travail of hi;
soul, and shall be satisfied. Who but di
vine Redeemer could have devised such 8
destiny, and who but he could have wrought
it out? OLD PILGRIM.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29

The minimum Christian! And who is he !?
The Christian who is going to heaven at the
cheapest rate possible. The Christian who
intends to get all of the world he can, and
not meet the worldliDg'S doom. The Chris
tian who aims to have as little religion as
may without lacking it altogether.
The minimum Christian goes to church in
- kping; and in the afternoon also, un
Psfus, or is too warm, or too cold, or
he%y sleepy, or has the headache from eat
ing too much at dinner. He listens most
respectfully to the preacher, and joins in
prayer and praise. He applies the truth
very judiciOusly, sometimes to himself, oft
ener to his neighbors.
The minimum Christian is very friendly
to all good works. He wishes them well, but
it is not in his power to do much for them.
The Sabbath School he looks upon as an ad-
mirable institution, especially for the ne
elected and ignorant. 1t is not convenient,
however, for him to take class. His bust
ness engagements are so pressing during the
week that he needs the Sabbath as day of
rest; nor does he think himself qualified to
act as a teacher. There are so many per-
sons better prepared for this important duty,
that be must beg to be excused. He is very
friendly to home and foreign missions and
colportage, and gives his mite. He thinks
there are "too many appeals" but he gives,
if not enough to save his reputation, pretty
near it, at all events he aims at it.
The minimum Christian is not clear on a
number of points. The opera and dancing,
aud large fashionable parties, give him much
trouble. He cannot see the harm il this, or
that, or the other popular amusement
There is nothing in the Bible against it. He
does not see but that man may be a Chris
tiau, and dance or 60 to the opera. He
knows several excellent persons who do
Why should not be He stands so close to
the dividing line between the people of God
and the people of the world, that it is hard
to say on which side of it he is actually to
be found.
All, my brother, are you making this at
tempt? Beware, lest you find at last that
in trying to get to heaven with little re-
GgiOn, you miss it altogether, lest, without
gaining the whole world, you lose your own
soul.-Pres6yterian at Work.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
Mother Says So. "

l was recently spending few days in a
family of which the mother is one of those
women who shine at home, who lives her re-
igion day by day; one who, while insisting
upon exact truthfulness in her children,
practices the same herself. l have known
her sometimes to make quite sacrifice that
she might keep promise made to her child.
Her word once given, is held sacred. Dur
ing my visit l heard little hVe-year old
daughter telling an older playmate something
that the latter seemed to doubt.
"How do you knOT it is SOP she asked.
60" replied the child confidently, "mam-
ma says So"
Still the playmate doubted; when, rising
with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, the
surprised and indignant little one exclaimed.
"What do you not believe my mamma?
Why, she nsver, neuer told me anything that
was not true.
Can our little ones always say, "My
mother nsuer, never told me anything that
was not true ?"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
American Forests.

There is a slow awakening to the fact that
American forests are being rapidly squan-
dered. Statistics are furnished to show that
in ten years no less than 1000, 900 acres
were simply cut and burned over to reduce
the land to cultivation. ST. Louis and twenty
five more cities take annually from 5000 to
10000 acres each for fuel. Eight million
acres per year are used up for fuel, timber
and waste. Fences require an enormous
amount of timber; besides the waste in gen.
eral expense. Illinois has 100000 in
fencing; Missouri has sum not much less.
The stock laws, if enforced, might save four,
ffths of this; but for the present, they will
not be very rapidly enforced. New York,
Nebraska and few other States have begun
to save largely in this way. California has
lost one,half of its forests in two years.
Connecticut mountains, once so grandly COW
cred with chestnut, are as bare as camels'
backs New York State is trying, by legis-
lation, to stay wanton waste, and to preserve
portion of its Adirondack range. 1t has
still superb front in the Northeastern cor
ner of the State, but it is being swept away
as by fire. Wisconsin gives out one billion
feet of lumber per year. Michigan's superb
pine forests are rapidly disappearing. The
forests on the Eastern shores are about ex-
hausted.
The railroads take 100000 acres per year
for ties, and, as they are increasing in num-
Der, their demands are, of course, increasing.
The vast transcontinental lines exhaust vast
regions of their total supply. What is not
servceable for ties, is generally waste. Few
Of the States have any forests left to speak
Of, and we must soon look to the Pacific
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29
DICHMOND AND DANVILLE RAILROAD
II On and after MARCH 10, 1876, the train.
on this road will run daily as follows:

II
II On and after MARCH 10, 1875, the train,
on this road will run daily as follows:
TRAIN No. 1-CHARLoTTE EXPRESS, Westward
Leaves Rict mond at 6:0S a. M. leaves Burkeville
at s:25 a. m leaves Dundee at 1856 p. M; leaves
Dsnville at p. M. leaves Greensboro at 1897 D m
leaves Salisbury at 6:46 p. m arrives at irLine
Junction at $50 p. M. arrives at Charlotte at 1856
p. m.
TRAIN No. 2-NEw YORK and NEW ORLEANS
EXPRESS, Eastwsrd-Leaves Charlotte at g. IS a. m.
leaves Airline Junction at 800 g. M leaves Sails.
bury at 1l.SS a. M; lie yes Greensboro at q 16 D.
NJ. leaves Danville at 4:4S p. m. leaves Dundee at
4:57 p m. leaves Burkeville at 917 p. m, arrives
at Richmond at 11:49 p. m.
TRAIN No. 8.-THRoUGH MAIL, Westward
Leave Richmond at l:S8 p. M; leave Burkeville
at AL p. M; leaves Dundee at 9:25 D. m; leaves
Danvie at 9:2S p NJ; leaves Greensboro at ~. 90
a. M. leaves Salisbury at 1858 a. M; leaves Air.
Line Junction at 7.05 M, arrives at Charlotte at
7:10 a. m.
TRAIN No. 4-THRoUGH MAIL, Eastward
Leaves Charlotte at 9.2S p. m; leaves Air. Line
Junction at 9.30p. m leaves Salisbury at r. IL D.
M; leaves Greensboro at 1886 a. NJ; leaves Dan.
vile at $40 a. NJ; leaves Dundee at $40 a. M;
leaves Burkeville at 1885 a. M; arrives at Rich.
mond 2:22 p. m.
TRAIN No. 5.-LYNCHBURG PASSENGER, West
ward-Leayes Richmond at q. M; leave Burke.
vile at 1:20 o. m. arrives at Lynchburg at 420 D. M
TRAIN No. 6.-BURKEvILLE ACCoMMoDATIoN.-
Eastward. Burkeville at 44S a. NJ; arrives
at Richmond at sos a. m.
All through trains connect at Richmond and Dan.
vile with trains on the Richmond, Fredericksburg
Potomac railroad, and Washington City, Virginia
Midland and Great Southern railroad, to and from
Washington, Bal imore, Philadelphia, and N. York.
Trains Nos. 3 and connect at Richmond with
the Richmond, YORK River and Chesapeake railroad
trains to and from Baltimore and all eastern points
Trains Nos. and connect at Charlotte with
trains on the Atlanta and Richmond Airline rail.
road to and from Greenville, Atlanta, Montgomery,
Mobile, Pensacola, New Orleans, and all South.
western points.
Trains Nos 8 and connect at Charlotte with the
Charlotte, Columbia Atlanta railroad for Columbia
Augusta, Savannah, Tallahassee, and all southern
points.
Train No. connects at Burkevie with the At.
lantic, Mississippi and Ohio railroad from Lynch.
burg, Chattanooga, and all South western points.
THROUGH TICKETS to all points South and
West and baggage checked through
Unbroken gauge from Richmond to New Orleans.
Pullman palacecars through from New Orleans
to New York.
T. M. R. TALCOTT,
Engineer and superintendent
b. 7. DOUGLAS, Master Transportation.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-29

slope. The encouragement given to planting
by some of the States has SO far secured an
annual increase of from ten to twenty thou
sand acres This will hardly furnish the
supply of fuel for a. single large city. 10
this can be added the wild growth of young
timber-sometimes left to take the place OF
the old trees. This is quite an appreciable
amount, but mere moiety
We must rely on stock laws to save the
waste on fences; forestry laws to preserve
from wanton destruction; laws to encourage
rapid and extensive planting in every State,
and combinations of dealers to regulate the
amount and method of cutting for timber
When the people understand their danger
they can individually do great deal to rem
edy the evil. Those counties in this State
that have not adopted the stock law, have
made an expensive blunder. Those that
have the law, should enforce it, and save not
only cash and time, but timber.