davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
General SheTmRn's Account Of the
Discovery Of Gold in California.

/ remember one day that TWO men,
Americans, came into the Office and in
quired for the Governor. asked their
business, and one answered that they
had just come down from Captain SUIT
or on special business and they wanted
to see Governor Mason in person. j
took them into the Colonel and left
them together. After some time, the
Colonel came to his door and called TO
me. went in, and my attention was
directed to a series Of papers unfolded on
his table, in which lay about half an
ounce Of placer gold. Mason said to
me, "What is that?' touched IL, and
examined one or two Of the larger pieces
and asked. "Is it gold?" Mason asked
me if ! had seen native gold. answer
ed, that in 1874, ! was in Upper Georgia
and there saw some native gold, but IL
was much inner than this, and that it
was in phials, or in transparent quilts;
but said, that IL this were gold, it could
be easily tested-frst, by Its malleabili-
ty, and next by acids. J took a piece in
my teeth, and the metallic luster was
perfect; then called to the clerk, Baden
to bring an ak and hatchet from the
backyard. When these were brought,
] took the largest piece and beat it ont
fiat, and beyond doubt il was metal, and
pure metal. Still we attached little
importance to the fact, for gold was
known 10 exist at San Fernando, at the
south, and yet was not considered Of
much value.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
A Picture of Night in the Moon.

At last, however, night sets in. Crate
fully it comes after the sun has gathered
up its shifting beams and gone to its
rest. All at once we are plunged into
comparative obscurity, for again there is
no twilight to stay the steps of depart
ing day. At one stride comes the dark.
But, looking up into the sky, we behold
a vast orb, which pours down milder
and more benefcent splendor than the
great orb of the system. 1t is such a
moon as we terrestrials cannot boast; for
it is not less than thirteen times as large
and luminous as our own. There II
hangs in the armament, without appar
ent change of place, as if "fixed in its
everlasting seat" But not without
change of surface. For this great globe
is a painted panorama, and, turning
around majestically on its axis, presents
its oceans and continents in grand snc-
cession. As Europe and Africa, lock
ing the Mediterranean in their embrace
roll away to the right, the stormy Allan
tic offers Its waters to view, then the two
Americas, with their huge forests and
vast prairies, pass under inspection.
Then the grand basin of the Pacific, lit
up with island fires, meets the gazer'r
eye, and us this glides over the scene, the
eastern rim af Asia, and the upper pur-
ton of Australia sail into sight. The
Indian Ocean and afterwards the Arabi-
an Sea, spread themselves out in their
subdued splendor, and thus, in four-and-
twenty hours 1.-The great rotundity we
tread" turns its pictured conntenance to
the moon, and grandly repays the glist-
ening lunarians by repeating, to the best
of its ability, the story of its birth. Nor
is the sky less marvellous in another res
pect. For the absence of any atmos-
pheiic diffusion of light permits the con-
stellations to shine out with distinct
ness which is never paralleled on earth
They glitter like diamond points set in
armament of ebony. Stars and clus.
/ ters which we never see by the naked eye
/ flock into view, and crowd the lunar
heavens.-[ British Quarterly.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

A Correspondent of the Turf. Field
and farm gives an account of feat in
horesmanship that outdoes Charles
O'Malley. He says: 81 wish to tell
you of feat in equestrianism that has
probably never had a parallel in this
country. A gentleman and two friends
were on their way to campmeeting tsome
thirty years ago); the "camp" was held
not far from the rocks of Deer Creek, in
Hartfort county, Maryland. On the
road, about one hundred yards ahead,
they noticed an OK cart. One of the gen.
tlemen, Major Rutledge, said TO the per-
sons with him, u will bet drinks for the
party that ] can jump ms horse in the
cart while going, and steady him until
we reach the tavern about half mile
further-on. He put his horse in slow
canter, and when he came to the cart he
landed him safely in the body, and sal
on his horse until the cart reached the
tavern, and then, still on his back
jumped him out over the front Of the
cart. The old gentleman is still living
at the advanced age of seventy-seven.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
Animal Volunteers.

3
When the 'Spankers' were in the
Crimea-they were light Dragons in
those days, and not hussars, as at pres
ent-a large dog, / don't exactly know
| of wha. breed, but universally admied
/ for beauty and intelligence, attached
himself to that particular corps. When
ever the regiment marched. he invaria-
/ bly, accompanied the troopers. Several
/ times he went into action, and was once
| seriously wounded with the point of a
/ lance. 1t would have been universally
regretted had poor Lufiin's wound prov
ed fatal One of the farrier's undertook
to dress it, so that, with little care, he
soon got well again. Where the dog
came from, or who was his original
owner, nobody knew. He would never
/ follow an individual soldier beyond the
/ barrack gates, however kindly he might
/ be invited; but when the men were in full
dress. whether mounted or on foot, provi
ded they went out in body, Lnffiin
insisted on taking up his proper position
! One thing was very remarkable--he had
sufficient discernment to enable him to
distinguish a church parade from any
other He never showed any desire to
attend public worship.
At the beginning of his military ca
reer he had to pick up his living as best
he could. He was accustomed at meal
times to go from hut to hut, or among
the tents, when the men were under can
vas. In some of these habitations he
met with good treatment and supply
of food, but from Others he was not un-
frequently summarily and ignominious-
Iy elected. However, Luffiin, ir course
Of time, was allowed regular rations at
the regimental expense, toward which
all the members of the corps contributed
a share, from the Colonel to the drum
mer. The noble animal must have been
aware of his promotion, for it was OBJ
served that he never went "a-begging
after. One of Luffiin's marks of high
intelligence | cannot personally vouch
for, but i have been assured of its truth
1t was said and generally believed thai
he was in the constant habit of visiting
sentries during the night. especially ir
the Crimea. to see if the men were a
their post and on the alert. The reader
must be told that, during a campaign
the troops are often so much harassed
and fatigued that sentries will occasion,
ally fall asleep as they stand-an act
however, which is looked upon as one
of the gravest of military offences. l
Lnfflin found man asleep, he sat before
him in silence; but the slightest sound
of approaching footsteps was sufficient
to make him apprise the sleeper of the
danger to which he was exposed. He
would then trot o. to the next post
where he scarcely halted if convinced
that all was we'll. I am glad to be able
to record the fact, that his faithful serv
ices, in due time, obtained for Lufi1ir
the respect of every member of the corps
1t would have been high misdemeanol
to offer him indignity.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
A Huge Nugget Of Copper.

Yesterday there came to this city from
the Lake Superior regions one Of the
largest specimens of native copper ever
transported a long distarce. The mass
is heart-shaped, and weighs 5000 pounds
almost double the weight of the famous
copper bowlder which was transported
many years ago from the same region To
the Smithsonian Institute a a cost to the
government of $3.50. The specimen
brought here exhibits the pure copper
to the eye, and contains 50 Der cent. of
the metal. 1t may be seen lying on
skids on the southeast corner Of the
Lindell Hotel, where it has been exam
ned by crowds of people. The specimen
was taken out from an ancient digging
sixteen and a half feet below the surface
by a Mr.. Davis, who has spent twenty
i've years in copper mining. The mass
when found, had evidently been detach-
ed from its bed by the ancient miners.
A number of pieces of copper besides the
mass were found weighing from an
ounce to seventeen pounds, which were
evidently clippings by the old miners.
Stone hammers weighing from ten to
thirty pounds have been found in cart
loads, several specimens of which men,
toned have been brought 10 this city.
These were the primitive tools with
which these ancient miners had to do
their work. These tools are found eth
er perfect or broken from use, and the
fragments are found scattered through
the debris. 1t has bren computed that
two hundred of these old miners with
their rude methods could bareley be
| equivalent to two of the skilled miners
of the present day. Who and TO what
race they belonged, and at what time
these people Aourished, is not satisfac-
torily known, aud can only be the sub
ject Of conjecture. The only plausible
assumption is that they belonged to the
ancient mound-builders and worked in
metals long anterior to the Indian races,
as evidences Of their occupancy were
seen by the early Jesuit explorers, and
the specimens which they clipped from
the copper rocks are found scattered ov.
er the whole continent.-[SL Louis Re
publican.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
Hopeful Missouri Boy.

Mr. Pomeroy Beeding, fast son Of
Mr.. E. l.. Beeding, living in Cambridge,
Mo, says Bonneville correspondent
the Sedalia Democrat, was trapped
an attempt to murder his father, mother
and brother-in-law. Mr.. Beedire Is
one of the wealthiest and most popular
men in the State, and being depirous Of
his son getting good education, sent
him to Fayette, Mo. This being a small
place, he thought his son would not get
the opportunity Of practicing his rascal
ity. After Pomeroy had been there for
a few weeks, his father went to visit him,
and found he had gotten deeply in debt,
and was engaged TO be married 10
young lady. who broke her engagement
for this purpose. Mr.. Beeding thinking
this the wrong life for a schoolboy 20
lead, took him home. The boy wished
to marry, but he had no money, was not
ofage, and had no means Of getting any.
How was he to get it?
He finally made up his mind to kill
MS iaAHtTg LlOiHeE anu DFolHcF-iil- law
who constituted the family. To do this
he tried to get Mr.. Stanton, a man Of
not the highest standing in the world,
who lived just across the river from
him, TO assist him. He told Mr.. Stan
ton he would give him 81 500 II he
would do it, and told him that he could
get a man in st. Louis TO do il for $500,
but was afraid the 81. Louis man would
kill the wrong ones. Mr.. Stanton told
Pomeroy TO meet him in log house,
on a certain night, and they would pro-
coed from there to kill them.
Mr.. Stanton had no idea Of killing
them, but was going to tell Mr.. Beed-
ing Of his sons designs. Thinking Mr..
B. would not believe him, Stanton got
two men to accompany him to the log
house, so as to have some proof After
they had arrived at the house, Pomeroy
commenced telling Stanton, and Just
then the men from underneath came in,
grabbed h IN and took him to his father.
Mr.. Beeding had him horsewhipped,
gave him draft for fifty dollars, and
| discarded him. Pomeroy went 20 Glas-
gov, got his draft paid, sent for his
trunk and went 10 ST. Lonis since which
time nothing has been heard Of him.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

When you wish to know what the
weather is to be, go out and select the
smallest cloud you can see. Keep your
eyes upon it, and if it decreases and dis
appears it shows the state of the air,
which will be sure to be followed by fine
weather; but if it increases in size take
yonr great coat with You if you 60
from home for falling weather is not far
of. The reason is this; When the air
is becoming charge with electricity
you will see every clond attracting all
lesser ones toward il until it gathers into
shower; and. on the contrary, when
fluid is passing of, or diffusing itself
then large cloud will be seen breaking
in pieces and dissolving.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
The Most Remarkable Fall on Rec.
ord.

A Brooklyn Argus reporter gives an
account of a visit to the East River sus-
pension bridge, and the progress Of the
work on it. Among other incidents he
tells of the following:
One of the "curiosities" of the bridge
is Frank Harris, the only man ever
heard of who fell one hundred and three
feet, and was at work the next day. He
is stout-built, forid- faced fellow of
thirty years of age, and has been work
ing on the bridge since it started. When
the Brooklyn tower was just up to the
roadway. he had charge of the rope that
regulates the wording of the buggy"
or traveller" on the derrick. The in
side of the tower is hollow, and Harris
duties brought him close to the edge of
the hole. Something diverted his mind
from his position, he stepped back and
went over. For a second or two, he
hung by the rope, and then dropped
backwards into the abyss.
A cry of horror@rose from his fellow
workmen as they saw him fall. They
Immediately got ready rope to lower
a man down for the purpose of recover
ing what they naturally supposed would
be mangled corpse. To their aston
ishment, however, before the prepara-
tions were completed, they heard Harris
yelling from the bottom. 81 wish you
fellows would hurry up and send me q
rope, so that can get out of here?" A
rope was sent down and the supposed
corpse was pulled out of the hole, appar.
emily uninjured. He was at work the
next morning as if nothing had happen
ed. This providential escape was due
to the fact that there were about three
feet of water at the bottom on whicl
hoated an empty cement barrel Harris
went down backward, so that the breatl
was not driven out of him, and strucl
the middle of his back on the barre
which turned over and chucked him in
to the water. This of course, broke hi
fall and enable him to boast of being tn
only man who has "taken a tumble" 0
this magnitude He has never been quit
the same man since, feeling little sha
XIV at times, but is able to do his worl
perfectly.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
Nevada Does Net Want You.

The Virginia, City tNevada) Enter
prsie Of the ID inst. says: "Do not come
here. This is what the situation says to
every man Of the vast numbers which
are daily coming to this city, allured
by the fame of the big bonanza and the
hope or "a per day. There il here nei-
ther work nor accommodations for
either these men or their families. This
city Is overrun by workmen, seeking
employment where none il to be had.
Yesterday over 200 men--some Of them
destitute of the means Of daily subsist-
ence, with families depending npon
them for support-applied for work at
one Of the principal mines in this city
all of whom had to be denied. The
company are already employing more
men than they need, ont Of pure charity
and because they do not wish to see
them suffer; but there is limit to even
such disinterested generosity"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

"Pop Corn" is the name Of new town
in Usage county, Kansas, which excites
the ire Of a newspaper critic, who re-
lieves himself thus:
The tendency TO vulgar and meaning
less Typographical designations would
discourage us did we not know the
ameliorating effect Of time upon these
barberisms. 1t is consoling to think
that "Pop Corn" will not be SO forever.
Within quarter Of a century it will
be Pope Korn;" then "Pokorn;" next
"Paukern;" "Poorkan;" "Parkan;"
"Parkor;" Park" and finally "Park
City," which viii be a very pretty name
indeed. Weadmit, however, that there
are names in Kansas which by no inge.
nuity of the imagination can we trans
mogrify into the euphonious or pretty.
The town Of "Verdigris," we confess, is
hopelessly NAL nomered. Solomon
City" isn't much better; and the inhab-
itarts Of the town of "Grasshopper"
must have the patience Of job IL they
are not quite ready to change their cor
porate name to Fourth of July, ""Bot-
tie Of Pop" or "Gingerbread."
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

That was very sensible sort of Chris
tianity which the Rev. Mr.. Williams, an
old-time minister at Dudley, Mass, is
said to have taught. tits related of him
that when midway in his sermon on a
sultry Sunday, he heard the sound of
distant thunder. he glanced out of the
window once or twice, stopped preaching
and remarked: Brethren, / observe that
our Brother Crosby is not prepared for
the rain. 1 think it onr duty to help
him get in his hay before the shower"
Stepping down from the pulpit, he went
with several of the brethren to the hay
field, and worked for half an hour, when
the hay was housed. Then, returning
to the church, he took up the thread OF
his sermon, where he had left it, and
preached straight through to the "ff-
teenthly" and "fnally," without an
omission.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
A Tough Story.

A correspondent of the Toledo Blade,
writing from Hastings. Michigan, says:
About ten miles south of this place, &
farmer, while driving some cows through
deep forest adjoining his fields, mex
pectedly came upon an unusually large
buck, stretched out upon the ground, and
moaning away the last moments of its
existence. The animal was evidently
very old, and in sadly emaciated con-
dition, so the fact that the farmer imme-
distely put a bullet through its head
should rather be looked upon as an act
of compassion than otherwise. just as
he was about to leave he observed a
round lump upon the animals side,
which so attracted his attention that he
stopped to examine it. Quickly discov-
ing that close under the skin was depos-
tied a round, hard body, he used his
knife and brought to light a silver bull
let such as was used in olden times for
the inclosure of secret dispatches. He
carried this curiosity to his house, where,
after considerable trouble, he succeeded
in opening it, and found to his great sur
prise, that it contained a message written
in cypher upon paper attenuated to a
high degree. Otherwise than that the
paper was slightly discolored, (not suffi-
ciently, however, to obliterate the char.
acters). Neither the bullet nor what il
inclosed bore any evidence of its late
surroundings or of the strange vicissi.
tudes through which it might previous
ly have gone. Several men of science
have closely inspected this relic of the
past, and are as much at a loss to deciph
er the message as they are to satisfactor'
lily explain when and how the bulle
came TO be lodged in the side of the
| buck"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21
"Free And Enlightened"

The New York Herald in an elaborate
editorial on the meeting of the EmPer-
ors of Russia and Germany uses tins
expression: Russia and Germany are
amongst the strongest powers in the
world. They are great, free and enlight-
ened nations" Styling Russia free
and enlightened is an abuse of language
that would do credit to Brooklyn rhet-
orcians. Russian diplomacy and state
craft have claims to respect, but the ma
tion is still hard, crnel and coarse
despotism and it is offensive to find in a
leading American journal such balder-
dash. The present Gar is in many re-
spects an estimable man, but the politi-
cal, social and moral condition of things
in Russia is such as to awaken no ad-
miration amongst civilized people, and
it is n perversion of all the facts to be-
stow such indiscriminate adulation in
that quarter.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

A man seventy seven years old has
made his appearance in Philadelphia,
wearing hat which he put on his head
81 years ago, vowing he would never re-
move it until Hon. Henry Clay was
elected President
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21


While the people Of she United States
are preparing for their first centennial
the japanese have been celebrating the
2,535th anniversary of the Empire of
the Rising Sun. Its princes claim to
have preserved the same imperial line
for $500 years.
The late Miss Elizabeth Leatherland
is the Oldest case of old maid on record.
She was one hundred and eleven years
old when she died recently, at her home
in England.
Smokers and coffee drinkers have a
trump card to play in Mrs. Jemima
Setter, of North Carolina, first cousin
of Daniel Boone. who now in her 95th
years, sews, knits, spins, 1ax, goes TO
mill, milks the cows, walks three miles
to church every Sunday, has never been
sick but three hours in her life, and yet
smokes a pipe three times day aud
drinks strong coffee at every meal.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

They had nice time at Old Ticondo-
roga the other day, bnt il was hard work
to find traces of the ancient fort. Per
haps the most significant in the whole
affair was the remark Of an old citizen
to u correspondent, "that the fort had
been abaut demolished and carried
across the lake to build cellar walls
with"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

Judge Shannon, chief justice Of the
supreme court Of Dakota, has decided in
murder trial that tho killing Of one
Indian by another Indian IL not punish
able under the territorial laws. This Is
reducing to practice Phil. Shcridan's
apothegm that the best Iniuu j. dead
lnjun."
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

"The early bird catches the worm, ="
is provcrb which has already been cx-
polded by the simple statement that the
worm might never have been cought II
he had not foolishly got up too early In
the morning.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

Illinois IL the Mecca toward which the
woman, ambitious to establish herself in
her rights, should turn her eyes aud
steps. The Legislature, by vote of over
four to one, so amended Law that wo-
men may now act a. notaries public.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

An unclean bonanza: Some men who
were engaged in cleaning ont a ce~Pool
on Staten Island the other day, came up
on between twenty and thirty thousand
dollars in gold coin. It had been hid by
n defaulting cashier.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

A Detroit boy was sent for a doctor,
his mother being very i'll, when looking
down the street he saw a great crowd.
Then came a struggle between duty and
curiosity, but he finally started for the
crowd, saying: The old lady's pretty
badly oil, but l know she wouldn't want
me TO miss that fight"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

Hereafter the conscientious writer Of
dime novels, instead of pioturing boy
heroes chasing the bounding bison TO his
lair, will please depict them as truants
arrested by heartless policemen, and
sent home 10 their mothers to be spank
ed
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

The old erutcbes belonging to cold
John Grey, the last soldier Of the Revo-
luiion," are to be sent to the Philadel.
phia Centennial Exhibition. Old John
died in Noble county in 1868, at the
good old age Of one hundred and fifteen
years
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

The great German scholar, Niehbuhr,
once made remark which may be COM
mended 10 the young people: although
many people may not have made a bril-
liant career by their fine handwriting,
yet ! know that more than a few have
spoiled theirs by bad one. The most
important petitions are frequently read
with no favorable disposition, or entire
ly laid aside, because of the great diff
Guilty in deciphering then.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-21

II you wish success in life make perse
veranee your bosom friend, experience
your wise counselor, caution your elder
brother, and hope your guardian genius.