davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
A Mysterious Keg.

Says the San Francisco Chronicle ::
That portion of the city known as the
Mission was deeply excited over the
rumor that, while excavating for block
of new buildings on the corner of Mis-
sion and Sixteenth streets, the workmen
had struck veritable "bonanza," in the
shape of an old nail keg filled with gold
dust, of the value of $80,000 Shortly
before six o'clock reporter visited the
spot and learned from the contractor
that the rumor, while everywhere cur
rent, was wholly without foundation. A
keg had indeed been found, but filled
with anything and everything but pay
dirt. It was found deeply buried and
in the vicinity of an old well close by,
and created no little excitement among
the laborers when it was struck, from
the fact of their having been made aware
by some of the "oldest inhabitants" that
treasure had been buried in the vicinity
many years ago. The location is the
site of the famous old " Nightingale !"
saloon, where the sports of "a used to
congregate to quaff the liquid fire re-
tailed at extravagant prices over the
high, broad counter, and wind up the
day with little pistol practice on human
targets. Regarding the buried treasure
James Johnson, 49-er, living in the
Immediate neighborhood, tells the fol-
lowing story: One night in the fall OF
'54 gang of men from the mountains
were carousing in the Nightingale when
one of the party seeing that his comrades
were all gloriously drunk gathered to-
gether their gold dust, and buried it in
the yard outside. The amount was
variously estimated at from $4,000 to
$50, 900. The thief was never able to
find the dust after it was buried, and,
although the ground has been repeatedly
dug over in search of the treasure, it
was never obtained. Johnson is still Of
the opinion that the dust will be found,
and under his sangume supervision the
laborers are digging away as they never
dug for day wages before, and the con-
tractor smiles and assures them that the
valuable keg is to be found in the
furthest corner Of the lot.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
Parting.

For day and a night, love sang to us, played
with us, E
Folded us round from the dark and the
light ItlTIJF .I.
And our hearts were fulfilled Of the music he
made with us, p f ST TT a-
Made with our hearts and our lips while he
-.. stayed with US, ,.,, 1., ...e.... .-
Stayed in mid passage his pinions from fight
For day and night.
From his foes that kept watch with his wings
WI had he hidden us, earr-.
Covered us close from the eyes that would
smite,
From the feet that had tracked and the
tongues that had chided us, ,.E
sheltering in shade of the myrtles forbidden
o. us, t-' " .tl ..lF NH
Spirit and flesh growing one with delight
For a day and night.
But his wings will not rest and his feet will
not stay for us
Morning is here in the Joy Of its might
With his breath has he sweetened night ant
day for US | ...
Now lei him pass, and the myrtles make wa.
for us
Love can bit last in us here at his height
For a day and night.
A. @. sw1NBURNE.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
BlindfOld Chess Playing.

Some of the strongest chess-players
have been unable to play .blindfold, pre-
cisely as some of the greatest mathema-
ticians have been unable to deal mental
ly with any but the very simplest prob
lens. Philidor and La Bourdonnais
could both play without seeing the
board, but Mcdonnell, st. Amant and
Staunton never accomplished the feat (at
least in any recorded partie). Harrwitz
could play blindfold; his rival, Horwitz,
could not. At the present day Black
burne and Zukertort can play ten or
twelve games blindfold, but several of
the strongest chess-players living do not,
we believe, possess the power. We
must, therefore, find an explanation
which shall not require the blindfold
player to be superior in chess-strength
to the player who is unable to carry on q
contest without seeing the board. The
explanation is simple. The blindfold
player is able to picture to himself the
board and men, at any stage of the game,
and thus plays mentally with as much
ease and confidence as if he had the
board before him. If he is conducting
dozen blindfold games simultan oously,
his method is the same. We are unable
to say, however, whether he pictures all
the games at once, as though the boards
were ranged before him or calls up o
mental picture of each board, with the
men properly placed for that game as its
turn comes round. Probably, in most
cases, the latter is the method adopted.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
A Swarm of LOcusts.

The London Times has the following
account from Galatz, Roumania, of
swarm of locusts We have had rather
more respectable weather lately, and
have been able to sleep properly, since
it has not been so hot. I do not know
whether you read in the paper sent a
short notice of the locusts which have
been doing so much damage here. Well,
we have had them lately, and now am
going to tell you something which you
will think awfully exaggerated, and
which, indeed, must be seen to be be-
heved. A few days back they passed
over Galatz, and settled on the Turkish
side of the river. Looking at them from
beneath, as they passed over the town,
was like looking up during heavy snow
storm, the air was so thick; the cloud
extended the whole width of the town,
say three to four miles, and was about
five hours in passing ACROSS, say fifteen
miles long, aud who knows how thick.
They shifted their position on the Turk
ish side, and, seen from the gunboat
where 1 was, the cloud of locusts had
the appearance of the thick black
smoke from a steamer, long black
streak, which extended up and down
stream as far as could be seen with a
powerful telescope, or at least twenty
miles in length. The vertical thickness
of the fight, as far as We could Judge,
must have been at least one hundred
feet; the width we could not see, but it
would probably be two Or three miles.
Reckon how many millions it would take
to make such cloud, when each indi-
vidual locust is flying at distance of
not more than three or four inches from
its neighbors. No wonder they devour
whole districts Of corn, etc. ALI over
this part of the country lately all the
horses in the village have been kept
saddled, and the instant the locusts are
reported in the neighborhood all the
people turn out and gallop after them
and raise an awful din with pots and
pans, and SO on, to prevent them from
alighting. If once the flock alight it is
all up; but by this means they manage
to frighten them from alighting and
cause them to move on elsewhere. Lots
of them fell in the town. They are just
like big brown grasshoppers, from two
and half to three inches long.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
A Curious Boat.

The natives of Mesopotamia possess a
kind of boat, used solely for fresh water
navigation, which, for originality of de-
sign and manner of construction, is GER
tainly very peculiar. Ell Gooffah, " as
the Arabic speaking population of that
region commonly callsthis peculiar craft,
is nothing more nor less than huge,
perfectly round basket, Of extremely
strong and coarse wooden wicker-work.
1t is constructed of various sizes, vary
ing between four and eight feet in diane
ter, and between three and four feet in
depth which size, combined with its
spherical shape and slightly rounded
bottom, renders it capable of carrying
from two to ten tons of dead weight-a
carrying capacity exceeding that of any
other kind of boat of equal dimensions
hitherto known.
The huge basket, which constitutes
the framework of the craft, is rendered
perfectly water-tight by coat of as
phaltum, carefully applied about an inch
thick all over the inside and outside Of
the basket, after having been mixed with
some other substance, which latter causes
the asphaltum, almost as soon as applied
to become and remain as hard as stone,
in spite of the intense heat of the sun.
The sides and bottom of the gooffah are
from three to five inches thick, accord
ing to the size. of the craft, and the rim
is nicely rounded off. ..
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
Hints Concerning sickness.
Don't whisper in the sick-room.

Don't whisper in the sick-room.
When the doctor comes to see you,
remember how many pairs of stairs he
has to climb every day, and go down to
him if you are well enough. r a.g
When you are sitting up at night with
patient, be sure to have something to
eat, if you wish to save yourself unnec-
essary exhaustion. --7
Remember that sick people are not
necessarily idiotic or imbecile, and that
it is not always wise to try to persuade
them that their sufferings are imaginary.
They may even at times know best what
they need. '- '''-'.'."
If you have sick friend to whom you
wish to be of use, do not content your
self with sending her flowers and jelly,
but lend her one of your pictures to
hang in place of hers, or bronze to re-
place the one at which she is so tired of
staring.
Never deceive dying person unless
by the doctors express orders. 1t is
not only wrong to allow any soul to go
into eternity without preparation, but
how can you tell but that he has some
thing he ought to tell or do before he
goes away ~ ....... r.... .-...
Don't have needless conversations
with the doctor outside of the sick-room.
Nothing will excite and irritate ner-
vous patient sooner. If you do have
such conversations, don't tell the patient
that the doctor said nothing" He
won't believe you, and he will imagine
the worst possible. a-1 u .aI. .aa...
In lifting the sick, do not take them
by the shoulders and drag them up on
to the pillows, but get some one to help
you. Let one stand on one side of the
patient, the other opposite, then join
hands under the shoulders and hips, and
lift steadily and promptly together,
This method is easy for those who lift
and does not disturb the one who is
lifted. ra -.r.-..s.r a...F. ......
Do not imagine that your duty is oyel
when you have nursed your patient
through his illness, and he is about the
house, or perhaps going out again
Strength does not come back in a mo
ment, and the days when little things
worry and little efforts exhaust, wher
the cares of business begin to press
but the feeble brain and hand refuse t.
think and execute, are the most trying
to the sick one, and then comes the
need for your tenderest care, your mos
unobtrusive watchfulness.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
Uses of Fish.

The Pal Mall Gazette states that
some cows like nothing better than q
fish dinner; and report on the Norwe-
gian fisheries for the past year, just is
sued, mentions that the cattle in the
fishing districts of Norway consume
about 10000, 900 of Gods heads annually.
Indeed, the practice of using fish heads
as a substitute for winter fodder is as
signed as a reason for the scanty supply
of these articles for the fish guano fac
tories. Besides the conversion of tho
refuse of the Goldfish into guano, which
has now become a lucrative article of
export, exceeding in value the export of
ice packed fish to England, the Norwe-
gians prepare another novel and re-
markable article from the products of
the ocean-namely, fish -four. This
flour is prepared from dried fish of the
first quality ; it is thoroughly desiccated
and then ground in mill. An excellent
dish of preserved fish can in short
time be prepared from the coarse, while
the finer flour is used for fish puddings
- dish highly appreciated in Norway.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
OUR ABSENT GUEST.
One of the Mysteries of Boarding House
Keeping.

Ohc oI hOuse
Keeping.
We don't keep a boarding house
nothing of the sort. Ours is a private
family, but for the sake of company,
mind, money doesn't enter into the ques-
tion at all, but for the sake of company,
as said before, and in order that few
of our friends can be blessed with home
comforts and surrounded with home in
fuences, that they may derive the ines
Unable benefits of moral and intel
lectual atmosphere, not to say anything
about public example and religious
teaching, we do let few rooms " with
board at a paltry consideration per
week. We are extremely careful who
we permit to enter within the sacred pre-
cinets of our "charming circle" To
enter there one must be distinguished
for something, either for fame, money or
presence. Being eminently high-toned
ourselves we always put great deal of
store by the latter. If the dinner should
happen to be late, or the steak tough, or
the vegetables underdone, dignity would
rise superior to such trihes. "My dear
madam, it's not of the slightest conse-
quence," is balm that has soothed
many sting. And that's just what
makes us feel so bad about it. She was
such prepossessing lady-but this is
the way it all occurred: She called at
the house and was perfectly delighted
with the second story front; she couldn't t
have been better suited had she searched
for a month. Her name was Mrs.
Sumotherland. She was in deep dis
tress. Not pecuniarily, far from it. She
was wealthy, and money was no object,
but her darling husband had died only
three weeks before, and she was in sore
afiiction. She was not in mourning,
because she was resident of Rochester,
and had only. just arrived, and several
suits were being made for her (Which
were ordered by telegraph) by Madame
Hangemup. Her baggage would arrive
in the evening by express. For forms
sake only, because references were not
needed, she gave the name of the Rev.
DR.. Sting. Well, after a day or two,
after arrangements had been partially
made to have her horses and carriage
and her colored cook to come down, she
concluded to- take the back parlor for hel
apartment. She was so liberal. But all
this time her trunks failed to come, and,
poor thing, she was really very much
embarrassed. We did everything We
could to console her, took her out sailing
and driving, and she frightened up won
derfully. After week she found that
she really must visit he1 brother-in-law,
Senator Myth, and we took great deal
of pleasure in dressing her up in an ele-
giant black suit, with tortoise shell neck
lace and earrings. She would return in
the afternoon, but, strange. to say, she
hasn't come back yet. She must have
been taken sick somewhere, and we feel
real anxious. That horrid Mr.. A. says
that she's "just Lit out, " whatever that
means, and that we had +" better make
the best of bad job," but the only
thing we feel sorry for is that she should
be having bill of forty dollars week
running on and not get any good of it.
| We do so wish she would come back.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
Headache and Its Causes.

Headache is a complaint of very com
mon occurrence. Some persons are hard
ly ever entirely free from it, while
others are afflicted with it periodically.
There are few diseases with which
headache does not occur systematically,
and it is prominent symptom in all
fevers and inflammation and in many
nervous complaints. 1t occurs idiopha-
tically, either from weakness or ex-
haustion of the nerve power of the
brain, or from disordered state of the
digestive apparatus. Sometimes the
pain extends over the whole head, with
sense of 'heaviness, and the sight is
often dim, and the hearing dull and the
memory defective. This is produced by
irregular circulation of blood in the
head, by mental exertion or by violent
mental passion. Headaches arise from
so many different causes, that it is in
many cases very difficult to cure, and
sometimes it battles the skill of the very
best physicians. To cure headache you
must remove the cause.
Not unfrequently it is difficult mat
ter to ascertain the cause, and after you
have learned it you may not be able to
cure the patient. The pains are nearly
as various as the causes. Bilious head
ache, or such as arise from disordered
condition of the stomach, usually affects
one side of the head only, most COM
monty over one eye, and increases to
an acute and often throbbing pain. 1t
is often accompanied with feeling of
sickness and vomiting, producing Ian
guor and depression of spirits. Rheu-
matte headache is commonly caused by
exposure to cold, and the pain is of a
shifting nature, shooting from point to
| point, and is felt most at night. All
Kinds of remedies have been used for
headache. For headache arising from a
weak stomach, a bitter tonic is usually
prescribed, among the favorite medi-
cines, and one that very frequently
proves effective if persevered in month
or two or three is "quassia," the
wood and bark of plant that grows in
some parts Of South America, and was
prescribed by a negro as specific. The
chips are soaked in water, and few sips
of the bitter water are taken three OF
four times day. Where the headache
proceeds from nervous irritability
soothing and strengthening measures
and outdoor exercise are to be adopted
In some cases of headache cold applica
tions to the head, leeches to the temple,
or cupping of the back of the neck, witt
spare diet and active aperients are eff
fective. A very fruitful cause of head
ache is bad habits-being out late a
night and overlooking the stomach will
! food and liquids of various kinds. Some
persons are afflicted with pains in the
head whenever they drink malt or spiri
tuous liquors to excess. To keep il
good health and mental vigor person
should be industrious and regular in hi
habits. ma4ae GT. at. /. g-a.s ##
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11
A Fortune.

By the death of the Marquise de Bel
10y family living in Chicago has been
suddenly raised from poverty to afflu-
ence and rank The husband and father
of this family committed suicide about a
year ago, and since that time the eldest
child has been obliged to sell newspa-
pers and black boots to help support the
family. All that is necessary to consti.
tute this boy heir of large property and
a genuine marquis is to forward to
France the proof of his parents legal
marriage, which can be easily done,
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11

A DEsoRpmoN.-An elderly maiden
who has suffered some disappointment
thus defines the human race: Man, a
conglomerate mass of hair, tobacco
smoke, confusion, conceit, and boots.
Woman, the waiter, perforce, on the
aforesaid animal. ....
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-09-17
PA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER II. 1875.

we'll make the prosecution open their eyes
Now, then, when was this riot"
"In 1870"
"And whercP
"In La Crosse"
"Tell the jury what started it, what part
you took, and the sentence in your case
awe hung lawyer to n lamp-post for
| for
"What "hc yelled, shaking his fist, cam
to be insulted by this witness, your llonor2'
The two attorneys then brought in anoth
er pile of law books, and after arguing for
an hour the court decided that the defence
had no right to asl, me those questions"
The cross-cXamination was then resumed
by his asking:
"You say YOU saw this diliculy?'
"Ycs, sir,'
"You swear to thaL?'
eyes, sir"
"And yol say that the plaintiff struck the
defendant lirst?'
''No sir; it was the other way
'Now, sir, look me in the eye and tell me
which man struck lirst.'
"The defendant"
Gle did ?"
"Yes sir"
'Look out, Mr.. Quad, you are under oath,
and if you swear to lie the punishment will
not be less than q year in State prison. DO
you say that my client here kicked the de-
| fendant in the stOmach?"
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-09-17
Throwing Old Shoes.


Very few, probably, of the thousands who
throw old shoes after bridal parties as they
are leaving home know anything of the
origin of the custom. Like almost all Of
our common customs its origin is ancient,
and can be traced to Bible times. 1t WAS
then the custom for the brother of II childlcsS
man to marry his widow, or at least he had
the refusal of her If he chose TO reject her
the ceremony was public, and consisted in
her losing his shoe from his foot aud splitting
in his face His giving up the shoe was Il
symbol of his abandoning all dominion over
her, and her splitting in his face was an as
scrtion of independence. There was an af-
fair of this kind between Ruth and Boaz.
In some parts of the East it was IL custom to
carry slipper before newly-married couple
as Il token OF the brides subjcction. The
custom II, it exists with us is very old in
England and Scotland. The usual saying
is that it is thrown for luck, and that is the
idea in this country, but originally it meant
n remuneration of authority over the bride
ny lllt ifltltN' ~ was lpii''iil ~ N''''''''
among the Germans for the bride when she
was conducted to her bed chamber to take
off her shoe and throw it among the guests.
Whoever got it, in struggle to obtain it,
received it rs an omen that he or she would
soon be happily married. Train, in his his
tory of the "l3le of Man" says: son the
bridegroom leaving his house, il was custo-
mary to throw an old shoe after him, and
| in like manner an old shoe after the bride
on leaving her home TO proceed to church
| in order to insure good luck to each respect
| lively, and if by stratagem either Of tho
| brides shoes could be taken off by any IN
| spector on her way from church, it had tC
be ransomcd by the bridegroom" In Kent
| England, after the couple have started ol
their tour the single ladies are drawn up il
one row and the bachelors in another Al
old shoe is then thrown as far as possible
and the ladies run for it, the successful one
being supposed to be the first female whC
will get married. She then throws the Sho,
at the gentlemen, and the one who is hit b!
it is deemed to be the first male who vii
enter into wcdlock. Generally it is consid
cred the older the shoe the better.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-09-17
Antiquity of the Watch.

Watch is from Saxon word signiiying
'to wake At first the watch was as large
rs Il saucer; it had weights and was called
"the pocket clock" The earliest known
use Of the modern name occurs in Il record
Of 1912; which mentions that Edward /,
had 'onn. larHn or watch of iron, this case
being likewise of iron gilt, with two plumets
of lead. The first improvement, the sub
stitution Of a spring for weights, was about
1850. The earliest spring was not coiled,
but only straight pieces Of steel, Early
watches had only one hand, and required
winding twice day. The dials were of
silver or brass, the cases had no crystals,
but opened at the back, and were four or
five inches in diameter. A plain watch
cost the equivalent of 81 800 in our currency,
and after one was ordered, it took year to
make it.
There is a watch in the Swiss Museum
only three siXteenths of an inch in diameter,
inserted in the top Of 4 pencil case Its
hands indicate not only hours, minutes and
seconds, but also the days of the month 1t
is a relic Of old Zines, when watches were
inserted in snuff boxes, shirt studs, breast
pins, bracelets and finger rings. Many wore
fantastic, oval, octangular, cruciiorm or in
the shape of pears, melons, tulips or coilins