davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
The ArmY of TrampS.

Last winter, according to an estimate made by a gentleman who has studied the tramp question, New York city alone contained thirty thousand tramps. This year, owing to the depression in trade, the suspension of mining and manufac turing interests, which has turned many hitherto honest workingmen into tramps, the invasion from the country roads can not fall far short of fifty thousand. Of these, ten per cent. may obtain employ ment sufficient to support them (though this estimate is regarded as too hberaD; thirty per cent. will seek refuge in minor correctional institutions, and possibly ten per cent. will be admitted into hos pitals to recuperate after their summers iourneyings. It is fair to suppose that more than one-half of the new arrivals must resort to crime and beggary for a living.
 Each road leading into the metropolis pours in it's quota daily. Ragged, dirty, footsore and weary, they are focking in by scores and hundreds. New York is their Mecca-the goal of their winter aspirations shelter against the chilling winds of the autumn and the biting frosts of December. Each argues to himself that in city of million souls there must be room for one more, and so this vast army-a motley corps of unarmed Falstafian warriors-come tramping in.
 By far the greater portion of the tramps seeking the cities in the winter are tramps from choice, who would sooner beg than work, but fear to steal. Some are thieves who tramp to stea!, Sl- though keeping up appearances by beg ging once in while. The number ac- tually in search of york (overy Inan will tell you he wants job if you ask him) is comparatively small, and the fdgitives from justice, who travel as far from rail roads, telegraph wires and large towns as possible, are numerous. Another class is made up of peddlers of trifes. Their visits both in town and country are almost as annoying as those of the begging tramps. These are called "fakirs," name which applies also to the lower grades of travelling snowman. They differ from the other tramps to the extent of paying their way most of the time and never stealing. In the winter, though, when confined to the cities where their wares will not sell, they take their places with their companions of the summer, and trough it as best they may. It is fair to say of these men, however, that their crimes seldom ex- tend beyond "jumping hotel bill " or "beating" a boarding house keeper, and these little failings are not unknown among persons much higher in the so- cial scale.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Arabic Horses.

Although gray is considered the usual color of Arabs, and is very common among Bagdad horses, and the sons of horses in Syria, in the desert, in the en- campment of the Sebaa, gray is by no means 8 general color. Bay, including the various tints, appeared to us the most common, then chestnut, then gray, and lastly brown.
 We heard the colors described in an Arab song, of which the following is an interpretation.
 "Esteem the bay mares, for they are as high-born ladies, on whom it is meet all maidens should attend.
 Believe what the chestnuts say, for they are the daughters of the wind.
 "The black is a good horse for the night. The noble gray is fit for the dis play of princes"
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
After the Robbers.

Speaking of the Minnesota bank rob- bers, local paper says: It may look ridiculous for 8 thousand men to hunt down six outlaws, one or two of whom are wounded; but the woods afford splendid opportunity for ambuscade. The people of the section where the robbers have been discovered are ignor- ant, superstitious Bohemians, who could readily be made the obedient tools of the outlaws, who scruple at nothing. Every foot of the ground must be gone over, and there will be shooting done before the robbers are captured. The course of the desperadoes in the main has been due southwest, following the belt of timber which is unbroken from Northfeld to the State line, and every. where dense, they have once doubled on their track. and in the flight of fifty hours or more had not proceeded more than thirty-five miles from Northfeld. tho place where the robbery was com mitted, when last seen.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Shinning Fresh Beef.

A Sun correspondent describes the icehouses in which beef is shipped to Europe. The beefhouse was found just opposite the main hatchway, or what is called the steerage or ortop deck. This house was seventy-three feet six inches by twelve feet six inches in size, and extended from deck to deck. The floor is covered with zinc, and the iron side of the steamer is boarded over so as to form accompaniment. The wood- work is covered with thick material which, when the door is closed, makes it perfectly air tight. In the center there is trough some two feet wide, which flows the waste water from the !, ice. Large quantities of rock salt are mixed with the ice to make it harder and more lasting. At the corner there is small pump, which is used for pumping cold air into the meathouse through the icehouse, and by this means the meat can be kept at an unwavering temperature. It is not intended to freeze the meat, but merely to chill it so that it may retain it's natural color and flavor. The meathouse occupies space of twenty-iv by thirty five feet, and is lined with rows of hooks on which to hang the meat. The compart- ment is perfectly airtight, like that of the icehouse. Gold air is transmitted through the icehouse by means of 8 number of iron pipes, and this completes the method of shipment. The icehouses, however, differ in sizes, according to the steamer, but that of the one visited holds about four hundred tons' weight of ice and salt, and the meathouse some two hundred carcasses of dressed meat, only the fore and hind quarters being shipped.
 The meat shipped is of the very best quality, and the average weight of the beeves is from thirteen to fourteen hun dred. These beeves would sell here for about ten cents per pound dressed To this was to be added the expense of fcartage and shipment to the English market, the regular prise of shipment being twenty-six shillings and six pence. The meat is always killed on Thursdays, either at the slaughter houses up town or at the abattoir in Jersey City. When some half dozen beasts are killed they are placed in icehouses similar to those on the steamers and there allowed to cool off until conveyed the next night to the different steamers for transportation.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
How he Shot.

Old Daniel Boone strayed in upon Q lot of men shooting at 8 mark, and rather sneered at their work. They did not know him, but challenged him for the best two shots in three. Daniel blazed away off hand (there were neither rests nor telescopic sights in those days), and put ball exactly in the center of the powder spot. He fired again, and the boys set up 8 laugh, for he did not even hit the tree. Then he took more de- liberate sight, and now they fairly shouted-missed the tree again. Then Daniel called them up to the tree, and asked one of them to cut out his first bullet. It was done, and there were all three atop of each other in the one hole made by the first. And then the boys stopped laughing.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
The Demon of Drink.

The following Is an extract from one of the lectures of J. J. Talbott, who died lately at Elkhart, Ind, from the ef- fects of drunken debauch
 But now the struggle is over, I can survey the field and measure the losses. l had position high and holy. The de- mon tore from around me the robes of my sacred office and sent me forth churchless and Goddess, very hissing and byword among men. Afterward I had business large and lucrative, and my voice in all large courts was heard plead ing for justice, mercy and the right. But the dust gathered. on my open books, and no footfall crossed the threshold of the drunkard's office. I had moneys ample for all necessities, but they took wings and went to feed the coffers of the devils which possessed me. I had home adorned with all that wealth and the most exquisite taste could suggest. The devil crossed it's threshold and the light faded from it's chambers; the fire went out on the holiest of altars, and leading me through it's portals, de- spair walked forth with her, and sorrow and anguish fingered within. I had children, beautiful, to me at least, as 8 dream of the morning, and they had so entwined themselves around their fla ther's heart that no matter where it might wander, ever it came back to them on the bright wings of fathers undy- ing love. His destroyer took their hands in his and led them away. had wife whose charms of mind and person were such that to see her was to remember, and to know her was to love. For thirteen years we walked the rugged path of life together, rejo cing in its sunshine and sorrowing ill it's shade. This internal monster couldn't spare me even this. had 8 mother who for long, long years had not left her chair, vic- tim of suffering and disease, and her choicest delight was in reflection that the lesson which she had taught at her knee had taken root in the heart of her youngest born, and that he was useful to his fellows and an honor to her who bore him. But the thunderbolt reached even there, aud there it did it's most cruel work. Other days may cure all but this. An me; never word of reproach from her lips; only 8 tender caress; only shadow of great and unspoken grief gathering over the dear old face; only 8 trembling hand laid more lovingly on my head; only closer clinging to the cross; only piteous appeal to Heaven if her cup at last were not full. And while her loy raved in his wild delirium two thousand miles away, the pitying angels pushed the golden gates ajar and the mother of the drunkard entered in to rest.
 And thus stand clergyman with out cure; 8 barrister without brief or business; father without child; 8 husband without wife; son without @ parent; man with scarcely friend; a soul without hope-all swallowed up in the maelstrom of drink.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Climate and Nerve. Power.

Victories won by Americans in various sports which have been practiced longer and more carefully among other nations very naturally lead one to speculate on the causes lying back of such success, and an exchange says it is on account of climate and nerves. At Philadelphia tlAre was conspicuous example of what American nerves can do when put to the test. The American crews were cooler and more self-possessed at the starts, and in many instances fought the races through in what looked like ner- vous strength alone, in some cases beat ing better drilled opponents, in others coming close on their heels. The slow stroke, which in short race is very try ing to the nerves, was pulled more con- sistently by the home rowers than the foreigners. A boatman finds nothing more difficult than to persuade himself that quicker and more violent stroke is not going to effect greater speed in shell racing. Another surprising sight was the good. stern race some of the American crews could row. Of the for eigners, on the other hand, the chances were that if they got far in the rear they lost heart.
 Even more noticeable than in rowing has been the triumph of nerve in rife matches. It is that which won the Irish match last year, and that which drove the American team on the SC cond day of the late international contest at Creed moor to show themselves not disheart- ened by their inferior score of the first day, but only spurred on to winning in spite of everything. The Scotchmen, who were leaders at the close of the first day, could not stand the strain on their nerves. The responsibility of losing in the face of England and all her colonies was enough to make any mans hand tremble, and if rifieman's hand trem- ble, it is all up with the score. The Australians also, who frcm the prac- tice scores appeared to be the coming team, became demoralized, while the Irishmen improved as the match went on. With the Americans, however, there was a steady improvement from beginning to finish, as if danger and excitement steadicd their bands. The man who made the worst score on the first day, and began his second day badly the one who appeared the most frig ht- ened in the American team-saved him. self toward the last by great run of fives, one after the other. Probably this unenviable marksman had an attack of what hunters call buck fever.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Horace GreeIey's Grave.

Greenwood cemetery, in Brooklyn, N. Y, just now is very beautiful. A few trees show the tints of autumn on their foliage, but for the most part every thing is green yet, and in many of the lots there is fine show of gerani.ms, petunias, and other brilliant colored flowers, and in not few there is good fall show of perpetual roses. One ob- ject of interest is the grave of MT. Greeley, which has at last been marked by suitable monument, although the work is not quite completed. The mon- ument is a massive square column, probably of the granite of his native State, with a blow sculptured on one side and pen and sheet of paper on the opposite. The two chief faces of the monument are not yet completed, the place for the inscriptions being still unchiseled. The monument is on the top of fine knoll, and is surrounded by a circular fence of hewn stone. Every thing is plain and substantial. but in good taste. The visitor wishing to see the grave should on entering the gate of the cemetery turn to the right and fol low Landscape avenue till he reaches Oak avenue. A few yards down that avenue, on the right side, will be found MT. Greeley's grave and monument.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Presence of Mind.

A few nights ago, says the San An tonic Herald, Q married couple were at tackled by a dog. Of course the lady screamed and tried to run, but her male protector, quick as thought, caught her by the shoulders, and held her firmly between the infuriated animal and his person, while he whispered in a hoarse voice, to encourage her: "Dont you dare letg of me, darling. I'll stand by you even if ho does bite. Keep cool now" etc.
 Never losing his presence of mind for an instant, the daring man baffied every attempt of the fierce brute to hang him. self by his teeth to the seat of his nearly new pants, by irterposing his helpless companion.
 The owner of the animal interfered, and as the couple moved off in triumph he was heard to rebuke the lady he had just saved, almost from the jaws of death. by saying: elf you had only let that dog bite you, Matildy, I might have sued the city for BIO, 900 damages. But you never did have much sense."
 There are some men who are never sentimental, but mean business all the time, and he was one of them.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Autumn at the SeashOre.

Olive Logan, ip Rdrper's Magazine,
 says: Beyond all question, the most delightful time of the year at the sea- side, but not the most fashionable, is the autumn, when there comes upon the shining face of the sea soft haze,
 which is most agreeable to tho eye, and the air is full of balmy odors. To many people the sight of the sea with the sun light beating on it in the bright days of summer is painful and wearisome. "Oh, I can't bear that sea l" cried poet of my acquaintance, one day, as we stood on the bluff ; cit puts my eyes out. " On some hot days the great waters will lie almost rippleless, save for surfy dog day frothing at the mouth, all the long hours from morn till dewy eve, glittering like O furnished shield, and flashing in the eyes of the beholder until he is fain to fly. But in the mellow days of autumn this is not so. Though the ocean then grows smoother than even in the hottest of the dog days-though 1t will sometimes lie for days together like mirror which flashes back dazzling sunbeams, but absorbs them, and the eye is rested. Then the tapping waves woo the shore so gently and playfully that bathing therein is an Oriental lux ury not to be resisted. The atmosphere is so sweet and pure you ean almost taste it, and the waters, warmed by the long heats of summer, are as balmy as the air. When the tide is low, there lie exposed such long reaches of shallow bathing ground as the bathers of the midsummer would hardly believe possi- ble. On the some spot of shore where,
 in July, the surf buffetted strong men in it's giant arms as pigmies, and tossed them, painting with exhaustion, on the hot sands, now, in September, they might wade out half mile from shore before they would meet surf sufficient ly strong to knock them off their feet.
 But in September, when the surf bath ing was like this, there would be no more than three or four lonely bathers in the sea at the hour when formerly there were hundred. The writer re- mained at Long Branch last season until near October, and does not speak from hearsay. The hotels were utterly de- serted; COWS pastured on the lawns in front of them; the windows were nailed up with boards; the bathing huts were torn to pieces, and lay piled in heaps on the grassy bluff no carriages rolled up and down the avenue; no lovers strolled upon the sands; yet the days were sim ply heavenly, and passed by like dreams of fairyland. Long Branch was at it's loveliest, but the crowds were gone.
 Fashion is the jade who has wrought this grievous wrong upon our fellow
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
Singular Longevity.

A remarkable case of longevity is re- ported in Virchow's ArchiV, by Dr. Ornstein, of Athens. The man, George Stravarides, died in Smyrna, at the age of one hundred and thirty-two years. Although he had always lived an irregu- lar life, and had consumed an average of more than hundred drachms of brandy daily, he retained full possession of all his five senses, as also complete set of teeth, up to the moment of his death. He also continued to the last to attend to the duties of his avocation-a baker. This man was born in 1743, in the reign of Mahmud l., and lived during the reign of nine sultans.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
MOth- Eaten.

I had beautiful garment,
 And I laid it by with care; I folded it close with lavender leaves
 In napkin fine and fair; "It is far too costly robe," I said,
 For one like me to wear" So never at morn or evening
 put my garment on; It lay by itself under clasp and key
 In the perfumed dusk alone, Its wonderful broidery hidden
 Till many day had gone. There were guests who came to my portal, There were friends who sat with me, And clad in soberest raiment
 bore them company; I knew that I owned beautiful robe, Though it's splendors none might see. There were poor who stood at my portal, There were orphaned sought my care gave them the tenderest pity,
 But had nothing besides to spare; had only the beautiful garment,
 And the raiment for daily wear. At last, on 8 feast-day's coming,
 thought in my dress to shine; would please myself with the luster Of it's shifting colors fine; would walk with pride in the marvel Of it's rarely rich design. So out from the dust bore it.
 The lavender fell away And fold on fold held it up :. To the searching light of day. Alas tho glory had perished
 While there in it's place it lay. Who seeks for the fadeless beauty
 Must seek for the use that seals To the grace of . constant blessing
 The beauty that use reveals, For into the folded robe alone
 The moth with it's blighting steals.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06

A curious calculation has been made in the printing office of Paris news paper. Assuming that a good compost tor handles "A, ,000 letters day, and that his hand moves one foot with each letter in taking and setting the type, it will be seen that his hand travels AS, GOO feet, or nearly ten miles day, and in the ooulse of year, excluding Sundays, travels full ly the distance from Paris to New York.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
The GrasshOpDer Described,

A Western journal says: The grass hopper as champion multiplyist has no equal. He lays (speaking generically and not to put to fine point upon it) an egg which is about the size and shape of long primer O.. In fact, he lays several of them. From August until winter he is actuated by reckless ambi- tion to bore holes in the ground, of the size of pipe stem, and to fill these holes with cream colored co. And though he is small he attends to his biz, and is triumphant success. In stature he is about match for sixpenny stub nail, in form he is like unto lynchpin, and he wears green sealingwax head on him and pair of glass eyes, so that with his long tailed duster on he looks like an unsophisticated and near sighted schoolmaster. But unsophisticated isn t what's the matter with him. And nu- meration is his best mathematical hold. He will stand himself bolt upright like peg in one of those holes aforesaid, and view the heavens with an air of sub- lime serenity and wooden headed un- consciousness.
 Don't you fool yourself-he knows just what he is about. He prefxes him. oOAA A1h0 h uE uE0 III bLo UuSAAcSoS shHu' adopting the decimal system of nota- tion, calmly places 0 where it will do the most good. That stands for 10, and before you can dot and carry one he has added another cipher to that, and he now reads 100. About this time you be- gin to discover what sort of rooster he is, and you entertain degree of awe fol him not inspired by front view of his green goggles. Reasoning poSterio'" you discover that he is 0 dangerous neighbor. But while you stand amazed he rapidly suffixes fifteen or twenty more GOO, carrying his problem into the million millions, and has sealed anc cemented it up ready to be fired at you next spring. In two minutes and { quarter he has given you problem tha with all your powers of multiplication cannot be solved or equated. He com pounds his interest at 100 per cent. ever. five seconds, puts a snap judgment ol your cornfield, and forecloses before yoI can say Jack Robinson.
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06

A ia French lady despairingly says "I an so fat that I pray for disap- pointment to make me thin. No sooner does the disapp come than the mere expectation of growing thinner gives me such joy that become fatter than ever."
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06

A policeman gently but firmly laid his hand on tramp he saw backing out of kitchen window. They searched him and found in his ragged sachel nine spoons, four pocketknives, three razors, a photograph album, dark lantern. five breastpins, two watch chains, eleven handkerchiefs, and some small coin. " Unhand me-" he exclaimed to the policeman, "servile tool of corrupt administration. What we need is re- form." And then they cast him into 1 the pit ''
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
APPLETON'S American CYcIop@dia.
NEW REVISED EDITION,

NEW REVISED EDITION. ENTIRELY REWRITTEN BY THE ABLEST
 WRITERS ON EVERY SUBJECT Printed from Neso Type, and Illustrated toith Seoeral Thousand Engrdoings and Maps. The work originally published under the title of THE NEW AMERICAN CYCLoPEDIA was completed in 1863, since which time the wide circulation which it has attained in all parts of the United States, and the signal developments which have taken place in every branch of science, literature and art, have induced the editors and publishers to submit it to an exact and thorough revision, and to issue new edi- t on, entitled the
Connecticut western news., 1876-10-06
ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE.

The cost of their execution is enormous, and it is believed they will find welcome re- ception as an admirable feature of the Cyclo- ps ila, and worthy of its high character. The work is sold to subscribers only, payable on delivery of each volume. It will be comll lete in SIXTEEN LARGE OcTAvo VOLUMES, each con- taining abont 500 pages, fully illustrated with several thousand wood engrav,ngs, and with numerous colored lithographic maps.