davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Poetic Appreciation.

A gentleman discovered an exquisite
poetic gem, and in his delight at the
discovery, invited the attention of two
ladies to it. They listened with intent
ear while the reader gave voice to the
glowing and graceful thoughts of the
poet. When the reading was finished,
the gentleman turned to his companions
for word or look of appreciation. He
saw their faces aglow, their lips parted
in an intensity of feeling, and their eyes
bright with-what? Shade of Homer!
Lookl look there! exclaimed one of the
ladies with the utmost eagerness, that
woman-pointing to lady on the oppo-
cite side of the street--has got on q
polonaise buttoned up in the back! l
should think, addressing her companion,
she'd have good time getting into il
when she wanted to dress in hurry. !
should think so, too, returned the other,
but it hangs pretty, don't you think so?
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
His Ground for Divorce.

A Raleigh lawyer was interviewed
yesterday by an agriculturist living a
score of miles from the city who said he
wanted to secure a divorce from his
wife. "You don't live happily with her,
eh?" inquired the attorney. "No, we
don't seem to hitch wuth cent" was
the quiet reply. "Does she scold and
fret and make your home hell upon
earth, so to speak?" continued the law
yer. That's her exactly" "And you
are prepared TO prove that you have a
peaceful disposition and that you have
done everything that you could do to
make home pleasant" "You bet I am
Any 1y as knows me will swear that l
wouldn't hurt flea, and that I move
around home like an angel" "Well, I
guess we can make out a case" said the
lawyer, as he took his pen and began to
jot down the points, After a moment he
inquired: DO you think your wife will
contest the case? Has she any defense?'
"Waal, now, / never thought of that,
slowly replied the farmer. II didn't
know she had anything to say about it.
"She may have. Has she any ground;
for complaint against you?" 81 dom
know much about law" answered the
client i'm hesitating way. II know I'vt
got hankering after her sister Mariar
and her sister Mariar has a hankerins
after me, but whether them is gooc
grounds for complaint don't know
The lawyer hasn't filed a bill yet
Raleigh Sentinel
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
st. Nicholas For October,

Concludes the third volume of this
most admirable magazine with very
interesting array of contributions
Among the first is an article by Prof
Richard A. Proctor, entitled "The
Morning and Evening Star" 1t is an
admirable paper, explaining simply and
clearly the various changes and condi-
tions of the planet Venus, so far as
known. The distinguished author gives
many interesting facts and explanations
in the short space of FIVE pages, and il
lustrates them with four excellent dia-
grams.
Mrs. Oliphan,'s series on Windsor
Castle" is concluded in the present num-
Der with paper on "Queen Victoria. u
1t is illustrated with several fine pic
lures, and large and beautiful engrav.
ing of princess Victoria" forms the
frontispIece of the number We arr
sorry to say good bye" to Mrs. Oliph,
ant, and the old castle she has made SC
interesting.
Mrs. Dodge furnishes the Talk with
Girls" this month, with the title oi
Worth your Weight in Gold" II. II
has an illustrated article on "A Colora,
do Woman's Museum" Mr.. Brooks
serial story of The Boy Emigrants'
ends in very happy and entertainin,
manner; and among the other gooC
things of the number are Revolution
ary story of "How the Scotch cap Fam
lily saved it Bacon" with two good pic
lures by Sol Eytinge; story of Italia
life by Susan Coolidge; little poem b
NJ. NJ. D. called "Out of the Sky" an
a funny jingle, "The Cat and Dog" ez
quisitely illustrated by Addie Ledyard
The Centennial" is recognized i
Dick Hardin's comic and inimitabl
"boy-lstters;" in the poem of "The Les
end on the Pane" and in the article @
"How General Washington got h
Clothes. which brings us to the a
wavsinteresting departments, Jack ii
he-Pulpi,, the Letter-Box and Riddl
Box.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
The Camel.

Charles Dudley Warner writes thus
Of q camel: And now heaves in sight
the unchanged quintessence Of Oriental
ism; there is our first camel, camel in
use, in It's native setting, and not in
menagerie. An entire line of them,
loaded with building stones, are wearily
shamblinR along.
The long, bended neck apes humility,
but the supercilious nose in the air ex.
presses perfect contempt for all modern
life. The contrast Of this naughty
"ssuck-up-stiveness" (it is necessary to
coin this word to express the camel's
ancient conceiD with the royal ugliness
Of the brute 10 both awe-inspiring and
amusing. No human royal family dare
be uglier than the camel. II is q mass
Of bones. faded tufts, humps, Jumps,
splay joints, and callosites. His tail is
a ridiculous wisp, and failure as an
ornament or Ay-brush. His feet are
simply big sponges. For skin covering
he has patches Of old buffalo robes. faded
and with the hair worn of. His voice
Is more disagreeable than his appear.
ancs.
With a reputation for patience, he i,
spappish and vindictive. His endur
sncs is overrated; that 10 to say, he diei
like q sheep on an expedition o: any
length II he is not we'll fed. His gai
racks muscles like m ague. And ye
this ungainly creature carries his heat
In the air and regards the world out o
his brown eyes with disdain. Tn
sphinx 10 not more placid. He remind
me, dont know why. ofa pyramid
He has resemblance to palm tree. ]
is impossible to make an Egyptian pic
ture without him. What a Hapsbur
lip be hasl Ancient? royal? The yer
poise Of his head says plainly, 81 hav
come out Of the dim past before histor
was; the delugs did not touch me; sa
Menes come and 20; helped Shoofc
build the great pyramid; knew Egyl
when IL hadnt an obelisk nor . tempt
I watched the slow building of the ol
pyramid at Sakkara. Did / not tran
port the fathers Of your race across q
dessrt7 There are three Of us; the da
palm, the pyramid and myself Ever
thing else IL modern. o Go toll"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
TOugfened Glass.

The new process for making tough
or unbreakable glass, has been greatly
improved since its first announcement,
and the material; in the form of lamp
chimneys, tumblers, etc, is now offered
in commercial quantities. The success
attending the experiments already made
have inspired further research in the
same field, and number of new process
ses, of more or less value, are reported
In the original process, glassware, raised
to a red, or melting heat, is plunged into
bath of oily and fatty matter, and the
result is to give the glass an entirely
new character. Instead of breaking
with star-like fracture under sligh,
blow, it resists serious blows, and, be.
sides certain amount of elasticity
above that it had before, displays a
toughness and cohesion many times in
excess of its ordinary character. i
broken at all, it disintegrates and hie
into great number of minute particles
resembling quartz sand.-E"The World
Work." Scribner for October.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Advice to Girls.

An exchange says: "Why will girls
run away to get married." "We give it
up" answers the Louisville Courier
Journal. But we know a lot here who
would be glad enough to stay at home, or
jump at the chance to walk off and get
married. The boys amt around asking
them like they did. 1t takes more mon
ey to run one of them nova days than
it does to run steam boat, and they can
see more fun with a steamboat. Ali
girls, it's your own fault! Swap of
your silks and satins for lawns and cali
Goes; shut up the piano and dive into a
wash-tub; throw away your fancy needle
work and tackle red hot stove in the
kitchen. Instead of receiving Brown,
the bankers son, in the parlor, keep
your eye skinned for Bill Burns the
blacksmith's son, as he goes home from
work; kiss his dirty face through a
broken pane of glass in the kitchen
window, and after awhile; when be
learns his trade and you know your bu,
siness, get married, go to housekeeping
by yourselves, help each other, live hap
py, raise family that will be an honor
to your names and credit to themselves
die happy, and the angels will not turn
their backs upon you up there.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Going into Winter Quarters.

By mid October, most of the Rip Van
Wrinkles among our brute creatures,
have laid down for their winter nap.
The toads and turtles have buried them
selves in the earth. The woodchuck is
in his; and the black bear has his select
ed, and will go in when the snow comes
He does not like the looks of his big
tracks in the snow. They publish his
goings and comings too plainly. The
coon retires about the same time. The
provident wood mice and the chipmunk
are laying by a winter supply of nuts or
grain, the former usually in decayed
trees, the latter in the ground. I have
observed that any unusual disturbance
in the woods, near where the chipmunk
has his den, will cause him to shift his
quarters. For many successive days, one
October, ] saw one carrying into his
hole. which was only few rods from
where we were getting out stone, buck,
wheat which he had stolen from a neal
field. But as our work progressed and
the racket and uproar increased, the
cbipmunk becamealarmed. He ceased
in, and after much hesitating and dart
ing about, and some prolonged absences
he began to carry out; he had determin
ed to moye; if the mountain fell, he, a
least, would be away in time. So BY
mouthfulls, or cheekfulls, the grain wa
transferred to new place. He did no
make "bee" to get it done, but carried
it all himself, occupying several days
and making trip about every ten min
utss.-[ John Burroughs. in scribner 70
October.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Peculiar Frauds.
"Some for renown on scraps of learning
dote
And think they grow immortal as
they quote"

"Some for renown on scraps of learning
dote
And think they grow immortal as
they quote"
While the motive for quoting here
assigned by the satirist accounts for the
practice in some cases it does not ac-
count for it in all. Some years ago a
statement went the rounds of the news
papers, perhaps more than once, to the
effect that Field Marshal Won Moltke
had expressed himself in very contempt
uous terms about the military qualities
displayed by our American generals in
the battles of our civil war. No doubt
some of us, especially the generals
among US, felt somewhat annoyed and
set down: possibly in consequence We oc-
casionally INDUCED in doubts as to the
soundness and perpetuity ofthe military
reputation of the great Prussian captain.
At length, Won Moltke having seen the
criticism with which he had been credit
ed. thought it worth while to say that he
had never passed any such or other
judgment upon the American Generals.
Recently, it seems, some Turk or Turk
ish sympaihizer has been taking a SINH
lar liberty with the name of Won
Moltke. A paper published in CONSTANT
| nople stated that he had congratulated
the Turkish commander-in-ch chief, Abdul
Kerim Pacha, upon the excellence of
the plan of his campaign against Servis.
The statement is pure invention. And,
by the way, Mr.. Gladstons in his recent
pamphlet incidentally mentions it as a
report that the campaign in question was
devised by Prussian. .-.
Some may remember that few years
ago Mr.. Bayard Taylor's reputation suf-
fered for a while under a remark aaid to
have been made about him by Alexan
der Won Humholt Taylor, the Amer.
lean traveller" the great savant should
have said, "has jonrneyed farther and
seen less than any other man / have ev.
er known" What gave some plausibili
ty to the criticism was Hum boldt's well
known habit of clothing pungent per
sonal remarks about acquaintances il
epigrammatic form, and then the un
travelled reader Of Bayard Taylor's let
tiers, impressed with the vast range O
his topics and the necessary superficial
ty of his treatment of them, Nigh
8 readily enough suspect considerabl
truth in the judgment. In fact, MI
Taylor himself, in the preface to col
lective edition of his works, referrin
to this alleged criticism of Humbold
modestly comedies, if We rightly remen
Der, the shade of Justice with which
;, might have been said by an enemy. Th
truth is that it was the purely malignar
:. invention of an enemy. Not only di
!, Humboldt never make the remark, bl
on several occasions he is known to hay
expressed his respect for Mr.. Taylor I
- an observer, and his liking for him as
!, man. And no reader at once competel
:, and candid will hesitate to say that M
b Taylor, in his travelling days, possesss
e a really wonderful faculty for gatherir
accurate and interesting informatit
and impressions in the course of h
r rapid journeys. He saw much and sa
Il well.-[ Pittsburgh Telegraph
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
RELIABLE EVIDENCE,

The following unsolicited testimonial
from Rev. o. T. Walker, formerly pas
tor of Bowdoin Square Church Boston,
and at present settled in Providence, r.
l., must be deemed as reliable evidence.
No one should fail to observe that this
testimonial is the result of two years
experience with the use of vEGETINE in
the Rev. Mr.. Walkers family, who now
pronounce it invaluable:
PROVIDENCE, R. l., 164 TRANSIT ST.
H. R. STEVENS, ESQ.,:
I feel bound to express with ny sign
ature the high value l place upon your
vEGETINE. My family have used it for
the last two years. In nervous debility
it is invaluable, and recommend it to
all who may need an invigorating. re-
novating tonic. o. T. WALKER.
Formerly Pastor of Bowdoin Square
Church Boston.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29

A man entered the Chicago Tribune
Office and left the following advertise
ment:
"PERsoNAL.-The advertiser desires
to make the acquaintance of lady of
refinement and good looks, 5 feet Al
inches high, and weighing about 1876
pounds; bust measure, SO inches; waist
measure, 282 inches; size of boot, 81,
ditto of glove, 81; complexion prononnc-
ed brunette, deep hazel eyes, with view
to matrimony. Address W., 1,79S,
Tribune Office"
"Seems to me you're mighty partisu-
lar about the size and kind of wife you
want" observed the advertising clerk.
well, perhaps, am, but yon see my
wife died before we had been married
long, and she haden't begun to half wear
out her clothes, and her father gave her
an awful sight of 'em, SO it seems to me
kinderlike flying in the face of Provi'
dence when silk and things is so dear
and the country laboring in the throes
of financial convulsion, to take anoth
er mate, and let the moths break through
and rust and corrupt all them duds. 81
just want wife to match them things.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Romance on the Rail.

On one Of the over crowded passenger
cars that arrived in this city yesterday
lady named Ford was passenger. She
rasides IN Illinois and was on her way
with her two children, to the Centennial.
Some three years ago she and her hus-
band bad difficulty which resulted in
their separation. He quit the neighbor-
hood in which he had resided with her
and took up his abode in New Orleans.
The wife in the meantime lived in entire
ignorance Of her husband = whereabouts,
not supposing that q reunion would ever
be effected. When the train arrived in
the depot here the lady alighted from
the car and partook Of some refresh.
nsnts. When about 10 take her piacs
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Shrinkage.

Jones says that the white flannel suit
he bought year ago, proved very
economical investment, and has been of
much use in his family. Jones weighs
250 pounds, and when he bought it is
fitted him remarkably we'll. After the
first washing, his eldest SOD, who weighs
100 pounds less than Jones, senior, found
it an excellent fit. Two washings more
made it delightful for youth of nine,
and at the end of the season the baby
was adorned with the habiliments,
which had shrunk just enough to make
them a fit for a child out of creeping
clothes. Where all that flannel has
shrunk to Jones does not see, and says
he would willingly take his whole fami
ly and his mother-ln-la to a lecture
which would explain it, and pay double
price.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
A Duet by one Performer.

The red and gray squirrels do not lay
by winter stores; their cheeks are made
without pockets and whatever they
transport is carried in the teeth. They
are more or less active all winter, but
October and November are their festal
months. Invade some butternut or
hickory nut grove on a frosty October
morning, and hear the red squirrel beat
the cuba" on horizontal branch. 1t is
most lively jig, what the boys call a
regular break down" interspersed with
squeals and snickers and derisive laugh
ter. The most noticeable PECULIARLY
about the vocal part of it is the fact that
it is kind of duet. In other words, by
some ventriloqual trick he appears to
accompany himself, as if his voice split
up, part forming low cultural sound,
and part shrill nasal sound John
Burroughs, in Scribner for October.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Fall Planting.

Fruit bearing trees, shrubs, vines and
brambles may be transplanted in the
fall, and very often under more favora-
BILE conditions, and with better prospects
of success, than if set out in the spring.
There are some we'll known objections
raised against fall planting, especially
of fruit-trees, such as the long exposure
to the swaying of the winds before
growth commences. But the injury or
displacement of the roots from swaying
at the tops amounts to little compared to
the many striking advantages gained in
planting at a season Of the year when
there ia comparative leisure, when the
ground is usually dry and in good condi-
! tion, and when the necessary preparatory
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
A FROG PROBLEM.
Another Batrachian i'm a Paving
Stone.

The Memphis Ledger tells this sto
ry:
Naturalists have made many curious
discoveries during geological investiga-
tions, but discovery was made on Mad
ison street this forenoon which calls for
the attention and investigation of scient'
lists. The city street force was removing
paving rock from the levee at the foot
of Madison street. One of the bowlders
had to be broken in half. and on apply
ing the hammer il burst open. One
half appeared on oval cavity some six
inches in diameter, and this cavity was
half full of water Assistant City En-
gineer Murray put his finger down in
the water, and withdrew it suddenly, as
if he felt something move at the bottom.
Making the orifce larger a live frog
leaped out of the little lake that had for
SO many years lay entomb bed in the rock
ribbed cave. The rock is of blue lime
stone, brought from the Ohio river, and
it has been in use as a paving stone on
the landing for nearly fifteen years. The
upper face Of the rock has been worn
smooth from the constant wear of dray
wheels. The questions are, how long
was that frog in that rock tomb? and was
it possible that it could live and grow
therein without light, and only such air
as could pass through the rock, all rock
being supposed to be more or less por-
Gus? 1t must have been hundreds OF
years ago when the frog lay in the little
lakelet which formed in the mud on the
bank of the Ohio river, and lay there
until the mud covered it in, rendering
escape impossible Then the chemistry
of nature set to work, and year by yeal
the mud became harder and harder, un
til after centuries Of ages it became rock
known as blue limestone. Fifteen year.
ago the rock was dug out and boated
down to Memphis, where it has beer
used as paying stone on the levee. Al
these long weary years the frog has list
ened to the rolling of wagons and dray
over its tomb, and it heard the rum mblin,
of the artillery during the gun-boa
fight of 1862. When the day of its de
liyerance came it hoped out and ava
as lively as any other frog. How old
| that frop2 It mtlst be a "centurion - a
Mrs. Partington raid, and it may be two
three, five hundred or a thousand year
old. Long live old Sitting Bull-fros
8 say We, becausesit comes down to L
with the glamour ofantiquity around i
and old age should be respected, eve
though in itself not respectable
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29

"Ths Melancholy Days"


Why mslsncholy, Isthere, then any !
thing sad In fruition! Is il natural that
Joy should 70 out with the summers
end, and sober pepsiveness should sit al
autumn feasts!
OF course men will never cease to
moralire over the years changes: 1t is
proper that 80 morAlire they should.
Life Is but linked sequence of refec-
tions. Il 10 typi6ed in the seasons an
nual round-bud and bloom, seed time
and harvest, and then sleep. But we
protest against that moraliziDg which
stigmatizes autumn as melancholy. To
our thinking the time is very glad. II is
then that nature Aings out her banners
OF victory, in token Of successful
growth. Apart from all the poetry Of
these bright September days, and the
brighter October ones 90 soon to follow
and there ia poetry in them, more and
sweeter than any man can syllsble or
sing-we hold them dear and glad be-
cause they symbolic successful life,
life that has borne fruit, and been a
pro6l and . blessing.
IL the face Of our impressions and be-
lief, ueet us not with the lsmenting Of
the Ps1lmist--"We all do fade o. the
leaf" Or you must, let it not be .
lament, a. you voice il, but a rejoicing.
To fade as the leaf fades, is all q manly
heart could ask. Bursting from its bud,
swelling in the sun, growing through
the summer, ripening toward the last
the leaf fades and falls because its work
is done. What more could be asked?
Since work is what life means, if it
means anything worthy, why should
one want to live here after work be 6n-
ished, after the perfect rounding Of a
duty complete?
Then when "ths melancholy days are
come" let US see in them q better signi-
tying than mere death and decay. In
their mellow atmosphere let US fnd the
content Of accomplishment, IL we can. In
their glory let US zee the gladness Of
perfected growth. In their latter som
ber shades let us rejoice for the
days Of bud and leaf and fruitage which
went so certainly before, and shall 81
certainly come again, renewing as renew
cd, full Of The life that always is. though
Oft Il seems to die, and as unending q
the henvens
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
The Best Evidence.

The following letter from Rev. E. S.
Best, Pastor of the NJ. E. Church, Ma
tick, Mass, will be read with interest by
many physicians; also those suffering
from the same disease as afflicted the
son of the Rev. E. s. Best. No person
can doubt this testimony, as there is no
doubt about the curative power of VEG
ETINE.
NATIcK, MASS, JAN. 1st, 1878
MR.. H. r. STEVENS:
DEAR Strive have good rea-
son for regarding your vEGETINE med
icine of the greatest value. We feel as
sured that it has been the means of saw
ing our sons life. He is now seventeen
years of age; for the last two years he
has suffered from necrosis of his leg,
caused by scrofulous affection, and was
so far reduced that nearly all who saw
him thought his recovery impossible. A
council of able physicians could give us
but the iaintest hope of his ever rallying;
two of the number declaring that he was
beyond the reach of human remedies,
that even amputation could not save
him as he had not vigor enough to en-
dure the operation. just then we COM
menced giving him vEeETINE and from
that time to the present he has been con-
tinuously improving. He has lately re-
sumed studies, thrown away his crutches
and cane, and walks about cheerfully
and strong.
Though there is still some discharge
from the opening where his limb was
lanced, we have the fullest confidence
that in little time he will be perfectly
cured.
He has taken about three dozen bot
ties of vEeETINE. but lately uses but
little, as he declares he is too we'll to be
taking medicine.
Respectfully yours,
| E. S. Best.
Mrs. L. c. F. Best.