davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Questions and Answers.

Will it damage flax straw for manu-
featuring purposes to thrash it with n
common spiked cylinder thrashing ma
chinel Answer. Yes, it very nearly
spoils it. Treadiug out tho seed with
animals is better, but the rollers are the
best.
What size o, opening does it require
to keep life in one hundred men, sup
posing them to he shut up in close
room Answer. SrppOsing the room
to be large, much greater opening
would be required at the top than if
p!acel at the bottom, AS the carbonic
ncid gas, which would accumulate by
being thrown from the laugs of occu.
pants Of the room, is heavier tlmn the
atmosphere, and would rest upon the
floor. The most favorable arrangement
to ventilatc the room would be that III
which an opening would be provided at
the floor and another ut the ceiling, and
in this clsI the size OF the openings
might be at the minimum, the fresh air
entering at top and being discharged at
the bottom, except where the tempera'
ture may be 80 much increased ms to iu-
duco current in the contrary direction.
An authority says: "The proportion Of
oxygen gas in the atmosphere is about
twenty-five per cent. bur after it has
visited the lungs it is reduced to sixteen
per cent" There is, therefore, loss OF
about thirty per cent. Of the oxygen Of
the air at each respiration and the
opening should be large enough to re.
new about one third of the air contained
in the room in every five seconds. How
large such an opening, or openings,
should be will depend upon the velocity
Of the current entering, whether forced
by mechanical power or not, and should
be determined by experiment.
How much water should be evapOrated
in a room fourteen feet square, to keep
il in a healthy condition.? Answer. IL
is not desirable thnt the air should be
entirely saturated with water. Fevers
are sometimes generated in consequence
OF too humid state OF the atmosphere.
An English admiral once banished the
yellow fever from his feet on West
Indian station by keeping his lower
decks dry with stoves in the summer
season. A vessel holding about two
gallon OF water placed in tho air cham.
Der Of the iuruace would give you all
the moisture yoL want for the whole
house. .-SGienHfc american.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
After Relief Now.

Among the applicants for relief nj
late meeting OF m English relief society
was man, evidently of superior ednca-
tim, who stntcd that he was nephew Of
a bishop, md formerly held captaiucy
in a cavalry regiment. He had "ruu
through" " fortuue OF fj0,000 or EG0,-
900, and four years ago had made over
what then belonged to him, amounting
to about a pound Il week, to his wife and
two children. He did not now know
where his wife was, nor did he wish to
live with her, as his present unhappy
position was owing to his own reckless
ness, and he was Justly served. He
stated that his health did not permit OF
his engaging in heavy manual labor,
but he had supported himself in the
summer by husbandry work, such rs
hoeing, hop picking, etc, and he was
prepared to do so again when the
weather permitted. The guardians ag-
certained that the applicant had gained
settlement at Reading by renting II
renting house there, and they accord
ingly ordered his removal thithcr.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
ENlraYagAnt Smppcr>.

The New York correspondent OF tGc
Chicago Tribune writes as follows One
OF the most gorgeous hanquets even given
in this country took place at Dc!monico's
few evenings since. It was given by
n we'll known Wall street broker, Charlie
J. Osborn, as the result Of bet with
another Wall Street party named Travcrs,
on the price Of Lake Shore stock.
These bets are Of daiIy occurrence. but
MS this one involved something mor.
than an ordinary amount its winning
was celebrated by banquct for forty
two pcrsOns-tllc winner md loser each
inviting Twenty friends. This affair cost
over 81, 900, or m average Of more than
$50 for each guest. This recalls IN "s
travagant entertainment given at Del
monico's a few years ago by two daugh.
ters of well known fnanciCr, formerly
Federal Office holder, and now Il bank
president. The occasion WAS the twenty
frat birthday OF their only brother,
Having obtained perm'ssiOn from thu
father to make The entertainment ~ grand
and magnificent MS they pleased, these
giddy girls gAvo Delm 'nico All order to
prepare feast and ball for Que hundred
persons "regardlcss Of expense" E" It
was carried ont in strict Occordaucc with
the order. The guests invitation cards
were engraved pearl, highly ornamgntcd.
The copies Of the menu were also en-
graved on small ivory tablets aGt III
Russin leather, with a small ,uuulC to
each. The flowers used OIL the occasion
were so profusc that it is said that that
evening not flower coull be had foT
love or money in New York-tlo market
had been literally stripped by Del
monico. Tho feast itself WAS oorrc'
spondingly magnificent. Tho bill f"y
this recherche birthday party was near
ly s25, 1000, md the astonisIcd Either
paid it like II man, though he fcrveDI!Y
calculated that he was glad there were
no more sons to celebrate their majority.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
4 SWie'y Of Thieves.

Gen. Chamberlain, wnrden OF tile
Massachusetts State prison, i'll his evi
dcnce before the State prison committee,
said: II know from my own knowl-
edge that there exists in the city OF Bos.
ton regularly organized society OF
criminals, with u president, vice.presi
dent, secretary aud treasurer. This so.
ciety has n regular form OF admitting
members. The prison he has graduated
from, his ofTcnse, with information in
regard to the prison, are MI duly record.
ed. The society discusses the most ap.
proved plnns for burglary, tools, equip
meuls, etc; they also keep regular
register OF the best criminal lawyers in
the country. and Of the judges Of the
courts, and they knew at once what the
prospects are for brother criminal. II
the case comes before what they call n
'hard Judge, they mise the money to
secure postponement OF the case.
They also have fund for mutual sup
port and protection, and through this
source they are often able to send deli
cacies to their brethren when sick in the
prison hospital
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Barnum Ms IL Young Lover.

That was n big book P. 7. Barnum
wrote about himself. 1t is very com
plote, too, says the Danbury News, bnt
there is one little incident which he
either forgot to mention or which got
pied when the forms went to press. It
occurred when the great Snowman was n
young man and residentof this section.
he was paying impetuous attentions to
a young lady living in Newtown. Being
the son Of poor but honest parents, he
was obliged to walk over to the village
which contained his adorcd on the Sun
day nights he visited her. When there
he labored under another md more awk.
ward disadvantage. The young lady's
father conceived singular and most
violent dislike for the amiable embryotic
Snowman. This necessitated extreme
caution on the part Of the lover, and he
was equal to the emergency, rs n matter
OF course. His ingress to the house was
by window on the second floor, which
he reached by springing from the cover
OF q cistcrn curb and catching hold Of
the window ledge. His egress was effect
ed by hanging full length from theledge
and then dropping to the cisten cover,
a fall OF about six inches. One Sunday
he took with him on the visit n young
man who now carries his silvcred hairs
belinda Danbury grocery counter. They
reached the place; the Young lady saw
the signal, opened the window, and the
lannon's Darnum snrlnp ND into bliss,
The young man was to amuse himself
about the village until the hour Of de.
parture. he amused himself. 1t don't
seem possible that any one could be so
brutal, but that young man actually re.
moved the cover to the cistern. Then
he sat down by tho fence and alto cur
rants and calmly waited for the rest. P.
7. finished his sparkling, and backed out
OF the window the full length his hands
would permit.
Goodbye" he gasped in q whisper,
as he prepared to drop.
Goodbye, Phinny," she whispered
back.
Then he let go, and instantly shot
from sight into a yawning abyss Of
darkness and rain water, and il he had
been OF solid iron heated to white
glow he could not have created more Of
a comuotion in striking the water. 1t
is not necessary to repeat what Mr.. Bar
mum said, both when crawling ont OF the
cistern and during the eight miles walk
home.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
How Ills Lighted.

The main hall of the art building on
the centennial gfounds ut Philadelphia
will Le lighted us follows: The ceiling
ia suspended dome at some distance
from the outer dome, which also is ol
glass. But the glass Of the latter il
transparent, while that OF the inner
dome or ceiling is Of white with Il broad
riin OF purple. This inner dome is sup.
ported by stay.rods, which start from
tue iron ribs OF the outer dome and cont
together in IN enormous pin shaped lik"
Il cross and it is also upborne at the
edges where it joins the trusscs which
support,the ribs. The gas jets, 1000 III
number, will be arranged in three rings,
one little above the base and near the
purple circle Of glass, another in the
middle, and the third toward the crown
Of the dome. Inside, on the floor OF the
main hall, the effect will be similar 10
that produced in the arthalls; bnt ont
side, the whole outer dome will be a
mass Of brilliant, dnzzling light; and ii
must be remembered that the top Of the
dome is 150 feet from tho ground, and
That Landsowne terrce, on the highest
point OF which it has been erected, II
ll6 feet above the level OF tho Schuyl
kill river, so that ut nighttime it vii! be
conspicuous mark over the "h0i'
CITY.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Something was Said.

Gevernot Matthew Griswold, of Con-
necticut, was comprehension the energy
OF his counsels and active measures dur
ing the war OF the Revolution. Cover
nor Matthew, when young man, was
grave, shy, tall, and dsomewhat awkward.
Ho courted a young lady in Durham,
who put him of, delaying to give an an
swer in the hope that a doctor, whom
she preferred, would propose. He fin
ally, tired OF his long rides on horse
back, and suspecting the state OF her
mind, pressed for IN immediate de-
cision.
81 should like little more time, re-
iterated the fair one.
Madam, will give you lifetime, "
was the lovers response and rising
with dignity, he took his leave.
The lady took her lifetime, and died
single, as tho doctor never came forward.
Young Griswold returned to Lyme 80
deeply mortified with the failure OF his
suit that he was little disposed to repeat
the process Of love making. In course
Of events his second cousin, Ursula VOL
colt, came on visit TO Black Hall. She
was modern edition Of her grandmoth-
er, the historical Martha Pitkin, bright,
beautiful, accomplished, and self-reliant.
She was little older than Matthew. She
became assured that his affections were
centered upon herself, but he was pro.
vokingly reticent. Meeting him on the
stairs one day, she asked: "What did
you say, Cousin Matthew"
"I did not soy anything" lie re-
piled.
A few days later, meeting him, she
asked in the same tone :"What did you
say, Cousin Matthew"
~ did not say anything" he replied,
rs before.
Finally, meeting him upon the beach
one morning, she again asked: "What
did you say, Cousin Matthew
al did not say anything" he still re-
piled.
at is time you did," she remarked,
with emphasis.
Whereupon something was said, the
result Of which was q wedding, and the
brilliant bride had queenly reigu at
Black Hall.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Sherman on the Presidency.

General W. T. Sherman, Of the Uni
ted States army, has written letter in
which he says never have been, am
not now, and never shall be q candidate
for the high office Of President before
any convention Of the people.
My wife and family are strong Catholics,
but I am not; that, however, is nubody's
business. I believe in the common
schools, and don't stop over the little
matters which seem TO be exaggerated
by the press. In some quarters, how
ever. these schools are extravagant, and
indulge in costly buildings and expen-
sive teachers, SO as to be too heavy IL
burden to the taxpayers. This ten
dency ought to be checked, which may
easily be done without making it po-
litical question. Self.interest will regu.
late this and make them free schools to
all and capable Of imparting the rudi,
ments Of good English education.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
How 10 Make Il Nice .irI.

First get your girl. (N. B.-Sho
mustn't be an old girl, but young one,
nice and teuder.) Bring her up from
early infancy on strict diet OF hot
pickles, cold brandy and water, Ouida's
novels. Send her to IL fashionable board.
ing school to be "tinishcd or, and
when she comes home for the holidays,
carefully develop her latent love for
dress, extravagant habits, and iondncss
for Airtatious. Buy her the slang die.
tionary, and let her go everywhere and
do everything she likes. BY the time
she Is twenty.one she will he quite r
nice girl.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Diphtheria.

Diphtheria, says q medical writer, is Il
term derived from the Greek, signiiying
skin or membrane. II is an epidemic
sore throat Of great severity, often con-
tagious, due to poisoning Of the blood,
attended with much prostration, and
characterized by the e1udation Of false
membranes and lymphon the tonsils and
adjacent parts. II attacks all classes of
persons and at all ages. Children are
most liable to contract it. It is proba.
bly, most fatal to the poor, or such as re-
side in damp situations and in badly
drained houses. So far as known, local
treatment does not afford much benefit
unless commenced in the early stage OF
the disease. Limitations may then be
Of value; but the reliance must be placed
in the good nursing, hygiene OF the sick
room and supporting treatment, to en-.
able nature TO work her woodrous cures.
There is no specific tuWsdy for the
ailment,
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
=, SUCCESSFUL SWINDLER.
lie umIIr- mud $prnd~ over IL Million Dol.
lars BtT,rr he Is Caught.


Auong the latest developments in the
way ui rascality is that OF William }.
Rec, convicted in New York oi utteriug
forged paper. Tho prisoner is known
rs a most daring and expert swindler
and forgrr, and has had n remarkable
and rhrehcrcd career. lir is n native OF
Dcumnrli, aged about thirty.tiTe years,
Of attractive Appearance, 8nntlomanIy
address and refined tIstCs, and IS aald by
his most intimate acIuaintIrccS to bo IL
most entertaining conynrsAtionalist. lie
came to this country before tho war, and
was the pos5csE0r OF some money. His
first nnprarancn before the public i'll
New York WIS us tho organizer Of lilc
dressing company, he claiming to he
the Inventor Of chemical process by
means Oi which oil Ics Were instau.
tamcoasly restored to their original
ronghncss, without the expensive pro
cess of hand dressing. He invited the
leading mGchinists and hardware m"r.
chants OF ;hc city to visit his factory aud
inspccS his proces4, and by mcams Of
this ingenious rise cmsed them TO DC.
licyc that the lics which they had
brought with them to test his patent,
had been operated on hy his chemical
process, whereas they hntkin fact, while
their attention was directed by Rcc,
been made rough by hand labor, as IN
the old fashion. On the favorable re.
port Of the visitors Rec received It con-
tract frOm tho government for sharpen
inc old flies, but EGvcr received any
money, til" fraud being detected shortly
after. He succccdcd, however, III
making money ia another direction.
Owing to the favorable report 0t his
factory, b. had his stock Wll OF which
he issued himsclf) put on the market
aud regularly quoted daily. He paid
few quarterly dividends regularly, and
succeeded in running the stock from
twenty dollars to thirty dollars per share,
while in reality it was worthless, and
when he had dispu7ri o: sufficient
aunniity Mt the latter figures, retired
from the concern with - fortune nf be-
tween three hundred Thousand md four
hundred Thousand dollars The file
company, Of coUrsH, shortly a!terward
collapsed, aud Roe spent his iIl-2ott5n
gaiusin high living and tho mos @sten'a-
tiuHs display at Saratoga, Long Branch,
md other fashionable resorts. II" be-
cane acquainted with the wealthy and
fashionable widow OF ComModorc Levy,
then possessed oi iOrt,:.o Of some Iont
l.,,,, III ~ II,,,,.,,1 Inllury ANIL married
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Living on Seven Cents a hay.

A Philadelphian has been trying the
experiment Of keeping his family on 81
per week, and the result appears to be
encouraging. The family consists OF
himself, wife aud chill /. He first tried
corn meal and found it insipil. Buck
wheat soon followed. and potatoes also
failed to sustain bodily strength. Then
cat meal was tried, and ut the expiration
OF two weeks, says the experimenter,
found myself four and a quarter pounds
heavier. My wife had gained three
pounds, while the lad had gained over
i've pounds. Our food o outlay for four, Tour,
teen days was exactly 81. so, or less than
seven cents per day for each person. We
are now pursuing the same course, with
an occasional "mixed meal" Accord
ingly, our Philadelphia economist pins
his faith to oat meal and rests content
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21

The rumbrr Of visitors to the Ccut"n,
uD,l rro,,pds. slysthc New York Times,
has already bocomr very g,cut. There
,s, or course. little = he srcn there YET,
except III. structure themselves. Bnl
m, 6poutuIi.v Of locking II, thee il
wei. worth the trouble, not orly Of Il
ride or walk from auy pu5 Of FhIa,lci,
phin. bul ur 4 considerable Journey from
hnyoid that city.
The leading fcalur, oi interest III a
view Of tHc Cant"nujNi buildings is their
immense size. The main exhibition
building il | $50 icct long and 46t feet
wide. To illustrate its magnitude by n
reference to New York localities, 1t
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
No Rest.

Science teaches us that the ciust OF
pur carth is perpctuNlIy moving, and
that the sea level is constantly chang
ing. Our globe has its daily rotation
on its axis aud its yearly revolution
about the sun. The sun, with Ill its
satellites, sweeps on toward 4 moving
point in the constellation Hercules.
Every so called tiXed star is in motion.
Fifty thousand years ago the constellc.
tion OF the Great Bear or Dippor was u
starry cross; hundred thousand years
hence the imaginary Dipper will be up.
side down, and the stars which form thu
bowl and handle will have changed
places. The misty nebuln are moving,
aud besides are whirling around III
great spirals, some one way, some an
other. Every moleculo of matter in the
whole universe is swinging to and fro;
every particle Of ether which ILLS space
is in ielly.like vibration. Light il one
kind OF motion, h'at another, electricity
another, magnetism another, sound an
other. Every human sense il the result
OF motion; every perception, every
thought is but motion Of the molecules
OF the brain translated by that incOm-
prehensiblc thing We call "miud." The
processes OF growth, OF existence, OF de.
cay, whether in worlds or in the mi
nutest organisms, are but motion.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
lie Won his Case.

Alexander Stephens, OF Georgnr tells
this story A DR.. Eoyston, donbtless ii
most excellent man, had sued Peter Ben
net, farmer, for his bill. Little
A eek" rs Alexander is minitied by his
friends, told his client, Peter B., that
the case Of service and its value were
proved against him in legal form, and
that there was no real defense. But tho
old farmer insisted that his lawyer should
"speak to the case" Mr.. Stephens told
him that lie ought to speak himself ii he
thought Il speech conld be made, and
was surprised by the retort " will,
il Bobby Toombs won't be too hard on
me-" Mr.. Toombs promised, and Peter
Bennett began
Gentlemen of tho Jury, | amt ro
lawyer and no doctor, and you aint.
nuther. And il We farmers don't sticl.
together, these here lawyers aud doctors
will get the advantage of us. l mint no
objections to lawyers and doctors in
their place, and some is clever men, but
they amt farmers, gcntlemenOf the jury.
Now this DR.. ROystOn was new doctor,
and sent for him to come to doctor my
wife's sore leg. And he did, and put
some salve truck on it and some rags,
but never done it bit Of good, gentle
men OF the jury. don't believe he's
no doctor, no way. There's doctors as
know is doctors, sure enough, but this
amt no doctor at all. "
This was evidently telling, and Dr.,
Royston put in with, "Look at my
diploma, and see il l am not n doctor. "
"His diploma :" said the ncw-fedgcd
orator, with great contempt. That
amt uothin, for no piece OF paper ever
made doctor yet"
"Ask my patients" shouted the no..
furious physicinn.
This was the conventional straw that
seemed to break tho back Of the orators
patience. "Ask your patients :" hr
said, in slow and mournful dclibcration.
"Ask your patients Why, they're oil
dead I" Then, in rapid defamation, he
named case after case, vol known, but
mostly among the negro servants Of his
neighbors, where his opponent had
treated them and their owners buried
them, and continued Ask your
patients. Why, I would have to seek
them i'll the lonesome chirchyard, aud
rap on the silent tomb to get answers
from the dead. You know they can't
soy nothin' to this case, for you've killed
thom all !" The applause closed the
speech, and the defendant had his cas-.
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21

A poor ballet girl, Alma Oidalc, re.
Gently met with Il terrible death under
tho wrCtchcdost circumstance through
Il fire which occurred during the per
forlnlncr Of pau' omime n Il Sheffield
CEug. J thcat r. The unfortunate girl
was ouly eighteen years OF age, aud
was engaged to enact the part OF an
"cItra" or "flyiuG lady III the trans.
formation scene Oi tine pantomlme. She
WIS susnrndrd from tho il!oq, standing
on piece Of iron, and slapped 10 nn
iron rod t her back. The gnu2c cur
tl,irS at the wing, from aoInc unknown
cause, caught fire and wcgc blown by n
current OF cold an toward The girl. Her
muslin skirt.-ghu had on beside only q
single gnmcnt-wcro 1T once envc!upgu
in flames, aud il was stated nt the i'll
quest that two minutes elapsed before
she could be lowered 10 the stage. Be'
lug strapped to the iron bar, sho was,
Of course. utterly powerlcss, aud he
tween such II fate and being burnt alive
at the stake there caanot hcauy material
difference. Alma OllNle appears IL
have undergone the process OF roasting
with remarkable coumgc; but her ner'
yous system was entirely shattered by
the shock size had sustained, ind Mtel
lingering for Few days the poor cFcR'
! ture died,
The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-21
Did You Ever Call Nc Darling !

Did you over call me darling.
With flush upon your check:
'iuow you not my heart thrills ever
70 tho slightest word you speak,
D. you never gusrs how pleasant
Aro tho moments spent with you?
That this strange, intense affection
Links my soui with all that's true2
ic,, you called me darling ono time,
Ina tOnO 80 sweet and love
That i;B music thrills me ever,
Cheering mo whcre'er | go.
Night was round us, soft and dewy,
Fragrant with tho summer flowers,
And OH wings Of swifteAt fleeing
sped the bright, enhancing hours.
Angels hoycred in tho shadows.
Whispering holy things to me.
SouudM through my spirits cloisLers
bcwildering symphony.
Darling. never word Of passion,
But this tender, thrilling one,
Sweet az that which charmed the loVers
When the world bad iirst begun.
and it charmed me, thrilled me, filled mt
With supremest happiness
Nor for king, with crown and scepter,
wonld l give that ono caross.
Yoar hand mInc was fondly clasping,
In It's grasp my future lay,
For love then sprAng to being
Which will never know decay.