davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1876-12-29
Historical Research About Fire.

The ReUase Scientifque prints a curl
Gus paper by Professor Jolly, in which
he inquiries by whom and when fire was
discovered. Abiding to the fable of
Prometheus, he finds it of Indian ORR
gin. In the Vedas the god of fire, A0ni,
compare with Latin IgRis, is conceal
ed in secret place whence the god Ma
tarishvan,f forces him out, and makes him
communicate the celestial fire to Manou
the first man. The very name of Pro-
metheus is traceable to the Vedas, and
calls to mind the process employed by
the ancient Brahmas to obtain the sa-
cred fire. For this purpose they used
stick called pramdtka, which they ig-
nited by friction. The prefix pra gives
the idea of taking by force, a circum-
stance which strengthens the evidence
afforded by the resemblance of that
word to Prometheus. There are sever
al ways for obtaining fire by friction /;
the most primitive one consisted in rub
bing two pieces of dry wood against
each other but this was improved in
the course of time. A stick was made
to slide very fast up and down in a
groove then came the " tire-drill, " con-
StbtlnB VI plcco OL WOOQ having cav
ity in which stick was inserted, which
was pressed upon by the operator who
at the same time made it turn very fast
after the fashion Of whimble. Brah-
minis used this drill, but with a cord
rolled around it, by pulling which they
gave the alternate rotary motion to the
stick. Another mode of obtaining fire
was that of striking two hints together,
etc. Professor Jolly now arrives at the
question as to whether prehistoric mar
was in the possession of fire. Able
Bourgeois goes SO far as to say that it
was known as early as the miocene peri
cd, because in the sands of the Oriean-
ais he has found piece of artificial paste
having cinders adhering to it, and lying
in the midst Of bones Of the mastodon
and dinoterium. Our author considers
the thing not impossible, but not sufi-
ciently proved nevertheless he is posi-
tive that the most ancient quaternary
man did use fire /; and many fre-places.
with ashes, cinders, half-calcined bones
and fragments Of rude pottery having
unquestionably been found in caverns
pertaining to the period of the reindeer,
the bear and polished stone.
, 1876-12-29
Influence of Alcohol.

DIR. Parkes, F. R. S., of Netley Hos
pital, is pursuing his inquiries into the
effects of diet and exercise on the bodi-
lily condition, and on the elimination of
certain products from the animal econo-
my. His last experiments were made
on a soldier, Scotchman, powerfully
built. and thirty years of age. The ex-
ercise was walking and digging and
any one who has handled a spade knows
that to dig for nine hours day is not
easy work. The experiments were con-
tinued during sixteen days, and were
brought to a close with trials of the eff
feet of brandy. After drinking four
ounces of brandy, he fancied he could
do a great deal Of work but when he
came to do it, he found he was less ca
pable than he thought" After sec
ond dose, his inability to work was in
creased, and he had palpitation of the
heart; and third dose, taken eight
hours after the first, completely neutral
lied his working g-power. He threw
his spade down, and being good run
ner, tried to take running exercise, but
was unable through failure of breath.
DIR. Parkes observes: The mans own
judgment at the end of the trial was,
that he would prefer to do work with
out the brandy and when asked his
reasons he mentioned 9 the increased
thirst, the heaviness in the evening, and
the iuttering at the heart" And, COM
menting on the case, the doctor adds /:
As the effect of labor alone is to-aug-
ment the strength and frequency of the
hearts action, it would appear obviously
improper to act on the heart still more
by alcohol"
, 1876-12-29

OF all the seeds imported for the pur-
pose of distribution there are none more
interesting or more valuable than those
of the Carob tree, or st. Johns bread
(Ceratonia siliqua). The pods, when
matured, contain few drops Of a sub
stance resembling honey. The tree is
unquestionable of Eastern origin, and
is supposed to be identical with that up-
on which st. John fed while in the
wilderness. The seeds are procured
from Alicante, in Spain. In Murica,
Valencia, Catalonia and other provinces
in that country, at abounds and fire.
quently forms, with the olive and other
valuable trees large forests. 1t was.
without doubt, introduced by the Moors,
who knew its nutritive qualities as a
food for the horses, mules and cattle.
They probably brought it from Palestine
and Egypt, whence it appears to have
originated in these Spanish provinces.
1t grows naturally in every kind of
ground, not excepting the dryest and
most barren spots, where the underlying
rock shows itself more frequently than
earth. 1t roots, twisting in every di-
rectiOn, accommodate themselves to the
lightness of or depth of the soil; while
the trunk, remarkable for its smooth
and lightcolored bark, attains in shell
tered positions a colossal size. The
branches, furnished with grayish-color-
ed leaves, spread majestically around
the trunk, and when loaded with fruit
hang down quite to the ground in the
form of tent. The fruit ripens rapidly,
and such is its abundance and weight
that it is necessary at once to gather it.
The pods are sweet and rich in sugar,
and animals feed on them with avidity,
and become quite fat and in good CON
dition for work.
There are several varieties of the tree.
The produce is necessarily in proportion
to the attention given. 1t blooms twice
year about the first of February and
middle of September-and when well
watered arrives at a considerable hight,
and sometimes covers a space of 100
feet in diameter, bearing upwards of a
ton Of pods. 1t will doubtless succeed
in all of our southern counties. We be-
lieve that seeds can be procured from
any prominent New York or Washing
ton fiorist.-HalPs Land Journal.
, 1876-12-29
HGlycerine added to paper stock in.
creases the fexibility of the paper.

HGlycerine added to paper stock in
creases the fexibility of the paper.
Frozen potatoes can be cured by soak
ing them in water three days before
cooking.
After taking up carpet, sprinkle the
floor with Tery dilute carbolic acid be-
fore sweeping. a4t, Haa
Avoid wearing heavy overcoats or
furs for hours in succession; the ten
dency is to weaken the powers of resist
anee of the wearer, leaving him liable
to inflammation of the throat and lungs.
An unexceptionably able physician
has said that mental labor never alone
produces disease of the brain. but that
" worry" is the chief source of soften
ing of the brain, and of that, paralysis,
which is distinct from apOplexy.
The large rejecting telescope at the
Paris Observatory is completed. al
though it will not be brought into use
for two or three months. The eauilib-
rum of the tube is perfect, and It can
be directed with the utmost facility on
any part of the heavens, although it
weighs about six tons.
, 1876-12-29
Tho Automatic Telegraph.


Following the duplex, the American
Automatic system may be said to have
been perfected in the year 1878. The
rapidity with which messages are trans
mitted and recorded by it isits princi-
pal advantage, and it has others-as re-
quiring smaller force Of operators and
less specially skilled. The usual work
of Morse operator is acknowledged to
be 1000 words an hour, and European
operators do not average half as much
but by the automatic method, to receive
and print double the number Of words
per minute is an ordinary feat, and as
many as Z 900 words-fourteen pages OF
this magazine-have been legibly re-
corded in that time. As every word
contains, on an average, 5 letters, and
as every word is represented by vary
ing number of dots and dashes, each
formed by separate discharge, the cir
cult is calculated, must be "closed
and broken, and the chemicals in the
battery must cease and recommence
their action $4,000 times per minute, in
the ordinary working of the automatic
system.-Popular Science Monthly.
, 1876-12-29
Wastes on the Farm.

The greatest of wastes on the farm is
IN tbe not using of our brains; the great
ost because at the bottom OF all other
wastes. A little thinking often saves
much labor. After accomplishing any
niece of work the most OF us can look
hack and see how much we could have
improved on it if we had but thought.
As we review our crops of this year, we
see how they could have been easily in
creased, had we only thought. The
ditch we dug through our meadows was
not done in the most economical way.
We dhg too deeply at first, and did not
allow for the settling of the land; hence
a waste of labor. We omitted buying
an implement that would have saved
nearly its cost in this one years use,
until we have spent much in trying to
accomplish our work without it. Here
was another waste. We carry a water
pipe too near the surface to save the ex-
pense of digging a trench of safe depth,
and the winters frost necessitates a re-
placement of the pipe and an additional
digging. Certainly waste here. We
allowed the weeds to grow on one piece
of land, not thinking to what proportion
they would grow by the time the crops
were too far advanced to admit the hoe.
waste here which might have been
obviated. And so on, wastes little and
big everywhere, all arising from our not
thinking sufficiently = waste, because
not necessary and easily obviated. We
omit the ordinary wastes from neglect,
from laziness, from want of appreciation
of cleanliness and thoroughness-the
wastes from our stock, from our manure
heap, from our household. Verify, a
little thought. will save to the farmer
much; and the saving through this
means, even on q small farm, will repre-
sent the interest on considerable capi-
tai. The wastes arising from ignorance
can very readily be diminished, and are
in large part inexcusable; those arising
from carelessAess are not deserving of
sympathy. The farmer as we'll as the
business man must use business princi-
pies to secure the largest success, and
the one should be as careful of the out
goes as the ether.-ScientJic FiTmer.
, 1876-12-29

THE AGE OF THE EARTH William
Thompson has concluded, from different
lines of argument, that the age Of the
earth, as body cool enough for habita-
ton, cannot be much greater than 100,-
900, 900 years. Professor TAFT, however,
in his work on the Recent Advance in
Physical Science" comes toa somewhat
different conclusion, and put the limits
Of the worlds age at 10000, 900 years.
When doctors disagree who shall de-
cides As for other worlds than ours,
some are said to be 80 far away that the
Light from them has not even yet reach
ed our planet. A writer in the Quarter
~ Rerie1O says that ''the telescope has
rendered visible stars so amazingly re-
mote that light, leaping over 185, 900
miles in single second, would take
OK, 600 years to travel from them to the
earth" Astronomers and geologists
have way Of tossing millions of years
about as if they were mere grains on
the sands Of time. It makes the few
score allotted to man appear amazingly
Insignificant.
, 1876-12-29

THIRTY Days FROM CHINA TO LIVER
PooL.-The remarkable voyage of the
steamship City of Picking, from Yoko-
hama to San Francisco, by which it was
shown that cargo of tea can be carried
from Japan to New York city, by the
aid OF the trans-continental railway, in
twenty-five days, illustrates the advance
made since few years ago, when this
transportation was voyage Of months.
The passage referred to was made in fif-
teen days, the distance being about five
thousand miles, an average Of 337 miles
a day, or fourteen knots an hour. At
this rate, Liverpool is within thirty days
OF China. a.-Raileoay Age.
, 1876-12-29
Strange Frsall. of tho Insane.

A lady was one evening sitting in her
drawing-room alone, when the only
other inmate Of the house. a brother,
who for a time had been betnying q
tendency TO unsOundness Of mind. en-
tered with a carving knife in his hand,
and. shutting the door, came up TO her
and said, Margaret, an odd idea has
occurred to me. I wish TO paint the
head Of John the Baptist, and 1 think
yours might make an excellent study
for it. So, If You please, will cut
off your head" The lady looked at her
brothers eye, and seeing in 1t no token
of jest, concluded that he meant to do
what he said. There was an open win
dow and balcony by her side, with q
street in front; but a moment satisfied
her that safety did not lie in that way.
So, putting on a smiling countenance,
she said, "That is a strange idea,
George; but would it not be a pity to
spoil this pretty new lace tippet have
got? I'll just step to my room to put
it of, and be with you again in half a
minute" Without giving him time to
consider, she stepped lightly across the
floor and passed out. In another mo-
ment she was alone in her own room,
whence she easily gave the alarm, and
the mailman was secured.
The story of the gentleman com
manded by some insane persons to jump
from the top of a tower in their asylum,
and who escaped by telling them he
would rather jump from the bottom to
the top. and ran down stairs as if to ex-
ecute his intention, is well known; but
the following anecdote of a similar stu
alton will be news to most readers: A
gentleman accompanying party to in
spect an asylum, CHANGED to be left be-
hind, in the kitchen, with a number of
the inmates who acted as cooks and soul
lions to the establishment. There was
a huge cauldron of boiling water on the
fire, into which the madmen declared
they must put him, in order to broil
him for broth. They would fain have
assisted him into the large pot; and, as
they were laying hold of him, he re-
hected that in a personal struggle he
would have no chance with them-all
he could do was to gain time. So he
said, Very we'll, gentlemen; am sure
1 should make good broth, if you do
not spoil it by boiling my clothes with
it." " Take off your clothes" they
cried out; and he began to take off his
things very slowly, crying out loudly
the while: " Now, gentlemen. my coat
is off, will soon be stripped. There
goes my waistcoat-I shall soon be
ready" and so on, till nothing remained
but his shirt. Fortunately, the keeper.
attracted by his loud speaking, hurried
in just in time to save him.-Grand
Rapids Eveaing Post.
, 1876-12-29

ORIGIN OF THE PoLKA.-The Allge-
meine Famihen Zeitung gives an inter-
esting account of the origin of the
polka. About 1880. peasant girl, be-
ing in service in tradesman's family at
Elbeteinitz, in Bohemia, beguiled her
self, one Sunday afternoon, in her
kitchen, by endeavoring to invent a new
step, which she tried to adapt to vii
lage song. While thus disporting her
self, she was surprised by her employer,
who, quite interested, made her repeat
the experiment the same evening in the
parlor, where Joseph Neruda, an emi-
nent musician, happened to be present,
who noted the air and step. Not long
afterward, the new dance was danced at
a citizens ball in the town, and in 1886
came into fashion at Prague, where, in
consequence of the half step which oc-
ours in it, was called the pulka, which
means, in Tcheque, half. Four years
later, band of Prague musicians
brought the dance to Vienna, where il
had great success; and in 1910, dane
ing master of Prague, named Raab,
danced it for the first time in Paris
Music Trade Re1ielD.
, 1876-12-29

No DRINKS FOR YEAR.-The most
astonishing bet on the Presidential cleo
ton is that of two old Springfield to-
pers-one a true Bourbon Democrat,
and the other dyed-in-the-wool Re
pubhcan-that the loser shall go with
out his daily drinks-be perfect teeto-
taller, in short, for the remainder of the
year, and that the other shall have the
privilege of tantalizing him to any ex-
tent.-Boston Herald.
, 1876-12-29

A QUEER WAY TO Harden BuTrER.-
An English butter-maker of large ex-
perience, who is now on visit to this
country for the purpose Of looking over
our cheese and butter dairies, gives the
following information concerning a
method in practice among the best but
ter-makers in England for rendering
butter firm and solid during hot weather:
Carbonate of soda and alum are used for
the purpose, made into powder. For
twenty pounds of butter, one teaspoon
full of carbonate of soda and one tea
spoonful of powdered alum are mingled
together at the time of churning and
put into the cream. The effect of this
powder is to make the butter come firm
and solid, and to give it clean, sweet
favor. 1T does not enter into the but
ter, but its action is upon the cream,
and it passes off with the buttermilk.
The ingredients of the powder should
not be mingled together until required
to be used, or at the time the cream is
in the churn ready for churning.
, 1876-12-29

buFFALoEs GUARDING BoY.-There
was Malay boy near Singapore who
was employed by his parents in herding
some water-buffaloes. He was driving
ms charge home by the borders of a
Jungle, when a tiger made a sudden
spring, and, seizing the lad by the thigh,
was dragging him of, when two oldbull
oufialoes, hearing the shrek of distress
rom the well-known voice of their lit
ue attendant, turned round and charged
with with their. usual rapidity. The tiger,
thus closely pressed, was obliged to
drop his prey to defend himself. While
one buffalo fought and successfully
orove the tiger away, the other kept
guard over the wounded boy.-Mercan-
, 1876-12-29

Here is bit of Western oratory, re-
lated by trustworthy authority as au-
thentic, which has not been in print
before; Where is Europe with Ameri-
ca? Newharl They call England the
mistress of the sea, but what makes the
sea2 The Mississippi River makes it.
And all we have to do is to turn the
Mississippi into the Mammoth Gave, and
the English navy will be houndering in
the mud. '--'i %, 4JD
, 1876-12-29

DR.. j. Lowe, of Edinburg, has writ
ten to one of the most liberal supporters
of the London Temperance Hospital !:
>1'You will be pleased to hear that last
year, in the treatment of 10000 dispen-
sary patients, our expenditure for wine,
brandy, ETC., amounted to only As. Cd. "
, 1876-12-29


PATCHWORK IN BANK NoTRs.-The
Bank of FrInce has been compelled to
prosecute one of its employees for alb
stracting bank notes which had been
laid on one side previous to being de-
stroyed, and putting them into circula-
ton a second time. 1t is the custom in
the Bank of France to let large guam
tity of notes accumulate before destroy
ing them, and, as precaution against
their being used a second time, each
note, when it finds its way back to the
bank, has two small pieces clipped out
of it, and the word "annulled" stamped
upon its surface. The accused, Jean
B<Ptiste Allamassey, who was employed
in this department, succeeded in ab-
stracting several bundles of these notes,
and, by dint of incredible patience,
managed to cut them up and make fresh
notes with the pieces, in such a way as
to avoid using those fragments where
there was any mark. He carried on this
fabrication for some time without de-
lection, and would perhaps have es-
capped detection, if he had not been so
unfatunate as to drop his pocket book,
con lining some of the false notes, in
the Champs Elysees, 1t was picked up
by some dishonest person, who put the
notes into circulation. Allamassey had
forged the name of the cashier to some
of the notes, and was therefore liable
to penal servitude for life; but the jury,
as usual, discovered " extenuating cir
cumstance," and he was sentenced to
ten years imprisonment. The extenu-
sting circumstances, perhaps, were that
the GO, 900 odd which he had embezzled
was all lost in speculation upon the
Bourse. Pail Mall Gazette.
, 1876-12-29

a dancer said, "You. cannot stand on
one leg as long as I."-"No," was re-
Piled; shut goose can"
The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-02-18
LOOK HERE -EnYso

Twenty five hundred dollars worth
Of rancho property, consisting of six
hundred acres of meadow, and graz
ing lands all under fence. Inclo>ing
ever living springs of sparkling cold
waller. sufficient for thousands of
8 took. Barn, oral :,
milk house, chicken house and dwell
ling worth S2,0O0. Timber for logs,
poles and lumber, worth 81, 900
Twelve horses. wagon, harness, farm
ing utensils, &c, &C., worth 81 900.
All in perfect order and good condi-
tipn, and all for the sum of 81, 800.
Terms to suit the purchaser.
Said property is situated on Spring
Creek, about 26 miles in a north.
western direction, from the City OF
Cheyenne, Laramie County, Terri
tory of Wyoming.
Never in the world. in no place or
country, was there such a bargain Of
fereh, for so small an amount of
money, only $500. Cattle men,
sheep men, hog men. horse men.
husbandmen, where are you? Speak
quick or you lose a fortune.
The owner IL sick. out IF money.
has no heirs to leave his property to
and expects to die. Otherwise the
property would never be sold. APP
ply to Geo. A. Webster, Real Estate
Agent, Pease & Taylor's block. Chey-
enne. fl6-6t
The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-02-18
Personal Points.

Morris Appel. Esq. is again attend
ing to business, after a weeks illness.
Admiral Trenehard, U. S. NJ. passed
through here on Wednesday, en- route
to San Francisco.
Gen. VIM. Myers. Q. NJ. Dept, U.
S. A., was among the passengers on
Wednesdays east bound train.
Z. Rosewater, editor of the Omaha
Bee, was brutality assaulted by a brace
of savage negro ruffians, on Tuesday
afternoon, and beaten nearly to death
with = ''biIly."
Henry Mailllrd, ESQ. junier part
ner of the firm of Maitland & Co., OF
this city, will have sole charge OF the
business here during the absence OF
his father in the Black Hills, which
will be of several months duration.
The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-02-18
Buns for the Breakfast Table.

The Congregational Church Sociable
which was, through mistake. announc-
ed in yesterdays LEADER 10 occur at
the parsonage last night, will
be held this friday evening at the
parsonage.
Moritz Meyer, of Omaha, is on the
way to this city with a large stock of
goods, and will open an QUILTING
house here. Mr.. Meyer is well spoken
Of by the press Of Omaha.
We acknowledge the receipt Of an
invitation TO a grand masquerade par
ty, which viii be given by thu Social
Hours Club" % Laramie City. on
Tuesday evening next. the anniversary
of W~ashington's birthday.
All trains were OH time yesterday.
The west bound U. p. passenger
brought four Cheyenne and twenty
through passengers. The east bound
passenger had twenty-three Cheyenne
and forty-two through passengers.
The west bound emigrant had two full
coaches. The d. p. train brought
eighteen passengers.
The report which circulated yes
terday afternoon, to the effect that
the Indians had killed and scalped a
man, and that the body was being
brought here, had its origin in the fact
that u teamster now with Frank Whit
ney's train, near Fort Laramie. was
upset, and a knife which he carried in
his pocket was driven into his abdo-
men. infiictiig a very serious wound.
only this and nothing more.
The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-02-18

Judge Kuykendall's letter from Gus
er City, published in this issue, is very
interesting reading, and gives plain,
unvarnished facts, and our readers
may be assured that his statements are
not at all colorel by imagination or n
sanguine temperament, for the Judge
IL known by all as a calm. truthful
observer, thoroughly acquainted with
the new country where the mines are
located, and aware OF the fact that
thousands will peruse bis letter who
intend seeking homes AMI profitable
employment in the Black Hills. Thus,
from day to day, we are enabled to lay
before our readers information from
unquestionable authorities corroborat-
ing the most encouraging statements
in relation. to the new Eldorado. pub
lished in The LEADER during the
last three years.