davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
VOL XIX. NEW SERIES VOL. XXI

OF body, tightly compressed round the mid
ole and provided with false abdomen. ,
sword might be passed right through his an
Pareht body without lacerating or even touch
.u6 his SKIN. A seeming stabbing through
the nose with penknife and the sword
swallowing trick he similarly unmasked by
careful Observation The rope trick" in
winch the conjurers fully equal the Spiritu.
aiists' ~ s'llnstrates the remarkable way in which
'ne muscles can, IN some persons, be dis
'enueu and contracted at pleasure By q
strOhg lndraught of breath and an exercise Of
WIN man can really expand his crcumfer-
ence OF mat OF his arms during the tying OF
rope and collapse again when the time for
seli-untying has arrived.
Some individuals are 50 stranrelv iointed
mat they can perform apparent miracles upon
men themselves IN an instant celebrated ex-
elhpiar OF tins class was Joseph Clark. n DOS
'urer IN the time of Charles H. He was SO
exceptionally formed and had such absolute
command OF muscles and Joints that he could
become as 1t were some one else in a moment
now hunchback now an obese man. as
with good capoR lined = now a skin-
aho-grlei and anon with one foot heel fore
most ana the other toe foremost He thor
oushlE deceived distinguished surgeon
once, who dismissed Linn as a homeless crin-
uallor by an lneIplicable change of bulk and
shape when new garments were taken home.
Dlgltal ocular and bodily expertness ac-
qulred by long practice in particular WAYS
heip many conjurer to achieve results which
IN other circles) would be attributed IN
spirits Robert Houdin trained himself
and his little son, during many walks through
the streets Of Paris, to "A wonderful onick-
ness OF eye IN discriminating dozens Of diff
ierent objects seen merely at a glance. Pass
ing toy-shop, father and son would try
winch could remember and name the great
est number of trinkets displayed in the win
uo" OF al booksellers, the greatest num-
Der oi utes Of books and names of authors
merely 10y glance while walking SLOWLY
along lie humorously, but probably with
some truth, declared that the gentler sex es-
peciaily can DO this in their own particular
way --'''
Let one lady pass another in the street.
and with surprising quick ness each will have
scanned the dress Of the other from top to
toe from hat feather to boots, SO as to be
able to describe and criticise it with won
drous mlnuteness IN regard to color. shape.
material, quality and condition. Success in
TINS rapid discrimination has much to do
with the clalryoyant exhibitions of the supe-
nor grade Of coulurers. Numerous small
articles held up 10y the visitors in the room
are discrmluated and mentally catalorued in
an instant, and the experimenter i'll question
ing the bhndtolded confederate uses such
words previously agreed upon) as will suc-
sest the proper answer to the question itself.
Robert Houdln was, We believe. the inventor
OF this capital trick. in which he has been
followed with more OF less success bv ilulta-
Tors ol both sexes he never professed for an
instant to be guided 10y " spirits. vet his
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

A COLLECTOR DIsAPPoINTAESTs.- i wrote
and told him of one gentleman's vast col
lections of shells another noble collection
of meershaum pipes: another 5 seleyating and
refining collection of uIdecipherable autbo-
graphs another's priceless collection OF old
china another's enchanting collection oil
ostage-stamps-and so forth and so on.
Soon NY letters Welded fruit. My uncle
began to look about for something TO make
collection of. You may know, perhaps,
how fleetly taste like this dilates. HIS
soon became raging fever. though knew
it not lie began to neglect his great PORK
business ; presently be wholly retired and
turned an elegant leisure into rapid search
for curious things His wealth was vast.
and be spared it not. First he tried cow
bells. He made collection which filed
FIVE large salons. and c0mprehended all the
different sorts of cow-bells that ever had
been cOntrived, save one. That one-an
antique, and the only specimen e1tant-
was possessed by another collector. My
uncle ffered enormous sums for it. but the
gentleman would not sell. Doubtless you
know what necessarily resulted. A true
collector attaches no value to collection that
is not complete. His great heart breaks.
be sells his hoard, be turns his mind to
some field that seems unoccupied.
Thus did my uncle. He next tried brick
bats. After piling up a vast and intensely
interesting collection, the former difficulty
supervened his great heart broke again be
sold out his souls idol to the retired brewer
who possessed the missing brick. Then he
tried flint hatchets and other implement
of Primeval Man, but BY and by discovered
that the factory where they we're made was
supplying other collectors as well as him
self He tried Aztec Inscriptions and
stuffed yhales-another failure after incred-
;hIe labor and expense. When his collec-
tion seemed at last perfect. stuffed whale
arrived from Greenland and an Azteciln-
scrintion from the Cundursngo regions OF
Central America that made all former speci-
mems insignificant. My uncle FASTENED to
secure these noble gems. He got the stuffed
whale, but another collector got the lnscrlp-
tion. A real Cundurango, as possibly you
know, is possession Of such supreme value
that. when once collector gets 1t. he Will
rather part with his family than with 1t.
So nv uncle sold out, and saw his dsrlings
90 forth. never more to return and his
eoal-black hair turned white as snow in
single night.
Now he waited, and thought. He knew
another disappointment might kill him.
He was resolved that he would choose things
ne,t time that no other man was collecting
He carefully made up his mind, and once
more entered the feld-this time to make
coIlectiou of eohoes.-Mark Train, IN the
December Atlantic.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
BY ATLANTIC CAULF.


STRASGg sTORY-HAssACRE or CAPTAIN
CRosIsR, SECOND l. COMMAND OF THS
FRANKLIN, BY EsQCMAUX-
LONDON. Dec. l.-An Aberdeen newspa-
per states that the captain OF the wbaler.
Jan Mayen. of PeterbeAi. recently eneouu-
tered an Esq uimaux who informed hlm that
a tribe of Esq uimaux living far TO the north
ward Of Cumberland Gulf. many years ago
massacred captain CrOsier. second IN com
mand Of the Franklin expeditions and 1--WE
other whites because they refused TO surren-
der their guns and ammunition
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

PlEs.-Then pies. Even that dismayed
Frenchman coHld not deny that We have as
many pies as religions, and he would be u
bold Frenehman, also. if he asserted that we
are as fond Jf our religions a. Of our pies.
Pies, indeed, there must be. They are as
ancient as Thanksgiving, and the pie ON the
table of that great day was as constituent a
part Jt IL the minister IN the pulplts
Nay, what is the festival itself but humble
and pious offering of thanks for the copious
harvest of pie-in its original material
Indeed, the more metaphysical inquirer
might justly ask, a he surveys the autumn
fields gorgeous with the massive pa mSln.
Nv hat is 1t there for except to make PIE p
1t is as mama fallen upon the earth. Ii is
IA celestial hint OF pie. IL Is a heavenly
command OF pie. 1neTe Is time in the lie
Of the contemplative America when he per-
ceiyes in himself nascent doubts of pie He
may even go 50 far as to protest that heavy
white dough, shortened" with Heaven and
the lard pot know what, is not wholesome
food. But what said the learned snd elo-
quent Rufus Choate, when his mouth iairly
watered at the luxury of the fOrecastle and
galley of a halt-starved coasting smack
'On Monday, gentlemen, the wholesome
and toothsome duff; ON Tuesday the nutri-
tious and delicious dundyiunk :" and in the
climax his rapt eye beheld in vision the Tery
transfgured material of pie, although be
called 1t BY kindred name, when he ex-
claimed, land on Wednesday, gentlemen,
with his own hand, with his own paternal
hand, the captain dealt out to them squash {;
not the cold and shrivelled vegetable of our
northern cline. but the gorgeous, the lux
uriant, the exuberant squash OF the tropics. p"
Think, madame, that you deal with this es-
culent-quash or pumpkin. it is all the
same concede that the German will sur
render his sauerkraut, the Scotchman his
oatmeal "parritch, the lrishman his pota-
to, the Italian his macaroni, the French
man his frog, as soon Us the American his pie !;
waive all the arguments against pie, yet are
YOU not morally bound to consider the nature
of crust. and Can you, as friend OF truth,
assert that the white, soggy slab Of duff
that underlies your pie is either whole
some or toothsome Tne question that comes
home to you is, Can't you brown it? Can't
you make it dry and crisp without too much
reference to the lard pot? When 1t Is aPP.o
with which you are concerned, the iespo.,
bility is greater, for, so to spean' y 20. and
ple-pie wears a full suit ~ ha' ncnt.
trousers, an upper ana low alvavs
and dear madame, since n -, hs a.
M.v " why should the Innoeer. run -. AZ
~, CLAD in white? Brown IT, inAo"'
brown il ,-Harper's Magazine.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

Houses on s. 1856. in amendment Of chapter
81, g. s., which was agreed to. and Mr..
Abel, of West Haven, Mr.. Lynde. Of Marl-
bOro. and Mr.. Bourn, of Manchester, were
appointed said committee on the part OF the
House.
The Speaker appointed as committee of
conference on the disagreeing votes of the
two Houses on II. 81 to assess and tax the
real estate OF railroads in this State-Mr.
Batchelder, of Arlington, Mr.. Lincoln, of
Lyndon, and Mr.. Sabin. Of Montpelier, who
subsequently reported, recommending the
change of the exemption clause from five to
eight years, and the House agreed to the
modification recommended.
The Speaker also appointed as committee
OF conference on the disagreeing votes of
the two Houses on Ii. 222. relating to
treasurers of savings banks, Mr. Lynde. of
Marlboro, Mr.. Bliss, of Bradford, and Mr..
Dillingham;, of Waterbury.
The committee subsequently recommend
ed that the House refuse to accede to the
first proposal of amendment reducing the
penalty from $500 to 500 and the House
voted to sustain the report of the commit
tee; the committee also recommend that
the House recede from its second proposal
OF amendment, and the House sustained the
report OF the committee in that respect.
5. l72, in addition to and in amendment
OF an act relating to insurance; and in ad-
ditiOn to chap. 81, g. s., read twice, and |
under suspension of the rule read the |
third time and passed in concurrence.
Ii. 800, establishing the Vermont Board |
of Agriculture; Mr.. Woodbridge. Of Yer
gennes, moved that the House adhere to its |
amendment. and asked committee of con-
terrence with the Senate on the disagreeing
vote of the two Houses which was agreed |
to. Mr.. Martin, of Londonderry, Mr..
Spraguc, of Brandon, and Mr.. Cotton. of |
lrasburgh, were appointed committee on
the part of the House, who subsequently
recommending various mUdfca-
tions of the bill which were agreed to, and
the bill was passed.
The usual resolution that the business of
the session Is completed. was exchanged
with the Senate, and on receiving notice
from the Governor that he had no further
10 make to the House the
speaker briefly returned thanks to the
House for the resolution that had been
adopted expressing their kindly feelings to
himself and wishing the members safe re-
turning to their homes.
And at eight O'Clock on Wednesday
morning Nov Goth. the speaker declared
the IlOuse adjourned SINE die
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
orator. Both parties are holding the fort
I'll tomorrow. The democrats know that
Il, 7, they 90 out they will not be resdmittsd.
Inc scene in the hall at this hour is unique
and interesting
WESTERN NEWS.

GAIN OF REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN.
ST; LOUIS. Mo-, Nov. 29.-ln the Metcslf
Us. FROST case. Judge Lindley. this morn
.ng' ordefed peremtory mandamus to is
sue compelling the county clerk to change
the returns of precinct No. 81 from 297
for Frost to 272, as was originally vrit.en
and to certify the returns of the tbird
congressional district "a the secretary of
STATE In conformity with this order. This
q majority.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

MoNTEEZILLo, June IL, loZZ.
DEAR SIR Half an hour ago l received,
and this moment have heard read for the
third or fourth time the best letter that ever
was written by an octogenarian, dated June
first
have not sprained my wrist but both
my arms and hands are so over-strained that
| cannot write a line Poor STARK remem-
bsred nothing and could talk Of nothing but
the battle of Bennington. - Ii not quite
50 reduced. ! cannot mount my horse, but l
can walk three miles over rugged, rocky
mountain, aud have done it within month !;
Yet | feel when sitting in my chair, as II |
could not rise out OF 1t and, when risen, as
If | could not walk across the room my
sight is very dim, hearing pretty good, mem
orl poor enough. In answer TO your ques
uon-ls death an evil 1T Is a blessing to
the individual, and to the world and yet We
ought not to wish for 1t until life becomes in
supportnhlc We must wait the pleasure
and convenience Of the Great Teacher Win
ter Is as terrible to me MS to You. am al
most reduced in It 20 the life OF bear or a
torpid swallow | cannot read, but my de-
light Is to hear others read and tax all my
friends most numerically aud tyfannically
against their consent.
This globe Is a theatre of war It's iuhabi-
tants are all heroes. The little cells III vine
gar and the animalcules in pepper-Vater, |
believe, are qGarrelsome. The bees are as
warlke as Romans Britons. or Freuchmen.
Ants. caterpillaTs and cankerworms are the
only tribes among whom l have not seen bat
ties and heaven itself, If we believe Hin
docs, jews, Christians and Mshometans, has
not always been at peace. We need not
trouble ourselves about these things, nor
fret ourselves because Of evil-doers, but safe
ly trust the Ruler with his skies. Nor
need We dread the approach Of dotage let it
come, If It must. -, II seems, stlll de-
lights in his four stories : and Stark remem-
bered to the last his Bennington, and exulted
in his glory The worst Of the evil Is that
our friends viii suffer more by our imbeclhty
than We do ourselves.
In wishing for your health and happiness
I am very selfish, for hope for more letters :
this Is worth more than five hundred dollars
10 me, for it has already given me, and 1t
viii continue 10 give me, more pleasure than
thousand. Air. Jay, who is about your age
I am told experiences more decay than you
do.
l am your old friend. JOHN ADAMS.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

From the committee Oh Judiciary in favor
,i II. 100, an act changing the terms OF the
supreme Court. with proposals Of amend
mertS. which were disagreed to, and on the
question Shall the bill be read the third
time, the ? vote wa, yeas :, nays l6; third
reading refused.
From the committee on elections against
H. 4. an act providing for check list of
voters third reading refused.
From the committee of conference on ii.
800 establishing Board Of Agriculture a
report which was agreed to.
\ message was received from the House
that they had completed the bushes OF the
session and were ready to adjourn without
day.
Senator Walton moved that the Senate 90
into executive session adopted.
The Senate adjourned SINE de.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
TWEED

the champion thief of the nineteenth c'n-
tury, is once more in New York and Iu aur-
Ance vile The old inan Is VOL aware oi
what is before him There gree indictments
enough on him to keep him in tie prnlten-
tisry three times Ms long as Ire is Likely to
live, and be will get the full leneiit OF them.
for no one dare say word for him. 1t is
curious how that old party went. Fi-k Was
shot. Genet. Sweeney and Connolly are
skulkine about Europe. and as f. broken
man, Tweed will die in tie peuitentlary, and
Tildeu-well, the less said about him the
better 1t may be little troublesome to be
honest, Mt times. hut IT is better. IN the long
run. TO keep on that side.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

.b;.l Bartlett, of Sharon. while IN .ns
woods chopping. the other day, was era'hsu h;,,
hy = tree falling On him, breaking ono mp mp
and forcing one eye oa. 81 !. Entertained. ~
little hope of his recovery is enter
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

Harry Moore died at Middlebury on satal- nin,,
day night from the effects oil the oIrns "n,sn m,a
H.. received at the burning Of his barn some
davs since. He suffered great agony from
ths time of the accident until his death,
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

Bradford is to have q lecture course this
winter under the auspices OF the temper
snce Reform Club.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
LEGISLATURE OF VERMONT.
Sc ENA1E.
Afternoon.
hONIPELlER, luesuay, No'
UNFINISHED BUsINEss.

s. III, an act to pay N. T. Sprague, Jr.,
and other persons the sums therein named
was returned by the House the amendments
not being concu-red in. The Senate insist
ed and asked for q committee Of confer
ence.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
Fashions

The felt bonnets are almost quakerish IN
their snug fit and close trimming. Bottle
green. black and dark ash gray are stylishly
worn. trimmed with heavy silk, OF silk and
velvet. 1t taksa a nice hand TO adjust the
trim ming which looks so modest. and Is so
precise. A silk binding or piping finishes
the brim even when there Is a velvet facing ,
three eights of bias silk at least Is laid IN
four or five folds close round the crown. re-
versed on the night side. and the ends snugly
tucked under on the left where they meet,
two standing loops in front and a feather OF
two living demurely over on the crown finish
the most stylish bonnets. Tho face trim-
ming Of some rich GS-hued velvet. Be
tween these close bonnets that are entirely
in quiet French taste, and the flowing plumes
and grace Of Gainsborough hat there Is COM
plete contrast and yet when well-worn, the
latter is as modest as the other. The Gains
borough needs only a scarf of soft rich SILK
drawn close about the crown set off 10y the
very soitest of curling feathers For last
item, the newest dress trimming Is button
with three drops, to be literally sprinkled
over costumes and cloaks making combl-
nation effect OF buttons and fringe together.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

is the old one Rich Cuban-young and
beautiful lady slips and falls-Cuban picks
her -acquaintance-Cuban fancies he has
a young, innocent. virtuous girl makes love
and finally takes her TO his house in Pough-
keepsie, as housekeeper. Intimacy girl
blossoms out not quite so innocent as Cuban
upposed-demands of money scheming
old father Cuban bleeds awhile. but finally
refuses. Shyster lawyer-suit for breach of
promise in which the girl swears everything
blue one way. and Cuban swears everything
black another. Crowds every day in the
court, and the jury gives the lady fifty dollars
damages. This, in brief, is the history OF
the Del Valle-Nlartinez case.
Yours, ALTON.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
'FERsoN &c ME-. ADAMS.

|
the other, the answer to i, from John Adam.
when 81, which are well worth reading and
treasuring up:
Mr.. JEFFERSON &c ME-. ADAMS
| MONTICELLO, June l, 1922
1t Is very long, my dear sir, since l have
written to you. My dislocated wrist is now
become SO stiff that write slowly and with
pain and therefore l write as little as l can.
ietltls dueto mutual friendship to ask once in
while how We do. The papers tell us that
Gen. Stark is off at tie age of ninety-three.
" still lives at about the same age, cheer
iul, slender as grasshopper, and so much
without memory that he scarcely recognizes
the members of his household. An intimate
friend of his called on him not long since
1t was difficult TO make him recollect who he
was, and sitting one hour he told the same
story four times over. Is this life?
With lab'ring step
To tread our former footsteps pace the round
Eternal Ito beat and beat
nhe beaten track-to see what we have seen
To the tasted-Oer our palstes to descant
Another vintagel
1t is, at most, but the life of cabbage,
surely not worth wish. When all our facul-
ties have left, or are leaving us one by one,
sight, hearing memory, every avenue of
pleasing sensation closed, and athumy, de
bility, and mal-aise left in their places when
the friends of our youth are all gone, and a
generation Is risen around whom we know
not lis death an evil?
When one by one our ties are torn,
And friend from friend is snatched forlorn
When man is lett alone 10 MOURN
Oh then, how sweet to die
When renbling limbs refuse their weight
And films slow gathering dim the sight,
When clouds obscure the mental isht,
lis natures kindest boon to die.
really think so. have ever dreaded
doating old age and my health has been
generally SO good that | dread it still. The
rapid decline of my strength, during the last
winter, has made me hope sometimes that
see land. During summer, | enjoy its tenn
perature, but | shudder at the approach of
winter, and wish | could sleep through it
with the dormouse. and only to wake with
him in spring, if ever. They say that Stark
could walk about his room am told that
you walk well and firmly. l can only reach
my garden, and that with sensible fatigue.
ride, however, daily , but reading is my de-
light. l should never, never put my pen to
paper and the more because of the treach-
erous practice some people have Of publish
ing ones letters without leave.
God bless You and give you health,
strength, good spirits. and as much of life as
you think worth having.
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

By Senator Waterman, that the secretary
be instructed to notify the Governor and
House Of Representatives that they had
completed the business OF The session and
were ready TO adjourn without day, adopted
From the House, relating TO International
Prison Congress adopted.
UNFiNlsHED BUSINESS.
Senator Spaulding moved a recOnsidera-
tion OF the Vol, q u-ing third reading Ct ii.
226, an act establishing the Cfhce Of attor-
ney general, and third reading ordered,
yeas IA nays l3.
The bill was refused a psssage-yeas IA,
nays II.
II IL, an act to pay Nathan I. Sprsgue
jr the sum therein named, was taken up,
and the Senate reetdCd from It's proposed
amendments.
H. 800. an act relating to Board { Agri-
culture, was taken up and the Senate voted
to adhere to its proposal oil amendment.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
Adams and Jefferson.

We reprint q couple of old-time letters,
one from Thomas Jeffelson, when so, and
the other, the answer to i, from John Adams
when 81, which are well worth reading and
treasuring up:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08

By Srrator Cushman. thanking Hon.
Redfeld Proctor, president OF the Senate ;
adopted.
By Senator Williams, thanking W. ".
Grout, president pro TEN; adopted.
By Senator S0wles. of thanks to F. ".
Baldwin, and {. ". Brownell, secretary
and assistant secretary; adopted.
By Senator Guild, thanking William A
Lord, reporter; adopted.
By Senator Mason, Of thanks to door
keeper and assistant doorkecper ard mes
senger>;. adopted.