davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
The Story of Rip Van Wrinkle.

In hollow of the Catskill mountains
is the scene of Rip Van Wrinkles en-
counter with the Dutch ghosts and the
bewitching fiagon. The story of Rip is
one of the most charming of Irving's
legends. He tells MS that he was good
for-nothing idler about the village tav-
ern that stood in the evening shadows
of these mountains, and was properly a
henpecked husband. Rip feared moth
ing so much as Dame Van Wrinkles
tongue, which was sharp and lively
when the good woman was irate. He was
much away with his dog and gun hunt
ing in the mountains. On one of these
occasions he heard the rumbling of the
ghostly nine-pins among the hills, which
often sounded in the ears of dwellers
near; and he soon came upon a queer
looking company, who were solemnly
and silently engaged in that game.
They were doubtless the ghosts of Hen
drick Hudson and his crew in carnal
form. He was introduced to them by q
man who was bearing q keg of liquor on
his shoulder. That liquor was poured
into fagon, out of which the ever
thirsty Rip drank freely, fell asleep, and
did not awake until twenty years had
passed away. ~
When Rip awoke, his first thought
was of his wife's tongue. "Oh, that
fagon that wicked fagon !" he ex-
claimed. "What shell l say to Dame
Van Winkle 2" Alas all had changed.
His rusty gun barrel, without stock,
lay by his side; his dog was gone; his
beard was white and flowing, and his
clothes were rags. What could it mean
AS he wandered back to the village, he
saw nothing that was familiar to him
mon, politics, the tavern, all were
changed. Everything was mystery to
him, and he was mystery to every
body. At length some recognitions oc-
Cured, and the first real happiness that
beamed in Rips dim eyes was when he
was assured that death had silenced
Dame Van Wrinkles tongue. His story
of the mysterious nine-pin players was
finally believed; and seven to this day,
said the romancer, "the Dutch inhabit-
ants never hear a thunder storm of a
summer afternoon about the Ilatskill
but they say Hendrick Hudson and his
crew are at their game of nine-pins."
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
Hating One Another.

Two Scotchmen occupied the same
cottage, each being bound to keep his
own side of the house well thatched.
They were sadly divided reigiously,
one being Burgher and the other an
anti-Burgher. After repeated battles
of words they were not on speaking
terms. One day these men We're at work
ON the roof, each thatching his own side,
and they met at the top and were forced
to look in each others faces. One OF
the men took off his cap, and scratching
his head said to the other: Johnnie,
you and me, think, has been very fool
ish to dispute as we have done concern
ing Christ's will about our kinks, until
we haze clean forgot His will aboot our
sells /; and so we hae fought SO bitterly
for what we Ca the truth that it has
ended in spite. Whatever is wrong,
it's perfectly certain that it never car
be RIGHT to the uncivil, unneighborly
uukind in fact, tae hate one anither
Ma, ma, that's the deevil's work, and nc
God'sl Moo, it strikes me that maybe
it's VII the kirk as wi this house yer,
working on ae side and me on tn,
t'ither, but if we only do our work wee
we will meet at the top at last. Gie'i
your ham, auld neegnbor |" So the,
shook hands and were the best of friend
ever after, -a-.' te5lI4- q
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
Curious Case of Poisoning.

The Niagara Falls Gazette gives the
particulars of a curious case of poison
ing which occurred in that village few
days ago. The wife of prominent
merchant was suddenly taken ill short
time after supper, and her symptoms
rapidly growing more and more serious,
physician was summoned. He imme-
diately detected symptoms of poisoning,
and upon questioning into the character
of the food the lady had eaten for sup
per learned that none of the family had
been able to drink the tea that had been
served that evening, on account of pc
culiar taste, which rendered it nauseous
and unpleasant. The singular flavor
was first noticed by daughter of the
lady referred to, but not until her moth
er had drank half cup of the decoc-
ton.
The doctor Immediately made an in
vestigation into the contents of the tea
kettle, and found that good sized cigar
stub had been boiled with the water
that had subsequently been used in
making the tea for supper. Upon max
ing this discovery the dangerous condi-
tion of the suffering lady became ap-
| parent, and most strenuous efforts were
made to save her life. For some time
it was feared that the poison would
battle every effort of medical skill, but
a strong constitution finally triumphed,
and at length the lady, who had suffered
| terribly, was declared out of danger.
The cigar stub which caused all the
trouble had been carelessly deposited on
the hot water tank of the stove by the
husband of the lady, and had subse-
quently been accidentally knocked into
the teakettle without attracting any no
| tica.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
The New Mexican Peniientes.

The New Mexican is very particular
about his religious observances
Throughout the Territory the Penitentcss,
on Holy Thursday, file into the April
twilight of the snow covered street to
the doleful music of shrill reed instru-
ment played by an attendant. They are
destitute of other clothing than thin
pair of drawers, and their beads and
faces are hidden in white cotton wraps,
30 that their neighbors may not, by
recognizing them, have cause to wonder
what crime they expiate. The leader
staggers under the weight of heavy
cross about twenty feet high, and his
companions, shivering with Nbld as the
wind beats their naked bodies, carry
thick punches of the thorny cactus in
their hands. The attendants place them
in position, and at o given signal the
procession moves, chanting q plaintive
HYMN to the time of the musicians
pipe. At every second step the men
strike themselves over the shoulders
with the cactus, leaving deeper scar
with each blow, until the skin is broken,
and the lacerated flesh pours its blood in
carmine trail on the snow. Several are
bound at the ankles by rawhide thongs,
dagger, pointed at both ends, being Sc
cured between the two feet in such q
way that when they stumble, it stabs
them in most sensitive part. The sight
becomes sickening with horror, and re-
pressed means of anguish fill the air as
the cactus brushes afresh the streaming,
qlivering wounds. No one is allowed to
retire, and when the cross bearer sinks
to the ground from exhaustion, the at
tendants quickly raise him and urge him
on again with his heavy burden. The
route is traced along the white road in
crimson footsteps, and after parading
the alleys of the town, the procession
turns off toward steep hill, in ascend
ing which their bare feet are cut to the
bone by the sharp projecting rocks.
The eminence gained, preparations are
made for a new and surprising torture.
The cross is laid upon the ground, and
the bearer is so firmly bound to it by
lengths of rawhide that the circulation
of the blood is retarded, and a gradual
discoloration of the body follows. His
arms are outstretched along the trans
verse beam, to which q sword, pointed at
both ends like the dagger before men,
| toned, is attached, and if he allows them
to drop single inch from their original
| position, the weapon penetrates the
| flesh. Amidst the unearthly groans OF
the bystanders and the shrill piping OF
the musician the cross is raised, and the
crucifed turns his agonized face to
heaven, while the blood slowly tricklef
from his wounds and livid hue over
spreads his skin. How long he remains
is merely a question of endurance, fol
eventually he loses consciousness, and
not until then is he released. At the
conclusion of this barbarous perform
ance, which occasionally results il
death, the Penitentes return, and the
celebration is brought to close.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
DesOlate Travelling i'm Spain.

A correspondent of the London Times,
travelling through the Spanish province
of Murcia, was struck by the loneliness
of the journey and the absence of life
and animation scarcely equaled in any
other part of Europe. He says: An
other matter that would strike the
stranger and cause moments uneasi-
ness might be the fact that two civil
guards, fully armed, accompany the
coach, their rifle muzzles protruding out
of the windows of the berlina, which
seat they occupy, giving an i'd at once
of insecurity and security. This road
was once notorious for its bands of rob-
bers, hardly week passed without the
coach being stopped and robbed; but
now relays of civil guards posted along
the roads have effectually cleared the
distance of such pests. On an English
highway, again one meets many a well
ordered gentleman's carriage, and sees
many an outlaying house sleeping in its
quiet belt of trees; but on these roads,
of outlaying houses there are scarcely
any, save in the immediate suburbs of 8
town, and of carriage travelling there is
marvelously small amount. Indeed
with all classes, travelling is the excep
tion and not the rule. Hundreds of the
poorer classes have never even visited
the nearest town or city. The thinnesf
of the population also presents another
feature in these parts, as do the gaudy
and ever picturesque costumes OF the
women, contrasting with the snowy gar
ments of their mates, as they work III
the gardens.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
Describing a Pastor.

A blind phrenologist lectured the
other night at a church in Troy. There
was large crowd of ladies and gentle
men present. At the close OF the lecture
a committee was appointed to select
candidate for examination. The lucky
man was the Presbyterian pastor of the
city. The blind man of science pro-
ceeded to say that the doctor was very
fond of the fair sex-in fact, as jose
phus said to Solomon, "immoderately
fond of women;" that if his wife were
to die he would lose no time in looking
out for another; that he had splendid
appetite, loved good eating, and liked
to "dine out" and was sure to make it
understood when he did that the doctor
was there, etc. -.....
Some one in the audience wanted to
know about his religion. The sightless
scientist replied Publicly he is very
religious, but privately he is not troubled
with piety; he has fine mechanical
head, and, while he would make fine
blacksmith, he would not make much OF
preacher" -es-
Here the doctor turned very red il
the face, and said : "Sir, have beer
a preacher of the Gospel for forty
years !" --'s % t'- rs
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
THE BLACK HILLS.
Sorry Condition of the Seeking Miners--
Movements of the Military Expedition.

sorry Condition Of the Seeking NIiners--
Movements of the Military Expedition.
Parties of frightened miners, who
have hastily left the Black Hills and
pushed southwark with all convenient
speed, daily arrive at Cheyenne, Wyo-
ming Territory, bringing melancholy
stories. The mining settlements will
soon be deserted unless the terror of
returning aero 8 the open plains, which
are now infested by bands of blood
thirsty Sioux, should counterbalance in
the minds of the unfortunates the hard
ships and perils of remaining where
they are. Food and ammunition they
report to be very scanty there and held
by traders at fabulous prices. Many of
the repentant immigrants suffer from
enforced fasting, except when they may
chance to secure small supplies of wild
game, which has become very shy. The
majority of them have ventured and
lost their all in seeking the fancied Ell
Dorado. They are depleted not only
in purse but in health and spirits.
Those who have reached Cheyenne say
that the Sioux are in the heart of the
Black Hills skulking among the rocks
and in the canyons, and opening a
treacherous fire upon white men when
ever they can reach them. They can
neither hunt nor dig for fear of the un-
seen foe. John Kelly, Martin Dean and
John Golden, members of party of
ninety which escaped from the Hills, re-
late their discovery of three white men
on their outward way dead and scalped
near Mountain City, twenty-five miles
north of Custer. One of them had
been tomahawked, and their wagon was
riddled with balls. Dead horses and
mules lay along the trail. In Cold
Springs canyon they found the corpse
of another invader killed by wound
given behind and scalped. d
It is reported that Jim Sanders, o
gallant scout and hunter, has been
butchered by the Sioux near Iron creek,
in the Black Hills. The returned
miners, who are of course terrified by
their experience, say it is impossible for
the squatters to hold out against want
and the Indians long. There are only
two alternatives, to risk O massacre on
the plains or to submit to be picked of
and starved to death in the Hill country.
The settlements have already lost by
departure and demise two-thirds of
their inhabitants. Custer City once
claimed 1900 souls and has now only
300. Hill City has 200 empty cabins
and twenty miners; Mountain City six
cabins and two inhabitants. The Dead
wood and Whitewood gulches, where
there were 1000 people, contain now
but 200; Little Beaver and Potato
gulches have about twenty-five men;
in Bear gulch there are two women.
This census was taken by Allen Haight,
who was mail carrier for the miners.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
To BrOiI n Steak,

First see that the fire is clear and not
too much of it; open wide all the drafts,
to carry off all the smoke that is made
during the process of broiling; then see
that the gridiron is smooth and quite
clean, rub it well with whiting or chalk,
lay on your steak. Do not pound it.,
nor, after it is on the fire, stick fork
into it, or the juice will escape. Neither
salt nor pepper it; do that on the dish.
Throw a little salt on the fire, and put
over the steak: place the gridiron close
on the range for the first few minutes,
to carbonize the surface, then turn it
over quickly to carbonize the other side.
Now it should be exposed TO a slower
fire, to do which place two bricks on
theft edges, and lest the gridiron on
them. The steak should be turned re-
peatedly and carefully, and when it feels
rather firm to the touch it is rare, and if
so liked it should be taken of, laid II a
hot dish, on which one and one-half
ounces of butter has been melted, less
than one-half teaspoonful of salt, pinch
of white pepper and one teaspoonful of
chopped parsley, we'll mixed; lay the
steak on one side and then on the other.
Serve Immediately.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
The Song of 1875.

lHt SUilS VI lCtOs
Waken, voice of the lands devotion
Spirit of freedom, awaken all!
Ring, We shores to the song Of ocean,
Rivers answer and mountains call
The golden day has come;
Let every tongue be dumb,
That sounded its malice or murmured its fears
She hath won her story;
She wears her glory;
We crown her the land OF a bundled yearsl
Out of darkness and tell ard danger,
Into the light Of victory's day,
Help to the weak and home to the stranger,
Freedom to all, she hath held her way,
Now Europe's orphans rest
Upon her mother breast;
The voices of nations are heard in the cheers
That shall cast upon her
New love and honor,
And crown her the queen Of hundred years
North and South, we are met as brothers
East and West, we are welded as one;
Right OF each ehsll secure our mothers;
Child OF each is her faithful son
We give thee heart and hand
Our glorious native land,
For battle has tried thee and time endears
We will write thy story,
And keep thy glory
As pure as of old for a Thousand years
-Bdyard Taylor.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
A Venerable Slab.

1t is odd that just now a marble slab
should be unearthed in the military park
in Newark, N. j., containing the follow
ing inscription The citizens of
Newark, in grateful commemoration of
the fiftieth anniversary of American in
dependence, have on this fourth day OF
July, A. d. 1926, deposited this stone as
foundation of a monumental memorial
here to be erected; and when the dilapi-
dation of time shall discover this in
scription to future generations, may the
light of the Gospel illuminate the whole
world."- The memorial has never beer
built; and the hope expressed has hardl,
been fulfilled. ~ y a. 4--A. .
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01

The Spanish troops recently killed a
man named Troilan Garcia, in Cuba,
who was formerly Spanish soldier, but
having had some punishment inflicted
ON him by the commander of his detach-
ment, deserted to the rebels, and at the
head of few chosen men had ever since
devoted himself to the work of revenge
on the particular company to which he
had belonged. He had continually lurk-
ed in their neighborhood, picking of
one straggler after another, until he had
killed thirty-seven men of the company,
besides the parti .ular officer who had
punished him.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
Dogs in Nevada.

The worst nuisances are the little
dogs; they are not much on the fight
themselves, but are remarkably success
full in starting and urging on fights.
Two little ours will commence by snarl-
ing at each other, and in less time than
a cat can wink its tail the surface of the
full width of the street for the length of
a block will be covered with sea OF
surging, swapping, growing dogs, and
out of the chaos it is possible that there
may come one fully-developed, square
up and-down dog fight, and then the
little dogs take seats in the dress circle
and watch the fun.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
Cooperative Vine Growing i'm Cali
fOrnia.

The vineyard men of Sonoma valley
have taken the matter of wine making
in their own hands, and hereafter the
profits will inure to the benefit of the
producers and not to manufacturers.
Last year number of the vine growers
in and around Sonoma, with Senator
Hill at the head, determined not to sell
their grapes for S12 a ton, the highest
price offered by distillers and wine
makers. Accordingly they joined in
with their capital and formed joint
stock company, about five hundred acres
being They rented build
ing and employed q thorough man to
take charge of the business. They last
year made something over 100000 gal
Ions of vino and brandy, and instead of
selling their grapes for $12 ton they
were enabled to pay the stockholders as
the rate of about 800 ton, end for
Riesling grapes as high as $3.50. This
is simply the price paid to the stock
holders for their grapes, and in addition
to this they will receive a dividend from
the wine sold. Each holder of share
of stock is entitled to furnish one ton of
grapes. The company have an agent
dplOdit VIII ultNtO NClJ hiNdh-
tageous sales, although the wine is not
yet ripe for market.
Such corporations as these will no
doubt beeventually established through
out the State, and by this means alone
can wine growers hope to get the value
of their crops. 1t costs proportionately
less to take care of large lot of grapes
than for each farmer to work up his own
crop, and by this means the most i'm
proved machinery can be brought into
use. and experienced men employed to
take charge.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
Fashion Notes.
Fringes are very fashionable.
H,,;,,,,ro 1oooo aro not faabionob1n

Fringes are very fashionable.
Guipure laces are not fashionable.
The coaching hat is the latest novelty
in millinery.
Alsace gingham is a beautiful new
wash fabric.
Riding hats are very tall and slightly
bell crowned.
Long sweeping Mercutio plumes are
worn on coaching hats.
Percales, cambrics, and all wash goods
dresses are made up in composite Co.'S
tunes. a .u .
Black garnet jewelry has been revived
for second mourning and plain demi-
toiletes.
Capote bonnets require strings, for
which barbes of lace or gauze ribbon
| are used.
Gilt and steel buttons are coming in
| vogue for dressy costumes of silk and
wool fabrics.
English round hats are worn by young
girls and capote bonnets by young mar
| ried women in Paris.
Fine double and single ostrich plumes
are more worn this summer than they
have been for years.
Dark prune, dark blue, and dark
brown are favorite colors for calico, per-
Gale, cambria and lawn, are more fash
ionable this summer than last.
| Marguerites with brown, black, or
yellow centers and of various sizes are
in demand for summer hat trimmings.
A novelty just introduced is wool and
silk gauze in all shades for the crowns
of bonnets, for fichus, cravats and
scarfs. .'....
| Oriental scarfs with arabesque and
geometric designs following the Indian
and Persian types are among the new
evening wraps.
The Dubarry coat, garment resem
bling in shape gentleman's swallow
| tailed dress coat, but trimmed with
plaitings, lace, or other feminine garni
ture, is the rage of the moment in
Paris. .... ',...-.
The latest novelty in lace is the Esther
necklace, production in American lace.
1t is made of Honiton, applique, round
point or any lace preferred with lace
lockets and lace charms hanging from
| it.
The lace strings of opera bonnets are
sometimes trimmed with chains of deli
cate flowers, such as daisies, forget
nots, violets, and buttercups, sewed fiat
on them to form garlands that encircle
the face and neck.
The very long kid gloves, reaching
almost to the elbow, worn with Centen-
NAL costumes, have seven buttons which
form row on the outer edge of the
arm where the glove onens, instead OF
beneath as in the ordinary kid glove.
English Isle thread gloves, we'll cut
and fitting exquisitely over the hand
and wrist, are preferred to kid for travel
ing and ordinary summer wear. They
have three, four, five and six buttons,
but those with three buttons really look
best.
The Gainsborough is handsome new
hat in Panama chip. The crown is high,
the brim droops on one side and rolls on
the other. 1t is trimmed with very
long double ostrich plume, which is
passed around the crown and sweeps
the shoulder.
From lie Bon Ton we learn that
Ground skirts are no longer worn ex-
cept in the morning or travelling; for
visiting, for walking, or for races all
dresses are trimmed; we'll bred lady
holds her skirts up in her hand out Of
. | doors"
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01

was transmitted to him by grandson,
and he received it in the ninety fourth
year of his age, with a deep feeling of
pride and pleasure. He kept it con
stantly by his side, cherishing and pre-
serving it till the day of his death as
memento of his early years.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01
THE CAr-"Ma! does pa kiss the

The CAT-" Ma does pa kiss the
cat ?" "Why, no my son, what in
the name of goodness, put that in your
head ?" "'Cos, when pa came down
stairs this morning he kissed Sarah in
the hallway and said: That's better
than kissing that old cat up stairs, amt
it, Sarah p" And that, people say, is
the reason why Smith stayed in the hos
pital for nearly two months. E
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-01

A French giantess has married the
wandering Skeleton" wonderfully thin
man, attached to the show with which
she travels. She wanted husband she
could see through.