davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
The Cost Of PlumagQ.

There is no lady deserving of the
name who could witness without feel
ing of horror the process of preparing
for use the feathered beauties which
form such conspicuous ornaments in the
present style of women's hats. If those
who wear such ornaments knew the
tortures to which these helpless little
creatures are subjected, and the heart
less cruelty with which the business is
carried on, they would shrink from even
indirect completely in it. OF course the
impression prevails that all birds used
for personal decoration are killed i'm
mediately when caught and prepared in
the ordinary way by taxidermists but
here is where the mistake is made. The
birds are taken alive, and while living
the skin is skillfully stripped from their
quivering, ghastly bodies. By this pro-
cess it is claimed the feathers retain q
firmer hold upon the skin. Such is the
method by WHICH all birds used in the
decoration of ladies' hats are prepared.
Think of the exquisite humming bird,
the blue bird, the cardinal bird, the
oriole, and numberless others of beauti-
full plumage, struggling beneath the
knife of the heartless operator think of
this, tender hearted ladies, as your ad-
miring gaze rests on the latest novelties
in fashion by which our city bellies are
crowned! Hundreds of thousands OF
birds of the brightest plumage arc liter
ally fayed alive every year, and 80 long
as our ladies will consent to wear such
ornaments, just SO long will this crue
business continue. The Baroness Bur-
dette- Coutts has placed herself at the
head of movement in England de-
signed to put an end to the brutal busi
ness, and it is to be hoped that she will
meet with cordial encouragement and
co. operation on this side of the Atlantic.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
Sandwich Islands Surf Bathing.

Says writer: 1t is very exciting,
but the sea was not very rough. The
surf board is n rough plank shaped like
coffin lid, about two feet broad and
from six to nine feet long. The men,
dressed only in malos, carrying their
boards under their arms. waded out
from the rocks on which the surf was
breaking, and, pushing their boards be-
fore them, swan out to the first line Of
breakers, and then, diving down, were
seen no more till they reappeared as a
number of black heads bobbing about
like corks in the water. What they seek
il very high roller, on the top of which
they leap from behind, diving face
downward on their boards. As the
waves speed on and the bottom strikes
the ground the top breaks in huge
comber. The swimmers appeared pos
ing themselves on its highest edge by
dexterous movements of their hands and
feet, keeping just at the top of the curl,
but always apparently coming down hill
with slanting motion. So they rode in
majesticallr, always just ahead of the
breaker, CT ed shoreward by it's mighty
impulse at 40 rate Of forty miles an
hour, yet seeming to have volition of
their own, as the more daring riders
knelt and even stood on their surf
boards, waving their arms and uttering
exultant cries. They were always ap-
parently on the verge of ingulfment by
the fierce breaker whose towering white
crest was ever above and just behind
him; but just as one expected to see
them dashed to pieces, they either waded
quietly ashore, or, sliding off their
boards, dived under the surf, taking ad-
vantage of the undertow, and were next
seen far out at sea, preparing for fresh
exploits. The great art seems to be to
mount the roller precisely at the right
time, and to keep exactly on its crest
just before it breaks.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
A Dying Lover Married.

An unusual marriage took place in
Omaha, Neb., the parties thereto being
Spencer Wright and Miss Bessie
Roberts, daughter of United States
Deputy Collector John Roberts. The
ceremony took place at the house where
the young man boarded, as he was too
ill to be removed elsewhere. The Rev.
L. +. Britt, pastor of the First Metho-
dist church, performed the ceremony.
Mr.. Wright has been failing in health
very rapidly of late, and the physicians
here having given him up, his father,
who is merchant tailor in New York
city, arrived to take his son home to
die of consumption. Miss Roberts, to
whom young Wright has long been
affianced, decided to go East with her
dying lover, and give him all the care
and attention that her love could prompt
in his dying hours, and the better to
enable her to care for him, she decided
to have the marriage ceremony per.
formed before the journey to New York
was undertaken. While the wedding
was sad in its attendant circumstances,
it was lightened up with the great cheer
fulness manifested by the bride in TAX
ing up her labor of love.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
Presence Of Mind.

"Dora" was being enacted in a
Western city where the choice of actors
is not great. and Mary Morrison, on
making her exit to bring on her little
Willie, of four years, was shocked to
find lubberly boy of at least fourteen,
who must go on, as no other was to be
had. The Farmer Allen of the play was
no doubt equally shocked to sec Mary
coming upon the stage with boy near
ly as big as herself. What was worse,
the audience began to litter. But Farm
er Allen was equal to the emergency,
and instead of asking "How old are
you, my little boya" said: elbow old
are you, my strapping fellowl" proba-
bly, hoping that the boy would have the
good sense to give an age more suitable
to his size. The boy, however, with
painful fidelity to the book, and in a
sepulchral voice that made the answer
all the more preposterous, said /: "Four
to five, grandpapa." Forty-fve |"
exclaimed the other, cheerfully "you
look it, my boy, you look it p There
was laugh at the moment, but the
play was saved from shipwreck. 1t was
told of famous tragedian that at the
close of an act in which he had been tho
prominent character, a goose's head was
thrown upon the stage by some one who
had a spite against him. The tragedian
picked it up, handed it to one of the
Others to take away, and said, with per-
feet nonchnlance "Tho gentleman
who has thrown his head upon the stage
eau get it back at the close of the pes
formance."
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
Sensitive Flame.

OF all producers of so-called mysteri-
ous sounds, DR.. Tyndall's sensitive or
vowel fame is one of the most curious.
Out of a particular kind of gas, with q
burner Of peculiar construction, the
learned professor produces n lighted jet
of flame nearly two feet in height, ex-
tremely narrow, and so exquisitely y SEN
sitive to sounds that it sings and dances
up and down in response to everything
that is sung or said, with different de-
grees of sensibility for different vowel
Sounds. "The slightest tap on dis
tant anvil reduces its height to seven
inches. When bunch of keys is shak-
Ell, the fame is violently agitated ard
emits a loud roar. The dropping OF o
sixpence into hand already containing
coin, at distance of twenty yards,
knocks the flame down. It is not posi-
bic to walk across the floor without agi-
tating the flame. The creaking Of boots
sets it in violent commotion. The
crumpling or tearing Of paper, or tho
rustic of silk dress, does the same. 1t
is startled by the patter of rain-drop.
hold q watch near the flame; nobody
hears its ticks, but you oil see their
effect upon the fame; at every tick it
falls and roars. The winding mp OF the
watch also produces tumult. The twt
tering of distant sparrow shrieks in
the flame; the note of cricket would
do the same. A chirrup from distance
of thirty yards causes it to fall and
roar" In reference to the power of the
fame to respond to poetry, the lecturer
said: "The fame selects from tho
sounds those to which it can respond; it
notices some by the slightest nod, to
others it bows more distinctly, to somo
its obeisance is very profound, while
to many sounds it turns an entirely deaf
ear"
So long as the cause of any unusual
sound is unexplained to the non,scien-
tifc listener, he is apt, naturally enough,
to term that sound mysterious; but the
element of mystery will disappear when
he is assured that sounds OF every de-
are due to natural AID unalter
able acoustic principles.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
A Frightful Mania.

There is something alarming about
the part of the confession of Piper, the
belfry murderer, of Boston, in which he
says that he killed his victim under the
influence of an insane desire to shed
blo6. Others cases of this kind of
mania have frequently been brought to
light. 1t has in some instances existed
as an almost uncomfortable predisposi-
tion. After it has been once gratified,
without discovery or punishment, by q
man possessed of it, the desire for a
further qualification OF it is apt to in
crease in intensity, while at the same
time the cunning of the criminal grows
with his experience in murder. Two
women with this mania, who made away
with several victims, have appeared in
American criminal records as poisoners,
within recent years and some time ago
there were a man aud woman possessed
of it in France, who jointly made away
with over twenty victims. Piper of
Boston killed q girl and a woman, and
attempted the life of another woman
aud, if he had not been caught, he
would doubtless have kept up his muir
derous practices, II Is dangerous TO
have persons with this mania q. large.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
Fashion Notes.

Striped India shawls for travelling.
Fly fringe is a novelty in trimmings.
Modification of last winters styles for
children.
The porte bonhes.r bracelets continue
to be popular.
English Grape is tho trimming for
mourning costumes.
Children of both sexes wear solid
colors in stockings.
| Henrietta cloth takes the lead among
mourning fabrics.
Present fashions in mourning admit
some white about the neck.
Fine rubies are rarer than aLy other
jewels, and far more costly.
Straw and silk embroidery vic with
flowers for favor as trimmings.
Shopping bracelets are composed of
chain with pencil attached.
Ball dresses, as a rule, have pointed
bodices, and lace at the back.
A combination of platinum and gold
is universal among gentlemen for orna-
ments.
Much ecru is to be seen in both COS
tunes and toilets, and in all the acces-
sories.
White muslin dresses are made with
cuirass bodices, deep tabliers and demi-
trains.
Toilets for evening are fresh and
light; the season for rich heavy ma
terial is over.
Wool Titan braids in all shades are
chosen for trimming de bege and other
woolen materials.
Cream is universally worn for evening
toilettes, and much trimmed with
grasses of every variety.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
An Early Day Story.

The Schuyler mansion in Albany was
the theater of romance in the summer
Of 1881. General Schuyler was not
then in active military service, but, at
his house at Albany or at Saratoga, he
was the vigilant eye OF the northern de-
partment. His person as prisoner was
desired by the British, and a party of
Indians was sent to capture him. As
the twilight of sultry day in August
was yielding to the night, Schuyler and
his family were sitting in the great hall
of the mansion; the servants were about
the premises; three of the guard were
asleep in the basement, and the other
three were lying on the grass in front
| OF the mansion. A servant announced
that person Mt the back cato wished to
speak with the general. His errand was
understood. Tho doors and windows of
the mansion were Immediately closed
and barred, the family were gathered in
an upper room, and the general ran to
his bedroom for his arms. Looking out
of a window, lie saw the house surround
ed by armed men. To alarm the town,
half mile distant, he fred a pistol from
his window. At the same moment the
intruders burst open the front door. At
that instant Mrs. Schuyler perceived
that in the confusion she had left her in
FAINT in cradle in the hall below. She
was about to rush down the stairs after
it, when the general interposed and pre-
vented her. Her third daughter, Mar
garet, instantly flew down the great
stairway, sIatched the sleeping babe
from the cradle, and bore it up to its
mother. One of the Indians hurled a
sharp tomahawk at her. It's keen blade
just grazed the infants head, and was
buried in the railing of the stair.
Meyer, supposing her to be servant,
called to her, as she flew up the stairs:
"Where's your master?" With quick
thought she exclaimed, MS she reached
the verge of the upper hall: "Gone to
alarm the townr" Her father heard
her, and with as quick thought threw
up win low and call I'd out, as to null
titude: "Come on, my brave fellows
Surround the house, and secure the vii
lains p The. alarmed marauders, who
were plundering the generals dining
room OF the plate, fed in haste, carrying
away some Of the booty. That infant
was the late Mrs. Catherine Van
Rennselaer Cochran, General Schuyler's
youngest child, who died at Oswego in
the summer of 1857.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03

"Oh, you have come at last, Charley,
and have waited so long and so impa-
tiently for you."
"You have missed me, then9"
"My heart misses you always, but
especially to-day, for You know it is tho
Anniversary OF our wedding day"
"And are you happy on this our we'd
ding day, Nary" hs asked, counting
back to the dreary days when their
welded happiness came we'll nigh being
lost.
IAN my life is happiness.
"Thank God And now, my perfect
little housekeeper, allow me to compli-
ment this pretty table and elegant din
ner. Mary, do you remember when YOU
once thought 1t impossible to learn to
manage your household affairs in the
manner I then unreasonably demanded
OF my child wifea What, darling, ever
changed you soi Who taught you to
keep house ?"
Glove" answered tho proud young
matron, and with humbly bowed heads
and grateful hearts tho fond young hus-
band and the faithful wife renewed the
vows Of fidelity, to be kept until "death
do us part. "-Housekeeper.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
A Heroic Wife's Death.

The Detroit (Mish.) Tribune says /:
An old blind man, named Daniel ..
Heron, has lately been travelling with
his aged wife across the country from
Dubuque, Iowa, begging their way, and
following the line of the railroad racks.
They reached Ecorse, on the Canada
Southern track, and sat down to rest
upon trestle bridge at point wher /,
the road makes sudden curve, and
while partaking of a lunch were sur
prised by passenger train, which came
around the curve at full speed, and was
upon them almost before they were
aware of their danger. The old lady
sprung to her feet, and made a heroic
effort to drag her sightless husband from
the track. She saved his life, but lost
her own, for she had scarcely push I'd
him from the fatal rails when the pilot
of the engine struck her with terrible
force. Her body was mangled in
frightful manner, and fell through the
trestleing into tho river. Her remains
were taken - Detroit. Her hpsbai q
was injured By the steps OF We snsiaea
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
UNTIL DEATH DO US PART.
DRY FOR YOUNG WIVES.

"Oh, auntie, I want to die now
What is life worth without his love r.
The warm light of the fire shed its
bright glow upon the soft, fair, troubled
brow, the deep spiritual eyes, and per-
fectly formed crimson lips of beautiful
young creature, as she threw herself
into chair, and addressed these words
to silver haired old lady at her side:
"Hush. Mary, my poor child, you
must not speak thus. What is the
trouble? I have long feared you and
Charles were not living happily, but 1
refrained from asking questions, fearing
might wound your feelings"
"And so you would have done, Aunt
Agnes, had you mentioned the subject a
week ago; for, although I have been
wretchedly miserable for the last six
months, would have gone to the stake
before I would have admitted it; but
now everybody knows it, and I have
come to you for comfort"
And the young wife wept bitterly.
Everybody knows it I do not un-
derstand you, my child. What has
happened ?"
Wiping the tears from hereyes, pretty
Mary Stanwood,. the bride of only u
year, begun:
You know I have never pleased
Charles in anything since we went to
housekeeping. can't sew, I can't cook,
nor do anything else; in q word, / am no
housekeeper. And he has q perfect
mania for neatly kept house, we'll set
table, well cooked dinner, and a tidy
wife. I know, auntie, it all seems very
foolish to you, but it is great trial to
me. Ihave tried, and can'tlearn; per-
haps would have made more progress
If Charley had acted differently, hut
when l make an effort he never praises
me for it, and if fail, he ridicules me
until l have just given up trying, and
have left things to Jane, who, you know,
is very Indifferent servant. Yesterday
morning the steak was burnt, the coffee
was muddy; to-day the bread was heavy,
the eggs overdone, the beef raw. Char
ley flew into a passion and said great
many unkind things as he arose from
his untasted breakfast. And when 1
cried, and said l wished 1 was at home
with mamma, he said he wished SO too
and many things I could not repeat"
And Mary Stanwood's voice completely
broke down.
Soothing her gently, Mrs. Allen, the
good aunt, who had known and loved
the spoiled child from her babyhood,
said
"Mary, how deeply I sympathize
with you is more than 1 can express"
"Oh, auntie, have not told you the
worst pet. When Charley left home he
went straight to Annie Glenn and spent
several hours there, and he does this
very often. She bus won his love from
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
Centennial Notes.

France appropriates $40, 900 to send
mechanics OF every class to the Centen'
nial. All French industries, including
agriculture, will be represented in the
delegation.
The Centennial commissioners are
very liberal with passes. OF the large
attendance on the first day only 70, ZIG
paid their money, AMI since that time
this number has run down to 10, 900 and
$4,000.
Tho non paying attendants are now
announced as 200 in number among
the exhibitors and their assistants, 1911
among tho general officials, 225 among
the judges, 100 more to the State boards,
and over 500 to the press.
A pretty pavilion has been built by
the Portuguese government nearly op-
posite the Pennsylvania educational
building. 1t is one story high within
and two without, and is surrounded by
wide piazzas. The Portuguese commits
sioners have their offices here.
There are two French restaurants on
the grounds. One of them goes on the
principle that nobody will be caught
in it the second time, and that it must
therefore get all the money it can out Of
chance customers who have been drawn
to it by it's famous name. The other is
obviously kept by an Americanized
Frenchman.
The partial relief to visitors to the
Exhibition which was given by the abo-
lition of the rule requiring two fifty
cent notes (or pieces) for two persons
instead Of one dollar, has been receded
from by the managers. They still insist
upon the fifty cent fraction. They do
this, they say, because Of the greater
facility in handling crowds and detect
ing counterfeits.
The parade Of the Knights Templars
in June will, if the programme and
promise OF numbers in attendance is
fulfilled, be the most gorgeous in the
annals of Masonry. Some rate the num-
Der Of expected Knights at more than
twenty thousand, exclusive of the Phila-
delphia organizations. Minor vista
tions Of military societies, press clubs,
etc., will greatly diversity the scene
until the great day on which Mr.. Evarts
is to enliven it with his oration.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-03
That Little Lamb.
Items OF Interest.

Kit Carson had 10, 900 hair. breadth Of
capes, and then suffered the humilia-
tion Of dying at tho heels Of Mexican
mule.
The boy who started from homo to
walk to the Centennial is being picked
up hungry and repentant by policemen
in all parts Of the country.
That was a pretty conceit OF little
three-year-old who, when gathering
flowers and finding one with an unusual.
ly short stem, exclaimed that he "found
il sitting down."
"I narrowly escaped being cut of
with shilling" said solemn young
man. I" How did you escape it ?" asked
a bystander. "My father had no shil-
ling" was the solemn reply.
A conte,npory, describing boat race,
alludes to the "flashing Of 10000 eyes
and the plaudits of twice as many fair
hands," What lot of one-eyed women
there must have been at that race
"Why is it, my dear SIR" said Waf-
fles' landlady to him the other day,
"that you newspaper men never get
rich ?" ~ do not know" was his re-
ply, "except it is that dollars and sense
do not always travel together"
The Philadelphia Inquirer strongly
urges the reduction of the price of adj
mission to the Exposition from fifty to
twenty-five cents, on the ground that
the present charge will virtually close
the doors against hundreds of thousands
of workingmen and their families.
The New Orleans Picay,tne says that
the telegraph art has reached such
perfection that long courtships have
been maintained between persons hun
dreds of miles apart, and some love-
sick telegraphist has ev, n invented
telegraphic sign for loves first sweet
kiss.
A clean tooth does not decay. Acids
and sour fruit always injure the teeth
instantly; sweets never do; without
them children would die, hence their
Unsuitable instincts for sugar. If q
tooth powder was never used tho toeth
would not be SO white; but, kept PER
fectly clean, would last for life.
The editor of Western paper has
medical authority for stating that i'll
some cases if liquid food be applied to
the body, it will merely, by being ab
sorbed, sustain life. The editor had a
molasses jug forcibly applied to himself,
and his head not only increased in size,
but it has been sweet looking head
ever since.
While barber Of Niles, Mich, was
shaving customer the other day, he be-
came tangled up in an epileptic spasn.
After the customer had lost slice off
the neck and narrowly escaped sever
ance of the jugular vein, he modestly
suggested that he would wait for "the
next" as he never did like close shay
ing.
A countryman, with his bride, stop
ped at hotel the other day. At din
ner, when the waiter presented bill of
fare, the young maninquired: "What's
that 2" "That's n bill of fare," said
the waiter. The countryman took it in
his hands, looked inquiringly at his wife
and then at the waiter, and finally dove
into his pocket and insinuatingly in
quired How much is it Z"