davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
How Feather Ornaments are Obtained.

Our lady readers probably have but
little idea of the process used in prepar-
ing the feather ornaments which are now
so commonly worn upon the bats of the
fair sex. If those who wear such orpa-
ments knew the tortures to which these
helpless little creatures are subjected,
and the heartless cruelty with which the
business is carried OH, they would shrink
from every indirect complicityin in it, or
course the impression prevails that all
birdsare killed Immediately when caught,
and prepared in the ordinary way by
taxidermists; but here is just where the
mistake is made. The birds are taken
alive, and while living the skin is skill
fully stripped from their quivering,
CHASTITY bodies. BY this process it Is
claimed the feathers retain frmer hold
upon the skin. Such is the method by
which all birds used in the decoration of
ladies are prepared. Think of the ex-
quisite humming bird, the blue bird, the
cardinal bird, the oriole, and numberless
others of beautiful plumage, struggling
beneath the knife Of the heartless opera
tor; think of this, tender.hearted ladies,
az your admiring gaze rests on the latest
novelties of fashion by which our city
bellies are crowned Hundreds of thou
sands of birds of the brightest plumage
are literally fayed alive every year, and
so long as our ladies will consent to wear
such ornaments, just so long will this
cruel business continue. The Baroness
Burdette- Coutts has placed herself at the
head of movementin England designed
to put an end to the brutal business, and
it is to be hoped that she will meet with
cordial encouragement and cooperation
on this side of the Atlantic.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
A Canal Over the Alleghanies.
philadelphia Times.l

For the space of one hundred years
there has been in almost perpetual agita-
tion a scheme of running canal over
the Alleghanies to connect the Potomac
River and the Youghiogheny. General
Washington first conceived it, and be-
came the first President of the Potomac
Company. The illustrous General
Simon Bernard, Secretary of War of
Louis Philippe, and staff officer of Napo-
leon, surveyed the route about 1917. The
canal has been completed to the coal
field at Cumberland, and sends coal to
Washington City for about fifty cents
ton tolls. 1t will cost to run it over the
mountains $5O,0O0,000, with very
doubtful probabilities of securing water
enough to float the barges at that great
height, and effect.the monstrous lockages.
The last performance in this direction is
the private enterprise of Senator Henry
Davis. He has cleaned out the channel
of the North Branch of the Potomac, a
narrow, rock.strewn torrent, which rises
at the Fairfax Stone, and is often nearly
dry bed. This river runs along the
southern base of the Backbone Noun
tain, whose scarps are covered with large
timber. Davis hoped to make this stream
carry off the logs he should fell on the
Mountains, where he has bought vast
tract of timber-from $4,000 to $4,000
acres, at less than two dollars an acre
but the water has not been sufficient to
fully carry out his objects.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
Custer's Pack Of Hounds.
Philadelphia Press.


General Custer, it will be remembered,
was nearly always accompanied by a
pack of hounds. They went with him
on his Indian raids, and were terrible
fighters. If we ever get at the whole
truth of the Little Big Horn butchery,"
it may appear that some of his dogs took
part in that affair. The following letter,
published in current number of WilkeS's
Spirit of the Times, is peculiarly interest
ing at this time:
ST. PAUL, MIN, July IA.
Dear Spirit: am, to-day, in receipt of q
letter from Mrs. Custer, widow Of General
Custer, asking me if 1 couldn't provide
homes for pack of stag hounds and pack
of fox hounds. Our State laws forbid the
running of deer with dogs, because the In
dians shoot them, so that hounds are no use
here; but have written Mrs. Custer to ship
them all to me at once, as she wishes to leave
the fort as soCn as possible. Can you, to
oblige Mrs. Custer, send me the names OF
some gentlemen who would like the dogs,
and pay the express charges on them to New
York, and provide them with good home.
| will ship the dogs, on your recommend, to
any gentleman you may suggest, provided
they are not disposed Of before hear from
you. Yours, respectfully,
G. w. MCINTYRE.
The editor comments as follows: We
trust that we will at once receive re-
sponse to this letter from some party who
can conveniently take care of such packs
of hounds. The animals could be used
in New Jersey when the fox hunting
season opens, and any person who takes
the dogs can feel that he is doing gen.
uine service to the widow of the dead
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
What it is to be a Radical.

Titus Munson Coan, In Galaxy for August.l
The name makes little difference.
But to be a radical is to be, generally
one of these three characters:
1st. A person who has properly not
thought at all but who takes feeling for
thought, who believes and teaches only
what he happens to like. Such are free
lovers, opponents of capital punishment,
and other sentimentalists.
I'd. A person who thinks, but whose
thought is net just. To this class belong
the trancendeptalists, the liberal theolo-
gians, the "currency doctors" the Keely
motor people, and persons generally who
propose to run the world upon little
air and cold water.
Sd. A person who is studying the ways
of social development, trying to find out
what are their better tendencies and what
their worse and who is trying, according
to his skill, to aid the one and to check
the other.
And we, who belong to this last class,
may first ask what people mean when
they talk about reforming the world.
Do they mean that it is possible thing
that human character and circum-
stance are improbable by the right
means, at some indefinite future time
Do they mean that 1t is thing near at
hand, that the world may be improv ed
at once and radicallyY De they M an
that it has improved AZ matter oil
history, or that il Is likely to improve
as n matter of evolution2
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
Siamese Jewels.

The Siamese, like most of the Orient
ais, are very fond of ornaments, es-
pecially of jewelry. This is worn prin.
cipally on the wrists and ankles. The
children of the wealthy are often 30
loaded down that, although good swim
mers, they sink if they fall into the
water with these on. knew nice lit
tie girl who was almost idolized by her
father, the evidence of which could be
seen in the heavy gold rings that span
ned her wrists and ankles. She could
swim like fish in her natural state; but
once, when in full dress, she fell from a
boat and at once sank into the deep
waters. Her body was never found.
Jewelry in the East Indies is much as
it is here; while the rich wear the pure
metal and fine diamonds, the poorer
classes try to ape them by the use of
cheap counterfeits. The metalists know
very we'll how To meet this demand.
They can alloy so as TO counterfeit al
most exactly, and they seem to have the
art of washing and plating to perfection,
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
A Thin Fence.

Superintendent Calvin has put up a
wire fence to guard the grass plot on
the inner mall of Boston Common. 1t
is almost invisible in the evening, espe-
cially if the eyes of the pedestrian who
undertakes to make a short cut
across the grass are obscured by claret
punches.
An amusing incident of this kind hap
pened few evenings since, while gen.
tleman was standing close to the fence
leaning on cane and thoughtfully
smoking a cigar. An individual with
slightly irregular but rapid steps passed
near him, attempting to cross the grass
plot, but, being brought up Dy the, to
him, invisible barrier, foundered clear
over it, landing upon all-feurs on the
grass on the other side.
Starting up Indignantly, he cooked his
damaged hat fiercely over his left eye,
and looking toward the smoker, said:
"S'yar, ole feller; muddy kin trip
me up'n that manner 'thout givin' me
sasfaxion;" and he advanced fiercely
toward the supposed offender, when en-
countering the wire again, he went clear
over it once more, sprawling on his
hands and knees on the red gravel walk,
and badly fracturing one leg of his
pantalOops.
This seemed to have different effect
on the sufferer, for, gathering himself up
slowly, and looking at the smoker, who
still stood quietly putting his cigar, he
said:
"S'yar, ole feller, I'll call it square an
pay fur the drinks 'few'll tell me how'n
thunder you can do thet throw so easy"
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
A Mud.Turtle Waddles After A Little
Girl.

A lady, writing to the Arcadion, relates
the following regarding one of the oldest
pets that ever existed, and which belonged
to little girl of her acquaintance: A
visitor met this little girl at the gate last
summer with what she supposed was a
lunch box under her arm. TO the lady's
surprise snake-like head ran out a little
way from the lunch box, and the pet
Some one had brought the creature home
year or so before and let it loose in the
garden.
When the children began to play there,
out from its hole came the turtle, and
singing out this child gave evidence of
intelligence beyond belief.
The turtle was called Pedro, and the
little girl had but to call that name two
or three times at the back door to see the
old box waddling up from tho bottom of
the garden directly. Any one else
approaching or attempting familiarities,
the clumsy feet were drawn promptly in
and the wise old head retired within its
shell, and no sign of life would Pedro
give.
But let the child take it, the claws
closed round one of her fingers, and the
head, run out to its fullest extent of neck,
would be waggled against her with every
token of love turtle could give.
There came time during the summer
when the little mistress was sick. The
mother, while sitting in the dusk, thought
she saw dark object moving in the room,
and shortly after, hearing humping on
the stairs, went out and found it was
Pedro returning to his hole in the yard.
Each day for weeks, with the opening
of the outside door, in would walk Pedro.
The girl generally found him waiting on
the steps.
He would 60 to the stairs, stand up.
right in corner, and setting his little
feet into the stair above, pull himselfup.
This operation he would repeat until he
reached the landing. If the door into
the sick child's room was closed he
waited patiently to be allowed to enter.
When taken up and laid beside its
mistress it made no effort TO move, but
lay for hours with its solemn head wag-
ging from side to side.
At night it waddled of. to the stairs,
and then the racket commenced. AS II
fell off each step in clumsy fashion ii
sounded like that famous clock in the
Ingoldsby legends that went hopping after
Mr. Jonea
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
A French Critic on American Living.

The defects have pointed out in your
hotel management suggest their own cure.
And to the careful consideration of your
people / would submit the following OBJ
servations:
In the first place, your breakfast is
mistake. Usually, Immediately after you
rise from your beds, you partake of
heavy meal of steaks or chops, garnished
with potatoes, followed by three or four
eggs, and surmounted by hot rolls and
buckwheat cakes. The digestive organs
even of a healthy person are not in a
condition to receive such meal not
till two or three hours after one has
awakened do they recover from the
apathy which sleep produces.
In France, Germany, Italy, in civilized
countries in the East, throughout the
West Indies, among the English, Spanish,
and French Creoles, this law of our ma
ture is recognized and respected. You
may be less prejudiced against my sug-
gestions if l furnish you with illustra-
tions from colony of Anglo.Saxon orr
gin instead of French. Let me submit
the mode of living among the white in
habitants of Barbadoes, which is similar
W CndC III uOsG VI Lue AuUlllcS.
On rising, cup of coffee and biscuit
(the equivalent to the cafe an lait and
roll Of the French and Italian), then a
bath then the males of the family pro-
ceed to their places of business, usually
about 7 a. M, and at this hour profes.
sionals, merchants, and bankers may be
found at their Offices; at about 10 a m.
a large portion of their duties for the
day are performed. The letters are read
and answered. So much responsibility
is removed from their minds that they
are now in fit condition to digest sub
stantial meal. They now return to their
homes for breakfast, when they partake
of fish and chops, accompanied with the
inevitable rice, and followed by fruit,
the whole washed down with claret or
bitter ale, and cup of coffee or tea after
the meal. The next and last meal for
the day is dinner. This is usually taken
between five and seven. And if possible
this meal should be taken after the days
work is over. You will eventually be-
come nation of dyspeptics if your men
of business will persist in dining in the
midst of their hours of business, and re-
fuse themselves sufficient time to masti-
cate and digest what they eat.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10

ing as ii she would like to cry. Still she
rather prided herself upon rejecting the
rich owner of Moorsville. Like other
girls of her age, she had her dreams of
true love with an immaculate hero,
young and handsome, poor perhaps, but
perfect certainly. Yet Kitty, spite of
all this, cried herself to sleep.
The parting next day was brief. But
as Kitty stood on the steps, waiting for
the trunks tn be strapped to the carriage,
hand fell gently on her shoulder, and
Mr.. Scull said gently:
/ am sorry ] panied you my child.
But remember, If you ever want friend,
call on me-" Kitty burst into tears for
reply, and ran hurriedly down the steps.
In the whirl and tumult of gay win
ter, Kitty looked in vain for her beau
ideal. Beaux there were plenty, for Mr..
Howell was wealthy, and Kitty his only
child, but no one was exactly what she
wanted. She found herself contrasting
shadow compliments with the earnest,
deep thought which Mr.. SculPs words
betrayed; she missed his voice, his gen.
tie, kind watchfulness, and she wondered
If next summer her father would 60 to
Moorsville.
Early in the spring an uncle died,
leaving Kitty large fortune. Yet rest
less and at times sad. Kitty seemed to
have left her girlhood behind her when
she left Moorsville.
"Dear, dear, this is bad !" said Mr..
Howell, laying aside letter one day at
breakfast.
UWhat fathor 9p
GA cousin of Eben's has come home
from India, and claims the property at
Moorsville. Eben's uncle was bache-
lor, at least they all thought so, and
Eben succeeded as next of kin; but
here's private marriage proved, and
his cousin is the only child. Eben says
that, as the claim is just, he will not 60
to law, but give up the property.
What, the house and all-oh father,
how can he live away from all that he
loves ?"
"He writes to me to know if l can get
him anything to do"
Hell so shy, so refned-oh, fatherp
and here Kitty burst into flood of tears
and ran away.
Mr.. Scull had left Moorsville to come
to New York, had gone to an obscure
hotel, and from there had written his
note to Mr.. Howell. He was sitting,
silently waiting, when there came a
knock at the door, and Mr.. Howell en-
tered, and with him Kitty.
Before he could speak, Kitty was be-
side him, and had grasped his hands in
both of hers, laughing and crying at
once.
"You will come home with us-I
didn't know loved you'll will try to
be good wife, indeed willard you
must help nae if 60 wrong. We will
be 20 happy" and here she broke down
in sobs.
"My wife-you-Kittyp was all the
bewildered man could say.
Mr.. Howell persuaded the new heir to
sell Moorsville, and invested part of
Kitty's money in the purchase; and it
would be hard to say which was the hap
piest in the beautiful house, the old
man of forty" or the little wife.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
A Heroine.
GCincinnati ENQUIRER. |

We have heard of many heroes and
heroines, but none who better deserve
the name than the brave, self.sacrificing
woman who risked her life and lost it in
an effort to save her fellow-workmen in
burning shoddy mill at Philadelphia.
The scene of the fire was the old Globe
Shoddy Mill, on st. John street, near
Germantown avenue, in the Quaker
City. 1t was four story building, and
unprotected by fire escapes. 1t was
stored with combustible rags and paper,
and fortunately when the fire broke out
only ten employees were in the building.
Of these Ellen Hever proved herself the
true heroine in her efforts to save the
lives of some poor girls employed in the
fourth story. Ellen Hever and four
others worked on the first floor. About
eight o'clock the fire broke out in the
second story, and the flames spread with
great rapidity. Mrs. Hever's compan-
ions fed Immediately, but the brave
young woman wished to save the lives
of the six women employed on the fourth
floor, and rushed up to give an alarm.
The flames confronted them on the sec
ond floor; but four of the women, with
remarkable presence of mind, dashed
through and jumped from window to
the roof of an adjoining shed and es-
capped. But another moment was fatal.
Poor Ellen and her two companions were
not so lucky. The flames completely
enveloped the track of their companions,
and the heat at once became so intense
that the unfortunate women had to re-
treat to the upper story. The scene
which ensued battles description. 1t
was truly heartrending. The crowd in
the street gazed upon the distracted
women rushing to and fro, the flames
about to encircle them at any moment,
and was powerless to save them. Their
cries were distracting. The flames drove
them to the fourth floor, and the excited
crowd shouted "Jumpl Jump!" 1t
was the only chance. But it was fatal
jump. Bales of rags and shoddy were
placed on the sidewalk, and Ann Pat
terson made the fatal leap. The other
two women secureda rope which reached
to the third story, and the heroine, Ellen
Hever, and Maria Hoover, one after the
other, dropped from the third story upon
the pavement. Poor Ellen died few
minutes after, Ann Patterson an hour
later, and Maria Hoover, like the two
other unfortunates, was SO terribly man.
gled that her life was despaired of. She
is probably dead ere this. Ellen Hever
proved herself a true heroine. She
might easily have escaped, but could
not see others in peril. She was mar
ried woman, thirty-three years of age,
and had seven children to support. The
Philadelphians will amply provide for
them.
The above heart.rending incident
should teach Philadelphia lesson. She
has many hundreds of factories without
fire escapes, ard it is criminal to expose
the lives of working people in them.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
The Smallest Feet on Record.
(San Francisco Correspondent Louisville Courier
JOnrnal.l

lSan Francisco Correspondent Louisville Courier
Journal,
The other day heard that Chinese
lady of rank had lately come with her
husband on visit to Santa Barbara, and
her feet were only two and three. quarter
inches long. Making inquiries of our
laundry boy, All Foy, as to where the
Chinese lady with little feet could be
seen, he told me her husband was cousin
to Sing Lee, proprietor of wash house
in town, and she was staying there. Sing
Lee courteously conducted us through
the dark wash house, where men were
beating clothes with bamboo stick,
scrubbing them in the suds with bamboo
brushes, and Chinese boy was cooking
dinner in big pot over little furnace,
to range of berths like those of ocean
steamers, and, lifting the curtains of the
bed, introduced us to the lady by saying:
"This is my cousin" The woman i'm
mediately rose from the bed on which she
was sitting. and extended her hand to
each of us, saying: How do" Her
husband was sitting by her side holding
boy year old; he was also very
pleased at our visit, and proud of the no.
tice we took of his boy, who was already
dressed in trowsers and gown, and wore
red silk turban cap on his head. The
wife was more elegantly dressed than
any Chinese had yet seen. Her hair
was elaborately dressed and fastened up
in puffs and coils by long, dagger-shaped
pins of gold. Her gown or robe was loose,
extending to the knee, and had big, loose
sleeves, distended by hoops. Her robe
was of dark blue silk, embroidered with
yellow and red silk. Her arms had scv.
eral bracelet ornaments; her hands were
small and well formed, and covered with
rings. She had pretty face, oval
shaped, large eyes, email mouth, and
dimpled cheeks. She smiled frequently
as we conversed with Sing Lee, but took
she could only speak very few senten-
ces. When said we wanted to see her
feet she evidently understood, for she
laughed and put out her tiny, pointed
slippers. got on my knee and took her
foot in my lap and examined it closely,
and measured it. The foot and leg were
bound tightly in white satin, apparently
sewed neatly around the limb. There
were bands of gold around her ankles I;
her ankle measured ten inches in circum-
ference at its smallest place; her foot
was two and three quarter inches long,
two inches broad in the middle, and one
inch at the toes; over the white satin
band or stockings, she wore blue satin
slippers, embroidered in silver. She
could only walk by aid of her cane,
which was on the bed beside her. Even
with its aid her walk was limping and
painfully slow. The doll.baby foot, SO
elaborately decorated in blue and silver,
hanging to the big ankle, which was, Of
course, disproportionately large, looked
anything but handsome according to my
standard of aristocratically nodded limbs
and feet. Her legs looked like sticks ol
wood whitfield down to point for a foot
But she was evidently very vain of hel
deformity. Her baby, one year old, had
feet five inches long, but he was boy
and entitled to masculine freedom oI
limb.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-10
VOLUME Nv.
DON'TiFRET.

Don't fret II the man in the forward pew
Is snoozing all the sermon through;
He isn't expected TO hear for you.
Or the preaching isn't the thing for him;
Or he knows the Rev. Mr.. Jim =
SO well he isn't afraid TO show II
BY shutting his eyes and let him 60 II.
Some way there's reason plain to be met:
So, don't-fret
Aud takes life as dream, while you
Struggle along with the toll OF two;
Nobody can slide
To worth, or learning, or truth, or pride,
On the money somebody left when he died
BY and by when his turn Is down
You'll be up on top and the crown
T'other OF folly Is somewhere set
So, don't-freti
Don't fret because your neighbor has wealth,
While you have nothing but hope and. health;
Perhaps he got his money by stealth,
Or his father did;
Though somewhere under coffin lid
Its curses may for time be hid
Be sure what fortune Is yours you earn
And honest dollars can never burn
And II you are free from disgrace and debt
Why, don't-fret.
Don't fret If fellow Of shallow stuff
Is always getting his post and pun,
While path that is humble, hard, and rough
Is made for you.
There is one that sees him through and through
And will show him up for the world to view
And then the sneakingest man to be found
Will be he that was courted, puffed and crowned
And hadn't the brains-a cast-off pet
SO, don't-fret.
Don't fret II things on the whole 60 hard
Out of the riches of glory barred
Out in the battle tired and SCARED;
For II isn't much
That one can win by sign or touch;
IT'S pain, and struggle, and toil-and such,
Upraised by the voices Of ease and pride,
That finds Its Joy on the other side,
No matter what others may give or get:
So, dont-fretl