davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
An Old but Good Story,


From "The Lives of the Coniurers,"
we select the description of trick prac-
ticed upon the Arabs by the French con-
jurer Robert Houdin:
He performed in the interior (Algeria),
before an audience consisting almost en-
tirely of Arabs, when, after he had
elected expressions of wonder and ad
miration by performing the gun trick,
an old Arab, who perhaps had some sus-
picion of the true nature of the trick,
said "The Frank is doubtless q pow
erful magician; but will he suffer me to
fire at him with one of my own pistols 2"
eyes" replied Robert -Houdin, "but
1 must first invoke the powers that as
sist me-"
He prepared for the test of the fol-
lowing day by fabricating a couple of
bullets of wax and lampblack, one Of
which he punctured as soon as the ex-
terror had become firm, and allowed the
still soft and warm composition in the
interior to run out through the orifce.
He then filed up the void with blood,
and closed the opening with morsel of
the composition.
Thus prepared, he, on the following
night, offered saucerful of leaden bull
lets for the inspection of the skeptical
Arab, who, after satisfying himself that
they were really made of lead, handed
his pistols to the conjurer. The expert
ment was new one, and Robert -Houdin
confessed afterward that he trembled as
he dexterously contrived to slip one of
his prepared bullets into the pistol, and,
after ramm1ng it down upon the powder
with the ramrod, handed it back to the
Arab.
"Now fire !" he exclaimed, folding his
arms.
The Arab fired, and the conjurer, to
the formers amazement, not only re-
mained erect, but took from his mouth
a leaden bullet, which the doubter was
satisfied was one of those which he had
examined.
"Bah p exclaimed Robert Houdin, as
he loaded the other pistol. You can
not use your own weapons. See here
You have been unable to draw blood
from me; but I will draw blood from
yonder wall"
He fred at the wall, upon which q
stain of blood was Immediately seen.
The Arabs crowded to the wall, stared
at the blood, and touched it with their
fingers. Their amazement deepened into
awe, and one and all acknowledged
that the Frank was more powerful ma
gician than any of their own people.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
Stirred Up Things.

What a dangerous man a go-ahead
man may be, says the Staunton (Va.)
Vindicator, can be learned from the
following: Some months ago Major N.
Fl. Hotchkiss, of Staunton, the travel
ing agent of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad, went out to q new ground to
increase the stock trade. He went to
Gallipolis, Ohio, vicinity that he had
never shipped this way from before, and
soon by his persuasive arts gathered up
fifteen carloads of stock. On leaving
Huntington the conductor, being on
spree, neglected to have fire in the
drover's car, and nearly froze the majors
drover, for which the major promptly
reported him. He was discharged, and
then went to Richmond, got on another
spree and died in Jail. His companion
in the cell was convicted of stealing tho
dead mans sleeve buttons and sent to
the penitentiary for three years and
finally the examination of the facts about
the conductors death showed the Jail to
be such a horrible place that Richmond
is to build new one at some $50, 600
expense. A death, State prison con-
viction, and many thousand dollars debt
for Richmond, all grown out of Major
Eotchkisa' raid into Ohio. '-'-ss
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
An India Custom.

Young man, go to India! 1t is the
custom there for parents to pay men to
marry their daughters. In Calcutta, re-
Gently, rich Hindoo paid man who
came from family of considerable dis
tinction the sum of 100000 to marry
his daughter. The fellow married the
young girl, mere child in years, and
pocketed the money. Within two years
he had gambled away all this money and
was in debt besides. In this strait he
sent the girl to her parents homo, de-
manding $4,000 moro as condition of
living with her longer. Theproposition
was Indignantly rejected, and the dis
carded wife now remains at her parental
home. 1t is stigma upon a Hin6oo
family II the daughters are not marrisd
before arriving OF the age Of thirteen,
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
The Penalty of Murder.

During the five years ending Decem-
Der, 1875, there were two hundred and
eighty-one murders committed in the
city of New York. Some of them were
premeditated, many of them were M
provoked, and a large majority were ut
terly without palliation. Nevertheless,
out of all this appalling number of man
killers, perpetrators who suffered death
were only seven. Only twenty were
sent to prison for life. And, reviewing
this dreadful list, we discover that more
than one.fourth of the criminals were
never brought to trial at all. Some of
them escape, and are never followed up
and arrested. A few have ended their
own lives after they have committed
crime, and more evade detection. These
are in hiding to this day. Possibly some
of them, variously disguised, return to
their old haunts and live securely, in.
the belief that "the thing has blown
over" Unhappily, these dark events
crowd on each other SO rapidly that a
years immunity to AIRED handed crimi-
nal is like complete amnesty. If he
is not at once caught, he may elude
justice forever. Even if he is found
and tried, the chances are that he will
escape any serious punishment.
The year 1872 saw frightful increase
in the number of violent crimes annual.
ly committed in New York. There were
liftyfve murders committed. Among
the homicides Of 1872, that of Fisk will
be most memorable. Stokes was sent to
prison for four years. The killing of
Thomas Donahue by John Scanneu,
who was finally sent to an insane asylum,
was another notorious crime in that year.
But, although it is reckoned that more
than one hundred and fifty persons were
widowed or orphaned by one years vio-
lent deeds, not one offender was brought
to suffer the extreme penalty of the law ;
only twenty were sentenced to fifteen
years, or less, in the State prison, five
received life sentence, and seventeen
escaped through the meshes of the law,
six fed to parts unknown, aud the rest
eluded justice in various ways. There
is no need to pursue this unpleasant
subject through succeeding years. But
it may be noted, in passing, that the
records show that of the fifty-three mur-
ders committed in 1873, eighteen of the
perpetrators escaped utterly and without
detention. .-NeaO York Times.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
A Singular School.

The Troy Press says: A gentleman
who returned from Whitehall, whittier
he had been on business, tells strange
story of district school. On the out
skirts of the town the building is stu
ated, and the school is presided over by
a gentleman as principal. Most of the
scholars are ex-canalers and hard cases
generally, who have taken the benefit of
the free school. A lot of these scholars
come each day armed with bottle of
liquor, and q pack of cards generally
finds its way into the temple of learn
ing. The scholars very coolly proceed
to play with each other for possession of
the whisky, and by the time the school
is dismissed there are not few drunken
men in the room. The teacher is pow
erless to prevent such actions or to re-
form them. When the scholars have
recess the master does not dare to ap-
pear amongst them, but summons them
in by ringing the bell out the window.
He does not dare put out his head to see
what is going on, lest stick or stone
from the unruly gang greet him.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
A Judiciary Bill.

Representative Knott, of the United
States House, reported from the COM
mittee on the Judiciary bill to reor-
ganize the judiciary of the United
States, the main features of which are as
follows:
A circuit court shall be held in each
judicial district of the United States at
the same time and place at which dis
trict court shall or may be held, and
such circuit court is established in every
district where no such court now exists,
and shall belong to the circuit in the ter
ritorial limits of which it is embodied.
The several circuit courts shall have and
exercise no jurisdiction in cases of ap-
peal or writs of error allowed, taken, or
issued out after the first day of Septem
Der, 1876; but writs of error, appeals
and reviews in bankruptcy cases, may be
had as heretofore provided. There is
established in each of the circuits court
of appeals; with appellate jurisdiction
of all cases arising in the several circuit
and district courts. The justice of the
supreme court assigned to the circuit,
the circuit judge, and the several dis
trict judges of the district composing
the circuits shall be judges of the court
of appeals. No Judge who has heard a
cause in the court below shall sit in the
court of appeals upon the hearing of the
same case, or be connected or give any
opinion to the other judges in relation
thereto. The court of appeals shall also
be court of record. The decision of
the court of appeals upon questions Of
law shall in all cases, except as provided,
be final and conclusive, but an appeal
may be taken to the supreme court. Ap-
peals in chancery shall be allowed from
the court of appeals to the supreme
court in cases where the matter in con-
troversy exceeds $4,000, in the manner
now provided by law for directing ap-
peals in like cases from the circuit
court. The chief justice, with other
Justices of the supreme court may attend
any term of the circuit or district court
within his circuit, and when so attend
ing shall sit and preside over the court.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
A War Incident,

During the discussion in the United
States House of Representatives on the
Centennial appropriation bill, Mr.. Rob-
bins Dem., of North Carolina) said that
when the war broke out North Caro-
lima farmer had six sons grown up to
manhood, who at the first tap of the
drum went to the field to fight in the
cause of the South. They had not
stayed toreason aboutit, and they fought
from Bull Run to Appomattox, but not
all of them. One was sleeping at An
tietam, one at Chancellorsville, one at
Chickahominy, and one in Kentucky ;
but two were at Appomattox, battle
SCARED. They had seen the flag go
down which they had followed with un-
faltering devotion. One of those sur
vivors was he who now addressed the
House, and who now said that he had
seen enough of the war and wanted
peace-that he wanted reconciliation
and brotherhood all over the country
That was why he proposed to vote for
the bill, for he thought that the tendency
of the celebration was to promote peace.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12

ry," Aunt Huldah had said, looking up
and down the road, with a vague idea
that her looking wonld excuse the cul-
prit-" for bulrushes, 1 heard them
say. y ,~. .--.. ..--
The doctors ejaculation would have
Mortified Aunt Huldah if she had heard
it; but bidding her good-morning, he
had turned about, determined to have
nothing more to do with Miss Alice
Truesdeu. And then a sort of rage had
flashed up and swept over him, and he
vowed to himself that he would reduce
the little rebel, and sprang into his
chaise and urged his horse to run.
And that was the way it chanced that,
less than ten minutes after Alice left the
hut, she saw something rolling up the
highway enveloped in as thick a cloud
as ever an ancient god travelled in; and
he saw little object flying down to
meet him.. curls and ribbons streaming
behind, disheyeled to the last degree,
and with only breath enough left to say,
as he leaped from the chaise: "Don't
stop He's dying Back there-the
hut |" a .r
DIR. Fowle did stop, long enough to
take the little body and lift her into the
chaise, and spring up beside her.
"Who's dying3" said he, sternly-
"Mallory9" ..
Mallory |" gasped Miss Alice, in
amazement. "And if it was," she
said, the old spirit uppermost, as soon
as she could speak again for her scalded
lungs and throat, "what would you do2"
"Let him die!" exclaimed the doctor.
"It would be nothing to me if you
did," she said, touching the horse with
the whip herself. "But you would be
indictable at common law"
Nothing to you1 What did you
mean, then9 Who's dying3"
"Not Mr.. Mallory-to my knowledge,
that is. I haven't seen him to-day. A
child bere in the woods"
The doctor urged the horse himself,
bending forward, his gaze fixed before
him, and not uttering another syllable.
"Aren't you ever going to speak to
me again ?" said Alice, at last. "I
meant to be back at elev en-"
He turned and saw the tears just
ready to gush, and as he gazed perhaps
they extinguished the fame of his wrath.
Somehow-he never knew how any more
than Alice did-the next moment the
reins were under his feet, his arms were
about her, and the tears were being
crowded back by kisses.
"Aren't you glad put the clock for
wardS Aren't you glad came out here
for bulrushes9" whispered Alice, as they
suddenly drew up at the little hut.
"Oh, God bless you, doctor, and God
bless her" cried the voice of the old
woman from within. "He's alive yet,
and you've come in the very nick OF
time !"
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
His Excuse.

"You don't dress as much as you used
to-" remarked merchant tailor to @
shabby looking city swell the other day.
"Naw, saw, dwan't," said the snob,
"you see-aw--there's such deuced
lot O. gulls wanting taw get mawwied
just nav that fellah dawn't have taw
stwain much--aw-to, attwact attention,
yaw knaw." .lLI#. I.
And he pranced down the avenue,
looking for some of the deah, DIVES
perate cweatures, yaw knaw."
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
The Towers of Silence.

The Prince of Wales and some of his
suite were allowed to visit in India the
famous "Towers of Silence" )" where the
bodies of the dead are exposed to be de-
voured by vultures. They were the first
Europeans who have ever been permit
ted to enter the gloomy portals of this
strange place of sepulture. The towers
are five in number, are circular, and are
so well built that the oldest has stood
for two hundred years without requiring
to be repaired. They are formed of
huge stone slabs well cemented together,
and the largest cost 100000. If it may
be assumed that the four other towers
cost on an average 100000 each, we
should have tenth of million invested
in these buildings alone. Add that Sir
Jamshidje gave 100000 square yards of
land and betrayed the expenses of q
road, and some idea may be formed of
the cost of the whole cemetery. They
are under charge of the Parsee sect, who
are noted for their rigid exclusiveness,
and it was something of q surprise to
the natives as we'll as foreigners that the
permission was granted. The origin of
this singular method of disposal of the
dead is due no doubt to the veneration
with which the Parsees regard the ele-
ments. Fire is too pure to be polluted
by committing corpses to the flames;
water is almost equally venerated, and
SO is mother earth. Hence this strange
custom has been adopted by which it is
thought none of the impurities can pol
lutte the elements.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12
The Gross. Roads.


Where the roads crossed we met,
My love and
In the near bay the ships
Tossed heavily.
Lamps were gone out on earth,
But those in heaven
Trembled, for two more hearts
That God hath riyen.
His accents broke the pause
My tongue was tied ~
he found last words to say
My sobs replied. ..
Then he drew my white face
Up to the light, '--.
And said: Farewell, poor love!
Dear love, good nightl"
At the crossroads we kissed j
1 stood alone.
His way the sesward road,
Mine led me home.
He called, 81 shall return 7"
| knew, mot 30 :"
Not one in ten returns
OF those that go.
Dreary the great world grew,
And the sun cold
So young, an hour ago,
1 had grown old.
Our God made me for him
We loved each other
Yet fate gave him one road,
And me another. t
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12

GAMBLING THE Alexandria Sentinel
learns that the money from the sale of
tickets in the Montpelier lottery was
gambled away by the managers, and
only $4, ,000of it recovered from the gam
blers. While all hands were gambling,
the manager who held the funds con-
cluded he might take hand in, too,
and he did il.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12

California wintersare slowly changing
there have recently been some nipping
irosts near San Francisco.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-12

ry," Aunt Huldah had said, looking up
and down the road, with a vague idea
that her looking would excuse the cul-
prit-" for bulrushes, 1 heard them
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1876-01-14

The Chef Justice of Cape Colony,
South Africa. has given decision in
lawsuit of an unprecedented kind.
Krugar sued Schalkwyk for damages to
reputation. game of the forfeits was
in progress at Schalkwyk's house, and
Miss Schalkwyk. a pretty damsel, in.
CURED the penalty Of having to kiss
every man in the room. She kissed
dozen persons. but stopped the oscu-
latory process when she came to Kru-
ger. In the very next round of for
fsits it devolved on Kruger to kiss Miss
Schalkwyk. He refused. The male
Schalkwyks thereupon denounced
Kruger as drunken Hottentot. Hence
the suit, which resulted in farthing
damages for the plaintiff.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1876-01-14
THE HYPOCRISY OF REBUILD
CAN LEADERS.

The Republicans in the House of
Representatives,, now that they have
for the first time in many years lost
control of that body, are making a
great hubabaloo because Union soldiers
are not exclusively employed in sub
ordinate positions by the majority. 1t
is somewhat remarkable that their APP
probation of the fitness of war veterans
for attaches of Congress did not man
ifest itself to any perceptible extent
while they had a majority. The records
show that in the last Congress, when
the Republicans had full sway, only
eight of the two hundred and
fifty places at their disposal We're filled
with men who had been Uuion soldiers.
Another fact apparent to every observer,
shows that the love of Republicans.
high in authority, for wounded SOL
diers is more feigned than real. aud is
assumed for purpose, is that, OF the
thousands of Federal positions at the
disposal of the Government, COMPARE
lively few of them are given to ex-sol-
diers. Look through the States Of
California and Nevada, and see how
many Federal officers are men who
have been in the Union army. Ex-
anime the minis ut San Francisco aud
Carson and See if you will find them
filled with wounded soldiers. Go to
the Custom houses, the Land Offices,
the Internal Revenue offices all over the
country, and the number of men who
have been Union soldiers you will find
would not make corporal's guard.
There are men, and plenty of them too,
III both parties who recognize the JUS
tice of giving Federal offices to Union
soldiers; but they are not found among
those who have the appointing power
IN the Republican party.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1876-01-14
ENRAGED JURORS.

A colored citizen has been subpenaed
for jury duty at Reno, and the plain
jurors protest against the proceeding
III the columns of the Journal. The
fault finders should remember that
theoretically all men are equal be-
fore the law, and that courts are sup
posed to make no distinction between
persons on account of color. politics or
wealth. Since the adoption of the
Fifteenth Amendment there has been
but one instance in this county where
colored citizens were summoned for
jury duty. At that term of court q
majority of the jurors were Democrats,
yet there was no complaint at the
action of the Judge. aud Democratic
lawyers did not object to the colored
jurors who were impanneied to try sew
eral important cases. Theoretically
one political party favors the equality
OF the races, but practically its mem bers
turn up their noses st colored folks,
except on the eve of elections when
courting their votes.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1876-01-14

The Sentinel says dead beat, who
styles himself "Professor" Smith, has
been around Eureka obtaining money
from the Base Rangers under false pre-
fences. An advertisement of his, left
at the Sentinel Office. read as follows:
'Proffesser Smith the crest pernoli-
gist is in town will tell you past pres
int and to come wether grant will be
lected third Term or not will tell color
your CURL hare will be in Town for few
dais will lectur in Town on prsnoligy
the chine Question and different things
Come one como all and her for your
sef''
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1876-01-14
WESTERN DISPATCHES
Consolidated Virginia Stockhold-
ers' Meeting--RepOrts OF Officers.

Consolidated Virginia stockhold-
ers' DEeeting--Reports OF Officers.
SAN Francisco, JAM, Is, 1876.
The Consolidated Virgiuia's annual
meeting took place at one clock to-
day. The Secretary's report shows
the receips of the year to be ST., 060,-
SS5; dividends of the year. $12, 204 900.
The heaviest items of expense were
$2,198, 236 for the reduction of ores;
1885, 437 for wood. lumber and timber;
$3.50, 698 for salaries aud wages; $780,
IT'S bullion discount; $152,795 for
taxes; G. II G. shaft, $2l0. 1881; Super
intendent's account. $l42,471. Presi-
dent Barron's report states that the
coming year opens most auspiciously,
and with the present facilities for re-
dncing ores and increased milling ca
pacity, soon to be added. the bullion
production for the next twelve mouths
seems likely to be unlimited, with
prospects that dividends will be more
than equallsd. Superintendent Fair
says that during the year 1884, 1907 tons
of ore were taken from all the levels,
and 1859. 094 tons have been reduced,
leaving 2.9SS tons, valued by assay at
$478,0S on hand. On the 200 and
1,300-foot levels ore bodies have not
been developed north as far as they ex-
tend. On the 1,400-foot level ore