davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

TRAINING OYSTERS An oyster is about
the last creature one would naturally thint
to make pet of But if report can b'
believed even the oyster is sensible tt
kindness Mr.. Hamilton, of the New York
aquarium. made II practice of dropping
some choice oyster food on the bivaleS hr
had in II tank. They showed no appreci
alton of this kindness for weeks, but one
day last week. us Mr. Hamilton was max
ing his rounds, he was surprised to SEE
the shells Of the oysters open ut his APP
proach, us if they expected TO receive
food. Reaching down he placed the foo
within tie expanded shell Of one of the
bivales, which Immediately closed. This
was repeated until the oyster became SO
tame us TO allow Mr.. Hamilton to insert
his finger into its shell. A person who
witnessed the operation thought the oyster
would not know the difference if he put
his finger in He tried it, and instantly
the sharp jaws closed with force that
made the cxperimener squirm with pain.
But as soon us Mr.. Hamilton touched the
oyster it seemed to recognize him, and
the imprisoned finger WAS released. The
oysters endeavur TO follow their friend,
propelling themselves with Il Jerking mo
ton by quickly opening and shutting their
shells
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

How PLANTS PURIFY TIE AIR-Plants
gain their nourishment by the absorption
through their roots of certain substances
from the SOIL and by the decomposition
through their green portions, of II plrtic-
ular gas contained in the atmosphere
caYbonic acid gas. They dccompose this
GAS into carbon, which they assimilate,
and oxygen, which they reject. Now,
this phenomenon, which is the vegetables
mode of respiration, can only be accom-
plishcd with the assistance of solar light.
Charles Bonnet of Geneva, who began
his career by experimenting on plants, and
left his attractive subject to devote himself
to philosophy, only in consequence OF a
serious affection of his sight, was the first
to detect this joint work, about the middle
of the eighteenth century. lie remarked
that vegetables grow vertically, and tend
toward The sun, in whatever position the
seed may have been planted in the earth.
He proved the generality of the fact that,
in dark places, plants always turn toward
the point whence light comes. lie dlscov-
cred, too, that plants immersed in water
release bubbles of gas under the influence
of sunlight. In 1771, Priestly, in Eng
land, tried another experiment. lie let Il
candle burn in n confined space I'LL the
light went ont, that is, until the contained
air crew unfit for combustion. Then he
placed the green parts of II fresh plant in
the enclosure, and ut the end Of ten days
the air had become sufficiently purified tc
; permit the relghting OF the candle. Thu,
he proved that plants replace gas madC
; impure by combustion with II combustiblt
ras, but he also observed that at certain
; times, reverse phenomenon seems to re
T. suit. Ten years later, the Dutch physi
clan Ingenhousez succeeded in explaining
this apparent contradiction.
II had but Just begun experiments,
SAYS the skilled naturalist, "when n mos
: interesting scene revealed itself to ny
b eyes; | observed that not only do plant
e have the power of clearing impure air il
c six DAYS or longer, as Priestly's expert
Y ments seem to point out, but that they dis
/ charge this important duty ina few hours
If and the most thorough way; that this sin
6 gular operation is not due at all to vegeta
|. tion but to the effect of sunlight; that
s does not begin until the sun has been som
2 time above the horizon; that it ceases en-
d lrely during the darkness of the night
IS that plants Shaded by high buildings, o
p by other plants, do not complete this func
o tion, that is, they do not purify the air, bu
e that, on the contrary, they exhale an in
" iunous atmosphere, and really shed poi
" son into the air about US; that the produC
20 ton of pure air begins to diminish wit
le the decline of day, and ceases completed
s. at sunset; that all plants corrupt the sui
s. rounding air during the night, and thl
9 not all portions of the plant take part !
', the publication of the air, but only III
,e leaves and green branches. - Populo
Science Monthly.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

INK FOR HORTICULTURAL LABELS
There is so much inquiry lately for ink for
writing on zinc labels that good recipe
for such IN article may benefit some one.
1t is IN old one, and has probably appear
ed in your columns long ago, but it is
worth repeating 1t is as folews: Pow
dcred vcrdigris, two parts; sal ammoniac
two parts; lampblack, one part; water
twenty parts. A quill pen will be neces
sary, us it will corrode II steel pen very
quickly. Any druggist will put up t
small quantity of this mixtuIe for II few
cents, us all The Ingredients are inexpen
sive. Labels written with this ink, anr
bearing the date 1856, can be seen in thC
orchard uf one of nv neighbors, rs legi
BILE us the lIav they were written. This is
proof enough Of the value of the ink
Zine labels are now advertised for sale
bnt any one can make them with the ai'
of II pair of timers shearS-a tool tina
every farmer shonld possess. From Il STRIP
If zinc four inches in width, cut off Label
half an inch broad ut one end, and taper
ing to II point ut the other. y cutting the
broad end Of the label ut each edge alter
nately of the zinc strip, nothing is waSte'
and each cut gives II label. The mamie ant
date (and the latter should never be omit
ted) are written on the broad end of TIL,
label, and the other end twisted loosely
around n twig of the tree TO be marked
This is some trouble, but not too mucl
when the work is to last II lifetime,-COT
reSpondencc Country GcMIemdH.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

SPRING FLOWERS AND BIRDS.--The New
England flowers appear few and far be-
tween at first, us if they dreaded the east
winds, for
The spring comes slowly up this way"
Pussy-wilows, furry mouse-ear, rock
saxifrage, hcpalica, starry white blood
root, and anemoneS peep out one after an
other or close together; and by that time
the fields are white us snow with lnno-
ccnce bloom, or IIousionia. There are
| blue patches of violets on the hill sides !;
the gold oc the marsh-marigold lies scat
tered along the brook margins, with the
yellow adder-tongue holding close by.
Jack-in- the pulpit sits hidden under his
green canopy; the columbines and wild
geraniums flutter their purple and scarlet
along the wood paths; and, by and by, the
wild rose awakens. And then it is June,
and we are talking of spring,
Faster than the flowers, come the birds,
As early as the bluebrd, honest robin Red
breast and his wife are here, hopping up
and down the garden-walk, turning then
heads this way and that, rs they consider
their prospects for house.building. High
Ill bllt ItitlltSS llGb VI ~ SiiO"
cloud sometimes, you hear the song spar
rows heavenly carrof, so full of hope anC
glalness! The sweetest and one of the
most social of our field -minstrels, he has ;
song for all seasons, and everybody wht
listens to him is charmed 1t is IA comfor
f to know that he is going to stay with III
thu ough midsummer, long after mos
other birds are silent, or have flown away
Very early in spring comes the blue-bir(
that Tennyson calls
1.-THE sea.blue bird Of March,
the blue-bird, forerunner of the viole
which nestles in the grass, and, bird-lik
Curves her throat
just as il she sat and sung"
and of the azure hare-be of summer tim
= which has always futtering, winge
f look, as if it were shred of the sky, read
at any moment to take flight upward.
OH the birds and flowers are first cou
= sins to one another! The birds are blossom
t with wings, and the blossoms sing wit
, the birds-only their music is too fine 70
= mortal ear to catch.
l The winged songsters gather in throngs
y with guy or tender ballads, each so diffel
l. ent from the tst,-'wren, swallow, linne
n thrush. oriole,-and none of them deare
g or mcrrier than the bobolink, the Rohel
9 Burns among bird poets, whose warbl
:. follows the track of the plow, and ripple
!, along the edges of the corn field.
J, The song of the bobolink has often il
k spired human minstrols to emulation, wit
n its rollicking, talkative notes. Wilso
o Flagg has some bright, wide awake verse
+ about the "O'Tincoln Family" whiC
J, take you right into the midst of meade
v full of these saucy little singers. An
n Bryant's charming Robert of Lincoln
n gives you the birds manners, travels, an
II history. to perfection. Lucy LGrcom, s
}, Nicholas for April.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18
People say our schools arc not practical

People say our schools arc not practical,
because the boys who leave them when
fourteen years old are not skilled mechan-
les or artisans at the age when their ia
Tiers and grandfathcrs began seven
years apprenticeship. They do not real
ize that the men who have succeeded MS
mechanics are those who have become
self reliant, because each step in advance
was due to their own exertions, but seem
to have the notion that men can be made
by mac hinery, just as readily as success
i've Yards of cotton are turned out by a
10 NJ, and that all will be of the same pat
tern IN texture if their treatment is alike.
The State brings the boy to The Threshold
Of trade, calling, or profession, but these
theorists say it must not stop until these
also have been taught.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

What Il stroll it was through the narrow
streets of Jaffit-the streets that shoot un-
der the houses like tunnels and run up and
down hill like stairs. How the bazaars
glowed with colored stuffS, and made the
air sweet with perfumes that no seal can
imprison How the water gurgIed in the
Sarcenic fountain, with its marble troughs
and its golden verses Of the Koran. What
chosen spot it is, cooled by this bubbing
water, where half dozen streets run to-
getber and the mntistic baZaars group
themselves in "a circle about it under the
shelter of vines and fg-trees. There the
twang of traffic is soitened in the smoke
CLOUDS of the nargiehs and sooLhed with
numberless small cups of coffee us black
rs ink and rs thick as mud. All the sun
shine of the east pours upon that devoted
nouk, and who 50 visits JatfL knows what
il is to lnger an hour within the charmed
circle OF its antique fountain over against
the Jerusalem Gate-a gate that has been
torn down by the by-.listening TO the drone
of the buyers and sellers, feeding upon
figs dates oranges and sugar cane, slipping
coffee or smoking iehle whi e he dreams
OF the Holy City beyond the plain OF Shar-
on. From the lOoi OF Simon The tanner ;
house. the charms of Jatla appeal to the
eye. The town is thoroughly oriental ii
could not be lransplanted into amy Other
land without at once being marked as an
alien. Old MS it is in one sense 1t is very
fresh and young in another The Jhtft OF
,o,day is strong and lusty with the stirring
life Of travel. Through its narrow crook
ed streets pass the huge caravans OF The
world. The eyes of the nations OF the
earth have turned to it with joy. The feet
of myriads of pilgrims have waded in it'
summer dust, its winter mre. The Sc;
freighted with ships sings under it'
weather beaten walls on the one hand ant
the famed gardens, sweet with odors o
t unplucked grapes, oranges, pomegranaIeS
penches. figs, hem it about with bowers
. perpetual shade upon the other. Ther
stands LYDIA, where St Peter heaIe'
Eneas; where st. George was born; wher
the lion-hearted Richard pitched his camp
Beautiful Ramelh with its splendid tower
!, is further on by the green plains OF Shar
t on. IIcrod and Samson and David kne'
all this beauty.-Sm francisco Chronicle
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

The drudgery of the school-room may
drive the schoolmisresses of Wisconsin
into insanity and suicide, but the Canadian
teacher thrive and grow fat on it.. One OF
the big school-boys of the Dominion ask
ed his teacher one night if he could escort
her home from singing school, but she
politely declined the offer. He neglected
his studies, ran away from school, and put
pins into his schoolmalcs. She finally
lost patience and gave him n hogging
The boy told his father that the fair ono
whom he had courted had turned and
whipped him. The indignant parent sued
the teacher and obtained a judgment fol
$3.50, which she paid. The next morn
inc she remarked TO her scholars: " l have
whipped BOBBY soundly, which pleasure
cost only $3.50. Now, if any others O
my scholars are inclined to initiate him
they will have the kindness to step for
ward receive the money and the flogging
and then we will 60 on with our studies
| am here to instruct you, not to be court
ed" Nervousness will never kill oil 81
plucky IL schoomistress.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

A SLIGHT MISTAKE. The present Arch.
bishop of Dublin, the gifted author of the
work. so widely known, on the Study o
Words, is not in very robust health, and
has been for many years apprehensive Of
paralysis. At u recent dinner in Dublin
given by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland
his Grace sat on the right of his hostess
the Duchess of Abercorn. In the mds
of the dinner the company was starllc'
by seeing the archbishop rise from his sea
and still more startled to hear him ex
claim, in dismal and sepulchral tone
1t has Gomez it hts come"
"W hat has come, your Grace?" eagerly
cried half u dozen voices from ditferen
parts of the table.
"What | have been expecting for TWEEN
ty years." solemnly answered the arch
bishop" stroke of paralysis. | hav
been pinching myself for the last twent
minutes, and find myself entirely withou
sensation"
Pardon me, my dear archbishop" sui
the duchess, looking mp to him with
somewhat qnizzical pardon m
for contradicting you, but it is I That go
haze been pjnching "-EDrToR's DRAwEl
in Harper'S Magazinc for May,
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

In Whites Selborne.' it is said that
the natural Term of hogs life is little
known, because it is neither profitable nor
convenient 10 keep that turbulent animal to
the full extcn. of its time Whites neigh
bor, "a man of substance, who had occa-
sion to study every little advantage 10 II
nicely" kept IL SOW as thick as she was
long, till she was advanced to her l7th
wear, when she showed signs of age, and
was turned into "Glt, good bacon juicy and
tender" She was moderately computed
to be 1.-the fruitful parent of 800 pigs" "
White remarks that. - from long expert
ence in the world this female had grown
very sagacious and artful.-Scridner's
MOnthlU.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18
Ladies' intending to make Il long journey

Ladies' intending to make Il long journey
by rail without an escort had better read
this and stay at home: Mrs. Florence
Watson, n richly-dressed Ohio lady, took
the cars at Chicago last Thursday for Iowa
CITY, where she intended to visit her hus-
bands relatives. A man took the oppo-
site seat and looked ut her intcntIy. Alter
Il while he left the seat and another man
took his place, and subsequently four men
sat there in turn, each watching her close
lv. 1t was now dusk. The six men, after
holding consultation with the conductor,
entered the car together and announced
that she was II crazy woman and the wife
of one of them; hence the passengers
would understand why she had been
watche by them. In vain did she protest
that it was Il lie. Nobody believed her.
At Rock Island her captors endeavored to
put her off the train, saying that she must
change cars for Iowa City, but she clun9
desperately to the seat. The passengers
shrnnk nervouSly from her, and she was
completely in the power of six deSpcradoeS.
As the train drew near Durant she recog-
| IllLGl ICl VI lOlIltI-lll l'tN ul'N' Wv li'''
form He was waiting to meet her in ar.
cordancc with dispatch which she haC
sent from Chicago. She shouted 10 him
but her captors gagged her, and in y mo
ment the train WAS in motion AT Wilton
where she had to change cars, she attempt
ed to escape, but was surrounded by hel
prosecutors and forced to take refuge in /
baggage car, after she had sprined he
ankle. At Iowa City she made Il frantic
appeal to the conductor to take her to tn
leading hotel, where the landlords wifi
would vouch for her sanity The conducto
assented, and the unhappy woman wa
identified and rescued. The strain ha
been too great; she tainted. When til
conductor returned to the train the six ruI
fans had disappeared. The passengers
when they heard the conductors account
admitted that they had acted like fools j
allowing half u dozen rascaIs to swea
away woman's sanity.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

The expression, There are no more
Pyronees." will soon be literally true, as
the last link of the railroad from Paris TO
Barcelona is expected to be completed by
the 1st of January next,
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

The Boston reporters steal into Mr.
Moody's inquiry meetings in the disguise
of sinners, and the good man doesn't dis
cover the deception.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

PAYING FOR His WHIsTLE.-Not many
years ago, when lofty building was on
the point of completion, the mason who
was finishing the highest portion was in
the habit of whistling to the laborer who
attended him whenever he wanted fresh
supply of lime. and as the scafold on
which he wrought was rather small this
occurred very often during days work.
A Joiner who was fitting in IL window im-
mediately underneath, noticing Pat answer
dutifully 10 every whistle from the mason,
thought of playing II trick on him by
initiating the whistle, and thus brought
him up with a hodful of lime when there
was no room for it. The mason told Pat
that he had not whistled, so he had no
other alternative than to trudge back with
his load. This having occurred for the
third time during one day. Pat thought he
would watch to hear where the whistle
came from. He had not waited long
with the hod on his shoulder when he
heard the identical whistle directly under
meath where he stood, and leaning over
he saw the head of the joiner protruding
out of the window Immediately below.
Pat, without more ado, emptied the hod
right over the whistler's head. The join
er yelled and spluttered while attempting
to clear himself from the adhesive mass,
and in the midst of his confusion, heard
Paddy above, shouting at the top of his
voice, whistle when you want more
mortar!"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18
TERMS FOR ADVERTISING.

For one square of t9 lines less of Agate type one
insertion 90: for each subsequent cents
Unless the number of insertions marked on the ad'
yertisement 1t will be continued until ordered out
Liberal discount made to omorchantsand othersadVer'
tisng by the year.
Probatelnd Commissioner Notices, 49, 0Ceach.
Fornotices of Liberations, ,Estrays, the Formation
and Dissolution of Copartnerships &C., Sl2b eachnor
three insertions If sent by malthe money must ac'
company theletter
Noticesn news columns 10 cents per line each In
sertion but no charge made OF lessthan 5Ocents.
Notices Of Deathsand Marriages snserte gratis hut
extended Obituary Notices Poetry WILDE charged at
the raLe of hvecents perine.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

How TO BREAK IN New BoorS.-A
correspondent sends the following: " A
pair of heavy, thick soled, calf skin boots
had been worn two years, croakng nproar-
iously ut every step. l could stand it no
longer. | determined to conquer them
and did it thus: | saturated the insole,
thoroughly wi h kerosene oil, and set them
aside couple of days TO eXhale their
fragrance. When | next put them on
they creaked as badly as ever, but l had
not walked half mile before they were rs
silent as kittens; the soles, which before
were so stiff and unyielding that l could
wear them only two or three hours at u
time, became soft and pliabe, readily ac-
commodating themselves to the shape OF
my feet, and now are us easy to wear as
moccasins. l consider this II great
triumph, and l checrfully record my ex-
perience for the benefit of those who are
suffering under the terrible affliction OF
new boots. Jones.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

SULPHUR FOR SCARLET FEVER. DR..
Ile ry Pige n writes to the London Lancet
us follows: "The marvellous success
which has attended my treatment of sea
let fever by sulphur induces me to let NV
medical brethren know of my plan, so that
they may be able to apply the same RENE
dy without delay. All the cases in which
used it were very well MAJ ked, and the
cpidermis on the arms in each case came
away like the skin of Il snake. The follow
ing was the exact treatment followed in
each case: Thoroughly anoint the patient
twice daily with sulphur ointment; give
five to ten grains of sulphur in IL little
jam three times day. Sufficient sulphni
was burned twice daily ION Goals on a
shoveD, to fill the room with the fumes
and, of course, was thoroughly inhaled by
the patient
Under this mode of treatment each cast
improved Immediately, and none wa'
over eight days in makinga a complete re
covery, and l firmly believe in each it wa'
prevented from spreading by the treatmen
adopted One case was in II large school
Having had u large experience in scarle
fever last year and this. feel some conf
dence in my own judgment and am o
opinion that the very mildest case | eve
saw do not do half so well rs bad cases dt
by the sulphur treatment, and as far as
can Judge, sulphur is rs near specific
for scarlet fever rs possible.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

butchered her, buried tho hide and otftl
livided the meat, and each went to hi
home with his moiety of stolen beet
Mann did not eat any of his, but kept It
and ultimately gave it all to lde. lde'
COW did not come for her breakfast and tc
I've MIXED next morning, nor ever after
Poor Ide mistrusted himself to be the vic
tim Of practical joke. 1t was not likely
he thought, that his COW would lose off he
hell, get her white spot obliterated by rub
bing against logs in the burnt piece am
wander off six miles 70 another settlement
He believed that his ncighbor' had con
spirel to make him steal his own COW, ant
wisely concluded that Chester was II goo
place to cmgrato from, and therefore emf
grated early.f
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

And when Absalum had recovered his
breath he arose, mntterng, IN WOO thee
with sonetin, softrr'n mel 'dy,' and go
ING 10 the waIICtand he got the water
bucket, winch WIS nearly full, and emp
lied ii out Of the window in the direction
from whence the music came. There was
a sudden cessation of the melody, II gasp
and then Il sound rs ii somebody had hur-
riedy lcapel over the garden fence and
torn his linen coat from Alpha to Omega
on II picket.-Detrou Free PrtSS.