davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
Hydrophohia in England.

Unless our ablest medical men and
our most skilled veterinary surgeons
are altogether at fault, malady is
raging in the midst of us more terrible
than Asiatic cholera,, yellow fever, or
even the inteh-dfeaded piagiie If The
Middle Ages. Within the last few
months deaths from hydrophobia have
been alarmingly frequent. 1t would
seem, indeed, as if the disease had as
sumed an epidemic form. That this
should be so is no matter of surprise.
1t is notorious that at ceftain periods
hydrophobia has ravaged entire districts
with an almost unaccountable virulence.
In the year 1866 the Registrar General
for England reported no fewer than
thirty-six deaths from this fatal malady.
In 1871 two packs Of hounds
Quorh and Albrightoh decimated
by the pestilence. There is mass of
evidence to show that. like cholera, or
plague, or any other grave disease,
hydrophobia recurs at stated intervals,
and at this moment, as far as can be
made out, we are passing through d
period Of its recurrence. For some
months past hardly a week has gone by
without death from hydrophobia,
The Registrar General, in his reports,
has called attention to the prevalence
OF the scourge. Inquests have been
held in various parts of the country, at
which evidence of most painful and
distressing character has been given.
Indeed. if the general public il not
seriously alarmed, we can only say that
it has failed to appreciate the gravity
and Importance of the situation. Lon.
don Daily NesCs.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
The Prayer Meeting and the Gambler.

On the evening of the Sd of March,
1877, William H. Fitzmaurice, a man
thirty years old, was in Water street,
New York, looking for employment as
card dealer in one of the faro banks or
gambling dens, which are numerous in
that vicinity. He had been a success
full gambler, had dealt every game
known to his craft, had accumulated
money and lost it all, and was now poor
and destitute of everything, but still in
his wicked profession.
He noticed the lantern burning over
the door of the McAuley Mission Build
ing (No. 316 Water street), and asked
his companion:
"What light is thatp''
"That's Jerry McAuley's prayer
meeting" was the reply. "Let's 60 in
and see the fools give themselves
away!'
1t was late, and he concluded not to
go in; but when he reached his lodging
place, in Clark street, he found himself
thinking about that lantern. Its light
still penetrated his thoughts. It was
so the next day; and in the evening he
went alone to the Mission. He took a
seat in the audience and listened to the
testimonies given by converted sinners,
some of whom had been men of his
own class and of his own acquaintance.
When he vent to bed that night he was
troubled. The next morning man
came to him and proposed to advance
$500 for game, if he would deal the
cards and divide the profits. For the
first time in his life he refused to have
anything more to do with that kind of
business.
That night he went again to the Mis-
sion (where meetings are held every
night in the Year,, and before the meet
ing closed he came forward and asked
to be prayed for. Here he found the
Savior, and soon he began to confess
Jesus before men. He attended the
Mission meetings every evening. re-
joicing in his Savior and exhortinr
sinners to come to Christ, until about
the middle of April, when he was pros
trated by illness. His disease was con-
sumption of the lungs; and as he had
no friends who could assist him. and
no means of support, the Mission did
what 1t could to provide for his wants.
As his body wasted away, those. who
visited him saw that his faith in Jesus
grew stronger and stronger. He de-
sired to live only for the purpose of
serving the Lord. But he spoke cheer
fully about dying; and, although suffer
ing constantly from weakness and pain.
ne waited with unfaltering trust for the |
time OF his departure. On the 29th of
August he entered into his rest.-Cor.
N. Y. Observer.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
HOME, FARM AND GARDEN.

johnny Cake.-Two cups Indian
meal; one-half cup flour; two cups sour
milk; one egg; one teaspoontul melted
butter; two teaspoonfuls saleratus; a
little salt; and two teaspoonfuls sugar.
The Druggists Circular gives the
following formula for a shaving soap:
Take white soap, four ounces; sperma-
ceti, one-half ounce; olive oil, one-half
ounce; melt them together and stir un-
til nearly cold; scent with such oils as
may be most agreeable.
"A correspondent OF the New York
Press says that if any man will draw
breath quickly and deeply for the
space Of three minutes or less, he will
thereby lose acute sensibility to pain.
so that he can endure minor surgical
operation without inconvenience.
in these days of bank failures it is
safest for the farmer to make his de-
posts in banks of rich soil and more
manure; buy improved stock instead of
bank stock, and the only shares he
should indulge in should be to share
with his wife and family the comforts
of good Monochrome State Register.
Into the whitewash pail, while the
lime-water is still hot, drop a teacupful
of soft boiled rice, and mix thoroughly.
Then pour into a quart pot of cold
water, say ten or twelve drops of crude
carbolic acid. Mix this into the rest,
and swab the interior of your hen house
with it. For outside, use rock salt dis
solved instead of boiled rice, and dis
pense with carbolic acid. No other
preparations of whitewash ever equalled
this for poultry buildings. Farmers
Adv0cGte.
"A gentleman writing to the Planter
and Farmer gives the following remedy
for choking COW. twill probably act
just as well with other animals, and it
will be well to remember it. He says
it has never failed in any instance, and
has been tried by him and others hum
dreds of times. The remedy is to take
a spoonful of saltpeter, open the
animals mouth, throw it well back
upon the tongue; let the animal go,
and the obstruction will either go up or
down in very few minutes.
Take, say ten gallons, new cider,
and suffer it to ferment fully, which
will probably be in about two weeks if
the weather be warm; then add about
eight gallons of new cider for produc-
ing a second fermentation. and in about
two weeks add like quantity to pro-
duce third fermentation. Stop the
bunghole of the barrel with an empty
bottle with the neck downward and ex-
pose to the sun. When the vinegar is
come set in a cool place. When making
let there be a moderate degree of heat
and free access of external air. The
process is fastened by adding to the
cider quantity of mother of vinegar,
as it is called, a whitish, ropy coagulum,
of mucilaginous appearance, which is
formed in vinegar and acts as a ferment
The strength Of vinegar depends on the
amount of sugar OF starchy matter to
be ultimately converted into acetic
acid. Cider made from late apples is
esteemed the best for vinegar.-Scien-
tifc american.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
Exposure Of a Pretended Spiritual
Medium.

During the latter part of last October
Mr.. Prescott Robinson and Mr.. William
II. Mann, both of whom are firm be.
levers in Spiritualism, learned that a
Mrs. Nichols was holding Undertaking.
seances at the house of DR.. A. I. Wey.
mouth, at the corner of Eliot and Ire
mont streets, and at the earnest solicit
tation of friend, Mr. William B.
Walker, they visited the seance in good
faith, not doubling its genuinehess,
During their visit, however, they were
far from being favorably impressed
with the action of the medium, and sus.
picions were aroused in their minds
that all was not right. They said moth
ing, however, of their suspicious, and
continued to visit the seances once a
week for three weeks. DR.. Weymouth
was taken sick and it was decided to
hold the seances at the rooms of Mrs.
Nichols at No. sc Chapman street. The
medium, at this time, for some reason
best known to herself, changed her
name to Currier. This medium had
promised Mr.. Robinson, on more than
one occasion, that his little daughter
Ella, who had been dead for some time.
would appear to him and bring rose
bud in her hand from the spirit land.
In the meanwhile Messrs. Robinson
and Mann succeeded in getting several
OF their friends (among them Mrs.
Agnes Davis Hall, the well-known
Spiritualist lecturer) admitted to the
seances, and from that time forward =
quiet but earnest and thorough inyesti-
CATION was carried on by them. They
were determined that right and truth
should have every chance, but that
everything in the shape Of fraud should
be exposed.
Thus matters continued till Monday
evening, Nov. 26, when it was decided
that on the following evening matters
should be brought to a crisis, the me-
dunn having promised that at that time
Mr.: Robinson's daughter would appear
with rosebud. The plans were ac-
cordingly laid. Each one Of the seven
had an allotted part to perform at q |
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
THE MOCKING-BIRD AND THE
DONKEY.

From the Spanish of the Mexican Poet Jose
as.
A mock-bird in village
Had somehow gained the skill
To initiate the voices
Of animals at will.
And singing IN his prison,
Once, at the close of day,
He gave with great precision,
The donkey's heavy bray.
Well pleased, the mock-bird's master
Sent to the neighhors round,
And hade them come together
To hear that curious sound.
They came, and all were talking
In praise of what they heard,
And one delighted lady
Would fain have bought the bird.
donkey listened sadly,
And sud: Confess must
That these are shallow people,
And terribly unjust.
I'm bigger than the mock-bird,
And better bray than he,
Yet not soul has uttered
A word in praise of me-
- William Cullen Bryant, In 50. Nicholas for
Dece1iber
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
What Christmas Day Should Be 70
the Poor.

EVERY Church festival should bring
snecial comfort in some fashion to the
moor and needy. Once it was SO, and
then the Church observances were
honored by rich and poor alike Now,
these holidays are reserved, as it were,
for people Of leisure, and are regarded
as a luxury belonging to the cultivated
and wealthy exclusively. They have
hardly any meaning to those VINO are
not wholly prepared to enter into the
full meaning of the religious rite. :,
We do not advise the bringing back
of all the customs which were once
familiar, but now are known only to the
antiquarian. When parasitic usages
die out, it is because they have no
longer any business on the main trunk.
These died because their proper life
was done. But we do believe that holi-
day tide should have fitting associa-
tions, which are to be engratted on
the proper service of the day. Thus
Easter flowers sent to the sick or to
prisoners are more precious than any
other flowers. i.
And especially Christmas Day should
be day of kindly remembrance. We
do not mean of systematic and careful
distribution of necessaries. Where
these are needed, the Church and the
Christian giver ought not to wait for a
set season. We mean of gifts which,
while they are useful, carry with them
stronger impression of kindness than
of use There are some gifts which
humiliate because they remind the re-
ceiver that they are SO needed. To give
a starving man food is to let him know
that he is in very low estate of pow
erty. To give him clothing is to imply
that one has taken note of his rags.
Nobody ought to give the less because
of this fact, but at certain seasons to
give gifts which imply in some way
a sense of interest felt toward the
recipient For instance, neighbors ex-
change gifts of food, not because one or
the other lacks, but because it is pleas
ant to share ones best with ones
friends. We say that Christmas giving
ought to be patterned after this sort.
Not to do less for the poor at other
times, not to withhold from them aught
of which they have need, but once a
year at least to take them into the cir
Gle of kindly and neighborly sympathy.
As the Christmas garlands and wreaths
are not necessaryto the due celebration
of the day, and yet every one would
miss them sorely if omitted, SO these
kindnesses oughtto decorate, as it were,
the substantial, constant care for those
who need. Churchman.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
Sheds for Stock.

To realize the best returns from all
kinds of stock, it is absolutely necessa-
ry to shelter them well, else it will
take much extra food to keep them up
to the proper degree of heat to resist
the cold and put on any extra fat.
Judging from the numbers but indif-
ferently housed, one would naturally
suppose this fact was but partially I'M
derstood, though those who do under
stand it, and who profit by the knowl-
edge, are the ones, other things be-
ing in unison, who receive the greatest
percentage of profit from their stock.
1t is all very nice, if you possess the
requisite means, to build elaborate
houses for your horses, cows, sheep,
swine, ETC., yet the number of farmers
who are able to do this are in the mi
nority, and the others must content
themselves with something which is no
doubt equally effective and servicea-
BILE, though far less expensive. Young
farmers who start on limited capital,
and have to depend principally on
their brains and muscles to enable them
to make a profit on their farming,
have to wait until the future for we'll
built, handsome barns and other out
.buildings-till the farm has returned
enough profit to warrant such an out
lay. But this fact should not prevent
an effort being made to provide winter
shelter for the cows and other stock, if
barn and shed-room already on the
farm is not ample for the accommoda-
ton of all the stock. And right here
will muscles come into play to secure
the required shelter, and thus save
cash outlay. Against the side of the
barn, in the barnyard, or some conve-
nient inclosure, or against the high
board fence which may inclose one
side of the barnyard. build skeleton
shed, by planting crotched sticks (tim-
bers) obtained from the woods. In
these crotches lay other timber sticks
strong enough to bear considerable
weight. On these lay old rails about
foot apart. You now have your skele-
ton SIZED and require the roof, which is
made with corn fodder, which is neatly
piled ON the rails, from six to ten or
fifteen feet thick. This makes most
excellent protection, at the same time
having Gue IOuueT III convenient place
for feeding during the winter. If the
fodder has been placed properly, so as
to shed the rain, but little of it will be
damaged.
By making the shed deep and not too
high-merely high enough for man
to walk under comfortably at its low
est place-and also built against the
south or warm side of the building or
fence, the animals will have comfort
able place to winter under. They can
go under at pleasure by having it
open in front, and during mild days
can be fed in the barnyafd, while in
stormy weather the fodder and other
food can be fed under the shed. We
have seen temporary pig pens thus
made, aid they answered admirably,
being warm and comfortable. We
have seen colts wintered under just
such sheds, and they came out, in the
spring, as strong and hearty as could
De wished for.-C0r. Practical Farmer.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20

cash. However, when the note is due,
his creditor must wait few days, and
this is repeated so frequently and al
ways by asking more days Of grace. SO
that at last to- secure his debts and OBJ
tain credit he must mortgage his stock,
and chattel mortgage is followed by
a mortgage on his farm. There are
very many other reasons why farmer
should fail. He may have been unfor-
tunate, perhaps he has lost some stock
from accident or disease. His crops
may have been light and growing
lighter He may have occasionally
sold his stock or crops in an unfavor-
able market. These are all apparent
reasons for his failure, but back of all
this is the man himself. - Country Gen
tLerann
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
The Smuggled-C Cigar Game.

Veteran smokers are sold by shrewd
swindlers, who are fruitful in devices.
The commonest of these lodges is the
sale of pretended Struggled cigars, and
though it has been played times with
out number, and time out of mind in
every seaport city of the globe, users
of the weed are swindled by it every
week in the year in this very city Of
sharp people. The modus operandi is
simple enough, but it takes good actor
to carry it through.
The victim selected is always an in
veterate smoker, who has been partic-
ularIy marked by the swindler. The
latter watches his opportunity, and
with couple of boxes concealed under
the pea-jacket which he dons for the
occasion, he enters the counting-room
of the unsuspecting man of business
who is in the enjoyment of his third or
fourth afternoon cigar.
Any cigars to-day, Captainp' he
asks in low voice, casting his eyes
furtively around, as if he feared that he
might be overheard.
No." is the curt answer.
Duo eHCSO utu your CUuiQOn C1-
gars, Cap'n; you can't sget none like
'em at the Revere nor Parker House.
See here" lowering his voice, "these
cigars came from Havana, and there
hain't been no duties paid on 'em,
neither. One of my own speculations.
Had ten boxes, and sold sem all but
these two. They're worth $50 a thou
sand. I'm beginning to feel a little
resky, and my ship sails to-day, too.
Let you have 'em, if you'll take both
boxes, at half price"
"Don'twant 'em." says the merchant
shortly, who is annoyed every hour in
the day with all sorts of applications
for patronage.
Just try that, will you?" said the
vender, nothing daunted, bursting the
paper of one of the boxes, and taking
out cigar at random; "'t'wont cost
you anything
This is an appeal the merchant can
not resist. He takes the cigar, looks
at it critically, smells of it, lights it.
The first puff is enough. The man
has told the truth. Such a cigar is
hard to be had anywhere, and he is
that it is worth even more
han $50 thousand. He can't let such
! chance slip, and yet he doesn't feel that
ne ought to encourage smuggling. So
le says, assembling his eagerness:
That's a fair cigar, certainly; but
our price is wild. I'll give you $40 |
or the two
You're rough on sea-farin' man,
;ap'n. Can't you call it forty-fivea"
I" Forty"
!" Forty it is, then; but if my ship
wasn't goin' to sail tonight YOU
ouldn't have them for twice that.
'mngglin' don't pay for such small fig
res
The $40 are paid over, and the own
rship Of the boxes transferred; the
windler places himself on the other
ide OF the door as soon as possible. Il
nd seeks some other locality to repeat
is clever operation. When the VIC
I'M, full Of anticipation, seeks his box
,r second weed, be finds that he
as purchased the yilest kind Of 4 cab
age-leaf article, which would be dear
fifty cents thousand, the specimen
aving been q really fine. pure Havana
gar, used expressly as bait.-B Boston ,
9pywal q Commerce, Ii
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.
Amid all the noiseof Paris is heard

Amid all the noise of Paris is heard
our American Noyes.
-Eenatof Mcdonald, of Indiana, be-
gan his working life as saddler.
When President Hayes gets irri-
tated beyond all endurance, he says "
swan. III Boston Globe.
M. Lasalle, the French baritone,
has restored his voice to its wonted
purity by drinking milk.
The book that has had the most ex-
tensive sale in this country is Mrs.
Stoves q Uncle Toms Cabin. 2
The Rev. Russell Jennings, of
Deep River, Conn, has within twelve
years given away more than 100000
for charitable purposes.
"A correspondent of the Cincinnati
Enquirer describes Lord John Russell
rs a "little heap of wrinkled human
ity."
Victor Hugo refused to receive
visit from Gen. Grant, because the lat
ter affiliates with the Monarchists in
Paris.
Bertha Won Hillern, the walkist,
takes 223, 200 steps in walking a hun
bred miles. She would make good
step-mother.
President Grant writes that he
found the labor of accepting the hospi-
tality of his English friends more ardu-
Gus than the cares of State.
1t would be the proper thing for
Senator Jones to publish pamphlet
- ID,
Worcester.
DIR. Holland is tall man, with
black hair and mustache. and dark
complexion. There is a spring in his
step, and he doesn't look over forty
years of age.
-McCreery, the Kentucky Senator,
although wealthy, is very economical,
holding that every man in high Office
should set a wholesome example in this
respect.
1t is estimated that Gen. 0. Z.
Babcock, who was the Private Secre-
tary of Gen. Grant, owns property in
Washington worth half a million dol
lars.-N Y. Post.
Gale, the English pedestrian who
has lately completed the task of walk
ing 1000 quarter-miles in 1000 con-
seeutive periods of ten minutes each,
has obtained such complete mastery
over his physical powers that he sleeps
occasionally while walking. Medical
evidence has been taken on this point,
and the fact is beyond doubt.
Sims Reeves attributes his long
lease OF. voice to this sage counsel of
his master: "We must keep the voice
in the middle. This is the secret of
really fine tone, of the faculty of sing
ing cantabile passages with effect, and
of making coup on a high note when
it is wanted. Nothing is more destruc-
tive than perpetual exercise of the up
per register.
The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
Careless Farmers.

IL is almost Impossible IOr careless
farmer to be prosperous. How often
do we hear of some unexpected failure
In the commercial worldp We look for
the cause Of this disaster, ard find that
the merchant was engaged In unproft-
able trade, or perhaps some faithless
clerk has robbed his master. The fail
ure is due. to any one of a dozen causes
which proper oversight might have
corrected: When the merchant has
realized the ambitious dreams of his
earlier mercantile career, he nsgleets
those habits of business which insured
his success, and failure is the result.
And it Is the same in any business OF
occupation. But with an unsuccessful
farmer, lack of success is still more di-
rectly traceable to cafelesshess Of the
man himself. Carelessness in farming
is matiifested in many different ways,
each seemingly tiliitnportant.
The careless farmer is careless OF bis
own personal appearance. Indifferent
to the wants of his family, and negli-
gent of his stock. Personally, he is
deficient in spirit and enterprise. As
to his family, it satisfies him If his wife
does ali his hard drudgery and asks
few fayors. His children must not
care for education, for society, to leave
the farm. or for anything except to
wait upon his pleasure. His crops are
planted, cultivated and harvested In q
slipshod sort of manner, that leaves
only small margin for profit. His
stock is inferior, and he loses few
head from disease every spring. His
tools IF he has improved tools) soon
decay from exposure to the elements
and negligent use. He has less stock.
lighter crops and more debts than his
more careful neighbor. Such q farmer,
however, does not continue contracting
debts and liabilities until he can go 40
farther and there is an extensive failure
involving hundreds Of other business
men. but he buys something that ne
does not need (perhaps . top-buggy, or
j machinel or he hires some one to do
work that he could do himself. He
las not the money to pay down and
yives bis note, which is as good q