davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

EASY CIVIL SERVICE REFORM M-Presi-
dent Hayes has an opportunity to begin
an important reform in the civil service
without the help of rules and commission.
ers and without any serious emblrrass-
ment to himself, Entering Office as Il
republican, he finds the whole personal
of the Government in sympathy with his
Administration, and whatever individual
pressure for place may be put upon him it
cannot be pretended that the interests of
the party will require any sweeping
changes. There can be no political object
in making changes therefore, except to aid
the miserable little factions which attach
themselves TO one or another leading
statcsman," and keep the republican Or
ganzation in perpetual difficulty and tur-
moil. Whenever the Federal Admins
tratou cuts loose from them it will be Il
boon to the party. President Hayes
ought to lay it down rs Il rule that there
shall be no removals except for good
cause. If he finds officers who are dis
honest, incompetent, inefficient, let him
tnrn them out and put in others, but let
those who are faithful feel that their
places are secure, That will be TO teach
in practice what II republican ndministra-
ton once upon time made u rather COM
ical prctense of teaching in theory, that
honesty and capacity, instead of political
activity, constitute the best title to Office,
When that lesson is enforced, we already
have civil service reform.
And if President Hayes is ut II loss
| WI hor tp hnuiO n,ll hiy aft t,
the New York post-oilice. We have here
II model postmaster. If the sentiment Of
the community could be tested we be-
lieve the voice in favor Of the retention o
Postmaster James would be unanimous
We have never had Il postmaster who has
done his duty with SO much zeal, so mucl
thoroughness, and so much ability. lie
has almost rcvoutionized the postal ser
vice of the metropolis, and he is fast max
ing it marvel of efficiency and credi
to the nation. The brilliant success o
Mr.. James Is owing in part to his rare
na,uralc capacilyin part to his conscientious
ness, and in part to u singular correct ap
preciation of his functions. He is n phe
nomenal postmaster, who believes that h
was appointed to look after the mails, anC
not to run primaries, Or attend to any
body's political prospects.
2 Such man ought to be kept. Tht
public needs him. The administration
needs him. President Hayes can do n,
more popular action in this city, can Civ,
S no clearer proof of his devotion to rea
S unpretentious civil service reform, thai
by retaining an official who has givel
such signal proofs of capacity and honesty
If model postmaster is to be removed il
n order that Il politician may be rewarded
not only will the business of the depart
ment suffer, but the whole civil servic
$ will be demoralizod. We do not believ
d President Hayes will begin his admins
l. tration by any such grave mistako,-N ]
q Tribune.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

A NEVADA STORY ABOUT THE ORIGINAL
INNOCENCE OF THE AUTHOR OF INNo-
CENTS ABROAD"
When Mark Twain lived in Virginia he
roomed with Dan De guile. All the mis-
cries that guile ever endured, and all the
bad characters he ever got dated from that
time. They lived in several different
lodging houses, and were turned out of
them all, one after the other, all on ac-
count of Dan, who soon acquired bad
reputation, second to none in Virginia
No respectable family would harbor Dan.
who knew anything about him, and the
very mention Of his name would cause a
landady TO hold up her hands in virtuous
horror. One morning Mark woke up and
heard the landlady's cat mewing about the
door which was open. Dan was fast
asleep and Mark grabbing one of his
heavy boots, threw it with fatal precision
ut the intruder. The cat lmpcd off with
\ broken leg (the boot weighed five
pounds), the landlady secured the missile
and waited for its owner to appear.
Mark got up, dressed, and went out with
both boots on. The landlady greeted him
with pleasant smile, and when Dan got
up and was walking about in his stocking
feet hunting for his left boot, he received
scathing dressing-gown from the land
lady who without allowing him to ex-
plain ordered him to leave the house
Mark condoled him in his trouble and
said, "l'll stick to ye, Dan" The next
house they moved into had Il pantry close
to the room consigned to them. Every
night Mark would steal two or three
mnce pies and eat them entire without
giving Dan sight at them, In the
morning the landlady would be brushing
about near the door, Dan would be asleep
and Mark would open out in loud voice
us follows: Dan this business won't do.
Those pies don't belong to you. In the
first place it's petty larceny and then in
the next it gets crumbs in the bed. Well
get notice to quit pretty soon. 'Taint the
square thing on the landlady. Now this
is the last time propose to speak Of this. y
The landlady,who took in every word, would
give poor Dan notice to quit and never
hear word of explanation. Well, you
go 60, Dan" Mark would say, and his
brotherlY fidelity touched Dan to the very
core. The next place was an intensely
respectable private family. When Mark
expected to be out all night he would slip
up to the room and strew II few hair-pin,
around promiscuously, and scatter a few
down in the foot of the bed where they
would be found when the landady was
making it up. 1t would all be laid tC
Dan OF course. live got n family here
and want to bring my daughters up re
spectacle" would be the landlady's re
mark, as she orderd Dan to pack up
when they fire you out, Dan, it mean!
me, tOo," Mark would say in tones o
brotherly affection that melted Dams inne
nature, and caused him to think there wa,
some true men in the world after all, an,
he used often to remark in speaking o
Twain, ga man who never shakes frient
in adverity is the noblest work of Cod
Vjrgjajn Chronicle.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

LIVING THIRN-TWO DAYS ON HUMAN
BLoOD.-A terrible tale of suffering and
death at sea is told in letter received ut
Boston from Capt. Kane of the schooner
+. f. Mcdonald, which had Just arrived
ut GOrce, on the west coast of Africa, from
Boston. On the voyage, the schooner fell
in with the British bark Maria, wrecked,
with masts gone and full of water, and
took rom her two starving seamen, the
only survivors Of crew of IA. One of
them died few hours after being taken
from the wreck and the other, James Nc
Linden of Belfast, Ireland, states that the
bark, which was bound from Duboy, Ga,
for Belfast with lumber, sprang leak in
4 gale and filled with water, 50 that it was
impossible to obtain provisions or fresh
water. Her cargo of lumber kept her
from sinking, but the weight of the masts
turned her upon one side until they broke
away. When she righted, the men re-
gained the deck, but, having no food, sOor
began to die of starvation. As soon rs
one died, the rest subssted upon his flesh
and so on till only two were left. McLin
den states that only a small portion of the
dead body could be eaten; viz: the hear
and brains, which were the most palatable
No one was killed by the others, but tn,
moment one died, his companions cut hi
throat, and drank his blood and then di
vidcd his heart and brains. 1t was thirty
two days from the time the disaster occur
red until the wreck was sighted by tn
schooner, and, during all this time, he
unfortunate crew had not drop of waite
or any other food than the bodies of thei
dead shipmates.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

in yield of over 1000 gallons per day.
For centuries the Indians of that section
had collected the oil from the crock by
spreading their blankets upon its surface,
their labors being rewarded by small lots,
with which they mixed their war-paint or
which they burned to illumine their feasts
and war-dances. During these centuries
no effort had been made to secure it in
large quantities; and the first one to drill
for the product had caused a glut in the
market by producing twenty. five barrels
per day. But subsequent events showed
that Col. Drake builded greater than he
knew.
It's near resemblance to crude coal-oil-
the first product of the destructive diStilla-
ton Of coal-led manufacturers to subject
petroleum to those same processes to
which crude coal-oil was subjected in the
manufacture of an illuminator, and in a
day demand for the product was created.
From daily yield of twenty-five barrels,
10000 barrels production has been reached
and passed. From sales of fifty cent walls
for corns, chilblains and rheumatism.
transactions have enlarged to entire car
goes, and are daily carried from our shores
to every Tart of the globe. From seventy
one feet-the depth of the initial effort
the oil-driller of to-day sinks shaft l,7O0
feet deep-nearly one-third of mile. In
deed, some wells have been drilled to a
depth of nearly 5000 feet Instead of n
twenty-five barrel "pumper." the oil
operator has sometimes been rewarded by
three thousand barrel "spouter," and
one well on the Dougherty farm, near
Petrola, flowed 1890 barrels during the
first twenty-four hours. From u product
unknown among American exports pctro-
leum arose in decade of years to the
third position being surpassed only by
grain and cotton. Between the inception
of the industry (say 186O and the begin
ming of the year just passed (l876) it has
brought into the United States more than
S40O,000,000 in gold-almost equal (if the
heavy premium on gold during the civil
war be considereD to the entire amount
of the circulating medium of the nation,
including the treasury notes and national
bank circulation.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

The Pennsylvania petroleum is found in
a sandstone formation fully 1000 feet be-
low the lowest coal measures, the Butler
county bearing rock lying fully 800 feet
below the level of the sea. The general
public entertain the idea that it is the result
Of the dstilation of coal but scientists
and practical operators deny any connec-
ton between the coal and oil measures.
Hitherto science has afforded but little
light upon the origin of rock.oil, while
operators have given more attention to
processes for extracting it from the earth
than to the investigation of the question as
to how it came there. There are but few
facts which will support any theory what
ever, and these point to product Of the
decomposition of aquatic plants and ami
mails, as coal is the result of enormous
deposits Of vegetation. Other authorities
have asserted that it is the result of distil-
lation in the earth's crust. As yet its ori-
gin is utterly undetermined.
In the winter Of 1859 Col. e. L. Drake,
of New Haven, Conn, started an artesian
we'll on an island in Oil Creek, a small
tributary of the Allegheny river. A neigh
boring spring had for II long time given out
about twenty barrels Of petroleum in eacl
year, which had been bottled and sold fol
medical purposes, under the name o
Seneca Oil" 1t was with view Of in
creasing this yield that the artesan wei
was started. In the latter part of August
1859, the drill reached the oil-bearng rocl
at depth of seventy-one feet and resulted
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

A SAILORS NORTON OF CoMFoRr.-A
new face was put upon the tamiliar fact
that all suffering AMI enjoyment are rela-
tive, when heard two sailors on the day
of the great December gale talking of
the harm the storm woald do Mt sea, and
of how hard it would be for the men. Il
tell YOU" said one of them, . should
hate to be outside, to-day; unless | was
laid up, so's't couldn't 50 on deck" In
which case, apparently, he wouldn't have
minded ii. Some people think the city
freside not too snug; but for his part,
give him bunk in foul forecastle,
knocking about through that roaring, raw
ing maniac Of Il tempest in an old coaster,
with II good broken-leg, or so, rs an excuse
for keeping below, and he would show
you what comfort was.-The AHantic.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

ANCIENT LIBRARIES. In Egypt, the
cradle of civilization, the first library of
which there is any tra"e on the PAGES of
history was founded about l, 400 wears be-
fore the Christian era, these ancient books
being written on papyrus, stone and metal.
Nor was this the only collection of writ.
.ings which ancient Egypt contained, as is
proved by the fact that on several ancient
tombs Inscriptions have been deciphered
which refer to appropriations of lots Of
land for the erection of libraries to the
king. The great mass of the works which
snch libraries must have contained were
in the course of Il cheekeredhistory, swept
out OF existence, and the only traces oI
them which remain are infrequent but sue.
gestive references to few lost WRITINGS
in those books, which for religious reasons
have been preserved ~ Y Herald.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

IUuH'S ~. Clsgt l'!II. Apr''scattered it as chal
in the whirlwind. How the.observers felt
as the timbers from the depot were hurled
by them. will allow you to imagine.
Blowing down, there, means blowing
away. Three of the large timbers of the
depot. after being raised and carried per-
haps twenty rods in the wind, were dump
ed down, ends foremost through the roof
of the barn, that was in u more sheltered
situation the other side of the summit.
Most of the depot, however, found its rest
ing place miles away at the bottom of
Tuckerman's ravine, an immense gorge on
the east side of the mountain. This same
storm filled the snow into the cuts and
drifting places on the p. & o. railroad, so
that the next day l passed through snow
cuts, on that line thirty-three feet deep,
and ut the Crawford house depot, the banks
of snow on either side of the track were
nearly us high as the caves of the build
ing. The depth of the snow fall twenty
miles from the mountain was only six,
inches. But this year of storms, (may it
never be repeatedly was to close with Il
series which occurred at weekly intervals
in December viz: upon the 9th, 10Th, 23d,
and 30th. The most severe of the series
was the storm of the 10th, during which
the ancmometer recorded the unheard OF
velocity of 1870 miles per hour, with the
thermometer ranging downward until
morning, when it was forty-seven degrees
below zero. Such storm of wind was
probably never before witnessed by any
person who was left alive to tell the tale.
Thanks to the extra precaution caused by
previous storms, which had led to the
strengthening of the props about the build
ing last summer, thus preparing it for this
extra strain upon it, and enabling it to
come out comparatively unharmed from
this storm of wind, which, as usual, for
hours bombarded it with ice wrenched
from the rocks of the mountain.
We are indebted to Sergt. VIM. Line of
the U. S. Signal Service, stationed at the
sammi, t for the following means for De-
cember last:
Mean thermometer, Clio degrees below
zero.
Maximum temperature, % degrees.
Minimum temperature, Al degrees be-
low zero.
Prevailing winds, northwest.
Amount of rainfall and melted snow,
GAS inches.
Number of days on which rain or snow
fell, sixteen. The weather for this month
was the most severe that has been expert
enccd in the seven winters that the sum-
nit has been occupied,
The means Of the thermometer for the
last four years have been rs follows;
1S73-25,5 degrees; 1874-2j,9 degrees
1875-23,4 4 degrees; lS76-26 degrees.
The prevailing winds are northwest
and any change indicates II change O.
weather.
Al Lunenburgh, which is about 10 miles
in air line from the summit, the mean an
nual temperature in IL series of observa
lions for 25 years was Hip, degrees.
This shows Mt Washington to be wha
it is, u polar country on account of cleva-
ton.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

QUEER FIsu.-We were shown day Oh
two ago, by Professor Dewes, two small
fish of the perch species. lie informs us
that they were sent to one of the teachers
in the public school by n gentleman in
Montgomery, Alabama. These fish were
caught, or we should say dug, from field
near Montgomery. The field was origi-
nally IL Iish-pond. The water having been
drained off, the place is now in cultiva.
ton. BY digging about foot below the
surface, these fish are found imbedded in
mud. They were alive when taken out,
and resemble what is commonly known as
tho "yellow-bellied" " perch. They are
no doubt, blind, as their eyes were per.
lectly white, having no pupil or transpa
rvnt appearance.-Co!unabas (GG) LnqUjr
err,
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

WORKING AND WArrING.-You are
tender hearted, and yon want to be true,
and are trying to be--lcarn these two
things: Never to be discouraged because
good things get on so slowly here; and
never to fail daily to do that good which
lies next to your hand. Do not be in Il
hurry, but be diligent. Enter into the
sublime patience of the Lord Be charita-
BILE in view of it. God can afford to wait;
why cannot we, since we have Him to fall
back uponP Let patience have her perfect
work, and bring forth ber celestial fruits.
Trust to God to weave your little thread
into the great web, though the pattern
shows it not yet. When Gods people are
able and willing thus to labor and wait, re-
member tnat one day is with the Lord as
thousand years, and thousand years as
one day; the grand harvest of the ages
shall come to its reaping, and the day
shall broaden itself to a thousand years,
and the thousand years shall show them
selves as perfect and finished day.
Macdonald.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

LIVING ToGErHER,-We have seen, on
a printed slip, set of pithy maXims on
the Art of Living Together" We do
not know who wrote them, but they are
full of good sense, and might well be laid
to heart by every one who lives in con-
slant companionship with another, wheth-
er as husband and wife, college chums, or
partners in business.
avoid having stock subjects of dispu-
tation. Do not hold too much to logic,
and suppose that everything is to be set
tied by sufficient reason.
If you would be loved as a companion,
avoid criticism of those with whom you
live.
Let not familiarity swallow up all
courtesy"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

Representative John Young Brown O.
Kentucky has bright little son about ten
years old, who is now with him ut Wash
ington. The boy attended matinee by
himself ut the National Theatre the Other
day. and at II sudden commotion in The
audience he heard that the President hat
entered II box with his family. Bound tC
see all he could, he went around TO the
Presidents box, opened it, and announce,
himself as John Young Brown, Jr., o
Kentucky. Tho President received him
cordially, introduced him to his family
and the young man saw the rest OF thu
performance from the august sanctuary o
the private box.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

REMEDY FOR TRoUBLE.-Work is your
true remedy. If misfortune hits YOU
hard, you hit something else hard; pitch
into something with will. There's moth.
ing like good, solid, absorbing, eXhausting
work to cure trouble. If you have met
with losses, you don't want to lie awake
and think about them. You want sleep
calm, sound slcep--and to eat your din.
ner with appetite. But you can't, unless
you work. lfyou say You don feel like
work; and so loaling all day to tell Dick
ana Harry the story of your woes, you'll
lie awake and keep your wife awake by
your tossing, spoil your temper and YOU
breakfast the next morning and begin TO
morrow feeling ten times worse than yor
do to-day.
lhcrc are some great troubles that only
time can heal, and perhaps some that ney
er can be healed at all; but all can b,
helped by the great panacea, work. Tr,
it you who are afflicted. 1t is not paten
medicine. 1t has proved its eilicienc,
since first Adam and Eve left behind them
with weeping, their beautiful Eden. 1t j
an efficient ronIedy. All good physician
in regular standing prescribe it in case q
mental disease. 1t operates kindly us wei
leaving no disagreeabIe SeQueie, and w
assure you that we have taken larg
quantity of it with most beneficial results
1t Will cure more complaints than an
nostrum i'll the materia medica, and come
nearer to begin II " cure all " than an
drug OF compound of drugs in the market
And 1t will not sickcn you if you do nc
take it sugar coated.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

A SCOTCH SToRY-A certain minister
having become much addicted to drink.
his presbytery hrd to interfere, and get
the minister to sign the pledge. The re-
suit was that the sudden reaction proved
too much for him, and he became so i'll
that the doctor had to be sent for. The
doctor said he must began to take his tod
dy again. This the minister said he could
not do, rs be had taken the pledge. The
doctor replied that he might get Il bottle
or two quietly, and that nobody but their
two selves and the housekeepcr would
know it. "Mln," said the minister, INV
honsckecper is worse than all the presby-
terry put together, so that would not do"
However, it was arranged that the doctor
should bring in the whisky and sugar, and
That the minister was to make up the
toddy in the bed room with the hot waiter
he got for shaving purposes in the morn
ing. The result was the minister got
speedily well, and one day on going out,
the doctor said to the minister's house
keeper, " We'll, Margaret, your minister
is quite himself again" There's nae
doubt of that, sir" she replied, {" he's
quite well in the body, but there is some
thing game far wrang wi his upper story.
" What's wrong there, Margaret" asked
the doctor. Weel, sir. | dinna ken,
but he asks for Shawn water six or seven
times II day"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

TO comfort and satisfy our dropping spir-
Is, Who then would think to live with
lnt the association of interesting books?
No yonng man should,
The world is full Of reading matter, and
it is utterly impossible to read all; still
every apprentice and tradesman can find
cisure enough to acquaint himself with
50 much Us is necessary to perfect him as
/ mechanic, broaden him ouu us II citizen.
Read, then, by all means. Read slowly,
read carefullyi read with reflection; and
reflect with reading.-N j. Mechpnjc.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07
A True Mule Story.
Mt, LEBANON IA


Dtar ,L,ch.-tbo roycro - n,.,o :.
Bienvile parish In from, " 'nnii lm",G oj,., IN
feet deep cansej So n,naT Hn wen Sky
terest here lateiv H 16at 'f'H .s ou5Ptiso anu ~
to YOU. '''''' 00''' "'' account
i is voucbod rnr hu so,,.. ,r l., -.
citizens of tLis nIa.n ,,'T 1I,no -. 'lie pest
and assure Won is If 10 o,,o mmo , Wi'nGsseo @ IT,
This mnln feII bind caotJ L,i "'tu " @9'
an old drv vol oivtv fant 1'N "''oN w." y. lnUo
posed tbat the ed@s nf FL thn n'1p ,io ~ ID S0P-
With him. All etf6rts " 70 "Y ro."o mv,' Gs'eu @ IN
fuitless "a hn was comuotoI w otoGuo lilly nl5n were
Finally the owmar Of pthU'y IN" ";yr "0Vseu 5'l in'
inc that the DOOR croa,ure e was "aS eoopi S"ppoT-
injured bv the fail IeciJaG that % i 9'Tuauiy ,a'i
be moro mercifn to harn hi, o,'C I.iio1 ~ "Gu'. t
to allow him to storvn 'U t dan ,ia At1.oI M .li'l
inc anv other w"" of " i,nt IL uo''aiii n.y. AnoW-
had a cort.Io,d IF l;rt th.oii.nS thuoS iii'l' lie
him. But inste,d of .Ilowing, Li,,,nit IPIn ~
be buried aIive his mninshim ntI'sCI' ShoI w.
~, D' ~ .''i'o, Ills ihuieshlP quietly shook
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-03-07

Messrs. Frost and j. r. McKelvy arc
addressing temperance gatherings at Oswe-
60, N. Y, and the papers there represent
that they are doing great and needed
work. Over $500 persons of that city
have signed the temperance reform pledge