davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Lantte's Treasures.

The buried treasures of Lafitte, the
pirate, periodically stimulate to search
the fools of the Gulf coast in the same
way that Captain Kidd's hidden wealth
does their credulous brethren of the
Northern Shore Line. Ten years ago
n New Orleans pirate had i'll his possess
sion map that had been left him by n
relative, which pointed out spot on
Cat Island, Oh one OF the sand mounds
there, where chests of treasure were to
be found. John Newell, for that was his
name, started four times to make the
search, but by some strange and mys-
terious coincidence each time he and his
party came to grief just rs tire island was
almost in reach. On the hst trip Newell
went by himself, and when outside, his
little yacht, appropriately named the
Reckless Babe" foundered and her
owner drowned. For the last fifty years
these stories about buried wealth have
been current at New Orleans, especially
among the Creole families, and to-day
there are many who believe in the story
and have full faith in these old tradi-
tions. AS a sample of this confidence,
it is learned that since the publication of
the recent organization of stock COM
pany at the North, to search for Captain
kiid's buried gold, there is on foot in
atcity an expedition to go oafter Lafitte's,
and schooner is to be chartered soon to
carry the adventurers and their imple-
ments
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14

Many years gentleman in subor dl-
nate department of the bank of Ireland
discovered device more useful than
hair-splitting, though of the like nature;
he found out a way of splitting bank
notes, so that each note became two, and
to all appearance were the same as when
they were one, including, of course. the
water mark and all the rest Of He
was an honest man, and informed the
government of the result of his ingenui-
ty; whereupon, on his solemn promise
of never revealing his secret, they made
him governor of the bank.
Another gentleman. but, who, unhap-
PLY, is rogue, has lately made his ap-
pearance in London. He has invented
certain acid which causes the writing
to disappear from the check, and then
he fills up the blank space according to
his aspiration. His method is the fol-
lowing: He procures real check,
drawn by good name, for seventeen or
nineteen pounds; the "pounds is
obliteratsd SO completely that no trace
of the original writing can be discerned
even under the microscope, and the
words Zone hundred pounds" inserted
in its place two ciphers are added to
the figures, and then the thing is done,
since all the other parts of the documen5,
including the signature, arc quite cor
rect This ingenious plan is causing
great CONSERVATION in London, and the
individual who invented it could get
good round sum to retire from the bdsi-
ness
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Seeing Without Eyes.

Mr.. Levy, in his work on "Blindness
end the Blind" says: "When passing
along the street can distinguish shops
from private houses, and even point out
the doors, windows, ETC., and this
whether the doors be shut or open.
While We king with friend in Folest
lane, Stafford, said, pointing to fence
which separated the road from the field ::
Those rails are not quite as high rs my
shoulder He looked ut them. and said
they were higher. They, however,
measured three inches lower than my
shoulder. When 1 made this observa-
ton I was about four feet from the
rails. Certainly in this instance facial
perception was more accurate than light.
When the lower part Of a fence is
brickwork and the upper part rails, that
part can be detected, and the line where
the two meet easily perceived. Irregu-
larities in height, projections and in
ientations in walls cnn also bc dis
covered"
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
WHY the Music Stopped.

Three young gentlemen planned a
burlesque serenade to three young ladies
in Raleigh, N, G. One had a violin, an
other bass viol, and another q banjo,
and each instrument had a single string.
Enterirg g the front yard at midnight they
SCI eened themselves from sight beneath
the foliage of magnolia trees and opened
the serenade. Now the young ladies had
facetious father with noisy shotgun.
Sliding noisly from his bed, he took out
the shot from a shell cartridge, and, aim
ing his gun at the magnolia, fired. He
confidently expected stampede, but he
was disappointed. The overture was not
broken off; the players scraped and
picked each on his own string, and q
vol e cried out: "Shoot lower, old
coon." "Now, girls, I'll try the hose
pipe" said the facetious father, and soon
there was less music in the air.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14

A few days ago some persons were
boring well Oh the bluff near Baum's
Mill, Carroll county, Mo. They passed
through several strata of hard clay and
other formations, and had reached a
depth of forty-six feet, when the auger
struck a stick of timber, which, Judging
from the time it took to bore through it,
must have been at least two feet in diame-
ter. As soon as the auger passed
through the wood it seemed to drop, as
if into hole, and almost Immediately
water rushed into the well to the depth
of thirty feet. A piece of turf, in which
the form of leaves and pieces of sticks
were plainly visible, was brought up by
the anger. The wood of the log is Of
very fine grain, and is wholly different
from any now growing in that neighbor-
hood. Many people have examined the
w",j, AMI all, So far, lave declared that
they never saw wood like il before,
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Sufferings of Siberian Prisoners.

A sad sight in Russia to Il traveller is
the manner in which civil prisoners are
treated. 1t is common spectacle to see
three or four hundred poor wretches on
their way to Siberia under military
escort; for most of them are chained
together in couples, and the women and
children who have elected to share their
bread-winners' lot have also to submit to
be treated as criminals. Poorly clad and
apparently half starved, the wonder is
that any of the party should ever survive
the dreadful journey. A Russian criminal
condemned to exile is sent away with
very little ceremony; but when an officer
of the army or other person of note has
been sentenced to banishment for life he
is dressed in full uniform, and led to q
scaffold in some public place. In the
presence of the crowd he is made to kneel
while his epaulets and decorations are
torn from his coat and his sword broken
over his head. Heis declaredlegally dead;
his estates are confiscated, and his wife
can consider herself widow if she so
chooses. From the scaffold he starts on
his journey for Siberia, HIS wife and
children, sisters or mother, can follow or
accompany him if they choose, but only
on condition that they share his exile.
Mr. Arnold in his book entitled "Through
Persia by Caravan" relates low, when
passing through Russia, he saw a
party of prisoners embarked on board a
steamer on the river Volga. They were
positively Gagged amidships, so that every
part of the interior could be seen, just us
in the lion-houses of the Geological gar
dens, with this ditference--that in the
case of the prisoners there was no over
hanging roof to prevent rain OF sunshine
from pouring in upon their wretched-
ness. At the back of the cage there was
a lair common to all, without distinction
of sex or age. And when all were secured
including the guiltless women and child:
ren, fights occurred for the places least
exposed to the east wind.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Hospitality.

Hospitality is good deal matter of
latitude, 1 suspect. The shade of palm
tree serves an African for a hut, his
dwelling is all door and no walls; every
body can come in. To make morning
call on an Esquimaux acquaintance, ono
must creep through long tunnel his
house is all walls and no door. One
might very probably trace regular gra-
dation between these two extremes. In
cities where the evenings are warm, the
people have porches at their doors,
where they sit, and this is, Of course, a
provocative to the interchange of civil
ties. A great deal which in colder
regions is ascribed to mean dispositions
belongs really to mean temperature. -
Ncr1D ROOE
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
A Child Catches a Weasel.

The Newburgh IN. " Journal tells
the following story of adventure, the
little heroine being n young miss of some
twelve years, daughter of a farmer re-
siding near the village of Mount Hope:
"While she was engaged feeding hen
and chickens, at an early hour, II weasel
made its appearance among the brood,
and seized one of the chicks. The plucky
little girl grasped the chicken and vainly
endeavored to release it from the fatal
jaws of its ravenous enemy. Bereft, i'll
its eagerness for blood, of fear, the wea-
sci held on, resisting all the efforts made
to shake him off. Determined not to be
beaten in the contest, the young miss
then seized the weasel by the nape of its
neck and ran to the house, distance of
some two hundred feet, making her ap-
penrance in the dining where the
family were seated ut breakfast, with it
firmly clutched in her grasp, her hands
bleeding from repeated applications of
its teeth and claws. Here the family
dog was called in, but the weasel fastened
it's jaws into the upper lip of his dog
ship, who with howls of pain wildly ran
about the room. The distress OF the
dog, n great household pet, again put
the little girl upon her mettle, and seiz-
ing the weasel she choked him off the
dog, but only to cause him to fasten his
teeth in her thumb, which he bit through
and through. Though the pain must
necessarily have been great, the child
uttered no cry of distress, but patiently
awaited until the grip OF the weasel had
been released by his being choked. The
animal was then killed"
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Romance OF u Rose.

A story comes to us from the coal
mines OF the Lackawanna valley--a
simple story, but with immense possi-
bilities. In the Diamond" shaft
there was no steadier, harder worker
than Jim Gardiner. What lie did with
his money was long mystery-he had
no wife, no family, no expensive habits,
no relatives that any one knew of, and
yet no savings bank account. 1t was
learned later that MI but the little need
cd for his daily wants went for charity
found its way quietly, unobtrusively
into the huts of women and children
whose husbands and fathers had gone
down in the crush of falling timbers or
come forth black and crisp from the
scorching fire-damp.
There was something about Gardiner
that suggested former life of higher
grade. He talked but little, but that
little was in words we'll chosen and of
choice dialect. His dress was as rough
as the toughest, but he carried it as
man who had been used to face the
world smilingly. They called him
Gentleman jim" in the mines, but
they all liked him rs man who
always played fair and asked no odds.
In the accident OF last April, when the
roof Of part of the mine fell in,
Gardiner was killed. 1t appeared in the
evidence that there were few seconds
during the crack Of timber before the
roof fairly came down, and in that brief
time, in those few beats of the pulse,
Gentleman Jim" had caught two
boys with his lion-like strength. and
tossed them clear out Of the fatal cham
Der into the safe main alley. Then he
went down with the roof. When his
body was recovered the next day they
found him with his right hand thrust
inside his vest and clasping tight little
pocket-book. There was nothing in it
save card, on which was fastened, with
a drop of sealing-wax on the stem, ill
that remained of rosebud and two
geranium leaves. Underneath was writ
ten, in a woman's hand, Marie-All
for Her--June 4, 1867" Just below
was written, in mans hand "June,
1S70-all withered-except the thorn"
1t is tale for poet-we have given
the barest outlines as they came to us.
But our informant adds that the face of
the man, as they found him, unmarried
by the cruel rocks which crushed his
chest, was placid MS that OF sleeping
child.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
The Parting Hour.

There's something In the "parting hour"
Will chill the warmest heart,
Yet kindred, comrades, lovers, friends,
Are fatod all to part
But this We seen-and many a pang
Has pressed it on my mind
The one who goes IL happier
Than those he leaves behind
The bride goes to the bridegroom's home
With doubtings and with tears,
But does not hope her rainbow spread
Across her cloudy fears?
Alas tho mother who remains,
What comfort can she find,
But this-,the one is happier
Than one SIZE leaves behind.
Have You friend, Il comrade dear,
An old and valued friend?
BE sure your time of sweet concourse
At length will have All end
And when you part-as part you will
Oh, take it not unkind,
II he who goes is happier
Than yon he leaves behind.
God wills it so and so it is;
The pilgrims on the way,
Though weak and worn, more cheerful are
Than nj! the rest who stay.
And when at last, poor man subducd,
Lies down to death resigned,
May he not still be happier far
Than those he leaves behind?
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14

An article in the GALAXY ON dreams,
by Mr.. Lewis, presents some novel
theories. The results of a great number
of experiments are held to sustain the
following facts: Speaking III low,
monotonous tone close to the cars of q
sleeper will almost invariably cause him
to dream of terrible adventures on water,
such as shipwreck and drowning. Sing
ing or playing on musical instruments
induces dreams of dead friends, funerals,
and the like. Worrisome dreams are
often caused by sleeping with the arms
over the head. Mr.. Lewis does not be-
lieve that somnambulism is often caused
by weight of trouble on the mind, and
he combats the idea that any great pro-
portion of dreams are the result of max
ing trouble. He thus describes expert
ments showing that they are but flashes
across the brain "Whilc one watched a
sleeper and another the clock, third
loudly slammed the blind of n window
about ten feet away. The effect was
almost instantaneous. The man sprang
up at the sound, looked around in alarm,
aud then exclaimed THANK God that
it was only dream He had dreamed
of being on crowded street in front of
n building which the crowd declared I'M
safe, but still fingered near it. The
dreamer tried to elbow his way along,
but the people jeered and laughed at
him and held him there. He begged
and entreated, coaxed and threatened,
but they held him there, and the build
ing toppled over ON him, the shock
breaking his dream. 1t seemed certain
to us that he had dreamed the entire
dream III second, while the time seemed
a long half hour to him; but to place the
question beyond dispute we indulged in
seven or eight different experiments.
Sometimes we let weight fall to the
floor, or struck a chair with stick, and
again we slammed the blind. In every
instance the sleeper dreamed of some
startling adventure, and awoke with
start and no dream lasted over q min
uta
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
A Lion Story.

Some time ago, in Tunis, u Sicilian
athlete Of Rinaldo's circus excited gen.
eral admiration by his manly beauty and
feats of strength. He was in the habit
of overcoming lion during the per.
formance, which, however, was trained
to succumb. The hey of Tunis, hear
ing Of this, sent him M offer Of thou.
sand ducats il he would kill a lion which
he possessed. The proposal was ac-
cepted, and on the day appointed, the
hey had large company gathered
around the pit where the lion was kept.
The beast had been there three days
without food, and was furious. The
iron door of the pit opened, but instead
of the athlete, trembling dog was
thrown forward, which timidly took
refuge in corner. The lion, who was
at distance, turned in surprise Mt the
humble intruder. His tail ceased to
lash his side, his roars ceased, and he
sat, with paws extended, contemplating
his victim. Propelling himself forward
upon his belly, he finally made spring.
The dog, however, who had watched
him with vigilant eye, sprang in the
opposite direction.
The lion seemed astonished at missing
his prey, but after rolling over few
times made another jump, which was
also avoided. Pity for the dog induced
the hey to order cord to be lowered for
him, and while the lion was gyrating
preparatory to renewed spring, the dog
intelligently seized the cord with his
teeth and was drawn up. As he as
sended, the lion sprang again, but was
too late. At this moment the Sicilian
appeared, calm and fearless. He was in
n rich circus costume, and carried
heavy mace. He took his position in the
same corner previously occupied by the
dog.
At first the lion did not perceive him,
but on turning, his eyes expressed
vague inquietude. He slowly withdrew
few steps, watching his enemy with
furtive and sidelong glance. The Sici-
liam, on the contrary, looked straight
in his eye and watched every movement.
The lion evidently had misgivings, but
impelled by hunger, sprang upon the
man with a terrible roar.
The Sicilian slipped aside with agility,
and before the paws of the lion touched
the ground, a violent blow from the
mace upon the head laid him insensible.
The mace was raised for the death blow,
when the bey interposed. He offered
the man another thousand for the life of
the beast. 1t was accepted, and the lion
was allowed to recover.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Items Of Interest.

The receipts Of internal revenue for the tisca
year ending tho thirtieth Of June are ll9,0OO,-
900. Last year they were eli, 100000.
A Cleveland sportsman shot seven times at
decoy duck in Detroit river before no could
kill it. Some OF these wooden ducks are hard
birds to lay out.
Seven clcrgymen ate so much fruit while at
tending Baptist convention in Rockingham,
N. c., that they became sick, and had to be At
tended by a physician.
Young mon Of the middle classes are 80 little
disposed to marry. these times, that parents OF
marriageable daughters will have to resort
to the seductive chrome.
A Maine man while fishing recently raised
bag Of old silver coin out Of the river. That's
about the easiest way to raise money we've
heard of for q long time.
A man at Pawlet, Vermont, recently lost
fourteen cows, which broke into his potato field
and ate vines that had boen anointcd with
kerosene to keep off bugs.
The Turkish forces in Europe give total
strength of 100000 men and $4,000 horses.
The effective strength Of forces in Asia are
$4,000 men and 5000 horses.
A fashionable young lady dropped one Of her
false eyebrows in church pew, and badly
frightened young man next to hor, who
thought it was his mustache.
A man who would not join in strike Of fac
tory operatives at Paterson, N. j., had red
pepper thrown into his eyes by woman who
was among the strikers. She WAS determined
"to make it hot for him."
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
Fashion Notes,
Lace mits have made hit.
Black veils are the most elegant.

Lace mits have made hit.
Black wells are the most elegant.
India-gauze wraps are having run.
White undressed kid gloves are
stylish.
Velvet skirts are not worn much this
summer.
Low shoes nre not in such high favor
this year.
A parasol bordered with ostrich tips is
n novelty.
Linen collars have almost entirely sup
planted ruches.
The coiffure is arranged high on the
head again by many.
All dresses are made long, the skirt
being held up in the street.
The small boy of the period has a
violent attack of sailor suits.
Children's dresses still boast of great
deal Of waist and very little skirt.
Ribbon strings, tied low in front, arc
worn on some hats with pretty effect.
Lisle thread gloves are admissible
only with morning or travelling dresses.
French lace is very extensively used
on dresses, sacques and parasols.
Lace caps lined with silk are yet the
full-dress head-gear for those Of tender
years.
Riding habits are quite short this
year, and either of black or invisible
green cloth.
Handsome middle-aged ladies' with
snowy hair have suddenly become the
fashion.
Red still mingles its glow in pleasing
way in the folds and trimmings of black
dresses.
Seaside sacques of navy blue flannel,
deliberately trimmed with white braid,
are seen.
The turn-back linen collars and cuffs
are becoming quite popular.
Ladies going to the seaside should be
careful to select materials for dresses
that are not affected by the salt air.
Consistency in the matter of dress is
indeed n jewel. Ladies should bestow
the greatest care on the small details of
their toilets.
The caprice of the day is to swathe
the neck in black lace when attired for
the promenade. with never suspicion
of white t. he seen,
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
New York and Her Literary Men.

Richard Grant White, who is safely
back from Europe and has got the salt
ont of his clothes, has been offered the
chair of English literature in our city
college, says New York correspondent.
He has held M Office in the custom
house, which enabled him to live while
doing excellcnt literary work which
hasn't paid, and the appointment to n
field of congenial labor will doubtless
be as acceptable tohim as it is creditable
to the college. Mr.. White is not n
very popular man. His pen has very
sharp point, and his ink is apt to be
vitriolic. His teaching capacity is Ms
yet M unknown quantity, and perhaps he
would make much better Librarian than
professor. But he is man of ideas, a
stud:ous, acute, suggestive, provocative,
combustible person and it is hardly n
credit to American institutions that such
q man has been obliged to get his living
by purely secular labor SO long. Mr..
r. II. Stoddard is another instance in
which man of real culture and literary
creativeness las been sacrificed to bread
and-butter necessities. After working
hard in the custom house for years,
often too weary to write word after his
work for the day has been done, he has
been appointed city librarian at salary
of 81 900 year. This is the way New
York rewards her sons, and shows her
appreciation of literary effort. Mr.. E.
H. Stodman, one of the finest of Ameri-
can poets after Longfellow and Emerson
and Lowell, and one of the most appre-
ciative of our critics, too, is obliged to
support his family by exacting banking
operations, giving to literature only the
crumbs of time that fall from the
brokers' board. But then we have erected
an elegant statue to the dead poet Hal
leck, which many people seem to think
atones for any amount of injustice to
living writer's.
Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-14
IS Hanging On.0

One was parcel boy and the other a
cash boy, and as they halted under an
awning for minute the parcel boy
asked:
"Do you get the same old wages yet p
eyes, just the same"
Haven't you been presented with a
watch or cane, as token of esteem?
"No-not thing"
"Don't the boss ever ask you up to a
Sunday dinner? ?"
"NOt one."
"Never comes around and asks your
advice about the markets."
"Never."
"And he hasn't got daughter to fall
in love with you and suicide if she can't
marry you ?"
"No."
"Well, L don't see why you stay
there. 1t must be awful humiliating to
boy of your temperament.
$50 it is-it's just awful on me, but
I'm hanging on in hopes of finding
fve-dollar bill on the floor and buying
all the rock candy can eat Seems as
if 1 could taste it itnow-youm-good-bye.
Few people know how we boys suffer
day after day."