davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
THE R1ILROADs OF THE UNIT
STATE IN 1876.

From advance aeets'of Poor's Man
ual of Railroads, # the United States
for 1S77-S-the highest authority in
the United State-we learn that the
number of miles of railroad opened
during the year 1876 was 1856,
against ,919 miles for 1875; and y
81 miles for 1874. The excess Of
miles built, as compared with the two
preceding years, is due almost entirely
to the great activity in the Southern
Pacific lines, and in narrow gauge lines
in Ohio, Texas ard Colorado. The
miles operated in 1875 numbered 49,
51S; the capital and funded debt
amounted to 81, 88, ,591 ,932 the gross
earning, were S47, ,227 ,959 the net
earnings, $1S6, ,42, ,752, and the divi-
dendss paid s6S039, ,66S. Compared
with 1875, there vas an increase of ], :
749 in the numbr of miles operated
an increase of S25, 100000 in the
capital and funded debt; a decrease of
50, 800, 600 In the gross earnings; an
increase of nearll 81 100000 in the
net earnings, and a decrease of &c.
20O,OOO IN the dividends. The in
crease in the net earnings, although
the mileage of the roads have been in
creased and the ross earnings have
fallen off, bet,ken an increased
economy in railwsy management. The
dividends paid lat year were larger
than in any previous year, except 1875,
but not as large il proportion to the
capital stock in many preceding years.
In the ten years from 1866 to 1876.
the railroad mileage ha snearly doubled,
increasing from 1926 in the former
to 77,470 in helatter. During the
same period the population Of the
country increased only % per cent,
so that the increase in railway mileage
has been at rate more than quad
ruple that OF the population. Nearly
two-thirds of the increase has been in
the western and Pacific states. The
number of inhabitants to a mile of
railroad is 577. In the west the num-
Der averages considerably less, being
but 427 inhabitants per mile. The
Manual says that the experience of the
New England states demonstrates that,
to enable railroads to be operated at
profit, population of at least $50 to
a mile of railroad is necessary in this
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
4 MISTAKEN COYOTE.

By the senator, which arrived yester-
day, Mr. Wolcott, of this city, brought
two yonDg eagles for Woodward's gar
Den. He states that this specie of eagle
is rare almost to extinction. They were
secured by him on very elevated por-
ton of the Serpe range of mountains,
about seventy miles northwardly from
Santa Barbara. Having previously OBJ
served the parent eagle sailing down into
the valley, he climbed tree twenty feet
above the ground before branch was
reached, and then ten feet more to the
nest, some of the sticks composing which
some difficulty he secured the young
birds, then about three weeks old, and
about the size of chickens. He succeeded
in decamping with them before the re-
tura of one of the old birds, which came
hack shortly afterwards with a young
lamb in its claws. Though the old bird
saw Mr.. Wolcott, it did not see the
yeung eagles he bad, or there would have
been a square fight. Returning to the
house at which he was staying, the birds
were secured in pen and kept three
weeks. They are now about six weeks
old, about two feet in height, and can
dispose of jackrabbit or so at a meal
without Indigestion.
a few days ago coyote visited the
house and destroyed all The chickens.
The eagles were then placed in the
chicken pen, and on TIE next morning
The coyote returned TO get some more
chickens, and, under the impression that
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
THE CAR AND MS BLorHER.


Two stories that are told of Leouzon
lie Due of the car of Russia and of his
brother Constantine in their early youth,
are interesting as showing the strict i'm
partiality in which they were brought up.
Constantine, who held at fourteen
years of age the post of grand admiral,
but who remained under the guidance Of
J ~F Admiral -I-,,tlro. r--e.--~sol 20 -ailor
against the wishes of Lutk, who declined
to sanction the promotion. Constantine
appealed to his father, who supported
Lutk, much to the wrath of the young
admiral, who expressed his Indignation
at being grand-admiral OF the empire
while yet unable to promote sailor, and
instantly offered his resignation. l ac-
cept it." replied Nicholas. g You have
never had anything but the name of
your post, and will never permit you to
bear it until you have learned the prin-
cipal quality of chief-that of properly
knowing and Judging the men who are
Under your command"
The story with regard to the present
czar is very much the same. Also at
fourteen years of age he was an officer in
the guard, and on one occasion, in going
through the palace, he passed hall in
which were several persons OF high mill
tary rank, who saluted the young prince
as he passed This mark of respect
greatly pleased the young man, and he
passed and repassed the hall several times
in the hope of again receiving it; but
the generals took no more notice of him.
Annoyed at this, Alexander went to
complain to Nicholas, who, instead of
consoling him, severely reprimanded him
for his vanity, and at once deprived him
of the rank he held until he should prove
himself capable OF enduring it honorably.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
Wnu seme Farmers Keep Poor

A recent writer says: After long
observation | have come to the con-
sion that great majority of the farmers
that are poor might have made money
If you inquire into their business habits
you will always find that they always
sold the best and kept the poorest. Fer
instance, if they have too many sheep
on hand, they pick out the best to be
sold. If you ask them why they do so,
they will say, Because they bring twice
as much as the others, and l am hard up
Just now for morey. l know that it is
not good plan, and do not intend te
follow it always [ think the habit of
selling the best is a very poor plan for
any man, I don't care what his circum-
stances may be. | have a man in my
mind now who always sells his poorest
sheep for more than twice as much as
the average farmer gets for his best. l
have seen farmers in the fall pick out
their best pigs TO fatten, because they
would make few more pounds of pork
than the others. This / call very poor
economy.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
THE GLORYIs DEP4RrED.

The glorious fourth has nearly be-
come a memory. What remains of it
is but the ghost of its former self. The
gorgeous military displays are aban-
doned the parades have dwiHdled to
nothingness the " oration for the day :"
is lost art. The inspiring idea hav-
ing been Gispelled, the outward sym
bols of it collapsed. a more intimate
acquaintance with Great Britain showed
TINT what the war of independence
accomplished here, political agitation
effected there. Anglo-Saxons on both
sides of the Atlantic were engaged in
widening the borders of hnman free
dom, and the concrete notion of sus-
tanning hostility to England could no
longer be maintained Tne flashes of
the glory and the gunpowder are be-
coming DINNER as the grave closes
over the soldiers of the war of 1912,
and most naturally.
The nation has arrived at a higher
stage of development 1t feels the
weight of It's great and growing re-
sponsibilities. 1t is not military in its
instincts or It's ASPIRATIONS lis mission
is peace and good will. Its highest
glory is its industrial triumphs. Its
political hope is in the selfrestrain and
industry of its people. Great as was
the victory achieved by the war of in
dependence, the forces which up to it
which are still at ~ ork for the bene-
fit of mankind-were intellectually
greater. The birthday of the nation
is not only associated with the names
of those who signed the declaration of
independence, and of those who fought
to maintain it, but with the names of
those who made steam navigation an
accomplished fact, who perfected the
loom, who invented the telegraph, who
placed distant continents in instant
communication, who made arts and
industries give true glory and substance
to what else was but a name.
The fourth of July of the future
will embrace a wider meaning in its
celebration; the old glorious fourth is
gone.-N Y Graphic.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
4 Good Cen,enk

A good cement for mending almost
anything may be made by mixing to-
gether litharge and glycerine to the con-
sistency of thick cream or fresh putty
This cement is useful for mending stone
jars or any coarse earthenware, stopping
leaks in seams of tin-pans wash-bOilers,
cracks and holes in iron kettles, etc.
Holes an inch in diameter in kettles can
be filled and used the same for years in
boiling water and feed. 1t also may be
used to fasten en- lamp-tops, to tighten
loose nuts, to secure bolts whose nuts are
lost, to tighten loose joints of wood or
iron, loose boxes in wagon-hubs, and in
a great many other ways. In all cases
the articles mended should not be used
until the cement is hardened, which will
require from one day to week, accord
ing to the quantity used. This cement
will resist the action of water, hot or
cold, acids, and almost any degree of
heat
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
The department of Aarioul,ure.

In leading editorial under the above
heading the Country Gentleman re-
marks:
Inc existence and support of the
department may be taken "a evidence of
desire on the part of our lawmakers to
conciilate the agricultural interest, but
we may state frankly that we do not
think the agricultural interest knows
what 1T wants and that congress seems
to be equally in the dark on the sub
ject."
The Country Gentleman has at its
head Combined papers forty-seventh
year." Putting the facts together the
implication is that educated farmers who
have read the Genesee Farmer, Albany
Cultivator and Country Gentleman forty
seven years, fairly representing the " ag-
ricultural interest,"" do not know what
they want congress to do for agriculture:
and that congress is equally in the dark
on the subject. This is curious state
OF things, and shows how little thought
has been given to this great national
interest by either sovereigns or subjects,
rulers or ruled, in nation of farmers.
The department has cost for printing
reports and all other expenses, s355. .2S4
year on an average for the last fourteen
years.
The yearly expenses of the army
since the war have averaged over thirty-
five million dollars. From these
figures it follows that it will take
the bureau of agriculture one hundred
years to draw from the public treasury
as much money as the gentlemen
who wear shoulder straps and live fat
VIII take out in one year. Unlike far
mers, officers, from General Sherman
down, know what they want congress to do
Formerly dollar head for each man
woman and child, paid all the expenses
OF the government; now, the army and |
navy wants larger contribution for
themselves alone.
We profess a religion which teaches
man to beat his swords into plow-shares,
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27

these eagles would fill the bill. got hold
OF one OF them, which also got hold of
him by inserting its talons in the nose of
the latter, but was unable to drag him
into the pen, the coyote being equally
powerless to drag the eagle out. The
coyote then concluded that he did
not want any more eagle just at that
time, and expressed himself to that effect
loudly, but too late, inasmuch as Mr..
Wolcott's attention was called to the
spot, when he shot the coyote TO relieve
the misunderstanding. He says that the
full-grown eagles of this very rare species
are eight feet in spread of wing, four feet
in height, and scarcely any man or ami
NAL could avoid being stunned if attacked
by them in their usual manner, by push
ing with the breast.-,San Francisco Post.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
FARM ND HOME.
Feeding s,ri,.e ID. SUMMER.

Now the true way to fatten pigs, at
any season of the year, is togive por-
ton oil coarse food such as turnips, beets,
carrots, potatoes, cooked clover, hay, or
grass, the last being the natural food Of
the pig, and in summer always at hand.
While in cold weather it is necessary to
resort to roots, which have required
manual labor to grow, in summer the pig
can get its own grass, and only requires
a moderate allowance of grain to keep il
growing rapidly and have it ready for the
knife when grass ceases to grow. If we
take all the hogs fatteDed in the United
States in year, ard change the time OF
fattening from cold to warm weather,
one-half of the grain now fed will make
all the pork. This would be a saving of
food, at least to the amount of SIS, ,000, 900
per year.-jS0uthern Farmer.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
MALETOLENT WIT.

Malevolent wit is that kind which
will lose friend sooner than a joke.
To be captious and contradictory is of
fensive enough, but moi SO provoking,
so unbearable, as the spirit Ofmockery
affected by witlings and coxcombs for
that, like a blighting east wind, withers
up every living and heartfelt senti-
ment springing up in conversation, and
especially chills and disheartens the
young in the earliest intercourse with
the world. The weapon inficting the
wound is hardly perceptible, but the
point has been dipped in poison. A
breeze, itself invisible, often makes a
whole lake to shudder. Yet one
would rather be cut by keen than by
a blunt lancet, and coarse, supercili-
Gus wav is almost as hateful as the
freezing irony of more subtle ill-hu-
NOR.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
PROGRESS IN RUssII.

The Car Alexander is an extraOrdi-
nary civilizer. In the midst of war on
gigantic scale. he has ordered the Wig
orous prosecution of the work on the
buildings of the great Siberian univer-
sity at Omsk, which are to be finished in
1880. Omsk is the capital of western
Siberia, and the university will be sus-
tanned by the government. The car has
also issued orders for the immediate pros
ecution of the work on the central Asian
railway. This road commences at Mos
COW and is completed to Samara, on the
river Volga, distance of six hundred
miles. From Samara the road will run
to Tashkend, in the province of Kbo-
kand, and thence to some point in Kasb-
gar, on tie confines of China This stu.
pendous undertaking has become neces-
sary on account of the rapidity of the
Russian conquests in central Asia. At
present troops and provisions consume
much time reaching central Asian posts
although the rivers flowing into the Cas-.
plan sea are utilized to great extent
for transportation purposes.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
Household Matters.

BARLEY WATER.---On two spooDsfuls
Of crushed barley pour one quart Of boil
ing water, cook ten minutes and strain.
Then add a glass of calfs foot Jelly, OIL
if not to be had, add lemon Aayoring. A
good drink for the sick.
To CLEAN COLLARS AND WRISTBANDS
= Grease the soiled parts before wetting,
with any kind of fat or dripping; let
them remain a few hours, or over night
wash with soap in hot water. They will
become wonderfully clean.
GoosEBERRY SAUcE---I'iek punt OF
green gooseberries, put in small un-
timed copper sugar-pau, with boiling
water; boil about ten minutes, drain
thoroughly. press through a seive and
mingle with the same quantity OF we'll
buttered white sauce.
BLACK CAKE-One cupful butter,
one and half cupfuls sugar, One-half
cupful molasses, three eggs, one cupiul
milk, one nutmeg, one teaspoonful each
of cloves and cinnamon, four cupfuls
-four, two pounds raisins, one pound
currants, one-fourth pound citron.
To Cook SwEETBREADs.-Firs wash
them perfectly clean, then cut them into
long slices and about half an inch thick
dry them well, and then fry in butter o.
lard; serve while hot on heated meat
dish; do not use crackers, bread crumbs
or eggs in frying, for too much grease
will be absorbed and thereby spoil the
delicacy of the cooking.
To WASH BLUE FLANNEL.-Do no
let flannel remain long in any water
have the water clean, and as hot as cal
be comfortable for the hands, use on
tablespoonful of pulyerized borax 70
every tup of water; use soap spaIingly
as it is apt to harden the flannel; rims
quickly in clear hot water; wiring yer.
| dry, then shake WELL and beat or stretc
out with the hands; hang in GOO
shady place to dry quickly.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27

and his spears into pruning hooks ou'
what is our practice? Our agriculture
must godown or go up; which shall it Dc
Do farmers ask their lawmakers to 10
any thing for the improvement OF tlllage,
of husbandIy of the soil or its owners
The people should think out what ougn'
to be done by congress, and see that Il Is
done. Farmers do not watch their puDhc
servants, and no real reforms are mace
Our public duties are neglected; our
progress is downhill Farmers think
long, think deeply, on the fact, that your
public treasury pays out in time OF pio-
found peace as many dollars to support
standing army one year rs it docs 10
maintain the department of agriculture
including all printing, one hundred years
Is agriculture so deep in the mire and
the agricultural mind so hopelessly IN
darkness that neither can be elevated or
improved. Does progress mean that
congress shall neglect aud ignore the
greatest industry of the republic the real
source of the nations wealth, and
squander indefinite millions on art and
professions which teach man to kill his
brother man? The trade of human
butchery is bl l-thirty calling.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
norm1s onRIsr onuc1F1ED2

An admirable picture of the cruclfic
tion of Calvary has been exhibited fer
criticism and correction before taking 1t
abroad. 1t is full size. The cIoss differs
from all extent pictures. In height 1t is
but little taller than man. Midway is
a projecting saddle, upon which the person
sits astride. Ir@neus, Justin, ana Ter
tullian so described it. Modern artists
have omitted this, but it is obvious that
the outstretched arms could not main
tain, nor could the nailed hands nave
supported, the body as usually repre-
sented. All historians say the legs were
tied to the cross, and afterward spikes
were driven through the feet, as through
the hands. There is no mention OF
foot rest, but the artist has supposed
one, because the feet can not be spiked
without one. The inscription on the
cross, affixed to the top, is purposely and
ingeniously illegible, because each of
four gospels gives it differently. There
being no record of his imagination.
Here the artist exhibits consummate
skill. A more spiritual countenance we
never saw. The head is reclined, as ex-
piring. The hair is auburn, long and in
ringlets. The person is spare and of
short statue. At the foot of the cross
are only the executioners of the law.
No one is repsented as piercing the side
with a spear. Nor are there any con
nections, as Mary and John present, thus
being direct contradiction of the three
sympotic gospels. 1t is usual to show
blood flowing from the wounds in the
hands and feet. This is omitted because
history toll "a that wrought iran being
our best styptic, instantly stops the flow
of blood. 1t is popularity supposed that
the sacrifice consisted in the shedding of
blood Paul makes this indispensable
Yet it is a mistake. A slight cut on a
school-boy's finger sheds more blood.
Death results from exhaustion, not from
bleeding.
There are several marginal pictures
illustrating NdIlOuh liili dCltS anu OlQer
scriptural stories. Perhaps the most
striking, and certainly the most artistic,
represents Jesus escorted to the place of
execution by low multitude exulting
in His fate. The,central figure is clothed
in scarlet, according to Mathew, in pref
erence to purple, which Mark and John
say was the color And the man of
| Nazareth walks majestically as to a vol
untary sacrifice. 1t is usual, and almost
indispensable to public taste, to show
Him bearing His cross and bowed down
beneath the burden, according TO John.
But the artist, following the synoptic
gospel, which deny Johns story, shows
Simon carrying the cross, a stout PIE
beian, whe walks upright with it. The
artist considers it one great merit of his
painting over Others, that it is true TO
history, according to the plainest and
most consistent non sectarian interprt
tation.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27

Mr.. KEDFIELD, the correspondent Of
the Cincinnati Commercial, believes that
silver is largely boarded by the negroes
and poor whites Of the south. In his
travels south he has never known a
colored man to give silver m change il
he could by raking around in his pocket
book bring forth a shinplaster. He once
asked a colored man why he boarded the
new silver when it was worth less on a
gold basis than greenbacks. " oh !"
said he. "a niger loves money that jim
giles; we know that this is real money.
Silver can't lie about itself, but paper
can. Then if we lay away silver in ten
years it is silver money just the same,
but if we lay away paper how do we
know what it will come to ?'
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
rhc wnr AsaIn.t DIseasc.

The war waged against disease by Hostel
ter's Stomach Bitters goes bravely on. Dis
patches are constantly received from the
cured indicating the decisive nature of the
advantages obtained by the great botanic
cordial over its formidable adversary. Mala-
rial fevers, constipation, ,torpidity of the liver
and kidneys, general debility, nervousness
and rheumatic ailments invariably weld to
this conqueror and preventive OF disease
For the infirmities incident to the decline OF
life il is also an excellent specific 1t hasten'
convalescence and repairs the ravages Of Ill
health by facilitating the conversion of food
into blood of a rich and nourishing quality.
The appetite is improved by it, and in cases
OF nervous disease it tranquilizes that great
sensorium, the brain, lar more etfectually
than anv mineral sedative.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
4 MARES GRIEF RON IT'S DEAD COLT.

Graystocking, a thoroughbred mare,
lost fine colt in Milton the other day.
The colt was four days old. Gray
stocking is granddaughter of Lex
ington. The father of the colt wss a
grandson of Lexington. The grie Of
the mare over the dead colt was ter
rible to witness. She was shut up in
the stable, and the colt lay dead in
the passage outside. There was an
air hole through the roof of the stable,
and in her rawlings the mare actually
got on her hind legs and poked her
head through the hole. Reidsville
Times.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27

AFTER an experience OF over twenty
hye years, may leading physicians acknowl-
edge that the GrGefenbeTg MdrShdWS Uterine
CGth0itcOn is the only known certain remedy
dor diseases to which women are subject.
The Groefenberg Vegetable Pills, the most
popular remedy of the day for biliousness,
headache, liver complaint and diseases Of
uIigestloh. ~ Soid by all druggists Send Tor
almanac. Graefenberg Co, New York.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27

OF all the preparations brought to
public notice, none deserves greater COM
mendatiOn than HOME STOMACH BITTEBs.
Boing extracted from the best vegetable ma
terial, and containin <no mineral poisons, they
should be used by all who desire to retain or
regain good health Prepared by the Home
Ritters Co, st. Louis, Mo.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
For a Good nrcakfast or Tea,

YOU often have to make rolls, biscuit and such
dalicacies, in about ten minutes. It's easv
and certain with DoOLEY's YEAST POwDER,
the best of them all. Troubled housewife,
here is one cause of your annOyances swept
away Full weight and the best material
are the watchword of the manufacturers.
The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
COURrING UNDER DIFFIcUcryrs

In the vicinity of one of the smou
railway stations in Washoe valley resided
short time ago, beautiful young ladv
who was greatly admired by all the
swains in the valley. One of the nnno
Der who were greatly infatuated with the
fair maiden was exceedingly annoved
owing to the fact that he could neyor
have an opportunity of speaking to tho
young lady alone. Go whatever pirht
he would, he always found half a do1en
of his hatred rivals at the house in adj
vance of himself. At length. prow;nn
desperate, he proposed to the youno Iods-
in the presence of one of the enemy and
was accepted. Overjoyed at his suece..
he asked the young gentleman to act a.
second man at the wedding. The otherde-
clined the invitation, saying that If ho
could not be fsst he did not care - -